VIDALIA — Julius Huhn has spent nearly his entire life teaching, something he says is a passion that is in his blood and he’ll continue to do the rest of his days.

Huhn, 76, began his 50-year career in education in 1959. He taught chemistry, physics and other sciences and coached basketball and football at Vidalia High School.

Huhn eventually became the director of federal programs for the Concordia Parish School District until he retired.

Huhn’s wife, Mary, is also an educator and serves as the special populations supervisor for the Concordia Parish School District.

Although Huhn is retired from education, he still remains a teacher. Most of Huhn’s teaching days now are spent at his Paso Fino horse farm near Natchez State Park.

When The Dart landed on the Huhns’ house on Alabama Street in Vidalia this week, Huhn had just returned from the horse farm. The farm is aptly named La Loma Escondido, meaning “hidden hill,” for the Spanish-breed Paso Fino horses Huhn trains and shows.

Huhn has been raising Paso Fino horses for more than 20 years, a hobby that started when one of his daughters decided to study equine science at Louisiana Tech University and asked Huhn for a Paso Fino horse.

Before training horses, Huhn trained bird dogs and was looking for a horse for his dog training. He decided to go with his daughter’s choice for a Paso Fino and purchased a young foal.

“That was a mistake,” Huhn laughed. “Babies are a bit exciting and watching them grow and develop is quite exciting too.”

Huhn’s horse hobby quickly grew into his passion, and Huhn currently owns nine horses, with one due in March.

Two of Huhn’s horses have placed in national championships. His horse Companero was the reserve national champion at the 2011 Paso Fino Grand National Championship Show.

Huhn said his love for training his horses goes back to his fundamental love for teaching.

“Everything I’ve ever done in my life has been teaching at some point or another,” Huhn said. “It’s just such a pleasure to teach and to see and work with the animals.”

Mary said she enjoys spending time with her husband and the horses, but she said she does not ride the horses very often.

“I watch, I’m a good watcher,” she joked. “I’m great a watching and cheering.”

Huhn’s horse training is a one-man operation, and he said he feeds, rides and takes his horses through the various stages of training as they grow.

Mary said her husband’s horse training is a learning process for both him and the horses.

“It’s all teaching, teaching is also a learning process,” she said. “It’s a continual growth process for all involved.”

Huhn said he will continue to teach and train his horses for as long as he can.

“I haven’t quit yet, and I guess I never will,” he said. “I just enjoy teaching.”