Submitted by Laura Kibler, East Jordan Michigan

In the very early hours of July 13, 2010, the curly horse community lost a true supporter and lover of the Curly horse. Terri Sholberg of Harbor Springs, Michigan was on her way to work when her car collided with a horse that had gotten out of its pasture. Terri died as a result of her injuries.

I met Terri in September of 2009. I had always known of Terri because we worked at the hospital together and she worked in the cafeteria. I saw her smiling face every day serving me food or taking my money. When it was decided that I was not going to be able to adopt the rescue horse that I was fostering, I heard through the horse grapevine at work that Terri had a passion for Curly horses. And everyone raved about her natural abilities with horses. I immediately contacted Terri and told her about Mocha. Within days, she was at my house to check him out. Her first words were wow, he is tall! She did some ground work with Mocha and played with my curly horse Billy for awhile. But, in the end, she decided that Mocha was just too big for her. I understood. But, it did not end there. She went home and emailed and called everyone she new, including her sister who lives in another country, to tell them about Mocha. She was determined to help me and the rescue find him a great home. She felt bad that she was not able to help. Mocha left for another wonderful foster home in Indiana short time after.

Terri came out to my house again to go for a ride with me. She wanted to ride Billy (the Curly). I had some fear about riding my QH and the whole time she was encouraging and positive and giving me pointers. I think we encountered everything on that trail ride that I was afraid of and she talked me through all of it with such confidence! She LOVED Billy and just raved about what a good boy he was. Terri came out to ride again, and again, it was a positive experience. She was just such a natural with the horses.

In October, Terri and I decided to go to Indiana and visit three Curly farms that were very close to each other. It just so happened that Mocha was at one of these farms. So, off we went. It was such a long drive. On that trip, Terri got to see a horse that she had ridden in Harbor Springs many years ago, she got to ride a Friesian stud, and she got to ride a gaited Curly stud! She was in heaven to say the least!! Ecstatic!!! Smile from ear to ear! And she had no fear about getting on any of these horses that were unknown to her. I cannot tell you how many Curly horses we saw in those three days it was a lot! We went on a trail ride on a day that could not have been more beautiful sunny, warm, glorious! She really had her choice of horses to ride, but she chose a pregnant Curly mare. I was kind of baffled by that. After the ride, I asked her why she chose that horse. Her answer was this...I knew you were nervous about riding Mocha. And nervous that they would be cantering with you on Mocha. So, I chose to ride the pregnant mare so the ride would be slow and easy. So you would feel safe. THAT is the kind of person Terri was!!!! ALWAYS thinking of the other person and not herself!

On the way home from Indiana, we stopped in lower Michigan because she wanted to look at a Curly horse that was for sale. His name was Millenium Max and soon after our trip she was back down there to bring him home. She loved him so much and soon he was introduced to dressage, tons of trail riding, barrel racing, and they just completed a parade on July 4. Max (or Reggie as she fondly called him) was the talk of her friends because of his calm demeanor and she just loved that he was like that. He was beautiful! And the two of them were a perfect match! He was the horse of her dreams! Reggie has lost his true partner.

And, here is another funny story from that trip that has nothing to do with horses. We stopped in Grand Rapids for dinner and after dinner I asked her if she had ever had Krispy Kreme donuts. She hadn't, so I gladly took her there. She walked out of Krispy Kreme with the baker's hat on and 2 dozen doughnuts! Funniest thing I every saw! You would have think she just struck gold!

Every horse person at Northern Michigan Regional Hospital knew Terri and Terri knew them. She was always asking how their horses were and exchanging horse stories. She had the purest love for horses and an honest interest in people. If a person had to sell a horse, she was a living, breathing advertisement for the horse. She made you smile with her stories and made you feel like whatever you had going on with your horse was important enough for her to take time to listen to.

It is so ironic the way in which Terri died. The very animal that she loved and adored is the animal that took her away from this earth. If she saw it coming, I am confident that she did everything in her power to avoid hitting that horse. She probably was thinking that she did not want to hurt that horse.

I will miss Terri on a daily basis. She has taught me so much in the short time that I have known her. When I see a horse running, I will think of Terri running through the green pastures of heaven with her long hair flowing like a mane!