Sierra Ranch, LLC

Where You Leave The City Behind!

Tale of Two Tails…

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If you live on a ranch you know that things can get a bit on the weird side sometimes. If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook then you know since before Christmas (maybe even Thanksgiving) I have been tormented by a possum. Well now I get to torment it, well them.

Rick laughed because I took pictures, but you need to know the situation, because I need help getting these danged things out!

See the possem in the hole?

Overview of corner.

Now there has been a hole in the heater room since we moved in April 2003. For several years there was a cabinet sitting there blocking the hole. I moved stuff around a couple of years ago and didn’t realize that the hole went in to the heater room. Here is a view of the heater room.

Veiw of heater room.

The door to this room always has stuff in front of it since the washer and dryer are just outside of it. We don’t store lots of things in it and I tossed some of them this morning. There was storm windows for the house, drying rack, some tables (that are ruined) and two windows to some truck that have been there since we moved in. Yeah, we are great at collecting things and not so great at tossing. LOL!

The picture above is after cleaning and spraying bleach in the area. We got to smell the bleach through out the house, but that is much better than the poo smell we had been getting a whiff of every now and then. ACK!

Last night Rick heard things moving in the garage. He had not believed me that the critters were in there, until he saw the one last night. We started looking and there were actually two possums. What fun. NOT!

We tried to get them out last night, but they got between the wall and the heater and us nor Bubba could get them to leave. So we left the door open thinking, OK they will leave since they have been found. NOT!

Silly critters did not to appear to be in there this morning. I got the old horse beet pulp soaking and started cleaning out the closet. I finally found something to put between the wall and the chest. I started moving said things above, when stuff moves. Yeah, fun. NOT! I keep pulling things out and get down to the big glass from some truck. The critters are sleeping on a towel back behind the smoked glass. Still not sure how the towel and other nesting stuff got in the room.

The possum were not so happy that I found them. I tried to shoo them out the door. Not thinking about the fact that the escape route that they were used to was the hole I blocked up so freaking well. (Sometimes it doesn’t pay to be smart!) So the smaller one moves and I am thinking “Just please don’t run up my pant leg!” and the silly thing runs into the wall and is clawing in the wall trying to get out. Dang!

The bigger one just sits there. I don’t have any thing that I could loop him with and he is not scooping well with the shovel. So I figure I will leave them alone, go feed the old horses, wait for Rick to get up, and regroup.

Where they get in...

 

I go out to start laundry and finish this thinking the danged things have left. Rick sees the silly critters up in the wall. So we place the auto glass between the heater and the wall. It’s pretty heavy and I don’t think they will move it. We blocked it up against the hole on the inside wall as best we could. I tried to get it tight and broke one pane. Oh well, not like we were ever going to use them. And with the coating it should not totally shatter. We will see.

 

I sprayed the area down really well with bleach hoping to run them out into the garage, but I think it just made them mad. I heard lots of hissing. LOL!

 

Later I looked the silly critters are still holed up on the wall, but I don’t think they can get back into the room. I know these guys have been eating the cat food and I think they are moving onto the dog food. So, I may have to get the food source to go away for them to actually leave. I am hoping they don’t have babies, and probably don’t yet, but they so need to leave.

 

And yes we have the fire power to kill them. And we have numerous ways to kill them, but I can’t do it. Even Rick was touched by their cute faces last night. Between that and running the risk of hitting the heater or TV (if it went through the wall). He is considering using the cross bow. Might sic the girl that feeds on the target. She likes killing small woodland critters, so maybe she could get them out. It’s worth a try.

 

If anyone has any tips on getting the silly things out of our wall I would be willing to listen. Hate the waiting game, but right now that’s the only way to do it. Hope you have enjoyed life on the ranch. Yes, some days are good ones and you get to ride a race horse. Other days you get to chase possum out of the cat food. All pays the same.

 

Hope you enjoy. Make it a great day!

Deb Stowers
Sierra Ranch, LLC
https://sierraranchok.com/
http://sierraranchok.net/

Check out these interesting articles…

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These are from the Tulsa World.

This first one is about how a network to fix up hurt rodeo folks has been set up. And it’s based in OK. Is that not cool?

Rodeo RX By KIM ARCHER World Staff Writer Stan Williamson of Okmulgee, a two-time world rodeo champion, has been hurt plenty in his steer-wrestling career

This one is about Remington Park changing owners for our race horse fans.

Chickasaws begin changes at park By RANDY ELLIS The Oklahoman At the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, a Chickasaw Nation subsidiary took over ownership of Oklahoma City’s Remington Park racetrack and casino, ushering in a new era of local control.

Hope you enjoy. Make it a great day!

Deb Stowers

Sierra Ranch, LLC

Http://sierraranchok.com

http://sierraranchok.net

January New to Use…

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I know many of us have already been through the worst, or hopefully the worst, part of winter, but these are good tips to keep in mind. remember you can ride in the winter, it just takes a bit of preparation!

COLD WEATHER HORSE CARE REVIEW Winter has an icy grip on most of the United States, and with even sunny Florida facing record freezing temperatures, horse owners across the country need to keep a close eye on their herds to prevent cold-weather related ailments. In cold weather, horse owners should be thinking “water, water, water,” said Jean T. Griffiths, extension horse specialist at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Continue reading…

WINTER WORKOUTS Come May, Trisha Dowling of Saskatchewan, Canada, is ready to take on the challenges of competitive endurance–and, equally important, so are her horses. The same can be said of Carey Williams of New Jersey. Her sport is eventing, in which she competes spring through fall. Andy Kaneps of Massachusetts used to raise and compete hunters and jumpers; today he prefers riding noncompetitive dressage year-round. Continue reading…

WINTER HORSE CARE RESOURCES What to do when the weather turns bitter? Bring the horses in or leave them out? Blankets or no blankets? Hay or grain? Or both? While bringing your horse into the house might seem like the simplest option, TheHorse.com offers a wealth of information on winter horse care to help you handle the dropping temps. Continue reading for the highlights.

You may have to create an account with The Horse to read these articles, however the account is free.

We apologize for the interruption of our newsletter. We have been working on getting another business online and hope to be posting more regularlly now we have it going. Thanks for your understanding.

Until we meet on the trails!

Deb Stowers

Sierra Ranch, LLC

Http://sierraranchok.com

http://sierraranchok.net

Ten Commandments for Horses

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These are things people both new to horses and those that have had them for a while need to remember.

1. My life is likely to last 20 or more years. Any separation from you will be painful for me. Remember that before you take me home.

2. Give me time to understand what you want from me.

3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial to my well being.

4. Don’t be angry with me for long. Don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your entertainment and your friends. I have only you.

5. Talk to me sometimes. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when it is speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I’ll never forget it.

7. Remember before you hit me that I am powerful enough to hurt you, but choose not to.

8. Before you scold me for being uncooperative, obstinate or lazy, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I have a problem that you are not yet aware of.

9. Take care of me when I am old. You too will be old one day.

10. Go with me on the last journey. Never say “I can’t bear to watch or let it happen in my absence.” Everything is easier for me if you are there.

Remember that I love you. Here is something to pamper your horse with:

$10 off orders of $100 or more at Horse.com (some restrictions apply)

Deb Stowers
Sierra Ranch, LLC
Http://sierraranchok.com
http://sierraranchok.net

Horse News to Use – August

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BARN FIRES: AVOID HAY BALE COMBUSTION

Experienced agricultural producers in the southern Great Plains know that low wind speeds, high humidity, moist hay, and hot temperatures can be a recipe for disaster. Under such a set of circumstances, tightly stacked hay bales have been known to combust. Without proper preventive measures, hay barns or any other structures close to the blazing bales potentially might be lost. Continue reading…

AGED HORSE HEALTH SCREENINGS RECOMMENDED

Lameness, weight loss, colic, and equine Cushing’s syndrome are the four top reasons for euthanizing an older horse, said Catherine McGowan, BVSc, PhD, RCVS, European specialist in equine internal medicine, who presented research by Thomas McGowan, BSc, DVM, PhD, at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum, held June 3-6 in Montr�al, Quebec. Continue reading…

CRIBBING: CAN YOU STOP IT?

Many horses kept in unnatural environments and subjected to the stress of performance careers resort to repetitive behaviors (called stereotypies) such as cribbing, weaving, or stall walking. The cribbing horse grabs a surface with his top incisors, arches his neck, opens his throat, and swallows air with a grunting sound and a backward pull of the head. This activity wears down the top incisors and develops unsightly muscles under the neck that can interfere with proper neck flexion when ridden. Serious cribbers might lose weight because they become so addicted to their habit they’d rather crib than eat. Once the habit starts, many horses keep cribbing even when turned out to pasture. Continue reading…

Hope you enjoy these tidbits of information. Check out this:

$15 Off All Orders of $100 or More at Horse.com (some restrictions apply)

Deb Stowers
Sierra Ranch, LLC
Http://sierraranchok.com
http://sierraranchok.net

Goings on at our house…

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I know I have been out of touch a bit. Had a billion things going on and no time to write. But today gotta get stuff off my chest. 🙂 Hopefully you have seen the countdown. We are down to 2 weeks and it can’t be soon enough. For both parties. Others might have followed my Twittering (http://twitter.com/sierraranch) and know about what has been happening.

In the mean time things have gone from bad to worse to normal again. Last Sat. (3/21) we got a call that Rick’s dad was in the hospital and not doing well. We needed to be in Agleton TX before the youngest brother got on the plane to go back to NC. The middle brother was flying in later on Sun. So we made a 9 hour driving trip and got to the hospital about 2AM and visited a second. We couldn’t find his house even with the GPS. How many cattle paths can be named Bastrop Drive??? Stayed 4 hours in a hotel, got up and visited with Dick and others at the hospital. We followed a neighbor to his house and went back to wait.

Greg got in about 11PM Sun. They stayed at a hotel. Doctors would not really give us a good time frame for the end. The friends had arranged for Dick to come home on Monday since nothing could really be done. The boys got things worked out on Monday and their dad came home. Several step kids and many friends came by the house to see him. We stayed there with him and the nurse. One set of step kids slept in the downstairs.

Tuesday Dick got quieter and we thought this might be the day, but he held on through another great gathering and the morning. Greg’s daughter got in and said her goodbyes and shortly later the nurse came out and let us know he passed. Dick was diagnosed with lung cancer. As they were looking they found cancer in his bones, spine, lythm system, and who knows where else. He just wanted to die at home and did. He didn’t want to linger and didn’t. The nurses made sure he was comfortable.

Greg was listed at the executor, but wanted to pass this on to Rick since we live closer, so know we get to oversee the disspurment of the estate. Any one want a nice house on the Bastrop Bayou? We have a court date in about a month.

So far we have inherited a no tailed cat named Bob. Allyson is taming him. I think he may have been an inside cat at one time, but he was an outside cat at Dick’s. He is at least nuetered. And he is not a manx. It feels like something cut his tail off. I even snuck Bob into a hotel room to get him home.

We will also be taking over Dick’s gun show business. They boys split up the guns he had, but we currently have all the parts, gun smithing tools, and other stuff. Rick is researching what to do with this. He might actually get to quit work sooner which we would all like. 🙂 He can see this as a great side business to have with the horse operation.

We went through most of the stuff in the house and have a big job ahead of us, but we will take the challenge. That’s what the oldest do. Middle children are so funny. 🙂 We got things tied up pretty well and headed out on Thursday evening so that we could be home to get Allyson ready for the prom. Rick told the family that we need to focus on Allyson now that his dad is gone. Everyone agreed. We hope to bring her down with us when we go next.

The whole week that we were in TX the kids were being watch over by our version of a village. 🙂 Allyson stayed part of the weekend with my Mom. Our neighbor that lives behind us and takes Ashley to work made sure that Allyson got ont he bus every morning before taking Ashley. I called each morning to wake Allyson and got to talk

to her all the way to the bus. 🙂 She is so funny. Then after school mom made sure they had food. Mom even spent Sunday trying to teach the kids to clean house. (What Fun!) I don’t know that it worked , but after a week of stepping into my shoes, my Mother has much more understanding of what I go through and what works. Now she even understand the count down. LOL!!!

Allyson had fun at the prom. She was taken out to eat at Olive Garden, petted fishes, danced to death, and then went to the after party. Ryan got to go to the after party some and they had fun. It went from rain to snow and by the time I went to pick her up from a friend’s it was snowing buckets.

OMG it is SO NOT suppose to snow like this time of year! For freaking sake it’s SPRING! We got at least four inches and will have the world’s largest muddiest mess, but at least it’s moisture. We needed it so bad. Just this all at once thing is a bit much. What is so funny is seeing the green grass sticking out of the snow. LOL!

Well, I better get to my ratkilling. I am 1100+ emails behind in one email account and 12,000+ behind in another. All my IM stuff is falling behind and I really need to get all the bills and estate stuff up to date. But my desk is a total mess. LOL!

And my cat is mad she doesn’t have place to sit. 😛 And just 14 more days until Ashley’s driver’s test. We can’t wait. OK, enough rambling. Must go do something. Not sure what, but something! Now it makes sense that the newsletter for the ranch has not gone out and the million other things I need to do.

Hope you had a quieter week than we have! Hope you have a wonderful next week!

Couple of Countdowns at our house!

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Created by OnePlusYou

Created by OnePlusYou

Asley will turn 18 on April 11th, but Monday she will take the test. After this we feel we have done what we can. You don’t want to know waht the next step is with her. 🙂

Rick has told me that June 1 he will be full time at the ranch. So this count down is to remind me what are the most important things to be working on.

Hope you have a great week!

Deb Stowers
www.sierraranchok.com
www.sierraranchok.net
www.horsematch.net

Horse News to Use!

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If you have read our newsletters before you know we are about how to protect you and your horses from disaster. We have lived through at least one. You can still see our barn pictures from last summer. And we feel everyone is better to at least think about these different possibilities before these things happen. Happy reading!

Strategies to Prevent and Respond to Barn Fires

At the 2008 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention, held Dec. 6-10 in San Diego, Calif., Rebecca Gimenez, PhD, noted that barn fires are the No. 1 local emergency that affects everyone from horse owners to veterinarians, and property owners to the horses themselves. Barn fires kill more horses annually than any other type of nonmedical emergency. Of 11,500 agricultural storage facility fires per year, 88% are barns or stables with animals, resulting in about $250 million in property losses annually. In 87 horse-barn fire incidents reported in 2006 and 2007, 461 horses died and an unknown number were injured. Read More…

MRSA More Common in Horse People

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacterial infections have become hot news lately, especially among horse people. This topic likely won’t die down soon because recent research shows that MRSA is up to 10 times more common in equine veterinarians than in the general population–and that it can spread from horses to humans. “MRSA appears to be an occupational risk factor for large animal veterinarians,” noted Maureen Anderson, DVM, DVSc, postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Pathobiology of the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. Read More…

Managing Horses in Icy Conditions

Ice is an unavoidable part of winter in many parts of the world, but there are ways to minimize slipping incidents around the barn. Heather Sherratt knows something about keeping horses in icy conditions. Her farm, Elphin Mountain Connemaras, near Ottawa, Canada, was hit hard by the 1998 ice storm that caused weeks-long power outages and several deaths in Canada and parts of the northeastern United States. “My ponies are barefoot, and that helps,” she said. If going barefoot over the winter isn’t an option, farrier Pat Sweeney of Mandan, N.D., recommends applying borium to shoes to increase their grip. Sweeney also said that snowball pads and rubberized rim pads will help keep snow from packing into the foot. Read More…

Hope you enjoyed reading more about horses in the news! Have a great weekend and look for our full newsletter soon! You can also sign up for our newsletter below and receive it from our aweber service!

Name:
Email:

Thank You for signing up with the Sierra Ranch Newsletter!

Happy Trails!

Deb and Rick Stowers
Sierra Ranch
deb@sierraranchok.com
www.sierraranchok.com
www.sierraranchok.net

Blaze’s Tribute Equine Rescue – February 2009

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skysmall11

Blaze’s Tribute Equine Rescue 17667 Markita Dr. Jones, OK 73049 (405) 399-3084 or (405) 615-5267 blazesequineresc@aol.com www.blazesequinerescue.com Federal I.D. 43-2024364
February 9, 2009
Blaze’s Tribute Equine Rescue, Inc. located in Jones, Oklahoma, is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that strives to improve the lives of neglected, starved, and abused horses. We provide equine rescue regardless of age or disability. We promote and teach horse care and humane, natural methods of training horses.
RESCUES:
Blaze’s Equine Rescue is currently caring for 59 horses. We were able to adopt out 8 horses in January. We still need to place many more into loving forever homes. If you or someone you know is interested in adopting a rescued horse, please contact Natalee at any of the contact numbers above.
Blaze’s Equine Rescue has started off the year very busy with animal cruelty cases. On Sunday, January 25, 2009, the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office contacted us regarding 2 horses, extremely emaciated and 1 was down and unable to get up. We immediately contacted our Veterinarian requesting her assistance. We arrived at the location at 3:30 pm and immediately started trying to save the down mare. We tried to get the mare up and tried to save her for a little more than 4 hours in the freezing weather. She was just too weak and unable to stand. It was apparent that this poor girl, named JoJo, was not going to survive. We made the painful decision to let her go and end her suffering. JoJo was extremely emaciated and her companion Willow was in equally bad condition.
We brought Willow home and started her rehabilitation process, but 2 days later Willow went down. Once again we started trying to save Willow, even placed her into a sling and lifted her to her feet, but she was unable to stand. She just couldn’t place her feet underneath her. She was showing neurological signs. Unfortunately, Willow did not make it. We began to panic and worried for the other horses in the barn with Willow and prayed that it was not something that was contagious. We sent Willow to OSU for a necropsy to confirm that our horses were safe. The necropsy found screws, bark, and porcelain type material in Willow’s stomach and colon. These poor girls were eating anything that they could find trying to survive. The former owner of these horses spent 10 days in County Jail before being baled out. It is just so sad what these two girls had to go through. It was heartbreaking that we were not able to save them.
IN LOVING MEMORY SWEET JOJO AND WILLOW!
On Wednesday, February 4, 2009, we were contacted by the Oklahoma City Animal Welfare Division to pick up 7 horses. Most of these horses are emaciated, infested with parasites, lice and in need of dental work and feet trimming. Please consider making a donation towards their rehabilitation. In 2009, we have picked up a total of 9 horses from the Oklahoma City Animal Welfare Division alone and this is only February. pacman
This is Pac-Man, a 6yr old, Paint, Stud. He is extremely emaciated and weighing in at 656 pounds. This poor boy should weigh at least 1000 pounds. Such a sweetheart! Please consider making a donation towards Pac-Man’s rehabilitation.
molly
This is Molly, a 22 year old Thoroughbred, Mare. Molly is very thin, has a tattoo, so we know she is a former race horse. Please consider making a donation towards Molly’s rehabilitation.
porter
This is Porter, a 15 year old gelding. He is emaciated weighing in at 862 pounds. He is such a sweet boy. Please consider making a donation towards Porter’s rehabilitation.
paisley
This is Paisley, a 6 year old mare. She is emaciated weighing in at 706 pounds. She is a sweet girl. Please consider making a donation towards Paisley’s Rehabilitation.
DONATIONS NEEDED: Blaze’s Tribute Equine Rescue needs your assistance. Please consider making a donation, in any amount, to help us with our efforts of rescuing neglected horses. These horses can not speak for themselves and we need to be there voice. Please help us continue to save these magical animals from such horrible neglect. Donations can be mailed to:
Blaze’s Tribute Equine Rescue 17667 Markita Drive Jones, Oklahoma 73049
Or you can donate on-line at www.blazesequinerescue.com
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:
We are seeking volunteer’s to work concession stand at the Oklahoma City Fair Grounds during different events throughout the year. If you are interested in helping Blaze’s raise some extra money and would like to work concession stand about once a month for a few hours, please contact Desiree Walling, our volunteer coordinator, at dwalling@hintonet.net.
ADOPTABLE HORSE OF THE MONTH:
Layne is our adoptable horse of the month. She is a sweet 3 year old, sorrel, Quarter Horse, filly. She is halter broke and broke to lead. She is very well built, would make an excellent horse whether for pleasure or performance. She is ready to train and willing to please. Layne has been in our rescue program since June of 2007. She was a neglect case when she arrived. She is a beautiful horse and needs that loving, forever home to call her own. If you are interested in giving this sweet girl that special home, please contact Natalee at any of the above numbers or submit an application on line. Layne can be seen at www.blazesequinerescue.com under rescued horses.
Blaze’s Tribute Equine Rescue Thanks You in advance for your continued support! We simply can’t do this alone and your help is greatly appreciated. Please support a rescued horse today!
Remember, “SUCCESS COMES ONE BIT AT A TIME”.
These folks do wonderful work. Please help them help the horses if you can.
Thanks,
Deb Stowers

Sierra Ranch News – January 2009

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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

deb@sierraranchok.com

www.sierraranchok.com