Susan Sisco, a wonderful trainer and an outstanding side-saddle rider, died today after a long struggle with ovarian cancer. She was 63.
Susan Sisco, a wonderful horsewoman who will be missed. (Photo courtesy of Tyler Graham)
In a poignant facebook post on January 14, she commented, “My mother always said getting older was a privilege denied to many. To all of my female friends from 60 years and up… most of us are going through a challenging phase of our lives. We’re at that age where we see wrinkles, gray hair, and extra pounds.
“We’ve run households, had careers, raised families, paid the bills, dealt with sickness, sadness, grief, and everything else life has assigned us. We are survivors… we are warriors in the quiet… we are Women…aged like a classic car or a fine wine. Even if our bodies are not what they once were, they carry our histories, our souls, our courage, and our strength. We should never feel bad about getting older. It’s a privilege that is denied to so many.
Enjoy every minute.”
Rider/trainer Patty Heuckeroth said on social media, “Sue was one of my very best friends for so many years. She was a great horsewoman, rider, trainer and all-around human being. The horse world lost one of their best.”
A memorial service will be held later in the year for the Aiken, S.C., resident. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the Hitchcockwoods Foundation, the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, Danny and Ron’s Rescue, and Foundation for Women’s Cancer.