Tanbark Acres Alum Jantsje, and her loving owner Dusti

Dusti Perdue and her wonderful family came into our lives when they bought Hiltje’s second foal Jantsje (Wander 352 x Lute 304). We are so pleased to have one of our horses go to such a loving and good home. I asked Dusti if she would like to tell us a Jantsje story and she graciously accepted. Here is Dusti’s story…

Almost 5 years ago, I purchased Jantsje from Tanbark Acres. What a “dream come true”. As someone who could only dream about owning a beautiful Friesian, I was pinching myself constantly thinking I would wake up and it would be just that, a dream. Jantjse and I have been through so much together. Training her as a very little girl to not be afraid of “spooky” things, getting her used to something around her belly and someone on her back. I would sit my little girl Chancey on her when Jantsje was about 18 months old. I had done a lot of “Parelli” stuff with her so I knew she was ready to let me sit on her. At almost 4, I would let my son Noah ride her in the round pen at just a walk. On the day that I decided to finally get on her, the sun was just setting and it was perfect. As I sat on her, she held her head so high I could touch the top of it. And, with a happy tear running down my cheek, I knew it was not a dream! About a month ago, my husband and I decided to take Jantsje and our Paint/Percheron Clyde for a trail ride in the Chickamauga National Civil War Battlefield in Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. I have to admit I was a little nervous since this was Jantsje’s first trail ride. After I got her saddled, we decided to walk a little ways. I mounted her and we rode for 4 hours (10 miles) stopping along the way and enjoying the scenery. Again, I was pinching myself. As a little girl I had horses and then “life happened” and did not get back into horses until 6 years ago. (I am 45 and not as brave as I once was.) Jantsje was amazed that we were riding somewhere besides “home”. She did not want to stop. Every time we came across a Civil War monument or a cannon, she would stop and check it out – sometimes licking them. She never one time spooked at anything. Jantsje has never been a big fan of dogs. At home she chases our dogs so when we were about to pass a man on the trail with dogs, I was nervous. But, I guess knowing that these were not her “play toys” from home, she just passed them by. Jantsje is very spoiled now. She is the kind of horse that has to be doing something and it better be fun and interesting. She would live in her horse trailer if she could – in hopes of going somewhere for a ride. She will stand inside the trailer waiting and waiting. As we all know, horses are entitled to a bad day every now and then. She is not perfect and can be a booger at times but she makes all my days wonderful and I hope to have many years of a loving partnership with her. Well, Tanbark Acres put love into her heart from day one and I just keep it there

- Dusti Perdue from Delano, TN