I purchased Link fall 08 off the track; he is now my up-and-coming future jumper.  He is probably the most challenging horse I have ever had the pleasure of learning from - he is very high energy and came with a whole plethora of emotional issues.  However he has since turned around nicely into a responsive, sensitive partner who has finally learnt to trust and relax.  Currently, we are working on dressage and have started schooling jumpers.  Thus far he is coming along fabulously - we are very impressed with his mind and responsiveness, as well as his athleticism and competitive edge.  He is currently even doing bridleless work!  Link is certainly quite the character and an absolute joy to work with!

 

 

Bonanza Bar Freckles (QH) x Lady Dianna (Quarab)

 

Homebred and raised on our ranch at the time, I started riding and competing on Silver as a 4yo.  He was actually intended to be my dad's next cowhorse, however soon after we moved off the ranch I found myself in need of a more athletic horse.  Dad generously offered me Silver (after 30 or so days of Silver being started under-saddle) and from that day forward, Silver became my trustworthy partner.  A very high energy horse, Silver is now my highest level horse (Parelli Level 4 in some areas, including "freestyle" under-saddle work).  He is my been-there-done-that horse who has obliged me in everything from Pony Club (jumping, dressage), to 4H (western events), to working cattle (his fav), to parades (ie. 2009 Calgary Stampede) and working as a Pony horse on the Thoroughbred track spring 2008 (not exactly his favourite, though he seemed to enjoy the athletic workout and teaching the youngsters how to gallop, just not having such big youngsters crowding him at his side, being ponied!).

 

 

 

Formaat (KWPN) x Lady Dianna (Quarab)

 

Purchased as a foal and out of the same dam as Silver, I started working with Koolaid as a foal.  He is the horse who pushed me into Natural Horsemanship - he's not called a renegade for no reason!  I have to credit him for pushing me into NH when 'traditional' techniques did not work with him.  I originally started him under-saddle myself while in 4H, but he soon proved to be quite the (dangerous) challenge, to the point where I hated going to the barn but forced myself to anyways, for his sake (I couldn't bear to sell him).  Eventually we figured it out (okay, well I did, haha - I get the feeling Koolaid had it all figured out from the start!) and started to establish a partnership.  We later continued on to do a lot of schooling over jumps (his love!) and a little basic dressage.  He is a fabulous horse on whom I have done a little showing and whom is now another of my highest level horses (Level 4 in some areas, including liberty work).  He is great in the mountains as well and is my most trustworthy mount if I need a horse to throw green, beginner, or young riders on.  I would love to get into the dressage and jumping rings with him as well, given time.  For now, I am just enjoying his great company and how much he has taught me over the years.

 

 

 

Heritage unknown (grade), likely QH-bred

 

Cody joined our herd late summer 2009 after I originally went out to do a training assessment on him.  His owner eventually decided however to give him to a good home rather than have him trained for herself, as he was presenting a lot of potentially-risky challenges.  He had been previously abused by his very original owner and thus was very distrustful of humans and very fearful in general.  I consented to taking him and trucked him on up to Drayton Valley with me (along with Link and Silver) to work on a ranch for a month and a half, to see what he was all about and if he could be turned around for re-sale.  I ended up having to rely upon him as my main horse though, and he pulled through to impress me beyond imagination!  His very first day out (and maybe his fourth time under-saddle with me - he had not been ridden for a good month prior and was very green) we travelled 4km down busy road/highway prior to arriving at our destination and searching four quarter section parcels for cattle.  Without question, he tramped through endless areas of deep bog, picked his way carefully through bush, navigated up and down steep terrain, stood where I laid my reins down, and faced down cattle.  At several points, I had no idea if what I asked of him was even possible, but he found a way to get it done each time.  I started using him on a regular basis as my main man and even gathered cattle on him on our own, though it was obvious he had never dealt with cattle before.  He stood for hours while we built corral despite young heifers crowding him, he packed me around for miles for some long, hard, and hot days, and tried his best at everything I asked, always stepping out without pause.  Within the first day he developed the confidence to trot, and within a few more days he was cantering rather relaxedly through the hills.  Though he came incredibly hard-mouthed, within our first day together he developed such responsiveness as to move off my leg and respond to the lightest touch of the rein.

 

He continues to come along great, developing confidence and curiosity as well as trust, and is even doing some amazing liberty work on the ground at the moment!  He is amazingly sensitive and responsive and very willing; he tries so hard for his rider and is always asking me questions and trying to anticipate my next move.  He thinks each situation through and is virtually unflappable to anything that goes on around him.  Time willing, I would like to do a little reining and/or cattle work with this guy (amazing stop on this horse!!)!  Currently we are both delving into a bit of reining already.  He may always carry remnants of his prior treatment, only time will tell, however he will have a home for life during which to forget his past.  We have all fallen head over heels for this amazing little horse, so he is here to stay.  My dad has taken an especial shine to this handsome young guy, so Cody will remain his.  Since I technically stole his cowhorse (Silver), I figure I owe Dad a horse anyways ;P

 

 

 

Sonny is my mom's partner whom she purchased off the track as a 3yo Sept. 2007.  He was bred and raced on the Alberta A-track, but proved to not be all that competitive or fast.  Funny story: he was the only horse I ever groomed with whom I was forced to restrict hay - the little bugger would get fat, despite training and racing!  He is also the horse who would untie himself in his stall (I'd tie him while he wore his magnetic blanket), then stand as if he were still tied, without moving a muscle...causing passer-by's quite the double take when they realised he was 'faking' being tied.  My mom purchased him and in doing so found her perfect match.  I have been doing a little work on him here and there and he spent spring 2009 with a trainer who was set up in Kananaskis country.  Sonny is turning out to be a fantastic pleasure/trail horse for my mom and has never had a single soundness issue.  Not only is he honest, but he adapts his energy levels to suit the rider on his back.  He is responsive, sensitive, playful, and very intelligent.  He also moves like a dressage-bred Warmblood!

 

 

 

Wallenstein (Han) x Keira (Hano x TB)

 

I purchased Soraya (formerly Whiz) from Cralin Meadows Hanoverians February 2010, though will not be bringing her home (to AB) from BC until Sept/Oct 2010.  She is to be my next up-and-coming GP-level show jumper prospect, to take up alongside/slightly after Link (to the highest level possible we can achieve).  She is bold, smart, and very confident, but also extremely responsive and sensitive; I cannot wait to start working with her this fall!!  Soraya will be worked on the ground all this winter then will be started lightly under-saddle as a 4yo spring 2011; she will eventually do a couple years of dressage prior to commencing her career in show jumping.

 

Soraya carries the excellent bloodlines of Pik Koenig, Winchester, and Wodan and has many successful half-siblings (Wallenstein) who compete as Medal horses.  Wallenstein passes on a great, amateur-friendly mind that I anticipate Soraya will also pass on.  I am very excited about not only the potential of this young filly, but also about her future foals!!