Things You Learn When You Own a Horse...

1. People who don't take care of their own horses will be the first ones to tell you how to care for yours.

2. You should never buy a cheap girth!

3. A handsome horse who's badly behaved will become a lot less attractive in about 15 minutes.

4. People who think they have nothing more to learn about riding, hit the ground the hardest.

5. Children and ponies are natural allies and often have identical dispositions.

6. The richest horse people most often look the poorest.

7. The closeness of a horse is one of the sweetest smells in the world.

8. A solitary ride through the woods is more beneficial then six months with the best psychiatrist.

9. The worse a person rides the more likely they are going to blame it on the horse.

10. The best thing about going to the barn first thing in the morning is that horses don't care how you look.

11. If a dealer insists a horse is worth twice what he's asking he's usually worth half that much.

12. The best way to appreciate how another person rides is to get on their horse, but it can be a quick way to get hurt.

13. I can recognize another horse person no matter what town, city, state, county or country I visit.

14. You can never have too many hoof picks.

15. It is not wise to argue with something that outweighs you buy 1,000 pounds.

16. I'd rather have a horse with a perfect mind then a perfect head.

17. If you think you have left the water on in the barn you have, if you think you have closed the pasture gate, you haven't.

18. When someone asks you if you like their horse always say 'yes'.

19. The happiest people I know own horses, dogs, cats and at least one deranged goat.

20. If you're looking for the perfect horse you will never own one.

21. Owning a horse can either make a marriage or break it.

22. I'd rather lose my lipstick than my curb chain.

23. You shouldn't talk about your first place ribbon to someone that came second.

24. If someone says that horse has a little buck, it has a BIG buck.

25. If we need rain, schedule a show.

26. I've never warmed up to someone that didn't want a walk down to the stables.

27. A clean stables and a sparkling horse are among life's great pleasures.

28. Even free horses can be too expensive. Especially, free horses.

29. No matter how badly behaved you are, your horse always gives you a second chance.

30. A more expensive horse doesn't make a better one.

31. I will never ever have an empty stable and I have accepted that fact.

32. Losing a horse can break your heart, but it will have been worth it.

'If you can't imagine life without a horse... DON'T!'

Frind of mine posted the pic this week. Have a great Easter!

Transmitting Light Through Our Actions

There are two ways to spread light; to be the candle, or the mirror that reflects it.

- Edith Wharton

Are you a candle or a mirror? Most people are somewhere in the middle. This quote reminds us of the importance of our actions. The example you set (as a mirror) is a way of sharing how you feel based on your behaviors. Gossiping, complaining, and being pessimistic show those in your life that you are unhappy and feeling low. The same is true for the opposite behaviors. Positive, affirming comments transmit to the world that you are happy, friendly, and optimistic. What is your mirror reflecting? Let your actions reflect your true beliefs and values.

The picture is of a sunset and the Tulsa skyline over a University of Tulsa football game that was sent to me last fall. It was taken from a helicopter over the game. Don't remember who was playing. :) The quote and above paragraph are from SparkPeople's Healthy Reflections.

This seemed kinda appropriate with what is going on in several fronts with me. I am getting caught up enough to have time to return to things I love doing. I still have a few things that need to be caught up on. My accountant will kill me if I don't get the ranch books done, but I will focus onthem in a bit. I have a few things to do the the BG's and also for the Hooves cause and then I can whole heartedly focus on the ranch and more fun stuff.

I has a neat art site sent to me at work and forwarded on to my Mom. We discussed the ladies work a bit and Mom was all ya know you can do that to. Mom and her best friend have been artists forever. Mom has not had time to play with it in a while and with retirement loaming I have been trying to get her more into that. She needs something to do. And what does she do... try to get me to do it. LOL! I have some of that artist flare. But it becomes too mixed with that engineer's brain and things just don't ever seem to come out just like I want them. I have practiced lots. Took a few classes, since when I was single it was suppose to be a way to meet guys. Course I met old ladies who were amazed I could get the perspective in drawing. It's the engineer thing. Guess that is why I love my computer and the program that I play with our logos in. I can create stuff digitally and make it look cool and edit it like a drawing on cadd and get what I want. Hopefully before summer I will finish the other Sierra Ranch Logo and play with doing some graphic art stuff.

I even bought some jewelery making stuff at the store last I went. I have always liked putting stuff back together. I can't seem to find jewelery I like. OK, so I also hate to shop. LOL! So I am not the best at finding what I want. :P So I will just make it. I may put some peices on our website and up here when I get them done. There are always more things than I can do and would love to be able to sell some also. But have to get the books done first. :P

Then there is work. The saying above really applies to work. My secretary tells me that it's because I am such a great boss that I keep losing folks. :P OK, let me explain a tad. I finally get my staff to almost full staff again and then things start happening. Our department has been having some rearranging do to a few key players leaving or retiring. So folks shift and move up. Course Rick is mad that I am not wanting to move, but I love my job and the layers that insulate me from the upper management. Anyhow... One of my newly hired engineers applied for a lead engineer opening. It's a great move for her, but she was just really getting it with us. We still don't know if she has the job. They take a while to make those decisions. There are not many opening in our level so this would be a really great move for her. My other current engineer is getting married and needs to be closer to her new hubby. She is taking a job as an engineer at the lakes. Luckily we hired an engineer that will start work on April 1 and he will take over her jobs, since the other section wants my engineer like yesterday! They have to wait til mid April. They have been courting her for that job for a while. Just when it came down it came fast. So we will be looking for an engineer... AGAIN! If you know of any, please let us know! There are at least three openings in our department.

And to top this off the secretary is looking at moving to a different job. She really needs more pay and I understand that, but it took 6 temps from... well, you know... before I found her. She keeps telling me that because I do as the statement above reflects that's why I keep losing folks. I want the best for my employees. I really like to see folks succeed and I guess that I need to look at it that way. One of my engineering techs will be going back to school to get his engineering degree. So I guess she is right. I am just so not a change person. Guess I better become one.

Well, best get back at the grindstone. I missed celebrating Pi day on March 14. Now this is one celebration I would have done in shcool. But then I was a nerd. :P And we were already celebrating St. Pat as the patron saint of Engineers. Yep, engineers are really weird! Horses, cats, dog, kid and hubby are fine. Hope you have a wonderful Sunday! And a really great week!

Hooves for a Cure Challenge!

I have a challenge for all of you reading this.

Don't feel comfortable holding a ride or setting up a large event. Here is another way to help. Gather your friends and family and have a PINK event. You could invite your neighbors to dress in pink and decorate their horses put $10 in the hat and ride around the block or through town or around the mile.

Do you stable your horse; you could have a Pink Party at the Barn. You get the idea you, your horse, and Pink and collecting $10 per person participating. You could have a PINK Lunch after the ride - your imagination is all you need to have a lot of fun and raise money for women who really need it.

Remember 7 people cover the cost of one mammogram for someone who can't afford to have this life saving test -- Just do it on October 4th starting at 10am with the Hooves for a Cure Prayer (which is in the Files section of the group site).

Last Year we raised $8000 and this year we would love to raise $10,000. We have trail rides and would always accept more, but we also want to make it as easy as possible to participate in Hooves for a Cure Day. Let us know via the group site, if you want to do a pink event and then you can let us know how it turns out. When you turn your money in we will need to know where your event took place so that we can donate it in your area. Also looking for other ideas for things to do - so if you have some let us know.

Thank you for supporting Hooves for a Cure. Join our Yahoo! group site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HoovesforaCure.

Debbie Briggs

Hooves for a Cure Director

dbriggs@hoovesforacure.com

www.hoovesforacure.com

Sierra Ranch News - March 2008

Welcome!

Welcome to the eighth edition of the Sierra Ranch News! I hope everyone is surviving in the winter weather. We had a wonderful ice storm in NE OK the second weekend of December. It will go down as the worst disaster in OK history. Considering we are the land of the awesome tornadoes that’s saying something.

Sierra Ranch survived with minor damage. We went from Sunday (12/9) at 5AM to Thursday (12/13) at 7PM without electricity. Not bad considering that some folks around us were without power all through Christmas. We did pretty well with our generator that we use to camp with. We could power most of our critical facilities. Blower in the fireplace, fridge, microwave, coffee pot, satellite TV and internet and three computers. As Rick says it was a minor inconvenience. And he also reminded me that God provided us with plenty of wonderful wood. All over the front yard and down the driveway!

I realized we have not put out a newsletter since then. Life has been getting in the way of that. We are rearranging our priorities and will focus on the Ranch and home life very soon. We have a new addition at the Ranch and this time it is not a horse. Allyson, Rick’s third child has come to live with us full time. Allyson is wonderful help and is adjusting well to her new school and environment. Allyson is 14 and in the 8^th grade. You can see pictures of her on our website. And if you would like to email her you may at allyson@sierraranchok.com I am sure she would like to hear from folks.

You can also see Allyson’s Valentine’s Day Dance Pictures at http://sierraranch.multiply.com/

Tell us what you where you plan on riding this winter. Many folks stop riding in the winter, but sometimes this is the best time of the year to ride. 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 Logo!

I am still working on our second logo. Folks seem to kinda like the first one. The one I am still working on incorporates all the different aspects of what we do. We have raced, loved to ride, jump, and do performance events. Most of our horses are good at all these things, so we should show this off. The picture can bee seen at the Yahoo Group site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SierraRanchOK/ or at the Sierra Ranch Multiply site at http://sierraranch.multiply.com/ or at the blog at http://sierraranchok.blogspot.com

Let us know what you think about this logo and shortly we will post the other one for all to critic. Soon we will have set up a CafePress site with stuff to buy. Until then please check out the HorseMatch.net CafePress store. 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 made some t-shirt at a local t-shirt shop to sell at the ranch. 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.

Check this out!

All About Bitless Bridles

Bit-free headgear is sometime the answer for sensitive horses or though training problems. The original remote-control device was a brilliant notion: Suspend a metal bar in the horse’s mouth, and use the rigid mouthpiece, via some reins, to control the horse’s speed and direction. Brilliant, yes, but far from flawless. To read the whole article, click the link below:

http://equisearch.com/horses_riding_training/tack_apparel/bit_gallery/bitlessbridles_092206/

New Vaccination Guidelines for Horses Released

Revised guidelines for the vaccination of horses are now available from the Infectious Disease Committee of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP). The committee, chaired by Mary Scollay, DVM, has made recommendations for the use of vaccines based on the age of the horse and its previous vaccination history. To read the whole article, click the link below:

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=11217

Olympic Workshop Reviews Horse Health Concerns

“Horses will be better cared for than the human athletes at the equestrian Olympic Games in Hong Kong this summer,” said International Olympic Committee Medical Director Patrick Schamasch, MD, at the end of the pre-Olympic Workshop held by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) Feb. 17 in Lausanne, Switzerland. A total of 160 delegates from 25 national federations attended the event. To read the whole article, click the link below:

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=11354

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!

March 1 & 2 Will Rogers Classic Open Horse Show, Claremore OK Expo Center Halter, English, Western and Speed Events 9am. $40 all day or $5 per class with $5 Office Fee per horse/rider combination. Circuit High Point Awards For more information contact Carla Rader @ 918-342-5185 or 918-639-9777

March 1 Endurance Ride, AERC, Lake Carl Blackwell, Stillwater, OK. Contact Ann McFarland (405)760-6508

March 6-9 Green Country Paint Horse Show, Tulsa Expo Square, Tulsa, OK. Time: 8:00 AM - 10:00 PM. Admission is free. For more info contact: (918) 744-1113 OR go to http://www.tulsamarchmania.com/

March 7-9 Indian Mounds Horse Camp Do-Your-Own-Thing Rides, Clayton OK. Camp fee $7/day per person age 11 & over, elec. campsites $8/daily per hookup, corrals $5/per horse, mule, stalls $15/per horse, mule. Motor homes & campers avail, call for prices, provide your own bedding/cooking utensils. Rent horses $20/hr or $75/day. Jess Johnson 918-569-4761; cell 918-457-7162; email trailleader@earthlink.net. Also Apr 4-6, May 23-26, June 13-15, July 4 -5, Aug. 28-Sept 1, Oct 24-26.

March 7-9 Ranch Sorting & Team Penning in Ponca City at the Play Pen indoor arena. Friday AQHA Sorting & Team Penning starts at 4:00 pm. Saturday Ranch Sorting starts at 9:00 am. Beginner classes available! Sunday AQHA Sorting & Team Penning begins at 9:00. Stalls and hookups available. Barn Burner Productions. Call Darrel at 580-716-6444, visit www.rsnc.us or www.playpenarena.com for more info or you can email us at management@playpenarena.com.

March 8, 2008 BGTRC Back in the Saddle Ride Bell Cow Lake –Contact Deena Wilson at (918)766-3402.

March 8-9 Lake Carl Blackwell Work Weekend for the Oklahoma Equestrian Trail Riders Association, Stillwater, OK. http://www.oklahomahorseonline.com/Oetra/home.htm

March 15 Equine Freeze Branding, Windsong Arena, Adair, OK For more info call Heather, 918-381-9699 or e-mail brokenarrowdj@yahoo.com

March 15 NEOSHA Open Horse Show, Cleveland County Fairgrounds Norman OK, 9 am, Jumping, English, Western www.neosha.com 918-251-5788

March 15 Oil Capital Trail Ride at Cherokee [Gruber] Wildlife Management Area starting at 9AM. Cost $15 includes evening meal Neg. Coggins required Contact Mick Lunt 918 266-5039 or 830-4210 David Cravens 543-2115 or 640-7339, Earnie Hollifield 261-2767

March 22-24 Land Run 08 NATRC, Lake Carl Blackwell, Stillwater, OK. Contact Don Rubley (405)570-1951.

March 22 2nd Annual Haskell County 4-H Horse Club trail ride, San Bois Mountains. Authentic Chuck wagon dinner provided by Terry Rodebush of the Crossbox Ranch and cowboy poets. The goal is to raise funds for the Clubs programs. The day ride will begin at 10 AM, Saturday, March 22nd and end with a catered chuck wagon dinner, cowboy poetry and singing that evening. Come and ride along with us as we travel through the beautiful foothills of the San Bois Mountains in SE Haskell County. Bring a snack to hold you over till dinner and plenty of water. If your not up to a ride through the mountains you can still come out and support the county’s youth and enjoy some good ol’ down home country cookin’ and entertainment. Call in advance to reserve your spot on the trail or your spot around the campfire! Ride open to EVERYONE OF ALL AGES!! This Ain't No Cow Pasture Ride! It's on Mountain Trails, the terrain is not flat. RESERVATIONS COST Contact: Brandie Henry $25.00 per person 918-945-7218 or 217-649-9936 bayedup@crosstel.net Call For Directions

March 28, 29 & 30 Roman Nose Ride Hills Ride, Watonga, OK. Still the same $50 for the ride, Primitive camping. All meals provided Fri. night to Sun. noon. Water available. All day rides, 1/2 day rides, & gaited ride will be provided. First ride is Fri. evening 5:30, Sat. and Sun. rides begin at 9. Proceeds go to the Watonga Hospital Foundation. www.watongahospital.com or 1-877-782-2395. RAIN DATE: April 11-13.

March 29-April 6 Robbers Cave Work Weekends, Wilburton, OK. Sponsored by the Oklahoma Equestrian Trail Riders Association. OETRA designated Adopt-A-Trail. Jobs on foot or from saddle. Bring tools. Chm. Carolyn Sinclair Cell 918-429-3488; Asst. Chm. Harvey Sapp 918-371-8477. http://www.oklahomahorseonline.com/Oetra/home.htm

March 30 & 31 Larry Whitesell Gaited Horsemanship Clinic, Creek County Fairgrounds, Kellyville, OK. Contact Cris Van Horn at 918-688-1898 for more information. Come get a shot in the arm for your riding program. Larry Whitesell offers very intense instruction to all levels of riders on their own horses that will instill an eagerness that you will carry home with you so your can further your relationship with your horse at home.

April 4-6 Indian Mounds Horse Camp Do-Your-Own-Thing Rides, Clayton OK. Camp fee $7/day per person age 11 & over, elec. campsites $8/daily per hookup, corrals $5/per horse, mule, stalls $15/per horse, mule. Motor homes & campers avail, call for prices, provide your own bedding/cooking utensils. Rent horses $20/hr or $75/day. Jess Johnson 918-569-4761; cell 918-457-7162; email trailleader@earthlink.net.

April 5 OBHA Horse Show (Oklahoma Buckskin Horse Association), Claremore EXPO, Claremore, OK, ABRA (double judged) and Open/All breed classes (single judged), starts 8 am, contact: Beckie or Ron at Honeck@tds.net or 918-543-6277 for more information. www.oklahomabuckskin.org

April 12-13 Cowboy's Pride Horse Rescue Foundation Benefit trail ride, poker run, and camp out. All proceeds will go to the rescue and rehabilitation of needy horses. Check-in will begin on Saturday at noon and festivities will conclude on Sunday at 1pm. Fees will be $50 per person and earlybird (Before March 15th) registrations will receive a free t-shirt. Family registrations are $100 for up to four family members. Earlybird family registrations only receive one free t-shirt. Bring your own horse or horse rental for the event is $25, but you must have a reservation to rent a horse. More information is available at www.cowboyspride.org

April 17-20 AQHA Region 8 Show, Tulsa Expo Square, Tulsa, OK. Time: 12:00 AM For more info go to www.exposquare.com

April 19 Fourth Annual Ride to Save Babies March of Dimes Trail Ride Lake Carl Blackwell, Stillwater, OK. Minimum of a $20 donation ($28 after April 1)/$8 for meal only. Registration begins at Noon with ride beginning at 3:00 pm. Dinner is at 6:00 pm. There are water and electricity hook ups available on first come first serve basis ($8 daily for no electricity/$12 daily site for with electricity). FMI call Mendi Cronister at 580-370-8890 or 580-3360-4945, email: rockin_mr@hotmail.com. www.rockinmr.com

April 23-27 GO Hunter Jumper Association Show, Tulsa expo square, Tulsa, Ok. For more info go to www.exposquare.com

April 24-27 J-D Annual Spring Mountain Trail Ride Join us for great riding, good food and fun at our Spring Mountain Trail Ride. Contact Jo to make your reservation. There will be a full breakfast Saturday morning, BBQ 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. Visit site www.j-dtrailriding.com for information or email Jo at jharrington@j-dtrailriding.com.

April 26 2nd Annual Keystone Regulators Pony Express Race - Lake Carl Blackwell, Stillwater, OK. $500 added money. Trophy buckles for the 1st place team, race pays three places. Two mile cross country race, consisting of two-man/two-horse teams. Calcutta auction before the race. $50 entry fee per team. Race starts at 12:00 noon. Books are open now through 4/17/08. For more information contact Richard Moss at : (918)241-5220 or (918)706-7897. E-mail richard.moss@sbcglobal.net

26 Benefit Trail Ride for Kids Against Hunger - located at Gloss Mountain Outfitters in NW Oklahoma Cost $10 - includes meal For more info and driving directions go to www.glossmountainoutfitters.com or contact Jacque. Newton 580-596-2020

April 26 Spring Pumpkin Roller Charity Gaited Horse Show sponsored by the Pure Pleasure Gaited Horse Association, Creek County Fairgrounds, Kellyville, OK. A Fun Show For Gaited And Non Gaited Horses. Proceeds Will Support The Right Path And Bit By Bit Therapeutic Riding Programs. Contact Bill King @ 918-230-4084 Or Mike Chancellor @ 918-241-4123 Or 918-794-9910 For Information. Bring your horses and have some fun!!

April 26-27 Duncan Lake Horse Club Ride, Duncan OK. Fri. night potluck, 7 pm. Sat., ride 10 am. Bring your Sat. lunch. Club will furnish Sat. night meal & Sun. am breakfast. We are giving away a saddle again this year – it’s a beauty. We may have trailer to rent if you don’t have a living-quarters trailer. For info call 580-255-2613.

June 14-15, 2008 13th Annual City Slickers Trail Ride Sponsored By The Bad Girls Trail Riding Club, Robber’s Cave State Park Friday (June 13th) bring your hotdogs and marshmallows and join us at the campfire. Saturday (June 14th) Cloverleaf ride (OETRA approved mileage). Leaving at 9AM returning to camp at noon for lunch. Afternoon riding out at 2PM and returning about 4:30PM. Saturday evening: 6 p.m. Dinner by the BGTRC BOD and 7 p.m. Karaoke with a Karaoke Contest for Cash Prizes and City Slicker Buckle Raffle ($1/ticket) Breakfast and lunch Saturday can be purchased at a minimal cost from the BGTRC BOD. Sunday (June 15th) on you own!! 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 Fri. & Sat. nights as well as Sat. dinner and entertainment! For information contact: Deb Stowers deb@sierraranchok.com Phone: 918/341-5799 Cell: 918/607-6094 DON’T MISS OUT ON THIS GREAT RIDE! Children under 6 must be accompanied and supervised by an adult. ORIGINAL current negative coggins required - No stallions. No alcohol on the trails - Horses should be shod. Check out: http://www.sierraranchok.com/bgtrc/cityslicker.html for flyers and registration forms.

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

The Horse/Rider Relationship is Long

By Rick Stowers

Check out Rick’s Riding Lessons at http://www.horsematch.net/Rickstowers.html

The horse and rider relationship may actually be longer than many marriages these days. Horses can live and be productive into the early 30's. The namesake of our ranch was winning 4H ribbons at 29. She was carrying kids on trail rides the summer before the spring that she died. She had a very full life and with the advancement of vet medicine so will your partner. Your horse.

Something to keep in mind is that with dogs, cats, or even ferrets you will replace several of these during the lifetime of your horse. So it is important to make your horse match be the best you can. Going through that long of a time with a bad match would be most difficult.

We hope you enjoy our philosophy and will come visit Sierra Ranch.

LET'S GO RIDING TODAY!!!!

Horse Spotlight

Naughty Snow Lady

http://www.sierraranchok.com/Lady.html

Naughty Snow Lady is a 2001 chestnut appaloosa gelding. (Yes with a name like that he is a gelding!) He is 14.2 hands (and growing) and about 950 pounds. Lady has been ridden on and off for several of years. Kids and Rick have ridden him in the pasture. We took him on an overnight trail ride and he did well. He stayed in an electric fence and tied to a high line. We have taken him on many day rides and he does wonderfully. He loads, stands for shoes, loves water and bathes and comes when called. He is broke and ready to be trained to do whatever you want. He is a loveable horse, we just have too many. I need to update the website. We thought we had found the perfect place for Lady, but he is back in our pasture, so if you are looking for a great horse please contact us. $3000 or best offer.

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