Freshman Merill Morse spends her free time in a different way than most– she helps train Paso Fino horses.
“I started working with Maurice Hirsch in June of 2006. He showed, trained and bred horses for 30 years he is in the hall of fame for the Paso Fino horse. He was president of the association,” Morse said.
“I started training with him, and went down to Kansas City to pick out a horse which I started working with. We just sold her, her name was La Siloueta de La Pina,” Morse said.
She would run his private barn and take care of his horses, dogs and clean the stalls.
Morse said, “I’m working with his 4-year old-colt which I have known since he was a yearling. His name is Montoya de La Pina.”
She said this summer she will start training other people’s horses, and that she hopes to show with Montoya de La Pina this summer, and take him to Nationals.