Welcome!
Welcome to the tenth edition of the Sierra Ranch News! I apologize for the hiatus in our newsletter. Life seems to get in the way of us getting everything done that we want to do. Things have kinda calmed down around here and we hope to get back on a regular schedule.
Tell us what you where you plan on riding this Spring. As you can see from the calendar there are many options on places to ride and things to do. Let us know what information you would like to learn tips on horse keeping, latest horses for sale and any other info you find interesting. As always you can email me and let me know what might interest you to learn about.
Sierra Ranch Website!
The Sierra Ranch website is under construction. Please visit is and let us know what you think. I have been trying to get all the pages up and running, but also need to finish working on the Hooves for a Cure site. We will let you know when both are finished.
The HorseMatch.net CafePress store is up. Check out the link: http://www.cafepress.com/horsematch. I am working on getting calendars and posters on the store, probably for next year. You never know whose picture will be on the calendar. We also set up a store at Zazzle.com http://www.zazzle.com/horsematch They have really cool stuff. From shirts to shoes to skateboards! Look for more stuff to come along the way. We want to get our name out and about on the trails around Oklahoma and other places.
Look for more announcements on this coming soon!
Check this out!
New Mechanical Horse to Teach Advanced Dressage
This would be way cool, much more fun than the elliptical or a treadmill, but alas the price is way too high!
An interactive mechanical dressage horse has been launched that aims to get you riding like Anky van Grunsven without passing your bad habits on to a horse. The new simulator allows riders to practice movements including passage, piaffe and pirouette up to advanced level. To read the whole article, click the link below:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/competitionnews/388/275305.html?aff=rss
Runaway costs of horse rescue
We all knew this would happen, but this is a great article from the Seattle Times about several rescues in the NW US. I am sure we are all seeing the same problems in each part of the US. To read the whole article, click the link below:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008642351_horses18m.html
Horses Appear In the Inaugural Celebrations
The President’s Inaugural Parade has a long tradition of including horses in the festivities, and this year was no different. With more than 200 horses representing 10 teams from throughout the United States, riders helped make this historic celebration memorable. Participants spanned the spectrum from Culver Academies, which made its 15th appearance (their first was in 1913 for Woodrow Wilson), to the Southern Ohio Ladies Aside’s first. To read the whole article, click the link below:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=13483
Live and Learn (Equine Education Opportunities)
Winter is a great time to increase your horse knowledge, training, and skills. Colleges and universities across the country offer classes in virtually every aspect of horse management. Through special schools and programs, you can get the education and training you need to become an equine massage therapist, a farrier, or a veterinary technician, among other equine careers. To read the whole article, click the link below:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=12423
Upcoming Rides and Other Events
It’s time to send in events for the upcoming year. Send them to me or to the link on Oklahoma Horse Online. Many of these came from listing on www.oklahomahorseonline.com. Check it out!
February 7 Neosha Open Horse Show, Cleveland County Fairgrounds, 615 E Robinson, Norman OK. Hunter, English, Western, Halter classes. 918-251-5788 or www.neosha.com
February 13, 14, 15 EQUIFEST of Kansas 2009 World Class Clinicians, Sensational Shopping, and Exciting Equine Entertainment! Wichita, Kansas Coliseum. More Info: 765-655-2107, www.equinepromotions.net
February 13-16 Cedar Lake Trails Work Weekend, Cedar Lake Equestrian Camp, Heavener, OK. Free camping for those who are volunteering their time. Contact Teri Wyatt for more information tnwalkinghorsegirl@yahoo.com
February 13-15 Oklahoma Horse Fair, Duncan, OK. Admission is free all three days. Call 405-226-0630 or visit www.okhorsefair.com
February 21 Neosha Open Horse Show with AQHA Introductory classes. Stillwater Expo Center, Stillwater OK Hunter, English, Western, Halter classes. Halter classes will be first. Belt Buckle for AQHA Select High Point. Stalls $25-limited availability. Prepaid reservations due by Feb.14. 918-251-5788 or www.neosha.com.
March 6-8 Kerry Kuhn Practical Horsemanship Clinic, Cross Tie Ranch, Guthrie, OK. $150 per day, limit 10 riders. Call for early bird discount. Auditors $25. Call 866-672-5631, www.kerrykuhn.com
March 7 Duncan Lake Horse Club annual coggins test clinic, Duncan Lake Pavilion, Duncan, OK, 10 am until 2 pm all other shot and vaccines will be available from Connie McLemore, DVM. Duncan lake horse club will have a chili cook off at 5:30, Horse Club meeting at 6:30 Duncan Lake Pavilion. We will ride between these two events……every one welcome. Contact camelliafoster@hughes.net
March 17 Greater Oklahoma Paint Horse Club Show, Tulsa Fairgrounds Expedition Arena, Tulsa, OK. Offering a full showbill and the show starts at 9am. For more information, visit www.greateroklahomaphc.com
March 20-22 Oklahoma Land Run CTR, Stillwater, OK. A competitive trail ride sanctioned by North American Trail Ride Conf. www.natrc.org. Ride Manager, Don Rubley, 405-373-1387. Ride Sec. Kate Kearby, 205-620-4824
March 21 Neosha Open Horse Show, Cleveland County Fairgrounds, 615 E Robinson, Norman OK. Hunter, English, Western, Halter classes. 918-251-5788 or www.neosha.com
March 28-29 ODS Pilates for Dressage Symposium www.dressageoklahoma.org
March 28-April 5 Robbers Cave Work Weekends, Wilburton, OK. Oklahoma Equestrian Trail Riders Association, Member Meeting 5 p.m. March 28 OETRA designated Adopt-A-Trail. Jobs on foot or from saddle. Bring tools. Chm. Carolyn Sinclair Cell 918-429-3488; catbalou0012@yahoo.com, Asst. Chm. Harvey Sapp 918-371-8477.
April 3-5 Roman Nose Hills Trail Ride, Watonga, OK, Join us for a weekend of horseback riding and camping. This 2-6 hour guided trail ride, provided for horse owners, includes six meals, primitive camping and entertainment. Benefits Watonga Hospital Foundation. Cost is $50 per rider. Non-riders can purchase meal tickets. Contact Jeff Fritz 877-782-2395, E-mail: wmhpress@pldi.net Web site www.romannosehillstrailride.com
April 4 Neosha Open Horse Show, Cleveland County Fairgrounds, 615 E Robinson, Norman OK. Hunter, English, Western, Halter classes. 918-251-5788 or www.neosha.com
April 17-19 APHA Trail Ride, Horse Heaven Ranch, Talihina, OK. Book with Horse Heaven for your favorite cabin or RV site. Trail ride the beautiful Ouachita National Forest this spring also includes entertainment, and you’ll enjoy 5 tasty meals, door prizes and more. APHA For further information: Contact Cindy by e-mail at trailrides@apha.com or phone 817-222-6439. www.horseheavenranchresort.com
April 24-25 Duncan Lake Spring Trail Ride, Duncan Lake Horse Club, Duncan, OK. Fri. night meet and greet with a pot luck dinner at 7 p. m. $35.00 a rider. Sat 25th rides start at 10 a. m. and high noon bring a lunch for the 10 a. m. ride Dinner will be furnished on Sat. night. Sunday ride all out at 10 am. Breakfast will be served on Sun. morn. DLHC reserves the camp ground for this ride if you don’t pay us to ride you can not camp that week end. You may ride with us or do your own, all city fee apply camping, riding permits etc. paid to the city of Duncan. Gearld Franklin with Blacksmith and Forge with be on hand to make any thing you want or buy what he has on sale while you watch him work. Contact camelliafoster@hughes.net
April 24-26 J-D Annual Spring Mountain Trail Ride, Octavia, OK. Join us for great riding, good food and fun at our Spring Mountain Trail Ride. For our Annual Spring ride there will be an additional charge of $10 per person for each reservation, which will include: a full breakfast Saturday morning, dinner with entertainment Saturday night, and a light breakfast Sunday morning. Don’t forget to bring your favorite dish for the potluck dinner on Friday night. (580) 244-7261 www.j-dtrailriding.com
April 25-26 Introduction to Parelli Level 3 Patterns Clinic with 3 Star Parelli Instructor Christi Rains, Eclipse Stables, 13000 Hwy 105, Guthrie OK 9 AM -4 PM Clinic Information: Yvonne Thilsted 580-327-3132 yvonneshats@yahoo.com
May 2-3 Trail Work Weekend Arrowhead State Park, Lake Eufaula, OK. The Bad Girls Trail Riding Club (BGTRC) and the Oklahoma Equestrian Trail Riders Association (OETRA) have teamed up to have a work weekend at Arrowhead State Park to clean the trails that were destroyed and nearly lost due to the ice storm Pittsburg County had in 2007. We will be camping at the Equestrian Camp and a covered dish dinner will be served Saturday night. Everyone bringing a covered dish will receive a ticket for a door prize to be given away Saturday night. Please plan on attending and helping these two great clubs out in cleaning the trails that all of us will use. You will need to bring gloves, chain saws, bow saws, 4 wheelers, good walking boots, etc. (You know the drill) For more information please contact Linda Polansky with BGTRC 918-519-6916 or Milt Alexander with OETRA 918.706.8439. Your help will be greatly appreciated!
May 9-10 Bad Girls Trail Riding Club Poker Run, Arrowhead State Park. Contact Linda Polansky 918-519-6916 .
May 23-25 Memorial Day Weekend Ride, Octavia, OK (580) 244-7261 www.j-dtrailriding.com
May 30 Greater Oklahoma Paint Horse Club Summer Show, Tulsa Fairgrounds Expedition Arena, Tulsa, OK. Offering a full showbill and the show starts at 9am. For more information, visit www.greateroklahomaphc.com
May 30 Neosha Open Horse Show, Cleveland County Fairgrounds, 615 E Robinson, Norman OK. Hunter, English, Western, Halter classes. 918-251-5788 or www.neosha.com
June 5-7 National Trails Day Ride, Robbers Cave Equestrian Trails, Wilburton, OK, Oklahoma Equestrian Trail Riders Association, Member Meeting 5 p.m., June 6, Friday Night – Meet and Greet Guided rides, Saturday night covered dish dinner Co-chairs Eva Lambert lambert1249@msn.com 405-386-4246 Terri Folks trfolks@cox.net 405-348-1397 www.oetra.com
June 13-14 14th Annual City Slickers Trail Ride Sponsored by The Bad Girls Trail Riding Club, Bell Cow Lake, Chandler. Karaoke with Rick Stowers, and City Slickers Belt Buckle Raffle ($1/ticket). Registration before June 1st is $25.00 each. Registration after June 1st is $30.00 each. Children under 12 are $10.00. Registration includes camping fees for Friday and Saturday nights, Saturday evening entertainment! For information check out: <https://www.sierraranchok.com/bgtrc/cityslicker.html> for flyers and registration forms. DON’T MISS OUT ON THIS GREAT RIDE! Children under 6 must be accompanied and supervised by an adult. ORIGINAL current negative coggins a MUST – No stallions. No alcohol on the trails – horses should be shod. For further information please contact Pam Godfrey (Founder) @ 918-756-7644 (home) or 918-639-8501 (cell).
October 4th, 2008 – 2nd Annual Hooves for a Cure Charity Trail Ride, J-D Trail Riding Camp, Octavia, OK – Come ride in the beautiful Kiamichi Mountains and help raise money to fight breast cancer. Ride fee is $10 with a potluck dinner on Saturday Night, Silent Auction, and Raffle Drawing. Come for the day or spend the entire weekend! (Camping fees not included in ride fee) Non-riders are also welcome! Located just 10 miles East of Honobia on Hwy 144. For camping reservations, contact Jo Harrington (580)244-7261, or visit www.j-dtrailriding.com . For ride information, contact Andrea Fowler (918)231-9911, afowler@trustok.com. For more information about Hooves for a cure, visit our website at www.Hoovesforacure.com Wear PINK and put pink on your horse!
Riding Lessons
Leasing versus Buying
By Rick Stowers
Check out Rick’s Riding Lessons at http://www.horsematch.net/Rickstowers.html
Leasing is a great option to learn more about the horse and see if you match. It is different than a lesson horse in that you are the only person riding the horse. It’s a great way to see if you really want to own the horse without taking that step of actually buying the horse.
We know many horse people that only use their horses in the spring and fall, then they are left to fend for themselves in summer and winter. Wouldn’t it be better for both human and equine if the horse was leased rather than owned? Then the horse gets the same quality of care all year long as with every horse at Sierra Ranch.
The rider gets a saddle that fits both the rider and the horse. Lessons, transportation to local riding events, as well as attending trail rides with us are also included in the cost of a lease. If your ability increases then you can move to a more challenging horse for the same cost. You are still the only one to ride this horse, so that you can develop a great relationship with them.
Here at Sierra Ranch we prepare folks to begin horse ownership. We know many folks have never owned a horse, let alone an ex racing TB. These wonderful horses require some special care, just as they require a particular rider. We strive not only to make good matches, but responsible owners. We want each rider to know the limitations and expectations of the horse they are riding. And how to care for them if they choose to purchase one.
And is you happen to match perfectly with one of our horses and over time develop that wonderful bod then ownership is a possibility. But you have gotten to know if horse ownership is something you want and can fit into your life without the expense of buying a horse and then the cost of selling if things change.
We hope you enjoy our philosophy and will come visit Sierra Ranch.
LET’S GO RIDING TODAY!!!!
Comments
Let us know how you liked this issue. And again let us know about what you want to hear about. We want to make this newsletter for our clients, friends, and families. See you out riding!
Thanks,
Deb and Rick Stowers