1968-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1968 July Voice RS | Page 29
has trained such animals as MR. ED and FRANCIS
THE TALKING MULE. After working for him, he
then went to work for Mr. Glenn Randall, the man
who trained for America’s showman, Roy Rogers.
While working with Mr. Randall Gibb performed in
several acts out of this training stable, including a
Ben Hur act and a Black and White act.
Due to family ties, Gibb decided to move to Florida
where he became associated with Billy Houghton, a
harness-horse trainer. While here he began to renew
his interest in Tennessee Walking Horses and, when
Mr. Houghton moved his stable operation to Pom
pano, Gibb decided to remain in Orlando and went to
work for Billy Davis, a Walking Horse enthusiast. It
was here that he really got back into the Walking
Horse business and had the well-known GO BOY’S
FLYING CLOUD in training. He carried this horse
and others to Tennessee and showed for one season
out of the Haynes Haven Stock Farm in Spring Hill,
Tennessee.
His background with specialty horses was well-
known throughout the southeast, and Mr. J. D. Nagle
of Winter Haven requested that he return to Florida
and go to work on some horses with this in mind.
Now on his own, Mr. Stepp decided to put some of
the training techniques he had learned over the years
to work on some of his own horses, and his efforts
have been most rewarding. Training of this nature
requires a maximum of patience as well as a smart
horse. We have all heard that the horse is one of the
least intelligent domesticated animals, but to see the
Gibb Stepp horses perform would not indicate this
Gibb has a string of horses that perform in various
acts, including a registered Tennessee Walking Horse
of which he is particularly proud. This horse, named
KNIGHT, is a double grandson of MIDNIGHT SUN
on the sire side and is out of MIDNIGHT AUDREY.
He is a four-year-old and has been in training with
Gibb for less than one year. In describing his routine,
Gibb points out that he has trained this horse to work
at liberty with no halter, bridle or shoes. KNIGHT is,
as he puts it, "born free," and he intends for him to
work that way. KNIGHT is most cooperative and can
untie knots in ropes and pick out different-colored
(Continued on page 53)
.'mm®®
Sis
''
;