East Bradenton teen forms winning partnership with American paint horse

Whenever East County's Ellie Blitz calls her best friend, he comes galloping right over.

That's because her best friend is her horse, Gunner.

Gunner is a horse that not only works with the clients at Sarasota Manatee Association for Riding Therapy, but also has formed a special bond with Blitz, who rides him just about every day.

By day, Gunner helps veterans and individuals with special needs at SMART, as he is used for therapeutic riding lessons. By night, Gunner is a show horse, being guided by Blitz.

The duo represented SMART at the Western Dressage Association of America's Championship Show on Sept. 26-30 and came home world champions in five classes.

When they compete, Blitz hopes people see that Gunner is more than a show horse.

“There’s no other organization I’d rather be representing,” said Blitz, whose mom, Rebecca Blitz, is the former executive director of SMART. “There are so many great people who surround me at SMART, and it’s great to see Gunner be able to help so many people who need it.”

Blitz said Gunner is a hard worker who is willing to do anything she asks.

"He always gives me the most out of every ride, and he’s my best friend,” she said.

Blitz adores Gunner not only for his dedication to her but also his commitment to the community when they volunteer at SMART. 

Courtesy image

“He has helped so many people with all types of different disabilities," she said. "He’s able to communicate with them in ways I’ve never seen before. There was one day he was out there with an older lady and I started crying when I saw them together because it was just the way her smile lit up. Gunner was so great around her."

Mark Hiser, the executive director of SMART, said Blitz and Gunner, an American paint horse, came into the Western Dressage Association of America's Championship Show in Guthrie, Oklahoma “under the radar.” 

“They had no idea who Ellie was, where she was from, what SMART is, and she won everything you possibly could win as a junior out there. They know who she is now, and they know she comes from SMART.”

Blitz has been riding horses since she was 4 years old. She spent all her free time during the summers of her youth riding and learning about horses. 

“They teach you so much responsibility,” Blitz said of horses. “They always find a way to make you smile. They give so much to you, and they always do their best for you.”

The Blitz family bought Gunner two years ago when the horse was 6. Blitz has competed with him in various disciplines.

Blitz and Gunner took on Western dressage for the first time in February after Blitz was able to participate in a Western dressage clinic with her instructor, Lauren Merchant.

It was at the clinic that Blitz learned Gunner had a knack for the discipline.

“It was such a change from what I was used to,” Blitz said. “(Merchant) showed me that my horse and I were made to do something very special and we really did have a future in it. She pushed me in the right direction and pushed me to be who I am today.”

Photo by Liz Ramos

Blitz has competed in different disciplines at local shows, but she had never competed in a world competition. She didn’t have any expectations going into the world show, so walking away as a world champion was shocking.

“It meant the world to me because I truly worked hard with this horse and on myself, especially," Blitz said. "It was great to see how far we’ve come since we started. It showed me how much my horse does for me because I would not be here without him."

With this year’s world show behind them, Blitz and Gunner are looking to the future. Blitz hopes to move up to more difficult levels of competition. 

Blitz said she now has time to reflect on what she and Gunner have accomplished so far before seeing what work needs to be done for upcoming shows and how they’ll be able to improve. 

She tries to ride Gunner daily, giving him the weekends off unless they have a show. She likes to be at SMART on Saturdays to be with Gunner, whether it’s to spend time with him or if she has an opportunity for another lesson. 

“It takes consistency to maintain what we’ve accomplished,” Blitz said.

Photo by Liz Ramos

Blitz and Gunner will continue to compete in local shows to learn more about the competition. The judges provide feedback so they can know their strengths and weaknesses, which will help them prepare for next year’s world show. 

“I’m looking forward to the new show year,” Blitz said. “I feel like it’s a new start for us, especially because of how far we’ve come from this past year. I’m looking forward to how (SMART) is going to grow and how we can get more people involved in the sport.”

With Hiser hoping to have SMART host competitions in its arena and have more volunteers or clients from SMART participate in competitions, Blitz said she wants to do what she can to help. 

She has volunteered more than 3,000 hours at SMART.

“I would love to help as many people as I can,” she said. “It’s great seeing everyone become more educated in this type of environment and seeing younger people come up and pick up the discipline. It’s great to see new faces and new people who share the same love as us.”

Her advice to anyone starting to ride is to be patient. 

“You need to go in just for the love of the sport without too many expectations,” she said. “It takes a lot of dedication and a lot of your time, but it truly is all worth it in the end.”