03/12/2026
Last week, Christen lost her beloved Magnum Steele, suddenly and unexpectedly, following a horrific injury.
Christen posted an eloquent and emotional tribute, conveying how important and special Magnum was, and I have been hesitant to write anything else, wanting Christen’s own words to be what everyone heard and remembered.
Christen and Magnum have long been part of the tapestry that makes up our High Knoll family. We love them and want to memorialize Magnum, as well as let folks know, so they can offer their condolences.
Christen was entirely dedicated to Magnum. On the sunny riding days, the fun days, and on the awful, windy, bitter cold days, Christen was here. If Magnum was a little off, maybe he wasn’t devouring his hay that night, she was at the barn in minutes. On the beautiful nights, when the air was warm and the sky was lit with sunset colors, Christen could often be found, standing by Magnum as he grazed on a lead out front. Maybe he had just had a bath and was drying off in the afternoon rays of sunlight. Christen doted on him, and Magnum knew he was loved, he was special, he was her heart.
When we held parties or celebrated holidays, or when the owners planned group rides or photo shoots, Christen and Magnum were in costume, up for the challenge, on the ride, a central part of the activities.
Just as Christen is part of the High Knoll family, Magnum was, too. He would let us know when he felt he should be the next one to come inside at turn in, or if he preferred to stay out a bit longer. He was an escape artist, and keeping him in his stall required a double door lock system. He would find things to play with, whether they were toys or not. He needed his hay bag clipped on the bottom to keep him from flinging it over the wall into his neighbor’s stall. Magnum had a sense of humor and a big personality. He was a handsome boy, and he had swagger. If a horse could rock bling, and color, Magnum surely shined and showed off. He knew he was a rockstar.
I loved to watch Christen and Magnum, and would often stop ringside, as they worked. They made a beautiful picture, a wonderful partnership, harmonious as they danced together in the arena.
I will miss witnessing their bond, their sparkle.
There is a terrible silence where Magnum should be, and saying Christen has our deepest sympathy, our condolences, really can’t convey the depth of sorrow we are all feeling right now.
High Knoll, Barn A, is the boarding barn, but to the people who belong to it, it’s just “The Barn.” The barn has its own special ambiance. It’s the happy place for the people whose horses reside here; it’s where they come to step out of their day to day stress, their day to day work and family life, and feel the life joy that comes from being around horses- their own, and their friends’. The owners as well as the staff, who spend our days providing care to the horses and communicating with their people, are a community, a family, and we’ve got one another.
In this barn, friendships are fostered, shared experiences with horses are undertaken, adventures happen, and helping one another is routine. There are smiles and fun and a shared commitment and passion for the animals. We also share in grief.
The day after Magnum left the world, the barn felt heavy, and still, as if the entire space was holding its breath. We moved around, some of us intermittently giving in to tears, and no one really looked at one another for long. The daily chatter was absent. Tragedy had left us all deeply sad, shocked, heartbroken.
I hope that Christen can take some solace in knowing she gave Magnum a wonderful life, and while he left the world too soon, he lived well and knew he was cherished, admired, and loved.
Rest in peace, Magnum Steele,beautiful, magical horse, we will remember you always.
