Sierra Ranch News - April 2008

Welcome!

Welcome to the ninth edition of the Sierra Ranch News! I hope everyone is enjoying spring. We have been riding some and have had a few more students join in the fun. We hope to be riding more. Just need the weather to cooperate a bit with the rain.

Tell us what you where you plan on riding this Spring. As you can see from the calendar there are many options on places to ride and things to do. 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.

We will also be updating the websites soon. Something that has needed to be done for awhile. Look for more announcements on this coming soon!

Check this out!

Overcoming Riding Fears

Anyone who has ridden for any length of time would be dishonest if they told you they have never felt fear. If you have any common sense at all, you should have a certain level of “healthy fear” Whenever you get on a new horse. Call it “respect” if you prefer, but there is always an awareness that the 100-pound or so of bone and muscle you are sitting on is, physically, more powerful than you are. To read the whole article, click the link below:

http://ultimatehorsesite.com/articles/meredithf_overcomingridingfears.html

37-Year-Old Horse Closing in on Trail Mileage Record

Pushing the envelope of equine athletic prowess, 37-year-ols half-Arabian Elmer Bandit is gearing up to start yet another competitive trail ride season. In 2007 Elmer’s certified lifetime competitive miles stood at 20,240, nearing the national record of Saddlebred Wing Tempo’s 20,710 miles. To read the whole article, click the link below:

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=11617

HorseGirlTV.com

HorseGirlTV is a semi-monthly vidcast hosted by Angelea Kelly Walkup. The show presents international equine sports and equine athletes through entertaining and educational designs. HorseGirlTV focuses on riders, trainers, professional both locally and globally. The format is hip, happening, and always horse related. The show takes the classic world of horses and plugs it into the wired generation. Tune in. Tack up. It’s not what you think! To visit the website, click the link below:

http://www.Horsegirltv.com

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!

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 25-27 AQHA & RSNC Ranch Sorting and Team Penning at the Play Pen Arena in Ponca City (www.playpenarena.com). See our website for more information or call Darrel Dye at 580-716-6444 or email management@playpenarena.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

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.

April 26-27 OAQHA Spring All Novice/Open Saddle Series, Chickasha, OK (Grady Co Fairgrounds). Clinic Sat 11-2 with Mike Keller, $25. Trail and Reining Saturday, rest of show Sunday. Check website for showbill www.okqha.com.

April 26-27 Trail Ride Tune-up, Four Hoof Drive Adventures, Norman, OK. Learn to camp with your horse, how to take care of your horse on the trail, how to secure your horse over night, what to take with you on the trail, outdoor cooking, orienteering. This is a two-day clinic where you will learn everything you need to know to start trail riding. This clinic gives you a chance to practice with your horse before adventuring away from home. Call or e-mail for further information. The cost for both days is $150.00 and includes four meals. For more information or to register visit www.fourhoofdrive.com

May 2-7 Territorial Wagon Train, Tecumseh OK at Winding Creek Motorcycle Camp. Neg. Coggins required. Open camping. May 2 Bean supper, bring side dish. May 6 Potluck supper, meat furn. Sun. eve., Wiener roast, everyone contribute. $10 fee incl. parking, water, porta-john. Make advance deposit. One group. Lisa Wright, 10902 SE Goodin Rd., Lawton OK 735 01, 580-357-2054, leave message.

May 3 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

May 4 Belle Starr Trail Ride, where the Oklahoma Days began! Ride through the historic Belle Starr Canyon and part of Younger Bend. Ride begins promptly at 10 am. Lunch provided for a donation. No firearms or alcoholic beverages. Current Negative Coggins required at the gate. We need to know how many will be eating so PLEASE CALL FOR RESERVATIONS by May 2 at 918-484-2542. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCIDENTS Go two miles South of Porum on Hwy 2 to Hwy 71 then go west two miles to dirt road, turn south and go one half mile. WATCH FOR SIGNS.

May 10 Clinic at Travis Ranch, Norman, OK. Four Hoof Drive Adventures. Morning session from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon will cover intermediate level horsemanship. The afternoon session will be advanced leading and trailer loading. If you have a horse that is hard to load or doesn't load as easily as you would like, this is the clinic for you. $35.00 for the morning session, $25.00 for the afternoon session or $50.00 for the entire day. For more information or to register visit www.fourhoofdrive.com

May 10-11 Bell Cow Lake 2008 Trail Work Weekend, Area C at 9:00 a.m. Many of you know the trails at Bell Cow Lake were heavily damaged due to spring rains and the ice storm. We are hoping to gather as many workers as we can to help repair and clear the trails. There will be no riding fee or weekend camping fee for the workers. AERC members, Terri Chapman and Carol Barker, ride managers for the 2008 Bell Cow Boogie, are offering $10 off their entry fee for helping. For more information you can email: Angela Bridge angiegb@brightok.net Carol Barker okieenduro@yahoo.com

May 16 & 17 Henryetta’s Jim Shoulders Spring Roundup Rodeo, Henryetta, OK. Historic Nichols Park (Jim Shoulders Living Legends Rodeo Arena). 8:00 PM Nightly. $8.00 for Adults/$4.00 kids 6 years and over (5 & under free). The Jim Shoulders Roundup Rodeo is dedicated to the 16 times World Champion Cowboy, Jim Shoulders. Jim made his home in Henryetta until his death in June 2007. The rodeo hosts events such as ranch bronc riding, bull riding, barrel racing, mutton busting, and events geared toward the up and coming youth rodeo stars. For more information, Roy Madden, Executive Director, Henryetta Chamber of Commerce 918-652-3331.

May 17 Western Fair Trail Ride, Dinner, Poker Run, Live Auction and Live Entertainment, Prague City Lake, Prague OK. Time: 8:00 am to Dark. Cost: Early Bird Registration - By May 10th $30 Adults $15 ages 6-12. Registration after May 10th - $45 Adults, $15 ages 6-12, Children under 5 – FREE. 10:00am - 2:00pm Trail Ride & Poker Run; 2:00pm-4:00pm Entertainment; 4:00pm-5:30pm Dinner; 5:30pm- 7:30pm Auction Dinner of smoked, pulled pork with all the fixins'. Buggy rides, fishing, inflatable slide, live entertainment, pre-packed lunch available and much more! Fun for the whole family! Even if you don't ride, there’s a lot to do! The Western Fair Trail Ride is a fundraiser benefiting the building program of St. John Lutheran Church, Shawnee. Pre-Register at www.stjohnshawnee.org/ or email shranch@rsib.net for call back or more information. Call 405-206-8257 or 405-567-0103 if you have further questions.

May 23-26 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.

May 24 (Rain Date: May 26) $1,000 Added 5D Barrel Bash, Choctaw Round Up Club Arena, Choctaw, OK. Exhibitions – 10:00 am, Jackpot 1:00 pm (12 & under 3D runs at 1:00, Open 5D to follow). Entry Fees for Exhibition is $4.00, 12 & under 3D is $15.00 and Open 5D is $25.00. Event details include 80% Payback, 100% payback of added money divided equally between divisions, 5D ½ second splits. NO added money to 12 & Under 3D. No processing fees, tie out fees etc. For more information contact Judy Newby at 405-454-3232 or email Heidi Bruce at HB1618@aol.com.

May 29 Oklahoma Horse Industry Council Meeting, Sportsman’s Country Club, 4000 NW 39, Oklahoma City, OK. Buffet 6 p.m., Meeting 6:30 p.m. Buffet cost is the responsibility of the individual attending. www.oklahomahorseindustrycouncil.com

June 7-8 National Trails Day Robbers Cave Equestrian Trails, Wilburton, OK. Sponsored by the Oklahoma Equestrian Trail Riders Association. Guided rides, Saturday night covered dish dinner. Tiffany Whited Ride Chair okietrailryder@aol.com http://www.oklahomahorseonline.com/Oetra/home.htm

June 14-15 13th Annual City Slickers Trail Ride Sponsored by The Bad Girls Trail Riding Club, Robbers Cave State Park. Friday (June13th) bring your hotdogs and marshmallows and join us at the campfire. Saturday (June 14th) Cloverleaf ride. Leaving at 9 a.m. returning to camp at noon for lunch. Afternoon riding out at 2 p.m. and returning about 4:30 p.m. Saturday evening: 6 p.m. dinner by the Bad Girl Board of Directors and 7 p.m. Karaoke with a Karaoke contest for cash prizes, and City Slickers Belt Buckle Raffle ($1/ticket). Breakfast and lunch Saturday can be purchased at a minimal cost from the Board of Directors. Sunday (June 15th) on your 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 fees for Friday and Saturday nights, as well as Saturday dinner and entertainment! For information check out: <http://www.sierraranchok.com/bgtrc/cityslicker.html> for flyers and registration forms. DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS GREAT RIDE! Children under 6 must be accompanied and supervised by an adult. ORIGINAL current negative coggins a MUST - No stallions. No alcohol on the trails - horses should be shod. For further information please contact Linda Polansky @ 918-519-6916 (cell) or Pam Godfrey (Founder) @ 918-756-7644 (home) or 918-639-8501 (cell).

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

What Makes a Good Horse

By Rick Stowers

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

Does your horse shoe easily? Does your horse load in the trailer? Can you catch him to go riding? Can you bathe your horse?

If you can't catch your horse then you are pretty much out of luck on riding or doing anything else. If you can't get your horse to stand for the shoer then you are limited to where or how you can ride him. The same goes with if he won't load into the trailer. Then you are stuck with riding in the pasture or arena that is close by.

One thing that we have found with the ex-race horses is that they will do all these with ease. They are used to doing all of these at the track.

Something to try with the horse you are test riding is to try to stop him from a run in the middle of the pasture. If you can't do this then you might look for another horse. After the exciting ride anyway. :)

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

13th Annual City Slicker Ride Coming Soon!

I would like to invite you to the 2008 City Slicker Trail Ride. This ride will be held at Robber’s Cave State Park just north of Wilburton on June 13-15. Please note the change of location from last year.

On Friday (June 13^th) bring your hotdogs and marshmallows and join us at the campfire for some good ole wienie roast fun. We can meet and make new friends or just catch up on what’s going on with the current ones.

On Saturday (June 14^th) the Board of Directors will be doing all the cooking. We will be serving breakfast consisting for $3/person around 7AM.

The Cloverleaf ride with OETRA approved mileage will be leaving at 9AM returning to camp at noon for lunch. Upon your return, the BOD will be serving lunch of hamburgers or hot dogs with chips, dessert and lemonade or tea for $3/person or $5 for a mega meal of hamburger and two hotdogs.

An afternoon ride will leave out at 2 PM and returning about 4:30 PM. This will get you to camp in time to clean up for a wonderful night of dining and dancing with maybe some singing thrown in for fun.

Dinner is included in the ride fee and begins at 6 PM. We will be having the following: chopped brisket, smoked sausage, and chicken with baked beans, corn, bread, dessert and lemonade or tea. We promise plenty of mouth-waterin’, lip-smackin’, home-cooked food that will make you want to take a nap – but you won’t, because right after dinner will be our famous karaoke singing contest with a cash prize!!! Eat till you drop and then sing your heart out!

Course we will also be raffling off the wonderful City Slicker belt buckle. Tickets will cost $1/each or 6 tickets for $5. We have had a fantastic time with the raffle. You never know what will happen at one of our rides.

Sunday (June 15^th) is a do your own thing day. We hope to break the cycle and not have rain, but you never know.

Below is a link to a pre-registration form. In an attempt to have a better count of who will attend the ride we are pushing pre-registration this year. As in year’s past you pay $25 until June 1st and $30 afterwards. We have a $10 rate for children 12 and under. As always this includes camp fees for Friday and Saturday night as well as dinner on Saturday. You can use this form for the whole family. We will add your horse information when you check in.

Click on the link to go to the website with the registration form and flyer!

http://www.sierraranchok.com/bgtrc/cityslicker.html

Buy your City Slicker t-shirt in advance at CafePress. Follow the link to the store:

http://www.cafepress.com/bgtrc

DON’T MISS OUT ON THIS GREAT RIDE!

We just have a few ride rules:

· 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 as the trails are rocky.

Hope to see you there!