My mom says I started begging for a horse when I was about 3, and I got my first one, a half-Arab, at 12. Arabians are my favorite horses, because they’re gorgeous, fun to ride, and you can develop a relationship with them that’s deeper and more significant than the relationship you might have with a person. Crabbets in particular are very athletic and sound-minded. They can do anything, and they’re so smart.

It was hard to choose a favorite horse. I considered Amari, my second horse, who’s now 34, and my 3-year-old stallion, Boomer. But I chose Rachel, because she’s so sweet, and anyone can ride her. I’ve had ages 4 to 83 ride her. She’ll do whatever you ask her to do. She wants to be with you, and she wants to take care of everybody. She’s kind and smart and gets along with all of the other horses, too.

I trained her when she was 7 for a 12-year-old girl, but by the time the girl was 17, she was more interested in boys than horses. The moment her family decided to sell her, the woman who was boarding her texted me, and by 2 o’clock that afternoon, she was mine.

— As told to Sherri Kimmel