Traveler babies for 2012

Here is the news update of a couple of new 2012 Traveler babies.  Congrats to Shawn for "Shine" - a beautiful Curly filly with sabino markings and a white blaze.  Shine was conceived AI / Shipped Semen and  11 months later, Shine entered the world.  They will have a ton of Curly fun.

And I just was able to see the newest addition to the "Traveler family".  Congrats to Sheila for her Curly filly - yes, another girl.  (How come I get all the colts?)  The dam is Sacajewa and so the filly is to either be named "Curly Sioux" (I like this one best) or "Sioux-z".  Pretty cute names, Sheila.

Curly Sioux is absolutely adorable and I got to see her in person - she has a ton of white on her as well.  Traveler usually passes on his sabino markings - huge white blaze, white leg markings and a stocky, well built little body for a one week old.

Just talked to my farrier and vet - they both bred their mares to Traveler.  I think that says a lot when a farrier and vet - who get to see all kinds of horses, choose to breed to Traveler.  They have two 2 year olds - a filly and a colt.  When my farrier came out today he said that his filly jumped and cleared a 5 foot fence.   Guess that Traveler passes on more than just his coloring!!!

Khatmoondhu hits the trails!!

In April "Dhuzie" and I hit our first 25 mile Endurance Race - the Milwaukee Road Rail Trail just outside of Ellensburg, WA.  And he was FANTASTIC!  He is the reason for buying and breeding my Arab mares to Traveler.  I wanted to produce the ultimate endurance horse by crossing my proven, tough Arab lines with a stocky, hearty and a calm Curly horse.  Thankfully, Dhuzie is showing great promise for the world of endurance.  He is my Tevis horse - just keep watching and reading and about 8 years from now, we will hit the Tevis.  He just turned 5 years old this month and so we are taking it very easy, however, I plan on doing some serious 50 mile rides next year.

The 25 miles was absolutely nothing for him.  He came into the vet check and pulsed down immediately and received an overall A score at the end of the ride.

We placed 14th and could have gone for another round of trails at the end of the ride.  What a great boy - still lots to work on.  He did not care much for the water sluices - I jumped off and walked him by those and we have some over obstacles to spend time on - but overall, a really great success.  My goal this summer is to keep putting miles on him and training over a variety of obstacles.  He has the breeding, the strength and the smarts to be a serious endurance competitor.  

Notice the look on my face - NOT happy about the rocks on the trail.

 Vetting in at the end of the ride -

Happy Trails to us - going out on the second, 8 mile loop.  It was the fastest 8 miles we have ever done.  We did it at over 9 miles an hour.

Done, finished and heading back to the trailer.
Looking forward to another ride......

In the News

My niece Dayna and our Curly gelding, Timbuktu, will be featured in the ICHO's Curly Horse Magazine in the "Kids and Curlies" section. Way to go Dayna! You two make a cute pair.

Home on the Range - Endurance Race

We came, we raced and we finished! Yah! It was my 4 year old gelding Khatmoondhu's first endurance race ever. He had never been in a situation where there were tons of other horses all excited and ready to race. "Dhuzie" did great - for the most part he was calm and cool throughout the whole situation. The whole reason I bought our Curly stallion, Traveler, in the first place was to produce a remarkable endurance prospect using my great Arab bloodlines and mixing them with the sturdier and heartier stock of the Curly horse. Of course, a little of the calm, Curly blood doesn't hurt either. So our first Curly, Arab foal was Dhuzie. I have waited for 4 years for this moment to begin his endurance racing career and it has started!

He was better than I could have hoped for - we only "raced" the trail ride part of the endurance race since he is so young and I want to take my time with him. We rode 15 miles over beautiful hills and wind-swept areas. Dhuzie really enjoyed being out in the open but he didn't take advantage of the situation and listened to me.

We have lots to continue to work on - who doesn't, but overall it was a terrific first experience. He minded his manners at the vet checks and with his fellow horses. As soon as he crossed the finish line he pulsed in at 60 and we were done! Even though they don't give placings for such a short ride, I think that we were the 2nd to cross the finish line and pulse down for our little race.

One of the vets at the end of the ride remarked that Dhuzie seemed to be such a kind horse - and he is. He has a very friendly and kind personality. I am so pleased with him.

Eating at the trailer - he deserved a good treat after his ride.

Ride 'em Cowgirls!

Mark and I loaded up the trailer with our two minis and my 3 year old Curly gelding, Timbuktu, and headed over to the Fairview Stables for the girls to compete at the Will Roger's Little Buck Gaming Series. Bella was in the first group, doing leadline of Comet. She rode like a little champion and had a grea time. Comet loved it too!

Here she is racing around the barrels! Go Comet Go!

Bella is so proud to be riding at the horse show.

And she wins a curry comb for all of her hard work. Way to go little Comet and Bella.

Luna rode her mighty mite, Podo, and here they are warming up the day before the horse show.

Luna rode by herself and here she is racing at the barrels.

Here we are at the start of the event. It was so funny, Luna and Podo were darting in and out and around all the big horses and Luna was so proud, she was riding her little horse all by herself.

Running like the wind - they are off!

Next group up was for my neice, Dayna, who rode my 3 year old gelding, Timbuktu. They did awesome and won! Congrats to Dayna and Timbuktu. This was the first riding show for both of them and they were both calm and focused. Way to go!

Dayna on Timbuktu warming up.

Another successful horse show! The season has begun.

Despooking Clinic

Well, the worm has turned and the weather is finally nice here. At least it was until today and we have started out spring tune-ups on all the horses and are beginning to fill up the calendar with compeition dates.

Last weekend my good Curly friend, Linda, and I took our Curlies to the Despooking clinic at Sporthorse and had a blast. Once again, our Curlies proved their worth by accepting all the obstacles, responding with calm, curiousity and doing what we asked of them. I took our 4 year old gelding, Khatmoondhu, and we worked the obstacles first on the ground and then under saddle. He has only been ridden 3 times off our ranch and this was his first time under saddle at a new place for the year. I am proud to say that Dhuzie was awesome.

Linda did great as well with her remarkable horse, Legacy. And fun was had by all. Here are some great photos of the clinic and as you can see, my boy is finally growing up.

Up next on the calendar for Khatmoondhu is his first trial endurance race at the end of this month. We will only be doing the 15 mile trail ride because he is 4 and taking it nice and easy so he can become used to compeition without becoming "crazy". But before that my girls and my neice will be taking their minis and my 3 year old Curly gelding, Timbuktu, to compete at the Will Rogers kid's show doing different patterns and barrel racing. Show season has officially started!

Our Last Show

So, it's been awhile since I have blogged but to catch up on everything - we attended the Salute the Flag Show - All Breeds and Timbuktu, my 3 year Curly gelding amazed us by taking not only 1st in the Halter Geldings class, but also Reserve Grand Champion in the overall Halter class. He was awesome and really showed off his striking colors and great conformation. As well as being calm under pressure. Here we are with both of our ribbons.

Halter Class -

He also amazed us AGAIN by winning 1st Place in the Jumper in Hand class and the Hunter in Hand class. In fact, after the first round, the judge stopped the class to compliment me on him and his amazing jumping ability. I would just trot him to a fence, make a kissing sound and he would bound over it. WAY TO GO Timbuktu!!! You are just like your father.

We found out at this show, that we won the over Champion award for 2010 Jumper in Hand and Hunter in Hand classes we attended on this show circuit. What a day of suprises for us.

And now for the cutest pix in the world. My daughters showed their shared miniature horse, Comet, in the kids division. Here is Luna, my 5 year old, at the end of the show with all of her ribbons proudly displayed on Comet's bridle. They are attired in their Costume Class clothes.

Here they are in the Costume Class - Bella, the 3 year old, is leading Comet and Luna. They were fairy princesses and Comet was a unicorn. They won 4th place for this class.

Bella rode in the leadline class and is estactic from winning 3rd place. She was riding against 10 year olds!

Bella and kind, long-suffering Comet. Are they the cutest pair in the world?

Luna showed Comet at Halter and won! She not only won 1st place for Halter Geldings, but Reserve Grand Champion overall. Like mother like daughter. What a great weekend!

Luna, Bella and Comet - one last picture. Comet did enact his revenge for being pulled, lead and bossed around by a couple of kids all day. At the end of the show he "took off" with Luna - she easily reigned him back in, but I think he had had enough of the unicorn horn, puffy leg wraps and ribbons and said, "I'm outta here."

We have started training again after breeding with Traveler the last couple of months and are due for our next 3- Day event at the end of August. Oh boy - I am sore again.