He’s sugar, he’s spice, he’s everything nice! Read all about Christen Tuxworth’s silly little red horse who loves tricolor ribbons as much as he loves to have his tongue pulled!

By: HH Contributor Kristina McCombie

HH: Tell us about your horse, Sunny. (age, breeding, owner, barn/show name, etc)

CT: Santiano aka Sunny is an 8 year old Hanoverian by Soliman De Hus. He was imported from Germany and was a stallion until he was 4 ½.

HH: How long have you and Sunny been a team? How did you find each other?

CT: I purchased Sunny in October of 2016. I had seen him advertised online in 2015 but wasn’t able to purchase him at that time. He was leased for the year and came back up for sale and I inquired again on him. My Dad had just been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and was in the hospital and I showed him a picture of Sunny. He told me to buy him and said he just looked like he should be my horse. I bought him without trying him on my Dad’s advice.

HH: What do you currently show in?

CT: I show in the Amateur hunters.

HH: What makes Sunny such a great addition to your barn?

CT: Sunny is a small horse which is perfect for my short amateur self! He has a huge stride, a great jump, loves to trail ride, a super funny personality and best of all he takes great care of me.

HH: Does Sunny have any quirks or goofy traits?  How is he around the barn?

CT: Sunny loves to have his tongue pulled! If you push on his nose, he will stick his tongue out. He also will stick it out when he meets new people. It’s his way of a hand shake! He also is super protective of “his people”. His people are very special to him and he lets the other horses know it.

HH: What are your goals for the rest of the year and beyond with Sunny?

CT: My main goal is to get back in the show ring! I had ACL reconstruction surgery in November of 2017 and I have just been cleared to ride again. I hope to move up to the 3’3” A/O’s.

HH: What successes have you shared with Sunny? Anything in particular you are especially proud of?

CT: I have been super lucky to have some great successes with Sunny since I purchased him. We have been Champions in Thermal, Estes Park, and at the CHP and also had an article written about us in the Competitive Equestrian Magazine. He was also the 2017 CHJA Hunter of the Year receiving the Top Honor Trophy. I am especially proud of being Champion in the Evergreen and Amateur Hunter’s in Estes Park last year winning 9 out of 10 classes. Estes Park was my Dad’s favorite show to go to when I was showing as a kid and I know he was there with me in spirit, cheering us on and helping us over every fence!

HH: What do you enjoy most about riding Sunny?

CT: Sunny is so supple, athletic and smart. He is very comfortable to ride and he loves to jump. He gives you an amazing feeling and you just want to trot around on him all day long! I also love that trail riding is one of his favorite things to do.

HH: If Sunny  was a teenager, which table would he sit at in the cafeteria and why?

CT: I think Sunny would go back and forth between the “jock” table and the “cool kids” table. He is super athletic, handsome, and confident.

HH: What are Sunny’s favorite treats?

CT: Without question, bananas!! He goes crazy for them. He also loves the hard candy root beer barrels.