Horse’s Tale - The Glebe Dixie Chick with Serena Barber

This article is from the November 2019 Horse Deals magazine.

Synopsis:
Stable Name: Dix, Dixie
Height: 36.5 inches
Age: 9 years old
Breeding: Small Horse bred by Jennifer Kellie, The Glebe. By Shangrila SE He’s Got Style x Destiny’s Firefly.
Owner: Serena Barber (Painted Crystal Miniatures).

Top 5 Results:
• Supreme Jumper at AMHS National Show 2018
• Champion 3 Day Eventing (33 competitors)
• National Grand Champion Mare
• National Champion Small Horse Liberty (22 competitors)
• National Champion Showmanship

How did Dixie come into your life?
I went to The Glebe Miniature Horse Stud looking for my next show horse. I walked through the stables being shown other horses but nothing caught my eye, until we went out to a paddock of young unhandled horses. This is where I first saw Dixie.

What were your first thoughts when you first laid eyes on Dixie?
I knew she had to be mine. Her blue eyes and big blaze caught my eye. She stood out in the paddock of horses. She was highly strung but I could see the potential horse she could be.

What were the original plans with Dixie?
When I got Dixie home my plans were to show her in both performance and halter and later on be a broodmare. Over time our plans changed, Dixie had some foals but it just didn’t seem to be our thing. Both she and I liked being out showing more than her being a broodmare.

How did she handle her first show?
I wasn’t expecting much for our first shows. We won a couple of Champions at some ag shows leading up to Queensland State Shows. At our first major show, she competed in halter and jumping which blew me away with Multiple State Champions.

Did you always know Dixie was a talented jumper?
When I first met Dixie I didn’t know she was going to be the star that she is today. It wasn’t until our first state show that I started seeing the talent she had.

What has been the most challenging aspect in Dixie’s training?
Catching her! Dixie being not handled much prior, didn’t like to be caught. Plenty of training techniques were done to help overcome this.

What do you enjoy about the jumping classes?
Jumping classes give a thrill, you never know how high you will get. Showing how a horse can perform for their owners. Jumping is my favourite class.

Most annoying habit or quirk?
When you feed her she will bite her feeder and flip it upside down, no matter what type of feeder.

Strongest personality trait?
Dixie is very loving. When it comes to a jump she has a need for achievement.

Work ethic?
She likes working as we don’t always do the same thing. Dixie’s work outs are mainly jogging through Wondai.

How did she handle the big occasion of Nationals?
It went well. Dixie didn’t mind travelling to Tamworth and being stabled on her own. She handled the trip well and we had an amazing National with Multiple National Champions.

Weekly training regime?
Training usually starts four months prior to major competition. We jog up and down the streets of Wondai, going through parks and meeting people along the way. We do this up to five days a week before big occasions.

What is the highest that Dixie has jumped and what was the preparation for that?
Dixie has jumped 120cm and our prep works was jogging up to 16km at a time.

How was your lead up to the Queensland State Miniature Show, considering both you and Dixie were coming back from maternity leave?
We were a bit slack since I had a caesarean. I was unable to take her on our jogging routine. We had visits from chiropractor Tork Cowan for her alignment to make sure everything was back on track. As we did three state shows back to back, we were lucky enough to have Tork come to the show and check on Dixie between shows.

How did Dixie take on the new role of motherhood?
Dixie was initially scanned negative for a foal. So we did 2 x National Shows, jumping the Guinness World Record height 44 inches both times. A few months later we found out she was actually in foal the entire time. The foal must have been hiding from the scan. Dixie was then put out to rest but I kept on working right up to the month before I was due. Working three jobs (Vet Nurse, Restaurant Manager, and a grooming business), I still found time to work with the young horses.

What has she taught you as a handler?
Patience, patience, patience.

Does she have a best friend?
She’s always been happy on her own but has a secret lover. A bay Pintaloosa Small Horse gelding Pic who even has a photo in his stable of her.

What is the first thing on your shopping this for Dixie?
Food, she will never let you forget with a nicker when she sees you.

When was the last time she made you laugh or cry?
At the state shows when I know it was hard on both of us coming back from babies, but she still tried her best to please.

Most treasured moment together?
Jumping classes and going to the beach with Emma McLean to get some lovely photos.

What celebrity does she remind you of?
Dixie Chicks.

Does she get much downtime during the year?
After having a foal she had plenty of downtime. But now we are getting into the swing of things again and she works most of the year.

What would you trade her for?
There would be nothing I would trade her for.

What’s next for The Glebe Dixie Chick?
Harness.

3 things we dont know about Glebe Dixie Chick?
1. She loves her ears being clipped.
2. She’s worn footy socks to bed.
3. She’s had three foals.

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