Ida Liked A Dun (or "Arnie" as he's affectionately known around the barn) is just one of the superstar lesson horses at Cloud 9 Ranch in Friedensfeld. Arnie is an American Quarter Horse and was foaled in 2001, later purchased by Cloud 9's owners Derek and Tara Reimer as youngster.  After a very successful show career with Tara, he's become the "go to" horse at the ranch when it comes to teaching horse enthusiasts to ride.  Tara says his calm, willing nature and ability to sense what his riders/instructors need from him make him the perfect school master when it comes to confidence building and overcoming fear. 

Recently, Arnie was awarded the 2016 School Horse of the Year title by the Certified Horsemanship Association or CHA.  The CHA is an international organization that promotes safety and education through the certification of qualified riding instructors to ensure that horse lovers around the globe who have chosen to ride with a CHA certified coach are guaranteed to learn in a positive, safe, and fun environment.

What makes this award so special is the fact that the winner is chosen through a process of nomination letter submissions written by students, parents, and those who work with lesson horses provided by CHA coaches.  Each year, the CHA receives thousands of nomination letters from horse lovers from around the world.  This year, after whittling down the thousands of nominations, the judges chose Arnie as their School Horse of the Year based on the letters received from local riding students here in south eastern Manitoba.  

So just how versatile is Arnie?  Check out the video to see how amazing he is! 

Tara Reimer (left) with Arnie, and a group of Cloud 9 Ranch students