Inheriting her father's tenacity, Eve would make an important contribution to the Morgan horse breed with her Caven-Glo Morgans, a name that would be known from coast-to-coast.

"No one ever told him you never come out of a stall on your hind feet or squat and holler to horses a mile away," Eve recalls. This was Highview Prince, her first Morgan. After he encountered Eve's expert instruction, he was transformed into a well-mannered cutting horse. In California, the ranchers welcomed him to their cutting contests. The handsome bronze-red horse with a big, lovely eye and good disposition had Jubilee King in his pedigrees. Kind and intelligent, correct and athletic, Jubilee King (Penrod x Daisette) was all these things and more. His long hip, graceful neck, balanced way of moving, endurance, and heart were passed on consistently to his get. Each were stamped in his likeness, showing the link to Sherman Morgan through Daniel Lambert. It is no wonder that Eve came to value a horse of this breeding.

With the success of Highview Prince in cutting, Eve began her search for a mare of the Jubilee King line. Her quest took her to Frances Bryant, who owned Jubilee King! The telephone lines buzzed with excitement after Eve and her husband, Larry, received snapshots of two beautiful yearlings. Arrangements were made, and Larry returned with their precious cargo. Little did Eve know what she was going to see when they stepped out of the trailer! Their gleaming red-gold coats and lighter manes and tails caught her eye. Their excellent conformation, overall smoothness, and quality was dazzling. To think of what the future would hold was thrilling, and she couldn't wait to see the astonishing offspring they would produce!

Jubilee's Gloria (Jubilee King x Townshend Lass) had a queenly air about her right from the start. Her amber eye was full of sassiness and she gave the appearance of having dominance over the world.

Eve says of Cavendish (Jubilee's Courage x Paragraph), "We took one look at each other and fell in love!" The lady and her stallion would remain partners for 29 years.

Cavendish and Jubilee's Gloria were to produce Legend of Caven-Glo and Caven-Glo Rebel Gold. Cavendish sired 40 foals who carried the Caven-Glo prefix, and also was bred to outside mares. Jubilee's Gloria had four additional foals; Caven-Glo Sunseri (x Verran's Laddie), Caven-Glo Red Sails (x Dorian Ashmore), Caven-Glo Mesita, and Caven-Glo Myman, the latter two sired by Rex's Major Monte.

"She loved to cut. All you had to do was bring out a cow her ears picked up, and she was happy," Eve remembers of Jubilee's Gloria. Gloria was trained by California trainer Jim McCann for cutting. Her active mind was occupied and when turned out, she carried her work into her own pasture, cutting calves and keeping them boxed along the fence so they couldn't eat. She was even seen "working" a tire that someone rolled in her paddock! Jubilee's Gloria was successful in halter and pleasure classes. She was Eve's pride on the trail, her walk the envy of fellow trail riders. She had an independent spirit and was willing to work, making her a special horse indeed.

Marching into the ring, his coat reflecting the sun like a mirror, Cavendish was off to demonstrate his many talents. Eve would drive him in a figure eight, pivot, and turn the cart right on the spot, then show off his tremendous road gait! After a quick change, Eve and Cavendish were attired in western tack. He proudly showed off his smooth western jog and lope. His next performance was astounding; he was put through a reining pattern without a bridle! Next they were in English tack and performed three distinct speeds at the trot, then a collected canter and a hand gallop. Following were a few basic dressage movements, and upon completion he would take his bow, loving the adoration bestowed upon him. It was obvious by the audience's reaction that he was a powerful ambassador to the breed.

Dressage in the late 1950s and early 1960s was barely getting off the ground in the United States. At the forefront of this newly emerging sport was Eve. When she lived in the Chicago area she was trained for six years by 'Captain Milo.' A past student of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Captain Milo was well-versed in the art of dressage. Eve says, "He only once gave me a compliment. He showed me how to do the half pass, then I did it. He said that never in all his life did he have a pupil do it so perfectly the first time. I didn't have the heart to tell him I had been doing that movement all my life, opening and closing gates from horseback!"

When she lived in Illinois, Eve traveled to Vermont every summer for the fabulous trail riding. The trails were marked in different colors and even ice-cold lemonade was served along the way. She and Frances Bryant had become friends over the years, and during these excursions Eve stayed with Frances at Meeting Waters Farm. "That's where I learned to judge foals," Eve says. "We would sit by the barn watching them and she would critique them, telling me what she liked and disliked." Eve relates that she and Frances would hitch up one of the horses and drive all over the mountains.

The flashy stallion with the four white stockings was Legend of Caven-Glo (Cavendish x Jubilee's Gloria). When the Oakleys moved back to California in 1963, he became Eve's best competitive trail horse and the team proved to be serious competitors.

Hesperia, in its beautiful high desert setting, was the scene for many competitive trail rides. On one memorable ride Eve was riding one of her stallions and began to cross a stream. Her horse repeatedly refused her commands. Eve was a bit perplexed by his behavior, and decided to try a different location and had no problem crossing. After the ride was over, Eve was astounded to discover that the reason her horse refused was because of quicksand.

"At last, I meet my phantom rider," a neighbor told Eve. They had a good laugh together. The neighbor had been hearing hoofbeats in the middle of the night and wondered who in the world could be out riding. One night she waited outside and discovered the mysterious rider's identity.

Why was Eve riding at night? A good night's sleep consisted of four or five hours. The only time she had to train her horses was at night. She worked a full-time job and all weekend students came from everywhere to learn the art of driving and riding.

Whether in Illinois or California, Eve was busy showing her Morgans in breed and open shows. They excelled in halter, western, English, and driving. Many of Eve's students went on to become expert horsemen, and felt privileged to show a Caven-Glo Morgan.

Eve showed Caven-Glo Sunseri (Verrin's Laddie x Jubilee's Gloria) in southern California. The English Pleasure Mare Champion was known for her even, calm disposition. In one class a young boy poked an umbrella through the arena fence, opening it when Eve and Sunseri went by. Eve proudly states, "She just cocked an ear and kept right on going!" Sunseri was a horse of particular taste. "She liked English pleasure and thought western was for the birds. She hated trail and wouldn't jump," Eve says.

Tragedy struck Caven-Glo when, in 1965, a virus went through Eve's barn. With Eve in constant attendance, the grand Jubilee's Gloria lost her battle after ten days. Three days later her daughter, Caven-Glo Mesita, died. Despite this devastating loss, Caven-Glo remained steadfast in breeding and training. When asked about her breeding program, Eve answers, "I like the [Jubilee] King line best. I was primarily after a good using horse and got some really good saddle horses. I didn't want to breed too close. I like Lippitt Ashmore and bought his daughter, Libby Ashmore out of Spring Darling." She admires the Jubilee King line's graceful necks, great disposition, and using ability. It is apparent her main goal was to breed a keen, competitive, athletic horse with a sound mind. The name Caven-Glo was on the pedigrees of 65 Morgans, many of whom ventured out into the world as ambassadors of good will.

Eve believed in ground driving all her young stock and moved most up in a cart. Caven-Glo Challenger (Cavendish x Caven-Glo Pandora) and his full sister, Caven-Glo Topaz, were prized as driving horses. Caven-Glo Amanda Ash (Caven-Glo Red Sails x Caven-Glo Katrinka) excelled in driving and taught many of Eve's students. Amanda Ash was purchased by Natalie Goode Collison of Small Town Morgans, and became her best broodmare, producing consistently superior offspring. In 1994 she was sold to Shannon and Susan Hanley of the Quietude Stud in West Virginia, along with her granddaughter, Small Town Delphi. Sadly, both were lost in a barn fire earlier this year.

The Hanleys also owned Caven-Glo Ballerina (Cavendish x Libby Ashmore), who produced three very nice fillies. Susan says, "She was a gentle, quiet mare, and had a lovely head, wide forehead, and large eyes." They purchased Caven-Glo Topaz and Caven-Glo Challenger from Eve when she dispersed her herd. Topaz was bred to super sire Criterion (Jubilee's Courage x Lippitt Robrita), producing Canyon of Quietude, a stallion purchased by Natalie Goode Collison. Natalie bred him to Caven-Glo Amanda Ash and her daughter, Small Town Sally Ash (by Caven-Glo Challenger). The resulting foals were considered "the golden crosses" by everyone who saw them. Canyon and Sally Ash are now owned by April Pantagiotaros of Templeton, California.

Many people were touched by Eve and the magical Caven-Glo Morgans. Among them is Sue Fetters of Canyon Glo Morgans. Sue remembers when she bought her beloved Caven-Glo mare. "When I arrived to look at her horses, Eve told me she couldn't guarantee that she'd sell one to me," she says. "That really took me by surprise, because everyone else was pushy about selling their horses." While Sue looked on, a couple was trying to purchase Caven-Glo Topaz for their daughter, and offered Eve quite a large sum of money. Eve refused because they wouldn't make a good match. But Sue was considered worthy and Eve sold her Caven-Glo On Tyme (Caven-Glo Challenger x Caven-Glo Jade).

Sue goes on to say, "What Eve did was make available a really nice, well-bred horse, sound of body and mind. You didn't need to be rich to own one, but she didn't give them away either. She also brought together the people who purchased her horses in that many became lifelong friends, appreciating their Caven-Glo Morgans."

J. Patrick Maginn of Burbank, California, purchased his first Morgan, Caven-Glo Tara, from Eve. He says, "The bloodlines of the Caven-Glo Morgans are excellent. Eve bred for the well-known versatility of the Morgan. Her early schooling and horse sense conveyed to me will always be remembered and appreciated. My success in endurance riding, show jumping, driving, hunt, and western showing, plus just the sheer enjoyment of pleasure riding, can all be traced to Eve Oakley."

World champion Carlyle Command's owner, Katie Black of Abacus Morgans, purchased Caven-Glo Cribari from Eve. She was a wonderful broodmare and had five nice foals including Eve's namesake, Abacus Eve Oakley (by TLB Royal Canadian).

"Eve tried to raise the original Morgan. She was so particular and tried to produce a nice horse," explains Bernard Householder. He and his wife, Madge, owned three Caven-Glo Morgans. Their granddaughter took Caven-Glo Ethan Sail to his first show and won seven ribbons. They loved the wonderful dispositions and smooth gaits.

The slaughterhouse was almost the destination of Caven-Glo Sail On (Caven-Glo Red Sails x Poppy Ashmore). His previous owners, Pamela Davies and Marion Parsons, discovered his plight and rescued him. A variety of circumstances and subsequent owners almost led to the tragic end of a wonderful horse.

I own Caven-Glo Tyme On. She has proven to be quite the character and major attention-getter. Once at a show in Pomona, California, Tyme On apparently felt ignored and set out to do something about it. After a lunch break, upon my return to her stall, I was startled to see a small crowd gathered around her. A man was looking into her mouth and said he thought she was choking on something. She had been flipping her head with her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth. "Not to worry," I said. "That's her way of getting attention and it worked!" Another favorite of hers is to dismantle things. When Eve owned her, she thought it clever to bite off the sprinkler heads in the pasture. One day my son had parked the training cart too close to her paddock. In a short time the seat cushion was removed, along with the vinyl cover. Aside from this, Tyme On is all business when it comes to competition. She is a driving horse extraordinaire with success in open carriage and combined driving competitions. She has won blues in pleasure driving, ladies turnout, sporting turnout, American heritage carriage, antique carriage obstacle, dressage driving, and combined driving. At 19, Tyme On still enjoys riding and driving, bossing other horses around, and being waited on hand and hoof!

Caven-Glo Courier (Cavendish x Glenmere Rose) was purchased by Pennie Blatt of Palmdale, California, in 1968. Pennie's neighbor had a Caven-Glo gelding "who could do everything." Pennie visited Eve and her husband, Larry, in Sylmar and fell in love with Courier. She says, "Courier went on to be shown in halter, showmanship, western pleasure, equitation, and later was shown in English pleasure classes. I showed him at all of the southern California Morgan shows, and went to at least three open shows a month."

Courier was the AMHA Open Competition Western Pleasure Champion and is also on the cover of Cabell Self's book, The Morgan Horse in Pictures. "I showed Courier against almost every breed of horse in open shows and beat them all at one time or another," Pennie says. "He was truly what sold me on the Morgan breed."

Pennie has a strong opinion of the Caven-Glo Morgans: "To me the Caven-Glo horses were great first horses and they were easy to train and live with. You really didn't need a professional trainer. You could train and show them yourself and win at the shows. They had true Morgan type with really neat conformation. You could always spot a Caven-Glo Morgan. They all had that stamp, that look. They could also work, their heart was huge, they would never quit on you, their legs and feet were so strong and correct. One day you could climb a mountain, trail ride all day, and the next go into the show ring and win.

"Eve Oakley was a very special lady to know," Pennie continued. "Our friendship started when I met her and it grew from there. Eve was so special to me, if it weren't for her and her Morgans, I don't think I would have gotten into Morgans at that time. She helped me so much and encouraged me. She was always so proud of her horses when they would win at the shows, you would think that she had showed and won herself! She was a dedicated breeder of Morgan horses and she loved the Morgan horse and loved each and every one of her Caven-Glo Morgans."

Where would the Morgan breed be if it hadn't been for Eve Oakley? Fate lent a hand by giving the Morgan world an invaluable gift: Caven-Glo Morgans. Sadly, there are but a handful of them left. Through the years, Eve helped many people get started with Morgans and was always generous with her wealth of knowledge. Her commitment and dedication to breeding "a good using horse" is her legacy to the Morgan breed for generations to come. Now it is in the hands of a few dedicated breeders who are continuing to carry on the Caven-Glo bloodlines.

Now retired, Eve lives in Springville, California, a beautiful foothill community. If you should stop by for a visit, be assured she will share memories and photos of her enduring Caven-Glo Morgans.

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