Horses Page

My Other Passion is Horses!

As a young child I was alway drawn more to animals than people. I guess I just felt they are more honest, I have never known one to lie anyway! Through my life I have had many animals from birds, hamsters, rabbits, pigs, goats, turkeys, cows, cats dogs and horses.

But my love always lay with dogs and horses. Being raised in the 50's (ouch) I grew up with TV shows like Roy Rogers, Fury, My Friend Flicka, Rin Tin Tin and Lassie. So dogs and horses just seem to go together, at least for me and have been pretty much always a part of my life. My first dog was a stray that my sister, Janet, and I adopted. We were known for always trying to bring "something" home. Below is a picture of me at about 7-8 years old with Mitzie. What a great kid dog, not quite a Lassie look alike but one time he did the bravest thing that I can still see unfold in in my memory. While walking him in a summer play ground another dog was attacking a young girl. Mitzie broke from my side and knocked the dog off the girl, they fought for a few minutes and the other dog ran off. I was so proud of him and it shines through to this day with how I feel about my dogs.

Janet and I begged my mom and dad constantly to get us a horse. The answer was always the same. So one year when I was 10 and Janet 15, while I went on a trip to Canada with my father, my sister bought a horse!! She bought him at an auction, he was an 18 year old paint and the best kid horse in the world. I have old 8mm videos of him but no photos. Champ (after Gene Autry's horse Champion)and I traveled many trails and 4-H shows in Massachusetts and he will always hold a special spot in my heart, giving a young girl her dream come to life.

When I turned 22 I met my husband, Scott. We traveled around from coast to coast for a couple of years then I became pregnant with my oldest boy and when he was a year old we moved to Montana. When my son turned two Scott bought me a green broke filly. I named her Gypsy. She was turning out to be a good trail horse but I sold her when my second boy was born knowing I would not have time to ride for awhile. I missed having a horse though and decided to buy a weanling that I could grow out, raise and train from scratch. Below is a picture of me at about 29 years of age the first time I got on board of Maggie at two year of age! Maggie turned out to be the most awesome trust wothy horse I think I have ever owned.

Maggie

When Maggie was about a year and a half I bought a 15 year old Quarter Horse mare at the local auction that was bred. We named her Ginger. Ginger was a great horse too, very dependable with kids. She foaled in June and produced a beautiful palomino stud colt that we named Spooks. I also broke Spooks then sold him at about 4 years of age. My youngest son had a Shetland pony we called Rose. I have searched high and low for her pictures with Luke but cannot find them, perhaps they will turn up so I can ad them here too.


Ginger with my oldest son.	Ginger, Slokm and our old dog Roni.

Maggie and Spooks

I decided to sell Maggie when she was 15 because I had become so busy with training my dogs I didn't seem to have enough time for her. It wasn't long though and I missed my horses deeply. Below are some pictures of my horses in the last 10 years.

My main passion is trail riding into mountain lakes but one summer I did some team sorting on Offie, a registered Arab mare. Offie is an exceptional old girl that is now retired here and living the good life.


Waiting our turn.	Headin' in to cut a calf


On a trail ride	Taking a lunch break by a creek

Below are some pics of me and Jazz a flea bitten grey Arab mare. This is on one of my favorite rides along the Stateline of Montana and Idaho. We start out at Hoodoo Pass, this ride is breath taking in July. It is spring in the high country compared to the sweltering heat below in the valley.The ground is covered with tons of wildflowers and as we ride the ridge we overlook numerous lakes such as Hidden, Hoodoo and Heart Lakes. On this particular ride a herd of mountain goat were not impressed with our lunch break in their territory and with the billy in the lead were heading down toward my friends horse, Chester, quite aggressively until we stood up and walked closer.


Pulling saddle for lunch	Overlooking Hidden Lake

Goats headin' for Chester!!

Last but not least, here is Foxie and me coming out of Hub and Hazel Lakes. I bought Foxie, a Reg. PWHR (half Tennessee Walker half Paint) as a green 6 year old . She had been rode but had never been off of her acre or so pasture. She is now 11 and a seasoned trail horse. She is a true people horse, soaks up any attention she can get. Just takes a whistle and she will come a runnin'!

Here is Foxie with my granddaughter Rylie on her and my son holding his daughter, the same little boy with his Palomino mare 20 years later.


Posing for registration picture!	Foxie grazing ~ there is something peaceful about watching a horse graze

Then comes Maya!! My husband decided he wanted to join in on all the fun! So in June 2010 I bought Maya for him!!


Maya in her old home.	Scott and Maya during a lunch break


One of our first rides with Maya!	On the stateline with Foxie and Maya!

Below are some pictures of various rides with friends and scenery. Brings back good memories! Click on the pics to make them enlarge.