By Karen Lato-Jensen

A common theme that seems to repeat amongst adult horse owners was a deep desire as a child to ultimately own a horse.

Tanja Gouveia is a member of this group. Her involvement with horses began at age three when it became obvious to her parents by her incessant pleading that she wanted to be around horses more than anything. Tanja’s parents could not understand where the idea of horses came from since her mom was from Brooklyn and her father from Finland and since neither parent had ever been around horses, they did not much care for them.

Although stumped as to the source of this desire, nonetheless, they fulfilled their daughter’s dream by finding a stable nearby in Newtown that would give lessons to someone that young.

Open Gate Farm was located north of the flagpole. According to Tanja, her first mount was the “oldest and slowest horse that they had on the property,” a huge Paint named BoJangels. The pair spent many hours together walking slowly around the indoor ring, but Tanja’s relationship with BoJangels ended in 1977 when her parents divorced.

Although affected by the divorce, it did not derail her determination to ride.

After the divorce, Tanja lived in Bethel. She began to network within the horse community and came upon a POA (Pony of America) available for a free lease. Although money was an issue for Tanja, it only tapped her creativity and determination to achieve her goal to own a horse. She searched for a place to house the pony as well as not to financially burden her mother.

Tanja had luck on her side and found the perfect place in a friend’s backyard. Now that she had the place, she needed supplies. Her mom bought her fly spray and a brush and Tanja tried making a bridle out of yarn, but found out quickly that she would need a lot of yarn to make it strong enough for even a pony.

Tanja feels someone took pity on her – or, as she states, “I looked ridiculous riding this pony around the neighborhood with a crocheted bridle!” – and she was given an old beat up bridle with a rusty bit and with that she and her pony were ready.

The pony was her best companion, her dream come true. The pair went everywhere and did everything together until the day came when Tanja was just too tall to ride him (her feet were almost dragging on the ground!). Thus, a sad Tanja found a little girl in need of a pony his size and with teary eyes, said “goodbye” to her best buddy.

She says this was a turning point with her parents as they had to “bite the bullet” and buy her a horse. Her next buddy was a beautiful Buckskin/Paint that she named Butterscotch and that horse stayed with her until it was the ripe old age of 40!

 Today, Tanja lives in Newtown and has two wonderful quarterhorse geldings named Zippy and Poco. They arrived in 2001 after a year filled with emotional challenges. Tanja and her husband lived and boarded the horses in Danbury, but desired to live in Newtown.

Tanja was pregnant and desired good schools to provide a quality education for her child and loved the idea that Newtown was extremely horse friendly. Newtown even had a “horsey” club that supported the rights of equestrians.

After a long search she and her husband found their “diamond in the rough.” The house required gutting and the land resembled a jungle. It took three years until the couple finally finished their home and barn and during that time, the couple also welcomed their second child.

Amidst the renovation of their home, reclaiming the land and childbirth, Tanja and her husband Chris remained loyal to their equine pals. Tanja joined the Newtown Bridle Lands Association in 2004 and was nominated to become a board member.

Tanja said her experience on the board allowed her to “see what goes on behind the scenes.” It made her realize the importance of the NBLA and how valuable an equestrian organization strengthens the rights of horse owners.

“As new houses are built and developments put the squeeze on our land,” she added, “the NBLA is always there to remind these developers that equestrians have rights too.”

According to Tanja, Bethel was once an extremely “horsey” town – (“It was easy for me to ride from one end of the town to the other. There were horses in almost every backyard,” she said) – but now believes there are not many horses left in Bethel.

As she speaks about the trails she once rode, she sadly comments that those roads are blacktopped or posted with no trespassing signs.

“As new people move in and the old move out, our trails become lost,” she said. “The NBLA has ensured us that we will keep our trails by claiming trail easements through these developments. As a volunteer organization, it’s just amazing what this club has accomplished. They have set a precedence that should be carried to every town.”

Owning animals, especially horses, is a huge commitment of time and money. When asked why she continues to overburden herself with the upkeep of horses, dogs, kids and a house, Tanja refers to a quote that she heard long ago and it is the one that set everything straight in her mind.

 

“Nothing is more sacred as the bond between horse and rider...no other creature can ever become so emotionally close to a human as a horse. When a horse dies, the memory lives on because an enormous part of his owner’s heart, soul, very existence dies also...but that can never be laid to rest, it is not meant to be...” – Stephanie M. Thorn