06/19/2026
THE STORY OF DJB JOLLY ROGER 🐎
I bought Jolly as a partnership horse for Cara Ezzel and a friend. The friend sold out to Cara, and Cara eventually sold him to me, though she remains very involved in his life.
He was still on the track and a stallion when I bought him. He had won races, but his feet had progressively worsened with a long toe and under-run heels. It took a couple of years of therapeutic barefoot trimming and many bouts of abscessing to restore his feet and give him back his heritage of greatness.
He eventually started Endurance training and racing. His sweet, willing personality made him the perfect gentleman, carrying children on our trail rides at Cypress Trails as well as Endurance competitors.
A huge part of his story belongs to my Namibian daughters, Kordula Voigts and Olivia Matthaei, who believed he had the potential to compete internationally. They set their sights on the 2010 World Equestrian Games for Team Namibia. Though Jolly helped them earn qualifications, a muscle cramp at his final qualifying race in California ended that dream.
Since then, he has carried me through 100-milers and partnered with top-level international riders from Norway and South Africa.
One of his most remarkable achievements came after a coffin bone infection in 2013 that required partial removal of the infected bone. I feared his endurance career was over and wasn’t even sure he would be pasture sound. Dr. Cliff Honnas of Texas Equine Hospital assured me he could make a full recovery.
I also owe tremendous credit to Chad Larsen and Cameron Holzer, who provided exceptional care during his recovery. Within weeks, Cameron was sending videos showing amazing soundness. Soon he was back at Cypress Trails carrying kids and customers on trail rides.
Barely six months later, he completed his first 50-miler in strap-on boots, finishing with Best Condition. I truly believe keeping him barefoot was key to his recovery and continued success.
In 2016, he caught Eilish’s eye as a potential Young Rider World Championship mount. They proved to be a wonderful partnership, earning their Certificate of Completion in South Carolina and following it with another fantastic performance in Texas in 2017.
Fast forward to 2026, and Jolly is one of the all-time favorite trail horses at Cypress Trails. Approaching 24 years old, he remains one of the hardest-working horses on the farm and a top choice for young novice riders.
Darolyn, Cypress Trails
