About The Author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Barbara Weatherwax has never been far from a horse. In the months before she was born her parents rode horseback and took sleigh rides in the Illinois forest preserves. Her father propped her up on a horse before she could walk. By the age of three she was riding. Her childhood memories resolve around her love of horses. while other girls played with dolls, she made up games to play with bridles and saddles. It surprised no one that as an adult she became a devoted horsewoman.

she attended Loyola University and earned a bachelor's degree in Theatre Arts. While teaching in Los Angeles inner-city schools she maintained a separate career as an actress and singer in musical theatre. Upon retirement from teaching she manufactured custom horse tack and established a popular tack store, The Saddle Tree, in the San Fernando Valley.

when Los Angeles freeway construction blocked many of her favorite horse trails, she moved to the great blue-sky country of Washoe Valley, Nevada, nestled below the Sierra Mountains. With a stable of soft-gaited riding horses and a horse trailer, riding opportunities became virtually unlimited, She introduced the extraordinary qualities of the soft-gaited horse to new acquaintances and riding groups through the region. Since she used Australian-made saddles exclusively, she called her ranch Ophir Hill Station - the word "station" being a homestead or farm down under. she considers a soft-gaited horse and an Australian saddle the best possible combination for trail riding.

With her advocacy for pleasure-riding hores, her place became a magnet for horse lovers searching for information. Over and over again she explained the difference between a running walk and a rack, and a fox trot versus a saddle gait. Her reputation as a wise and insightful teacher spread quickly. Her enthusiasm for sharing her expertise spurred the nine-year project of deep and careful research study resulting in this book. she is encouraged that this publication will carry her accumulated knowledge to a large audience so that equestrians can better understand and enjoy the fabulous floating horses.

Barbara has examined horses throughout the United States and holds multiple credentials to inspect for the Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse Association, the American Spotted Horse Association, the Spotted Mountain Horse, the Spotted Saddle Horse Breeder and Exhibitor Association, the tiger Horse Association, the Missouri fox Trotting Horse Breed Association, and the Kentucky Natural gaited Horse Association. She has also judged Paso Finos, Peruvian Pasos, spotted Saddle Horses, Kentucky Mountain Horses, Tennessee Walkers and Icelandics in non-pointed, all-breed gaited shows and is the state representative for the Mountain Pleasure Horse Association.