Karen Sarmast is a Palos Verdes Peninsula resident and member of the local equestrian community. She is the proud owner of Finn, a trail horse and barn favorite at the Peter Weber Equestrian Center.
Where did you get your horse?
We adopted Finn two years ago. There had been severe displacement of many ranch horses that needed immediate homes from the Northern California wildfires and at the time, we had three other horses – all European Showjumpers. I grew up showing Western horses, therefore, I was immediately interested in transporting Finn home.
Is there a story behind his name?
When he arrived, he was not in the best shape; we could see black ash and soot on his legs. He would flee each time we tried to pet him but when he met my daughter, it was obvious he loved children. He let her touch him and eventually she hopped on bareback and rode him. So, she named him Finn…like he swam through the fires and made it through. He also has bright chestnut hair like an Irish boy, so the name suits him.
What do you like best about Finn?
What we like best about him is that after his first year here, he went from being super shy and afraid to bolder and more curious. Thanks to trainer Niki MacLeod, Finn receives patient, positive, and reinforced training.
Is there anything unusual about your horse?
When he first arrived, he didn’t know what a carrot was; now, he loves his carrots and cookies! We call him Cookie Monster!
Any interesting stories about Finn?
We are very fortunate to have such a loving and caring barn staff who look after him. We are very thankful to Gil and Chantal of Peter Weber Equestrian Center (PWEC). They even arranged a visit from the Rolling Hills Fire Department to meet him. Knowing that he experienced a wildfire, it was amazing to watch eight firemen stand outside the turnout ring and let Finn interact with them. It was also heartwarming to see him curiously approach each one dressed in their fire uniforms. We see that his fear has slowly faded into having a bolder personality. Finn is certainly loved by all and is one of PWEC’s barn favorites!
What else should we know about Finn?
Finn made the quarter-finals of America’s Favorite Pet Competition last October. Out of thousands of entries, he advanced to the top 20 in the first round and eventually made it to the quarter-finals, ranking “Top 5” in his group. Through the competition, he gained many fans and even has his own Instagram page, @STAYWILDFINN.
