another pinto in the pasture

Sometimes it just happens....a small ad seen, a photo that you suspect the equine is better than represented...and an inquiry.....That is how another pinto arrived in the pasture here at Creekside Curlies! We are proud to introduce you to *Tekara. When I saw the ad for this mare, it got my wheels turning....Perhaps this would make a good frozen semen candidate for our stash of "HeartBreaker" semen...perhaps this mare would make a nice riding horse...perhaps......

But.....it was love at first sight...the mare was not the height stated in the ad, but every single thing about her screamed "take me home" her temperament is one of the best I have ever encountered...she is gently broke to ride and she handles like a dream. Mike is smitten, he already has big plans for her, learning to pack and camp ( he swore he would NEVER horse camp again...LOL ) he is just sure that *Tekara will be a gentle mount for August James in the future, and he is probably right..he generally is!


I find it very ironic that this mare, a true medicine hat marked mare, very well may be a Native American's mount...August is 1/2 Native American....seems Mr. August will start with what the Native American's considered to be a highly prized equine.
My camera has been in the shop, and I took most of these photos with my older camera....but, I had battery trouble and only got a couple shots in, before the end of the daylight, and now we are into a wet/muddy weather pattern...oh well! no more photos until spring I guess.
Gotta love this photo...it shows just how comfortable they are with each other, and *Tekara has only been here a couple days....this is going to be a relationship made in heaven ;-)

Here we are!

After two years of studying, asking questions, searching for a trainer, and lots of lots of driving lessons, I am actually driving my very own horse. Legacy had our first "real" lesson, walk, trot and lots of change of reins/direction.......and she was WONDERFUL !!! a gem beyond words this mare is. There is some "getting to know each other" to be done, she is softer and requires less rein pressure (for the lack of the proper term) than the lesson horse, and she steadied me when I felt a bit of apprehension in our lesson.... Legacy will stay with her trainer for another month, so she can work outside, and on the trails, and so I can take several more lessons with her, before bringing her home. Truly a "team" stayed tuned for more on "Team Creekside" .....

Living the dream!

Living the Dream, Legacy and I are now driving together.....this is our first lesson together!

After my driving lesson with Legacy, our trainer hitched her to our own harness and cart....the next photos are, our trainer's first drive with her and him, in our own harness and cart...my cart is a little heavier, and certainly noisier than the training carts..but Legacy accepted it well, worked hard and was so willing.....Working outside the cart gave our trainer a good look at how Legacy would react, without putting himself in danger.....what a good girl she was!


Next week this will be me!!! I can hardly wait !

*C-C Hells Canyon Packer

Our youngsters grow up...and we appreciate SO much their owners sharing photos and news. This is a colt we bred and was born here....*C-C Hells Canyon Packer ......WOWZERS !!!!!! Packer is a 3 year old, approved for breeding and will be started under saddle this fall.

Leacy goes for a drive

Trainer Roy and Legacy went for their first drive late last week. Shown here at the walk and the trot, Legacy handled the mental pressure with ease.

I have also been taking lessons, using a retired Grand Champion Morgan schoolmaster, that is amazing to drive...


Driving him is like floating on a cloud. Last week in my lesson, we did not kill ANY cones !!! Driving is more fun, than even my great expectations...and I had great expectations......a sport truly meant for me and my curly.

Keen Green transforms to "My Beamer"

What a journey my dream of having my very own driving curly has been! I spent a year studying driving "book learning" and then started my search for a cart. I found this cart, somewhat local, it was a bit wrong for my purpose..BUT..it had good bones. I have the luxury of having a cart builder near, and last fall, he took the cart, measured my horses and went to work to make it fit.

Among other changes we made, was the addition of a "cheater step"...we both thought, with my upcoming surgeries, the addition of this step would be a great help.

Once the height of the cart, the step added and the shafts narrowed to fit my potential driving horses I got my cart home and I started the rest of the transformation A good paint job helps clean things up.

Although I like the color green, it was not my goal to drive a green cart. So, I bought black paint, and spent a week of the hottest summer weather transforming Keen Green.


The next thing that needed to be changed was the wheels. Some folks use motorcycle ( or even bicycle ) wheels, but my limited knowledge was both types were unsafe, out on the open road..they are also not legal for competition at certain levels. So, I spent another year searching for first motorcycle wheels with out the spokes, and then when I hit a dead end with that...searching for steel wheels! and...after weeks of searching, I found my dream steel wheels at www.carriagedrivingessentials.com and they had the wheels in stock! so...my dream cart is complete...and WHY do I call it "My Beamer" ???cause, when I am sitting in my cart..I AM beaming ;-)

Coming along nicely

Last week I had the pleasure of checking on how Legacy was coming along with her harness trainer. She has advanced to pulling a cart, and in a few days, Roy will be in the cart driving her. As you can see here, she is comfortable, happy and relaxed...woohooo!!!!!!!!! my "gal" coming along .....

Corners are always a challenge with a green horse and cart...but Legacy takes it all in stride.And...another shot of her showing how accepting she is of the whole process....soon, we will be in that cart!


While I was there, I jumped at the opportunity to take a lesson.


Roy gave me alot of guidance.....my lesson horse was a gentle guy, with LOTS of get up and go, if you wanted it. I actually thought I would not break out of the walk, while I was watching Roy warm up "Ray Man" but...after I settled into driving, we did indeed up the speed! I felt like I was flying on a cloud!!!!!!!!! wow..what a rush ;-)



Here we are all "alone" LOL.....while it may be somewhat easy for an instructor to run up and catch or hold a saddled horse, it is not that easy to catch and hold a horse that is hitched...so, we had to "fly" on our own....what a great feeling ;-)