Hallie Coon and Celien. Photo by Kasey Mueller.
It’s a rider’s worst nightmare to arrive at show stabling to find the stall door open and your horse is no where to be seen. That’s what happened this morning when Hallie Coon arrived at the barn early to get ready for the Ocala Horse Properties CCI2* final horse inspection.
Thankfully the story has a happy ending, but if horses could talk, 8-year-old Celien would have an interesting story to tell! Here’s how her biped counterparts can best piece it all together:
“I got here this morning before 7 to find an empty stall and open door, so I went around to the secretary, checked all the barns, talked to the sheriffs, nothing. No one had seen her,” said Hallie, Celien’s rider and owner along with Helen Coon.
“Judging by the state of her stall, it appeared that she probably had been out for about 6-7 hours. We searched the property high and low, and the sheriffs even searched with the helicopter around the property and surrounding areas.”
Hours later, at 9:40 a.m., David Frechette, also known as The Horse Pesterer, informed Hallie that Jess Brumfield had cornered the Dutch mare in a field more than a mile from the Florida Horse Park. Hallie drove to Celien’s location and started walking her back to the park wearing one of Lauren Kieffer’s bridles.
A “Save the Day” selfie after Celien returned safely back to the Horse Park. From left: Lauren Kieffer, Shannon Kingsley, Bobby Costello, Joanie Morris. Photo via Lauren Kieffer’s Facebook
“As I start walking back, a golf cart comes down the road driven by Bobby Costello with Joanie Morris, Lauren, and Shannon Kingsley all riding with him. He told me that if I went straight back I could still jog her,” Hallie said.
“We trotted straight back to the jogs and went immediately, unbraided and with me in my barn clothes, and she was brilliant.”
Hallie is not sure how Celien could have escaped her stall and says she double-checked all the doors before leaving the park the night before. Thankfully, Celien was uninjured during her late night escapade and went on to show jump with just one down over a tough course, finishing 31st in her first CCI2*.
Whatever her motive for an adventure, let’s hope Celien doesn’t make it a habit! No doubt Hallie will be triple-checking the bolt from now on.
