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Back On Saskatchewan Soil

BLOGS, MY STABLE LIFE April 30, 2010

Sadly, the last day of our trip home from Arizona was rather uneventful. No steep grades nor broken noses. But if you’ve been following along (April 26-27 posts), you already know that enough excitement took place on Day 2 of our trip to headline a bad reality show…


Our day started in Billings, Montana. We had overnighted at Box T Ranch and hit the road at 7 am, as the drive to the North Portal border crossing would take approximately 7 hours.

Clay on top of the rig throwing hay down for the horses’ lunch. In an effort to avoid pieces of alfalfa down my shirt, I ran for my camera instead...

Since Clay and I were importing two new horses – one who had been in Texas within the last 15 days – we were required to make an appointment with the federal vet at North Portal.

The vet office is only open until 5 pm, so it was important that we were there on time for our appointment. Otherwise, we could have been stuck at the border until the federal veterinarian could see us. In the end, Clay and I were 15 minutes late for our scheduled time but thankfully, the good vet at North Portal had the patience to wait.

We went through Customs in smooth fashion, largely in part to the fact that we had all of our paperwork in order prior to hitting North Portal. Applying for a permit to import the horse who had been in Texas was a bit of a process – and we had to cross with the original permit in our possession – but the days of work to get organized prior to our departure paid off in the long run.

Because no one likes to sit at the border for hours on end, with horses on board.

So prior to arriving at North Portal, Clay and I were having a “debate” on whether or not I was a good passenger. Meaning that since I can’t take the wheel of mini-freight, it is my job to engage Clay in conversation and make sure he stays alert while driving.

I didn’t realize my husband was also a paparazzi…

Honestly, under normal circumstances, there’s no way I would ever post such a picture of myself on the internet. But I thought this was pretty funny too. I’m not a good passenger. I admit. Moving vehicles put me to sleep.

By approximately 6 pm Saskatchewan time, Clay and I were pulling into the yard of our home, J. Drummond Farms just south of Regina, SK.

Danielle and Wade, through through the passenger window.

Clay’s assistant, Danielle and her husband, Wade were there to meet us.

And as soon as the horses on the trailer were offloaded and everything unpacked, we ran around to get a quick update on the horses that were left behind for the winter.

I ran straight for the baby pasture.

Here’s “Roo” and I – our 2010 colt by Roosters Wrangler.

We are happy to be back!!

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Hershberger Performance Horse Sale

MY STABLE LIFE April 29, 2010


Clay and I attended the 5th Annual Hershberger Performance Horse Sale, held in Buckeye, AZ. And I have to tell you,  at this offering of 105 horses, I witnessed some very positive developments for our industry! As I wandered through the parking lot, I saw license plates from Washington, California, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, and I know there were also people from Hawaii present. Plus, I saw plates from Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Dually impressive is the fact that the volume buyer came all the way from Montana!

Nikki Hershberger and the auctioneer.

The Hershberger family worked extremely hard to ensure both buyers and sellers were pleased with the results of the sale. Nikki Hershberger looked after the bids, while her husband, Jason ran from horse to sale horse (Hershbergers had several of their own consignments, which kept him very busy.)

Jason Hershberger.

And their sons, Gavin, Wyatt and Garrett were responsible to aid in the set up and cattle operations. Needless to say, it was a busy, busy day for the family.

Held at Buckeye Equestrian Center, this sale truly had something for everybody. It featured reiners, cow horses, cutters, barrels, head, heel and calf horses. Many of the offerings had top pedigrees, earnings and credentials in the show pen.

The Hershbergers ensured all prospects had a chance to show off their stuff, with a preview starting earlier that morning. Cutting and roping cattle were provided, as well as barrels and a chance for cow horses to go down the fence. In all, the opportunity gave sellers a good chance to get their horses working in front of a motivated, buying audience. In a down economy, it was very promising to observe this sale’s average at $6,985 and the Top Ten Average at $15,350.

High selling horse Hip #93, Jackies Double Chunk.

The high seller was Hip #93, Jackies Double Chunk, a gorgeous gray gelding sired by Tee J Double Jackie, selling for $24,500. Two sale horses were destined for sunnier weather afterwards on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. Hips #22 and #51 were sold to Daryl Medeiros for $18,700 and $15,000 respectively. Both of these geldings were well-bred and presented superbly on sale day. Hip #22 was a son of Pepto Taz, with an Open Performance ROM and the 2009 Arizona State Champion Heeling and Heeling horse.

Hip #22, Tazzle Dazzle.

Two important points I noted at this sale, on the subject of the industry: 1) Grade horses sold very well, and; 2) there was a big demand for kid’s horses.

Personally, I was very impressed with the bids that grade horses brought. For example, Hip #25, a 2003 grade gelding, sold for $2,500. This horse has been used in the feedyard and was a seasoned heel horse, and was a prime example why good using horses have value. If they’re trained and offer a skill to someone, grade horses are valuable.

Hip #2, "Frosty."

Case in point, take Hip #2 “Frosty,” for example. Here was a 1997, grade, gray gelding that was also a finished head horse. Fast, sharp and 100% sound. Frosty brought a bid of $8,800. And this was only the beginning of the sale…

However, the highlight of my day was watching a young girl raise her hand on a 2001 pony gelding. Eagerly, she would wait for permission from her grandfather and when she had it, hold her number up high on Hip #16, also known as “Gunner.”

When it was clear that they were the successful bidders, the young granddaughter ran full tilt to her new mount and climbed aboard. Everyone in the crowd was as excited as she was, for the acquisition of this new pony.

And the pony goes to Montana!

I had a chance to speak with the grandfather, Mr. Southworth of Lewistown, Montana, who was accompanied by not one, but three of his granddaughters to the sale. He told me he had built a ranch for his grandchildren to enjoy in Montana, and was at the Hershberger Sale to find mounts suitable for each of them. My next question to the kind man was, “Are you looking to adopt any more grandkids? Cause if so, I’m interested!!”

Mr. Southworth and some of his granddaughters, along with one of the ponies they took book to Montana.

For more sale highlights, check out www.hershbergerhorses.com

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Made It Home in 1 Piece. Almost.

BLOGS, MY STABLE LIFE April 27, 2010

First, please let me  start by saying – April 20, 2010 was probably one of the most hellish days I have ever had, traveling with horses. Okay, now that I’ve got that off my chest, I’ll give you a hint as to why it was so brutal…

Does this picture trigger a little déjà vu...?

Clay and I, along with our 8 horses in tow, really racked up the miles since Sunday, April 18. In only a few days, we had traveled from Katy, TX, to Cave Creek, AZ, and by the wee hours of Tuesday morning (April 20), we had made it as far north as Kayenta, AZ. An interesting point to note about Kayenta is, while the state of Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings Time, this place apparently does.

Clay had driven for so long but fatigue started to overtake him around 4 am, April 20, so it was time to pull over. We steered the rig into a lighted parking lot and my husband promptly got some shut eye in the living quarters of the trailer. I on the other hand, didn’t sleep a wink – due to some sketchy activity in the parking lot. Some guy even took a picture of our rig… Perhaps he was working on a blog of his own, but it made me kinda nervous.

Then after only a few hours of sleep, Clay woke abruptly to the shrill whinny of stud chatter. One of the Misters in the trailer got a little excited about a mare peeing…

So we decided to get up and feed the horses their breakfast. And in the 15 minutes it took us to do that, we were approached by a peddler who wanted to sell us a digital watch. “No THANK-YOU!!” was my over-tired response.

He backed away quickly.

<Yeah! Hear me roar! I am tired. And grouchy. And I haven’t been able to brush my teeth…>

Just outside of Kayenta, AZ.

We hit the road again at 7:15 am. And the countryside here was absolutely stunning!! It was a beautiful morning driving through the redlands.

The landscapes are absolutely phenomenal here.

But what wasn’t so cool were the 8-10 percent grades we had to take the 8-horse, fully-loaded rig down… My finger nails were etched into the dashboard.

I used to think 6-8% grades were bad...

After that, we entered into Utah and hit the I70. We decided against going through the 4 corners (a region of the United States where the boundaries of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah meet at one point), so there would be no way we could even get close to New Mexico – considering the restrictions Canada has imposed on horses moving from there, due to piroplasmosis.

By the time we reached the Port of Entry for Colorado, we realized our back axle was leaking grease. So, at Grand Junction, CO, we had to drive around to see if someone could help us replace the hubcap and repack the axle with grease. With 8 horses in tow, we tried to find a shop. Eventually we found 2 – but both absolutely refused to help us. One place wouldn’t even give us a phone number to someone they recommended – even though they saw we had 8 horses on board!

Desperate, Clay and I called into our account with Equi-Pass and the kind lady on the other end named Barbara directed us to Pine Country Trailer Sales in Grand Junction, CO.

This shop is full of kind people and they offer amazing service!

Grant Knowles and his great people there allowed Clay to pull our rig inside – still loaded with horses! Since we had no place to offload 6 mares and 2 stallions safely, the mechanics carefully put our rig up on jacks and took a look. The axle was repacked and the hub replaced. And the good people from Pine Country even helped us water and feed our ponies!

We left a bit of a mess in their shop, but they sent us off with smiles. Thanks Grant – you have an excellent business! And you know your stuff.

Thank goodness, Grant insisted on fixing our axle and hubcap properly. He had told us the next leg of our had a few more steep grades as well. We just didn’t realize how steep, until we got there.

Here is a typical sign along that route towards Denver…

And just when you think things are gonna smooth out…

And the kicker…

By the time we hit Denver, I was ready for a glass of wine. But of course, there was no time for that. Our schedule had been put so far behind because of the axle repairs. We hit High Line Stable in Nunn, Co, unloaded and bedded everyone down. And that’s when Clay realized my mare, Selena, had something in her eye. As he tried to get it out, she swung her head rapidly and bopped him in the face.

Clay’s nose was broken.

I suppose it was a fitting conclusion to a day riddled with bad luck. But on the other hand, Clay was pretty proud of his “hockey player” appearance. At least he had a good story to tell.

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Texas & Piroplasmosis: Know Before You Go

BLOGS, MY STABLE LIFE April 26, 2010

We said goodbye to the Lone Star State.

Sunday, April 18 – I woke up in Katy, Tx. Early in the morning (6 am Arizona time), Clay, our friend Tricia Hamilton and I pulled on our traveling clothes, packed up our horses and hit the highway as the National Reining Breeders Classic show was now over. Since we knew we would be hitting the Canadian border soon, we had to arrange for our NRBC show horse to receive a specific test that would verify his negativity for equine piroplasmosis. Clay and I also had to apply for a permit to bring him into Canada – mandatory for all horses that have been in Texas or New Mexico – and cross the border within 15 days of the test results, with the original permit in hand.

Equine piroplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by either of two protozoal parasites that attack the red blood cells. Affected animals can exhibit fever, anemia, weight loss, jaundice, and, in some cases, clinical signs lead to death. It’s no wonder Canada doesn’t want it within our borders. But take it from me, if you are planning on traveling with horses to Texas or New Mexico, ensure you get your paperwork in order! Otherwise, re-entry into Canada could be very difficult at the moment.

Tricia and I: not in comfy traveling clothes.

So back to the trip from TX to AZ. We tootled along, stopping pretty much only for pit stops and to feed + water horses. The goal was to get back to Arizona asap, as we also planned to head north for Canada soon. But going from Katy, TX, back to Arizona was an interesting trip, I have to say… While there was some good “people watching” along the way, Tricia and I were a little unnerved to discover we were in turn, being “watched” as well.

At a roadside McDonalds in west Texas, Tricia and I caught a man watching us with binoculars through the front window of his semi.

We got back on the road – and fast.

Here’s a shot I caught on the fly at Fort Stockton…

Fort Stockton, TX, boasts the world's largest roadrunner. This is not a picture of it...

The next stop was another border inspection, on the west side of El Paso.

At 10:47 pm we made it to Tucson, AZ, where we picked up our new cow horse stallion, Meradas Blu Starlite from Bandalero Ranch.  Then back it was back to Cave Creek for 3 am – Clay and I slept ’til noon that day (Monday).

Originally, our plan was to leave for Canada the following morning (Tuesday). However following a little route research, Clay discovered that we could hit some bad weather on the route he was looking at taking. Since piroplasmosis has also been discovered in New Mexico, it was important for us to completely avoid that state on the way home.

So all of sudden, Clay decided we couldn’t wait to leave the next morning. We were leaving tonight instead…

Packing up a trailer in the dark isn't much fun.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s adventure – our first leg of the trip towards Canada. Let’s just say this: 10% grades and an 8-horse rig don’t mix.

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2010 Cactus Classic

BLOGS, MY STABLE LIFE April 26, 2010

So I know it’s over and done with, but I thought you might like to see some of the sights caught at this year’s Cactus Classic Open Derby. Micheal Berg and Outta Dough marked a 227 to win the Open & Int. Open Derby divisions at the Cactus Classic, held March 6 in Scottsdale, Arizona.


At the 2010 rendition of the show held this past March 3-7 at Westworld Park, over $100,000 was awarded to reining competitors.

Outta Dough owned by Dorothy Queen of Whitesboro, Texas and rode by Michael Berg marked a smoking 227 to win the coveted Open and Int. Open Derbies. The bay horse is sired by Gallo Del Cielo and out of Dough Olena (by Doc O’Lena). Altogether they took home a cheque worth $15,669.

Canada had some excellent representation. Christa Turel of Olds, Alberta, and her red dun mount, BMD Smart Whiz scored a respectable 218.5 in the Ltd. and Int. Open Derbies. Samantha Griffin of De Winton, Alberta, rode Dun Playin Tag (Whiz N Tag Chex x Brennas Dunit Fancy x Hollywood Dun It) and marked a 221 to earn the reserve championship in the Non-Pro division. Together they earned $3,780.

Shawna Sapergia of Calgary, Alberta, showed Its Wimpys Turn and Sammie Little Step, both owned by Outrider Ranch. Outfitted in the most detailed and color-coordinated show outfits, she was beautiful as always.

The Cactus Reining Classic is a NRHA “A” rated event.

And participants from all over the United States and Canada attend each year. Some amazing runs are put together in the show’s five-day span: it makes for some good watching!

My friend Marcy Ver Meer and the stallion, Gunners Special Nite put together a fantastic 225.5 in the derby.

And trends for the year are often showcased at this event. Here, Andrea Fappani showed off his gorgeous mounts and their equally as stunning locks. Banded manes are something I’ve never seen in reining competition before.

If you’re in Scottsdale next March, be sure to check this show out! Hosted in the valley of the sun, the 2010 Cactus Classic is a reining feast for the eyes.

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2010 Scottsdale Arabian Show

BLOGS, MY STABLE LIFE April 24, 2010

Did you know that according to Archbishop James Ussher, prelate of Ireland, the world was created on Saturday, October 9, 4004 B.C.E?

Neither did I.

Did you also know that the Arabian horse is the world’s oldest purebred animal?

I didn’t know that one either.

But I learned them both after attending the 2010 Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show.

Held this past February 11-21, the show celebrated its 55th Anniversary this year. Granted there were several wet days – it was a rainy February for the Scottsdale, AZ, but host facility, Westworld Park is equipped to handle all kinds of weather. And there was no denying, Arabian horses attending this event were turned out in high glam fashion. So I thought I would share a few pictures that I snapped at the event.


Once again, the show featured an Arabian and Half-Arabian Reining Futurity Classic and a Platinum Performance Liberty Class.


And the Scottsdale Arabian Show brings in excess of $33 Million to the local economy during its ten-day stint.


Statistically, the Arabian horse public outspends other area visitors two to one, during the show.


And total prize money awarded to competitors, who come from every state and more than a dozen countries around the world, is over $1 Million.


And if that doesn’t impress you, the Arabian stall decorations should…



From yearlings in halter, to costume classes, to sidesaddle to reining events, this show has it all.


And it’s definitely a place to go if you want to see beautiful and talented horses.

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Our Day With A Cow Horse Legend

BLOGS, MY STABLE LIFE April 23, 2010

Today we got to hang out with cow horse icon, Kevin Stallings. In addition to providing us with training information, he also showed us around his home and training facility in Tuscon, Arizona.

Have you ever wondered what the inside of a living legend’s house looks like? Keep in mind, this is only one set of buckles to be found here...

Kevin has a medley of credentials too numerous to list. But to summarize, let’s just say that he is an NRCHA Open Hackamore National Champion, NRCHA Open Bridle World Champion, and NSHA Open Bridle Champion.

Kevin, as he is about to climb into his 2009 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Bridle Championship saddle. He trains colts from start to finish and work with riders in several areas; cow horse, roping, cutting and reining.

I love the way the Stallings’ decorated their mantle!!

In 2004, Kevin earned 3rd place in the Worlds Greatest Horseman Competition aboard his great stallion, NMSU Truckin Chex (also known as “Elvis”).

The Runaway Creek Outstanding Bridle Mare Award. An exquisite trophy Kevin won for riding the high scoring mare of the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity’s Open Bridle Class.

He is additionally an NRCHA-carded judge and garnered his background with the help of Ray Hunt and Tom Dorrance.

Kevin’s wife, Karen is equally as accomplished. Karen was the 2008 AQHA World Show Amateur Champion, the 2008 NSHA Non-Pro Bridle Extravaganza Champion and the 2007 NRCHA Non-Pro Bridle World Champion. Stallings Cow Horses operate out of Banderlero Ranch, just minutes outside of Tuscon. The facility is a fantastic wonderland of horse activity and was partially designed by Kevin.

Aboard a stunning liver chestnut stallion, Kevin showed us just how it easy it is (for him<smile>) to properly work a cow and maintain a position of working advantage. “I always want my horse to turn first, then go towards the cow. I absolutely need him to turn, before I will kick him forward towards a cow.”

In that respect, Kevin’s goal is always to stop the cow and then turn with the cow.

“I always say to people, try driving the cow as opposed to ‘rating’ it. Once you change your mindset about how you are working a cow – from rating to driving – you will have much more success for boxing and going down the fence,” Kevin says.

“You can really school your cow during boxing with this mindset. You’re teaching your cow that when you step up to certain point, you want that cow to move forward. And you train him for going down then fence. You’re schooling the cow and getting your horse hooked up for going down the fence.”

The world calibre trainer continues, “Then if you continue to think about ‘driving’ a cow down the fence, you can almost turn it from behind. You can see when the cow is about to make a decision about changing direction, because it is raising its neck. That’s when you should quit riding and get your horse on its hocks – or land on his butt.” (Landing on the horse’s butt is a good thing – what Kevin is referring to is simply the act of the horse slamming on the brakes.)

“Drive, drive, drive and when you see that cow toss its head, land on your horse’s rear end.

“Drive him and stop. Once you can do that, you’re ready to go down the fence.”


For more information about Kevin Stallings, check out www.StallingsCowHorses.com

And next week, I’ll take you for a tour of Bandalero Ranch!

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Petunia – Milk in Short Supply

BLOGS, MY STABLE LIFE April 22, 2010

Continued from April 19 & 20, My Stable Life Blog entries…

In the wee hours of February 27, 2010, and within only a few hours of her birth, Petunia finally found Rosey’s udder and appeared to drink. This was a huge relief as colostrum intake in the first 12 hours of life was crucial to Petunia’s survival. However, Danielle had noticed early on that Rosey didn’t appear to be as “bagged up” as a normal mare who has just given birth should look. She became concerned about the mare’s milk supply almost immediately, but in an effort not to interfere with nature, she allowed Petunia a few hours to try and suckle – hoping this would stimulate milk letdown.

Photo by Danielle LaForge.

In the morning (several hours after birth), one of our wonderful vets at Sherwood Clinic performed a SNAP test, to ensure Petunia consumed enough colostrum. With Rosey’s milk supply in question, we were all very worried about the amount of time ticking by – in the event that our filly didn’t get enough.

Rosey and Petunia in their king-size foaling stall. Photo by Danielle LaForge.

Dr. Bree Hamblin confirmed that Petunia’s antibody levels were indeed, good. Thank-goodness!!

At this point, Danielle tried manually to “milk” Rosey and her worst fears were realized. Rosey had little, to no milk. Although we weren’t positive as the cause of the mare’s agalactia, it was likely we could chalk it up to the fact that Rosey was unable to consume alfalfa hay during her pregnancy. But feeding it to her now was not an option.

Photo by Danielle LaForge.

So Danielle put together some milk replacer and began feeding the filly by bottle. It has put a huge demand on her schedule (not to mention sleep patterns), since Petunia needs to be fed every 2-4 hours. Meanwhile, we have begun the search for a solution. Options we have include a nurse mare, a nurse goat, foal pellets and a special oral paste called “Domperidone.” I’ll keep you posted…

Danielle and Petunia. Photo by Wade LaForge.

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Petunia, A Stressful Delivery

BLOGS, MY STABLE LIFE April 21, 2010

At 11:26 pm on February 26, 2010, Danielle (Clay’s assistant at J. Drummond Farms in Regina) sent Clay and I a text stating that Rosey’s water had broke. With a due date of March 2, Rosey wasn’t far off the mark. Unfortunately, Clay and I were still in Arizona, so it was up to Danielle and her husband Wade LaForge, to ensure things went smoothly.

Petunia, shortly after delivery. Yes, those are Wade’s boots in the background. Pic by Danielle LaForge.

Shortly after the text message, I called D (Danielle’s nickname) to get a play-by-play on the events. She told me that one tiny hoof – through a healthy, blueish-white sac – had appeared. It was followed by a second hoof, set slightly back from the first one. All of these were very good signs of proper parturition.

However, at 11:54 pm, D and I both began to get very worried. The delivery hadn’t yet progressed beyond 2 tiny hooves and we were fast approaching the 30-minute mark from the time Rosey’s water had broke. Since most horses usually complete stage 2 labour in under 30 minutes, action was required.

We placed an after-hours call to our vet in Regina but since it would take a little time for the vet to get to the farm, we also placed another call to Dr. Tammi Roalstad in Scottsdale, AZ. Tammi has been an invaluable source for us, especially regarding mares and foals and was the vet who inseminated Rosey to Meradas Money Talks (Petunia’s sire). I ended my call temporarily with Danielle so Tammi could coach her and Wade through the next few stages over the phone, since it was obvious a malpresentation was occurring.

This is how Wade described the events:

“Basically you could see with every contraction that something was pushing Rosey’s anus outwards. With both of the foal’s feet out (and positioned properly), there was only one logical reason why the delivery couldn’t progress. Danielle and I figured the head and neck had to be stuck somehow.”

Wade had to reach inside Rosey – taking great care to insert his sterile-gloved arm inside of the amniotic sac, as opposed to outside of it and into the mare’s vulnerable uterus. Then he followed the foal’s legs up and tried to identify a reference point on the baby’s head, such an ear or the mouth. When he couldn’t find one, both Wade and Danielle realized the baby’s head and neck were stretched upwards, almost pointing towards the mare’s anus. In this position, there was no way the newborn could come through the birth canal without damage to either the fetus or to the mare.

“I could tell the head was tilted up slightly, not drastically, but just enough to be a problem. Plus, the mare could have been more fully dilated than she was,” Wade said.

“Once I could feel the nose, I put my hand on top of it and during the next contraction began to pull down gently on the foal’s legs and push down gently on its nose. I had to use the back of my hand to stretch the mare open slightly at the top until the foal’s nose popped out. At this point, the mare had been trying to deliver for quite some time and as a result was pretty tired, so I kept assisting her until the foal was completely out “

D and Wade had to remove the sac from the foal’s face and nostrils and finally, the baby began to take her first breaths of oxygen. Considering all this little baby had been through since 5 months of gestation, she was nothing short of a miracle! And Wade and Danielle were my ultimate heroes.

Little Petunia is camera shy. In the back, you can see her dam (a maiden mare) is still trying to process what just happened... Photo by Danielle LaForge.

Danielle and Wade allowed the mare and foal a bonding period. Then, just before it appeared as though the filly would try to stand up, they entered the stall again to disinfect the baby’s naval stump, discern it’s gender (which you already know is a filly) and tie up the placenta that was still partially inside Rosey’s uterus. The weight of a knot sometimes helps the placenta to expel, but mostly, it keeps it from being stepped on by the mare and expelling before it’s ready. (Ask your vet about tying a knot in a placenta before you try this at home – this is just what we have found to work best for us.)

Petunia tries to take her first, albeit wobbly, steps. But she won’t open her eyes! Photo by Danielle LaForge.

After that, the waiting period began for the filly (who Danielle named “Petunia”) to find the mare’s teat and latch on for some colostrum. Which takes us to Part 3 of Petunia’s dramatic little life so far… Stay tuned for tomorrow’s entry!

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