HOTYHorse of the Year · July 2026

Meet Team Lujen! 🐴💛

If you have ever walked into our barn and immediately noticed the very tall horse watching over everything from the first stall, you have met Lujen.

Years ago, before Cheyne Ranch looked anything like it does now, I wanted to care for a retired horse. That was one of the first clear pictures I had in my mind. A safe place. A slower place. A place where an older horse could still be valued, loved, and noticed in a different way.

Lujen became that horse.

We had known him since 2012, back when he belonged to Ashley Sherman Young, who spent ten years with him and took him to all kinds of shows. I am still so grateful to our farrier, Bill McCurdy, for encouraging me to consider the care lease that brought Lujen here.

That was back in early 2019.

Lujen is 27 now, an Appendix gelding, which means Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse, though his appearance is all Thoroughbred. He stands just over 16.3 hands, and he carries every inch of it.

He has the kind of height that makes people stop for a second, and the kind of wise eyes that make you slow down when you walk past him.

At night, when he is turned out, Lujen takes his pasture responsibilities seriously. I have seen him chase off a stray cat, a deer, and who knows what else. We used to see more wild animals out there, but apparently Lujen has taken over pasture security. So far, none of the deer have submitted a formal complaint.

He also keeps close track of the herd. If a horse leaves the property, or even gets close to leaving the property, Lujen lets us know. He has a very reliable announcement system, and while it is not exactly subtle, we have learned to appreciate it.

For all his size and authority, Lujen is also wonderfully curious. If we are filling his water or working in his stall, he comes right over to inspect the project. He also loves water and will stand near the wash stall waiting to be sprayed, just in case anyone is available to provide this important service.

He is especially attached to Twilight, which reached such a level that the Nature Club kids held a wedding for Lujen and Twilight back in 2022. It was exactly as official as you might imagine, which is to say, extremely official to the children involved.

We retired Lujen from riding about three years ago, but his job here is far from over. His ground manners are impeccable, and he has a way of teaching people just by standing there and waiting for them to slow down and get it right.

He greets people. He teaches respect. He stands tall and steady. He reminds us that a horse does not have to be ridden to matter deeply.

Lujen gets so much love here, and he deserves every bit of it.

Team Lujen is for the people cheering for the tall bay gentleman in the front stall, the one watching everything and keeping track of the herd.

Meet Team Nelson! 🐴💚

Nelson has a personality the size of Texas, which is funny, because he was actually born there.

He is a registered Shetland Pony with blue eyes, a big opinion about life, and a long history at Cheyne Ranch.

Nelson came here in 2019, back when this place was still becoming what it is now. We were looking for a companion for Lujen, and our vet, Dr. Seiler, knew of a Shetland pony who needed the right next home.

Nelson was donated courtesy of Mi McQueen, a longtime friend and client of Dr. Seiler's. I said yes based on Dr. Seiler's recommendation, without ever having met Nelson.

Thankfully, that worked out pretty well.

Nelson became our second horse at Cheyne Ranch, which means he has been here for almost every new horse introduction, herd reshuffle, and "let's see how this goes" moment since 2019.

And through all of it, Nelson has remained very much Nelson.

He is not the biggest horse in the pasture, and he is not the highest-ranking one either. He seems to accept his place in the herd with easy confidence. New geldings are potential bro buddies. New mares are respected from a wise and appropriate distance.

And the Mini Squad?

Somehow Pearl, Paisley, and Princess Buttercup rule over him completely, despite being smaller than he is. Around here, Nelson lives under tiny management, and he appears to have accepted this arrangement.

No one said herd politics had to make sense.

With people, Nelson absolutely understands his job. He has helped start so many kids at Cheyne Ranch. For some students, he was the first pony they brushed, the first pony they sat on, or the pony who made horses feel possible instead of too big or too intimidating.

There is something special about a pony who can help a child take those first steps.

Nelson knows the routine, knows the kids, and has spent years being part of the careful beginner moments that matter more than people realize at the time.

He is small, but his place here is not small at all.

Nelson has been part of our beginning, and he has helped so many students find theirs.

Meet Team Mini Squad! 💜❤️🩷

Some HOTY teams have height, athleticism, elegance, or long resumes.

Team Mini Squad has none of those concerns.

Paisley, Pearl, and Princess Buttercup are entering HOTY as one tiny but determined team, because separating the minis felt unnecessary and possibly unwise.

Together, they are the smallest members of the Cheyne Ranch herd, but they are not small personalities.

Paisley is a 39-inch American Miniature mare who joined Cheyne Ranch in February 2021. Pearl is a 37-inch Classic Shetland Pony mare who joined Cheyne Ranch in September 2019, and was born two houses down from us on Genova Drive. Princess Buttercup is a 32-inch American Miniature mare who joined Cheyne Ranch in February 2020, and yes, her name fits her.

Pearl and Paisley have both carried plenty of tiny kids in tiny saddles. These days, they do that less often because we have more horses for riding, but the minis still have an important job here.

They help students learn how to approach, groom, lead, slow down, and notice the smaller details.

Pearl is one of the bravest little animals we have ever known. One day, I was walking a child on Pearl when a tree branch fell right in front of us. Pearl did not flinch. We paused, stepped over it, and kept walking.

Paisley is technically big enough to carry a very small rider, but Paisley and “reliable riding pony” have not always been the same sentence.

Princess Buttercup is tiny, round, very cute, and mostly here to remind everyone that being small does not mean being overlooked.

The Mini Squad is part of so many first barn moments: first halters, first grooming brushes, first careful steps beside an animal, and first lessons in patience and respect.

They are also very good at looking innocent while knowing where the snacks are kept.

Team Mini Squad may be small, but they are entering HOTY with three times the cuteness, three times the opinions, and a strong chance of winning over just about everyone.

Meet Team Twilight! 🩵

I try not to call horses perfect, because horses are still horses.

But Twilight makes that difficult.

Twilight is kind, steady, beautifully trained, and so consistent, every single day. Twilight was trained by Chezzy Perlini, a top horse trainer and one of the people we admire most. That training shows up in Twilight every day, in the way she carries herself, the way she listens, the way she understands her job, and the way she gives riders confidence.

I actually took lessons on Twilight back in 2019, before she ever came to Cheyne Ranch. At the time, I knew she was special. I did not know that a few years later, she would become part of our own herd, or that we would get to work with her every day and watch her become so many people’s favorite horse.

We think Twilight is about 21 now, although her age has always had a little barn-math mystery to it. Chezzy said he used to call her a 12-year-old, until he realized he had been saying that for about five years. 😆

Twilight joined Cheyne Ranch in November 2021 through a care/life lease from Chezzy. She is a 16-hand Trakehner and Thoroughbred mare. She is a boss mare here, but she is gentle about it.

One of the things I love most about Twilight is that she is just so capable. She has worked cows, she has been trail riding, she still wants to go fast, and she still gets excited when it is time to go to work. And yet, most of her job here is walking gently with kids.

That combination is what makes her so special to us. She is capable of so much, but she is also content to slow down and be the horse our students need.

She has helped show us what a truly exceptional horse can offer when expert training and a generous temperament meet in the same animal.

We are grateful for every horse here, each for different reasons.

With Twilight, that gratitude feels a little like awe.

Meet Team Arrow! 🧡

Some horses have a big, flashy presence.

Arrow has more of a “let’s not rush into anything unnecessary” presence.

And around here, that is one of his gifts.

Arrow is a 24-year-old American Paint Horse gelding who has been part of Cheyne Ranch since July 2022. But our connection to Arrow goes back much farther than that.

We have known Arrow since 2012. We watched Ava Grady get him, love him, ride him, and do all kinds of fun things with him over the years. So when Ava asked if Arrow could slow down and retire here with us at Cheyne Ranch, we were deeply flattered.

That kind of trust means a lot.

Ava is still part of Arrow’s story and stays in touch, which is one of my favorite things about horses who come here through people who love them well. They do not just arrive with a name and a set of papers. They arrive with history, relationships, memories, and people who still care very much about how they are doing.

Arrow is steady, familiar, and wonderfully unhurried. He is not usually trying to impress anyone. He is not in a hurry to prove a point. In fact, he can be deeply committed to not moving his feet unless he is personally convinced the situation calls for it.

The exception, of course, is the hay truck.

Apparently, Arrow is fully capable of athletic enthusiasm when a truck is entering the pasture with hay. In those moments, his senior-horse wisdom temporarily gives way to a much more urgent belief system.

Arrow has a kind of old-school ranch horse feel to him. He is solid and grounded, with that classic Paint Horse look that makes people notice him right away. But what I appreciate most is not just how handsome he is. It is how many times he has simply been there, doing his job, being himself, and helping the rest of us slow down.

He is definitely a barn favorite, not because he is always the most eager participant, but because he is so very Arrow. Steady, handsome, stubborn, useful, familiar, and somehow always exactly himself.

He has also become very important to Misty, who absolutely adores him. Misty came to us after a big life transition, and Arrow quickly became one of her favorite parts of the herd. There is something very sweet about watching her choose him, day after day, while Arrow continues on with his usual calm, slightly sleepy confidence.

Some horses bring sparkle.

Some horses bring comedy.

Arrow brings steadiness.

He reminds us that not every kind of confidence is loud. Sometimes it looks like a chestnut-and-white Paint horse standing quietly in the middle of barn life, completely unconcerned with the chaos around him.

And we are very glad he is here.

Meet Team Emoji! 💛

Emoji surprises people, starting with the fact that she is actually a pony.

She is 14.1 hands high, and in the horse world, anything 14.2 hands and under is technically a pony. This catches a lot of folks off guard because Emoji carries herself like a much bigger horse (and she eats like a bigger horse - ha!)

She is a Welsh and Connemara mare who came to Cheyne Ranch in October 2022, generously donated by the McGrath family, and she has settled into one of our steadiest daily jobs.

With students, she is kind and capable and ready for whatever is in front of her. She has taught a lot of riders how to keep trying until they believe they can do more than they thought. She is the kind of pony who makes a nervous beginner feel like maybe they really can figure this whole horse thing out.

In the herd, she has an easy place. She is not a boss mare like Honey, and she does not carry Twilight's queen energy. She gets along with everyone in a settled, uncomplicated way, and she seems very comfortable being exactly who she is.

She has also made her feelings about rain very clear. While some of the other horses run and play or stand outside as if they have not noticed water is falling from the sky, Emoji comes to the gate and stares longingly at us humans, begging us to let her in. She would like to be excused from the weather, please.

Which is funny, because one of the coolest things about Emoji shows up when she gets wet. She is a "ghost paint", so a wet grey coat reveals a hidden pattern underneath, her skin is actually a black and white paint pattern under her grey coat!

I love Emoji's kindness. She is the dependable lesson pony, the easygoing herd member, the kind teacher, and has a playful little spark that comes out the second she is turned loose to play.

She is good at her job and easy to love and very clear about her rain policy.

Meet Team Honey! 🐴🍯🤍

Honey’s full name around here is usually Honey Bun, which feels right because she is golden, round, beautiful in that unmistakable Haflinger way, and also very committed to being in charge.

Honey is a 12-year-old Haflinger mare who was donated to Cheyne Ranch in May 2025 by Katie Little in Mississippi. Months later, Edward would come to us through that same generous connection, but Honey was the first to arrive.

And Honey arrived with opinions.

She is what horse people lovingly call a boss mare. Honey spends a surprising amount of her day explaining to the other horses that she is, in fact, the boss. She is not casual about this role. She takes leadership seriously, especially if another horse appears to have forgotten.

But with people, Honey is completely different.

With humans, she is gentle, steady, and so very kind. Kids can walk right up to her and hug on her. She stands beautifully for brushing, soaking up the love and attention like this was obviously the plan all along.

She is short enough to feel approachable and sturdy enough to feel secure, which is exactly the kind of combination we love for our students. Even her bouncy little Haflinger trot does not seem to scare kids. Somehow, Honey makes it feel fun instead of overwhelming.

One of the sweetest things about Honey is that we have kids who may not say much out loud who can say her name.

Honey.

There is something about her that invites connection without asking too much in return.

She may keep the herd organized according to very strict Honey Bun policies, but with our students, she is all softness. Solid, kind, golden, patient, and very loved.

Team Honey Bun officially joins the HOTY lineup. 🍯

Meet Team Misty! 💜

One of my favorite Misty moments happened with a mom who is very timid around horses.

Her child has been coming to Cheyne Ranch for several years, but horses have always been something she admired from a comfortable distance. One afternoon, I looked over and saw her standing at the fence petting Misty. A few moments later, Misty stepped closer and gently rested her face on the mom's shoulder, and the two of them stood there quietly together for several minutes.

Before Misty came to Cheyne Ranch, she spent thirteen years with the same family. Horses know their people, and people know their horses. When her family began looking for the right next chapter through a care lease, more than 300 people expressed interest in taking her. Through many conversations, thoughtful consideration, and a great deal of trust, they chose Cheyne Ranch, and we have never taken that trust lightly.

Like many Thoroughbreds, Misty found the transition a little overwhelming at first. But as the weeks passed, she settled in and began showing us more of her sweet personality.

These days, Misty can usually be found near Arrow, who she adores. She has become one of the sweetest horses in the herd, and every week she seems a little more comfortable in her new life.

One of my favorite parts has been watching Misty's family remain part of her story. They've visited several times already, stay in touch regularly, and are always excited to hear how she's doing. Seeing them together, it's impossible not to notice how deeply she has always been loved.

Maybe that's why that moment at the fence meant so much to me.

A horse who once seemed overwhelmed by all the changes in her life stood peacefully with a woman who was nervous around horses, and somehow both of them looked completely at ease.

A horse who has been deeply loved her entire life is beginning a new chapter, and we're honored to be part of it. 💜

Meet Team Edward! 💚

One of my favorite Edward moments happened earlier this year at the Autism Walk in Longwood.

The event was packed with people. There was music, activity everywhere, and all the excitement that comes with a large community event. At one point, three giant Chick-fil-A cow mascots walked right up to him.

Most horses would have at least paused to consider whether giant walking cows were cause for concern.

Edward accepted their love and continued calmly grazing under the canopy.

The longer Edward has been at Cheyne Ranch, the more we find ourselves relying on him.

If a student wants to spend extra time brushing, Edward is happy to stand quietly and soak up the attention. If we need a horse to walk calmly through a busy environment, Edward is usually near the top of the list. He has a steadiness about him that becomes more apparent the longer you know him.

Edward joined Cheyne Ranch earlier this year after a long journey that included rescue, rehabilitation, training, and many people who cared deeply about his future. We are grateful to Mississippi Horse Rescue, his trainers, and the family who believed he would be a good fit for Cheyne Ranch. Every person along the way helped shape the horse he is today.

Florida agrees with Edward. His coat shines, he's filled out beautifully, and he looks healthier and stronger than ever.

When Edward first arrived, I knew he was a good horse.

What I didn't know yet was how often we'd find ourselves thinking about him first.

Some horses become favorites because they're flashy. Some become favorites because they're funny.

And some become favorites because every time you ask them to do something reasonable, they quietly say yes.

That feels a lot like Edward.

Meet Team Klare! 💗

It was March 8, 2026. On the drive home after picking Klare up in South Florida, we stopped at Wawa.

A woman noticed her quietly standing in the trailer and asked if she could come say hello. She stood there for several minutes admiring her, asking questions, smiling the whole time. Before leaving, she pressed a small donation into my hand and insisted I keep it for the ranch.

That moment has stayed with me.

Because one of the first things you notice about Klare is how deeply kind she is.

Klare is an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare who joined Cheyne Ranch this spring after being generously donated by a family in Wellington. She was born in the Netherlands and bred to be an elite athlete. Sometimes I still look at her standing in our pasture and think, “How are you actually here?”

After a serious foot injury changed the direction of her previous career, her owners chose to give her a different kind of future instead.

She has huge gentle eyes, beautiful movement, and a calmness that feels very steady around people. Very quickly, I realized I could trust some of our most vulnerable students to take slow walks with her, and she seemed to understand exactly what was needed.

She seems to genuinely enjoy people and connection, and it feels like she has always belonged here.