Every equine competitor dreams of the “once in a lifetime” horse, and for Freedom Farm in Ravenna, Ohio, that dream became a reality in Aequus+//. In addition to a lifetime of achievement, we are honored to announce that this 25-year-old Arabian stallion will be inducted into the Horse Stars Hall of Fame this March in Wellington, Florida.
Now retired, Aequus+// still holds the title of the breed’s most winning Arabian Park Horse. He has earned titles throughout the US and Canada, was The Arabian Horse Times Park Horse of the Year in 2007, has received his Legion of Excellence Award from the International Arabian Horse Association, and was a finalist in the USEF Horse of the Year Awards. He also represented the Arabian breed at the 2010 World Equestrian Games opening ceremony in Lexington, Kentucky.
The Freedom Farm team who know him best say that what makes Aequus+// so special is his innate athleticism and heart. He’s so completely ordinary around the barn, but when he goes into that National Championship ring he transforms.
Trainer William Rodgers echoes that sentiment, “For this little 14.2 hand horse to do what Aequus+// does, he has to be all heart. He’s become a spokes-horse for the breed and has always been a crowd favorite. People just like this horse a lot.”
Horse Stars Hall of Fame 2013 Nominee
The Horse Stars Hall of Fame – a joint effort between the Equus Foundation and the USEF – celebrates the outstanding talent of horses and the beautiful and unbreakable bond between horses and people. The program honors the contributions of horses that have excelled in sport and in careers and helps build a more informed and compassionate community that values the compelling impact of horses in the lives of millions of people every day.
The induction of the inaugural horses and the unveiling of the Horse Stars Hall of Fame website will take place on March 8, 2013 during the Winter Equestrian Festival at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida.
The Freedom Farm family is honored that Aequus+// has been nominated as a 2013 Horse Stars Hall of Fame inductee. Aequus+// will be represented at the induction ceremony by John and Chris Hall, William Rodgers, and Raegan Pettitt.
About Aequus+// and Freedom Farm
William Rodgers began training Aequus+// when the horse was a 5 year old, both landing for good at Freedom Farm eight years later. The small operation includes no more than five horses on the competition circuit at a given time, with the Halls, Rodgers, and Pettitt doing everything themselves – from the training and riding to the grooming and stall cleaning.
Above all else, careful consideration for the physical and mental well-being of the horses is the hallmark of Freedom Farm. This has led to the development of both Freedom Holistic Saddles and SUCCEED Digestive Conditioning Program, both of which Aequus+// was one of the first horses to use.
Aequus’s final championship year in 2007 was particularly special, when he became the only Arabian Park Horse to win the Open (under Rodgers) and Adult Amateur Owner To Ride (under Pettit) in the same year. Highlights of his career include:
- 2007 – U.S. National Champion Park Horse
- 2007 – U.S. National Champion Park Horse AAOTR
- 2005 – U.S. National Champion Park Horse
- 2004 – U.S. National Reserve Champion Park Horse
- 2002 – U.S. National Reserve Champion Park Horse
- 1998 – U.S. National Champion Park Horse
- 1997 – U.S. National Champion Park Horse
- 1996 – Canadian Champion Park Horse
- 1995 – Canadian Champion Park Horse
- 1995 – U.S. National Reserve Champion Park Horse
- 1992 – U.S. National Reserve Champion Arabian Formal Driving
Aequus+// was officially retired in 2008 with a moving ceremony at the 2008 US Nationals.
“You don’t teach a horse to do what Aequus+// does,” Hall says. “What you’re looking at is the relationship between two partners who trust each other completely. What I adore out of Aequus+// is the relationship he had with Bill, and the opportunity to allow it to flourish.”
Congratulations to Aequus+// and the rest of the Freedom Farm team on the Horse Stars Hall of Fame nomination. Aequus+// is most deserving and has had a career that will never be forgotten.
