By: Alexis Arbaugh
When Al Gillen set out to adopt another horse from MidAtlantic Horse Rescue in 2022, he had a clear vision: something smaller, older, and ready to settle into a quieter life alongside his senior horse, Stardust. What he found instead was Pep Talking: a big-bodied, six-year-old Thoroughbred with a bold personality and plenty to say.
Al had known Beverly Strauss of MidAtlantic Horse Rescue for nearly 20 years and trusted the process completely. “I knew the adoption experience would be smooth and that we’d get full disclosure on everything,” Al said.
During his first ride on Pep Talking, Al encountered a horse who was eager to please but full of energy. “He was jumpy and especially strong on forward motion,” Al recalled. But a ride around the rescue’s property sealed the deal. “I asked him to nose into heavy brush or walk up to farm equipment. None of that fazed him in the least, which was very encouraging to me for what his new job would be.”
After trying several horses, Pep just stood out. “He felt like the best fit,” noted Al.
Pep Talking, a 2016 gelding, earned over $67,000 in 26 starts before arriving at MidAtlantic in July 2021. “This is actually the second horse I’ve adopted from MidAtlantic,” Al shared. “I got Stardust back in 2006, With Stardust now a senior, I wanted a younger horse to be ready to fill his shoes, so to speak, when the time came to dial down his activities. That has not happened yet, so I now have two active horses.”
Pep proved to be a handful during his retraining, so Al partnered with a dressage trainer. “The goal was never to make Pep a competitive dressage horse. We’re just using the training as a foundation for his real job — my main trail mount.”
At first, Pep’s responses were often a little explosive. “He’s never been malicious in any way, just full of strength and speed, which was his answer to anything challenging,” Al explained. But with patience and consistent work, Pep began to settle and thrive. “He’s got a strong work ethic and a big personality,” Al said. “And in the barn, he’s definitely risen to the top of the herd—keeping the older boys on the move.”
“[He’s] become a fun ride that is safe, sane, and brave on the trails. Today I feel 100% comfortable taking either Stardust or Pep out for whatever ride I have in mind.”
Now more than two years into his retraining, Pep is thriving. He and Al ride two to three times a week, exploring trails, participating in hunter paces, and tackling judged trail rides and obstacle courses.
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