Dr. Brenda Forsythe and Kadence are quite a pair. She’s a 45-year-old veterinarian practicing in Orcutt, and he’s a 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding who likes to jump. Together, they’re winners, and they’ve taken home countless blue ribbons throughout the years in hunting, jumping, and dressage competitions. They’ve even taken home a few division championships.
“He’s a really big horse, so the big fences don’t intimidate him, but the best thing about him is his mind,” Forsythe said of Kadence.
After this year, Forsythe—who’s been competing in equestrian events since the age of 18—will be retiring Kadence from jumping competitions and concentrating more on dressage.
“He’s getting older, and I think it’ll help him stay healthy and sound,” she said.
Keeping animals healthy is a specialty of Forsythe’s. After years in the field of veterinary medicine, she just opened her own veterinary practice, Orcutt Veterinary Hospital.
“There’s just nothing else that matters to me as much as horses, except my vet practice and helping dogs and cats,” Forsythe said.
While Kadence is getting a break, Forsythe can also compete on her other horses, Legacy (an Arabian who specializes in English Pleasure) and Waverly (a Belgian Warmblood).
And though she keeps in shape for competition, Forsythe said that it’s the horses that are the true athletes.
“I think they deserve most of the credit,” she said. “They have to have conditioning, muscle strength, power, and courage.
I thank my lucky stars every day to have them in my life.”
This article appears in Aug 7-14, 2008.