Sandy Messlerís champion paint horse, Skippa Rope, is a legend. He was among 25 inductees into the American Paint Horse Associationís Hall of Fame inaugural class of 2012 and has been featured on the cover of the APHA brochure.ìHe was such an athlete! I showed him in all the events that I could show him in,î Messler said.Throughout his 24 years, Skippa Rope and Messler bonded together while riding and successfully competing in various events, from halter, trail class to barrel racing. ìWestern riding was his best event, because he could swap leads so easy, so pretty, he was awesome,î Messler said.In addition to his athleticism and good looks (with a Tovero coloration), he successfully sired 155 out of 160 spotted paint colts throughout his life. ìHe threw color so well,î she said. Messler said besides his superior physical traits, he had a sweet and willing personality. ìHe paid attention and listened to me.îMessler moved to Colorado Springs from Arizona as a young girl with her mom, dad and sister; the move allowed her to take her horsemanship to greater heights, from riding to training, breeding and becoming an expert with American Paint horses.She became a member of the Colorado Springs Rangerettes drill team, an organization promoting horsemanship, sportsmanship and citizenship among young women. In 1982, Messler earned an associateís degree from Pikes Peak Community College and pursued a career in computer programing and testing; her job meant having to commute to other cities in Colorado.Having her own family and a full-time job, horses eventually became a source of joy rather than income. Always invested in the horsesí health and well-being, she also became concerned about certain breeding trends emerging in the paint horse community.In addition to trail riding and caring for her horses, Messler loves adorning them. She makes silver and precious stone jewelry, including conchos, for the tack, the saddles and even the stirrups. She took a class at Pikes Peak Community College in 2004 and has been making them ever since. She pulled out a bowl full of hardened material. ìThis is called a pitch,î Messler said. ìYou soften it with a torch, lay the silver or copper in it and then you work on it with a punch or a chisel.îShe also loves to travel, camp and explore Colorado, seeking out interesting places and events, like the South Park City Halloween tour or the annual tarantula migration in southeastern Colorado.She has also enjoyed visiting her only child, Burke, in California. Burke, his wife and two daughters are moving to Georgia to fulfill Burkeís desire to live in the South on a lake. Messler said she will have new adventures exploring Georgia when she visits Burke and his family.Today, Messlerís lifelong passion for her horses is present everywhere throughout her Black Forest home. A stand with tack and a custom-made saddle are displayed prominently by the entry door. A framed magazine cover featuring Roperís Reflection óone of Messlerís other loved paint horses ó is displayed on the wall. A Skippa Ropeís Hall of Fame trophy and shiny belt buckle sits on the kitchen counter. Out of her window, she can see Skippa Ropeís living legacy: five beautiful paints grazing in their pastures in what she considers her little corner of a horse country heaven.Skippa Ropeís legend lives on.Frank Holmes, a member of the American Paint Horse Associationís Hall of Fame Selection Committee, had this to say about Skippa Rope: ì(Skippa Rope) helped in some way to lay the foundation for what has grown from a plot hatched around a North Texas coffee table to a major breed association with tentacles in every corner of the world.î Skippa Rope has a whole chapter written about him in Frankís book called ìMore than color: Paint Horse Legends.î Born and bred in Colorado by Messler, Skippa Rope made an impact worldwide.
