My name is Jackie Griffin. I'm married, no kids yet, and I just recently graduated as a LPN. I work for Fayette Regional Hospital as a full time EMT on the ambulance and a part-time LPN for the Immediate Care. I returning to school this summer to get my RN.

I grew up and still live in Rush Co. I am the 4-H Horse and Pony Color Guard Coach and do the clinics for the kids.

I got my first horse when I was nine. He is a registered appaloosa gelding named Mr. Big Weed (Cotton). We have done a little bit of everything. We started out showing halter and showmanship on the Appaloosa circuit. He was 3, I was 9, neither of us knew a thing. I have a video that is very entertaining. Here I am this little girl with a hat way too big and this gelding towering over me. I just stood there and he just stood there eating my hat. So now you have this little girl trying to explain to this big horse that he was not to eat my hat in the middle of a halter class at a big app show. Funny stuff. Since then we have shown hunt seat, western pleasure, trail, jumping, equitation, western riding, contesting, and even a little bit of Cowboy mounted shooting. We also enjoyed trail riding and showing off in the local parades. He is now fat, happy, and retired at the age of 23.

I have had many appaloosas off and on during the years, but nothing was as good as my old gelding. Though I deeply love my Apps, I had a small problem, my husband. He is not into the horses quit like I am. He does however enjoy camping and trail riding, which I didn't do much of until I met him. Problem was, he will only ride a gaited horse and all of our friends have gaited horses. Needless to say my old gelding didn't want to have any part in keeping up with them. So 3 years ago, I bought my first Walking horse. He was a 8 year old gelding that I just fell in love with. I call him my special kid. You will all figure out why the first time you meet him. His name is Captian Morgan, "Captain", and I couldn't ask for a better horse.

I also have a donkey we call Donny. He came to us 4 years ago as a weanling at a really bad time, but was a blessing. Donny became great comic relief while my dad was passing away from lung cancer. Donny is now a great member of the family and has learned to pull a cart. Of course, if you ask Captian, it is his donkey. They play together like no other and it is funny to watch.

I am very excited about being a part of this group. I was at the Belgian World Show (I help my close friends show their 6 horse hitch in my spare time) when I first saw the drill team. I picked up a directory and looked the RHPC group up on the Internet when I got home. I thought it sounded like me right away. I like to do the "showing off" and my husband and our friends have no interest in it. I am so glad I found such a great group of gals that have the same interest and the same passion about horses that I do. I can't wait to meet everyone and start participating in RHPC events.