Truman is the horse at the heart of TruBlu Equestrian — and the reason for the name.

TruBlu’s founder has had Truman since she was a teenager, and over the years he has been her show horse, teacher, traveling companion, rehabilitation project, schoolmaster, and trusted friend. A massive Jockey Club-registered Thoroughbred with an extraordinary mind and unmistakable presence, Truman was her USDF dressage show horse, and together they traveled extensively, competing, training, learning, and experiencing.

His career was not without its challenges. Truman suffered several devastating injuries over the years, injuries that could easily have ended his working life. Instead, she rebuilt him carefully through rehabilitation, classical training principles, thoughtful strength development, and an understanding of how the horse's body and mind work together. His recovery became one of the most important educational experiences of her life as a horsewoman.

Today, Truman is a true schoolmaster. He knows the piaffe and passage, understands the language of classical dressage, and has the patience and wisdom to teach riders of all ages. She has taught lessons on him to students as young as six years old, and he has an extraordinary ability to adjust himself to the person sitting on his back. He can be expressive and powerful when asked, but he also knows when someone needs him to be quiet, steady, and forgiving.

Truman has beautiful, expressive gaits and the kind of intelligence that seems to go far beyond training. He is smart, wise, observant, and deeply knowing - more of a human than a horse. He has taught his rider more about horses than any horse could ever have been expected to — and continues to do so.

These days, Truman has another important job at TruBlu. He is a companion and mentor to the sale horses, helping young and unfamiliar horses learn the routines of a working barn and giving them the reassurance of a seasoned horse who has seen just about everything. His presence brings confidence to the herd and a sense of calm to the farm.

Truman is not simply part of TruBlu Equestrian: he is the horse that started it all. The name, the philosophy, and so much of what TruBlu believes about developing horses are rooted in the years spent learning from him.