Horse of a Different Color A labor of love, without a doubt, Sandra DeVonish's depiction of Triple W Stables' horses is thorough and insightful--from prankster Casanova's antics and Domino's games of hide-and-seek to the tear-jerking tales of more tragic moments. The stables' herd is composed of many breeds, some purebred and some mixed, including Arabians, Belgians, Percherons, Friesians, Standardbreds, Morgans, Tennessee Walkers, quarter horses, Thoroughbreds and more. Currently the largest horse is Chief (top photo on the right), a Belgian who measures a full 18 hands and weighs over 2000 pounds. (His half brother, Commander, runs a real close second in size.) The smallest members of the herd are Princess, Angel (second photo down) and Golden Boy--three adorable paints standing 13 hands high. The horses are trained to a unique riding style that is a variation of neck-reining. This provides a more comfortable maneuvering style for the horses which is important, as during the busy season they can work several hours each day. As a result, split-reining would be hard on their mouths. Trail rides at the ranch are not follow-the-leader. This is, in fact, the ranch's slogan. Riders are assigned horses based on their experience, physical ability and comfort level. Trail guides (instructors) assist the novice in learning to ride and assist more experienced riders to advance their skills. With almost 200 acres to traverse, riders are never bored. Nature abounds with wild turkeys, eagles, hawks, deer and more. Trail rides in- clude woods, fields, hills and views of lakes and ponds. Many of the horses are trained for both carrying riders and pulling conveyances. In addition to trail rides, the ranch also offers sleigh rides in the winter when there's a sufficient base of snow, as well as surrey, stage coach and hay wagon rides. The ranch has supported more than 60 horses at a time over the years, currently operating with a herd of 47. Care for the horses includes daily grooming of each one and providing fortified feed for breakfast and dinner as well as a continuous supply of hay, alfalfa and/or grass between "meals." Regular shoeing is a must, and annual dental care is also pro- vided. As the herd romps together in the field at night, morning tasks also include tending to occasional scrapes acquired during their recreational activities. And as the horses stand on line during business hours, con- siderable cleaning of the boards is performed to keep the area clean. And that's just direct care of the horses. Mending and painting fences, stacking hay, mowing lawns, cleaning water tanks all must be done as well, and the list goes on and on. Tending to a herd so large is no easy task; it's extremely hard work, but worth every minute. The rewards are many, which you will discover in the book, Horse of a Different Color. Order a copy by clicking on Contact/Purchase. |
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| Home ~ About the Author ~ About the Horses ~ Testimonials ~ Links ~ TBD ~ Contact/Purchase |
| Home ~ About the Author ~ About the Horses ~ Testimonials ~ Links ~ TBD ~ Contact/Purchase |
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