Out in the middle of Buford community, in a dusty oval arena called Horseplay Farms, the Tyre family offers lessons on horseback riding and bigger lessons about life, including responsibility, connection and commitment.
The story of how an official-sized barrel-racing arena was built just off Cimmeron Road began a dozen years ago, when Savannah Tyre was 4 years old and begged her parents, Andy and Mandy, to take her to visit the neighbor’s horse. That led to them buying her a horse a year later.
Savannah Tyre, now 16, is a mix of Southern charm and raw grit. She is quiet, sweet, modest and well-mannered. Something happens when she is in the saddle. She becomes a creature of speed and precision.
Savannah’s first competitions began when she was 5. She was showing horses in Western Pleasure competitions and has won ribbons in walk, trot and canter events.
“That was too slow,” Savannah said. “I got bored with that. I wanted to go faster.”
She began taking barrel lessons when she was almost 7, on other people’s horses. She was good at it, so her parents bought her a barrel-racing horse. Then they built the arena after Savannah started practicing barrel racing in the uneven pasture. They feared she or her horse would get hurt.
Once the arena was built, friends and neighborhood kids started asking for lessons. That became a way for Savannah to pay her rodeo entry fees.
Barrel racing requires fast, strong, agile and smart horses to navigate around four barrels in a cloverleaf pattern. The race is against the clock as horse and rider hug in close to the barrels to get a fast time.
Savannah, a rising junior at Buford High, has arranged her life around her passion of riding and teaching.
“After high school, I am going to cosmetology school so I can set my own schedule and keep doing rodeos,” Savannah said. “I can still do lessons too. I can do everything I want to.”
Since getting a horse, Savannah’s parents have expected her to take care of it. Her mom, Mandy, says that Savannah got up early every morning before school to help feed and care for the horses.
The little side job for Savannah grew as more people came wanting horseback-riding lessons. Standing in the dusty arena behind the house she grew up in, Savannah smiled as she shared stories of teaching kids to ride and feel a bit of the magic she enjoys.
Surrounded by kids and horses, she is quick to talk about her students’ first rodeo or them overcoming their fear, but it takes a bit of coaxing to get her to talk about her own accomplishments.
Asked if she has received any awards, she smiles and points to her belt buckle.
“I won this last year. I was third in the whole state of North Carolina in barrel racing,” Savannah said matter-of-factly. “We are doing National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) this year and we are first or second in points right now.”The belt buckle is the size of a piece of Texas Toast. Little girls who stand eye-level with that prize buckle look up to Savannah with adoration and their own rodeo dreams. And Savannah is the perfect cowgirl to coach them. If a parent could pick a role model for their child, it would be Savannah.
Savannah’s help goes beyond the arena. She recently helped Emma Craig,11, pick out her first barrel-racing horse, Allie. Savannah went with the Craigs, rode Allie and assured them she was a good horse for Emma.
Picking a barrel horse is harder than picking a trail horse, Savannah said.
“They get hotter and then more hyper and many are not kid-friendly, which is critical for what we do,” Savannah said. “My older barrel horse, Dixie, is kid-friendly. I learned on her and I give beginner barrel lessons to kids with her.”
Other horses include the beautiful, gentle Palomino, Holly, who lets kids stand right behind her and brush her tail.
“We feel at home here,” said Emma’s mom, Kristy. “They are so good with Emma and so knowledgeable.”
“I can’t brag enough about them,” she said. “Savannah didn’t have to go with us to ride Allie. She did it to support Emma. It means that much to Savannah to see the kids do well.”
Some children are afraid of horses. Savannah tells the kids to stay calm, breathe deeply and relax. She tells them the horses relate to their calmness. Teaching the kids how to access the calm center within is a valuable life skill that will serve them for years to come – on and off a horse.
She goes on to talk about the magic moment when you and the horse feel like one being. “It’s all about the trust and learning to control the horse,” she said.
“That is what we start with, and then the speed,” she says smiling ear to ear.
The Tyres have six horses and will match the rider with the horse to ensure safety and fun.
More and more people have begun taking lessons at the arena, which is a good thing because Savannah has a lot of rodeo entry fees.
Horseplay Farms began officially offering riding lessons the end of last summer. The demand has continued to grow so much that Mandy Tyre was able to leave her eight-year office job this past May to help give lessons.
“I love doing this,” she said. “The only word I can use to describe all this, is ‘blessing.’ It is truly a blessing.”
Currently Horseplay has about 30 students ranging in age from 3 to 28. There is no age limit. Adults are as welcome as kids.
Mandy Tyre said Horseplay offers a chance for kids to get outside off their cell phones and video games and learn responsibility and connect with nature.
“We stress two things out here,” she said. “First, kids have to keep their grades up, and second, they aren’t allowed to say they can’t.”
We teach them they can do anything they set their mind to, she said.
Horseplay offers riding lessons at $20 for an hour. They also offer birthday parties, horse boarding, arena rental, and horse camp with riding lessons, basic horse care, saddling and grooming.
Savannah’s dad, Andy, named Horseplay Farms.
“It’s just kids and horses playing,” he said. Then with a laugh added, “Not just kids, we are out there playing, too!”
Savannah will be competing in Pageland July 15 at the rodeo during the Watermelon Festival. She will be riding Choo Choo, her fast barrel-riding horse. She placed fourth in the Blythewood Rodeo last month.
Horseplay teaches riding lessons to boys as well as girls, but there is a special connection between the little cowgirls and Savannah, with her big, shiny belt buckle.
Up the hill above the arena next to the barn, 6-year-old Railee Brown stopped grooming her horse and said, “I’m doing barrels,” as she looked toward the arena where Savannah and her horse were racing around the barrels leaving a trail of dust.
She didn’t need to say anything else. Savannah Tyre is inspiring little cowgirls to dream.
Horseplay Farms is at 3684 Cimmeron Road. For more information, call (803) 320-3188.
7/13/16
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Contact Mandy Catoe (803) 283-1152
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