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Trigger won't be forgotten

Betsy Carter's horse column

Date published: 3/19/2004

IN MEMORIAM: Whiskey Bot- tom, also known as Trigger, born 1965, died 2004, age 38.

Trigger, under his show name, Whiskey Bottom, carried many riders, young and old, to the winner's circle at hunter shows. However, for the past eight years Trigger has been retired and lived comfortably at his old home place, Rose Mount Farm, owned by Elizabeth and John Garnett.

Last Thursday, Trigger lay down in his paddock to doze in the sun and passed away in his sleep. He was buried on the farm next to his old paddock mate for many years, Random Harvest (Randy).

Trigger will be remembered by many riders who got their start in riding with him. For over 20 years, he taught many local people to ride and to show, and everybody who knew him loved him.

Trigger began his life as a Western horse. He was a 15.2-hand, golden palamino Quarter Horse with lots of dapples, a blaze and snowy white mane and tail. (He got his show name Whiskey Bottom for his warm, golden whiskey color.)

When Elizabeth Garnett first met Trigger, he was stabled at Rebel's Roost Farm, located just off Route 3 near Five-Mile Fork, owned by Betty and Willard Dameron. She took lessons on Trigger with trainer Wayne Eubank in the late '60s. Eubank always liked the way Trigger moved and thought for sure he would be great over fences.

He was.

In 1973, Garnett bought Trigger, when he was 8, for her husband, John, as a pleasure horse. But Trigger was so good at his new career that soon he was teaching lessons and going to shows.

Because Trigger's trot and canter were so rhythmic and easy, he gave many people their first blue ribbons in maiden hunter, (then defined as riders or horses in their first or second year of showing). Trigger maintained a metronome beat to his canter, always found his own "spots" at the jumps and won for his riders, who felt great about their riding afterward.

On Trigger, all the rider had to do was sit still and steer a little, and he did the rest. Trigger was also the repeat champion pleasure horse, since he could be ridden on "loops" and his gaits were always comfortable and quiet.

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Date published: 3/19/2004