May 2010 Update

Carl and Suzanne Thurgood took the time to update us on their experience with the horses during their first couple of weeks back at the Ranch in mid- to late-May. Here's some good information to keep in mind:

Hi all -

We wanted to give a quick report on the new horses. We have been able to be up at the ranch the past two weekends, and have had the chance to do a little riding. Here is a brief overview of what we are learning about our new additions as well as updates on our tried and true horses.

Keena - Keena will be with us one more summer. She is quite old and is showing the wear and tear of a long and useful life. The vet has said that it is OK to ride her, but the rides should not be difficult and riders should not be large. Let's just keep in mind her many years of wonderful service to the Land Company, and treat her with consideration and respect.

Pare and Flint - Pare and Flint are continuing on as usual. Flint has his normal relaxed attitude and is great for any rider. Pare still has her spunk and fun attitude, and is great with anyone for a walk, but can get a little wound up and feisty after a little loping. Maybe a little more experienced rider.

Jack - Jack is a big beautiful paint. He loves to be the leader, and has a faster confident walk. He seems to want to test out his rider at the beginning of the ride to see if he can go where he wants to go, but with a little firmness he will give his rider a great ride. Loping is fun and controllable, but keep in mind this is a strong horse. He has not been worried about water, big trees, or really anything as we have tried to take him through a variety of different situations.

Seana - Seana (reddish brown with a pretty white stripe down her nose and one white sock) is young and getting used to her new place and situation. She is a little nervous about branches in her face and crossing streams, but with each ride she seemed more and more settled. Seana is very eager to please her rider and wants to do what is being asked, but sometimes gets a little confused. As mentioned by Gen, she has been trained to draw rein rather than neck rein which is just a little different. If you are on her and she seems a little confused, just gently reach down and take the rein on the side that you want to turn, and give it a little pull in the direction you want to go. She is a great follower for now, and will not lead yet as she is still figuring out her area and gaining confidence. She has a good personality, and never seems to get uptight even when trying new things. Her lope is smooth and nice. Seana is a little hard to catch once in the corral, but should settle down more and more as she gains confidence and experience. I don't know that I would put a beginner on her to start with, but just fine for intermediates.

Please let us know if there are questions. As always, treat the horses with gentleness and respect and they will be great.

See you all at the Ranch!

(This is Genn again:) I'll take some pictures soon and get them posted to the blog. Thanks!

Jack

Meet Jack. He's a 15-yr-old gelding tri-colored paint. He's one of the sweetest horses I've ever met. And you can see from the pictures that he's really pretty. He has been used in the mountains and for gathering cows. He's 16 hands high, so he's kinda big, like Flint. Unlike Flint, he goes! He walks briskly and was also quite responsive for having not been ridden all winter (stopped and stood with no problem). He is extremely friendly and wasn't at all bothered by the children and dogs running around. His owners have had him for about 4 years and are really sad to see him go, but they didn't need as many horses as they had. They're happy he'll be coming to a good home at the Ranch. Welcome, Gentle Jack!

Welcome, Seana!

Our newest member of the Ranch Horse Family is Seana ("see-AN-ah"). This baby girl is only about 5 years old. She is half Fox Trotter, ¼ arabian, ¼ Quarter horse. She was being sold because the family who owned her was into rodeo and she was "too calm" for them. She seemed very at ease despite commotions going on around her (dogs, cats, small crowd of people, little children). She seemed very willing to move into a walk, trot, and lope, yet stopped and would stand still with very little effort. She's very pretty and has a white sock, so she'll be easy to pick out. We were able to get her for a very good price and are thrilled that she'll be at the Ranch this summer.

To those who may ride her early in the summer (around Memorial Day), be aware that she may need to re-learn to neck reign. We'll be working with her for her first week or two and we're confident she'll adjust just fine.

Seana looks forward to meeting the whole family! See you in a few months!

Precious Independence

During the month of March, we said good-bye to an old friend. Indy was somewhere around 30 years old. She was perhaps the "perfect" horse. She was gentle. She ensured that just about every beginning rider had a good experience on horseback. She was always the easiest horse to catch. She was a jewel who was part of what made the Ranch "the Ranch." We've loved our old gal and send our well wishes up to heaven after her. See you in greener pastures, Indy. xoxo

Wintering 2009-2010

In November 2009, the Horse Committee made a last minute decision change about the wintering accommodations for our horses. Carl let us know about Nate who lives in Henefer, UT with his young family. They used to live in Salt Lake, but when the first couple of their four boys came along, they decided to move to the country where they could teach their sons to work. The keep horses, cows, chickens, goats, and thoroughly love their life there.

Nate knows our horses individually and told me about how each one was doing. He said he had never been around horses as old as Indy and Keena, but that he was doing his best to make sure they ate as much as they would. They were both skinny, but not nearly as bad as Spring 2009. Pare is being a pill whenever approached, but is in good health. Flint is the head honcho of the whole crew. He has cornered a couple of Nate's horses, causing them to jump the barbed wire fence and cut their legs, but Nate's assessment of the outcome was, "It happens." Flint is also hard to catch, but was a great ride once when they took him with their own horses and needed an extra horse.

Flint, Indy

Family house on the left, livestock behind house

Hay out in middle structure

From the livestock area, looking up at the family house

Beautiful view from their 5 acres

Hay for the horses

The family goat likes to climb up on the bales of hay...

...and then jump in the trough.

Keena & Pare

Indy

Flint

This little guy came up the hill to say good-bye when we left.

My overall assessment is that even though our horses are not being kept completely separate from other horses, they are being cared for individually and receiving very good care. I'm pleased that he has such a personal interest and that it's a good fit for his family to add our horses to their livestock. We'll see how they look in the Spring, but I feel like this is a good option not only for this year, but years to come.

Happy Winter! And Happy 2010!