United States Trotting Association
Standardbred Equestrian Program
Member of the Month--May 2003

Only Pocket and Carol Bowe

Carol Bowe adopted Only Pocket from the Standardbred Retirement Foundation in July 2002, and she has been enjoying her new equine family member.

After being on the adoption waiting list for several months and viewing a few Standardbreds for adoption, she went to look at Only Pocket, a 16.1 hand pacer affectionately known as "Otto." Her first impression of him was that he was a sweet, willing horse, and he quickly bonded with her husband David.

The Bowes brought the bay home to live with their two Quarter Horses on their small farm in southeastern Pennsylvania. After a 12-race career in which he earned $2,430, the son of the In The Pocket was ready for his new home, and he quickly acclimated to the herd and is enjoying his new life as a riding and driving horse.

Otto has proved to be good on the trails, Bowe said. "The first time we went on a trail ride with a friend, I was amazed at how willing he was to lead and to follow."

This year, Bowe decided to add to his repertoire of skills by training him in combined driving, which consists of a presentation phase, driven dressage, a marathon phase which tests the horse’s stamina, and the cones phase which tests accuracy and obedience of the horse through a set of cones.

Fellow Standardbred adopter Susan Strickland has been giving combined driving pointers to Bowe, since Strickland competes in the sport with her Standardbred "Loki." Bowe and Otto participated in a beginner’s driving clinic given by the Brandywine Valley Driving Club, based in southeastern Pennsylvania. Bowe recently purchased a synthetic harness and has begun ground driving Otto with it on. She hopes to have him hitched soon, after she finds the right vehicle.

"He’s doing great," she said. "We’re really bonding."

To help with his new skill, Bowe is also planning to teach him in dressage under saddle, which will help improve his work in harness, particularly the driven dressage portion of the combined driving.

"I see my husband and I taking Sunday drives with Otto by this time next year," Bowe said, adding that they hope to participate in the "picnic in the park" events with the driving club and hopefully competing in some driving events.

Photo: The Bowe family welcomes new equine family member Only Pocket in a group portrait. From left to right: Stacy Bowe holding Buster Bay and gray Keystone Andie, both Quarter Horses; Craol holds the collar of Sam the terrier, and Only Pocket poses next to David. Photo courtesy of Carol Bowe