Gayle
Horn, M.F.H.
Gayle was born October 19, 1930 in Alameda,
California. She and her sister Lois grew up in Marin
County where Gayle lived until she moved to Reno in
1995. Gayle and Lois were close siblings throughout
their lives until Lois' death in 1998. Gayle
graduated from the College of Marin in 1950 and then
embarked on her "ranching phase", raising white
faced cattle from 1950 to 1954. Woe to the cows,
however, when Jack Horn arrived to sweep Gayle off
her feet. Gayle and Jack were married in 1956 and
lived together until Jack*s death in 1990. Jack
brought two children, Gerry 5 and Terry 2, with him,
and they were joined by Kathy in 1959, making Gayle
the mother of three.
Gayle grew up on horseback, and she and Kathy
entered the hunter show ring in the early 1970's.
Based in Nacacio, and training with John Charlebois
and Lumpy Killham, Gayle became a force on the
Amateur Owner hunter circuit in California. Kathy
worked her way up through the Children's Hunters to
join her mother in the A/O hunter ring. Gayle moved
to Petaluma in 1981 where she established Minglewood
Stable with John and Lumpy. Among many others,
Gayle's successes here included Hand In Glove, a
thoroughbred stallion who rose to the Grand Prix
level and ultimately was purchased and exported to
France to stand at stud. Gayle herself continued to
enjoy great success on her A/O hunter Genna, a
warm blood mare purchased from Lynn Lloyd.
In 1980, Gayle and Kathy decided that their free
spirits were too confined in the show ring, and they
added foxhunting to their repertoire, joining the
Los Altos hunt, under the joint Mastership of Al
Schreck and Giny Hunter in 1980 and Red Rock Hounds
in 1985. Kathy suffered from severe asthma, and knew
that foxhunting represented a serious threat to her
health. Despite the immeasurable wound Gayle endured
when her daughter Kathy died in the hunt field nine
years ago, she never wavered in her dedication to
the sport. Gayle continued to hunt from her base in
Petaluma until 1995. Having lost her daughter and
her husband Jack, Gayle then left the relentless
encroachment by real estate development in Marin
County to join us in Reno, where she found open
space and a place to foxhunt through the purchase of
Ross Creek Ranch in partnership with Lynn.
Gayle rode as first Field Master behind Lynn
three days a week until her stroke in 1999. But
what's a massive stroke to a woman like our Gayle
Horn. Visiting Gayle in the rehabilitation center
was an experience. Gayle's entire day centered
around the schedule board that dictated where she
should be for which therapy at what time. If a
therapist was 5 minutes late to take her to her next
treatment, Gayle would ring her bedside bell to find
out what was up. Therapists would ask us "Who is
this woman? We've never seen anything like her. We
usually have to drag the patients to therapy. This
lady is banging our doors down for more. We LOVE
her!"
Gayle came home from the hospital and rode her
horse the next day. Yes, it took 3 people to get her
up into the saddle and she was flanked by 3
attendants throughout her 50 yard walk, but ride she
did. That was March. Gayle was hunting slow field by
September. The following summer she took her mare
Mercedes to the AHSA "A" rated Oregon High Desert
Classic Hunter Jumper Show and showed in cross-rails
and 2'6" hunters. By the 2001 hunt season, she was
dividing her time between first and second fields
and now frequently serves once again as First Field
Master.
Gayle Horn is an inspiration to all of us who are
lucky enough to live in her inner circle. She is
surrounded by, and surrounds us, with breathtaking
love. The depth of her character can only be
experienced, not described. What a great treat for
us all, to say "Good Morning, Master Horn" to Gayle
for years to come.
