How It All Began
Equi-Ads National, November 2000

The first animal I trained by myself was a goat, yes a goat, writes Kuchina Johnson. He had a sleek coat and four legs; what more could a 12-year-old girl ask for? His name was McGinty, after the song McGinty's Goat. I can still see him standing on his tub looking longingly at my bulging pockets of pony nuts. He could jump a course of jumps like a stag, half-pass as good as any of my father's horses and he followed me around like a dog.

The late Jack Hargreaves was visiting my dad's yard (he was a regular visitor) when he saw me longreigning McGinty. He asked my dad what was going on and he told him it was my first attempt at training on my own, as he would not let me train such a powerful anima1 as a horse yet, so a goat was a good start. Mr Hargreaves asked if he could make a film of my efforts and from that day McGinty was a star. I remember my parents thought I was becoming an alcoholic, when my dad's Guiness kept disappearing and he threw a fit when he saw me giving it to the goat.

I suddenly feel very old, as that was 22 years ago. McGinty stayed with me for many years, until I married. I even moved him on my wedding day and I cried when I had to go on honeymoon and leave him. My husband laughed at how I could cry over such a mangy smelly old goat, but I did and I am not ashamed to admit it - to him I owe a lot.

Next was a little Palomino horse (he was only 15hh). Standing in the yard was the most beautiful shiny horse I had ever seen, his coat was as gold as any coin and his mane and tail as white as snow, a complete nutcase. I wanted to call him Amigo meaning 'friend', however that 'friend' broke my leg on one occasion and went on to render me unconscious on another. I will tell you our tale of woe next time we meet, until then....

All the best, Kuchina.