Sparky Spirit - Our oldest resident at 25 years old, Sparky is our official greeter and beginning horse. He is a favorite of the barn, acting more like a lap dog than a horse. He is a talented escape artist and it is not unusual to find him out in the yard while everyone else is still put up. A beautiful blood bay, he is a Quarter Horse and has the smooth gaits and stocky build characteristic of the breed.
Mirror Image - In the past, our only girl, Carrie really was a true diva. She let everyone know in a hurry that this was her barn and she was in charge. You would be hard pressed to find another horse that was safe enough for a beginner yet still challenging and fun for our more advanced riders. She is a 23 year old Quarter Horse and has had two babies, both of whom are here on the farm. In the past few years, her age began catching up with her and due to arthritis and failing eyesight, Carrie was retired from lessons and had gone back to being a part-time trail horse. She was not happy with this arrangement, however, so she was pulled out of retirement and put back to work as a part time lesson horse for our beginner riders, being judged daily on whether she feels up to working.
Midnight Phantom - Phantom was Carrie's first colt, and now, at 12 years old, is a vital part of our lesson program. Phantom is large enough for our bigger riders to feel comfortable on, yet is gentle enough for even our youngest students to handle safely. He is a minimal white Overo Paint with one blue eye.
Goodnight Moon - Our pony-sized Thoroughbred cross, 11 year old Moon is the fanciest lesson horse in our barn. He is a sleek black-bay with an incredibly thick tail. He has a true sense of humor and enjoys antagonizing the other farm residents. He is a favorite to show, as the judges seem to love his elegance in the ring. 
Champagne and Kisses - Our smallest resident, Champagne is a favorite of the beginners. His slow, quiet nature serves to instill confidence in even the smallest rider. But make no mistake, he will make you learn to ride. Because he is so slow, he forces riders to stregthen their legs just to get him around the ring faster than a walk. He is a white Arabian gelding. We are unsure of his age - we guess him at about 20 years old. 
Diamond Flash - Buck is a more advanced lesson horse. He has a little too much speed for a beginner, but he is by far the most multi-talented horse in our barn. At 16 years old,he has done everything from trail riding, to stadium jumping, to hunter shows, to cow cutting, and everything in between.He is as lovable as he is talented, always begging for a pat from anyone within reach. His eye-catching crow-point buckskin coloring gives him an added edge in competition.
Capone's Private Contract - Striker is Heather's personal show horse. He came from an abusive past, but now is doing very well with proper handling. He loves to show off his tricks like shaking hands and all he asks for in return is attention. He is a beautiful deep chestnut Saddlebred with lots of style. Striker is 13 years old. He is occasionally being used for advanced riders in some of our lessons.
Carrie's Apache Dragon - Dragon is the farm stallion and Carrie's second and last foal. Not really a baby anymore at 9 years old, but as the first foal born on the farm, he is our namesake and pet. He is in training, and is currently being leased to a very good rider here on our farm. He is a flashy gray and white paint with a lot of attitude and a very Thoroughbred-like build, even though he is from Foundation Quarter stock. He is standing at stud for the 2008 season, since the loss of our foundation stud, Patch.
Mr B Apache Pride - "Patch" is no longer with us. See his page for more information. |
