The Way Forward

Since returning back to Australia I have been anxiously looking for somewhere for me and the horses to move to.  Still no luck as not many properties are happy to accommodate 6 horses unfortunately.  In between all this searching and as a result of the changes that seemed to occur in me during my time away, my relationship with my horses has changed dramatically.  

Initially on the day I returned I excitedly dropped my suitcase and ran into the paddock to call the mares down from the mountain.  As always, Scout was the first to come galloping down and whinnied an excited  greeting then stood beside me sniffing me and asking for pats.  Sienna, Lacey and Kiowa came next and I was shocked to receive a very angry greeting from Lacey.  When she recognised me she pinned her ears at me reared up and then turned away.  This is the same angry reaction she gives Scout on her return whenever Scout and I go out for a little while.  Lacey very much sees me as a mother figure and treats me that way and she seemed downright furious with me for leaving for so long.  After a few days she was back to normal again and I found the whole process fascinating.  

There is such a huge difference in the behaviour of this breed to any other horse I have ever come across.  I am learning each and every day that I spend with my Spanish Mustangs.  All the horses have seemed a little out of sorts over the past couple of months and I to am quite unsettled and anxious about finding the perfect place for us to move to.  I had a shock encounter with my brumby mare Sienna a few weeks ago.  I walked into the paddock to go and greet the horses.  Scout walked over to me and asked for a scratch.  Sienna is a strong alpha mare amongst the group and Scout is often testing and challenging her of late.  This particular day as I was patting Scout, Sienna came over and Scout snaked her head and pinned her ears at Sienna trying to keep her away from me.  It all happened so quickly and next I knew Sienna had spun around and was kicking violently.  I received a solid blow to my arm and then another to the back of my leg as I ran away.  I was in shock.  In all the years I have had Sienna, even when she was extremely traumatised and wild after her capture and time at the doggers, she has never once shown me any ounce of aggression.  I respect her for who she is and have made sure I do not take away that spirit that she holds so dear.  It is for this reason that I don't ride her much.  She seems to enjoy long walks we take together and if I get tired she is more than happy to carry me but I felt deeply sometime ago that this was not the path that would suit Sienna in this life.  So she remains the strong herd leader and takes her role at home very seriously.  I still am unsure about why I received these kicks from her however it was a wake up call to set some boundaries about allowing this sort of behaviour whilst I am standing with them.  The next day I made the decision to place myself above Sienna in the herd and that any fighting that may occur must happen away from me.  

I don't ever need a halter or lead on Sienna to communicate effectively and within minutes she was following my body movements and dropping in behind me, accepting me as leader.  She  now seems to appreciate my role in the herd and often times will follow me around the entire property staring mesmerised when I stop to do something.  The mares all seem much calmer now and the aggression has subsided amongst them.

Just the other day I was patting Scout in the paddock and the other horses stayed back a respectful distance.  This is a big and positive change to the usual clamouring for attention.  One by one they laid down around me.  First Lacey, then Sienna then I laid down and Scout laid down close beside me.  We all napped together in the morning sun while Kiowa stood watch.  After sometime Sienna got up and came and stood over me allowing Kiowa a turn to sleep.  Scout was flat out beside me making soft whinnies as she dreamt, her big legs twitching as she ran over some imagined plains in her dreams.

Those are the treasured moments where I am deeply grateful for the trust and relationship I have with these horses.

Since I have changed my position amongst the herd Scout and I have come a long way.  I have been doing more training with her and am amazed by what we are achieving together.  I give her the option as to whether she wants to work or not by opening the roundyard gate and allowing her to go in or not.  She knows this is where we do our riding and groundwork and most times she has chosen to participate of late.  I continue to ride her bareback until we have perfected our communcation between us.  She is such a joy to work with and the more we do together, the stronger our bond grows.  She is a truly remarkable horse and I hope to get some video of our progress soon.

I recently took Lacey and Kiowa to the beach.  We had a wonderful day and they both had a lovely time splashing in the sea.  Here are some pictures taken that day.

Lacey exploring at the beach

Watching other horses arriving

Time to get wet

Beautiful Kiowa

Having fun!

 

Finish off with a good roll

USA Adventures Part 6 - Grey Feather and the Little Cayuse Ranch

We started the very long drive back down from Minnesota to New Mexico via Utah!  All up during the trip we drove over 10000 kilometres.  It was quite exhausting but I had well and truly mastered driving on the opposite side of the road by then.  We saw so much beautiful wildlife, stunning landscapes and of course horses along the way. 

Grey Feather racing the feed truck

I was very excited to get back to New Mexico to see Donna, Jim and Sierra again and of course Grey Feather.  She was more captivating and beautiful than ever and I spent a long time watching her.  During the days I would do some work haltering her, asking her to yield her hindquarters, forequarters etc and of course just getting to know each other.  She is very sensitive, intelligent and curious which was pure joy to when it came to groundwork.  She is incredibly quick to learn and I have no doubt that we will go a long way together.  

I watched one day when the horse trailer was backed into a space in one of the yards to allow the mares to get used to it.  I was very surprised to look from the house to see Grey Feather loading herself into the trailer, standing then coming out a number of times.  One of the other fillies, Josee was watching all this and came over to investigate.  Grey Feather seemed to like her new audience and quickly lept into the trailer, then backed out turning her head to see if Josee was watching.  She did this a number of times before finally staying in there and having a nap!  Needless to say she travels very well! 

I had a wonderful time at the Little Cayuse Ranch and am so grateful for the hospitality that was shown to us.  It is rare to find people who open their home and hearts to strangers and this is exactly what Donna, Jim and Sierra did for us.  The time spent there will be engraved in my memory for along time.  I learnt a lot, laughed a lot and bonded with my beautiful filly.

Azor Neosho

During my final week in the USA I received an offer of assistance to help me bring a Cayuse Ranch stallion out.  I eagerly accepted and after a few phone calls the powerful, kind grulla stallion I had admired the day I was at the Cayuse was set to join me and my mares in Australia.  

This was more than I could ever have hoped for and I am thrilled to finally be able to offer future Spanish Mustang foals to people in Australia and New Zealand.  The Spanish Mustang will be a powerful presence in Australasia.  Scout and Lacey have thrived since being here and I am certain they have a huge future in this part of the world which will hopefully one day assist in the Spanish Mustang being removed from the critically endangered list.  My hope is that they will be around for future generations to experience the depth and magic that a relationship with a Spanish Mustang brings anyone who shares a bond with them.

Sahara & Grey Feather

Sunset at the Little Cayuse Ranch

USA Adventures - Part 5

I was extremely excited  to go and meet Leslie at Twin Hollows and to see Laceys beautiful sire - Renegade Shadow.  I bought Scout from Leslie in 2008 and we have stayed in touch nearly every week since then so it was very fun to finally meet face to face.  

I didn't think it possible, but Shadow is even more spectacular than I could have imagined.  I was so impressed with him in every way.  He has a very sweet temperament and there is no faulting his conformation.  I took my tools with me and gave him a hoof trim whilst I was there and he was such a good boy.  This stallion really is a rare find.  His second foal was born a few weeks before we arrived and this colt is all quality with a bold and people friendly nature.  

Below: Storm and Rose

 We spent some time with all the mares as well and they were all in beautiful condition and were eager for  attention, particularly Storm, a lovely blue/black sabino mare and Rose, a very sweet and pretty white appaloosa mare.  Rheta is a mare that I have admired for sometime and she was also spectacular to see.  She is certain to produce an incredible foal with Shadow in the near future.  She has a lovely soft and quiet way about her and is a beautiful, proud mare.

We decided to visit a couple more ranch's and Leslie kindly came with us to see Nancy at Free Spirit Spanish Mustangs in Wisconsin.  Nancy was a delight to meet and I was very pleased to see her lovely stallion American Yellow Fox.  What an impressive horse he is!  We then went on to Zen Cowboys to see Wes and Janes horses.  Hurrah, a smokey black 3 year old stallion was very eager for attention and he was kind and gentle and a wonderful mover.  His full sister Lucita is a lovely red dun mare that I would have loved to have bought home with me!  After we left Zen Cowboys, it was time to start the long journey back down to New Mexico to spend 10 days working with Grey Feather.

Our visit with Leslie seemed far to short and I hope to get back there one day soon.  If anyone is looking for a stallion quality Spanish Mustang colt, I would urge you to contact Twin Hollows regarding Ronya, the colt born this year.  Their website is http://www.twinhollows.com

The magnificent stallion - Renegade Shadow (Silver Shadow x Faith)

Ronya - Renegade Shadow x Little Dove

USA Adventures - Part 4

We got up the following day and started our drive out to the Windcross Conservancy to meet Lucy.    Eventually we found Lucy's place and I noted it immediately when I saw the zebra dun stallion Syndicated Copper in the front pasture.  I stopped the car to take a closer look at him and he lifted his head and peered through his forelock at me curiously.  What a sweetheart!  He was with some lovely gelding and yearling colts and although I was eager to spend some time with them, we drove down the driveway to introduce ourselves to Lucy.  

Lucy's mum was there and we chatted for a short time before Lacey pulled up and introduced herself then took us to see Dunsmoke Reno - grulla roan stallion and a young colt of his.  The colt had not been on the property long and was still nervous however was warming quickly to Lacey.  He is a very nice colt and I am sure will mature into a lovely horse.  Unfortunately I forgot to get photos of him.

Then it was on to see the mares and foals.  They were an extremely friendly group of quality horses and they all had a fondness for standing inside a giant metal pipe that was in the paddock.  The fillys were eager for lots of attention and I had fun obliging them.  Miss Chato was willing for a pat or two as well.  She is a lovely mare from Caballo De Destino.  We spent quite awhile in this pasture and it was very hard to drag ourselves away from these horses.  Kitty Belle was incredibly sweet and she had an outstanding colt from Reno with her.

Lastly we visited with the lovely Copper and the geldings and colt he lived with.  Copper has the sweetest, loving temperament and is such a gentle stallion.  He also loved all the attention that we gladly gave him.

Lucy very kindly gave me some lessons regarding Spanish conformation and talked me through the bloodlines of alot of the horses.  After a wonderful dinner with Lucy it was time for the drive back to the hotel.  We reluctantly left that evening and then planned for our next leg of the trip out to see Leslie at Twin Hollows in Minnesota.

This mare is such a stunning horse that really got my attention!

Wild Flower (Chief Crazy Horse x Cat Ballou) and her 2010 colt by Dunsmoke Reno

 

The mares all waiting for a turn to have a nap in the pipe

Reno's 2009 colts and one of the geldings having a play













Syndicated Copper (Texas Pony Syndicate x Mexi Jo)

USA Adventures - Part 3

My visit to Many Ponies in South Dakota was a delight.  What a colourful array of Spanish Mustangs!   Melanie and Marisa took us on a wonderful tour to meet all the horses. We visited the 4 stallions first and I was happy to see them all running together.  I was very impressed with how MP Will Rogers is maturing.  He has such a sweet nature also.  Blue Gambler's first foals were very imrpressive and I am eager to see how they mature. Mister Sandman's attributed alot of colour this year which was a difference to all the buckskin duns he produced the year before.. 

 

Mister Sandman - Bright Chief x Nina De Cenzina

 

After seeing the stallions we went out to a beautiful large pasture to find the geldings.  After a lovely drive around the property seeing some incredible views across the neighbouring properties, we found the geldings in the corner near the wooded area.  They put on wonderful display which allowed for some terrific photo opportunities.

The geldings and colts

The white horse in the back of this picture is a stallion prospect and he has the sweetest nature.  I spent a little while being investigated by him and then giving him pats and scratches.  They were all very happy to come and say hello.

Levi, Ceasar & Baxter

Then after sometime with the boys weheaded on over to see the mares and foals.  I was excited to see the foals, in particular a blue colt by Blue Gambler out of Bluebelle that I had seen pictures of.

On arrival to the mare pasture we were greeted by the very lovely and super affectionate mare Mirage.  This mare is amazing and has to be a part of anything that is going on around people.  She is adorable and I ended up with a number of photos like this due to her thinking she needed to be the centre of attention ALL the time and popping her head into frame.

The foals were so beautiful and I quickly spotted Bluebelle's colt and was VERY impressed with him.  I am keen to see how he matures.  He has a lovely shoulder and something about him really draws attention.  Here are some of the many pictures I took of him.

MP Blue Gambler x MP Bluebelle 2010 colt

The other mares foals were beautiful also and here are some pictures of them. 

Mister Sandman x Ghost Woman- red dun overo sabino filly

Mister Sandman x Butterscotch - red dun overo colt

MP Will Rogers x Dakota Dream Maker - black medicine hat colt

 

MP Will Rogers x MP Day Dream - blue/black  sabino filly

 

Mister Sandman x Sioux Queen - Red dun colt

This filly is a stunning girl.  She has such a lovely head and a sweet expression. Unfortunately I didn't get any great pictures of her.

Mister Sandman x Medora - bay overo filly

After spending sometime with the mares and foals it was time to thank Melanie and Marisa and head back to the hotel.  We had a fabulous time seeing the Many Ponies horses and were looking forward to meeting Lucy the next day at the Windcross Conservancy to see more Spanish Mustangs.  

Many Ponies have a number of wonderful foals and horses for sale.  Their website is http://www.manyponies.com

to be continued .....

USA Adventures - Part 2

We hit the road armed with the trusty GPS and drove to Colorado.  It was amazing seeing how quickly the scenery changed from the desert landscape to snow capped mountains.  We spent the night in Durango then drove into Silverton and wandered around a few of the shops.  From there we headed up to Grand Lake where I had stayed a few years earlier when I was travelling around doing barefoot trimming courses.

It was as beautiful as I remembered it being and we spent two nights there awaiting the road through Estes Pass to open.  It was nice to take some time to relax, walk around enjoying the scenery and wildlife which included elk and moose.  We were still suffering from jetlag at this stage and the altitude was also taking its toll.  Despite this I enjoyed the Colorado Rockies immensely.  

We drove through Estes Pass and were amazed at all the snow and the beautiful mountains that seemed to go on forever.  

After a wonderful time in Colorado we then moved on up into Wyoming.  I was so excited to finally be able to see the Cayuse Ranch and meet Josie and the horses.  I spent a very memorable day seeing all the incredible horses that I had admired in photos for so long.  Seeing them all in person in their vast home environment was awe inspiring.  Josie knew each and every one of them by name and her passion and love for them was clearly evident.  

I was thrilled to be able to see Grey Feathers sire and dam and her brothers that were also running on the ranch.  Grey Feather has taken alot of traits from her magnificent sire I'Kkitsi Peta (Grey Eagle).  She moves just like him and has the same powerful presence as he does.

I'Kkitsi Peta - Injun x Little Pacer

After seeing the stallions and their mares and foals we drove over to see the batchelor stallions.  There are 18 all up and they are the replacement stallions for the herd sires that have either passed away or are older.  There are some magnificent horses in this bunch and I was excited to see them all.

The first group we came across were a friendly lot.  I was immediately drawn to a jet black colt that is a Payaso son.  He has the sweetest temperament and was loving all the attention.  Then we went on to see a 4 year old Rambler son and a Chato's Shadow son.  Josie informed me the Rambler son is for sale and I looked him over approvingly.  He is a very nice colt!

 

Rambler x Lonesome Oshoto (left) Chatos Shadow x Mountain Mist (right)

Next we came across a stallion who is a Chief Masada son.  He was calmly meandering alone across the pasture.

 
Chief Masada son

We then headed further up the rise where a group of colts came running towards us being pushed on by a handsome dark grulla stallion.  There was another lovely 4 year old Rambler colt amongst them who is also for sale.  He seemed to have an inquisitive nature and his coat had an incredible golden shine to it.

Rambler x Wyoming Dusk

Also in the group was a beautiful Seqouyah son who had the same unusual blue colouring as his sire.  He is a very beautiful stallion  with fantastic conformation and I am eager to see what he produces in the future.

The dark grulla walked up to me and stood allowing me to pat and admire him.  He was a powerful horse and I was really taken with him.  I eventually walked away from him to go and see two grulla stallions further up the rise.  I photographed the two grullas and walked in to start patting one of them.  He stood lapping up the attention and then suddenly took fright and they both bolted off down the valley.  I turned around to see the dark grulla cantering up ears back telling the two stallions to leave in a very clear manner.  He chased them down the little valley and then quickly returned and stood very proud on a rocky outcrop.  Wow! What a display and what an incredible horse.  I thought to myself had I not have seen Grey Feather this handsome stallion might very well have been coming home with me.

Azor x Lonesome Prairie

Next we left and went on to see the yearling and two year old colts and fillies.  There are some lovely horses there but the silver grulla caught my eye immediately.  He looked so much like Grey Feather and Josie confirmed that he was in fact her full brother.

Grey Feathers brother (centre) 2 year old colt

After we had seen all the horses on the property I thanked Josie and Jim and reluctantly left the ranch with many fond memories.


A few more pictures of the Cayuse Ranch horses

 Batchelor stallion

Grey Feather's dam - Prairie Feather with her new all white colt

Rambler - Chief Crazy Horse x Yellow Rose














A Rambler 2010 foal

Sundowner - Jack Slade x Esperenza  

Still looking magnificent at 22 years old!

The Cayuse Ranch have a number of horses available for sale.  Contact them for more information http://www.cayuseranch.com

USA Adventures - Part 1

I left Australia 21st May headed for the USA in search of a Spanish Mustang stallion to bring home to Australia. After a very rough flight (mental note- never sit in the tail end of the plane!) I arrived in LA and stayed there the night before catching a flight out to Albuqurque the following day. In Albuqurque, I picked up the hire car and set out cautiously trying to get used to driving on the opposite side of the road. My lovely mother had joined me for the trip and was kindly giving me lots of encouragement as I gingerly started driving out of the airport. Her tight grip of the door handle relayed how I was feeling at the time.

At the last minute before leaving Australia, I had organised to stop by and stay one night at the Little Cayuse Ranch in New Mexico. I absolutely loved New Mexico and it stark desert scenery. Looking around I thought to myself what perfect country this was to raise horses on. The condition of the horses at the Little Cayuse Ranch confirmed this for me. On arrival we went out to the back paddocks to see some of the mares. I was awestruck at the presence and beauty of these horses. The Spanish Mustang just seem to command attention and these mares were no different.

Desi and Silver Wind rushing in to greet us

















The mares were friendly and eager for attention. They were in wonderful condition and clearly thriving in this desert environment. Tundra, the beautiful yellow dun with the bald face, held back and assessed us from a distance. She soon decided we were ok and came in for a closer inspection. She comes from Seqouyah lines and has that beautiful conformation he stamped on all his offspring. She has an ethereal energy and a reserved way about her. She commands respect without even trying and I felt humbled in her presence.

Yellow Tundra - Seqouyah x Misprint












I then noticed a beautiful roan mare named Shawnee Moon. This mare is a pure sweetheart.  She has a kind eye and the temperament to match. I stepped back and looked at her conformation. Stunning!!! She is a solid mare with a perfectly rounded hip and arched neck that allows easy self carriage. She followed us as we walked to the water trough, soft breath on my back, staying close behind me. She seemed to relish in the attention she was receiving and I was happy to oblige her!

Shawnee Moon - Azor x Lonesome Prarie



Then it was time to head back to the house and see the other horses. We pulled into the driveway and walked over to a yard beside the big barn. There were four horses in there, a dun overo mare, a bay roan mare, a chesnut sabino filly and a grulla filly.


I stared transfixed at the grulla filly and I think my jaw may also have dropped. She was absolutely stunning and her energy was light and magical. She was cautious and very sensitive but with a fire inside her that spoke of an incredible strength of character. It was immediate and without question that this filly was to come home with me. I did not even know if she was for sale at that minute but I did know that she was the one and never once faultered on that thought throughout my entire trip. She was not the stallion I had intended to bring home but life has showed me time and time again even my best laid plans will take a turn when instinct kicks in and the flow of my destined life's path steps in to take me on the journey that is meant for me this time around.

The filly's name is Grey Feather. She is cautious of people at first and likes to be approached quietly. She allowed me to stroke her face and I slowly moved down to her neck and gave her a good scratch which she seemed to enjoy. I watched her for a long time with the other horses. She was challenging Red, a lovely mare who was firm about her lead position amongst the herd. Grey Feather didn't back down and there were a few good scuffles happening amongst the pair.


Grey Feather - I'kkitsi Peta x Prarie Feather


I reluctantly left the yard and headed inside to get better aquainted with Donna, Jim and Sierra. We had a lovely evening starting with a wonderful home cooked Mexican meal. We spent alot of time talking horses and showing photos of Spanish Mustangs.

That night I didn't sleep to well as I was thinking alot about Grey Feather. I spoke to Donna the following morning about purchasing her and I then reluctantly left the ranch to start the long journey North.