“We have a clear vision of what our Arabian horses should be. Strong, sound athletes that are beautiful to behold and a pleasure to be around. Merely being pretty is not enough; the horses of Conway Arabians are doing horses, bred to have the conformation and temperament to perform in the show-ring or on the trail,” quotes Peter Conway in an informational brochure about the mission at Conway Arabians.
Owned by Peter and Lori Conway, Conway Arabians is a breeding and training facility that specializes in English, Western, and Hunter Pleasure divisions. Located just outside Chatfield, the facility is set up perfectly for the best optimum health and vitality of the horses.
Lori fell in love with the Arabian horse breed in 1969 when she and her dad traveled to Owatonna, Minn. to visit the well-known Gaincy Arabians. Although she did not come from a background involving horses, from that point on she describes herself as a “horse crazy” kid.
Lori was determined to become a part of the Arabian horse world and focused on learning all that she could about Arabian horses. She took every opportunity presented to her to ask questions and receive advice from those more experienced in the field.
By the time she was 14 years old, Lori was training horses professionally. She decided to finish high school early to follow her dream of having a career that involved horses and consequently attended the University of Northern Colorado to pursue that dream.
Lori now has many years of training, judging and equine breeding experience, along with a long list of accolades and awards including APAHA (Arabian Professional & Amateur Horseman’s Association) Horsewoman of the Year, AHT (Arabian Horse Times) Judge of the Year, several national championship rides and APAHA Amateur of the Year, among others.
Peter had no background in horses but became interested in their potential after his daughters began taking riding lessons. While spending time with Arabian horses he learned why they are so highly regarded. He was impressed with not only their gracefulness but their response and interaction with the rider.
Conway Arabians breeds, trains, shows and sells Arabian Horses and has received high praises for their expertise in these fields.
The motto at Conway Arabians is “Bred to Move You” which has a two-sided meaning. “We want to breed horses that move you in an emotional way, that give you that wonderful, special feeling that a great horse can inspire, but also, it’s obviously a little play on words meaning that our horses are bred to move – to be ridden or driven or utilized to the best of their ability,” Peter states.
They breed between 12-22 horses at Conway Arabians each year. In the past they focused mostly on English, but when Head Trainer Jennifer Schmitt, a proficient rider in hunter and western, came on board at Conway Arabians they started breeding for western as well.
Schmitt is a multi-national champion trainer and has been an incredible addition to the Conway Arabian family. She considers herself very fortunate to have such wonderful horses to train and looks forward to working with each new foal that is born at Conway Arabians.
Peter and Lori enjoy the process of breeding horses and are on hand for every birth, which leads to many sleepless nights, but they would not have it any other way. No matter how many times they welcome a new foal into the world it is an exhilarating experience each and every time.
Seeing the horses they bred compete and receive top honors in national championships brings a great sense of pride and accomplishment to the staff at Conway Arabians.
The owners and the team at Conway Arabians have set high standards for their horses and even higher standards for themselves with the amount of knowledge they have gained, their professionalism and focus to detail. When spending time at Conway Arabians it is obvious to see the care and respect given to each one of these unique and majestic horses that they love so much.
Conway Arabians is located at 18080 County Rd. 2, Chatfield. For more information phone (507) 867-0060 or visit conwayarabians.com.
Photo by Peter Conway
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