Peggy Bower

I have always loved horses and was an avid reader of any horse stories I could come across. I was not able to do much riding before I was 11 but that is when I started my passion. In 1966 a close friend of my mothers who knew of my love for horses had lost her husband and wanted a companion to accompany her to go riding. I was very happy and started by taking lessons at Hillcroft Acres in Golden now Arvada. I became more involved every week and went on Saturdays to help with the lessons of smaller children. The “Helpers” as we were called would groom and saddle the horses for the lessons and sometimes help in the arena being live cones to keep the horses in a larger circle and to be sure they kept moving when the were supposed to. We were then able to have a lesson on some of the more unruly school horses of private horses assigned to us. From there I worked at horse shows at Hillcroft and other venues till going to CSU. Since CSU did not offer an Equine program as such I was and Animal Science major and took as many horse courses as possible including the riding instructors training which I completed and was certified. My last year in college I was teaching lessons at Hillcroft every weekend and full time during the summer. After graduating I was hired full time and taught there till 1982. We then moved to West Gait Stables to board until 1992 when Eleanor passed away. My horse and I moved around while I was attending veterinary technician school. After graduating I became very involved in the Colorado Association of Veterinary Technicians (CACVT) as a member of the continuing education committee and then their treasurer. I was active for over 20 years. I was also active in the American Association of Laboratory Animal Sciences (AALAS). I volunteered at international and local conferences for veterinarians and lab animal folks for several years. Lately I have helped at the Colorado Horse Expo in their office and some volunteer time with WDACO at the National Western and Horse Expo in the booth. Have helped at a couple of the Dressage shows.