The moment 12-year-old Caden Nolt swung his leg over the newly minted off-the-track Thoroughbred; he knew it was meant to be. Since the beginning of their partnership, the pair have paved the way for fellow thoroughbreds competing within the hunter discipline and continue to outshine fellow competitors in the ring.
It’s not most parents’ dream to give their child a Thoroughbred that had only finished racing three months prior, but Caden’s mother, Stashia Nolt, knew they were perfect for each other the moment they met.
“He was so quiet. They popped over jumps, cantered him, so we got him off the first try. You could just tell,” recalled Stashia about Gio Lemon, who is simply called “Gio,” who was purchased from Abbie Fischer in November of 2020 after his last race in August. “She, too, agreed that there was something about him when Caden got on. It was as if Gio was telling us, ‘This is my person’.”
Bringing up an OTTB is no small feat, especially for a young boy, but Caden was dedicated to the sport even with both of their own limitations. Diagnosed with Neuropathy at the age of two, Caden has no feeling of his legs below the knee while Gio, an 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Gio Ponti x Bitter Lemon), only has one eye after an injury suffered in the field as a yearling.
It is these factors that make Stashia believe the pair connected so well.
“It's extremely rare. [Caden] just woke up one day and felt his legs come out from under him. He couldn't walk and had a high fever. At the time, there were 19 known forms of neuropathy and of those 19, 8 didn’t show up on a genetic test. Of course, his did not.” stated Caden’s mother. “I remember the Doctor telling us we had a better chance of the winning the lottery.”
“When he told me he wanted to ride horses, all I was thinking is that I’ll have to do a little bit of research because I don't know anything about that,” laughed Stashia who has no background in horses.
In 2025, Gio Lemon was awarded the Thoroughbred Hunter Horse of the Year, but this accomplishment did not come without its hardships and is a testament to Caden’s undeniable amount of grit and determination both in and out of the saddle.
“He doesn't go around like your typical Thoroughbred,” Caden explained, “He jumps very well a twelve out of ten at every jump. Gio will go in the ring, do that on the first jump, and it gets the judges' attention on him every time.”
Whether it's the fact that he only has one eye or has good enough form over fences to place second in the $25,000 Upperville Thoroughbred Hunter Derby, it's natural that Gio captures everyone’s attention.
“We’ll come out of the ring, and everyone wants to know who I am, and they all try to buy him from me,” Caden said, laughing.
“We had a big learning phase. He’s actually programmed a little backwards; it’s more of a hand ride than anything. It's like a hand-controlled vehicle instead of a foot-controlled vehicle, so he knows most of the things from the reins instead of my legs,” Caden explained how he has adapted his riding Gio.
Even though Gio is consistently exercised almost every day by Caden himself, his inner Thoroughbred still shines through out in the pasture.
“He's actually really naughty at home; he's like a completely different horse,” commented Caden of Gio’s personality. “He wants to run around and be kind of a turd, but then you come to a horse show, and he just takes a deep breath and forgets that he's a wild man at home.”
Despite some silly antics, Gio has always been there for Caden. He carries himself with a sense of confidence, pride, and is always ready to put in the work to prove that he belongs in the ring alongside his Warmblood competitors.
Competing in the Small Junior Hunter 3’3” 16-17 division this weekend at the 2026 Adequan/USEF Junior Hunter Championship – East at the Kentucky Horse Park this week, Caden and Gio are looking to have fun and dream of bringing home the blue.
Against all the odds the pair may have faced growing up together, Caden has never let it stop his dream of stepping into the ring. He has proven every single doubter wrong with nothing but hard work, dedication, and a true passion not just for the sport but for his partner in crime, his one-eyed Thoroughbred.