Kyla and Flash: A girl and her Hackney pony capture hearts at Tevis Cup

The Tevis Cup Ride crowned another champion and Haggin Cup winner last weekend, but the rider and horse people talked about and cheered most – before and during the race and at the Gold Country Fairgrounds on the evening of July 24 – was 13-year-old Kyla Law and her Hackney pony, Flash, the smallest horse in the field at 11.2 hands (or 46 inches) to his shoulder. The duo was popular enough that trackside announcers saw fit to keep fans updated on their progress in the 65th annual ride. "I knew everyone was watching. I've known all along," Natalie Law, Kyla's mom, said in an interview with the Auburn Journal this week. "People love Flash." Kyla and Flash made it to Auburn and earned a buckle, finishing 36th at 4:33 a.m. Sunday, July 25, a little less than an hour to spare before the 24-hour cutoff. Natalie Law and her American Saddlebred, Brave, finished at the same time. Their story, though, began well before they set off on the 100 miles, one-day ride to Auburn. "This was the most enjoyable ride we have ever been on," Natalie Law said. "We've done a lot of miles together." Natalie Law logged the journey – and its history – in 4,200 words on the Facebook page "The Adventures of Flash – the Hackney Pony." The only place to start is from the beginning, when a 9-year-old girl in Washington took ownership of a feral pony. Natalie said Flash was bred in a show barn but then was put out to pasture and left there for five years. "He was scared of everything, (scared of) people, he was wild," she said. Kyla was taking lessons, and Natalie said "someone teeny" was needed to help break the pony. Kyla worked with Flash three days a week, but Flash was quite the battle. Natalie said Kyla couldn't even talk or Flash would be gone, well, in a flash. But they "worked and worked and worked," Natalie said. "She's been thrown off him, stepped on, bloody noses," Natalie said. "His reaction is to bolt. He is a flight." The family moved to southern Utah, and Kyla ran Flash up and down a canyon "until he got it," Natalie said. Now they can't get rid of him. If Kyla rides another horse, Flash is right there with her. "From then, he started going everywhere with us," Natalie said. "He follows us everywhere. He probably gets double the training of all the horses on our property." The first 50-miler for Kyla and Flash turned into 68 miles (when they got lost), and they continued to add miles with AERC, EDRA and WDRA rides. They thought their first 100, in December 2020, would be Kyla's last ride on Flash, as she was outgrowing him. But with Tevis entries in January came an announcement that juniors would ride for free. Natalie's best friend and trainer Shelah Wetter said Flash would be fine with Kyla riding. "In January when Tevis entries opened up I sent mine in because I thought, 'Hey I think Brave can do it and I hear the trail is stunningly beautiful so why not," Natalie wrote in her journal. While Flash is tiny, Brave stands 16.3 hands (67 inches). Yet, Flash is considered Brave's "emotional support pony." When they came to the river crossing, Natalie wrote, "Brave came to a screeching halt and I watched his mind kinda explode lol. He looked down at the glow sticks on the ground and his head followed them through the river and to the other side. He looked right. He looked left. He looked back down at his feet and back across the river. Then he looked at Flash like, ummmmmm you go first it might be dangerous. Flash walked up to enjoy a nice long drink and a nice gal named Molly, who had been riding with us, brought her horse to the banks. Once Brave saw Flash drink from the scary river he decided it was ok." So Natalie's horse was led to water, and Flash made him drink. Natalie wrote in her journal, and said to the Auburn Journal, they ride for the beauty. "And beauty we truly saw!" she wrote. While Jeremy Reynolds was riding and hiking with his horse, Treasured Moments, to his fourth Tevis Cup victory, Natalie and Kyla took their time and enjoyed the scenery. Kyla and Flash "bounced up" Cougar Rock "like it was nothing," Natalie wrote. She described the swinging bridge as "magical," with "crystal clear" water and "perfect" temperature. "Kyla took Flash in deep enough he almost had to swim," she wrote. Their lone "squabble," as Natalie put it, was who would go first on the victory lap. Kyla wanted Brave to go first so Flash could run the lap. Natalie worried tiny Flash would be hidden by big Brave. "So we ended with a totally boring victory lap under the banner," Natalie wrote. Kyla isn't on social media, but Natalie saw all the Facebook posts, positive comments and numerous shares. "She has no clue what kind of fame she has," Natalie said of Kyla. "When she got to Robie, to her this was just another gorgeous ride." Kyla saw all the Facebook attention on the return trip to Utah. "I don't think (Kyla) knew how big until we were driving home from Auburn and she saw the comments. She didn't realize how influential she was on everybody," Natalie said. "It made her feel incredible."