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“I was a single father until I married Mary Jane 15 years ago,” he says. “I’d take them
on trips with me when I could, and I had
an older couple who took the boys when I couldn’t. It was a hard way to make a living, but a great way of life.”
Rich retired from AQHA in 2014, but still freelances for the Journal and Speedhorse. He spends a lot of time these days turning his and Mary’s grandkids and others on to horses at Notquitea Ranch, where they live with their Quarter Horses, chickens, cats and a dog. Their ranch, near Buckholts, Texas, 10 miles west of where he grew up in heavily wooded Milam County, is just over an hour’s drive northeast of Austin.
“It’s only five acres, a nice little rural homestead but not quite a ranch,” he says. “The kids come here with their hats and their boots, and when I go to the barn they come running. Mary has friends who bring their kids out and ol’ Rich is always ready to go saddle up a horse. I tell the kids no one has to ride, but if you do, we have two rules: You’re going to do it right, and if you fall off, you’ve got to get back on. They’re cool with that.”
THE FUEL:
His Equestrian Accomplishments
While in Amarillo, Rich — with help from Zach and Cody — ran a side hustle breaking horses, taking five or six weeks to put 30 rides on them due to his travel commitments.
“I learned to ride like most people: kick them in the side to make them go and pull on
the reins to turn and stop,” he says. “I learned when I got into the industry that there was a whole lot more to it than that.
“The Thoroughbred Depth Charge was a really good sire of Quarter Horses, but they tended to be very aggressive horses,” he adds. “I talked with some old King Ranch people who said that Depth Charge was a puppy dog, but his babies, especially the fillies, were aggressive – especially when they were out of mares by Pass ’Em Up, a Thoroughbred who was really popular at the time. But like the Murrtheblurrs (an Idaho Thoroughbred), if you got them lined out and pointed in the right direction and kept them calm enough to get out of the gate, some of them could really fly. When I was working for the racehorse trainer, I got a reputation for being able to ride them. I didn’t learn much about the finer points of equitation, but I did learn how to stick on the back of a horse.”
Rich’s personal horse of a lifetime was “Rabbit” – Jack Rabbit Jones (Lance Jones- Salena Cee, Maxi Lena), who died last August at age 29. Rich bought the little bay gelding bred by NCHA Hall of Fame breeder Dick Cogdell at an Amarillo sale for $450. “He was a beautiful little horse,” Rich says. “In cutting horses, they breed for ‘expression on the cow.’ Well, the next step after expression is ‘Ohmygosh, I’m going to flip over backwards!’ and that’s what this horse was. He was literally scared to death of his own shadow and everything else, but for some reason, he and I were simpatico.
“I had people tell me, ‘Rich, you’d better get rid of that horse; he’s going to hurt you.’ And later, they said, ‘He was lucky he had you; no one else would have put up with him.’
“It was three months before I could walk up to him and put a halter on him with no problem; it took me six months before I could put a saddle on him.
“He was a supreme athlete, but he was scared. He could come around the side of the barn and see his shadow on the wall
and nearly flip over backwards. He could absolutely throw me. But I never had to walk more than 15 feet to get back on. He’d just stand there, and tremble and it was like he said, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m sorry.’ But he had a butter-smooth trot. I could trot figure-eights without touching the reins, and I could’ve drank a cup of coffee at his trot.”
THE EMBERS:
Looking Into The Future
Although Rich left Quarter Horse Journal in 2014 after 35 years, he continues to write on a freelance basis for them, and for Speedhorse as well. In the pipes are projects with equine artist Ginny Harding and a biography of industry icon C.W. “Bubba” Cascio.
Rich has radiated his passion for horses and history through his articles, and he remains intent on his mission to spread the love through hands-on sharing as well.
Those who have felt his dedication to the animal and the industry would say, “Mission accomplished.”
Richard & his horse of a lifetime, Jack Rabbit Jones, aka “Rabbit”, rode many miles together.
Richard on Ty Wyant’s horse Already Rude, aka Rudy, a Stoli gelding that ran in the Grade 1 Rainbow and Ruidoso Derbies.
“It was a hard way to make a living, but a great way of life.”
Jack Rabbit Jones, aka Rabbit
Already Rude, aka Rudy
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