HHS LogoMeet the Herd

Our 4 Footed Family

UPDATED: May 2023

Like poems? Check out Horses & People at the bottom of this page. It sort of sums up our herd.

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MERLIN ~ A 2005 classic halter-built, black, quarter horse gelding. Merlin was a great find! After we lost Bandit in 2012, we had a serious hole in our lesson program and though that pony left some big shoes to fill, Merlin has, with time, captured the hearts of many who ride here. Back in 2012, my son and I thought about it for a while and decided to honor Bandit, we'd rescue a horse in his name. Merlin came to us from a feed lot in New Jersey and we are still perplexed at how someone could dump a horse of his disposition and quality at auction where he might have ended up being slaughterbound. He deserved better and we are grateful to have him. Merlin has a kind, curious nature but is a nervous horse so he is not one I consider to be a beginner mount. However, with the right, confident rider, Merlin is a pleasure to work with and ride. He is a great trail horse and is certainly earning his carrots at our little farm.

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MORGANA ~ A 2008 pinto mare that I am fairly certain has Hackney pony in her pedigree. Like Merlin, we purchased Morgana from a feed lot in New Jersey (no papers) and were floored that someone would dump such a quality pony at auction. Well, it worked to our benefit because we struck gold with this 12.2 hand pony who as soon as she walked onto the property, confidently took up work as a lesson pony and hasn't looked back. She is a super smart little pony that I often joke could run the place and has the personality to go with it. Morgana is an opportunist as many ponies are. She is bold, willing and capable of any task we've asked of her yet is kind and gentle for novice students to work around as well. A definite keeper that we are so lucky to have!

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BRISINGR ~ A 2011, half quarter horse, half connemara/hanovarian cross. Brisingr means fire. This little palomino gelding was my son's first serious pony/project of his very own that has graduated to be a lesson pony. Brisingr was the surviving twin foal of a nursemare. We purchased him in NY when he was just two weeks old and brought him home at 5 weeks old (sadly, already an orphan at 4 weeks old). As a foal, because he only got to spend 4 weeks, with his mother, he clearly had a very difficult start to life with health issues but he was a little fighter and blossomed into a pony that's bursting with personality, brains, talent and try and a bit of naughtiness thrown in for good measure! Brisingr, named by my son after a book of the same name, is very bold, enjoys playing with his herd mates (and jolly ball) in the pasture and keeps some of the other herd members exercised with his antics. He does not like to be left behind in the pasture if I bring a trail group out and will follow the fence line until we get to the woods. However, as time goes on he is developing into a great trail horse for our more experienced riders. He is SO fun to work with!

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FAITH ~ A 2012 mare that we purchased at 8 weeks old. Her pedigree is surprising! She is actually a half hanovarian (warmblood)! Faith also has quarter horse (and appaloosa) bloodlines which show up loud and clear in her striking leopard appaloosa coat pattern. Faith is a stunning, petite built pony that's topped out at 13.3 hands. She is currently in training and never forgets a thing between rides. Faith, like Brisingr was also a nursemare foal but had a much better start to life and was healthy (and hungry) from the beginning! She is not a beginner pony at this time but is slowly developing into a nice trail pony for our experienced riders. She is super curious and super friendly to all visitors. If we had a "public relations" pony, she'd be it! When I give lessons in the ring, not far from the pasture, Faith often watches the lesson while standing in the corner of the pasture with her two front hoofs on top of a boulder so she can be taller and see above the fence. Too cute!

 


COPPER'S MUD MAGNET ~ Storm ~ A 2001 APHA, bay, tovero stallion. Storm is good minded and is a natural pleasure horse who is also talented in reining. We hope to have foals by Storm in our lesson program in the future as he is smart, well built and his dam's one of the best, beginner school horses ever (see Copper) and is currently an important part of our lesson program. Storm has great bloodlines that go back to Leo, King, Hank-A-Chief, Three Bars, Cherokee Maiden and many more well known foundation quarter horses and paints. He is quiet enough as a stallion that I had some students help me to start him under saddle. Eventually, he had 3 months of reining training and if I had time to do it back then (2005-06), I would have shown him. He is smart and reining on Storm was one of the highlights of my year. It was fun! Storm is currently living a life of leisure here on the farm. He seems just fine with that!


ONE FINE DAY ~ Sundance ~ A 1996 registered pinto mare that we have had since her birth. She is out of Hawk's White Light'n (below) and by Harlan Bars, a black and white, overo, paint stallion. Sundance has great foundation bloodlines which go back to Leo, King, Harlan, Three Bars, Hank H, Peter McCue and Traveller. She is a smart little mare who has had a lot of students that enjoyed riding her over the years. Sundance is currently my trusty mount to lead students safely out on trails. Her mother, Hawk's White Light'n, would be very proud of her as Hawk was amazing at this particular job. Sundance is just as bold and beautiful!

 


MISCHIEF MANAGED ~ Rain ~ (SOLD) A 2005, registered appaloosa filly by DZ Weedo (a 9-time World Champion), out of Snickers (above). With that breeding she has potential to do anything and is worked out to be a great project for my experienced riders. Like her sire, Rain has a nice, natural jog and is a nifty little pleasure horse who enjoys the trails too. See more pictures of her on the foals page. Rain's great grand sire was Zippo Pine Bar who is in the AQHA Hall of Fame and her grandfather was Dandy Zippo. Her grand-dam is the ApHC Hall of Fame mare Merry Weedo. RAIN has been sold! Congratulations to her new owner!

Off to greener pastures but never forgotten


COPPER COLOR ~ Copper ~ (1990-2022) registered paint mare who was that priceless kind of horse you can put anyone on. Copper was a proven broodmare (see Storm, above, or on our foals page) and had a quiet, sweet disposition. A little green when I got her in 2000 but with a little work, she turned out to be a great beginner lesson horse with a natural, slow jog. She worked when you worked, if you stop, she did too. A good trait in a lesson horse and she made my job an easy, enjoyable one over the years. A real nice mare who was often the one we turned to when folks were nervous or would just like a quiet, easy ride in the ring. She could be a little more horse on the trails though so there's was always more to look forward to once you get to know Copper in the ring!


MA's GERONIMO ~ (1988-2014) Was an irreplaceable pinto gelding we bought for my mom as a surprise birthday present in 1994. He was nothing short of worth his weight in gold to her and as a lesson horse for this farm! Though he has been gone from our little farm for a few years, he is still a topic of conversation as he was adored by many. Thankfully, great horses live on forever in your heart this way so, I will never tire of hearing the "first horse I ever rode, such a good boy!" conversations and "he could never simply walk through mud (because he had to run)" fun, adventurous trail ride stories.  In his prime, Geronimo was a great western pleasure horse as well as having talent in reining, gymkhana and trail courses. He'd won multiple championships in western and gymkhana. He also loved trail rides and snagging any foliage in his path! But, most importantly, he loved people and helped give our lesson program a great big heart, just like his. 26 years wasn't nearly long enough. RIP, Mo.

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BANDIT'S SONNY BAR ~ Bandit ~ (1993-2012) A registered pinto gelding that we were blessed to have since 1997. Bandit was puppy dog sweet to work with and proved himself to be a great lesson horse for so many riders. He was a very popular pony for my lesson program and will be greatly missed. He enjoyed any attention as much as everyone loved working with him. But mostly, I'll miss him for the wonderful experience he gave my son as he carried him safely through many trail rides and lessons. There was never a bad ride for Cole with that sweet horse. We'll miss you buddy <3


HAWK'S WHITE LIGHT'N ~ Hawk ~ (1982-2006) registered pinto mare who we had for many wonderful years. Hawk was a great trail, barrel and team penning horse. She was a great broodmare who had beautiful foals who are built nice and are smart, sometimes too smart, like her! Sundance and Kaje, pictured on our "Foal page," are 2 of her foals. Hawk was a beautiful and irreplaceable mare who will be greatly missed.


NUGGET ~ (1970-2006) Nugget was an adorable, dun Shetland pony and another irreplaceable part of the family. She was a careful babysitter for our son Cole and had many students who loved her. She was a great first horse for Cole and will always have a special place in our hearts. Many experienced horse folk know that a good pony is worth it's weight in gold, er, gold Nuggets. Great, trusty ponies are hard to find!


THIRTY SNICKERS ~ Snickers ~(1999 - 2019), a registered appaloosa mare who is just full of personality. She was a nurse mare foal and from the moment I met her, she has been an in-your-pocket type of horse. She has potential to be a dressage horse but doing trail rides and lessons suit her just fine, especially trail rides! Snickers was a great project for many students who contributed to her training and she has now proven herself to be a great broodmare. See her 2005 filly (below) and on the foals page. Her great-great grandfather was Bold Ruler who was the sire of the legendary race horse Secretariat.


DANCER'S RUNAWAY ~ Sunny ~ (1987 - 2018) a registered appaloosa mare that I've have had since her birth. She is out of Ziyadah (aka: Filly, who was my first horse) and by Polvorin, a chestnut thoroughbred stallion. Sunny was Filly and my first foal. In her prime she was a great leader for trails, a former teacher of many students and for me on the trails, a little Porsche to ride. She has great thoroughbred bloodlines that go back to Count Fleet (a triple crown winner) Native Dancer who won upwards of $750,000, Peace Corps and Rosemont (the one who beat Seabiscuit). As of 2009, Sunny's still a trusty part of the herd but is officially retired from lessons and is living out her days here on the farm. She still strikes fear in other horses if she pins her ears back at 25 years old and will let me know if I'm late with her supper. I think after as many years as she's lived it's safe to say she now trains people. Funny and good ol' horse!

Other Critters, Past & Present


Max the cat and Blue the cattle dog.


Spanky and Natick


A favorite poem to share (author unknown)

Horses & People

We were all gathered at the sale barn
waitin for the horse sale to get underway.
When this old hand sat amongst us,
it was easy seein' "Cowboy" was on his resume!
He watched the horses come and go with an
easy, patient horseman's eye.
He studied each horse as they came through,
but he never nodded or attempted to buy.
I found myself watchin' the old man,
when to my surprise he turned and spoke.
"Horses are alot like folks I've known,
some's honest and true, others can't be broke."
Then he pointed out a nice sorrel filly
as she swatted her tail and gave a squeal.
"She's like Miss Milly down at the diner,
plenty of good looks and sex appeal.
And that skinny lookin' ole horse, actin' all touchy,
nervous and rank, he reminds me of old Mr.T Wad,
the loan officer at the bank.
Now that old mare, she's a kids horse,
she'd teach em and they'd never come to harm,
She's sure alot like old Ms Beachem a grand lady,
and my first school marm.
See that little two year old, boy he'd like to break and run.
All he wants is away from here, he reminds me of my son."
It seemed like we sat for hours, talkin', laughin' and
comparin' notes, about honest horses and people we knew,
those we like and those not worth the oats.
About that time, an old bay entered the ring,
the old hands voice began to soften.
"If he was a man, I'd call him friend
and that's just somethin' I don't do often.
A little thin and gray around the muzzle,
like me, he's gotten on in years.
But there's a heap of know how restin
between that old horses ears.
That old horse is some ole cowboys pal,
Sellin him, would be like committin' a sin.
So if you'll please excuse me boys,
think I'll just, buy him back again!"