Dana Bauer

Henry and I enjoying the outdoors.

I rode through my girlhood on a Morgan gelding called Apollo.  He was a bright orange chestnut with the worst wind sucking habit and clubbed foot you ever saw.    He loved to eat the reins and knock over the wheelbarrow when my sister and I were cleaning the pasture.    But my sister and I had the most fun with him!   He was the horse that could bob for apples and climbed over, through and around any trail obstacle, including the very steep “bridge” my father built.    His conformation was too flawed for Morgan pleasure classes, but he won the dressage championship and jumping classes.  And, somehow, he beat professionals on warmbloods to win first place in his Dressage class at Waterloo (kind of a big thing here in Michigan.)    We had many disasters, adventures, and thrills together.

Because I had so much fun with this horse, and many more that came afterwards,  I started doodling my favorite memories (like the one with the horse trying to chomp on the farrier’s butt!).   These pictures became Dana’s Doodles in 2001.   They have been published in Young Rider, Dressage Today, Horse & Rider and Horse Illustrated magazines, to name a few.     My products are sold in the Wild Horsefeathers catalog and in tack shops nationwide.  (If you are interested in carrying my items, please contact my sales rep, Sheri Ruderman at horslovr@bellsouth.net)

Now, I am married with a baby boy.   My husband Tim loves horses, too.  He even bought an Arabian when he was in his twenties.   While I tend to gravitate to small, brown all around horses, Tim loves Friesians, Gypsies, and other romantic breeds.     Right now, our son seems to be perfectly content with house cats and trucks but hopefully he shows interest in ponies soon!

If you can relate to any of my riding experiences, please feel free to drop me a line!  bauer.dana@gmail.com  I would love to hear from you!