pictures (trying again)

I will try to add the pictures from the photoshoot again since this failed last time.

talking Curlies

My son had a playdate today and when I went to bring his friend back home I got into a conversation with her mother about horses. She turns out to be a horse lover too and used to have a horse of her own. I told her about my Curly horses and she was very enthousiastic to hear about them. I ended up staying and talking for quite a while which was very nice. I really had the opportunity to promote the breed and she is going to come over and meet my horses!

I noticed in my previous post that the pictures did not appear. They seem to be to big so I will ask my husband to help me resize them so that I can post them soon!

American Honey rides trails

Good morning, 

Hope everyone is safe and well from Irene's temper. We are sending thoughts and prayers to those caught in her angry path. 

Yesterday, we took our American Honey for a trail ride with friends and she loved it. She has been working hard in the arena getting ready for the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover which is less than two weeks away. So it was a real treat to walk through shady trees and see Roadrunners and Bunnies forging for their even meals. 

 

Angie and her Curly friends in Texas

The Gate!

This afternoon I had some free time and of course chose to spend it with Linus. We didn't get to go for a ride on the weekend because of the weather and the same for yesterday too. This afternoon wasn't bad though and we squeezed in some time in between showers. We refreshed on some ground work which Linus sailed through...I was kind of hoping he wouldn't so that we could work through something but I was happy nonetheless!

Then I put on his bareback pad and we worked on riding away from Allie who was tied in the corral. He did perfect heading to the barn but was a bit reluctant heading up the driveway. I kept asking and insisted he went as far as I had planned to which was only to a turn-around near the end of the driveway. I rewarded him and we again headed back up towards the barn. He was very good on the way back and didn't rush like I expected him too. They are getting better with being separated. I think they now understand that it is only a temporary separation.

Anyway, I got back over to our working area and I didn't feel like we had conquered that much. I'm not sure why I thought of it but I decided to give the gate a try. I've always wanted to be on a horse that would calmly allow me to open and close a gate while on his back. Well we flew through it like it was an everyday thing! It is a chain link lock on a narrow corral gate that is typical of a gated round pen. I brought him up and he easily took the last half step I wanted to get close enough. I leaned down and worked the chain off and pushed the gate open. I clucked to him and we walked through...he even left room for my legs so they wouldn't get pinched! Then we did a circle and backed up to the gate and I locked it! I was so thrilled I leaned forward and gave him a big hug!! Then he tried to push it back open again...just to add his personal touch to the task I guess.

I was very proud of Linus and I'm really looking forward to the winter weather so we can go exploring in the bush again!

A Ride with my Sister

Saturday I had the pleasure of taking my little sister horse back riding. She hadn't been on a horse in 3 years so this was a real treat for her. Larry of course would be the horse of choice for her cause all he likes to do is just walk and an occasional trot. Being it was just going to be a day outting I decided to ride in my english saddle. What fun we had reminicing old times, horses we use to have, and people we use to hang out with. Larry took very good care of her out on the trail. One of the hills we went up I almost came right off the back of Marley. But I collected myself back up in the saddle using his long mane to hold onto. There where plenty of water crossings, open prairies, wooded, hilly and flat trails on the ride, and one bridge crossing. At the end of the ride she was a bit sore but loved every minute of it. I don't get to see my sisters much and to spend a day on the back of a horse with them or at least one of them was just so nice. The picture of the creek and Marley's ears, knowing that I am on his back, is just the happiest place in the world. (and no we didn't plan on both of us wearing green, it just happened! (smiling))

Marley, Larry, & Dana (MN) I just love this picture below :)

Golden Curls American Honey - Lone Star Horse Report

Hello all,
The below article appeared in Lone Star Horse Report about our Golden Curls American Honey.....
Lone Star Horse Report
Vol. 29, Number 9 September 2011

Golden Curls American Honey,
a five-year-old mare, will be the first
Curly mustang to compete in the
Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover
in Fort Worth September 15-17.
Honey was gathered by the Bureau of
Land Management in a 2009 roundup
in the Winnemucca area of Nevada.
She is owned by Angie Gaines, who
raises American Bashkir Curly
Horses at her Golden Curls Ranch in
Kaufman.
It is a mystery how these rare,
curly-coated horses first came to
North America, but their presence
dates to the early 1800s. The registry
was founded in 1971. For more
information, visit abcregistry.org or
goldencurlsranch.com.

Yahoo, we are getting ready to rock and ride the waves in Ft. Worth, Texas,
Angie and American Honey

Friday Night Fun

Love Face Book, I had seen an add that was posted in an Equine Monthly that I have on there for a clinic last Friday. So I called and signed up at the last minute. Flew home from work to hook the truck up, changed my clothes (put my Curly shirt on!), and gather all the stuff for the kids to keep them happy. Just as I was putting Marley in the trailer my hubby got home and jumped up in the truck and we headed down the road to where the clinic was. With us living quite a distance from the farm the class had begun but we jumped right in. Most of the work was desensitizing starting on the ground and then doing it again in the saddle. One of the BIG accomplishments for us for this year and this evening was the fact that there was a breeze and I was able to carry a flag on Marley with NO issues!! I love to carry them and he would seem to freak from them before so I always let someone else do it. The one that did give us a bit of an issue though was the mattress. I don't know if any of you have ever walked your horse across it but it is a bit different (infact it is a bit weird walking aross it yourself too) but we did do it and several times each directions. After each of us had worked through all the obstacles we graduated into playing a fun game of horsey soccer. Marley and I had been given the goalie position first and we didn’t do so well with that cause we let one slip by us. OOOPPPS!!! J Then we graduated into being a forward, let me tell you there was no stopping him with that ball, he just loved it. We could use our feet as well to help kick/move the ball around and Marley kept blocking me it seemed from helping him. It was funny and fun to play as well. We played till dark and had to load up and head for home. We met many new friends that night and many I hope we will see again. I now know what I need to get Marley for Christmas (a soccer ball!) Marley never failed me in being a great mount; he showed how smart and versatile a curly can be. There was a woman there that was ridding an Arab and was having some serious issues with him. She came up and asked if I keep his mane in braids and I said no, he is a curly and was very inquisitive about him and the breed. She was a smaller petite type build and asked if they are all that big. I explained that they come in all shapes/colors as well. I think she was looking at getting rid of her Arab and getting a Curly (she was really scared of her horse and had a trainer finish the evening off ridding it). We had many a compliments on how well he behaved and how pretty and cool he looked that night, really made us proud. Oh and by the way the “Ramrod” team won the game, which Marley scored the winning goal! I have posted just a few pictures and wish I could share them all. Again Facebook, a wonderful place to share :) The second to the last picture on here is of us playing goalie with a new friend we had made (a little girl goat). Her and Marley just hit it off right from the start, it was pretty comical. The last picture is of all the fun people that we had met. Marley & Dana (MN)

Upper Canada Village Horse Lovers Weekend

Hi
We had the opportunity again this year to participate in the Upper Canada Village Horse Lovers Weekend. This is a three day event devoted to the horse to celebrate how the horse was instrumental in the development of Upper Canada. Upper Canada Village is a historical village park set in the 1860. When the park opens it becomes 1860, everyone is in period costume and the village runs like a true village, from the cheese maker to the bread maker to the sawmills and grist mills. The village uses our national horse the Canadian for their carts and plowing etc. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the grounds after the park opens, so set up takes place very early in the morning. We had the fairgrounds in the middle of the village for our demonstrations so all traffic has to pass by, the fairgrounds does not have to be 1860 but we can also be in period costume if we like, its difficult to show horses in hooped skirts though. The first day showcases riding horses, the second is heavy horses and the third day is carriage horses and it is by invite only to bring horses as they have to be very careful with the public as there are no fences and the public is amongst the horses. At noon each day there is a parade through the streets and all horse line up and off we go. Its a great place 1860 setting on the banks of the St Lawrence River. There was over three thousand people in the park over the weekend, even on Sunday with the after effects of storm Irene there was still a morning crowd and it did not start to rain until after the parade. We had two sessions each day to demonstrate the Curlies. I had two horses there with me Maddison a 13 month old filly for demonstrating the breed and ground work and Hunter for riding. Two other curlies that I sold also came with their owners and they did a great job showing just what a curly can do, thanks Bri (Othello, buckskin pinto) and Rachael(Cadoc, bay). A friend of mine runs a horses school for kids and we had the fair grounds set up for other demos as well so there were lots of obstacles to use (thanks Garry). The video is of Maddison and her first time on the teeter totter and then the photo is of Hunter and Maddison on the teeter totter. This event is a real confidence builder for a yearling. It was a great weekend, lots of interest in the curlies, lots of questions during and after the presentations and lots of visitors to the curly booth, makes those long days worthwhile. and hey any day playing with horses is better than a day at work. I also included a few pictures of the other horses just to give a flavor of the event and atmosphere at UCV.
Karalee and Ashlee
















And here is the video also on youtube under whirlwindcurly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UcCuHFt8Dc

Stanton Farms Horse Trials

Well - Traveler did it again! Traveler (my stallion) and myself hauled off to the Stanton Farms Horse Trials - USEA Recognized event and competed at Novice against the big boys. We did it, we finished and we placed 6th and were able to ride in the "Victory Gallop". I have always wanted to ride in a victory gallop and for the first time we did.

Linda V. came out to watch us and encourage us and take some AMAZING photos of Traveler - it was fun to meet her in person and discuss the wonderful world of horses. Thanks Linda for your time, effort and support!! I had a great time.

Stanton was HOT. Really, really, really hot. So, although, you can't probably tell from the photos, Traveler and I managed to compete 3 Days in sweltering heat and finish up, almost in the top 5. So close, yet....... another day, perhaps.

I am so proud of Traveler, he did a great job and we are learning together in our journey of riding and horsemanship. And at every event, we get a little bit better.

So here are more photos then you probably have time to view, but how can I resist? Here's the story.

Traveler - at the end of the Event, proudly displaying his 6th Place ribbon. (And no, I don't braid for stadium, it's what I hang on to if the going gets rough)
First Day - Dressage. Dressed in full "uniform" including a nice wool dress coat in almost 100 degrees. He did pretty good - we got a passable score. We did it, we finished and we did several of the movement quite nicely, the rest we need to work on. (Always something to improve on.)

And then Cross-Country. This is where we RULE! He did absolutely amazing - double clear - no refusals and we made time. We really have to push on the course - because Traveler does not travel the speed of a racehorse. But he is proving he can go fast enough.

Here we are at the end of the course - the fastest, most furious and most exhausting 4 minutes and 40 seconds of my life.

Second to last jump - at this point I know we are home free and we are at a full gallop.

The two above pictures are of the 3rd fence which was at a funny angle and I was a little concerned about a run-out. But no hesitation and you can see his ears are forward and looking for the next fence.

This was one of the more concerning fences - you can't see the water, but right on the other side is the water obstacle and we had to enter the water (without hesitation) and then pick up a canter to make it over this house. He did it!

Another view of that 3rd jump at an angle. No doubts about it, we are going over clear.

Here we are just warming up for cross-country. Trying to get "psyched" up for it.

(Nice headshot of Traveler - thanks Linda!)

And now on to Stadium jumping. He did pretty good here - we did have a rail down and then that threw us off and we had one run-out from approaching the fence incorrectly. But we pulled it together and circled around and finished the round. That's the hardest part - if you make a mistake, you have to instantly "regroup" and regain your focus and keep going because you are on the clock and every second counts.

And whew! Stadium is over, and we made it. Now for the Victory Gallop!

Here we are at the end - hot, tired and happy. This is one of those sports where you are just thrilled if you finish - and to get a ribbon and ride in the Victory Gallop is icing on the cake.

Today is a "no horse" day - I am recovering, but we will be back at training tomorrow and hitting another event in 2 weeks. Take a deep breath and here we go.....

(Thanks again, Linda - you are awesome!)

I had me a 'Berry Ride' Too! =]

All these wonderful posts about berry picking along the trail and it made me very jealous! =] UNTIL, yesterday on our ride we came across lots and lots of raspberries! Yay! So many that you could smell them as you walked along. Some were a bit picked over by the wildlife, but still worthy of pickin! I wished I could have shared this ride with Reese, (I had planned to ride him all weekend) but he came down with an abscess early Saturday morning. ugh! He has never had one of these before, ever. As soon as he is healed up, I look forward to many fall rides together with him!! Until then Bear sure seems to enjoy the trail and our silly adventures. I feel blessed beyond belief to have such special horses in my life....and that includes Ziggy! =]

My friend Karen on her QH, Paco.

Karen and Paco

You can see the ferns looking very "fallish."

Beautiful little creek, me and Bear.

Bear really enjoys the water...Reese will just stop and stare like this too. =]