Kacee the Wonder Pony isn’t gone. She’s simply stepping into a well-earned retirement. One that keeps her at the heart of student learning at Butler Tech.
After nearly 20 years with the Equine & Livestock Science program at the Natural Science Center, Kacee has officially retired from riding and transitioned into a new role within Butler Tech’s Animal & Veterinary Science program. While her workload looks different today, her days are still filled with students, hands-on learning, and plenty of attention.
“She just wasn’t enjoying it at all,” said Equine & Livestock Science Instructor Tim Spoerl. “She had really slowed down.”
Kacee arrived at Butler Tech in 2005 as one of the very first horses purchased to launch the Equine program. She was nine years old at the time and already came with a reputation.
“She wasn’t a horse that you could just get on and flop around,” Spoerl said.
Small in stature at only 14 ½ hands, but unmistakably strong-willed, Kacee quickly established herself as a horse who required skill, confidence, and respect. Traits that would define her role as a teacher for generations of students.
“She would just flop you off on the ground and look at you,” Spoerl said.
That predictability, paired with her honesty, made her invaluable in a learning environment built on real-world experience.
For former student Natasha Lancaster, class of 2014, that challenge was part of the draw.
“My first impression of Kacee was that, despite her small and cute appearance, she had a gritty, somewhat bratty side that could be intimidating to some students,” Lancaster said. “She was opinionated and quick to test boundaries, which made her a challenge right from the start.”
Over time, Lancaster came to see Kacee differently.
“She was incredibly smart and sensitive, and she responded best to riders who were confident, patient, and fair,” she said. “Over time, my perspective shifted, and I came to see her as a great teacher.”
Kacee wasn’t a horse that students rode passively. She demanded focus.
“She wasn’t a horse you could ride on autopilot,” Lancaster said. “Once you took the time to understand her personality and earn her trust, she gave everything she had.”
Kacee’s impact extended far beyond daily instruction. Through Butler Tech’s care-lease program, students took her home during the summers to continue training and compete in real-world settings.
“I leased her in the summers,” said Samantha Davis, a member of the first Equine Science class in 2007. “We went to the fair, I trail rode her everywhere, bareback in a halter.”
Lancaster also competed with Kacee across multiple disciplines.
“Kacee and I had the opportunity to compete together at local rodeos and the fair,” she said. “Her versatility was unmatched.”
For more recent graduate Megan Scarth, class of 2022, one experience stands out.
“My senior year, I asked Mr. Spoerl if I could take Kacee to a weekend show,” Scarth said. “She was a star at the show and even won me some of my entry money back.”
The connection students formed with Kacee didn’t end at graduation.
“Any horse that you put any amount of training time in, especially as a kid, you just want to be a part of their lives forever,” Davis said.
Scarth remembers her final goodbye clearly.
“I’ll never forget being so sad on my last day of school,” she said. “Saying goodbye to her was really hard.”
Now 29, Kacee has transitioned into Butler Tech’s Animal & Veterinary Science program, where she continues to support student learning in a new way.
“She’ll be handled every day,” Spoerl said. “A lot less work, but just as much love and attention.”
Students in the program learn equine handling, health checks, and veterinary procedures with Kacee, without the physical demands of riding.
Despite the change, her personality remains intact. For former students, knowing Kacee remains at the Natural Science Center matters deeply.
“I’m so thankful that she’s staying,” Davis said. “She’s a legacy at this point.”
Kacee’s story is not about an ending. It’s about the evolution of a horse, of a program, and of the students shaped by both. She arrived at Butler Tech as one of the first. She retires as one of the most unforgettable. And she’s still transforming lives.
