The Story of Rachel Schaeffer, her love of horses and French used saddles!
Rachel Schaeffer got bit with the horse bug as far back as she can remember! At 6 years old, she saved up enough money to have a birthday pony delivered to her backyard for 4 hours (despite it not being her birthday). From then it grew to horseback riding lessons as often as her parents would take her, working at various barns in the Philadelphia and South Jersey and mucking stalls to pay for it all.
Rachel rode primarily English but did have a horse that she leased with her own money at the age of 11 called Peaches who was a huge Palomino that enjoyed going Western too. Rachel has many fond memories of riding Peaches (and bailing a few times too) through Tyler State Park in Newtown, PA.
When Rachel was 12, she bought her first horse – a small Appaloosa mare named Party Miss. Rachel put down 50% of her own money and made small payments for Party Miss, who was fondly referred to as “Parts Missing” if she behaved like a moody mare. For her 8th grade graduation Rachel’s dad rewarded her hard work and ‘gifted’ her the other half of the horse. It was around this time that Rachel first started noticing tack and saddles and bought her first saddle – a flat, no knee roll having Blue Ribbon saddle. She paid $650 for it with a price tag showing a retail price of $1,200 so Rachel knew she got a great deal. (Was this the start of ISellTack.com in some way??!)
Madison, Rachel’s daughter, also helps out with the business. Madison started riding before she could walk but at around age 4, she started really started riding and her first pony was named Peanut. Madison rode for almost a full year with no stirrups because Rachel didn’t run out and buy a saddle right away (making sure she really wanted to ride) so she rode in Peanut’s Western saddle with stirrups that were way too long. It has did wonders for Madison’s seat, needless to say, and today she is a beautiful, natural rider!
Throughout the years Rachel and Madison showed in the hunter, jumper and equitation rings and they still show today. Rachel is proud to say that in addition to importing several horses from Europe (still winning everywhere) she has enjoyed several OTTBs that were show winners and reliable mounts! Rachel, Madison thoroughly enjoy every waking moment of spending time around horses and beautiful saddles, of course!
Some imports:
An OTTB stallion that we raced then turned into a jumper!
