Amazing Breeze

Amazing Breeze is a sweet 3 year old mare who has never been raced. She is a lovely, quiet mare that will be suitable for any discipline. Breeze currently stands at 15.3hh and has been working well under saddle.…

King Rush is a handsome 16.3hh bay gelding. He had a year off from work where he lived his life grazing in a large field. King is now currently back in work under saddle and is becoming stronger by the day. He is ridden at walk, trot and canter with ease. Would be suitable as a hack/pleasure horse.…

    Gypsy Eyes is a sound eleven year old chestnut TB mare standing approx 16.1hh. Gypsy was found discarded by her previous owner after having a couple of foals and rescued by Adena Springs Retirement Program this past fall (she is no longer suitable for breeding). She her rescue Gypsy has been in training with the program and has been going under tack walk, trot and canter. She is a kind, friendly and loving mare who deserves a…

When I first heard this song by Marie-Lynn Hammond, I found there was so much I could relate to that I contacted her to let her know how much I enjoyed the song. I have had my very own chestnut mare for…

This horse is a very special soul – she works miracles for our non profit Spring Reins of Life with at risk youth and war veterans.  She is caught in the cross fire of a very sudden surprise of farm foreclosure – once we have some runway time our nonprofit can budget and fund-raise for her care…however in this time crunch we need the support to cover her costs and special needs so that she can remain with us, in our…

Lately, I am discovering I like mares more and more. They are so NOT like most of us humans.  They have a refreshing honesty. “If you aren’t going to drive the bus, get out of my way and I’ll do it.” Succinct, blunt and clean with her intention- a mare will get the job done.

Thank you. Bluntness is a gift after so much of passive aggressive chatter like, “Honey,…

Who Am I This Time is the name of a short story written by Kurt Vonnegut and made into a film with Christopher Walken and Susan Sarandon.  It’s a quirky story about two people of very different and uncomfortable personalities -who fall in love while acting in a community theater production of Streetcar. (Hear Walken’s painfully shy, tongue-tied character…

First, let me send my sympathies for all of you affected by the wildfires, droughts, floods, tornados, earthquakes and other disasters.

I was not in my best riding form this week since I'm on an antibiotic.  My feet feel sort of like they are not attached to me.  My balance is not at its best either.  In spite of this I had some amazing rides, well amazing rides for me.  As usual I was…

Normally at this time of year I am happily riding in a bit, but with the horrible cold I had two months ago my hands are not currently good enough to ride with a bit.  I was not looking forward to riding bitless because, face it, riding bitless in all the different types of bitless systems I've used, I NEVER got the type of results that I expect with a bit.  The obedience was fine, but I was missing the subtlety of the bit, the ability to make all those tiny…

May 1, 1912

It's foaling season at Sweetwater Ranch.  One of my clients bought a lovely dressage mare by Olympic Ferro already bred to Grannius II - and I covered two of my own mares with Louie.  So, this year I will get to see what he produces, and we already have one foal on the ground.   He has been named Sweetwater's Alliance - barn name Lance - and he is lovely with good straight legs, up on his pasterns and nice feet all around.  And BIG.  In fact, Dr Marteney said he is the biggest foal he has…

Typical for southern Alberta, nothing is typical in weather. So, this weekend we had 25C and 22C or so. And after the crappy summer we had, I HAD to get outside with little Maggie.

Friday was work in the arena, 25 minutes because that's as long as I could be VERY specific and demanding with her about being forward and answering the aids promptly. She did well. This was my first ride after my trainer was on her Wednesday.

Saturday, pure decadence, I went and…

I've been on vacation, and that was quite nice. After the long weekend I took my mare down to Lethbridge (plus 3 cats), to visit Mom and Dad and the other three horses. My big girl is great in the trailer, but every time I put her in, I worry. I suspect part of it is just me being a worrier, part of it is that I've had some tires blow with her in the trailer, and had to change them. Now that went well, and I have a full set of new tires on the trailer (please people, after 5 or 6 years, just…

Well, my little Havoc is adorable and home. He's scraped a bunch of hair off of his face, lord only knows how. He's happily ensconced in his paddock with his momma, and he goes out in the field with momma and Auntie Cass. He now gets just the tiniest bit of pellets because he can't share his Mom's food, and thinks he's hot stuff with his very own bucket of goodies. And he munches hay with Mom, looking very serious about the whole thing.

He's such a saucy thing. He does NOT…

Well, our mare delivered unto us a very adorable little boy on July 6. True to the adage that mares are cagey, at 9:30 pm the milk didn't test like she was imminent, she didn't look quite right, 11pm I get the call that the colt is on the ground. After a very tiring 2 hour drive down, I was pretty awake when I saw the little guy.

Momma was a maiden, delivery was easy, but she wasn't sure what she was supposed…

Week of July 19th Through July 25th

July 20th, 1946 - Misty of Chincoteague, the mare after which Marguerite Henry wrote her famous book, was born. Misty was born on Assateague Island and was a palomino pinto

with a marking in the shape of the United States on her side. Marguerite

Henry traveled to Chincoteague in search of inspiration for a children’s…