My Appaloosa Adventures

My Horse

2011-09-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

My winter and spring were not so great this year. I fought with a surgery gone bad and the fallout of being stuck inside confined to elevating my foot. This is not a good recipe for my temperament! I am an active person, I need to go DO things and sitting on my butt for months at a time makes me crazy!!

My grounding really messed up my show season, actually, I did not get to show this year. I did get to take Casper out for one trail course at our local fair, he was his usual sweet self, mostly because he was so tired of sitting around. He loves to do things too!

But the biggest and happiest project was getting Andy under saddle. Andy is the foal pictured above in the title photo for this blog. That photo was taken when he was about 3 months old. He is now 3 1/2 years old. He is 16+ hh and filling out nicely. I had intended to have him ready to show by August. But I had to refine my training plan for him. A good friend has a daughter who in her own right should be a trainer and she graciously put the work into getting Andy going under saddle! I am so grateful to Kait Stoop for her abilities, her time and her kindness. Andy responded well to this new thing called "riding"!

I guess I should explain just "who" Andy is! Andy is "Formula One Fandango". He is sired by our stallion, Casper and out of my elegant Thoroughbred mare Kinky Kumquat. She has a ton of personality and is a real go getter type mare. Contained enthusiasm as we say! Casper has his own fun and rowdy side, but he is mostly a pretty laid back guy. They are both super sweet and remember everything you teach them. So Andy ended up with a great mind, an athletic body and a huge amount of Appytude! I could not be more pleased! He is all Sport Horse!! He has reach, he has suspension, he has power and he thinks!! My job now?? I have to teach him how to use his body, his power and his mind! Communication and tolerance of his youth are of prime importance.

I have taken him on various outings, to ride him in different settings. He is not a bundle of nervousness, he is confused about other horses running around us with riders on them. He is very concerned about self preservation! These traits are good, it shows me he is thinking. Most 3 year olds I have worked, including my own, have all been pretty jittery and their gaits unpredictable with no rhythm. Andy is not like that at all. He is very relaxed in his body, but his brain is always ON! With this in mind, I can be better prepared to introduce him to something new and be aware that he MUST absorb an object or a situation that is new before he will accept it.

So, with 15 rides on him, the last 8 at home in our forest and all about the property, it was time to take him out for a real ride!! Yep, down the road and up the mountain! I feel that exposure to real trail riding is the best training for a young horse! I invited a couple of friends over, we all tacked up, rode a loop through our forest and then we headed west to the mountain!

With my dog following close behind, Andy learned about asphalt, mailboxes, cars, motorhomes, loud farm equipment, kind courteous drivers, new horses in pastures, dogs in yards, being out front of the group and then finding himself not so brave to be first! Laughing and soothing him for the mile and a half to the entrance of the trail, he seemed to be taking everything in. Dropping into a ditch...no hesitation, crossing a field full of mole hills was a test of him using all FOUR of his legs, riding with a horse next to him politely was new for him. Finally we got to the entrance to the mountain trail, he surprised me by boldly heading into the dark trail out in front of our group!

We don't always follow a trail, we all tend to explore and we usually end up picking our way through some pretty rough brush. Two young trees growing side by side at first was a wall to Andy and then he learned you can push through them. He picked his way through the underbrush and downed trees carefully, learning that those back feet need a place to plant too! We climbed a steady incline and then we turned off on the hillside trail. More ups and downs, some steep, some gradual and Andy wanted to GO, but I urged him to keep it at a walk, feeling his energy and willingness made me giddy with delight, but I needed to remember he is a baby, with baby joints and baby brain...slow and easy was best for him. My trail buddies were so sweet and very courteous of Andy, I was so grateful for their kindness and concern! We finally crested the hill overlooking our valley and gave all the horses a brief rest. It was warming up and time to head back.

Trail riding will give Andy the tools he needs to make showing him a breeze! I bred Andy to be a "For Sale" horse.........I am not so sure he is going to ever be for sale. He fits me well, his size, his appytude and his presence, he is all I could ever want in "My Horse"!!

Summer shaped up pretty good. Goals are great, but reality was even better. I have a talented young horse with just enough work on him to keep him thinking and happy! I look forward to the fun that Andy and I will encounter and to being there when he learns all the things he can do!

Happy Trails everyone!!

Confined to Stall Rest

2011-04-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

Winter in Eastern Washington is usually a hit and miss when it comes to riding. We normally have 5 to 7 foot snow totals for the season and some pretty good days here and there to go riding. Last winter we were riding the mountains in January because there just wasn't any snow to speak of.

And the two winters before that we were inundated with snow! Non-stop snow, eight and ten foot snow totals. Snow so "BIG" and heavy we lost 8 of the local riding arenas that winter. So planning to keep your horses tuned up over winter is spotty at best! But most of us diehards try our best to keep working our horses. When the snow isn't blowing sideways with a howling wind that turns your trailer into a sail, we meander over to the indoor arena all bundled up in our wintery warm riding gear and do our best to stay in shape!

This winter was a far different story for this rider, in fact it has been a long long winter for me. You know when you just have that inkling that something is wrong but you can't quite put your finger on it and you stupidly don't want to admit that it might get worse? Well, that's what I did. I knew my foot was having issues, but I was busy, it was show season, who wants to stop in the middle of showing and have a doctor tell you that you need surgery?? THAT just ain't gonna happen. So I pushed myself to my limit of pain and grumpily accepted that I needed to have my foot looked at. My family doctor sent me to a "special" doctor, a podiatrist and he stated I had a neuroma. Basically an irritated nerve. Now for us horse people, we call that navicular and there are all kinds of ways of dealing with navicular in our horses. For us people, there are a couple of options, injections with cortizone steroids, injection with a nerve killing sumptin-or-other or surgical removal of the nerve. I opted for the first treatment and hoped for the best. I got three days of relief after suffering that spine wretching injection in which I saw white light and tore the upholstery off of the exam table! Yeah...that hurt!

So, after two months of no relief, it was a mutual decision by myself and the podiatrist to "nerve" me. On February 24, I went into surgery and they removed my contorted nerve, I got 10 stitches, some happy drug injections and a ride home. Thus began my confinement.

Now for those of you who know me....I am a very very very busy girl. I am either outside buzzing around or I am inside buzzing around. I rarely, if at all, ever watch television and I usually am so busy that when I do crash for the night, I am out like a light. Well, things change is all I can say....and not for the better. I tried to NOT do anything...HA!! I was bored out of my mind after the first couple of days. The foot HAD to stay elevated to reduce swelling and pain, which meant I had to stay put! My first visit to the doctor was exactly one week later and I was so very excited to go outside of my house!! I was heading for a bandage change, but I didn't care....I wasn't stuck in my bed!

Now...I am a squeamish sort. I do NOT like oozy, bloody, or goopy. My stomach churns even now just thinking about my anticipation of how that incision would look when the doctor removed my bandaging. But to my delight....it wasn't too bad to look at!

"Looks pretty good" exclaimed my Podiatrist. He said my neuroma was the largest he had ever seen!! The photo does NOT show just how red the skin was and to my surprise I had not been administered any antibiotics. Doctor Podiatrist said they don't usually do that anymore. The incision was a bit oozy still, so he re-bandaged me and I was sent home for another week of sitting on my butt doing nothing. I know all the History channel specials, watched about as much of the Horse TV that I can stand without trying to debate methodology! Tried not to call and bug all my friends. Grew irritated about the carpet, the toilets, the kitchen and the laundry. Oh, I am so bad about sitting still!!

Finally, the day to re-visit the doctor came...Yippee!! Maybe today was the day I could put a shoe on? Maybe I could take a walk outside and see my horses, walk my dogs, do a bit of my chores. Maybe....sigh.

Doctor Podiatrist removed the stitches, it was still oozy and red, but he said I was good to go. I had to keep it bandaged and vet wrapped, no soaking in a tub, showers only. I could wear a shoe if I wanted. WOW! OK...I felt like a million when I left that office! I got home, tried on my muck boots....wasn't easy, but got them on anyway and headed outside. I did all my own chores that night and I was making plans in my head for the next couple of weeks. Horses needed to be seriously groomed, sheep were lambing and the spring calves would be coming soon. Four days later I was in the ER, my foot the size of a melon and throbbing, the incision had split wide open and was bleeding. Infection had set in. Too much too soon!!

That was 5 weeks ago. I can now tell you which channel you can find "Bones" on, I am up to date on the Political scene. I can make a whole new plethora of stews and soups. My horses don't remember me. My dogs are out of shape. I am FAT from sitting on my butt for 5 weeks taking multiple antibiotics to fight off infection that irritate my stomach so I have to eat lots of little meals...ugh! What a mess! And I have breedings coming up.....(heavy sigh). All my horses are fat, hairy and dirty. My husband, bless him, has done a great job at keeping them fed, watered and the salt licks replaced. My new Wound Specialist doctor is in repeat mode now...."another week"...I am not healing as fast as I guess I should be.

I hear about all my horsey buddies having great adventures already this spring and I am envious!! A few days of great weather have allowed a few hours of being outside. I did attend a wonderful clinic in Pasco, WA for three days of auditing (again sitting on my butt!) I am chomping at the bit here just knowing how much I have to do when I get the go ahead from the new Wound Specialist I see every week.

My Appaloosa Adventures of backing Andy, Driving Casper, Xtreme Trail with Misty and more Dressage testing for Casper are all ON HOLD and in delay mode! I beg of you all to please share with me your horsey adventures so that I may revel in your joyful celebration of being back in the saddle!!!

Why have a club at all?

2011-02-09T09:35:00.000-08:00

Why do we join a club?

I am the daughter of a true motorhead! A man who loved automobiles! He knew them better than I know horses or computers. Cars were his life, his job and his passion!!

My father was a member of many clubs, his love of racing cars started before I was born and continued until his death in a street legal roadster. He was a dirt track superstock racer with a full sponsorship from Montgomery Wards in Chico, CA, our hometown. As a member of the North Valley Racing Association, he helped make dirt tracks safer, he was a volunteer emergency crewman. The NVRA orange van lived at our house for years, full of all kinds of emergency equipment used on the Stock Car dirt tracks. As a club member, he was active in and loved every part of the racing scene! From the hobby stock to the super modifieds, they were all part of the racing family!

My father was also a member of the Kaiser-Fraser Club. A small but well organized group with members all across the country. They had “meets” that members attended with their restored Kaiser-Fraser cars. The “meets” were always well attended, upwards of 100+ of these rare collectable cars would be brought from all corners of the US and compete for top honors in such categories as “Most Original”, “Peoples Choice”, “Rarest Model” and all sorts of other categories! One of my favorite classes was Original/Modified…..sort of the improvement class, with modifications of anything mechanical that improved upon the failures of the original creation, like rust prevention, engine improvement, braking improvement and all sorts of cool creative gearhead items! Dad’s cars were always “original” in presentation, not always the original color and sometimes body parts came from other scavenged cars found in wrecking yards across the west (more adventures!). But all the club members knew where their cars fit into the categories and appreciated each and every other member’s efforts at restoring and showing off their particular side of this wonderful old and historic part of American memorabilia!

How have these past experience influenced me? Well, as part of a club, we each bring our own special view and expertise to the group! I grew up with a broad appreciation of “all original” and “super modified”! Club members who were friends of my father would talk for hours on the merits of “all original miles”, “max horsepower potential”, “heritage faults”, “improved manufacturer defects”. Each person appreciated other member’s abilities and love for the car. I liken this to my need for being part of a group that adores all the aspects of the Appaloosa Horse in all its various forms! A group that comes together under a defined set of criteria and uses said criteria to preserve and celebrate the original as well as enjoy the improvements made to modernize!

But as in any organization, there are basic ground rules. We don’t like putting a big Chevy engine into a ’65 Mustang…..most of the Ford folks call that bastardization! A purist just cannot fathom wrecking something to that extent! Oh, improve the suspension and braking, but leave the basic vehicle original.

This is what is happening to our beloved Appaloosa Horse. There are members who have for years painstakingly bred true to the intent of the club founders, and there are those who have gone more modern by infusing traits from other acceptable breeds. But the purists always believed in their hearts that those modern breeders cared about improving upon the Appaloosa, not making it into a Chevy when in fact it was really a Ford. The original ideal that the major portion of the membership fell in love with is a very, very scarce commodity in this modern day. The rules of the club most of us Appaloosa lovers belong to seem to be up for constant interpretation and not for the betterment or the preservation of the Appaloosa Horse.

If bending and breaking of rules was acceptable, then we would have anarchy in our society. But we HAVE RULES and when those rules are broken, people ask WHY?

Why is it OK to interpret a rule to the detriment of it’s intent??? Why is it OK to make excuses for those who do break the rules? Why be part of a club at all, when the club does not celebrate ALL portions of its members?

If society says running a red light is an offense against the rules, then if you get caught doing so, should you not get a ticket?? If a club has rules about how a horse can be bred and you break those rules, should you be allowed to register that horse?

A club is only as strong as it’s membership. When the membership decides to look the other way, then the club begins to decline.

The Kaiser-Fraser automobiles are still out there, but they are extremely rare. The Appaloosa Horse deserves faithful and loving protection from the very club created in 1938 to do so!

A Look Back at 2010

2011-01-22T12:15:00.000-08:00

WHEW!!! We made it! 2010 is behind us and I am so very happy to have survived it!

In many ways, 2010 was a great year for Formula One Farms and MK Sport Horses! A lot of hours were spent prepping horses for their shows, primping horses at the shows and travel time to and from shows. Mike Kincella made our Casper into a first class Dressage mover at First Level, competed him with the big boy Warm Bloods and came home in the top 5 at all three tests!! Very nice!

Mike also took on an unhandled weanling Lusitano stallion and made him a champion too! It was truly a labor of love! An extremely gifted mind handled by an extremely gifted mind! No owner could ask for more of their trainer; compassionate determination is the best way to describe my observations of Mike and his training of horses all year, including my own!

We also made money in 2010! Hot diggity dog...that was pretty fun! Of course we did not make enough money to offset all our expenses, but making money at competition is pretty dang fun! Extreme Trail, Trail Challenges, Competitive Trail and Ultimate Trail Competitions are paying out money, usually down to 3rd place, some down to 6th. So, get out and give these competitions a try, they are a blast! Casper now has a lifetime earning from Extreme Trail of $650 (one year)! LOL! I can't tell you how nice it is to be out on the trail having fun, learning new obstacles, challenging ourselves and spending time with friends! Some of the competitions to look for in 2011 are Ride the West, EXCA Events, OTAHC's Events and any local CTC's. Support these as best you can, the continued use of our trail systems depends upon our proving we need them!!

We also got our first parade under our belt!! Mike was gracious enough to loan us the use of his lovely fancy wooden Houghten Sulky. I did not want to take Casper into a large and unorganized parade, I wanted his first experience at a parade to be a good one. We attended the local Clayton Brickyard Days Parade! It was well attended, short, but lots of crowds! My friends who came to watch sent me this photo of Casper and I passing by!

Besides all the public events, we did a lot of private trail riding in 2010. The kind of rides that make you happy you have such a horse as your own! Those are the best kinds of trail rides, peaceful, quiet conversations, challenging terrain, old familiar paths, nature blooming all around you and the sound of confident hooves pushing you along! Love the trail rides!

Not everything of 2010 was good. Lot's of people have gotten out of horses altogether. Herd dispersal sales were rampant! The Great Recession has taken it's toll on many horse owners and horses. My beloved Appaloosa breed seemed to lose many many long time breeders. Made me sad to see so many of them hang up their bridles, but I guess finding good homes for their animals before their health failed was a smart move for both the horses and themselves!

2010 was not so great for the ApHC either! It appears from my side of the fence more special interests are guiding that association than ever before! First there was a proposal to register Cropouts...something not done within the breed for well over 30 years! A 1/2 Paint colt got approved for ApHC papers and now holds a National Title....how did that happen?! And some idiot at some desk allowed a world wide known and AQHA suspended Horse Abuser to have membership within the ApHC and he too has a title, a World Show title. Appalling things are going on at the ApHC, things I don't want much to do with!! Things that are a disgrace to the Breed and the Association!

All in all, 2010 has given me a lot of reasons to reflect, some very good and some very bad! Choosing a path for the future of Formula One Farms is not too difficult, we will follow our instincts, maintain our love for the Appaloosa Horse, uphold our ethics and keep working on the dream!!

Where am I going?

2010-11-26T06:58:00.000-08:00

It has been quite some time since I blogged. I had planned to spend the winter blogging about our incredible summer of competitions with Casper. But life has a way of interfering with all plans.

I noticed about a month ago that our Josey Girl wasn't eating as much as she should, walking away from the feeder before the other horses and just standing alone. I noticed she was beginning to lay down more than normal. I noticed her soft rounded body was starting to show a bit of jutting at her hip bones. Then one morning, she just refused to come to the feeder, choosing instead to stand along the fence, hip cocked and sad eyed, turning once in a while to look at her belly on her right side. Was she at the early stages of a colic? Not being psychic or able to speak horse, I drug her to the barn, gave her a dose of banamine and called the Vet. While waiting for the return call from the Vet, I figured I had better walk her...so I did. We walked and walked and walked, through the forest, up and down the long driveway, out to the cattle, back through the forest and repeated this for over an hour. I checked for gut noises...not the usual grumble, but some noise. I loaded her into the horse trailer......maybe an explanation of what kind of horse Josey is would make this easier to understand.

From day one, back in 1995, Josey was a handful. She had the type of demeanor that most folks associate with hyper Arabian horses. She was a wild eyed, nervous nellie! She would never walk next to you calmly, almost always sidestepping with you off to your right at doubletime! She was a challenge to get to calm down. She had somehow managed in her beginning years to become abandoned, as some horses are unlucky enough to experience. Several people said she was crazy and dangerous. Rumor was she originally came from a track near the Bay area. No body gave her a good word. She had been placed in a rented pasture and then left, forgotten or deliberately abandoned. Our Vet at the time figured she was anywhere from 7 to 10 years old, thin, but in good health. So began the challenge, to convince her I was trustworthy and would not harm her, as her instinct to flight was extremely strong! It took a long time, a lot of walks and slowly, slowly, she began to calm down and let our walks become companion time instead of the Josey Sideways Dance Step! And here is where the Appaloosa Adventures truly began, with this sweet and sassy little bundle of energy!

It took a year, a long stressful year to convince Josey I would love to be her friend. Why so long? I don't know, but she was truly afraid of people. Maybe no one had ever given her a chance, maybe no one had ever been kind to her, maybe no one had taken the time ....whatever her past story was, it didn't really matter. She was going to take me riding some day!! And some day does eventually arrive. The excitement of Josey and myself riding down the trail together built over time. Watching her move across the pasture and envisioning her lovely trot under saddle, yes, this kept me going! Hoses scared the crap out of her, tarps she gave in to, loading into a trailer was like asking her to enter the cave of doom! Yes, a year of learning to face her fears was not easy on Josey, but she did it! She became so brave and confident! It was like watching a gorgeous flower bloom! And yes, Josey was beautiful, stunning and so very easy on the eyes!

As time marched on, Josey and I became like glue! She went everywhere with me! We tackled the ocean together, the High Sierra's, the shows, the games, cattle, trail after trail after trail. She led other horses across raging girth deep creeks, led the way over arduous thin trails, learned to be still for Bow Hunting from her back and became the head of the herd. Yes, because of her and her forgiving ways, we became avid Appaloosa devotees and added a couple more Appaloosa horses!

Josey was never able to obtain recognition from the ApHC. Oh, many offers of forged papers were made, but I couldn't do that. I was flattered by the offers, it showed that Josey truly had made an impression as a worthy spotted representative! And her abilities are what convinced me the Appaloosa Sport Horse was the best of all worlds! Brains, soundness, beauty and ability all wrapped up in a gorgeous and memorable package!

And so began the journey of Formula One Farms. Yes, it was all Josey's fault! I registered her as an Appaloosa Sport Horse (ApSHA) and the fun began! She was a challenge and taught me so much more than any ready made horse ever could! Which brings me back to the present, for watching her was a favorite pass time. Seeing her perform her moves freely in the pasture, flat out running and jumping the pasture creek...was always a thrill. I always watch and observe my horses, sometimes to the exclusion of finishing my tasks....and that is how it became obvious to me that my dear sweet Joe was suffering.

This dear mare was so predictable in her behavior! You load her in the trailer and in 10 seconds, you had a nice fresh pile you could fork out before heading down the road! You put her in a stall and ...yep, same same! But not now, her system was having difficulty. We checked her for sand colic, none. She would eat, she would pass her feed and fluids, but her interest in food had waned. Her pain was very evident and keeping her on banamine made her more herself. She was having some internal organ failure and for me, there is no need to drag her through test after test to determine what the cause was only to drag her through a treatment that may or may not work.

Keeping her on banamine was wrong, but it kept her happy and eating until we could come to our decision. Her life had been a good long one, almost 25 years, it was better to put her to rest and remember her as her sweet spunky self than to have her endure another winter and go further downhill. So, on November 21st, 2010, we put Josey to rest beside our sweet old Luke, to forever run the green pastures and tossing her lovely head at the world as if to say..."just try to catch me!".

After mulling over her passing this last week, I took a good long look at what and why was Formula One Farms developed. I felt we were producing the proper type of horses, but I really had to reflect upon why I felt I needed to be a part of the ApHC. What had they EVER done to encourage the none stock horse? I reread loads of old Appaloosa News magazines and stared longingly at horses within it's pages that reflected Josey to a T. What would the modern shell of a glorious old ApHC ever do to really step into the 21st century? My conclusion is...they have their head in the sand and will continue on their spiral of exclusivity. Horses of my greatest idols, the Chocolate Confetti lines, the JG Appaloosa lines, the Buckshott H lines and many more historic and deeply bred Appaloosa Sport horses and their offspring will never be seen within the ranks of an ApHC show arena doing what THEY do best.

It comes back to "Where am I going?".....I see now that I have wasted far too much precious time on the ApHC. It was a dream and will always be a dream. A better reality is to get back on the original path, because that is why Josey came to us to begin with, to show us that a spunky little horse full of spots could do it all!

Will the real Appaloosas please Stand Up!!?

2010-04-05T19:45:00.000-07:00

I know, I know.....kind of a nasty attitude with that title for today's blog.

I am angry - frothy at the collar angry - with the 9 Board of Directors who voted to allow Cropouts full registration papers in the ApHC. I made my wishes known about this proposal, I sent off my emails to every BOD member and stated plainly that I did not agree to giving full show and breeding rights to horses with a coat pattern but no known Appaloosa pedigree. The ApHC has had a hardship registration program in place for a very long time and it is utilized by lots of people with horses that exhibit an Appaloosa coat pattern, but no verifiable/eligible Appaloosa lineage. Why must we rewrite the rules for a few Cropouts?

Ok, I see, you are wondering what is a Cropout?? OK, here is a little ApHC history lesson!

A long time ago, in a land not too far away, a registry was started to Preserve and Protect the Appaloosa horse by a man with a vision, based on a memory. Claude Thompson wanted to recreate the Appaloosas he remembered from his youth. At the beginning, most any horse with an Appaloosa patterned hide was able to get into the registry. Like most startup registries you needed to gather together all the specimens available! Back in 1938 very little was known about genetics, so every "visibly appaloosa" horse that an owner wanted papers on got into the ApHC registry, as long as it didn't show obvious draft, pinto or pony characteristics. Now there were (and still are) some horses that did not wear their Appaloosa-ness on the outside, they were carrying it around hidden within sperm and eggs, some of these horses didn't get put into the ApHC book, but may have found their way into the other new registry, the AQHA. As time marched on some Quarter Horse breeders were dismayed or delighted to have their papered Quarter Horses produce the occasional loud colored Appaloosa foal and this is what we call a Cropout. For a time, the ApHC welcomed these cropouts into the registry and why not, they surely had the coat pattern, so they must have the Appaloosa bloodline somewhere! Well, that was all fine and good...back then. A time came when the ApHC stopped letting in the cropouts and required their registered horses to have at least one registered Appaloosa parent. This was the beginning of defining their horses to a bloodline breed with a color preference. And that is how the ApHC registrations have worked for almost 40 years. One parent has to be an Appaloosa and the other parent can be either an Appaloosa, a Quarter Horse, a Thoroughbred or an Arab; And all of them must be registered within their respective registries.

Now I'm not saying there are no longer cropouts occurring. I am saying cropouts are no longer allowed or desired and certainly do not need to have full registration rights, rights that allow these horses to breed within our pool of horses and compete in our show system. Hardship registration is a good place for these horses, it gives them full show rights, but only geldings and spayed mares can be hardshipped.

That has all changed with the recent ruling by the BOD. Apparently, there are now a few individuals who don't think Hardship registration is good enough for their cropout, they want breeding rights too! They just aren't able to prove they have one Appaloosa in the pedigree.

So, from here on out, any 'QH x QH, TB x TB, Arab x Arab' or 'Arab x QH, Arab x TB or TB x QH' that produces a foal with at least two Appaloosa characteristics can get full show and breeding ApHC papers!

Basically, the ApHC is now just a color registry. The bloodlines mean nothing! And this has a lot of us HOT HOT HOT!!

So my question is not so nasty as it is just a plea. A plea to the owners of registered ApHC Appaloosa horses to please, please STAND UP, be angry and VOTE the folks who changed our registry's rules out of their seat on the BOD!!! If you care about the pedigree of your horse, the history and heritage of these wonderful animals, please STAND UP and be heard! Additionally, if you can attend the June BOD meetings in Jackson Mississippi, please do so and let the BOD know face to face how unhappy you are with this rule change.

I am doing my best to maintain my composure, this new ruling really bites! A well written and polite letter or email to the entire BOD would surely make an impact. We can rescind this and preserve the integrity of our breed.

For information regarding who on the BOD voted for and against this new ruling, contact me!! Or read all about it and many other discussions concerning this very controversial rule at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/ApHC-Members-Against-Registering-Cropouts/105907606105216

Horses are Pawns to be used!

2010-01-25T07:27:00.000-08:00

Maybe you play chess, maybe you don't. If you do play chess, then you know what a Pawn is. It is the lowest form of player on the field, it is usually sacrificed at times and in some cases can be the one player to make the win.

The lowly Pawn as a Horse?? Yes!

Let's take a look at how one lovely mare was used as a Pawn.

Her name and all the names will be omitted, but the story is true!

Checking my Facebook page one morning, I came across a posting from a friend about a missing Appaloosa mare and how she hoped the mare could be found and returned to it's rightful owner.

I stared at it for a minute and then re-read the c/p from CL, this was in my backyard, very close to home. It could have been my 22 year old leopard mare. Dismay and fear were the emotions I felt immediately. What the hell was happening here? There must be some way to help. I trusted the friend who posted it, I knew the original owner had a good reputation within our breed, so what was going on?

I decided to call the number and talk to the well known, long time Appaloosa breeder and find out her side of this missing mare story. I was not disappointed!

My first contact with the owner of the missing mare was amazement. She was focused on recovering her horse to the point of minute details. Distance was an issue and the electronic age was not lost upon her. We discussed photos, laws of both state and county, peoples perception of "leopard", lack of response from buyers and people who you suspect are lying. It was a diverse conversation to say the least. I too learned a lot about people in my area from that phone call. People that I can only say go on the "don't deal with" list.

She agreed to start the work on the Stolen Horse International/Net Posse paperwork. This group is well known for it's excellent recovery rate of lost/missing/stolen horses. They have wonderful follow-up too on their website. So the owner embarked on the task of filling the missing/stolen horse report. There is a lot of detail in this report. Sheriff contact information, reported case number, dates and times, photos, descriptions, brand information and a brief rundown of the situation.

Speaking of Brands, the missing mare did have a brand and it was a registered brand. So one would think that if you contacted the Washington State Brand Inspector, you could get a person who would be interested in a possible stolen horse being taken across state lines w/o a Coggins and the proper Brand Inspection paperwork. All the numbers from WA.gov websites either went no where or no one called us back. We finally got a good number from a local Vet.

Meanwhile, with the owner doing lots of "legal" contacting and paperwork, I told her I would do my best to "get the word" out. Oh my, how that works in very strange ways. You have the "curious", the "blind", the "gossips", the "naggers", the "scoops" all trying to contact you with or for information. During the Fran Farmer debacle, all of these same characters were there to help. Sigh....

The Curious really just want to know what is going on without really making any effort to assist. They have reasons why they can't/don't print out photos and reasons why they can't/won't drive out and look/photo a horse. They really just want to know the "juicy" details and don't care if the missing horse is starving, being abused or dead.

The Blind are good people, they are really trying to help, but they don't know one horse from another, can't see a difference between a mare and a gelding and haven't really looked at the photo's you sent to see there are spots in very specific places. These people just need some of your time to explain once again that the spots will tell you if it is the horse. You really can't hide a leopard. You can hide a blanketed Appy, you can hide a fewspot, but a leopard is pretty hard to cover up! And each leopard is distinctly different from each other, no two look the same!

The Gossips, oh my! Wish I could hang up on them, but that would be RUDE!! They call to tell you all the local trashy stories on who did what to who and when and why and how. And I sit and I listen and I hope to God I get some type of lead out of this and I am never happy to know these things. There must be something in my voice that makes these people want to elucidate on all bad marriages and parents and, and, and, ......finally they exhaust themselves and I might have a slip of a lead, but mostly my ear hurts and thank goodness they don't have my cell phone number!!!

The Naggers are folks who really are helping you, really they are, in their own mind they are helping you! They contact you over and over to see if you have done this or that and then they do it again a couple of days later. And then they....never really coughing up any new information or actually doing any recon work themselves. But they do make sure you are doing it all properly. Thanks guys!

And lastly....the Scoops!! These are the people who are AWESOME!! They call when they have a lead, they pass the word around and they actually HELP you in your quest! I love SCOOPS!!

I also learned a lot about some of our local Vet offices. The term..."I don't want to get involved" comes to mind. I really don't understand that one iota!! When someone says that to me, that means they either know something or they truly don't care. As a part of an institution that pledges to "care for animals", how can anyone in those offices have this mentality? I even heard of one Vet Tech who said the flier would clutter up the vehicle. WTH???

Which brings me back to the horse as a Pawn. Did the mare actually end up at the Vet office in need of medical attention or did that Vet office mistake another horse for her? When asked if they took photos of the horses they treat, the answer was a resounding NO...hmmm. So they can't be sure it is the right or wrong horse. Dead end...maybe! They made money, they have client confidentiality and they have to do business here...so I am silently told to leave them alone and mind my own business.

The small matter of not paying board on a horse is a huge part of this story. Legally, I was told you must give the boarder notice and sufficient time to pay up on their bill. I don't board horses, but I am certain you can't just sell off a boarder's animal without contacting them. And if that boarder has receipts and states they are paid up, do you still have a right to sell the animal? If you took payment in another form and got your money, is that considered "paid up"? Which party is actually telling the truth? Does it matter? The party who says they paid their board is the party who did not make their purchase payment on the actual missing mare! So, who are you apt to believe? Both parties are in the wrong in my book. You sign a contract to buy a car and you don't make the payments, you get a notice, you get a chance to pay-up and if you ignore it, they come and repossess your car! Same - Same with the horse. I was working with the original owner who was trying to locate her horse and the so-called buyer of the horse. This takes time and sometimes animals don't have the luxury of time. They can be in imminent danger of death from abusiveness or starvation or plain old neglect. And it had taken months for the original owner to track down this none paying buyer, let alone find out where she had stashed the mare. When the location of the mare was known, she asked a relative to go check on her. Well, that right there turned into a nightmare (sorry about the pun).

Pawn exit stage left!

When I drive down a street and I am lost, I usually stop and ask for directions. So hearing that the "relative" stopped in at the boarding "facility" (term used loosely) to see the mare should really have been no big deal. But apparently this was not a normal helpful country type of person. He was run off of the property by the boarding facility owner in the usual ugly threatening way. Disputed "pawn" is standing on boarding facility owners property and relative has no recourse but to leave and seek council. Several days later, the "pawn" is gone! Must have been way too much heat applied by Craigslist postings and the relative to keep that loud leopard visible to people passing by on the road. Mind you, this "facility" has no trees, no privacy fencing, barbed wire, a travel trailer, a cab over camper without a cab to be over, a plethora of dogs, sheep, goats, horses, etc and NOT ONE HAY BALE visible! I know, I went by the place too.

Enter in another party, one who has a truck and trailer, because the boarding facility owner does not own a truck or a trailer. We will call this person the boarding facility friend (bff). Now, when I want to do something in secret, I would do it in the night or behind the comfort of a closed door. Loading up horses during the day next to a road, that is not so secret. So, now we have a "witness" who watched the "pawn" get loaded into a stock trailer. We will call this witness "w1". That is one story, the other story is the bff hauled the "pawn" to w1's place. Either way, another witness "w2", says the loud leopard mare did show up at the property next door to her owned by w1 and she ended up hauling the loud leopard mare back to bff's facility. Oh dear.....this is the convoluted part!! Since w1 does not own a truck and trailer, some of this is believable. But w1 swears the mare was never at her place. Now I called bff and had a short but telling conversation with her. This person stated clearly she did haul a horse for the boarding facility owner to the vet's office. I asked her directly if she hauled a leopard appy mare, that is when she told me "I know nothing about horses" and hung up. Hmmmmm.

Meanwhile, back to the original owner, who is getting some nasty emails, finally makes contact with the buyer/boarder and can't get the Sheriff's department to cooperate! The story on her end is unfolding but hard to understand who might be telling the truth and who might really be helping her. I have to say, if I were to have been her at that moment, I would also suspect "me". You do not know any of these people, so how can you believe anything they say. Your gut has to tell you something, but your heart and gut are not getting along with each other! Poor original owner! She is standing fast though and staying focused, still!

In the midst of all of this is another little pawn, a small puppy. This registered lap dog is said to have been used as "payment" for board by the buyer of the mare to the boarding facility owner. OK, so the boarding facility owner now has another dog to add to her pack, or should we say, another mouth to feed? Anyway, rumor has it the w2 has a neighbor who purchased said puppy for a sum of $600. OK, that is enough to pay for at least a couple of months back board owed, right? Apparently not!

One of the nasty emails the original owner got was from bff, it stated that the mare had gone to a good home and she would never ever see that mare again. Hmmmm, how would bff know that if she was not involved with boarding facility owner? Besides, she told me she knew nothing about horses, so how would she know if it was our lovely loud leopard mare? And, instead of bff sending that email directly to the original owner, she sent it to w1, who forwarded it to the original owner. More questions on who exactly is involved come up at this point.

And in the midst of all this, I think I have a good location on every leopard appaloosa mare in the PNW! The Stolen Horse International/Net Posse flier is ready and transmitted via email and Facebook to everyone and anyone who is interested in helping find our poor little pawn. I spend lots of time assisting folks on how to download and print the flier. I get lots of comments on the flier from people who don't want to help. Yep, this is FUN!!!

Have I mentioned that time is a factor? Did I mention that the mare was said to be thin? Did I also say it is Winter? As I write this, it is snowing outside. I am writing this before the saga is over, so I can keep as much of it as "straight" as possible. It is not good for a horse lover to hear a horse is thin, it makes us wonder "how thin"! How much time does she have? It is cold, wet, snowy, rainy and generally not nice weather here in the north eastern Washington area. So, without knowing exactly just what her condition is, we are worried. Worried she will get sickly, worried she is already dead, worried she might be suffering instead of dead.

The flier is out, getting put up everywhere and emailed everywhere. Calls and emails come in from far away places with encouragement and HOPE! And then I wake up and read an email from the original owner....stop the presses!!! We think we have found her and we think we can get her home in 48 hours. Jump for joy and Yippee!!

But we can't say a word about it to anyone, because whoever has her, purchased her. They did not know they were buying a "hot" horse. They saw the SHI flier after the fact. They don't want to be implicated in the legal process. They are victims in this game of Chess, just one more "pawn" to have been used. Or are they???

What do you do? How can you ever make the sorry ass low life's pay??? They made money off of her from the boarder, got themselves some new fencing and then made even more money off of our little pawn mare when they sold her!!

I freaking live amongst these cracker asses!!

But I am happy to say that the little leopard mare is back in the hands of the original owner, sort of. She is at a family member's home and is getting taken care of. She is not thin and is just as sweet as she was before all this began.

So what have I learned in this latest Appaloosa Adventure?? There are wonderful people who are honest and care. There are ugly game players who pray on situations for their own gain. The list of "not to do business with" persons is longer now. And that Chess is a board game with inanimate objects, not something to be played with living breathing animals or people!!

But but but but.......sigh.....cave

2010-01-12T05:37:00.000-08:00

My horse is faster than yours! My horse is taller than yours! My horse is stronger than yours! My horse is prettier than yours! My horse is smarter than yours!!

Does that bring back memories for you? Childhood memories??? Is that why we have horse shows, rodeo's and races?? Because we couldn't get the childish nannernanners out of our system?

I would like to think we have advanced past the silliness of our youth and become gracious in showing our horses. Yes, there are still "sport" events that horses can and do "beat" each other at! Racing (in many forms), Steeplechasing, Jumping, Gaming and Sulky. I think they still have some Chariot races somewhere and the Chuckwagon races. I am not counting the downhill suicide race....it is just silly and those folks can have at it!

There are the "competitive" stuff we do with horses that are very subjective to conditions and judges! Calf roping, steer daubing, working cow horse, bull dogging and cutting are all timed, yes, but they have that added condition...cows!

Regular Horse showing is just....well, judged! And that is always, always just some "other opinions" coming from a group of people who spent a lot of time and effort to learn how to fill out some score sheets based on criteria set forth by another group of people.

Think of when you go to a show...you agree to the class rules when you enter a class. Yes, you do. No one says you HAVE to enter that class. So, IF you enter, you agree! You agree to ride in that class by the rules set forth for that class. Then, you also agree to abide by the opinion of the judges hired to rate (can't say score, 'cause some of them don't use a score sheet!) those riders and horses in front of them. It is as simple as that!

I know this stuff, I am a good sport too. So why am I so caught up on one stupid rule? The silly Western theory that 6 year old horses MUST be in a proper bridle and bit??? WHY???

If I have a nice headset, good response, lovely gates, smooth transitions and a happy horse, why can't I show him in the the snaffle he knows and is comfortable with?

I am perplexed?

Do I agree that 2 year olds should be ridden in classes? No, but there are two year old snaffle futurities that happen every year. Is it accepted? Yes. I would think there can also be acceptance of snaffles for aged horses. And that just gets me too, as if 6 years old is aged! Who decided this??? Is it written in the Horse Bible somewhere I don't know about?? My horse certainly was not aware he was aged and in need of a total new contact device.

So, I cave. I am caving in to the "system" that I truly feel needs a lot of fixing. My horse is a happy guy and I want him to stay that way. So I seek out the best way to move him into the barbaric bit (my term, sorry!) I am very fortunate that my wonderful Classical Dressage trainer is also very knowledgeable with the ways of the California Caballero! Which is only a different form of Mexican training due to location!

Enter the fix!! Thanks be to the English Hackamore! With this nice and sane device, my boy and I are learning some very good communication, subtle communication. My seat is better, my seat bones are talking, my legs are talking, my eye direction is talking and guess what? He is listening, ever so closely! And that shanked bit is just hanging there, not harming him one iota! Oh, I know there are those that think a snaffle is harmful...in the wrong hands yes! For this rider, learning the proper way to use a shanked bit without causing pain to my happy horse is a boat load of progress!

Look out judges...we are coming to a show near you! Sometime this summer!

The Trials of Winter Riding

2010-01-07T09:15:00.000-08:00

What time are we riding today???

Are you done eating yet?

Did I plug in the truck?

Oh geez, I forgot I disconnected the trailer last week....sigh.

Yes, winter riding is a challenge. Just when I think I have it down to a manageable routine, somehow a monkey wrench gets thrown in. It takes two hours minimum for the truck to be "warmed" enough to start, which means remembering to plug it in before I feed my horses. With all the tank heaters going in the middle of 9 degrees, we try to only use what electrical devices we actually need. Since I don't drive my rig exclusively with the horse trailer, some days I have extra steps I have to take just to get out of the driveway. And you really must be kind to old diesels, they will work their heart out for you as long as you treat them with extra care. My old diesel is over her 300,000 mark, which makes both of us members of the "road well traveled" club!!

I hate to be late, but I have come to realize, being late is OK. Me and my horses arrive intact if I take time to prepare for the drive.

Sometimes the weather just does not cooperate either! Have you ever noticed how you plan for a picnic and it always seems to pick that day to rain?? Well, winter snow and riding is a lot like that. I tend to be a bit on the safe side and not drive this 45 foot rig when the roads are slick. I like tomorrow too much to chance missing it.

And just who do you take riding today? Which horse needs the workout most? Do I take the Thoroughbred who is way out of shape and burn off those precious calories I keep pouring into her? I know she will give me her best and love the full day of attention. Do I take my young filly who is going to be full of energy and fire? Do I take my stallion, who will give me a good quiet ride and could use burning off some winter chunk?

And then you must, absolutely must, dress properly to ride in 20 degrees. There is no argument on that. Making your helmet fit over your thermal cap is good for a laugh, not only do you get great helmet-hair, you get itchy helmet-head too! And just how does my trainer know I am slouching....it's the coat I tell you!! I have 5 layers on under here, there is no way I dropped my shoulder on that transition! He can't tell crap about what my body is doing, my seat is fine, even if my seat bones can't touch the saddle through the layers of long johns and breeches! My wrist did not droop...it's the gloves, really!! I tell you, my back IS straight, I am NOT caving my arch!! I am sitting deep, can't he see anything???

Why do we do this to ourselves? What is the driving force that pushes us to crawl on arthritic knees to hook up those safety chains in a bed of snow? Why do we constantly push ourselves with numb limbs to ride it through?

Because we make progress and succeed! The horse is happiest when he is working with you. You feel better when you have ridden the perfect circle. You get an awesome workout, the day is brighter and you get to breath-in warmed horse body aroma. There is nothing better for a horse person than the satisfaction of the ride. It is an unexplainable thing. It is just there to be done.

When I get home, with my limbs warm and tired, I open the trailer door to see my horse standing, hip cocked and relaxed under his woolly cooler and I know he feels just as satisfied with the days work as I do. The drive home from the barn is just long enough to cool him down so his coat is dry when I pull off his cooler. Rubbed and combed, he gets his treat and off to his paddock for a good roll in the snow.

Here's to good planning for tomorrow, good weather for the drive and happy trails for everyone!!

Another New Year....Another Show Season

2010-01-03T05:58:00.000-08:00

OH YAY!!

There is only a few months before the show season starts, before the trails are open, before the Poker Rides start up, before the...the...the...sigh. Yes, here in the NORTH we await the spring thaw anxiously. The farmers hope for a good mix of sun and rain, while us riders hope for longer cool days to practice, school and refine!

The farmers await the spring lambs and calves. Some horse people are awaiting the birth of a long awaited foal. Spring is the very best time of year!

Yes, Spring is just around the corner! Winter officially started just over two weeks ago, why are we trying to blow past it?? I still keep hoping for the right snow to come, but all we have gotten is powder or slush.....neither of which the runners on the sleigh will work with. I need some packed snow and a bit of fluff on top of it for the sleigh to work correctly and not be a drag! (haha!)

I really shouldn't complain though, it has been a very mild winter so far. Only twice now has it dipped below the 12 degree mark and both times were very short cold snaps! For the most part, we should be riding everyday if you look at our weather, but the ice buildup is incredibly dangerous. Any spot with standing water is now an ice rink!

Those of us die-hard riders in the north will haul to where we can ride. That is an adventure all it's own! But one must do what one has to do to be ready for the upcoming spring show season!

Spring Showing is half dismay and half hilarity! The dismay comes from not being totally ready and the hilarity comes from not being totally ready! When you get to work your horse over winter, he will stay in shape and learn about cues, moves and new stuff. You don't always get the chance to ride in an arena with 15 other horses, which is where the hilarity usually comes in. If you have ever been to a spring show where horses are rearing, bunny hopping or just plain "askeered"....that is dismay and hilarity. The poor owner/rider and the horse have probably worked very hard over winter to perfect their transitions, but the mind plays tricks with the horse in that first Spring Show! Sometimes it is the rider who is more nervous than the horse and that just feeds the horse. Whatever the cause, a Spring Show is bound to have some sort of "entertainment".

Usually by the end of spring all the kinks are worked out and serious showing can be done. It is very important to attend the Spring Shows, just so you and your horse can see, feel and absorb all the jitters felt by everyone else.

Oh, and the things we forget in the spring. All winter we have been riding with our long johns, sweatshirts, paddock boots and whatever else is comfortable and warm. We forget we need our stock pins, our hair up, our nice helmet, our jacket, clean breeches and polished boots. We forget we need to use the plain saddle pad and not our tie dyed one. We forget the schooling equipment we have come to depend upon must be put away.

Yes...Spring Shows are full of fun, surprises, hilarity and dismay. But those of us addicted to horse showing must go through the rites of spring, to get to the satisfaction of summer ribbons!

Share your spring show experience....I bet it was funny to look back on even if it wasn't so funny at the time!!

Christmas on the Farm

2009-12-28T09:29:00.000-08:00

Like most folks, we go shopping for Christmas presents for our family and special friends. Running around town is not our favorite thing to do, ever! But we make the trip and hopefully find things that will make each person pleased and joyful. But unlike most people, we have a farm full of animals who also know it is a special day. So we "shop" for their "presents" too.

I had the hubby pick up a bag of cow knuckle bones two days before Christmas. Our meat cattle had just gone to the butcher, so we had no bones in the freezer for the dogs and they surely deserve one on Christmas Day!

I checked through my round bales for the Grassy/Alfalfa ones and made sure hubby and tractor would be able to move them. Hubby also got a great box of treats from his work. A huge bag of roasted and mixed nuts and another huge bag of dried fruit. Now, we both like nuts, me more so than he, but we really have never been big fans of dried fruit. And I kept looking at the bag, wondering what good useful purpose I could find for all that dried fruit...staring at it was more like it....when it dawned on me HEY!!! All that fruit is animal friendly!! So now there were dried Mangos, Apricots, Apple Rings, Pineapple, Banana Chips, Raisins and shaved Coconut...no salts, no sugars, just plain-jane dried fruit. COOL!! I was hoping they would like it.

Hubby got an extra nice bag of barn kitty food and I set aside a can of Tuna for them to share.

The sheep are just too picky, it is grain and alfalfa ALWAYS for them!! But they are cooking up lambs for spring, so maybe a little extra grain would help them enjoy the blessed morning.

The cattle are extra spoiled by the hubby most of the time. If you ever asked him how much they eat per day, he would have no idea. He picked out an extra nice round bale for them full of nothing but green leafy Alfalfa and nice wet cob in buckets.

Our two indoor kitties are already spoiled rotten, but they too would enjoy slurping a can of Tuna.

And so Christmas morning came...doggies are the first to go outside in the morning. Fanny lept off the bed to beat me to the door, waiting anxiously as I opened the crate doors for the Labs and Abby. Out they went, all waggy tailed and frisky. While making the coffee, the indoor kitties sat indignantly awaiting their portion of kitty food. To their surprise, the sound of a can opener and the aroma of Tuna filled the kitchen and they lost all modesty to whirl, curl and meow!

Hubby and I enjoyed coffee and a little gift exchange before we donned our cold weather boots, hats, gloves and coveralls. With doggies bouncing everywhere, we schlepped to our respective feed positions and began our morning rounds. Carrots are always a favorite with my horses. The reaction to the dried fruits was simply hilarious!! Casper was happy with the Mango pieces and wanted no part of those dried Apples (but he is not a regular apple eater). As I made my way down the stall alley, I did not think Josey's neck could get any longer. The smell of Apricots was too much for the old girl! She ate every last one of them and nosed through all the other fruit looking for more Apricot pieces. Jack would have eaten all the dried fruit if I had let him (pig!). Andy and his dam, Kinky, were both very fond of the Mangos and Banana chips...weird! As I fed the dried fruit and crisp Carrots out, hubby drove the Christmas Round bales to each paddock. I went out to help cut the ties off of them and started the ritual barn-to-paddock walk.

Casper had never ever had a round bale, it was as big as him too! He stood looking at it with a snort here and there and then finally sniffed it....I never saw him again on Christmas Day, he immersed himself fully into his round bale. The mares, along with Andy kicked up their heels at the sight of the big leafy bales and were content to munch as long as possible. A very happy feeling to watch your horses enjoy a real royal treat day!

The barn kitties scurried to their places on top of the straw bales. Wide eyed at the smelly Tuna atop their kitty food...nom nom nom nom was all you could hear!

The cows and sheep were quite content with their Christmas feast. Sweet grain seems to have a lulling effect on livestock...maybe it is just a sugar high!

After several hours outside with the animals...hubby and I returned to the warmth of the wood stove within the house. We gave each dog a nice large bone in their crate. They were happily gnawing away when we settled into the kitchen to make ourselves a bit of Christmas breakfast.

God blessed our farm with a bountiful Christmas.

Snow on the ground....Sleigh rides anyone???

2009-11-16T07:10:00.000-08:00

We got 4 inches of snow this last weekend. Our first for the season. While snow is normally a very welcome sight for us here at Formula One Farms, after the last two winters of 8 and 10 foot snow totals...we are a bit hesitant about getting dumped on.

The icicles are formed, the usual slippery spots returned and the horses found their stalls quite comfy with straw to bed in, their own private stash of hay, grain and a cool bucket of water...heaven for them, lots of work for us! Hahaha! But it is so very worth it!

Training is still in process. It will always be so here. But winter provides some interesting challenges, to say the least. The harness/cart training has been progressing quite nicely. I am finally in the drivers seat of a very nice training cart that is a perfect fit for Casper. He is a sponge, in every sense of the word! He really loves to work and the cart training has been very fun for him.

So, now with the muddy, snowy and icy ground, I have taken the cart training to Highland Hills. We worked in the indoor arena yesterday. It was hard work for Casper, the footing is sand, packed and wet. He dug in pretty good, stuck his shoulder into the breast strap and heaved us along! From my vantage point, I could see it was hard work for him. He never once complained or faltered. He is a working fool. I have not yet given up on my lead line yet. I have faith Casper will be fine, I am just not that confident yet on my ability to drive us safely. Mike was my lead line person and is almost non-existent as such. He leaves the line droopy and stands back where Casper can't see him with the blinkers on. So, progress is being made and soon, we will be outside of the indoor, driving circles around the facility.

Here is a photo of a cutter sleigh, just like the one Casper and I will be driving this winter....

only mine is cuter!! HA!

So, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!! (a little at a time please!)

Stay tuned for more updates on our fun in the winter! Hoping the hubby will join me for a ride with sleigh bells and hot totties, wrapped up in warm blankets while we watch that cute white butt travel along!!!

My "Can Do" Horse!!

2009-10-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

Now that summer has finally left and fall is upon us, I have thought about all that we accomplished over this 2009 horse season and I am pleased. I had some lofty goals this year for my boy and we attained a few of them. Western riding is not my forte, so learning to ride in reining was something new for me. Taking a 1st in a novice reining class was even more exciting. Not only was the ride exhilarating, but Casper knew more than I did and was much more eager to do the pattern. The training he got in the early spring really showed in his canter and his leads, he was just stronger and it was easier for him to do. So the two of us came out of that arena pumped up!

The Extreme Trail competitions were just plain fun! Our first ride was a good go, 18 obstacles and I forgot one of them. Casper did everything with good precision, enthusiasm and some speed. We did not place in the top 6, but we did place in the top 10 out of 20+ riders. So I was happy with it and we went on in June to our second Extreme Trail competition. This one was more of a race and believe me, they come by you pretty darn fast! I wasn't too sure of this, but we gave it our best and ended up taking home a 2nd Place in the Novice Division. He did everything I asked of him and even gave me some speed. There were some very strange obstacles too! I opted out of one obstacle, because climbing and heights are not my forte!

We also had a good go at the local fair on their nice Trail, taking home a 2nd out of 19 entries. It was fun to compete with our locals!

The CTR did not happen, just not enough time to condition him. There is time, we are not ancient yet!

And we are driving now. That has been such a great experience for us both. I am looking forward to many more drives this year before our snow sets in. I have visions of a one horse open sleigh!

I also am pleased with how many new friends we have made this year due to curiousity. I am always happy to talk horses and Appaloosas are my favorite, so when someone inquires about my spotted ponies, you know, we just get to talking and before you know it, we are exchanging email addresses!

So all in all, not a bad summer. A few pitfalls here and there, but nothing we didn't overcome. And it is back to Dressage training for my herd, the western discipline is good and there are parts of it that are even exciting.

It is great to know my Appaloosas can perform willingly and happily in anything we enter. Next year we will come out of the chute smokin'!!!

In Sickness and In Health

2009-08-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

We plan ahead, always! Yes, we live for the moments, the fun, the challenges! But in essence, we really plan ahead to accomplish goals!

We had BIG plans this season! To get Casper to a level in his training to compete at a Reining Horse show in at least the Green as Grass classes. He got two months in February at the trainers. A very good two months too! He came home knowing so much more that I needed training just to give him the correct cues.

We went to a few competitions, mostly stuff he already knew, but we did compete in two Xtreme Trail competitions and I could feel just how advanced he was compared to last summer. Good training is worth the money!

His second training session approached and I busied myself getting him ready. Our farrier put the right shoes on him. Several weeks ahead of time the Vet gave him a once over. I gathered all his needed "stuff", like his sheet, his grain, his boots and his feed. Man, did I ever worry about feed. With the weather we have had this year, the grass came on late. We were watching the fields everyday and it was still a low yield when it got cut and baled. But we got the summer grass in and I breathed a little easier knowing we could make it until the big field was cut.

I hauled Casper to the trainer. We were so excited. Both stallions (mine and hers) were going to attend the two week Pat Wyse clinic in Montana. Everything had to be perfect. The trainer wanted two weeks to get them both ready for the long, hot days they would spend working at the clinic.

I got my weekly reports on how Casper was doing. The trainer said his stops were really good. He was progressing and I was content!

Three days before departure for Montana, the Trainer called me to say she was concerned. Casper had been coughing. Now, it was very dry and dusty, so we did somewhat attribute the arid conditions to coughing. I asked if he had a temperature? I did not like the answer...he did...102.7 is a fever in a horse. He also was having thick yellow sinus drainage. OK, that means get the Vet!

Casper was checked out that same evening and deemed ill enough to warrant coming home. I brought him home the next morning. He was indeed not himself. He coughed with too much movement. He coughed after a nicker. Vet called it a viral cold. No treatment, we just needed to let it run it's course. I could tell he was miserable. I wet his hay, watered down his paddock and did what I could to make him comfy.

Casper has never been ill. Never in the 5 years I have had him. So, I guess it was time. He was in a paddock downwind from all the other horses. I disinfected the trailer and all the items he came in contact with to try and contain this cold. Try was the optimal word, because it wasn't but four days later that two of my younger horses also were sick.

Cripes!

So much for our well laid plans!!

But that is the point here.....we have nursed horses through seedy toe, walked out tummy aches, re-fed starved horses and cried over euthanizing a great friend. A little nasty cold takes a big chunk out of our summer season, but no reason to quit! We will continue on. We had to re-adjust our plans and cut out a few events, but we will someday finish out his training! If not next year, then the year after that!

The satisfaction of learning and growing with my equine partner is so worth keeping the Dream!

It has been a week since the Vet cleared Casper for light workouts. I am happy to report he is back to work and loving it! He is not a horse to sit, he wants to work and learn! We hope to get a few more shows in before our riding season is over!

An Adventure without Spots

2009-07-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

In late October of 2008, our county confiscated 14 horses from a plot of land near a town called Springdale. Now there are all kinds of jokes about Springdale, in some instances, they are all true. But there are some hard working folks that live there too!

I got a call from a friend involved in the rescue of these 14 horses. Two were Thoroughbred mares in very sad shape. They were going to haul them over to me the next day. Hubby and I knew what we were doing, but man did we neglect to think through the heartache, anger and longevity!

The two mares came to our farm and were unloaded. I was aghast, literally dumbfounded! So much emotion came boiling up inside of me, all I could do was express the anger. The person who did this to these horses needed to be shot! That was all I could muster.

The photo does not really show just how bad these two mares were. My forum friends helped me name them...Reddi and Willing. So here they were, dehydrated, full of worms, bad hooves, skinny as hell, tail heads sticking up, spine protruding, hip bones sticking out, rain rot too....and just generally looking like coat racks! The worst of the two, Reddi, had unholy diarrhea something awful. It was just green liquid. It was the first thing we needed to fix. With food and water in front of them our journey started.

For Reddi, the journey lasted 3 weeks. She was too far gone. Her gut never got working properly. She did not quit in her mind, but her body gave out. We called the vet at 4 am to have her euthanize Reddi. The struggle was too much for her system and she was down in her stall. It was heart wrenching but a relief too. She would no longer have to suffer.

For Willing, she got through it. I don't think Willing's before photo really shows how bad she was. A bay horse from a distance never really shows any strong detail, not like a light colored horse.

Willing also had a split in her right front hoof, a bad split. The farrier took good care of it and now, after 8 months, it is only partially visible. Her feet look great today!

Her weight came up, slowly, but that is how you want weight gain on a severely emaciated horse. Just like with people, losing weight too fast or gaining it too fast is hard on the system. She had a cozy stall during the day time and a blanket everyday. She started to look good around January. I let her have different companions throughout winter. She got along with all my mares. She even spent some time with Andy. He adored her and she nuzzled on him.

By April, she was ready to enjoy the sunshine without the blanket. I moved her into a grassy paddock with my Thoroughbred mare, Kinky. The two of them are good buddies now. Maybe too good!

It was time to find her a home. I was very picky, I wanted her to have a forever home. I did not want to keep her, but she deserved to have a person to love her. She really is very sweet. I have a friend who is a very experienced trainer. His opinion of Willing was she would just need a refresher course and she would make a decent riding companion. Well, I trust his judgement, so that is how I promoted her.

Many called or emailed. Only a few actually showed up to meet her. One in particular seemed like a good match. I visited that persons place, it seemed safe and accommodating for Willing. She would have a 3 yo companion and lots of food!

But when it came time to load Willing in the trailer, well, she was having none of that. We spent hours, the biggest problem was Willing would get frightened and rear up and almost over backwards. Yep, she was going to be a challenge alright! This act also scared off the potential new owner. So it was back to the drawing board for Willing. In the meantime, she was getting fat and shiny in the clover patch!

So, my trainer friend came over to assist me with helping Willing load. That guy is simply amazing....he had her loaded twice in an hour. All nice and calm too! THAT is why HE is a trainer! I believe he is correct in his assessment of Willing. She just needs a patient, kind and persistent person for her new owner. Love ya Mike!

So, now Willing is ready to meet any and all new prospective owners. She will be taking interviews, so make sure you contact me (her agent)!

To Geld or not To Geld.........easy question! easy answer!

2009-07-10T06:41:00.000-07:00

In October, we had Andy (the leopard foal in the main photo for this blog) gelded. I have had so many folks ask me why did I do that?

Let's just say first off, there are enough stallions in the world, it doesn't need one more! And a stallion must have the qualities the breed is looking to reproduce. Andy is a fine horse specimen. He is sweet, smart, athletic and easy on the eyes. But there really is more to being a stallion than just those qualities.

In the business of breeding Appaloosa horses, one must always consider color in addition to the basic requirements of conformation, talent, disposition and demeanor. Andy will NOT have what it takes to create Appaloosa horses without help from a homozygous Appaloosa mare. He can contribute a lot of good qualities to a foal, but color is not one of them. He is only half Appaloosa, which means he is not dominant for color (LP) production. He may have some slight contribution, but it is highly unlikely he could put any color onto a foal from an improperly selected mare. Which is probably what someone would do.

In the current state of the horse market, a well behaved and trained gelding has more of a chance at getting a good home than a stallion........really!

If I had not gelded Andy and he sold to a breeder, will that breeder know what type of mares should be bred to him?? Chances are, no. And another trashy appy breeding program producing solids, with no value as Appaloosas, would be born. I don't want that for any of my foals. If I had decided to keep Andy intact, then I would have kept him for myself. But I have no use for another stallion, I am quite happy with the one I have. And if I decide to keep Andy (because I really, really like him and I am toying with keeping him) he is going to make his dad proud as a competitive horse. He has the ability to compete in a variety of disciplines, which is what we strive for here and proving that with one of his offspring is very tempting!

But as a breeder with a purpose in mind, I would not sell Andy to another breeder. He is just not needed in the pool of stallions. But he is going to make an awesome kids horse with the potential to take a good rider to the winners circle!

If I were not an Appaloosa breeder (think color plus all other aspects of breeding), then I would most certainly think Andy has potential as a stallion, sort of. He has size, he has brains, he has disposition..........but he is young still and things always change. My 5 year old gelding was gelded at two.......because he did not color out and he did not have the attitude to be a stallion.

So, there is lots to consider when you are presented with a colt and not a filly. And with the spaying of mares becoming simpler, less dangerous and cheaper.......we can get more undesirable horses out of the gene pool!!

The Harness Thing

2009-07-10T03:49:00.000-07:00

You put it on..........no you put it on........no you put it on!

Those are the words that ran through my head after I first removed my new harness from the bag it came in. I sat staring at this spaghetti works pile of leather at my feet and I wondered where do I start? It can't be that terribly hard to put this apparatus on, people have been doing it for 100's of years. I am a relatively smart person, I can figure this out. Really!?

I am fortunate that my horse is patient. It took me about 90 minutes to put this "thing" together the first time I used it. I am a rider and I believe less is more.....a harness has way more "things" to it than I thought necessary.

I put on the surcingle first and then I toyed with the girth and loops and multiple straps for attaching it to my horse's body. What strap is supposed to be tight and what strap should be left loose? Then there is the breast collar, which is absolutely useless if you are just ground driving. Then there is the breeching straps and the crouper....again, more useless leather. But my thoughts were that my horse should get used to all this "stuff", but how? If I have no cart to pull, where do you attach all this extra stuff! With the blinker bridle on, Casper could not see all the crap drapping down his body...if he did see it, I am sure I would get a look of "WTH Mom!".

We spent the fall together at this "Harness Thing", he has dragged a lot of stuff and he is getting good at listening to me. I have him on a rubber bit for now, 'cause I am just not sure what I am doing. I do get instructions now and then from my Judge friend who has driven horses. She comes over as I am, do we still say "tacking up?".........and tells me what I am doing wrong and how to fit the harness properly and what piece of leather does what. I can now "harness" Casper in less than 15 minutes and we work for about an hour. I can drive him from behind or from either side. He is staying put on the track he is on and is no longer trying to "huddle" up to me when we drive. When I am behind him (thank goodness he has a cute butt, I wonder what folks who drive with ugly butted horses look at?) he moves out nicely, trots on voice command and turns left and right in a smooth and slow manner. At first, it was very awkward and thank you lord I do not have a cart yet, 'cause it could be quite scary when your horse gets confused during the learning stage! I am sure if I had a horse that knew nothing I would be getting "dragging" instead of "driving"! Yep, beginners need to learn harness driving with a quiet and safe horse. I am sure that as I progress with this new discipline that we both will get more comfortable with it, but for now, we are still in the learning stage and I am grateful Casper is easy to work with.

My first cart is just around the corner and man, people will sell you anything! People will build anything and attach it to their horse. I have a friend who I have sent photos of carts I think might work for Casper and I, and she puts the kabash on them. Then there are some that even I wouldn't attach to a horse. Metal shafts are OK, but wood is better. Nice seating and a platform are great too, but a little suspension would be good. Balance is also important, a cart that is heavy on the shafts is not going to be comfy for the horse and then you don't want the cart to also be light on the shafts, threatening to flip your horse upwards.

So, there is a lot to this driving business. With winter coming, visions of that one horse open sleigh have taken on new meaning for me. I no longer think Santa and snow fairies, I think smooth long turns and quiet easy stops.

I am going to have to get some photos taken of Casper and I while we are "working out". He is going to make a very cute driving horse, he has good knee action and a nice determined "get there" expression on his face!

(I wrote this last fall, then winter hit. And winter hit us hard! So no cart then, but stay tuned, I have my own sweet training cart now and I will blog about it soon!)

For those who are gutless

2009-06-23T12:54:00.000-07:00

http://carriemoron.blogspot.com/2009/03/stupid-people-who-dont-have-clue.html

It seems maybe some have taken offense. Was it something I said? What was it that you could not stomach???

I have found a (unbeknownst to me) blogger, who is gutless, won't sign their name and deletes my comments asking who they are and why they post crap!

Anywho, if anyone has a clue as to who this gutless wonder is, feel free to post it here. I do not delete visitors posts/comments, unlike the owner/creator of that moronic blog.

Maybe I could get a clue as to why they are so upset, if they weren't so afraid of someone knowing who you are! And why be anonymous?

Anyway, yes, it has been a long while since I posted. I worked all winter and had horses out for training. Busy, busy, busy! Been competing too.

For all you out there in horseyland who don't have something to hide, my hat is off to you!

Carrie Giannandrea
Dances with Horses
Formula One Farms

Herd Dynamics or "Does not play well with others?"......LOL!

2008-10-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

As is the usual around here, the change of seasons calls for a change in horse management. With the nights getting longer and colder, more feed is set out and soon all the horses will be coming in at night.

The first real change is putting Casper into the paddock with the Geldings. Show season is over, so he can have the time to be a real horse and have horsey relations. I don't know of many stallions that get to do this these days, but I like giving him time to be a horse!

Moving from solitary paddock to big shared paddock is easy. He moves 20 feet, no big deal. But having two buddies to pal/bicker with is a real big deal. Now mind you, Casper is 14.3 hh and about 1000 lbs. The two geldings are 15.2 and 15.3, weighing around 1200 each. They are bigger, but not badder! The first greeting he got was Baybe giving him a nibble and licking (that horse loves to slobber/lick) on his shoulder and his neck, you know, the mutual I groom you, you groom me bit. While Jack on the other hand was not happy about the little white prince coming in to HIS paddock! He turn and planted both hind hooves squarely into Casper's side, knocking him sideways and launching Casper into his "payback" vendetta!

Yep, this is where the little guy ends up beating the crap out of the bigger bully! Since Casper gets regular workouts and has been ridden all summer and spring, he is in very good condition, while Jack works up a sweat moving from one hay feeder to the other. Since Jack is the husband horse, he only has to work when the hubby has a moment to actually pay for some attention!

It was quite a ruckus and it always is every fall.........Casper comes in all calm and cool, ready to make friends and Jack gets all hoity-toity about it! So it was off to the races, Jack running for his life with Casper firmly attached to his neck with teeth! To say I was thrilled, was an understatement! Only a month before, Jack had tried to take my arm off in his zeal to get away from a 20 lb puppy.........yep, I was enjoying the moment of paybacks! Listening to Jack squeal "uncle" to the little stallion was quite rewarding for me. I have no guilt, he is quite haughty and needs taken down a notch or two. He started it, so he could just "deal with it"!!

Yes, Casper ran him for 20 minutes, all the while taking a chunk of hair from just about every part of Jacks ass! Jack was sweating and heaving pretty darn good and Casper was still going to show Jack he would take no crap from him. It is the way of herds.......SOMEONE has to be in charge and it was not going to be the huge, snotty gelding.

After some body slams and hair removal, Casper knew he had made his point. He wasn't out to kill Jack, that was obvious, but he wanted respect and he got it.

Hubby came home that evening, came in the house and had one thing to say......"it must be fall, Jack is missing hair" and back out to tend cattle he went. It is well known here that Jack is thick headed, he can be quite sweet and well behaved, but it is not his nature in the herd to play nice.

Without a head mare, a herd of boys have to fend for themselves or are solitary dinners for a pack of wolves. So, it is best to "go along with the program"!!

Now you ask, why put the horses through this every fall? In the interest of their survival and with snow drifts over 10 feet last year, it is better to heat one water trough, plow snow in one big paddock and them to have companionship. They are horses and they need to have Herd Dynamics in their life, or else they are just pets and lose their instincts. We like horses that can think for themselves. They also tend to be very in-tune to us and we feel having herd time allows them this trait. They also get their quiet alone time every night in their own peaceful stall and they don't have to share their dinner. So it balances out for them and us!

The mares? Well, let's just say they don't go through this, they have to live with Alpha Josey all year. They are just easy going and really laid back. They all know Josey is in charge, so they don't press the issue.

Ahhhhhh...........Trail Riding with Friends

2008-10-18T07:01:00.000-07:00

This summer has been full of ups and downs........but through all of the triumphs and pitfalls, there was one saving grace, Trail Riding. Why is Trail Riding so therapeutic? Who knows, maybe it is the scenery, maybe it is the camaraderie, maybe it is the challenge or it could just be the serenity. Whatever it is that makes Trail Riding so anticipated each and every week, I am grateful to it. Trail Riding has taken my mind off of worrisome thoughts, given my horses a break from training, allows us to catch up with each other, provides us with moments of freedom to really ride and keeps the horses learning.

I'm not talking about slow, one after another - nose to tail - humdrum riding........no, this is much more adventurous than that. We try to go to new a new place each week, sometimes we find a place that is just plain perfect and we go back. Each new ride brings us to curious Deer trails with a "let's go this way!", or a beautiful meadow of flowers that you just want to lay down in, or a steep hill climb that might get you to the top quicker.

As summer comes to a close, we are dreading the long wait for Spring - as mountains are slow to give up their snow covered paths. We will ride the mountains until our ponies can plow through the snow no more and then we will wait..........and wait...........and ride in circles close to home and wait some more. Spring will get here, it always does and it is always wonderful and magical to take on that first mountain that is still hiding snow drifts for us to play in.

Trail Riding is also full of Therapy............good honest mental therapy. Sometimes we talk non-stop, sometimes we are quiet and just ride. Sometimes, we solve the worlds problems, truly! And sometimes we realize we really are just another cog in the wheel. However our moods are when we leave the trailer, we are always elated and tired when we return, satisfied with life as it is.

next blog.............Learning the Harness Thing

Bringing up Baybe

2008-10-07T16:15:00.000-07:00

I already confided that Baybe was a slight disappointment when he was born, but only because of his lack of coloring. In every other way he has turned out exactly as planned!

The first time I took Baybe out to be shown was at a Sport Horse farm where they were holding inspections. I entered him in the yearling colt class. After parking the trailer, I went to sign in and dear hubby decided he was going to unload the boy. Well, that was a disaster! He back him out of the trailer and Baybe took one look around him, got excited about all the horses around him and decided to take off running! Now my hubby is not a small or weak person, one moment of hesitation was all that yearling needed and he bolted for the prettiest run you ever saw! As he ran away from the parking area, past the outdoor arena and around the back side of it, you could see his TB side come through! He was beautiful! He poured on the speed on the back side of the arena and rounded the corner, heading towards the parking area with every one's horses tied to their trailers in various states of tack! With his lead rope flopping, he very smartly pranced through the rigs until he found one with two pretty mares tied to it. We arrived to grab his lead and redirected his energy back to our own trailer, while the mares squealed and he whinnied in response! Yep, that was Baybe's first public appearance. Scared the beegeesis out of everyone, gave them all a good eyeful of stunning movement and ground covering speed!

Surprisingly, he won his class that day! He was quite pumped up about being out in public!!

And his show appearances have all been quite jazzy! He is a show off! When he competes, he just seems to know when to turn on "cute"! When he jumps, he is very rounded and his expression is that of "give me more"!

He was a late bloomer.......physically and mentally, he was a gangly dork at 3 years old. He just needed time, time to get his head together, time for his body to fill out and to find his feet. He did all that and more.

As I stood with him for the shoer yesterday, I decided a raincoat is probably the best thing to wear while handling Baybe. He has always been fascinated with licking and sucking on clothing. It is a very strange fascination, but he never fails to latch onto your shirt sleeve or pant leg. When you are done, you feel as though you have walked through the sprinkler, your clothing is damp everywhere. He is truly a character!

Being that Baybe has so much personality, he can be imposing to anyone new here on the farm. His regular rider these days is 14 years old and very adept at dealing with Baybe's strange ways! He will not want to go into an arena alone for his Dressage or Jump class, it is just the gate people and the imposing gates, once he is through the gate he is all business and very eager. When outside of the arena, he just stands around all lazy like, but once inside and cued to perform, his switch turns on and you can't help but stare at him......he is that cute!

Training him to ride was interesting. Our first real saddled ride was in mid autumn, the ground was wet again and he had a hard time getting the "balance" thing of having a rider and keeping his feet under him at the same time. But he was willing and we persevered! It was quite startling for both him and I when he lost his footing on slick ground and went down on his side, taking me with him! I thought for sure he would bolt and trample me, but no, he laid there with me and turned his head around looking at me like "how in the H&#^ did that happen?!!". I pulled my leg out, he rolled to a sitting position, I got up and checked him over and then coaxed him up. No injury, just a stunned look and a big heavy sigh. I trotted him by hand around the arena and saw he was just fine, so I remounted and we went back to work. What a good boy!! What a relief!

He spent the winter early in his fourth year training for the Inland Empire Quarter Horse Show. I was confident he would be fine, but the person I had riding him was not so fine. I did not know this person had no real show ring experience. The atmosphere of a show ring with 20 horses fresh from winter can be overwhelming. So, Baybe got two rides and we left for the day. But I decided to go ahead and finish showing him myself that year. I put him in a B show, he took a fourth in EP and a fifth in WP! These were good sized classes too, so I was overjoyed with Baybe!

He has taken to new things with such a good attitude that I am just more than happy to saddle him up for myself or anyone else! I feel confident that Baybe is truly ready now for his future owner. He has miles and miles of trail riding, dressage exposure, H/J exposure and rail class experience.

Parting with him is the problem...........having raised him from birth and bringing him this far with the express purpose of putting a kid safe horse on the market.........man, it just is irking me how many people will call and have no clue as to what to type of riding experience they really have! So we will just keep up with the training and showing, until that one special person comes along for Baybe!

Photo shown of two nice Appaloosas, on the left is Smart Little Sign, owned and ridden by Talea Morgan and on the right is Unwapped Baybe being ridden by Kaitlyn Stoop. Photo taken on 49 Degrees North northeast slope August 2008

Beyond Words

2008-09-15T08:39:00.000-07:00

I know I was going to blog about Bringing up Baybe, but as usual, things change.

My normal daily routine is to roll out of bed at 5 am, let the dogs out, turn on the computer and make coffee. I usually read while I am having that first cup and the dogs are playing outside. I am not awake or truly coherent until I get a couple cups of coffee.

Friday morning was really no different, same routine, same batch of emails.......except one.......

I know my heart stopped for just a millisecond......but it was long enough for the tears to flow and uncontrollable crying to begin.

I write this blog mostly for my own therapy, not to win any awards or to impress anyone. I write about my experiences, goals, triumphs and failures with my horses. It helps me get away from the frustration of the day. I have been unable to think properly about anything since Friday morning and my house is way too clean! Busy work is best for me when dealing with news I don't like or can't bear.

You would think that if you only live 3 miles from someone and that you have been friends for a while and you have similar interests and goals, "that" someone would give you the courtesy of a phone call to tell you bad news. Nope, I got an email........from a person I thought was a friend and cared about my feelings.

The email? Well, it contained news that a very nice mare I sold 18 months ago had been put down due to colic/liver/kidney issues. It is not even clear what really was wrong with her. It read like instead of trying to do everything possible, people just "decided" to give up on her. It was a cowardly email.

When Cool Hand Lukens was diagnosed with IR/Cushings/Founder.......we did everything we could to make his life better. I also contacted his breeder and his long time prior owner, via email. Why Email? Because I did not know them. Luke was 20 and his condition hit him hard and fast. He lost his desire to eat and would/could not walk anymore. Four months of treatment did not relieve him of his pain or depression. The decision was made to finally put him to rest.

But I knew these people........I knew the owner of the boarding stable and I knew the owner of my mare. Yes, my heart hurts at the loss of the mare......such a waste! She was only 7 years old and had never ever been ill her entire life. I was her owner from the time of her weaning, I trained her, I trail rode her, I competed her.........She was the horse that didn't fit here. She deserved every test available..........liver and kidney failures are rare in horses.......was it something that was fed to her? Something in her drinking water? Some nasty weed in her day paddock? So much beauty and talent, gone!

My brain hurts from thinking, trying to figure it out myself........I am no vet, never will I claim to be. The very same feelings as when my own dear father died in an auto accident have enveloped me. I looked for closure where none was to be found. I look for reasons why. I would love to have had the chance to drive to her location, just to say good-bye to her and hold her and let her know someone really did care.

It does no good now, it is done, over, finished! I sold her, so therefore, I should be treated this way?

She was a beauty. She was purely honest. She was exciting to ride. She was delightful to train. She showed me moments of brilliance as a future competitor. She hugged you. She was delicate as a flower and tough as nails all put together. I felt good she was sold locally so I could see her on occasion.

Why do I do this to myself? Why are people so cold and heartless? Why do we love these animals so damn deeply?

The questions are still killing me, it has only been three days. I know I need more time to get over the shock of how fast she went downhill and how quickly people gave up on her. Being angry is not going to bring her back or make it better. Time will soften this. The memory of sweet, beautiful Classy will forever be in my heart.

Run girl..........you are free forever now

Training............the whys and hows comes

2008-09-08T05:29:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten training, elementary training, middle school training, high school training and college. Yep, horses go through the very same thing our kids go through. Some get through school with no problems, some get set back a year and some have to get tutored. I am the last person to claim I am a trainer. I can take a horse through middle school training, but the upper high school moves and college, I will leave that to the experts. I put good basic training on all my horses and every horse is ready at 5 years old to go off to their new home and be a reliable and safe riding horse.

But training should never be stopped. The horse should always be learning and not be bored. Just like people, we get a little bit of knowledge and it fuels our mind to acquire more knowledge, the horse is the same, they need to grow and expand their training all the time. It keeps them happy to run over and put their halter on themselves (if they could).

Kindergarten is all the basics a horse should know before they are a year old. Halter, leading, loading, bathing, clipping, standing tied. Leading at a walk, trot and standing patiently. Turning right or left at the walk or trot. Backing up. Picking up their feet on cue. Moving away from pressure. All of this is from the ground, taught in-hand with patience and kindness.

I take each and every one of the babies through these same basics as much as possible. We hand walk them everywhere. Babies get excited when they run and if you have ever watched a foal run with it's mother, they are very close to their momma's side....that gives them confidence and when you run with a foal in-hand, they want to do the very same thing with you. But I am not a 1200 lb horse, so baby gets to learn to run at arms length first and only for very short distances. Foals do not have a very long attention span. You get about 5 minutes of their brain, if you are lucky. But you can get 5 minutes several times a day. Soon, they are looking for you to come and get them, it takes about 2 weeks of repeatedly hand walking them and then they see you and they whinny! Come and get MEEEEEE! Yep, they are people loving critters and they like to learn. If they are bored, just like human children, they can cause trouble. Better to keep them learning than to end up with a 500 lb brat you can't lead to the barn or doctor if need be.

Our horses go places, not just down the road for a trail ride, so they HAVE to have manners. Foals like to play and they can play rough. Teaching manners early on in their life, just like their own momma does, will pay off big! Outings to shows where you are alone showing your horse, it is good to know your horse will stand tied to the trailer w/o causing a commotion, so you can go to the bathroom or whatever else you need. I have even used the Honey Buckets with my horse standing outside the door. Going on group trail rides and not worrying if your horse is going to be nasty to the other horses. Going into an arena to practice your new move for the week and not having to worry about being alone or with a bunch of horses. Manners and behavioral training make all this possible.

You probably ask yourself, why are they ready at 5 years old and not 3 years old. Well, let's just put it this way, if I have a foal for sale, which I do on occasion, the buyer must be savvy to training or have a plan for training. I prefer to sell to people who intend to show their horse in some fashion. I do not expect every buyer to be headed towards the Olympics, but I want the horses we produce to have some sort of future. Without training, they will be worthless. I also do not put pressure on our horses to be finished for riding by 3 years of age. That would mean lots of things have to happen before the horse is even 2 years old. A 2 year old is not ready mentally or physically for the work. Then there is longevity. Horses should not break down before they are 10 years old. At 10, they are supposed to be prime candidates for higher level training. If started out too young, the chances of them being useless pasture ornaments becomes much higher. There is also scientific evidence that says a horses skeletal structure does not fully mature until 6 years old. So no, you will not find a "Been there, done that" 4 year old on my place. That is the whys and the hows comes!

Next blog...........Bringing up Baybe

We're off to the Show

2008-09-03T14:25:00.001-07:00

There is nothing like the anticipation of going to show your horse! I raced motocross once upon a time, for nearly four years, yes it was fun, but bikes just can't seem to give you that same warm and fuzzy feeling like showing your animal does.

Yep, we give baths here to horses. I once had a man here to do some tree removal, he was a big horse rancher from Montana. He looked at my cross tie posts with the mat on the ground and asked me if that was some sort of horse torture device? I had to laugh, I said why yes sir it is to some horses, that is where they get bathed. His eyes got real big and said "Bathed!?, Cain't say I ever gave a horse a bath, don't know why you would either." Well that was funny and all, but yes, we bathe horses here, right down to squeaky clean pink skin. Appaloosa horses, like Paints, either have some white or are mostly white and if you have ever tried to show a white horse, well, they just don't show well without a bath. The day before a show is busy with bathing, main and tail combing, braiding and clipping/shaving. Yep, we do that nasty unwanted hair removal too! Mostly because Judges like a well turned out horse, if you dress nice and your horse is "dressed up" nicely, Judges appreciate that!

The horses that are being shown will get stalled after their baths, tails bagged and vet wrapped and sleazies on if we are doing Halter classes. No, they do not particularly like wearing all that garb, but they tolerate it quite well!

After the horses are all taken care of and bedded for the evening, attention turns to packing the trailer. OMG, you would think we were leaving for a month! But I just hate getting to the show and not having what I need. Bandages, vet wrap, braiding kit, ice packs, leg wraps, leg boots, hoof boots, blankets, pads and oh my, yes the list goes on. I invariably will forget something, it never fails! But the more I do this, the better at it I get. The horses only care that I brought them enough feed and a bucket for water. They are pretty light travelers! Haha!

I pack my show clothing (which is another subject altogether) and then food. I try to sleep....I end up going over and over the classes I am going to enter the next day. What order were they again, how should I dress in the morning? Can we do that Western Riding Pattern class yet? Should I scratch that one? Oh, the mind just is so very busy thinking about what is coming. Yes, it is exciting to go and show. I like to groom up my animals and take them out in public, but the pressure we put on ourselves is much too intense.

Early in the morning I load up the horses I am taking. My little dog goes along too, he is a good traveler and keeps me company. I feed and pet the horses I leave behind, promising to take them too someday, 'cept for the old gal Josie, she just does not need to do this anymore! Then we pull out and head down the road. Sometimes our drive is only a few minutes and sometimes it can be half a day. But it is always the same upon arrival......find the stalls and get them out of the trailer. My horses all travel well, but if we are at our destination I want them off the trailer asap! Watered and fed, they are one less thing to worry about while entry fees are paid and paperwork is dealt with!

Taking your horse into an "unknown" arena is an experience all by itself. I try to take them in as soon as possible in their halter and lead ropes and we walk around the entire arena, getting to know the banners and gates and judges stands and whatever else might be interesting or worrisome.

Then it is saddle up and ride, practice, warm up or just mosey around. Once that is done, they are off for the evening and I can relax.

Show morning is usually a mixture of half dressed, half tacked and hurry up, your class is on in ten minutes.......aaaaaahhhhh! But we get our butts in line, on time and I am usually excited to the max then! Smile Casper, perky ears and he does it, right on cue!

We have fun, we laugh, we make mistakes and we don't always win, sometimes we don't even place, sometimes we learn from the judges what we both can do better for next time. And sometimes we go back to the stall wondering what just happened in there, we were good, we looked good, we were turned out super.......but every judge is different and we have learned to accept that. Lots of times it is all my fault, I ended at the left of a cone instead of on the right, or something stupid and idiotic like that. But we always have fun! I believe my enthusiasm rubs off on my horses......they feel it and they too are happy to perform for me!

After the first day, I am tired, the horses are just happy to stand in one place and eat. We do so many different classes, the running back and forth for tack/clothing changes wears us out! But it is a good, worn out feeling. We accomplished the task we set before ourselves and it always feels good!

Some of the shows we go to are two days and some are three, but most are only one day shows and the last night is usually spent hanging out with other horse people, eating, chatting and laughing about the days events. Sleep comes easily after a long day of riding in this that and the other. Packing up in the morning, feeding, cleaning stalls and saying good bye to folks I won't see until next year. Yep, another show behind us and another coming up. Spring and Summer is a wonderful time for Show people and their horses!

next blog..........Training, the whys and hows comes!

Sisters

2008-08-29T04:38:00.000-07:00

In the spring of 2003, I took Josey to California for her last breeding to Richwood. Josey was getting up there in age and I don't look at mares as foal factories, but the first foal from Richwood was extremely nice and another would most definitely be the same. Josey would foal out our first foal on the new farm the following spring. So far we had surmised it was probably going to be a chestnut, as Josey was pretty dominant for the color red. Her bay base coat was just her colors she wore for the world to see, inside she was a chestnut making machine. She did produce color on her babies, she did not need any assistance in that department. Her first foal had been a very loud snowcap by an ApHC stallion, Jewel was a soft chestnut, almost fawn colored with a nicely frosted butt. So, we were pretty sure this impending foal would be just as red and highly colored.

With the new barn up and the stalls in place, Josey had a lovely suite in which to have her last foal. We had always foaled our babies out on the green grassy pastures when we lived in California, so having a huge foaling stall was a luxury. But Josey would have none of it. She waited it out, having her breakfast first and then at 9:30 am on May 25, 2004 she circled the center of her paddock, laid down and had the most lovely little spotted, blanketed to the withers chestnut filly you ever saw! She was 40 inches at birth and symmetrically marked everywhere!!

Princess at one week of age

She was every bit as cute as her full sister Jewel, just bigger and more flashy! There was never going to be any doubt about her Appaloosa heritage. This little girl was all the elements F1F was looking to put on the ground. She truly made her mark here at the farm, being the first foal on the new land and a very striking one too!

After Princess was born, lots of work and effort went into promoting the farm, Casper and readying the other horses for showing. Breeding stopped, as we knew it would until Casper came of age. Horses grow up so fast and Princess was no exception. She surpassed her sister in height by the time she was 3 years old. They made a lovely pair in the pasture, grazing together or racing around. We were amazed at how very different they both were. Same dam, same sire and the two were as different as night and day. Jewel was bold and personable, Princess was more edgy and shy. But watching them frolic together is an image I will always carry with me.

Full sisters, Princess and Jewel

Princess is undersaddle now and on a big learning curve. She is 4 years old and coming along very nice. I hope to have her out to a few Open shows next spring. She is not the jumper that Jewel is, Princess is very much a Dressage horse. I love this learning about each horse. They are all as different as people are. Each has their own skill set, habits and personality. No two horses can ever be alike, no matter how much you try to make everything the same for every horse, they all have their own interpretation of us humans and what we are about.

We are very happy to have had the opportunity to enjoy the sisters here on the farm. The day may come in the future when we get that chance again with another pair of lovely little fillies. For now, it is training, training and more training for this lovely filly who has grown up to be very tall and still very lanky, but will fill out with time.

next blog.............We're off to the Show

The Horse that didn't Fit

2008-08-27T14:18:00.000-07:00

On October 3, 2001, I was having lunch at the Hacienda restaurant in Loomis, CA with an influential TB breeder. We were laughing and discussing her mare, Sierra, who was due to foal at any time. Why would she have a mare due in October?? Well that was why we were laughing. You see, it was a test breeding. The mare had not cycled for several months the year before and this breeder wanted to give her up and coming Hanoverian stallion some breeding training. So Sierra was used as a test mare. Well, Speedy (the stallion) did very well on his test breeding........it took!

Most of our conversation was based around trying to get her to remember the dates she bred them. She couldn't remember the exact days, only that it was late October or early November. We had a few margaritas and headed back to her farm. On the way I told her that there would most definitely be a foal waiting for us. She laughed me off and we joked around some more. We pulled into the driveway and she went to the house to check the phone and I meandered back to the lower pasture.

I was right! Standing there next to Sierra was a tall, red filly. She walked right up to me and put her tiny little head into the crook of my arm. I was in love! She was dry and had already nursed. She was gorgeous!

Once again, I became enthralled with another foal. I am a sucker for foals. I visited her everyday I could. She was one easy baby, no sass, no fuss, just friendly and healthy.

As life would have it, things happen and things change. November of 2001 was a bad time for me. I lost my father to an auto accident. It changed my life tremendously. I no longer cared for staying in California anymore. The decision to move to our property was made and changes for our future were set in motion. I arrived in Spokane right around Christmas and winter was mild. Fresh cold air, planning and organizing and family helped me get over a very tragic time. The new year came and with it new plans and ideas for the property.

Hubby called me one day in late January to tell me he bought me something and I was supposed to guess what it was. Well, I can tell you I didn't guess right. He bought that filly for me. Yep, that tall red filly was now mine. What was I ever gonna' do with a Hanoverian/QH cross in an Appaloosa breeding program??? Gotta' love husbands, they always mean well!

Classy, as she is known and acts, grew up to become a very beautiful, QH type dishy headed, big boned, big bodied riding horse! And yes, she has talent. I raised her like I would any of our foals. She went undersaddle at 3 and I showed her. She is what some trainers would call a 4th Level horse. Dressage was to be her destiny and I sold her at 6 years old to the nicest lady and they both compete in Dressage to this day. Very happy ending for a horse who didn't fit!

Classy and I had many adventures of our own on the trail and in the arena. She was a wonderful ride, truly she was. But my heart belongs to the Appaloosa and Classy could never truly belong. I see her now and then. Her owner loves her and she is a sweetheart in the barn where she resides.

next blog.............Sisters

Sales are hard on a Breeder

2008-08-27T13:12:00.000-07:00

When your goal is to "sell" horses that you bred, you really must be tough. You have to have some thick skin. Emotional outbursts are NOT acceptable. Being proud of your product is good. Getting the opportunity to enjoin in a sale is rare. At F1F, we do not produce very many horses. In 10 years we have produced 5 horses from our breeding program. The first F1F product to sell was our little Jewel at 5 years old.

She was all sport horse! Not more than 15.1 hh, this filly had heart and talent! She did not want to be a Dressage horse, she wanted to jump and man could she jump! She just had the power and the speed! I have a video of her somewhere where she clearly jumps over 5 feet. She was amazing. To top it off she was smart and sweet natured. Always the first to run to people in the paddock. Always stuck her head out of the stall first thing in the morning to greet you! She would hug you if she could. Yes, she was a darling and she got a great owner.

It wasn't what you would call the perfect sale. It was an internet contact and that in itself is cause for alarm. I was overly cautious and so was the buyer. We had email conversations for over two months. Was I suspicious? Of course. Was she wary? Absolutely! It was very much like fencing. She gave me information about her and I gave her information about me. We both took time to research each other. We both had references. We both were apprehensive.

But after a time, we came to know each other. I called her on the phone and she would call me too. The sale of Jewel became finalized and a transport was scheduled.

Now, not everyone sells a horse to a buyer across the country, but this sale was across an ocean. Jewel was going to Puerto Rico and in the dead of winter! I was very concerned, as was her new owner.

The day came when the transport arrived. The whole morning I kept busy. That is how I deal with things I don't like. I get busy. I clean. I pick up. I organize. I go back over what I just did. I was sad and elated at the same time. My baby horse was going to get a proper show home, but so very far away. Then I heard the truck, it was at the driveway. It was a huge giant monster ready to swallow up my little Jewel and I would never see her again........oh my, such terrible thoughts! This is what you bred her for stupid!!

I walked to the end of the driveway and met the haulers..........what awesome people they were! They showed me the full stall Jewel would get and the whole rig was immaculate from top to bottom. OK, I guess it was time to go get her. Kay, one of the owners walked with me to get Jewel. We both chatted all the while I haltered Jewel and walked her to the trailer. She loaded up the ramp like the perfect lady she was. Thank yous were exchanged and off they went.........

That is when it hit me. I cried and I cried and I cried some more. All that time, effort and love just hopped into a trailer and left me. Oh it was awful. The emotion we put into these animals is enough to fill an ocean!

Jewel says "goodbye"

As a breeder and seller of horses...BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY........balderdash! I felt as though I had just sent my child off to war. Oh did it ever hurt. No it did not go away. I spent the next several weeks on pins and needles. Did she make it to Florida yet? I know Kay was totally tired of hearing from me. Then Jewel had to load onto a plane and fly to the island. Oh, that was scary for her and I wasn't even there! This is a filly I held tight to me in the middle of a Thunderstorm because the thunder scared her. Soaking wet and shaking all over, she relaxed in the comfort of her human.

Jewel arrived in Puerto Rico like the trooper she was. Popped out of her transport crate with a whinny and onto the trailer for her new home.

This stuff is hard. You breed them, you birth them, you raise them and train them and off they go. Sounds like motherhood, eh?

Jewel has a wonderful life in a nice barn with a sweet 13 year old boy as her rider. He calls her Graffiti.

I don't think I will ever get any better at this. I love my babies very much!

next blog...........The Horse that didn't fit

Finding the Perfect Match

2008-08-27T11:16:00.001-07:00

Ain't she cute?!!

Oh hell, they are all cute when they are little! I love all baby horses, really, really love them!

In 2005 I started looking for "the" mare. Not just the right mare, but "the" perfect mare for Casper. The pedigree had to be comparable, the temperament had to be exact, the size and future abilities had to be present and the color had to be right. That is the problem with us Appaloosa breeders......we have a big list of criteria to meet before breeding can actually happen.

I looked and looked and I had noticed this little filly as soon as her photos became available........she was cute cute cute! Far away from me too. But the more I looked, the more I kept coming back to her. She was simply adorable. I wondered how she would grow and what her parents were like. So I did my usual himming and hawwing and feet dragging.

Until I took a trip down to California in the fall of 2006 to pick up my then 4 yo filly. I had taken Casper along to "ride" and Jewel had been getting some training and exposure. On my drive back, I planned to stop in and meet this now long yearling filly. Well, it was a good deal for her owner and myself. I fell in love and her owner got her sold! She loaded up and made the 14 hour trip home w/o a hitch! Another trooper has arrived at F1F! This was very special cargo!

Misty has as deep an Appaloosa Pedigree as Casper. Her Grandsire was a very well known horse, competed by his owner Dee Banks with points in HUS, Trail and WP. Her Granddams were also well bred. Her dam was huge, over 16 hh, which told me Misty could more than likely inherit size. She was a very pretty mover as a yearling (still is!) and took to her long line lessons easily! She is also just sweet, sweet, sweet!

As for color.......yes, color is very important! Being an Appaloosa Breeder means we must strive to breed a visible Appaloosa. Producing more fewspots is not a bad thing, just not altogether desirable. Yes, we need to have good quality fewspots available, but we also need to provide the buying public with recognizable Appaloosa horses and a fewspot......well, that is just a white horse to most people. Misty is a very dark buckskin, some call it a sooty buckskin. She has a smattering of white snowflakes across her loins and the most striking striped hooves you ever saw! She also has huge hooves, almost throwback huge! Trimmed up they are beautiful, allowed to grow and they remind one of the phrase "platter footed"! So she is kept well trimmed.

At 3 years old now, Misty is lovely. She is 15.2hh and still filling out. Her undersaddle training started in July 2008 and she is just as easily trained as Casper. She practically threw the saddle up on her back by herself!!

After a few years of riding her and showing her, she will be ready for breeding to Casper. But for now, she is learning and will be competed. She is part of our plan for producing deeply bred Appaloosa horses. She has all the required qualities, now she has to prove it under saddle!

next blog............Sales are hard on a Breeder

Changing from Horse to Stallion

2008-08-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

Most horse people are aware that a stallion is slightly different from a gelding or a mare. I am not talking physical attributes here. I am talking about "mental" and "instinct". All animals want to procreate, it is their purpose and a stallion is no different. Mares come in heat and they too want to procreate and a stallion wants to be the one to do the procreating! Well, throw that stallion into a domestic horse situation and things can go from good to bad very quickly. The urge or "instinct" of a stallion is very strong and people have got to have the upper hand or stallions can wreak havoc in a matter of seconds.

A horse that is ridden, handled and shown is the common goal. To be a stallion that is ridden, handled and shown is much more involved. Manners are everything, public perception is everything. Safety is key. How many of you have ever been to a horse function where Stallions were not allowed? The major problem is their behavior in "public".

Casper was going to need proper breeding training and pass with flying colors, before he could take the first step towards being considered stallion material. How do you do that? He was already easy going, laid back and nice to be around. Breeding training and the possibility of making a foal no one is ready for is a conundrum. Fortunately, I had some good help, guidance and several frustrated mares. First off, we decided "in hand" breeding was really the only way to go. Pasture breeding was out. AI would come down the road. So Training my Horse to be a Stallion when he was asked to be a Stallion was the goal.

With lots of consultation, we chose "whip" training. No, that does not mean we whip the crap out of him, it means the whip tells him what he can and can not do. Rearing up because you are an anxious stallion is a big no no, you will get the whip across those front legs for that type of display. Having the whip in hand, leading from his right side (normally horses are led from their left side) and going in a specific direction (to the breeding chute) tells the Horse that it is time to become a Stallion, still expected to behave, but time to breed. Stopping in a specific spot every time and using the same specific words over and over and over until they "get it", even with a ready and willing mare standing 50 feet in front of him, he could be taken back to the barn if his behavior was inappropriate. Consistency was the key. "you want to breed, you behave on cue". Whip up, means stop everything, whip down, means proceed. Enough of this repeatedly and I ended up with a stallion who looks to me to assure him he can go ahead. My job as his owner and handler is to ensure the safety of him, the mare and the people involved. If the mare says no, we go back to the barn. If the mare says maybe, we might work on her a bit and still end up going back to the barn. If the mare says yes, then all goes well and all parties are happy!

Good in hand breeding is essential to our operation and having a behaved and confident stallion, who knows what is expected of him is a must! Happy mare owners is a result and a bonus!

Now in public, you may or may not see a stallion act up. Some stallions are normally very vocal, meaning they MUST tell everyone they are a stallion and that they are HERE! This can be annoying and can also be OK, but if it goes any further than just announcing themselves then serious problems could incur. Casper is an extremely vocal horse. He talks to us, his people, he talks to the calves, he talks to the geldings, he always talks to the mares and is very nickery when breeding. In public, he is one of those that HAS to announce himself. It is who he is and it never goes any further than that. He is well aware that the ONLY place to breed is back home at his breeding chute in the woods. In fact, during breeding season in 2007, any trailer coming down the driveway past his paddock just had to be carrying in a mare for him, he was sure of it! On occasion, yes, there was a mare coming for him. But most times, it was just cattle moving. You can actually see the disappointment in his face when no one came to get him from his paddock. I know because I peeked around the corner of the barn on purpose to see what he was doing and he is very good a sulking.

So becoming a useful riding horse is paramount, becoming a trained breeding stallion is a plus. Producing promising progeny is the next step to becoming a Stallion!

next blog............Finding the Perfect Match

The First Ride

2008-08-17T07:35:00.000-07:00

Those of us that raise a horse from birth and on into their "useful" years have all experienced it; the critique of physique, the evaluation of attitude, the hours of observation for tell tale signs of willing partnership and judgment of future discipline. It takes years to raise a horse to the age where you can actually see any fruits of your labor. The breeding is easy, waiting 11 months for your product, keeping your mare happy and healthy throughout her pregnancy, birthing out the foal and getting past those first few critical days all seem to be a mere pittance of time compared to the long anticipation of that first ride. The repetitive lessons of leading, loading, learning to tie, move away from pressure, desensitizing, standing quietly, long line lessons, picking up the feet, learning to respect the space of humans, behaving in a group, ponying on trail rides, getting bathed, worming, shots and all sorts of other daily activities your youngster may encounter in the 3 or more years it takes to raise them up before they can even be thought of as a riding horse. It is not something we take lightly here, we are serious about well behaved, happy equine partners and we do it day in and day out, over and over. Some days are good, some days are great and some days you wonder if they actually have a brain!

But nothing can compare to the satisfaction of spending all that time, effort and love on a horse that willingly says to you, "OK.......Lets Ride!"

When Casper turned 3 years old in March of 2006, it was time to plan his under saddle training. Was he ready physically? Was he ready mentally? At the same time that Casper turned 3, so did my gelding Baybe. These were two very different horses at 3 years of age. Casper was a "laid back, take it all in" type of horse, whereas Baybe was "cautious and alert" ALL the time. Casper did not worry about his place in the herd, he was very confident of himself, Baybe was basically shy and low man on the totem pole and had no confidence. Two very different horses, with two very different demeanor's!

Up to this point both horses had gotten the same treatment and same ground training, with pretty much the same reactions. So putting the saddle in the middle of the round pen for Casper was comical and for Baybe - it was frightful!

Casper nosed the tack with utmost curiosity with it placed upon a noisy tarp. He walked all over the tarp to "figure" out just what was this "stuff", rearranging the entire setting to suit his liking. Then he wandered off to gaze longingly over the panels at the mares. So off to work he was sent! He tacked up without a hitch, didn't care too much for cinching, but accepted it and took my weight on and off and on and off and got bored of that too! So I mounted up and had hubby hold a long lead rope to his halter, while I worked him off my leg...forward, sideways, backwards, forward again.....all I could say was "WOW"..I loved this horse! He picked up everything so quick and that was how he acted all spring and into summer, even putting on a bit for the first time was easy. His attitude and mind were just like a sponge!

Baybe, well, let's just say he needed more time, he wasn't quite physically nor mentally ready for this human attachment thing! Physical immaturity in a horse is readily evident in how the horse wears his hooves down, carrying his legs well underneath himself to the point of inner wear and no outer wear at all, which tells me about how balanced the horse is and Baybe was not balanced by himself, so carrying a rider would set him even more off balance. He was given the chance anyway to take on that saddle and blanket.........but mental immaturity won that spring! He never could relax and being nervous and edgy is not a good sign! Mounting was out of the question. Baybe got further ground training with the saddle and blanket, but he was allowed to mature one more season. I actually started him again in the late fall/winter and by the time he turned 4 the next spring, I was able to show him in W/T classes.

Casper was well past W/T mid summer of his 3rd year. But taking it slow was important in preserving his soundness for later in his life, so we just had fun, rode around, played around, learned new things and became buddies. How much more fun could this little horse be? Not having more than 30 rides on him, I showed him under saddle at his first breed show, we did not place in anything, but I was so very pleased with him!

next blog.........Changing from Horse to Stallion

The Foundation Curse

2008-08-09T09:10:00.000-07:00

When you take your animal to a show, you expect to hear a few words from the other exhibitors. You know, words like "Great to have you here!" or "Glad you could make it to the show!" or even "I've not met you, so glad you are participating!"

You don't expect to hear nasty remarks muttered purposefully within earshot.

But that is how Casper and I were "welcomed" at our first breed show in Spokane. I had heard there was prejudice in the ApHC, well now I had experienced it. You know what, I didn't care! I took my boy out and we had fun, he was behaved and that was all that mattered late that summer of his yearling year.

The term "Foundation" really has several meanings where horse breeding is concerned. The die hard foundation breeders are a varied lot, some good, some not so good, some honest and some not so honest. That statement can be applied to just about any horse breeders and I have found within the Appaloosa breed you really need to do your homework. Outcrossing is looked down upon by the foundation breeders, so for me, I was stuck in the middle of the two factions of the Appaloosa family, Modern and Foundation. I loved my little foundation horse, he was ever so easy to work with and I had plans to outcross him along with plans to breed him to regular Appaloosa mares. But in our world, you have to fit the square peg into the square hole and we just weren't going to fit that well!

Yearlings are such funny little horses, they grow up so awkwardly! Sometimes the front grows and they look like a moose and sometimes the back grows and they look like an anteater! Casper never grew seesaw like, he grew evenly, always slightly uphill, he always knew where his feet were and his movement never changed.

As a sport horse stallion Casper had huge potential, but some members of the ApHC just didn't "get it". The term Sport Horse always seems to conjure up visions of "big", whereas in my little circle of breeders, Sport Horse meant athletic and bold! Conformation must be of the type to allow the horse to engage power from behind and carry the rider forward but still be light and agile. As Casper filled out and matured, I continued to see in him the mind and movement required to produce Sport Horses.

So what is the Foundation Curse? My interpretation is your horse is judged by that title before he is judged by what he can do. And within the Appaloosa Foundation ranks, there are only a handful of those horses being competed when compared to the multitudes of National/World Appaloosa Show competitors. Maybe it is because the foundation breeders don't feel their horse is competitive in the App show scene, maybe it is money, training, prejudice or apathy........whatever it is, you are hard pressed to fill any FPD classes at an App Show. Mostly I feel it comes from the negativity surrounding the QH. Good QH breeding is also a hot topic, but the foundation breeders feel the QH has had far too much influence on the Appaloosa horse and the Modern breeders continue to outcross to the QH, regardless of the genetic defects found in that breed.

We did not want to take any chances on HYPP, HERDA or breeding Halter body types. We decided to cross on Thoroughbreds and use stallions that had very little QH in their bloodlines. Some folks can accept that, some can not. Some feel to win, you need that QH. If you think the Appaloosa horse is a stock breed, then I can see the need to breed out to the QH. But I don't believe the Appaloosa is a stock horse, I believe the Appaloosa is a "type" unto it's own. History shows us that there were plenty of areas in this country with Appaloosa horses before the breed registry was formed. Horses from all areas were registered in the late 30's and early 40's, regardless of whether they actually fit any conformation criteria or breed standard. This was also how the QH registry was started. And there are more than a handful of loud Appaloosas produced by breeders of registered AQHA horses.

So, whatever your "body type" criteria is, there is probably an Appaloosa horse out there to fit your taste. Here at Formula One Farms the original ApHC Breed Standard is alive and well, regardless of the Foundation Curse from either side of the argument!

next blog...........The First Ride

The Hunt for a Stallion

2008-08-08T10:04:00.000-07:00

I first have to explain..........I never, ever wanted to own a stallion or have one on the property. I knew what was involved from my association with the TB/WB crowd. I also had experienced some frightful moments of encounter with a not so nice Appy stallion. I absolutely loved the QH stallion Settle it on Sunday, you never knew he was around and you never would guess he was a stallion. He was just that quiet and well behaved. He was ridden and trained by his owner, Joanie, for everything from Halter to English Pleasure to Cattle work. That horse was amazing, he just wasn't an Appaloosa and I knew I needed to breed Kinky to a color producing Appaloosa, if I was ever going to get a colored sport horse out of her.

So I searched. In the middle of my search, hubby and I moved Formula One Farms from Sacramento, CA to Spokane, WA. We built on raw land and moved an entire farm in one year.........very taxing, but well worth all the effort! I started to meet people in the Spokane area who stood stallions to outside mares. Some were nice, some were not so nice. Some were trained and some had never been handled. I was never impressed with the owners of these stallions. They weren't able to answer all my questions and a couple of them were downright afraid of their own horse!

What was my criteria? I wanted a stallion that was proven under saddle first. This did not mean a National Champion title, just a horse the owner would saddle up and ride in front of me when I came to meet him. That didn't happen. I wanted a stallion built uphill and sporty, most of what I saw was overly muscled, had a level topline or moved like a slug. I was discouraged......nothing in my nearby area was going to work. I started to search the internet and my bookmark menu got really long! I also started to read about modern bred Appaloosas and older foundation lines of Appaloosas. I contacted a few of these breeders. Some of them never got back to me, some were eager to sell me anything, some never ever handled their horses, some were ready to dictate to me what type of mares I should have, some wanted to talk me out of sport horses, some were downright rude to me and then there was one that really made an impression on me! Not just the horses, but the people themselves. These folks got back to me with answers, they actually rode the stallion and the mares, they provided photos and they never once tried to tell me what to do with my program. The had one crappy photo of a fewspot stud colt on their website and it intrigued me! It just had to be a bad shot, that horse from those parents couldn't truly be that bad looking...........

it had a cute head, nice neck, good shoulder, nice hocks, nice pasterns, but what was up with his tail set and butt? I asked for and received many more photos and measurements. I himmed and hawwed around for most of that winter. I knew if I bought a youngster, it was going to take lots of time and effort to raise it, train it and prove it. I shopped more during that winter of 2004 and after not finding anything else, I made up my mind that I was going to go get this little "ugly duckling" and put my efforts into raising up a safe, sane and talented stallion of my own.

I was not to be disappointed!! I left Spokane with an empty trailer, two days later I arrived at NorthStar Farms in Garvin, MN. I arrived very early in the morning, it was dark and there was a whinny from the barn. The sire to my new colt was in a pen near the driveway.....he was every bit as nice as Kyle had described him. I loved on him for quite some time through the panels. Then I peaked into the barn, oh my, what a sweet face I encountered. The photos Kyle had been sending me were awful, this was a very cute, very sweet yearling colt, nicely built and just as friendly as could be!

After most of the morning, I loaded this little man up into my trailer and headed back to Spokane. One overnight in Wyoming with not a peep out of him! I got him home and he just hopped out of the trailer, all curious and friendly. I had him one month and groomed him, walked him, taught him, loved on him and then took a few photos to send off to Kyle in Minnesota.

What a transformation! And over the next few years it was only to get better!

next blog............The Foundation Curse

The Heart of a Thoroughbred

2008-08-07T16:24:00.000-07:00

The Thoroughbred...........oh my........where do I begin?

The TB horse is a very amazing breed. IF you are lucky enough to get your hands on one that has not been on the track, you have a totally different creature than one who was raced! Which is not to say that all OTTB (off the track TB) are bad or even less than stellar, they are just going to take more time retraining. But, the jewel of the nile is a TB w/o the "run"!

I got very lucky, I did not think so at first, because she was not the whole package! She was built like a tank, she was huge in both directions being big boned, wide, muscled and tall! Her neck was perfect, her legs were perfect, her hip was ample and she was well sloped in the shoulder and nicely uphill! But she did not have the cutest of heads.....but then, I have only seen a handful of TB's with adorable heads. And her name was Kinky Kumquat! Oh my, should I wear a bag over my head or should she?

In the beginning of my relationship with Kinky, I leased her. I bred her to a horse named Wap Spotted. I dreamed of that foal every night! I purposefully hoped for a colt. The cross was going to be simply perfect! Yep, in my little plan for Appaloosa Sport Horses, this foal was going to be a star performer! Flashy beyond belief! Yep, that was where my head was at.......boy did I get hit by the bus!

On April 14, 2003 Kinky delivered a colt, yes he was stunning, no he did not look like an Appaloosa. He pretty much was a carbon copy of his mother. He had personality to spare and was going to be an athlete, but he did not represent the breed. I was disheartened by his coloring, but glad he was healthy!

It was at this point where I decided the quality of Kinky's foal was so nice and along with pressure from her owner, that I bought her. She was willing, sweet and very much an athlete. Kinky was now my horse and her foal would grow up to be that same excellent quality, sans any Appaloosa characteristic!

You don't get devotion from the TB horse instantly, unlike the Appaloosa. With the Thoroughbred, you earn devotion, a little bit everyday until one day, that horse will do anything for you! Kinky still has her habit of pinning her ears to make you think she is this big scary horse........one word to her and she melts into the hug able, sweet pocket pal that she truly is. That first colt, now a gelding, is exactly like his dam, in every way! Oh, he is a registered Appaloosa, but he has the heart of a Thoroughbred!

next blog.........the hunt for a stallion

The Sport Horses have no Spots!

2008-07-28T07:14:00.000-07:00

I am a rider of horses! I like being on a horse and it doesn't matter what the activity is, I will give it a go. Showing my Josey in English classes was fun, learning more and more of the subtle technique of riding English and teaching it to her was also challenging. At one show in Loomis, Ca, Josey was awarded 1st place in Suitability for Dressage, against a large class of 12 horses. After the class she and I walked back to the trailer to saddle up for our riding classes. A very nice young lady, whom I had met at the local feed store and at our club Poker ride, came over to congratulate me. We talked for a while and found out we lived within a mile of each other. We decided to get together and ride sometime. That was a turning point for me, for Formula One Farms and for my horses!

It was also at this time that hubby and I acquired an Appaloosa gelding we called Luke. The original reason for buying Luke was so hubby would have a stout horse to ride while we waited for Sundae to grow up. We did not know much about Luke's past life, but we liked how nicely he behaved under saddle. I knew he would be safe for hubby to ride anywhere. Luke came to Ca from Idaho, it was a long trip and he traveled well. Hubby liked him from the moment Luke stepped off the trailer. Two weeks after Luke arrived, two young girls from our club came over to look at this "imported App" and we found out just how talented Luke was. He was show material and another facet of Formula One Farms evolved - one of those young girls became his show rider and Luke and Sundae spent the entire show season in the ring!

Which brings me to my point.........even though Cool Hand Lukens was of stock horse lines, he did not move like a stock horse, he moved out, with reach and propulsion like an English horse. Just as Sundae liked to float along suspended in the air when trotting. I wanted to cultivate and refine that movement.

Which brings me back to meeting that unique horsey individual. The chance encounter sometimes reveals opportunity and meeting up with a Sport Horse breeder and TB Race Horse enthusiast was quite an opportunity. Breeding Josey to a royally bred TB stallion was a no-brainer. And in 2002, my first official Appaloosa Sport Horse foaled at Formula One Farms. It was very exciting and an event the whole neighborhood came out to observe. F1F Richwood's Jewel was born and she was a star!

Little Jewel would grow into a very talented and sweet mare! She stole the hearts of many, with her sweetness and her beauty. Chestnut is not that unique of a color in the horse world these days.........but on this filly chestnut was the perfect color! With her little frosty blanket and those long, springy legs, she was amazing! The Sport Horses really can have spots!!

next blog........The heart of a Thoroughbred

The Second Appaloosa and Formula One Farms is born!

2008-07-26T09:28:00.000-07:00

In my search for people who knew these horses, I met some nice and some not so nice people. Some were people who should never ever have horses and I not only walked away from them, I ran and did not look back! Scary things those types do to horses!

I was fortunate to meet a fairly nice and diverse group in the Feather River Appaloosa Horse Club, based right in our little town of Lincoln, CA. Not everyone had Appaloosa horses, not everyone was into the show scene either. A few were great trail riding buffs with huge Apps. A couple were gamers and there were activities galore offered by this club. Since I was on a huge learning curve, I spent my time participating and supporting the efforts of this small group.

Even my hubby was happy to hang with the men in this club, they were Mountain Men and Pony Express riders and they hunted too! So he was thrilled to get to talk about rifles, pistols and other assorted guns. It was a family atmosphere where everyone watched out for each other, the kids and horses.

At this point, hubby and I decided he needed to get himself an App. Old Banner was just the sweetest horse, but hefting around hubby all day long was starting to wear on him. We decided to breed Josey to a club members Appaloosa stallion. This horse was shown and was also ridden. It appeared very calm and stout, crossing on to Josey would surely produce a nice, beefy smaller sized horse that we could train up just for hubby. So Josey was bred.

A long wait ensued and the excitement grew! Everything around our place was gearing up for the blessed event, our dear little Josey was going to hopefully have a nicely colored, sweet and easy going foal. That was our hope anyway. Things don't always turn out like you want. But at 2:15 am on Easter Sunday morning, Josey delivered a super cute little guy and in the darkness of night he appeared to be all white. We were excited and stunned!

You know how the name game goes, well after a lot of compromise, Josey's Sundae Jack got a name. I called him Sundae and hubby called him Jack. I am sure he was confused while he was growing up just as to who he really was. He was very sweet and he was defiant, very defiant! We kept working with him, letting him know who was boss and kept his education going.

It was late in the summer of Sundaes first year that I decided I wanted to take him to a halter class. He was not a halter horse, he was lanky (secretly I loved his build) but I thought it was important for Sundae to experience the outing. He had already been in several local parades, ponied off his dam. He spent time at the California State Fair getting petted by every little girl and boy. He loved the attention and just blossomed. So a member of the club offered to give me a hand at prepping him for his Halter debut.

Sundae learned all about clippers, baths, walking and stopping and trotting and standing! He was great. He never placed in the class! But it wasn't about winning, it was about learning and supporting that wonderful club.

Sundae was gelded at eight months, he was registered at the ApHC and Formula One Farms was founded. We only raised cattle, pigs and sheep at that time. The club had a Poker Ride every fall that attracted hundreds of riders from the local area and I met a truly unique individual during that first Poker Ride who was to have a huge influence on me and my horses.

Time went on, Sundae grew and grew and would not stop growing. When he passed the 14 hh mark on his first birthday, we were quite amazed. Hubby wanted a small horse, I liked tall, lean and muscled horses. I thought he looked great, hubby was worried he wouldn't be able to get on and off during hunting rides. It didn't matter then, he was a yearling and I took him everywhere. In the English shows, Suitability for Dressage Class, Sundae was a hit! He loved running with his person and boy could he really move out with his trot. He was lovely, floating along beside me just as cute as he could be! I was enamored!

next blog...........The Sport Horses have no spots!

How it all began!

2008-07-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

Not everyone is a fan of the Appaloosa horse..........no, really??

A long time ago, in a land far far away, there was an excited husband bursting thru the door to tell me all about two horses that were abandoned and needed help. "They will make great lawn mowers babe!" he said. Hmmm, did he not remember my telling him horses were expensive? Did he not remember how I had to sell my horse when I entered the military and how it nearly broke my heart? How I put horses out of my mind for 15 years so I wouldn't have that tug on my heartstrings again??

Nope, he didn't and that is how Josey came to live with us 16 years ago. When I first saw her, my heart sank! She was way too thin and her feet were awful! She was also a bundle of nervous, scared energy.

It took over a year of patience, lots of walking, lots of bran and beet pulp mash with carrots, and hay to get this filly to actually walk in a halter and lead rope next to you, not dancing sideways! As her weight came up, her trust in us began ever so slightly. She had been abused, there was no doubt in my mind. She had been left to starve in a field of dirt! You could not bathe her, you could not load her into a trailer, you could not ride her. My vet stated she was anywhere from 3 to 5 years old and he wanted her for a Polo Pony. Fat chance buddy!!

After that first year, Josey settled down to be a fine yard ornament and the vet said we could go ahead and start her saddle training. Another six months went by with lots of slow round pen work, oodles of desensitizing items and Josey wore a saddle for the first time, with no issues! Woohoo!

The trailer was another story though.........it took two hours to load the first time, not so bad I thought! Soon she was loading in under 10 minutes, YAY! So we decided to take her and our reliable Morgan Banner (abandoned along with Josey) on a Trail Ride. Loaded them both up and off we went on our first adventure. Great ride, lots of scary things that Josey dealt with on that first outing, but she took to the trail nicely. We got back to the trailer and we went to load up and head home.........well, Josey had other ideas. 3 hours later, we finally convinced her to get into the damn trailer! It was dark by then. First adventure with minor setback!

Not knowing what she had been through in her short life, we knew she was trying her best. Patience was all she wanted, she had to think things through and needed time to do so. So finally, after two years of work, Josey became a reliable mount, fun at gaming, moving cattle, schooling shows and lots of Parades. She was a hit! She charmed everyone! She was able and willing to try all sorts of activities, she has even done Dressage. I was hooked! If this little Appy, scared out of her wits could come out being such a people horse after all she had been through, then for me, there was something about this breed - not the spots, not the flashiness, but the mentality of being a people horse was hard wired into the core! I went in search of other Appy people who could show me and tell me all about this wonderful breed!

Josey at, we guess, 19 years old

next blog.........The Second Appaloosa!