Brian and Talkin The Talk

It was a very emotional reunion in Bridgeton, New Jersey this week as the Ale family welcomed home the horse they credit with making trainer Brian Ale the horseman he is today.

After nearly two decades of helping countless riders achieve their dreams, both inside and outside the show arena, Talkin The Talk, a 1997 gelding by Sweet Talkin Chip and out of a mare named Make Mine Smooth, will live out the rest of his life with the Ale family.

The Ale family purchased Martin, then a 3-year-old from Kim and Renee Myers, just one day after selling Harley D Zip, the 1995 bay gelding that would go on to become a legend in American Quarter Horse Association Western Riding classes. And although it didn’t happen right away, nor did it come easily, Brian would eventually form a bond with Martin like no other horse he has ever owned or ridden.

“He was probably the horse that taught Brian more than any other horse,” said Brian’s mother, Flossie Ale. “Every stride was a challenge as a 3-year-old and a 4-year-old.”

So challenging, even entering the show pen was a battle. One of Flossie’s most prominent memories is how hard Brian had to work to get Martin to stop rearing at the in-gate. If Brian was able to get him in the gate, Martin would back into the fence and kick it down. This bad habit was not broken until the Ales took Martin on a field trip to a nearby rodeo arena with solid walls. After that day, he never did it again.

She goes on to describe Martin as big-hearted– but only when he wanted to be. Once Brian and Martin realized they couldn’t fool one-another, their relationship thrived. Even when the sorrel gelding was at his toughest, Brian never gave up on him, and Martin never let him down.

Brian and Martin at the AQHA Youth World.

“He was the type of horse where you had to earn his trust,” Brian says, “We both had a bond that I couldn’t even explain . . . we were just one.”

Brian fondly remembers that when he would get to the barn every morning, Martin would hear his footsteps and bang the stall door with his nose.

The pair went on to win the Youth Western Pleasure at the Whistle Stop Futurity, place sixth in Western Pleasure at the AQHYA World Show and fifth in the 15-18 Youth Western Pleasure at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress.

“He gave Brian his whole heart,” Flossie recalled.

One of the most incredible moments for the Ale family, however, was when Brian called his mother to tell her to enter his father, Rodney, to their Congress entries.

This came as a major surprise, because Rodney had only shown once before.

The pair went on to win under one judge and finish fifth overall out of 234 entries in the Novice Amateur Western Pleasure at the Congress.

Brian and Martin at the Quarter Horse Congress

“Brian would talk to his dad around the pen and Martin would turn and look at Brian like ‘OK, I hear you,’” Flossie said. “It was the most amazing thing.”

Rodney has not shown since, Flossie revealed.

After three years competing with Martin, it came time for Brian to sell him. Over time, the talented gelding amassed over 350 points in Open, Amateur, and Youth classes. He earned points not only in Western Pleasure, but went on to prove his talent in the all-around events as well. He earned fourth place in Western Riding at the 2005 Amateur World Show with then owner Emily Ortega. That same year with trainer Justin Wheeler, he earned another top-10 World Show placing in Senior Western Riding.

After that, Martin continued his winning ways with Allen Dick and his son, Taylor.

As the gelding continued to age, he became unable to stay sound in a heavy show program. Since Martin was still in good enough shape to be part of a lesson-type program, the Dick family decided to donate Martin to the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association program at Martin Community College in Williamston, North Carolina.

At MCC, Martin was an instant favorite. For nearly eight years, he taught countless students, from beginners to more experienced riders. He quickly developed a fan club.

Tami Thurston is the Director of Equine Technology at MCC. She says that for the equine program, she seeks horses that are relatively sound, relatively sane and broke. Martin fit the bill, and then some. Thurston explained that for equine programs, horses as well trained as Martin are very hard to come by.

However, in true Martin fashion, he made students work for it.

Brian introducing his son, Brayden, to Martin this week.

“He could be a little bit of a handful,” Thurston said. “That was great, though, because if they worked for it, he would give it to them.”

Around two years ago, Martin’s soundness began to consistently regress, and Thurston knew it would soon be time to make arrangements for his retirement.

Typically at MCC, horses are sold if they are still sound when it comes time to leave the program. However, if owners want their horses back, Thurston tries to make the reunion happen. Several years prior, Brian’s wife, Lexi Ale, had contacted Thurston about Martin. It was very clear that he had a family eagerly waiting to have him back for retirement.

On June 12, Martin returned home to Bridgeton, New Jersey. Brian says that upon arrival, Martin greeted him as though they were never apart.

Brian explains that even compared to prizes he has won, his bond with Martin is his best accomplishment.

“To have him back now, it really makes me realize what horse training is all about,” he said.

Now at 21 years old, Martin’s typical day will consist of pasture time, peppermints and love.

Talkin the Talk will live the rest of his life as an honorary member of the Ale family.

Collegiate teams are a great option for show horses that can’t quite hold up to the physical demand of heavy show schedules, but aren’t quite ready for full retirement. Life as a college horse allows them to keep doing their job and keep their minds and bodies in shape, all while living a low-key lifestyle.

To see if your horse would be a good fit for the MCC program, contact Tami Thurston at (252) 789-0318.