To the \’Victor\’ Goes the Spoils

Good things come in small packages, and that’s certainly the case for American Paint Horse Foundation’s benefit horse, Hidden Hollow Victor.

Standing at nearly 34 inches, the 5-year-old American Miniature Horse Registry tobiano gelding will be the smallest equine sold at the Farnam Breeders’ Trust Select Sale, taking place Nov. 10, during the American Paint Horse Association World Championship Show in Fort Worth, Texas. But despite his small stature, “Victor” will have a big impact on the APHF. Proceeds from his sale will benefit the foundation’s Therapeutic Riding Instruction scholarship fund.

Forming a partnership in January 2013, APHF and the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International, joined together with the goal to financially assist potential therapeutic riding instructors on their road to PATH certification. The average cost of registration for the three-day PATH certification workshop and test is $800. APHF will award two $800 scholarships annually to first-time applicants who are both APHA members and in good standing as PATH International members.

“We want to be the first in the industry to encourage the expansion of the instructor pool by helping more therapists to become certified instructors,” APHF Coordinator Jan Anderson said. “The need to get more instructors to assist challenged riders is vital.”

Generously donated by Donna Lee Armstrong and Linda Davidson of Hidden Hollow Farm in Shreveport, Louisiana, the grey-and-white miniature horse has been started in both hunter-jumper and driving training. Victor is valued at $2,000.

A soon-to-be movie star, Victor and other miniature horses from Hidden Hollow Farm recently joined the cast of Dakota’s Summer, a film written and directed by Timothy Armstrong. Scheduled for a mid-2014 release, the film stars Emily Bett Rickards (Flicka: Country Pride), Haley Ramm (Into the Wild) and Keith Carradine (Cowboys & Aliens).

Mike Greathouse of Mike’s Minis and Joe Frank Brown of Joe Frank Brown Show Horses have volunteered to care for and feed Victor, continue his training and prepare him for the sale. Members of Texas Paint Horse Club have donated the gelding’s feed. Prior to the sale, Mike will provide demonstrations of Victor’s driving abilities during the APHA World Show, which takes place November 6-16.