Riding Curlies with my son, Andrew

Hello everyone,

I hope your Thanksgiving Day was wonderful. I had a special treat with my sons visiting and was able to get our middle son, Andrew, to jump in the saddle and go for a trail ride today. Andrew rode Jubliee's Curly J and I saddled up with Chester. It was great to ride a few of my favorite Curlies with a wonderful and fun son on a beautiful sunny, Texas day.

First, we warmed the fellas up walking around the outdoor arena while chatting and catching up on each others lives. Soon we were walking together on the trail in a brisk pace. It's great riding with younger folks. They have so much energy and are interested in the leaning more about the world around them. 





They also see things differently and helps remind you of how you saw life you when you were their age.

Thankfully, the young ones, Andrew and Jubliee's Curly J waited for the older ones, Chester and mama.

I really enjoy the moments I spend with my sons and enjoy sharing the exciting events in their lives. I will always cherish these times.

Best wishes from our family to yours on this wonderful Thanksgiving Day...

Angie

Learning to gracefully, ground mount :)

Hello everyone,

Lakota and I have been spending more time together on our beautiful East Texas trails. He is a very versatile fella. After a ride with Lakota one day a good friend Lynn says... "he must have been trained as a reining horse and boy is he smooth". 

When we are exploring he really gets into what's going on around him. He becomes your partner and seems to enjoy the ride as much as you.

A few weeks back he and I and a friend were out checking the fences to make sure those curious and hungry cows didn't cross into our "horse quality hay" pasture. We worked on getting the cows back in and sure enough as we were working I dropped my cell phone. So I needed to dismount and pick it up.  Well, folks coming from an English background and using a mounting block for years this old lady has been spoiled. Not to mention, I need to stretch me 'ol muscles even when I use a mounting block. Lakota is a tall fella and I thought man I will never get back in that saddle. He seemed to sense my concern. At first, he was nervous too! Can't say that I blame him. Then I slowed down and took a deep breathe, talking softly and letting him know I needed his help. We managed....it sure wasn't pretty and I'm sure couldn't have been less graceful .......but we did it! 

Best wishes from Texas...

Angie

Angie and Chester take a different kind of walk

Hello All,

Well, I am not sure if this qualifies for our RAC contest but it definitely  qualities for " Real Adventures with Curlies."  Tonight, after getting everyone in their stalls, watered and fed, I pulled up the pickup truck and trailer to load Chester. On Thursday nights we head for the barrel race at S&S Arena. 

He hesitated, but we talked a bit, he smelled and nibbled at the grain and finally said; sure, why not. Running a bit late, I jumped out and opened the front gate. Pulling out of the driveway I noticed, in the side mirror the front tire on the left side of the trailer looking a bit soft and going flat. Not ready to give up hope for the nights activities I decided to move forward and get air at the local gas station on the highway. Well, after driving about two and a half miles I turned around because by that time the tire was dangerously close to coming off the rim. I headed back to the ranch thinking the worst thoughts and realizing Chester was loaded on the left stall, I decided not to chance it and stopped the truck. I walked up the neighbors house, explained the situation and asked if I could leave the truck and trailer overnight and come back for it in the morning. Sure, the sweet lady responded, no problem.

I went back locked up the truck and grabbed my handbag. Then I opened the trailer for Chester. He looked around as if to say; we aren't at the arena are we?" I thought for minute about tacking him and riding back but dismissed it as I have seen how fast folks drive this county road....and it was already getting dark.

Well, if I could have a companion on a beautiful autumn evening walk it would be Chester. We encountered fast driving cars who barely gave us room when they past. Loud 4X4 flatbed trucks loaded with big round bales of hay. When the cars came zooming by Chester and I stepped into the tall grass  on the side of the road to avoid being hit and discovered there was a whole new world  there. In addition to the trash, there was a rat being chased a cat...and I am sure there was a few snakes but didn't want to look:) Squirrels ran across the road and jumped into the trees growing at the edge of the fields.

We passed by homes with big loud dogs and tiny, squeaky ones. As we got closer to our place our neighbor's Paso Fino, Galleria, came over to the fence to talk to Chester. She was delighted he was passing through and I was a tab bit nervous at the event. But, Chester listened to his mama when I explained we were in a hurry and he could not chat. The neighbor across the way has five beautiful horses and they, too, came running up to see us. Again, I grew tense and asked Chester to be strong and not give into peer pressure. What a wonderful stallion he was! 

We continued on our way and watched the sky turn a beautiful shade of pink and blue. I wish I had my camera for it seemed the perfect background setting for our walk.  

When we arrived at our place and I opened the gate, I realized our walk gave me a new respect for my Curly Stallion. He was a real sweetheart and we encountered new things on our journey back home that we dont pay attention to when we just saddle up and ride in an arena. Chester listened to me as a partner even though I wasn't in the saddle. It was worth missing the barrel race to be at one with my wonderful Curly Chester. Well, gotta go and get the tire fix...it's another day at the ranch.

Angie

Curly pony brings sunshine to little girls in Texas

Hello all,

A few weeks ago, I had the most wonderful opportunity to help a Curly pony nick-named Cheetoe find a loving forever home. He quickly became the sunshine of two little girl's world.

Tuesday evening Cheetoe, his friend Hayden and her Grandmother came over to our place for a ride in the arena. We rode together, two Curly ponies and a Quarter horse.

Hayden, Cheetoe's new friend has a beautiful cheerful laugh and you could hear her enthusiasm for miles.We plan to ride together every Tuesday evening . 

Angie and all the Curly ponies friends in Texas

Happy Endings....

I watched as two little girls dressed in pink jackets and rainboots closed their eyes tight, wanting very hard to peek, as their grandmother held their hands and led them out to the barn. Opening their eyes, Hayden and Lani grinned from ear to ear when they saw the little Curly pony, nicknamed Cheetoe, standing quietly. As they approached, the sweet, little pony nickered softly and nuzzled their faces. Their enthusiasm and joy made their faces shine and seemed to light the dark, cloudy sky, while my heart was also filled with the sweet warm love a little girl and her first pony share. Cheetoe, Curly L Curly Joe, was born to a loving family and brought lots of love and joy to another little girl in a small Texas town years earlier. As he grew so did his friends, and he became a little boy's pony. 

In his thirteen years, Cheetoe has seen lots of parades and shows and knows what it means to bring joy to his human rider. Curly Horse Rescue is an organization who is devoted to connecting Curly horses like Cheetoe with a human friend. The horses range from seasoned veterans like Cheetoe to less trained horses who are just beginning their quest for love, attention and training. CHR is a non-profit organization whose volunteers are horse lovers. We focus on American Curly Horses. 

 

A major part of CHR's mission is to teach people that these horses are special and to learn more about them. Years ago people thought these horses had a medical concern when they saw our wonderful Curlies with wavy coats. Some people incorrectly thought these coats were caused by health concerns such as Cushings disease, which led to many of these wonderful horses being put own. Rather than being a health problem, it has been discovered that the special hair "fiber" is in fact hypoallergenic. This allows many riders who are allergic the opportunity to ride and be with horses with little to no allergic reaction. Please join Curly Horse Rescue, and learn more about Curly Horses. You, too, may have the opportunity to help bring love and joy, in the form of a horse or pony with curly hair, to a little girl's life.

Good teachers

Hello All,

I would like to go on record as saying Curlies are the smartest horses I have ever met. My Curlies are teaching me just how intelligent they are by outsmarting me at feeding time; loading on the trailer and remembering my every move but most impressively they are teaching me how to be forgiving, loving and loyal.

When working with Chester running barrels he starts thinking ahead of me and I could easily be on auto-pilot. Which can be a bit dangerous when you are moving in high gear. But, it's important that I keep him listening to me and vary the patterns a bit. I cant blame him I, too, would be bored stiff doing the same thing all the time.

And...last night I was in a hurry to get him loaded on the trailer. He knows that he gets a treat of grain when he jumps in the trailer but I was out so ....no go. Yep, a bit embarrassing standing in the arena parking lot when the boy planted his four beautiful hooves in the sand and wouldn't budge. There are lots of ways folks get their horses on the trailer many of which I am opposed to......no whips for my sweet Curly. So I pondered it for a while like Whinny the Pooh bear and came up with a novel idea. Ask a friend for some treats. Chester jumped right in and gave me a sweet nuzzle as if to say; "Girl, I wondered how long it would take you to remember".

Our sweet, mare, Mama Red, is also a smart little cookie. I am discovering that she has many of the same emotions as humans; jealously, stress, playfulness and mischievousness. She is teaching me a lot too. Such as thinking through my actions before I move. She has developed routines such as coming up for feeding time at the same time everyday. She has one stall that she likes best and sure didn't cut her daughter, Blossom, any slack when Blossom went it first. Blossom decided it best to move to another stall. 

Daily interactions with our Curlies are helping me grow as an individual. But,  I am enjoying learning how to develop human characteristics with horses like Mama Red. It takes time and lots of homework (and groundwork) to develop trust, loyalty and respect. Yep, our Curlies sure are good teachers.

Chester, the Curliest Barrel Racin' Pony in Texas

Hello All,

After the daily chores, ground work and trail rides are finished our Curlies do what most every cowgirl in Texan does on a Tuesday nite - we head out to the Rodeo...or barrel race and pole bend. And, believe me when I say, Chester man, our five year old curly stallion is the shortest and curliest horse there. Seems those Quarter-horses teamed up with some Thoroughbreds and they all stand about 16.4 hands high. But, when the clock starts the size doesn't matter.

One thing I discovered; in addition to needing velcro to keep my bum in my seat:). is the horses really must have good flexion to go around those barrels. I have been told by many folks lateral flexion is an important part of training your horse in any discipline; English and Western. And...I have been reading up of lateral flexion and agree with this quote from Clinton Anderson,

“Horses have hard bodies, not hard mouths! … The mouth is nothing more than a sending station. If every body part (poll, neck, shoulder, ribcage and hips) is unwilling to yield and soften, the mouth will feel hard and unwilling to soften to your pressure on the reins. When you have your horse’s body soft and supple, the mouth will feel very light, soft and willing to give to the pressure you apply with the reins. Basically, in a nutshell, the more we bend our horse laterally, the easier he will be to control.”
Clinton Anderson
Courtesy of Natural Horse Magazine

Chester and I are so excited about our upcoming run at S & S Arena tomorrow night.  We will both doing our stretching  and lateral flexion before the clock starts.....yeehaw