A pony named Domino
Many have read and heard stories about little girls and their ponies, how the love of a horse can transform the life of a person, and how some people devote their lives to horses and the miraculous things they can do. This story starts with a fox hunt in the deep South, where the hounds are internationally known both for their conformation and their performance, the Masters are also world-renowned, and the community that surrounds the hunt is one best characterized as family.
Sending children to compete in the Junior North American Field Hunters Championship is a long standing tradition for the Live Oak Hounds, and Daphne and Marty Wood, Joint Masters of Live Oak, have been thrilled over the years as time and time again, the children who learned to hunt with their pack across the Longleaf pine woods of southern Georgia and northern Florida came home with ribbons and awards.
The stewardship of the JNAFHC judges and the organization itself is a testament to the dedication of the parents of these children, the Masters (like the Woods who have sent Juniors to the competition for 12 successive years), and the passion that this sport instills. Liz Howard, who hails from three generations of Virginia foxhunters and has been involved in judging for more than fifteen years, speaks of it as “an honor to watch as their sportsmanship shines, their manners transform into perfect etiquette, and their love for hounds and hound work becomes the driving force.” This year was no different. Except it was.
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Sending children to compete in the Junior North American Field Hunters Championship is a long standing tradition for the Live Oak Hounds, and Daphne and Marty Wood, Joint Masters of Live Oak, have been thrilled over the years as time and time again, the children who learned to hunt with their pack across the Longleaf pine woods of southern Georgia and northern Florida came home with ribbons and awards.
The stewardship of the JNAFHC judges and the organization itself is a testament to the dedication of the parents of these children, the Masters (like the Woods who have sent Juniors to the competition for 12 successive years), and the passion that this sport instills. Liz Howard, who hails from three generations of Virginia foxhunters and has been involved in judging for more than fifteen years, speaks of it as “an honor to watch as their sportsmanship shines, their manners transform into perfect etiquette, and their love for hounds and hound work becomes the driving force.” This year was no different. Except it was.
Enter young Eliza Fisher, whose circle of friends are fox-hunting girls who have captured the hearts of the seasoned members of the Live Oak hunt. They ride together on well-bred horses ranging from 18 hands to 14 hands . . . and then there’s the shaggy little black and white pony. He was an abandoned, neglected, and forgotten animal, long left in a big field with a couple of other horses, seen by many locals driving to the Thomas County, Georgia, solid waste facility, more commonly known as the “dump.” The pony was nothing short of feral, having had no human contact for many years. Fisher and her parents rescued him with the help of long-time Live Oak whip Elmer West, who gave him the name “Domino.” And then the work began.
After a rough start with another trainer who unsuccessfully attempted to introduce Domino to hounds, it fell to Fisher to transform this pony into a ridable hunt horse. She started weekly riding lessons and, in addition to the lessons, there was a strict protocol of homework assigned by her trainer, Autumn Clarke, who is known internationally for her ride in the Mongol Derby and admired broadly for her equestrian skill, having whipped in at Live Oak for nearly ten years prior to heading to the other side of the world for the hardest horse race imaginable. To say the least, in addition to entering the school of a little girl’s love and determination, Domino was faced with a very new and very strict regimen.
Fisher’s parents were happy to support her chosen activity, but they required her to put in the time and energy. And she had to help pay for his expenses. Fisher’s mother said it was truly a journey of perseverance, dedication, and a heart that grew steadily in love with a pony who somehow understood how important he had become to the little girl in his life.
After a rough start with another trainer who unsuccessfully attempted to introduce Domino to hounds, it fell to Fisher to transform this pony into a ridable hunt horse. She started weekly riding lessons and, in addition to the lessons, there was a strict protocol of homework assigned by her trainer, Autumn Clarke, who is known internationally for her ride in the Mongol Derby and admired broadly for her equestrian skill, having whipped in at Live Oak for nearly ten years prior to heading to the other side of the world for the hardest horse race imaginable. To say the least, in addition to entering the school of a little girl’s love and determination, Domino was faced with a very new and very strict regimen.
Fisher’s parents were happy to support her chosen activity, but they required her to put in the time and energy. And she had to help pay for his expenses. Fisher’s mother said it was truly a journey of perseverance, dedication, and a heart that grew steadily in love with a pony who somehow understood how important he had become to the little girl in his life.
Riding Domino several times a week and hunting at every opportunity, Fisher impressed everyone with her diligence. Clarke remarked that, as a professional, she put a total of one training ride on the pony herself; every other ride over the past three years was with Fisher in the saddle. Clarke said that when Fisher is assigned homework, she does it in full. No shortcuts for this kid.
Domino is boarded with Donna Nunnally, a Thomasville native who has hunted with Live Oak for decades. Nunnally had a front row seat to the transformation of the scruffy little horse, whom she describes as a diamond in the rough. And, it amazed her again and again how the two of them, Fisher and Domino, positioned themselves to compete at the national level in just a few years.
Their first lesson with Clarke was a group lesson with Catie Rae Crane, Crane’s brother Henry, and their mother Janna. It was a pretty wild event. Clarke assessed the situation and decided the best move was to separate the group for individual lessons. She didn’t think Domino was a very nice pony; he was stubborn, spinning, bolting, and ignoring Fisher’s requests. Clarke believes Fisher is one of the bravest riders she has ever seen. A “free horse” is not often a “good horse”, and Clarke thought Fisher had her work cut out for her. Fortunately, her work ethic was incredible.
Domino is boarded with Donna Nunnally, a Thomasville native who has hunted with Live Oak for decades. Nunnally had a front row seat to the transformation of the scruffy little horse, whom she describes as a diamond in the rough. And, it amazed her again and again how the two of them, Fisher and Domino, positioned themselves to compete at the national level in just a few years.
Their first lesson with Clarke was a group lesson with Catie Rae Crane, Crane’s brother Henry, and their mother Janna. It was a pretty wild event. Clarke assessed the situation and decided the best move was to separate the group for individual lessons. She didn’t think Domino was a very nice pony; he was stubborn, spinning, bolting, and ignoring Fisher’s requests. Clarke believes Fisher is one of the bravest riders she has ever seen. A “free horse” is not often a “good horse”, and Clarke thought Fisher had her work cut out for her. Fortunately, her work ethic was incredible.
Catie Rae described their first horse show with Fisher on Domino as “Crazy!” Ada Watt, who was at the time riding the “most broke horse ever,” couldn’t believe how wild Domino was. Fisher chalked it up to “he was camera shy and a little afraid of the gates, and he was nervous and tried to escape.” Her dad stepped in as a barrier to keep Domino where he belonged.
During this three-year journey together, Domino somehow grasped that his early behavior was unacceptable. A bond of trust developed between horse and rider, and, as long as Fisher stuck to the methods that Clarke taught her, Clarke could see that she would prevail. Fisher paid strong attention to the details, and everyone was amazed at her sheer grit. In recalling the process, Clarke emphasized that she would never recommend that most green riders try to tame a feral pony or horse. But, watching Fisher taking it one step at a time, riding as completely and correctly as she could, week in and week out, truly impressed her.
The result? A very nice pony, created by a young girl achieving little goals every day, becoming an inseparable team who brought home a national ribbon to the acclaim and applause of the entire Live Oak family. For Fisher, it felt perfectly natural. She is certain Domino performed so well just for her. One girl’s love for her little black and white pony and years of kindness repaid. When asked if Domino, who is now 23 years old, will move on to another rider once she has outgrown him, she said, “He’ll be mine forever.”
During this three-year journey together, Domino somehow grasped that his early behavior was unacceptable. A bond of trust developed between horse and rider, and, as long as Fisher stuck to the methods that Clarke taught her, Clarke could see that she would prevail. Fisher paid strong attention to the details, and everyone was amazed at her sheer grit. In recalling the process, Clarke emphasized that she would never recommend that most green riders try to tame a feral pony or horse. But, watching Fisher taking it one step at a time, riding as completely and correctly as she could, week in and week out, truly impressed her.
The result? A very nice pony, created by a young girl achieving little goals every day, becoming an inseparable team who brought home a national ribbon to the acclaim and applause of the entire Live Oak family. For Fisher, it felt perfectly natural. She is certain Domino performed so well just for her. One girl’s love for her little black and white pony and years of kindness repaid. When asked if Domino, who is now 23 years old, will move on to another rider once she has outgrown him, she said, “He’ll be mine forever.”
Brookwood School
Located in Thomasville, GA, Brookwood School is a private school for grades JK-12. Students benefit from a challenging academic program, fine and performing arts, competitive athletics, and a wide selection of extracurricular activities.