Published 7/20/07 in The Times-Herald
By AMY LOTT
amy@newnan.com

Gone, just like that. Merry, a 9-year-old, bay-colored
Danish Warmblood/Thoroughbred cross mare, and
17-year-old owner Leala Reeder of Sharpsburg were
competing in their very first United States Eventing
Association-sanctioned show trial together on July 14
in Hogansville when the 1,100-pound horse mysteriously
disappeared from the Flat Creek Ranch grounds. 

How does a horse simply vanish from the middle of a bustling event?

The Reeders would say it can happen in the blink of an eye.
According to Leala's father, Robert, the family went to the show that Saturday afternoon with trainer Kelly Barrett of Bear Creek Farm to compete in the beginner/novice category. Leala and horse Merry had already completed the dressage and cross-country portions of the competition and were waiting for the stadium jumping to begin.

Leala, who said she has "ridden since [she] was tiny," attends East Coweta High School and rides in her spare time. She's had Merry — her first event horse — since January.
"She's a very personal horse. She wants to know your business," Leala said. "Mares are very dominant, and she always wants to know what's going on."

After Leala's morning events, the Reeders tied Merry to a trailer approximately 100 yards from the stadium jumping course and walked over to watch the first few riders before Leala's 3 p.m. slot. Less than 20 minutes later, Robert said, they made their way back to the trailer and discovered their horse was missing. There was no sign of Merry, her halter or lead rope — and there were no signs of a struggle to get loose.

An immediate search of the near-100-acre property ensued, and an all-points bulletin was issued through the facility's loudspeakers. The Reeders spent the rest of the day and evening looking for Merry all over the property, eventually filing a missing horse report with the Troup County Sheriff's Department.

At first, Robert and Leala hesitated to call Merry "stolen," still holding out hope that she had merely wandered off. Robert went back to the grounds early the next morning to resume his search — all to no avail. After failing again to find any sign of Merry, he finally decided she must have been taken.

"I've put in a lot of hard work. It just stinks now that I won't get to enjoy the results," Leala said.

The Reeders have not given up hope, however.
They decided to utilize the Internet to expand their search. After filing a stolen horse report with www.netposse.com /Stolen Horse International, Inc., their hunt went national.

"This organization uses a volunteer network throughout the nation that is nothing short of amazing," Robert said. "They have posted a notice on their Web page and sent out over 100,000 e-mails all over the equine world. We have received tips and feedback from horse folks all over the nation, but so far no Merry."

According to a press release from Stolen Horse International, this is the third reported horse theft in Georgia this year. These horses are often taken to auctions in other states.
Leala still remains hopeful that Merry will be found, though, and echoes her father's sentiments on the horse theft site: "They are amazing. They have people looking all over the United States, and they even sent out an investigator."

Merry has a couple of distinctive markings — a faint star on her head and small white socks on both back legs. Her mane is roached, or shaven into a Mohawk ridge. Anyone with information about Merry's disappearance is urged to visit www.netposse.com or to e-mail stolenhorse@netposse.com.