Pie was put up for sale, but before he could be sold, another Young Rider came along, this time a girl named Hannah.  Hannah moved Pie down a few levels in eventing, and they were successful in the cross country and stadium events, but still did poorly in Dressage. 

A Picture of Pie and Hannah from a USCTA Ad

     Hannah loved Pie very much, but after a few seasons she decided to move up, and realized that if she ever really wanted to be successful, she would need a horse that was good in Dressage, and not just Stadium and Cross Country. 
     After Hannah stopped riding Pie, Amanda's mom, Dierdre began to ride him, mostly taking him fox-hunting and trail riding.  Pie enjoyed this, as he no longer had to do Dressage- his least favorite thing.  Dierdre liked Pie, and the more he foxhunted, the better he became about jumping.  He no longer was worried about jumping large obstacles, quite possibly because he no longer had the pressure of competition.
     Pie was still for sale at this time, but who wanted a nervous, difficult horse with ordinary breeding and a bad work ethic?  Surely, no one wanted to take on the task of re-training Pie that Dressage was OK.  Dierdre continued riding Pie, but slowly he became a pasture ornament, his yellow belly growing ever larger.  It looked like Pie was destined to live out his days in the field with the occasional ride or hunt.
     It is at this point in Pie's life that Elisabeth steps in.  Elisabeth was ten at this time, just like Pie, and she too had lost her way, as her favorite pony, Warlock had just passed away and she didn't have another horse.  Her mother, Madeleine Austin (who had originally found Pie for Amanda) looked everywhere for a new horse.  On a whim, Madeleine called Amanda, hoping that Amanda might be interested in loaning Elisabeth a horse.  When Madeleine called, she was hoping Amanda would lend Elisabeth her great event mare, Crocus, but it was not to be as Amanda's mother, Dierdre, was riding her.  Out of sheer curiosity, Madeleine asked Amanda what Pie was doing, and Amanda said, (and I quote) "What on earth would you want him for?"
     Madeleine was desperate to find Elisabeth a horse, and asked Amanda if she would be interested in sending Pie to Vermont for Elisabeth to ride.  Elisabeth's main passion was Dressage, but Madeleine knew Pie was a horrible Dressage horse.  She hoped that Pie could at least teach Elisabeth about jumping, and, above all, Madeleine knew that Pie would keep her young daughter safe.
     On May 26th, 1994, American Pie arrived at his new home in Vermont.  Madeleine asked Elisabeth to come out to the barn for a minute, but Elisabeth said she was working on making a list of spelling words and definitions; homework which was due the following day.  Madeleine insisted, and Elisabeth made the short trip to the barn, and upon entering saw the most beautiful horse she had ever seen.  She was speechless. 
     To a ten year old girl, a beautiful buckskin gelding standing nearly 16 hands with a handsome face and large, inquisitive eyes, fulfills just about every dream she's ever had.  To Elisabeth, Pie was even more special because Elisabeth looked up to Amanda very much, and remembered Pie from when he was first at the barn as a three and four year old.  Needless to saw, when Elisabeth brought in vocabulary words such as Buckskin, Dressage and Eventing, her teacher knew exactly what had happened: Elisabeth had found her new best friend.