Parade horse turns 31

Thirty one years old doesn't sound old, but for a horse that is a pretty high number to reach.

In celebration of this milestone, the owners Robert "Bob" and Verna Trujillo hosted a party with members of Able Hands Thursday morning.

The party consisted of balloons, cupcakes and juice for the humans and for the palomino/appaloosa stallion Dust Buster Ace, a treat and some water.

The Able Hands group visits the horse corrals frequently and some of them really get to know the horses and the horse's owners.

"All these kids stop by and that's why they wanted to have a party," Verna explained.

Once the people were fed, Dust Buster Ace was ready to pose for pictures with them.

After all, this wasn't his first rodeo or parade for that matter.

"That horse has been in the parade ever since he was born," Verna said.

Dust Buster Ace followed in his father's, Low Ace, footsteps by being in the Flaming Gorge Days Parade. One difference was Dust Buster Ace was in the parade almost every year.

"The only time he missed was when Bob and I were on the fire engine," Verna said.

Bob was the grand marshal of the parade that year, she explained.

Bob and Dust Buster Ace are also seen assisting at the Overland Stage Stampede Rodeo almost every year.

"I don't know what's more amazing. The horse living that long or your husband still climbing on him," Able Hands volunteer Julie Toman said.

"Oh he doesn't climb on him anymore," Verna said.

Bob has to get a bucket to stand on before getting onto Dust Buster Ace.

Every day, Bob takes Dust Buster Ace out for an hour-long ride.

"I try to keep him away from the mosquitoes so I stay away from the Green River," he said.

Over the years, Bob and Dust Buster Ace may have changed, but according to Bob one thing that has not changed is Dust Buster Ace's spryness.

"He's still going strong," Bob said.

In fact, Bob and Dust Buster Ace used to also ride along with the Pony Express group, but one time Dust Buster Ace hurt his foot when a rock got caught in his hoof. After that, Bob decided the roads the Pony Express traveled on were too rough on his horse.

Bob is proud of his horse; and how well trained he is.

"He can open and shut the gate all by himself," Bob said.

He also had the horse trained so he could swing on the saddle while the horse was running, but that is something Bob just can't do anymore.

"I'm slowing down a lot more than he is," Bob said.

Bob was also proud of the fact that Dust Buster Ace gets a lot of compliments on his temperament. Verna said she thinks it has to do with the fact that he was born right in the corrals and has remained there ever since.

She said a lot of stallions are really rough around the edges, but not Dust Buster Ace.

"He's gentle for a stallion," she said.

Bob and Verna are happy Dust Buster Ace has outlived his parents. His father, Low Ace, died when he was 25 and his mother died when she was 20. They are hoping Dust Buster Ace will be around for many more years.