History:

Pinchona is one of Alabama's oldest dressage and boarding stables established in 1969 by Colonel Howard J. Morris, Jr.  the founder of Dressage in Alabama.  Morris had a distinguished career in the horse world.  He served on the board of directors of the American Horse Shows Association.  He was a founding director of the United States Training Association and a board member of the American Dressage Institute and President of the United States Pony Clubs and started Pinchona Pony Club which is still active today.  His serious interest in dressage dated back to 1937.  He trained all of his horses.

He and his stallion "Midnight" were invited to join the squad preparing for the 1952 Olympic Games.  Military service prevented him from joining the team training sessions.  His love of the sport and teaching were evident in every aspect of his life.  "Royal Tiger," and Anglo Arabian was his last stallion that he rode.  He trained horses and gave lessons until his death at age 92.  Prior to his death, the Montgomery Area Dressage and Combined Training Association awarded him a lifetime membership.  For those us that knew and loved him, the memories of Colonel Morris sitting in his golf cart under the large Pecan tree adjacent to the dressage arena with a Dalmatian at his side barking out instructions to the rider brings a smile. 

Marianne had boarded her horse Ali, a half -arabian and quarter horse, beginning in 1979.  Ali was her first horse that she brought to the farm from California and he lived to be 33 years old.   He is buried on the farm. Marianne and Ali were a team and they spent many hours of riding on the farm.  Some of her favorite memories are of Colonel riding next to her on Tiger.   Colonel wore his binoculars and point out the  variety of birds they encountered along the way. 

Pinchona is Marianne's spiritual place and when Sue, Colonel's wife announced that she was selling the farm, Marianne and David purchased it in 2003.  David, Marianne, David Jr. and her brother Jim McCusker live on the farm.  Pinchona welcomes all disciplines of riding and has the same philosophy as Colonel "The gate is always open."