New Rates!

With our current economy still in a slump - we have looked hard at our expenses here at the farm, and will be offering you different boarding options that you can select that will meet the best care for your horse and help out with your pocket book.

Option#1 - Full Stall Board - Includes stall bedded and cleaned daily, with daily turn out, hay at least 2 times per day, and up to 4 lbs of grain per day. $215.00 per month

Option #2 - Stall Board - Includes stall bedded and cleaned daily, daily turnout, and hay at least 2 times per day. Owner supplies own grain if needed. $190 per month.

Option #3 - Full Pasture Board - Includes hay at least 2 times per day, and up to 4 lbs of grain per day. $135 per month.

Option #4 - Pasture Board - Includes hay at least 2 times per day. $110.00 per month.

Still the same great quality care and attention to detail!

High Pines Farm has 20 stalls with attached 60x120 Indoor Arena, 125x200 Outdoor Arena, 60' round pen, inside hot water wash stall, boarders tack rooms, free trailer parking, Orion Timed Lights.

Show horses, trail horses, and your best friend - all are welcome here!

Contact me for openings and to arrange a tour - we'd love to visit with you!

Stall Openings!

We currently have stall and pasture board openings available. We are a great small facility located only a 10 minute drive from Portage, Pardeeville, and Montello areas.
Our facility has the following: 60x120 Indoor Arena; 125x200 Outdoor Arena; 60' Custom Built Round Pen; Inside Hot Water Wash Stall; Boarders Tack Rooms with Lockers; Free Trailer Parking.

Your horses care includes: 14% Pelleted Quality Grain. Vitamin/Mineral Supplement. Quality Hay. Supplements Fed at No Charge. Fly Masks/Sheets/Blankets/Spray - put on at no charge. Daily turnout in small groups. Stalls cleaned daily. Stalls available with Orion Timed Light Systems. Stalls are airy, well lit, and ventilated. Worming on 8 week Rotation.

No restrictions on which vet or farrier you use.

Please contact us for more information and to arranage a tour of the facility!

Cold!

We are officially unburied from 12 inches of snow, and surviving the major cold temps!

2010 Show Season

Wow - Its over - sadness......buy hey 2011 is just around the corner!!

Have stall openings available!! Please call to arrange a tour and to come join our barn family!

Over due News - July 29th, 2010

Hey All!!!

Welcome Back!

We have possible openings for boarding - please check for availability.

Monday night lessons with Darren Honnold - sign up on board if you are attending!

Show Season going well!

Fair is over - and kara had a great 1st year!

Bo is starting his Senior year in high school soon and will be having his 18th birthday in a couple of weeks...

Keeping it brief!

Lesson Schedule / News

Hi All!

Upcoming Lesson schedules with Bill Heiser:

Saturday, November 28 - 2 groups 10:30 and Noon

Sunday, December 6 - 10:00 AM

Saturday, December 12

Sunday, December 13

Sunday, December 20

Saturday, December 26

Sunday, December 27

We are currently FULL on boarding - If you have any interest, please let me know, as I can put your name down if an opening becomes available.

We have purchased a new horse - his reg name is Peppys Shiney Pistol. He is a 5 yr old registered sorrel gelding that is reining and cutting bred with the lines of One Gun, Miss Pepsan, and Mr. Blackburn. We purchased him from Dan & Carol Vale in Stoughton WI. We plan on showing him next year at the ranch horse competitions. he has a lot to learn in a short time - but should be a strong contender for the all-around and reining events.

Depending on how "Peppy" advances, I'm not sure if Gus will continue with the reining events. With the new rule change in APHA, he is eligible for regular paint papers - so he might go back to being a "pleasure" horse... haha....

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Group Lessons

Next date for group riding lessons with Bill Heiser:
Saturday, November 14 - 2 sessions: 10:30 AM and 12 Noon
Sunday, November 15 - 1 session: 10:00 AM

Thanks everyone for attending - we are having alot of fun with these, plus it's been fun having everyone at the barn too!

Sign up on the dry erase board, or just give me a call and I'll put you on.

Doctor Sizzle

Alex is going to the QH Catalog Sale on October 24 at Twin Cities Horse Sales.

His sire is Sizzlin Zippo - earner of over 100 western pleasure points.

His Dam, an own daughter Shy Prescription - 2 yr old Western Pleasure congress Champion, has produced several point earners to date.

Alex will a 60 days riding by sale date, and is riding nice and quiet. A great prospect for next year's shows!

I hauled him to one American Ranch Horse Show - were he stood 1st in Open 2 yr old geldings, and 1st in Amateur 2 yr old Geldings. Alex also placed Reserve Champion Open Geldings for the day!

This gelding has a lot of talent - and could go in any direction you want.

This is a picture of his sire: Sizzlin Zippo

Wow - Fun Summer

Hey All!!!

It's been a fun and busy summer! Gus & I have competed at several Ranch Horse Association shows this summer and have had a blast! These shows are similiar to a "open" show - but get to ride in trail, and reining classes - Gus and I have slowly been improving all summer in reining, and its been a great learning experience!

We currently have stall openings as of October 1st here at the barn - Please give me a call to join our little horsey family!!! We have a 60x120 indoor arena, 125x200 outdoor arena, roundpen, hot water wash rack; 12x12 and 12x10 matted stalls cleaned daily; turnout; and a great nutritional program!

1st Ranch Horse Competition

Ok - wow - so it's been like over SIX months since I've posted here.... BUT I've been very busy riding and riding and riding, and taking care of life stuff!!!

So, Gus & I went to our very FIRST reining competition the end of April - and did quite well for our first time - even though he was a bit of a crazy loon and very very naughty - but we managed to get a score in 3 out of 4 of our classes and even place 2nd in the green rider class!!! So - keep thinking positive right!

This weekend (memorial day weekend) - we competed at our first Ranch Horse Show - and did very well - going into the western riding class for the 1st time - and receiving a 1st place under one judge - and going into the ranch reining and reining classes - and having decent go's - with even ending up with a 1st under one judge!!! WOW........ it was ALOT of fun! Gus & I tabulated enough points on Saturday to win the weekend Amateur All-Around Buckle (very cool!).... Other members of the barn that went and showed did very well too!! Lena & Dennie won the Open All-Around Buckle for the weekend, and Megan & Jake placed 2nd in the ranch reining for their very first time together too. Sarah & Jack placed very high and won a couple of their classes - and it was her first time with him - he was riding awesome - great job Sarah!!!

Congrats everyone!!!

The next ranch horse show is July 11 at Dodge County....

I have decided that we are not ready to take on the World Show this year.... I would like to go down to TN and seriously have GREAT rides, and the intention of winning the all-around title. Gus & I are just not consistent enough in our manuevers to warrant the expense of going this year - especially as the world show is in only 3 weeks - and we just got done with only our 2nd competition with the reining.

Next show will be June 27 & 28 with the Midwest Cow Horse & Reining Association at Deerfield WI.

I will hopefully have some new pictures to post too!!!

News!!!

Wow - snow on the ground today - it was pretty - (yeah it was!!!).... though - that could be IT far as I'm concerned!!!

Lots of things left undone this fall that needed to be finished around the barn - but R. has worked many 60 hour weeks and we have been short of cash with my continued unemployment (lay off) - so I have "officially" stopped worrying about it - and have been practicing that.....lol....

We are having electrical problems at the barn - with several electricians out to shake their heads - which has not been helpful at all. With the arrival of cold weather - dragged out the tank heaters and plugged them into 3 different water tanks. Two of the tanks have repeatedly been shocking the horses as they drink - as you can imagine the problem with that... At first I was told - the "heater" is bad.....ok - I can buy into that - so off to TSC and bought all new heaters.... NOPE not the problem - still getting what is being called "stray voltage" into the water. Replaced outlets twice - even ran extension cords to the one and only outlet that is NOT doing this - NOTHING has worked........ Frustration levels are high... currently the heaters are not plugged in - and I'm praying for continued decent weather until this is resolved.... One thing I'm sure of - is that I'm feeling damn sorry for the combined total of 14 horses that this is happening to.

We put on a "barn fun day" this past Saturday - boarders and friends were invited over to play egg & spoon, musical stalls, simon says and egg stomp. We had a good time and the weather was decent. I'm hoping to have more of theses over the next several months - so any ideas of fun "horse games" - greatly appreciated!

I did purchase a new horse last week. He is a 2007 registered AQHA sorrel gelding - name is Doctor Sizzle. Kids have named him Alexander - but Randy has been calling him "Doc"....so not sure what name he's going to end up with. He's very friendly and quite big already. I'm very excited to have him for this coming year. I plan on starting him under saddle this February and maybe doing some bigger shows by the end of summer.

Charisma is under "vets" orders to be ridden all winter. Actually - ride the snot out of her is what I was told to do. So I normally don't ride much until mid-February or so - but this year will be keeping in shape along with her.... so if anyone wants to come ride with me in January.......lol.....

Gus is officially on vacation for the winter. I spent about 4 weeks this late fall riding him pretty heavy - and we progressed to doing a fairly correct - if a little slow on spinning. His roll back got pretty snappy. Gus got introduced to the cows and we actually cut a few. We also made alot of progress in learning how to do lead changes....now if I can get rid of the "buck" that seems to accompany them... ha ha.... I'm sure in time that will come. Dennie intends on borrowing Gus to use for a riding clinic in December for the ranch trail classes.... I might have to go watch my horse!!! I intend on taking Gus to a few of the American Ranch Horse shows next year... should be fun doing something a little different.

Kid news:

Kara is doing extremely well in school - I'm SO HAPPY!!!

Bo is doing only what he needs to to get by - I give UP!!! Bo's father has strongly stressed that he feels Bo is doing fine in school and that I should not curtail any extra-curricular activities etc etc..... never mind the kid has only TWO classes and is barely squeaking in a C-.....sigh.... However - to elaborate further is to also say that Bo's DAD is NOT willing to share in the duties of carting Bo back and forth to these extra deals..... I'm the continual "BAD GUY" in this scenario - and I get the "you don't like" teenage crap......sigh....... and yes - your right in saying that BO STILL DOES NOT HAVE HIS DRIVERS LICENSE!!!!!

Ok - enough rambling for tonight....

I promise to post more often..... seriously.......

News - Long in Coming

Hi Everyone!

I follow and read Kathy's blog quite often - she stuns me with her insight to herself and life in general. She's a hard act to follow.....lol....

I haven't posted since I was laid off from my job. You would think with not working 25-40 hours at a real job - that I would have more time - leisure time that is.... I actually am so more busy - that I rarely have time to just sit. My daily computer time has come down to an occasional check of my email and to pay my bills on line.

As previously posted - Dennie Matney has come to work out of our barn as our resident horse trainer. He has brought many more horses with him - which has increased my work time in the barn. With being laid off - I couldn't justify "paying" someone to clean stalls. I've done that for the last two months. However - I've got Dee doing stalls again 2x per week - as I've decided I just need a break from it.

We've been having alot of fun with Dennie being here. Most of the boarders have gotten to know him enough to take lessons and do some training with their horses. He's working on getting outside horses in the barn from the local area. But mainly his main focus is his cutting/reining show horses and they seem to come from all over the country.

I'm learning some new training techniques and really sharpening up my personal riding skills with him here. As some of you know - I have dreamed for years of having a reining horse to show. So, in some ways, this is a dream come true for me - to have access to the knowledge available to me to learn and the occasional chance to ride on of these talented horses.

My last show is this upcoming Saturday - the Wisconsin State Horse Council Championship Challenge - Gus & I are qualified in 5 events. After the show is over - poor Gus....lol....I chuckle as I write this - is going to work (cuz he really doesn't need time off right??!!!) - to learn the basics of being a reining horse. He actually has many of the elements of training already there - we can do slow and fast circles, we can do roll backs, and we have a pretty good spin in the making already. We have to teach Gus how to do lead changes and to slide.....how hard can it be???? Well - I'll keep you updated on that.

Goals for next year are already in the making - I'm hoping to do some reining/cowhorse events with Gus - he will be taking some much needed time off from the pleasure arena. Charisma will be heading for the Quarter Horse circuit. She has come back really well after the surgery - and I did take her to one QH show, where we placed 7th out of 18 in our first time - promising enough to make the investment.

I have sold Dafnie to Kris Bond here at the barn. I am shopping for a new pleasure horse for next year to replace her. I'm going to try to not rush and get the "right" one (yeah right... he he)....

Until later....

Back from the campground

Our camping weekend was fun - even with lots of rain & lightning on Friday night - as of course - we were not traditionally camping - but had however rented a cabin.

It was very peaceful and relaxing and I think the kids had fun. Well, as much fun as a teenage boy has with only his mother to play with...lol...

Bo & I did take a small canoe out for a bit - after Bo flipped us over in the beginning and filled it with water - we still had fun.... and I of course reversed who was getting in the canoe first... ha ha...

We did however miss attending any of the Marq. Cty fair - that was a bummer as I was trying to eke out some time to see my friends exhibits.

Oh, and as I had forgetten to mention in my previous post - Randy & Charisma placed 1st, 2nd & 6th in their classes.

We are meeting an equine nutritionist from ADM feeds to go over my existing feeding program. I will report back on that.

News!

I didn't keep a good diary when I was kid either!

Anyway....

The barn is happy to welcome Dennie Matney as our new resident trainer/instructor. Denny originally is from Oklahoma. He has been training in a barn in Northern Minnesota and is hoping that our winters are less cold. And in comparaison to 40 below zero for weeks on end - we might be the winners!

Dennie's specialty is reined cow horses and reining events. He also will start colts to ride. I asked him on his training style and he replied that he was a mix of Clinton Anderson/John Lyons with a dose of common sense. I'm thinking - good answer!

He is hoping to moved down and settled in by the end of the month. We have 3 stalls to finish up for his horses and arrange the turn-out situation so that he has a place to turn his horses out too.

Other news - Charisma is doing well and has been riding for the last few weeks. We took her to her 1st show this past Saturday at Portage. It was Randy's 1st time showing her, and Charisma's 1st time out this year. It was also Charisma's first time going in the Hunter Under Saddle classes. She is a beautiful mover - which makes up for her serious lack of height. These days most of the "hunter" horses on the breed circuits are well over 16 hh tall. Charisma stands just over 15 hh.

So I videod instead of picture taking.... and maybe I can figure out how to get a still off the video tape..... or not.....

Kara is still doing Karate - she has graduated to a green belt - and will probably stay in that class for the summer. They have shortened and re-arranged the class times due to summer - and if Kara continues being interested - then she will go to more in the fall.

Bo is gone to his dad's for the summer. He is coming back on alternate weekends. Though he'd rather go hang at his friends houses than me - but I suppose that is typical.

We are planning a trip to a local campground for the weekend. That way I can come home and clean stalls and chores. We were planning on going to South Dakota this summer - but due to unforseen expenses from flooding and rising fuel & hay costs - there is not enough $$ to make the trip the most fun it could be. We could probably still go - but I dont want to go and now that we can't afford to go out to eat or see some of the things that we'd really want to see while we are there.

So - any "in-Wisconsin" vacation ideas - other than Wisc Dells - would be greatly appreciated!

Until later!

Congrats!

Congratulations to Kris Bond & her horse Rain - for winning their very 1st place at a show. They've worked hard for it!

Shannon Ryan has left the barn due to the rising costs of fuel. I'm working on getting a replacement in but I am figuring that this will take some time to accomplish. The barn has been much quieter since she left last week!!

School is coming to a close on Tuesday - so Summer is officially here! Which we knew of course, not due to the temperatures, but due to the increasing BUG count of mosquitos and deer flies... YUCK!

My horses are extremely pampered, and are inside during the hottest parts of the day with their FANS on....lol......right now i turn them out all night if its cool enough, and for a few hours in the early morning. If its warm and muggy the mosquitos are terrible and they just want right back inside anyway!

Gus and I are having a fairly successful show season. A few classes that didn't go as planned, but overall, we are having a good year.

Kara has graduated to a "green" belt in karate - so she continues to learn. She was wishy washy about continuing, but then changed her mind, and actually has been really "participating" in class - though in the last month - she has been the only one in the class - so its been a string of "private" lessons.... lucky us!

Bo will be leaving for his Dad's after school is complete, and besides the occasional weekend, will not be home until the middle of August.

I had an interview this week for a really neat job at the Wisc Wildlife Federation. I'm hoping for positive results and will know more sometime next week.

Zip With Me - 2007 APHA Filly

Thanks Shelley for taking great photos!

News

Wow - been a MONTH since I've posted....oops!

Here goes - Randy is very busy trying to get the new and much bigger tack room completed for our boarders. The cement was poured last week, and this weekend he built some of the walls, and insulated and drywalled the ceiling. We have an exterior wall to build and of course a "door"... I ordered saddle racks and bridle racks last week and they should be here soon. We are trying to do this as economically as possible, but I'm sure we have over $1,000+ into it already. Everything has gotten so expensive to buy as of late.

The next big item on the list for the barn is to bring the new stalls and aisle way up to grade and put rubber mats in all the stalls. We will be doing this slowly, as it will take several truck loads of lime stone, and each stall the mats will be around $300 each (yeah times 10 is $3,000..yikes!)...hopefully by winter those will be done.

The water line is in thru the new barn and the 2 hydrants are up and working... the plan is to have automatic waterers in each stall - but that is on hold for awhile, as each water is over $350 (yup times 10 again!).... but the water lines are there, for when we have the extra $ to put them in.....

It's been nice seeing everyone out riding - when the damn weather co-operates..... If we could PLEASE get more than 2 nice days in a row????????

Congrats to everyone that did well at their first shows this past weekend!!!

Gus & I will be heading to Fond du Lac this Saturday for our 1st show. I'm excited to be going, and hope to have good rides.

Charisma is laid up until mid-June after her minor surgery last week. We had tried everything short of the surgery with limited success.....so keeping our fingers crossed.

Heather (my niece) will be leaving this week for the sunshine state of California to go live with her dad & step-mother. We will miss her and wish her well. The "family" is planning on chipping in on a plane ticket for her to come back around christmas. Heather has really enjoyed riding the horses these last couple of months, and I hope to find a stable out there that she can continue to take riding lessons if she wants to.

Bo is struggling in school - mostly because he doesn't take the time to do his homework and turn it in... "Mom" is pretty much done with being the "nag"....Bo will have to find is own motivations. Bo is very involved in the golf program at school and has been spending most evenings on the golf course ..... Can you see the correlation here??? His father and I had sat down together with Bo at the beginnning of the school year and we ALL agreed that if Bo didn't have at least a C- in all his classes that he would NOT be going to any of the competitions. Well. lo and behold - last week Bo was invited to play at one of the bigger matches....BUT of course he had an "F" in Algebra.... I met with Bo's dad - and said to him - ok - he's got an F in Algebra - so no golf - right? WRONG..... His Dad decides that he should play - this was an "opportunity" of a life time..... and if Bo could get his grade to a D- by the end of the week.... well, that would be ok. I give up.......obviously - setting guidelines and sticking to them is a one way street.

Course if you ask Bo, I'm mean and don't like him much....... well, I won't like him much when he's 19 and living in my basement with NO job and NO prospects cuz he flunked out of high school....

Ok - enough ranting - at least its not drugs, drinking or girls right??? ........YET...............

Off to work I go......or actually I'm at work, not working.....he he ....

Done Hibernating!

Ok - a brief glimpse of spring this past weekend...but now back to 40's and windy.... geez....I'm going back to the cave!!!!!!

Barn has been full and busy.....everyone seems to be having a lot of fun with their horses - which is excellent.

We hired to have the water line finished back in the new stall barn - that will hopefully be in today. We can then start on the new tack room - as I know most of the boarders have run out of space to put their belongings.... we are very sorry about that - but we needed to wait for the frost to come out of the ground. The plan is to have the new tack room done by the end of the month - so lets cross our fingers!!

Mary Ellen had a scare with a bad Abcess with Tanya in the last few weeks - but luckily it broke and she is walking sound - so it looks like Tanya is still headed to the horse fair. If you have a chance - Mary Ellen & CArol - are taking both of their adopted Standardbred horses for the Standardbred demo at Midwest Horse Fair - stop in and say hi if you have a chance.

Hopefully the big pile of snow in the outdoor arena will soon be gone - and we will drag and work up the outdoor for everyone's use.

Bo now officially has his learning permit - so he is driving officially...... I feel alot older this week than normal.... he is also in golf - so he is very busy with that as they started practice last week.

Kara is still doing karate - but she has lost some interest - our "contract" renews at the end of the month - and I'm not sure we will renew. I don't want to make her go if she doesn't want to.... course I'd like to "make" her ride horses too.....

That's it for now!

Sick of Winter

Ok - sick of snow, cold, ice, wind, etc etc.

I don't even think it's pretty anymore.....instead of snowflakes, I see dollar signs, of what its going to cost to plow out the driveway for the millionth time, and the fact that I had to pay someone to do snow removal around the barn, with the hope that when the barn floods (notice when NOT if) that it won't be as horrible as if we had left the 7' tall x 120' long pile of snow next to the barn.

I do have some interesting pictures....that I will download and post....

Until then, I'm waiting for anything over 40 degrees that is NOT accompanied by a lighting and rain storm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Geesh......

Kara at Karate

Kara at karate class on Saturday February 8th.