The Curly Horse Journal

American Curly Horse & Other Rare Breeds June 2017

Featured Rare Breed:

Article #3 of “Sitting Bull’s Horses” Series, The Nakota

What is it Like to be an

Allergy Sufferer that RIDES?

The Nokota Horse Timeline Weaning Your Foal

Equine Care:

Don’t forget Your Boys!

COVER PHOTO BY ©BEC PHOTOGRAPHY

JUNE 2017 | 1

I Ride

“A page from an 87 yr old horsewoman’s journal” -- author unknown I ride. That seems like such a simple statement. However as many women who ride know it is really a complicated matter. It has to do with power and empowerment. Being able to do things you might have once considered out of reach or ability. I have considered this as I shovel manure, fill water barrels in the cold rain, wait for the vet/ farrier/ electrician/ hay delivery, change a tire on a horse trailer by the side of the freeway, or cool a gelding out before getting down to the business of drinking a cold beer after a long ride.

The time, the money, the effort it takes to ride calls for dedication. At least I call it dedication. Both my ex-husbands call it ‘the sickness’. It’s a sickness I’ve had since I was a small girl bouncing my model horses and dreaming of the day I would ride a real horse. Most of the women I ride with understand the meaning of ‘the sickness’. It’s not a sport. It’s not a hobby. It’s what we do and, in some ways, who we are as women and human beings.

I ride. I hook up my trailer and load my gelding. I haul to some trail-head somewhere, unload, saddle, whistle up my dog and I ride. I breathe in the air, watch the sunlight filter through the trees and savor the movement of my horse. My shoulders relax. A smile rides my sunscreen smeared face.

I pull my ball cap down and let the real world fade into the tracks my horse leaves in the dust.

Time slows. Flying insects buzz loudly, looking like fairies. My gelding flicks his ears and moves down the trail. I can smell his sweat and it is perfume to my senses. Time slows. The rhythm of the walk and the movement of the leaves become my focus. My saddle creaks and the leather rein in my hand softens with the warmth.

2 | CURLY HORSE JOURNAL

I consider the simple statement; I ride. I think of all I do because I ride. Climb granite slabs, wade into a freezing lake, race a friend through the Manzanita all the while laughing and feeling my heart in my chest. Other days just the act of mounting and dismounting can be a real accomplishment. Still I ride, no matter how tired or how much my seat bones or any of the numerous horse related injuries hurt. I ride. And I feel better for doing so.

The beauty I’ve seen because I ride amazes me. I’ve ridden out to find lakes that remain for the most part, unseen.

Caves, dark and cold beside rivers full and rolling are the scenes I see in my dreams. The Granite Stairway at Echo Summit, bald eagles on the wing and bobcats on the prowl add to the empowerment and joy in my heart.

I think of the people, mostly women, I’ve met. I consider how competent they all are. Not a weenie amongst the bunch..

We haul 40 ft rigs, we back into tight spaces without clipping a tree. We set up camp. Tend the horses. We cook and keep safe. We understand and love our companions, the horse. We respect each other and those we encounter on the trail. We know that if you are out there riding, you also shovel, fill, wait and doctor. Your hands are a little rough and you travel without makeup or hair gel. You do without to afford the ‘sickness’ and probably, when you were a small girl, you bounced a model horse while you dreamed of riding a real one.

“My treasures do not chink or glitter: They gleam in the sunshine and neigh in the night”.

SOURCE UNKNOWN: ANONYMOUS (found on Facebook with no further info)

Editor’s

In this issue we are excited to present to you the third article in our Sitting Bull series! As you will learn, these horses actually share a heritage with those amazing breeds we learned about in our last issue! We appreciate your support in our endeavor, and we look forward to sharing with you Rare Equine Breeds from around the World!

As a person who has horse allergies, it is my greatest pleasure to be able to share the wonderful American Curly Horse to others!

It is, also, so great to learn about so many other rare horse breeds I had never even heard of before! I hope you enjoy their stories as much as I do!

Sincerest Thanks to Our Readers, Contributors, and the Lord as we continue with our 2nd Edition.

Hiedi Robinson Hiedi Robinson, Editor

Contents 4

What is it Like to be an Allergy Sufferer that RIDES?

5

Is the American Curly Horse Hypoallergenic?

6

Wooly Horse of California

8

A Good Horse Acts Bad

11

Eqiune Care: Don’t forget your Boys

12

Golden Horse: Chapter One

16

Weaning the Foal

18

Nokota Horse: BEC Photography Photospread

22

Sitting Bull: Part III, The Nokota Horse

28

The Nokota Horse Timeline

34

Horses are Just Like People

A VINTAGE PRESS, LLC PUBLICATION vintagepress.mybigcommerce.com PUBLISHER & EDITOR Hiedi Robinson Donna Grace

GRAPHIC DESIGN & PAGINATION Naomi Kissling Janice Voss-Crosby

WRITER Donna Grace Hiedi Robinson

ADVERTISING & MARKETING Hiedi Robinson Donna Grace Janice Voss-Crosby

JUNE 2017 | 3

What is it Like to be an Allergy Sufferer that RIDES?

By Karen Zierler PhD, Curlies-Austria.com The Zierler family has worked with allergy sufferers for many years now, and are ourselves allergy sufferers. We have seen about 500 people over the years that are allergic to horses, with an array of various symptoms and intensities. Why? We offer tests for Curly Horses, which are hypoallergenic! The thing is, most people who do not have allergies do not know what it is like to suffer from allergies.

Of course, they have never experienced them, so how could they know? We would like to share what this experience is like, and why Curly horses can make such a difference in our lives.

Let’s explain what some allergies are like to non-allergy readers.

There are different types of reactions to an allergen (something that causes allergies). Some people will be unable to breathe, in others their eyes will swell, with others their mucous membranes in the nose will swell and their noses start to run and they begin to sneeze, and sometimes it is all of these at once. Often times, a strong allergic reaction will debilitate a sufferer to the point he or she is unable to function. In serious situations, it can be life-threatening, as with asthma, where the breathing becomes difficult with the swelling of the air passageways.

Allergies can come at any age; in my case they started at the age of six months. I just could not breathe (maybe it was a vaccine they gave kids at the time, several others I know have the same problem in my age group and no one else in their ancestry has that). Whatever the source, often allergies will show up in puberty, or after menopause, many times with a change in hormonal balance. These are physical attributes, reactions that cause physical discomfort, and doing anything with swollen eyes and a swollen running nose, while breathing begins to get harder, and you’ll find it nearly impossible. Even more difficult is attempting to do any form of work while having breathing problems. Some days when the weather is thick, cold and foggy, or there is an inversion, just bringing straw out can feel like a trek to the peak of Mount Everest, one step, several breaths, another step, several breaths, and so on. Of course, one can take medication; there are, however, side-effects, such as stomach problems from so many pills, which include: ulcers, cancer, intestinal and organ problems, mood swings, etc. This is why many of us choose to fore go the use of such medications.

As an allergy sufferer, one is often leery of situations, or inexperienced in something their allergies prevent them from being a part of. Eating a piece of cake you didn’t know has nuts in it, when you are allergic to nuts. Or picking dandelions for a home remedy cure, only to find your face blows up like a balloon, and you just find out you never knew you were allergic to dandelions! How do you clean your own house when you are allergic to dust mites? Not easily. To clean, you need face masks and gloves, water on sponges to dust, heating pillows, bed sheets, and duvets to 60°C (=140°F) to kill the mites. The sufferer maybe gets a half a room cleaned, taking one asthma spray after another, then the pills, washing the dust off the eyes, it’s torture, believe me. Taking a new medicine, getting stung by a bee, you don’t need “a hundred ways to kill your lover” when one or two allergies will do! So, being leery comes with the territory.

And, then—all the people who love horses but are allergic to them— you want to ride! That’s right; there are loads of allergy sufferers out there that ride. They are in love with riding, with horses, and have spent their entire lives toward this end. How does that work? Often, not very well, but if you think they are going to give it up, you’d be wrong. They will take pills, go shower, change their clothes after 4 | CURLY HORSE JOURNAL

riding putting the articles in a plastic bag, suffer while trying to wash their clothes, suffer a day in bed afterwards, until it all gets to a point that it is life threatening. Why? Because they love it!

So, what is an allergy sufferer to do?

Riding as an allergy sufferer is not easy, but the hypoallergenic American Curly Horse has improved the odds. Allergy sufferers show less pronounced reactions, or delayed allergic reactions to Curly Horses. Some sufferers will get lucky and not be allergic at all. Each horse and rider combination is different in terms of how they will react with a Curly Horse. If they are really lucky they will find one that fits to their allergy and make that horse their partner for life.

The thing is, even if they find a horse that is not the end of their problems. Where do you put your curly horse? You cannot put it with all the other normal horses, because they cause allergies, and will rub the Curly with their dander. The air in the stable, riding arena and paddocks, or fields will be filled with the dander, odors and hair of the normal horses – a nightmare for the allergic rider. So, many try to keep the horses by themselves, like we do. But, then you have to bring in straw, make hay, get grain, and there come the allergies again if you are allergic to those things, too.

So, lets us say the allergy sufferer does it. They get the horse (or horses), a place to keep them and the outfit is reasonably manageable. You still have to learn what many horse riders already know.

All of our inexperience due to allergies will now be able to be overcome, one step at a time. You have a lot of reading and research to do! You will need to find a teacher to teach you riding skills. Either you had them before when you used to ride, but haven’t ridden in 20 years, or you are just learning. You’ve got a green Curly, because all of the trained and ridden ones are owned by people who don’t give them up! So, you go on your quest to be an equestrian! You reach a point where you get some good lessons, but want to participate more in higher levels. There’s a problem! Your horse cannot do that stuff, because you can’t. Unfortunately, you have trouble participating in clinics and lessons because of the other horse breeds that are there. If you go anyway, there is a good chance that you will have a reaction to the other breeds, and that will include swollen eyes, runny noses, and possible airways swelling up making breathing very difficult. Phew, now if that isn’t enough, there can be a lack of sympathy from all of the non-allergic folks, because they think, get over it and get on with it. However, the sufferer stays on the path. It is like falling off of a horse, picking oneself up and getting back on, despite maybe not being able to breathe. Still, it is doable!

So, for all of the non-allergic people out there riding beautifully, giving lessons, and working with allergy sufferers, this little introduction which only gives a glimpse into the world of allergies, is meant to ask for your empathy and understanding. Next time you have interactions with someone whose allergies affect them when being around those other breeds, think twice; next time they look insecure, give them encouragement, support and treat them with kindness. What an allergy sufferer really wants is to enjoy horses, too, sharing our mutual love of horses! When we finally find our special Curly equine partner to help us make our way in the riding world, we would love you to celebrate this most amazing miracle with us! ~ Slightly edited for format and re-printed with permission by the author, Dr. Karen Zierler. The 1st version of this article (in German) appeared in the “Western Horse Magazine”, Germany

INTERNATIONAL CURLY HORSE ORGANIZATION “Quality, Equality and Forward Vision” “Where Every Curly Has a Home” ICHO c/o 322 Tulie Gate, Tularosa, NM 88352 office@curlyhorses.org

http://ichocurlyhorses.org

Is the American Curly Horse Hypoallergenic?

Scientists have been studying the American Curly Horse for over a decade. As they finish their studies, they release their study results. One of their latest discoveries, is that the claims about the American Curly Horse being hypoallergenic are, in fact, true!

Here is the overview of the latest study results by Dr. Wolfgang Mitlehener: 1. Allergy against horses: Are curly horses an alternative for horse allergic-riders? A pilot observational case study” W. Mitlehner, Allergojournal 2013;22,244-251 in English. Full text at ABCR website 2. Horse Allergy: Curly Horses Allow Horse Allergic Riders To Ride Again - An Observational Study W. Mitlehner, H.C. Mitlehner, B. Niggemann, Pneumologie 2015;69(12):711718. DOI:10.1055/S-0034-1393396. In English Abstract Horse Allergy: Curly Horses Allow Horse Allergic Riders To Ride Again. Mitlehner W1, Mitlehner HC2, Niggemann B3.

To test the hypothesis that so called hypoallergenic horses (Curly horses) allow horse allergic riders to ride again, we investigated 40 horse allergic riders in a period of 37 months. Methods: We tested these patients (pts.) by skin prick test (SPT) with different non-curly and Curly horses and studied the riding hours and horse brushing by mea-

surements of peak expiratory flow (PEF) and Tiffeneau tests (FEV1) as well as peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) over 12 months. The results in 37/40 pts. showed no relevant reactions of the lower airways or nasal flow. Only in 3/40 patients an initial significant fall of FEV1 was observed, reversed by a single inhalation of salbutamol and not repeated despite further riding contact. In contrast to other allergic events (e. g. baker’s asthma) a further and regular contact with these horses abolished the mild allergic reactions of the start period of contact. This may be due to hypoallergenic properties of these horses, whose test material produces weaker reactions in the SPT than that of normal horses.

After a period of three years, a loss of reactivity to normal horses could be confirmed in some of the riders. Conclusion: The tested purebreed Curly horses may be a suitable alternative for horse allergic riders if the methodological precautions of this study are followed. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Pneumologie. 2015 Dec;69(12):711-718. Epub 2015 Dec 9 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26649597 Wolfgang Mitlehner, MD, Physician, Specialist for Internal Medicine, Pneumology, Allergology Zur Schulkoppel 2 D 24860 Klappholz

Germany Tel: 004946039649475 Fax:004946039649477 Mail: wmitlehner@freenet.de https.: www.dr-mitlehner.de

Follow the Horses

Hardback book documenting the diversity of horses all over the world...a breathtaking journey of rarely captured beauty, partnership and purpose. Author, Gabriele Kärcher (European equine photojournalist). This book is written in German, but the photography does most of the talking. Available worldwide--you can order your copy directly from the author by

Paypal $30USD GKaercher@Sorrel.de.

View a sneak preview at youtube.com/watch?v=uhJbCECPcBM “I will be happy if my photos give you some inspirations and impressions of my unforgettable journey - even in German.

Cheers, Gaby.”

2016 photo is Gaby Kärcher, on her very old gelding Ebony: Gaby’s first Curly Horse, and, the first Curly ever to set foot in Germany, now brought back home (USA, Montana) to live out hisgolden years in retirement.

JUNE 2017 | 5

By Rational Velvet & Staff

Released in a set of stereoptic postcards in 1870

The story of the Woolly Horse was fabricated. The term “Woolly Horse” goes back to a recessive Curly horse owned by P.T. Barnum. The celebrated exhibitor of curiosities purchased a curly horse in 1847 from an agent in Cincinnati Ohio. Barnum waited for the perfect opportunity to introduce the curly horse to the public. When noted explorer Colonel John C Fremont (famous beaurocrat and politician that was often guided out west by Kit Carson) got lost in the Rocky Mountains, America waited for news of his survival. As soon as he emerged from the wilderness, Barnum took advantage of the situation to promote his curly horse as a strange new breed Fremont had “captured” while out in the wilderness. Barnum sadly forgot to ask Fremont if it was OK to print handbills with the Curly and Fremont on it - and he made a small fortune on the Woolly Horse, charging curiosity seekers 25 cents a head to see it.

His returns got even better after Fremont sued Barnum for his chicanery and the fib about where the horse came from. The curly horse litigation made national headlines, and the free publicity further promoted Barnum’s wooly horse exhibit. (I can post that later, if y’all have not seen it) Fremont was, at least not publicly, amused. I once read that he was given a quilt with an image of the Woolly Horse on it, and when his house and the quilt burned, he mentioned he missed the quilt more 6 | CURLY HORSE JOURNAL

than any other possession - so he probably was really flattered by it all, but at least in public he denounced Barnum’s story.

A few years later when Fremont ran for president, he was referred to as the Woolly Horse candidate.

(History on this photo - it was taken by M. M. Hazeltine and published (with no credit to Hazeltine) by the photographer John P. Soule in part of stereoview cards from Yosemite California. So yeah, this photo is actually two of this horse - side by side - you’d put the card into stereoview glasses and it would turn into an almost 3-D photo of this horse (stereo view was a big deal before moving pictures). The cards were published in 1870, but the photo may be older. The card is titled “The Woolly Horse of California”.)

The public was angry at Barnum for duping them with the made up story of where the Curly came from. Back then, there was no internet of course, and stories passed by mouth and by newspaper. Well, the story of the story continued to evolve - many people heard that the Curly was just a plain horse with (wool) curls from a sheep glued to it, and that the truth came out in a rainstorm when the false fleece washed off. So the term “Woolly Horse” stuck, and went into popular street talk as a way to say “BS story”. It was also used a lot to refer to a slight of hand, ruse, and dishonest activity. There are quite

There are more people learning about and becoming interested in preserving Curly stockhorses all the time.

We would like to locate as many still alive as we can find.

If you have any Curly stockhorses (namely, Bad Warrior, Berndt, NTS, Hammrich, AQHA or APHA bred Curly Horses), or if you know of any, would you let us know, please?

PS: Damele Curly Horse bloodline is certainly very western as well, but they are fairly plentiful, and many are more Morab in type than stockhorse. Thank you!

Bad Warrior Preservation Project Email: Donna@curlyhorses.com a few political cartoons out there (I can post them too...) of politician’s “riding Woolly Horses” which meant promoting an underhanded scheme or saying one thing but doing another. Lincoln was often accused of riding “the Woolly Horse of

Abolition”, for example (meaning he had economic motivations and not humanitarian). Even into the 1920’s the phrase “Woolly Horse” was popular (there is even a book with that title about political scandals!!) and people recognized it’s meaning when they heard it. Funny - a Curly horse (a recessive one) had a great cultural impact on the US - yet the story faded and has been nearly forgotten! So I like this photo, as it was published under the heading of “a REAL Woolly Horse”, which would have made a lot of cultural sense at the time. ~ RV This photo was looked at by vintage and Californio western gear expert Joseph Bruce, who says, “Well. It is at some kind of Fort. In the back ground that rock should give a clue. That saddle is an almost exact copy of a Pony Express saddle, lacking only the mail pockets in the corners, looks to be pretty much center fire. It was not used by anyone in the Cattle trade, a Buyer maybe, but no Cowman, or Boy, the running martingale on what looks to be a Buermann # 2 bit is not a cowboy thing. That style Mochilla looks to be easily removed, no strings or provision for any thing added, rope, saddle bags, coat etc.

They are more comfortable than people think, and were in use for a long time starting in about the 1840s or a tad before.

Thompson made them in Colorado till the 1930s. It may just be my ingrained Brand Inspecter paranoia, but is that an L3 on his hip? Not much help outside of knowing the saddle, and it is no Cowboy rig, It could well be as early as the 60s and that is a recycled Express saddle. Somehow Russell, majors, and Wadell come to mind as to the location, as it looks like a smithy or shop to his left? It is sure a California style tree, and above average leather, so much for all you High cantle advocates in all the articles, ha-ha. The stirrup leather having no fender, tells me it was made to save weight. The horse looks to be above average also. If the reins were not tied to the horn you could see how it was made to be removed easy.” ~ Joseph Bruce JUNE 2017 | 7

A Good Horse

Acts Bad

By Theresa Ruth

I should have known that we would not out run the Idaho snowstorm when we set out to accept delivery of my new horse in an abandoned parking lot. The ride home was frightening as the rain turned to slick blinding snow, but we made it safely in spite of a white-knuckled drive.

Despite the less-than-auspicious beginning, I looked forward to a promising partnership with this nearly 3 year old registered Curly filly who had shown herself quiet and trustworthy during the 30 days training she had recently received.

Prairie is registered as a straight-haired curly but sports a sprinkle of flashy Appaloosa varnish roan over her yellow dun base coat. She was already well traveled, having journeyed from her birthplace in Minnesota to northern Idaho with her mother when only a few months old. She distinguished herself on this journey in another parking lot by escaping her transporters and leading them on a merry chase. It seemed she was not destined for an ordinary life.

(Prairie - Photo by Theresa Ruth)

the first time with a rider. She did a good job too, throwing Lorie on the first jump. Lorie landed on her feet unhurt but she felt the same rising concern that I felt.

Prairie joined my gelding Scribbles and my mare Emmy Lu with what seemed at the time to be a tranquil adjustment. But one day, in a cheeky mood, Prairie made the mistake of overstepping her bounds with the mare. Emmy Lu retaliated by fastening her teeth over Prairie’s withers and knocking her down. My husband, horrified, intervened and drove Emmy Lu away.

Brent spent some extra time with Prairie after the clinic and pronounced her a lovely ride and very responsive, but again during his ground-work session she put on a serious rodeo. It was his opinion along with the other professionals in our lives that I should find her a new home with someone who has quicker reactions and less brittle bones than I.

The gaping wound on Prairie’s neck soon healed leaving only a crescent of white hair which I thought would be the only scar from the incident. Life settled down in the pasture. Prairie progressed through that summer of ground work and very light riding with an almost ordinary manner. But occasionally she would go into a fit of bucking and carrying on quite out of character with her otherwise playful, attentive and responsive manner. My instructor and I were concerned but still felt she was making progress.

However, before I could come to a plan of action, fate intervened in the person of Nancy Camp. Nancy has studied body work for years and has become a specialist in the interrelation of physical pain and behavior. It seemed that Prairie finally had a stroke of good fortune. Nancy had appointments at Lorie’s ranch to work on some horses and Lorie thoughtfully asked to include Prairie.

The next summer, after her fourth birthday, I sent her to a trainer to put a bit of polish on her before I started riding her in earnest, and to see if she could unravel the mystery of the bucking fits. Lorie found her new student to be an apt pupil and she soon became one of her favorites. However, the mysterious bucking during groundwork continued along with increasing cinchiness and some unexplained stumbling. The training period was to culminate at a clinic with natural horseman Brent Graef. It was in this clinic that Prairie bucked for 8 | CURLY HORSE JOURNAL

Nancy examined Prairie and began asking questions. Does she buck? Yes! Is she cinchy? YES! Does she seem clumsy and does she stumble a lot? YES!!! Nancy explained that Prairie is exhibiting all the signs of having a problem with her first rib at the base of her neck around C-&/T-1. Furthermore, Nancy found that on one side Prairie’s ribs were flattened and on the other side they were stuck open. I was not familiar with this situation but Nancy said Prairie was a classic case.

She worked on Prairie that day and Prairie slept for the better part of two days after this first session. WOW – something was really changing. Was there hope for Prairie?

Prairie with Nancy Camp - Photo by Theresa Ruth

Nancy examined Prairie and began asking questions.

At this point we finally made the connection between that fateful fall at Emmy Lu’s hands. A review of her previous history had revealed no bucking until after she came to my house. Additionally, because her ribs hurt she was protecting herself by holding her body rigid. We learned from Nancy that when a first rib is stuck, it inhibits movement in the shoulder, causes tension in the neck and encourages a horse to drop or freeze its back and this was responsible for the stumbling!

After several more sessions with Nancy and a visit to the equine chiropractor I was gratified to note that I could cinch Prairie up as tight as I would any horse and she didn’t care at all. Over the last winter I have been riding her a lot more.

When we do our ground work I do not see any of that wild bucking because the cause has been removed. She doesn’t stumble at all anymore, even on the roughest of ground. Her trot is ground-covering with lots of suspension and she is as sure-footed as her heritage would predict.

Back at home I made arrangements for Nancy Camp to stop by for further treatment. It was on these visits I learned more about osteopathic unwinding, a technique called FIT for Functional Indirect Technique, High Touch® Jin Shin for horses and other bodywork modalities for horses. To say they helped Prairie is an understatement.

Nancy has helped in other ways too. She and Brent Graef both emphasize not allowing a horse’s spine to invert – in other words don’t allow the head to be up and the back hollow.

This is very hard on a horse physically and emotionally – and to CAUSE the head to go up through riding techniques or ground work is bad. As trainer Chris Irwin says, “it’s hell on a horse”.

JUNE 2017 | 9

A Good Horse

Acts Bad

Because of this convergence of events, I have changed my approach to ground work and am much more careful of the horse’s frame. This takes me back to my classical roots but with a natural insight. I also had to learn, again, the hard way, to look for a physical reason for a behavior.

And what are Prairie’s thoughts? Just a week ago Nancy came again to give Prairie a session to tune her body up after dealing with the winter’s ice, snow and mud. Prairie was ecstatic to see Nancy, pressing her head against Nancy, hugging her with her neck, and participating in the body work session by alternating between nudging Nancy’s arm, lowering her head to the ground with half closed eyes, and yawning.

Prairie, being the intelligent and sensitive girl that she is, will need some time and care to overcome her concern about riders and saddles and the pain that they can cause. I would love to report to you that we galloped off into the sunset but we are not there yet. However Prairie has taught me in most dramatic form how a physical problem can give a very good horse a very bad attitude.

Prairie & Theresa Ruth

10 | CURLY HORSE JOURNAL

Equine Care: Don’t Forget Your Boys!

By

Hiedi Robinson

Many times when we think about Equine Care, we think about the foals, the mares, or basic grooming. Often, the special care that the male equine’s need are overlooked, not discussed, or ignored. So today, we are going to take a look at…. sheath cleaning! Most definitely not the most pleasant topic, but one of necessity.

How often you clean the sheath of your boys will depend on a few factors. Their environment, the weather, and breeding season are all things you need to keep in mind when determining how often you should clean the sheath. Most of the time it is only necessary to clean it once or twice a year.

Preferably when the weather is warmer, and before breeding season starts for stallions. Geldings seem to need it more than stallions, due to the fact that they do not fully extend like a stallion does.

However, you do not want to “over clean” the sheath, as bacteria can build up more frequently, according to a study done a few years ago

by Mariah Beaver, a senior equine science student at Delaware Valley College in Pennsylvania. She discovered that the more frequent the sheath was cleaned, the more bacteria built up. While most bacteria wasn’t harmful to the horse, there were bacteria types known to cause urinary tract infections.

What should you use when cleaning the sheath? According to Mariah Beaver’s study, plain water had the least extra buildup of bacteria after cleaning. Warm water, some paper towels, and gloves should be sufficient!

So what exactly is it that you are cleaning? Smegma!

Smegma is a buildup of dirt and dead skin cells, and when it hardens, it is called a bean. These beans are why it is so important to get the smegma build up cleaned out. While the beans are not good for the horse, smegma in general has benefits, according to Mariah Beaver’s study. She found that it has proteins that inhibit bacterial growth. Therefore, cleaning often is not good for the horse, and never taking out the extra buildup, or beans,

is not good either. Therefore, sheath cleaning must be done as necessary, and not overdone.

How do you clean the sheath? It is best to start while your horses are young, and can get used to you handling them.

However, we don’t always buy young babies to raise and handle. Therefore, you will need to proceed gently, with caution and patience, until your guy is used to it. Sedation may be required for those that don’t tolerate it well, or if they need help in relaxing so they can drop. If they do not drop, you will need to reach up to the glans and gently pull them out. To begin cleaning, take warm water in a gentle stream, and run it up into the sheath to loosen the smegma. If you do not have access to a hose with warm water you may use a needle-less syringe to squirt warm water up into the sheath. When checking for beans, you will need to check into the compartment of flesh next to the opening of the uretha, called the urethral diverticulum.

Once the warm water has loosed up the smegma, you will take paper towels, or soft disposable towels, and begin wiping the smegma out. Now because it is simply warm water, you will not remove it all, nor should you. You only need to get the extra buildup, and remove all beans that you find.

While many use a detergent, or gentle soap, it is good to keep in mind that not all of the smegma should necessarily be removed, aside from the beans. So some removal of the buildup, and beans are essential, but scrubbing it completely clean will not benefit the horse in terms of bacterial protection. If you are determined to use a soap for this process, there are soaps that are gentle, yet efficient, and made specifically for this purpose. So please use these types of soap.

If your boys do not build up smegma quickly, and do not have beans that form often, you can go longer between cleanings.

An annual check, removing any beans, and using only warm water is the best way all around of caring for your boys!

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A Samantha Steele Mystery Samantha Steele is scooped up in a dangerous fiasco when she volunteers to rescue a palomino mare found running loose on the road next to the state forest. While she and her husband Denver wait for the owner to claim the mare, unbeknownst to them, a confrontation between two alleged conmen is set in motion that places them in grave danger.

Parker Thomas is a man with many secrets. The owner of Saddleback Quarter Horses, he had partnered with a childhood buddy wanted by the Feds. The scam to move money from his employer’s portfolio accounts into an offshore banking account was perfect until everything fell apart when his favorite mare Magic went missing. Searching for the million dollar horse creates distrust between Parker and his greedy partner and the race to find Magic drives them headlong down a path that leads directly to Samantha’s farm.

Chapter 1 July The Palomino mare stood quietly at the cross-ties as Parker Thomas tapped the last nail into the horseshoe on her back hoof. Parker gently set the horse’s hoof on the ground, reached over and placed the hammer on the stool next to him. He groaned as he stood up and stretched. Each time he shod a horse he understood why blacksmiths ended up with back problems and was pleased he had not made it his career choice. Parker rubbed his hand down the mare’s side and murmured, “Good girl.”

As he stretched side to side, then backward and forward trying to get the kinks out of his back, he let out a low grunt. The summer morning was becoming increasingly hot and humid. The air seemed to envelop everything around it with heaviness.

Although the mare had stood quiet at the ties, she too was showing signs from the heat, her sides beginning to glisten with sweat. Parker leaned over and ran his hands under the horse’s belly.

“There you go, Magic,” he said as he stood up again. “You’re feeling the heat as much as me. It’s going to be a hot one today.” Parker ran his hand down the yellow mare’s head and then scratched around her ears. The mare raised her head, stretching it as high as possible waiting for Parker to scratch her favorite spot.

Parker scratched and Magic enjoyed. “How’s that big girl? You like that don’t you?” he murmured to the yellow horse. He stepped away from Magic, and ran his eyes over the flashy mare patiently waiting to be let out of the barn. Magic was one gorgeous mare. A sudden quiver of anxiety run through his body as he thought about the planned trip to trailer his prize mare from his farm in New Hampshire to his large horse farm in Florida. He usually didn’t give a second thought to having sale horses transported down south but this was his favorite mare. To allay his unease, he reminded himself that this was not a one way ticket for this quarter horse and she would be back at his farm by the end of the month. Parker had shipped many horses to his farm in Florida where they were sold at a prestigious auction house in Ocala. He was a horse breeder and bred and sold the best American Quarter Horses this side of the Mississippi. His name and his farm, Saddleback Quarter Horses, were well known throughout the quarter horse world and they brought in big dollars.

Parker believed any horse foaled on his farm was a sale horse, but from the first time the yellow filly had stood on her wobbly legs, he knew he would never sell her. It was love at first site and he knew immediately that the yellow foal was something special. That was two years ago and next year Magic would begin his new quarter horse line. He had a long list of interested buyers waiting for her foals and this trip to Florida would be the last time she would be off the farm. Parker’s love for Magic went beyond her monetary value. He had a special attachment for the stocky golden quarter horse born at Saddleback, and although he had been offered top dollar from several buyers, Magic was not, and would never be for sale. Parker had bonded with Magic as if she were his only child. Maybe that’s the way it was with men without a family and Parker, a bachelor, fit that mold perfectly. Although Parker had a farm manager and a team of workers at Saddleback, Magic was his pet project and he handled her daily. He had traced Magic’s pedigree all the way back to the Billy Horse line dating back to the 1800’s and he planned to carry on the prestigious genes through her. Parker’s great grandparents had been Texans and their love for the JUNE 2017 | 13

American Quarter Horse was in his blood. He vowed that someday he would become a celebrated breeder of quarter horses, and now that dream would become a reality. Parker only bred the best bloodlines and he had paid a hefty price for Magic’s dam, but it was all worth it when Magic was born. Magic was now a huge part of Saddleback’s future breeding program and through her, Parker would begin an amazing line of quarter horses.

Parker grunted as he gave one last stretch of his aching back. It was time to turn Magic out with her friends. He pulled the red bandanna off his forehead and wiped his damp face. The head band was soaked with salty sweat, but it had done its job and stopped the flow of sweat from running down his forehead and into his eyes. He ran his fingers through his damp thick brown hair and then picked up his tools and walked to the back of the barn. Even the barn, always cooler inside, was slowly filling with the heat from the ever oppressive day. Large fans standing at both ends of the isle whirled full blast, but seemed to give little relief as the hot air settled into every corner. The heat wave had rolled in like molten lava, and as predicted there wasn’t a hint of a breeze in the air. Even the nights were hot and humid and offered little respite from the oppressive air. Climate change was on everyone’s mind and people wondered if this was a bleak look into the future.

Holding the tool box, he reached over and turned the knob of the tack room door. Pausing, he looked back at the golden horse, who acknowledged him with a low nicker. If horses could talk Magic’s nicker would have meant “bad idea” and for just a millisecond those exact words passed through his mind as his hard blue eyes caught the liquid brown eyes of Magic.

About the author: Sandra J Howell is the author of six entertaining equine novels. The 4th book in her Samantha Steele series, Dark Cloud, will be released later this year. An avid horse woman, her Samantha Steele series shares her passion for equine rescue and therapeutic riding programs. Although Curly horses star in each of her novels, other breeds are woven into each story line. As a guest speaker for local organizations she shares her passion for the plight of the wild mustang herds that run free on the western plains.

Howell and Courtney Vail co-author the award winning middle-school series Angels Club. The entertaining series tells the story of how horses can impact lives and build confidence in young readers. Angels Club fans learn that horses can be used as catalysts to overcome obstacles and empower the readers to take a stand against bullying in any form. The diverse series features youngsters of different ethnicity and physical capabilities, proving that everyone can make a difference. Each book tells the story through the eyes of the main character while touching on lessons we all need to be the best we can be.

Howell’s novels are showcased through Taborton Equine books, The Equine Affair, Red Lion Inn Gift Shop, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and promoted through equine organizations, libraries and shows. She is available for book signings for fundraisers devoted to equine rescues and therapeutic riding programs, donating proceeds from sales directly to the organization.

Howell may be reached via email sanj535@charter.net or westridgefarmpublishing.com

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In the photo: Betsy Larkis pictured with foal

There are many different basic types of weaning, and many reasons for using each. Some people find themselves using different methods depending on their circumstances at the time. The goal, regardless of method, is to get the foal to be able to live independently of the mare, without endangering mare, foal or people, and without creating bad habits.

There are 5 major types of weaning.

STALL WEANING: Abrupt weaning with total isolation from dam and other foals, and housed in a stall (less than 16.4 ft by 16.4 ft) for a period of time after.

BARN WEANING: Abrupt weaning carried out in small groups of two or more foals kept together in loose indoor situations.

PADDOCK WEANING: Abrupt weaning, usually with groups of weanlings kept together in a field (loose outdoors), and sometimes with the presence of a nanny mare or gelding.

GRADUAL WEANING: Where foal is prevented from suckling mare (first stage) followed by complete removal of the foal from the mare (second stage) after a certain period of time.

INTERMITTENT WEANING: Sequential removal of mares from a field where mare and foals were originally maintained.

STALL WEANING: Stall weaning is least natural and most traumatic to foal, but sometimes there is no choice. If a breeder only has one mare and no safe place to turn the foal out where it can get over its weaning stress, then it can be the only method plausible.

Sale or death of a mare prior to normal weaning time may also necessitate this approach.

Advantages: Doesn’t require much space. Less risk of injury from fence line. Can be used to increase dependence and bonding with people, and make foal easier to catch.

Disadvantages: Unnatural and potentially emotionally traumatic to foal. Risk of injury from attempts to escape stall significant. No option to run, jumps, plays or learns from an adult horse.

Ways to assist in the process: Make sure stall is very safe, nothing protruding, with high sides (some foals can go over 8’) and no place for feet or head to slip through.

1. Handle the foal routinely prior to weaning, including possibly imprinting at birth so the foal trusts people.

2. Using a modified gradual weaning approach by stalling foal and mare side by side at night, then leaving them together during the day.

3. Having the foal used to hay and grain prior to weaning.

4. Take the mare right off the property so the foal cannot hear her.

5. Spend a lot of time in the barn with the foal during the weaning process.

6. Regardless of how carefully this method is used, the potential for creating stall vices is high.

BARN WEANING: Advantages: Limited space required. Foals can interact with each other to prevent boredom. Keeps them confined for easier catching/handling. No risk of fence line injury.

Disadvantages: Limited access to running, jumping, playing and other normal behaviour. No adult horses to teach manners.

Ways to assist in the process: 1. As with stall weaning above.

2. Make sure the foals have room to interact.

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PADDOCK WEANING:

3. Leave a nanny horse or two with them.

Advantages: Much more natural, with room for foals to run and play. Does not require a barn. Most commonly used, especially in large operations. Requires little labour.

AGE AT WEANING:

Disadvantages: Still stressful for several days after weaning.

Risk of fence line injuries. Can be difficult to catch unhandled foals.

Ways to assist in the process: 1. Make sure paddock is safe – nothing protruding, preferably no wire or page wire.

2. Make sure footing is safe since slippery can lead to problems.

3. Make sure adequate space to feed all foals without a dominant horse being able to drive any away.

4. Provide at least one nanny horse that is experienced and likes foals. On older broodmare without her own foal is ideal, but many geldings and even stallions can also do the job very well. A horse that the foal already knows is helpful.

5. Take the mares away from the farm, or at least out of earshot of the foals.

6. Make sure foals are used to hay and grain prior to weaning.

GRADUAL WEANING: Advantages: Foal does not have diet upset at the same time as losing its mother. Eating tends to remain stable so no weight loss. Behaviour can remain normal.

Disadvantages: Relatively speaking, labour intensive. Requires very safe facilities if separation is fence line. Two steps with opportunity for accidents at each step.

Ways to assist in the process: 1. Separate the mare and foal into two separate paddocks (or stalls side by side) still permitting limited fence-line contact but no access to the udder.

Foals can be weaned anywhere from 2 months to a year of age. 2 month old weaning is not recommended in any but an emergency situation where the mare has died, is too sick to care for the foal, or has personality issues that you don’t want transmitted to the foal, it can be done. Generally wait until the foal is acting quite independent of the mare – normally around 6 – 8 months. If you have an option, do not remove all the pasture buddies at the same time, and leave the foal in the original pasture. If you have to put the foal into an unfamiliar area for weaning, make sure it is very safe, and escape proof.

Any foal under 6-8 months of age is growing too quickly to get adequate nutrition from just pasture, especially fresh pasture, since grass is mostly water. The hind gut that digests the fibre is also not fully developed in the young foal, so grain must be an important part of the diet – at least 50% for the 2 month old foal, with a progressively lower percentage as the foal ages. Hay should be offered, however, from before they are weaned. The earlier the foal is weaned, the higher the protein required in the diet. Pellets help prevent dust/mold related issues, and are balanced.

MANAGEMENT OF THE MARE: When separating the mare, it is a good idea to eliminate grain from the diet, and restrict access to water for the first few days. Keep her active, but don’t expect her to be able to work comfortably, nor stay focused for long periods of time.

Conclusion: Weaning the foal is another critical time. Choose an approach that will work for you, and stay safe.

Photo Credit: Betsy Lirakis, Dream On Curls Riding Center / Top O’ The Hill Farm

2. Use a device which covers the mare’s udder to prevent the foal from suckling.

3. Use a device to cover the foals nose (nose guard attached to the halter) to prevent the foal from suckling but still allowing the foal to graze.

INTERMITTENT WEANING: Advantages: Keeps stress on foals to a minimum as only one or two mares a day are removed. Since no one else is concerned, the foals stay calm. They don’t tend to decrease their eating.

Disadvantages: Relatively labour intensive. Mares that are left may be nasty to foals if they try to nurse.

Ways to assist in the process: 1. Take the mares most likely to object to ‘lost’ foals visiting away first.

2. Make sure foals are used to being fed hay and grain on a schedule.

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2017 | 19 ©BEC JUNE PHOTOGRAPHY

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©BEC PHOTOGRAPHY

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by BEC Photography

Photo by Mickey Fried

Photographs by BEC Photography Look for us on facebook!

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Out West, here in America, there are a few obscure lines of horses with a remarkable history. These rare lines of horses trace back to Sitting Bull’s horses.

While some may know of one or two, most do not know about them all. One line is the North Dakota Badlands horse – which are semi-wild horses that live in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP).

Another line is the Nokota horse. The Nokota of today is what was taken from the TRNP park in earlier years, and is being preserved in its more original, pure (Sitting Bull) lineage. The least known, is the Bad Warrior horse. The Bad Warrior horse was developed from a 4th line that has just died out in the past few years—the Berndt line—which like the Nokota, was another of the more pure lineage of horses that descended from Sitting Bull’s horses.

The three surviving lines that trace back to Sitting Bull’s horses, in their varying degrees of purity, have survived now for hundreds of years. But their numbers are dwindling, and support for them is inconsistent and critical. In these articles, we will look at all three of these bloodlines, how they differ from one another, explore what sets them apart from other horses, and see how they are faring. A fourth and final article will look at how to preserve the rarest line, the Bad Warrior horse. It is headed in the direction of the Berndt line—for extinction. Where these horses go from here, rests in our hands.

Part III - The Nakota Horse In the last issue, we discussed the TRNP and the Bad Warrior horses.

In this issue, we will learn about the Nokota Horse.

The next issue will be about all the ongoing preservation efforts of all the Sitting Bull Horse lines.

Nokota Horse History in Brief

by Castle McLaughlin, Ph.D.

Summary Nokota® horses are descended from the last surviving population of wild horses in North Dakota. For at least a century, the horses inhabited the rugged Little Missouri badlands, located in the southwestern corner of the state. When Theodore Roosevelt National Park was created in the 1950s, some of the wild bands were fenced in, an accident that proved to have far-reaching consequences.

While the raising of federal fences provided the horses with a measure of protection, the National Park Service (NPS) does not allow wild or feral equines, and is exempt from related protective legislation. Consequently, the park spent decades attempting to remove all of the horses. During the 1980s, Frank and Leo Kuntz began purchasing horses after N.P.S. round-ups, named them “Nokotas,” and started to create a breed registry.

Before Nokotas: Wild Horses in Western North Dakota 1880-1950 Today’s Nokotas are descended from generations of wild horses that lived in the rugged Little Missouri badlands in western North Dakota. Early Euroamerican travelers such as the artist George Catlin wrote about the presence of wild horses in North Dakota during the 1830s. Native people occasionally chased and caught wild horses, but generally acquired their horses through trade and by raiding enemy camps. During the early 19th century, North Dakota was a crossroads of international commerce and colonialism. The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara villages along the Missouri River were centers in a vast inter-tribal exchange network that linked communities across the continent. French and English fur traders based in Canada joined this system in the late 18th century, and were displaced by American traders during the 1830s. Trade goods from distant parts of North America and from unseen parts of the world flowed in and out of these riverine villages, and horses were among the most important commodities.

Most of the earliest horses in the Dakotas originated in the Spanish southwest and were traded north by Indian “middlemen.”

Native groups with direct ties to the southwest, such as the Shoshone, Pawnee, and Arikara, were the first to acquire large numbers of Spanish horses and mules. By raiding, trading, and breeding, other northern Plains peoples such as the Crow and

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Sioux built up far larger numbers of horses as well as political and military power. When Canadian (English and French) and American traders established posts in the area, they furnished new markets and additional animals.

By the middle of the nineteenth century, some horses must have come into North Dakota from Canada, where the French developed the “Canadian horse” from stock imported from Normandy and Brittany. The French horses descended from both European “cold” bloods and “hot” Oriental strains including Andalusians. Like Spanish mustangs, Canadian horses developed a reputation for durability and stamina. Initially bred for two general types, the Breton small and relatively refined, the Norman horse larger and heavier, they coalesced into tough all-around horses that could be used for both riding and pulling, and many worked as loggers. While they have been all but forgotten today, Canadian horses were widely admired as late as the Civil War, and they probably influenced generations of Indian, ranch, and farming horses in the Dakotas, as well as their feral brethren.

Written sources on wild and Indian horses in Dakota Territory date largely from the 1880s, when the range cattle industry expanded from the Spanish southwest. Photographic and archival documents from the period 18801920 often reference horses that were obviously “Spanish colonial” or mustang in type, including many brought into the area from Texas and Montana. During the open range era, there would have been little difference between wild and domestic ranch horses. Horses were run in range bands, and there is abundant evidence that many domestic horses joined the wild herds. Theodore Roosevelt, who ranched in the Little Missouri area between 1883 - 1886, wrote that: In a great many--indeed, in most--localities there are wild horses to be found, which, although invariably of domestic

descent, being either themselves runaways from some Indian or ranch outfit, or else claiming such as their sires and dams, are yet quite as wild as the antelope on whose range they have intruded.

The expansion of the range cattle industry into the Dakotas was made possible by the virtual extinction of bison and the forced removal of Native Americans to reservations. Until the 1870s, the Little Missouri badlands and surrounding plains were home to a diverse and dense community of animals, including a great concentration of bison. Mandan, Hidatsa, Lakota, and Crow people hunted in the badlands and passed through them en route to and from tribal territories and hunting grounds in Montana. In 1876, George Armstrong Custer and his Seventh cavalry followed trails through the badlands en route to the valley now known as the Little Big Horn battlefield. Only five years later, most Sioux and Cheyenne bands had been subjugated by the U.S. military and settled on reservations. To discourage their mobility, the U.S. Army killed or confiscated most of their horses as a matter of policy. The Hunkpapa Lakota resistance leader Sitting Bull had sought refuge in Canada following the Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho victory over Lt. Custer at the Little Big Horn, but in 1881, he and his followers returned and surrendered at Fort Buford, North Dakota. Their horses were confiscated and sold to the post traders. Most confiscated Indian herds essentially disappeared after being dispersed through public sales. There was little interest in preserving such horses, which were not perceived as rare or especially valuable. Some people felt that the rough appearance, loud coat colors and small size of many Indian horses made them undesirable prospects for saddle stock.

The Marquis de Mores, a flamboyant French aristocrat and pioneer rancher in western North Dakota, disagreed with that opinion. De Mores, a sophisticated man of the world and expert horseman, admired the stamina shown by the

Image Courtesy of the National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

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RARE BREED SHOWCASE

Lakota horses, and purchased 250 of them from the Fort Buford traders. De Mores and his American-born wife, Medora, invested a fortune in developing the cattle industry in the Little Missouri badlands, building an elegant house and elaborate stock facilities, including a packing plant. De Mores founded the town of Medora, became active in civic affairs, and pioneered a stage line to the Black Hills. But his ranching career was mediocre. Like many of his contemporaries, including Theodore Roosevelt, he abandoned his cattle enterprise after the devastating winter of 1886-87. After returning to France, De Mores was killed in the Sahara desert while undertaking a diplomatic mission among Tuarag tribesmen. But the town of Medora grew into a thriving ranch community and county seat. During the 1950s it became the headquarters of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and today Medora is the most popular tourist destination in North Dakota. The “Chateau de Mores,” now run by the state, is one of the prime attractions for visitors.

Both De Mores and his wife were regarded as excellent riders and crack shots. An experienced and discerning horseman, De Mores championed the merits of what many derisively called “Indian ponies,” and set about breeding his Lakota herd. He and his family used some as saddle and ranch horses; the rest were range-bred in the badlands as was the practice of the day. Some of his horses were never recovered and are believed to have contributed to the wild bands in the badlands. De Mores’ wife, Medora, was photographed with a roan saddle horse that looks strikingly similar to the horses that survived wild in that area until the 1980s, and are now known as Nokotas.

In 1884, De Mores sold sixty of the Sioux mares to A.C. Huidekoper, founder of the immense HT Ranch near Amidon, N.D. Wallis Huidekoper wrote that some of the horses still carried scars from bullet wounds suffered in battle-if so, their Lakota owners must have held them in high esteem. Like De Mores, Huidekoper operated on a large scale, grazing his horses on one hundred square miles of open, unfenced rangeland.

However, Huidekoper practiced the more intensive style of management typical of the “ranch farmers,” who settled the Dakotas, growing much of his feed and systematically breeding livestock for commercial sales. Huidekoper was a pioneer breeder of Percherons, which were enormously popular as all-around farming and driving horses. Like many ranchers of the era, Huidekoper wanted to create a superior line of using ranch horses, and felt that Indian horses were useful foundation stock for cross-breeding. He bred the Sioux mares to Thoroughbred and Percheron stallions, and marketed their offspring, which he called “American horses,” as saddle stock, race horses, and as polo ponies. Some were sold to eastern buyers and others to those local residents who could afford them. The HT ceased operating early in the 20th century, but decades later, local residents told historian Frank Dobie that their descendants were still in the badlands as well as in the hands of area ranchers. Leo Kuntz credits Huidekoper with developing the original Nokotas, and uses one of the historic HT brands, the “Z4.”

Sitting Bull depicted his own war horses in a series of autobiographical drawings recording his war deeds. Like Nokotas,

Medora von Hoffman, the Marquise de Mores, posing as the quintessential frontier lady. Her rifle and sturdy roan saddle horse, almost certainly from the Sitting Bull herd, are symbols of the “wild west” adventure that she and her husband shared in the badlands of Dakota. Courtesy State Historical Society of North Dakota 0042-81. the horses he drew are heavier in frame than most Spanish mustangs, with thick manes and tails and feathered fetlocks, but, like this frame overo, they show Spanish coat colors and other features.

Sitting Bull’s own depictions of his war horses suggest that even before they were bred to “blooded” ranch stock, some of the Lakota horses were larger and more robust than the classical Spanish mustangs that are often represented as having been the “true” Indian ponies. The difference between Spanish horses of the southwest and the rangier, heavier boned Northern Plains horses was recognized and described by contemporary writers such as Frederic Remington. Those differences may reflect the influence of Canadian horses, which were robust, with feathered ankles and thick manes and tails. Lakota people, especially the Hunkpapa band, were known for their blue roan war horses. Blue roan is a rare color, but is dominant in the Nokota® population.

After the closing of the open range, private land ownership and fencing made it increasingly difficult for wild horses to survive in western North Dakota. The transition to small-scale farming and ranching operations entailed more intensive land management and more specialized livestock breeding.

While most early farmers and ranchers had relied on the same Spanish-based “common horses” used by Indian people and running in the wild herds, this began to change with settlement. Horses were an important part of personal and cultural identity, and ranching culture increasingly valorized horses “improved” by generations of selective breeding. The rugged badlands area became an enclave for remaining bands of wild

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horses and refugees from nearby ranching operations. Local ranchers occasionally rounded these horses up for both sport and profit. During the drought and depression of the 1930s, some local people made money by catching and selling wild horses to canneries. One family used the proceeds to finance the purchase of their first Quarter Horses, becoming the first breeders in North Dakota.

In the aftermath of the depression, federal agencies gained control over the management of public lands and began to regulate agricultural production policies. Wild horses were regarded as unwanted competition for domestic livestock.

During the 1940s and 1950s, federal and state agencies cooperated to eradicate wild horses in North Dakota, rounding them up and shooting them from aircraft. When Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP) was developed during the late 1940’s, a few bands of wild horses were inadvertently enclosed within the Park’s boundary fence. By 1960, they were the last surviving wild horses in North Dakota.

The Creation of the Nokota® Breed

Between 1950 and 1970, the National Park Service (NPS) attempted to remove all horses from Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Most of the captured horses were sold for slaughter; some were used as food for captive lions and tigers at a local attraction. The NPS successfully fought inclusion under federal laws that were passed to protect wild and free-roaming equines in 1959 and 1971. But public opposition to the removal of the horses in TRNP, and a growing recognition that wild horses had been part of the historical scene during the open range days, led to a change in local policy during the 1970s. Since that time, TRNP has tolerated a limited number of horses, which are managed as a “historical demonstration herd”. Periodic round-ups are staged to limit the population, and culled horses are sold at public auction.

During the 1980’s, however, Park administrators decided to change the appearance of the wild horses by introducing outside blood lines. The dominant stallions in the Park were removed or killed, and were replaced with an Arabian, Quarter Horses, two feral BLM stallions, and a part-Shire bucking horse. Several large roundups were held, and many of the original wild horses were captured and sold. According to the N.P.S., the primary rationale for replacing the original horses was to improve their appearance and sale value at auction.

At that point, horsemen Leo and Frank Kuntz of Linton, North Dakota, began buying as many of the original park horses as they could, in order to save them from slaughter. The Kuntz family bred their own lines of horses and ponies for a variety of uses, including driving, gaming, and competing in a cross-country racing league called “The Great American Horse Race.” The brothers had already purchased a few animals removed from the park and were impressed by their intelligence, durability, bone structure, and strong legs and feet. Originally, they intended to cross the park horses with their family lines of race and performance horses to add bone and stamina.

They also recognized that the park horses looked different from modern breeds, and seemed to form a common physical

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GR Photographic Creations, Gerri Rose, professional equine photographer

type. During the 1960s and 1970s, several park visitors had reported to park authorities that they thought the horses might be Spanish mustangs. When Leo Kuntz began riding his first park horse, “Bad Toe,” old-time cowboys often stopped him to ask about the gelding, wondering where he had found the “Montana” or the “Indian” horse. In early 1987, the park commissioned the author, Castle McLaughlin, to research the history, origins, and status of the park herd. Leo Kuntz and Medora rancher Tom Tescher served as research advisors, as did several wild and Spanish horse experts. The final report, based on extensive archival, oral history, and observational data, was submitted in December 1989. The report documented the long presence of the horses in the area, their relationship with the local ranching community, and their management by the N.P.S. It also suggested that the horses descended from closely related early twentieth century ranch and Indian stock, a type of horse that had been considered obsolete and worthless since the 1950s. The report recommended that the park manage the herd to preserve this “original” badlands type based on their historic value to visitors and their physical tenacity under harsh conditions.

However, the park elected to continue removing and replacing those horses, which were generally known as “parkies.” For most of the following decade, the Kuntz brothers lobbied the park to change that policy and reinstate the original horses.

This agenda was supported by several wild horse researchers and authorities, but was opposed by some members of the

Meanwhile, the Kuntz herd grew larger, threatening to overwhelm their scant resources. They purchased the nucleus of the current population in 1986, and select individuals at subsequent auctions through 2001. By 1990, Frank and Leo were devoting every waking moment to caring for the horses, and had begun calling the horses “Nokotas,” a name coined

by Leo to signal their North Dakota origins. Leo acquired the historic “Z4” brand once used by the HT Ranch and began to fashion a breeding program, while Frank worked tirelessly to promote the horses and publicize their plight. Slowly, horse people began to recognize the virtues of the Nokotas as using horses, and became intrigued by their history and appearance.

Support for Nokota® horses built slowly, through the efforts of one key person after another.

State Senator Pete Naaden was one of those people. A life-long rancher whose father rodeoed with Standing Rock Sioux bronc rider George Defender, Naaden remembered and appreciated the role that cross-bred Indian horses played in state history.

He championed a successful campaign to have the Nokota® horse designated North Dakota’s “Honorary State Equine,” a recognition they received in 1993.

In 1996, the Kuntz brother’s fight to preserve the animals and to have them returned to Theodore Roosevelt National Park was profiled on ABC’s prime time news. The park hired Dr. Phillip Sponenberg to evaluate the herd for evidence of Spanish ancestry, which is often viewed as establishing the historic value of wild herds. Sponenberg concluded that Leo Kuntz had already acquired the most Spanish looking horses from the park herd, and that the remainder showed evidence of cross-breeding. In response, the park continued to remove “old line” animals at the expense of the introduced horses and

their offspring; today the park’s “wild horses” are primarily Quarter Horse crosses who no longer avoid human contact.

Because virtually all of the surviving Nokota® horses are now owned by the NHC, the Kuntz family, and other private individuals, the focus has shifted from re-establishing them on the TRNP, to preserving breeding stock and promoting their offspring as a new breed. This transition was nurtured by Charlie and Blair Fleischmann of Pennsylvania, who encountered Leo and some of his Nokota® horses in Montana during the late 1990s. In 1999, Blair Fleischmann organized the non-profit Nokota® Horse Conservancy (NHC), and Charlie designed a breed registry and database. With advice from consultants such as Dr. Sponenberg, the Kuntz brothers and the conservancy manage the breeding herd. A growing number of Nokota® owners and supporters across the country promote the breed by campaigning their own horses and staging fund-raising events.

Irene Castle McLaughlin (Ph.D., Columbia University, 1993) is Curator of North American Ethnography at Harvard’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. A social anthropologist, her research focuses on the historic and contemporary west. She has conducted extensive fieldwork on Native American ranching, agrarian economics, Native American arts and art markets, and the cultural history of wild horses. She is the Vice President of the North Dakota based Nokota Horse Conservancy. She also practices and teaches Visual anthropology and Museology, conducts museum-based research, and has collaborated with Native American artists on several major exhibitions.

Please Note: Use of the historical images reproduced here is prohibited without the express permission of the cited institutions. Reproduction of this text in whole or in part is also prohibited without the permission of the author.

Permission for reprinting in this journal granted by author, Castle McLaughlin.

GR Photographic Creations, Gerri Rose, professional equine photographer JUNE 2017 | 27

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Medora ranching community, who expressed a preference for Quarter Horses. The park also refused to acknowledge the horses as “wild,” despite their having survived as a “feral” herd far longer than most “wild” horses on federal lands elsewhere.

Researched by Castle McLaughlin for the Nokota Horse Conservancy

Theodore Roosevelt, who ranched in the Little Missouri area between 1883 - 1886, wrote that: “In a great many--indeed, in most--localities there are wild horses to be found, which, although invariably of domestic descent, being either themselves runaways from some Indian or ranch outfit, or else claiming such as their sires and dams, are yet quite as wild as the antelope on whose range they have intruded.”

Great Depression Era

Park’s Creation - 1979

- Many of the wild horses of the Northern Plains are intentionally exterminated by both locals and the United States government as competition for faltering range lands.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park adopts a range of varying policies towards its horses, but most of these are aimed at extermination, which keeps the population very low and very wild, sometimes dropping under 20 individuals.

Late 1940s - 50s - Theodore Roosevelt

National Park is formed and fenced, inadvertently enclosing some of the wild horses of the area

1960s - Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s rugged terrain proves the last stronghold for wild horses on the northern plains as all other wild horses in North Dakota are ultimately exterminated

Photo by Seth Ziegler 28 | CURLY HORSE JOURNAL

1981

1979 - Theodore Roosevelt National Park gives in to popular public approval of its wild horses and declares that it will maintain a small “demonstration herd” to simulate what the range would have looked like during Theodore Roosevelt’s stint in the area.

- Leo Kuntz purchases his first horses from a Theodore Roosevelt National Park Roundup, including Jumping Mouse, Wolf Vixen, and the Bald Faced Blue.

Early 1980’s

- Theodore Roosevelt National Park decides to “upbreed” its current herd of wild horses by introducing a range of outside horses over the course of a few years, including a part Shire bucking horse stallion, an Arabian stallion, a Quarter Horse stallion and mares, and three Bureau of Land Management stallions.

Naturally, these horses could not come even close to competing with the locally adapted wild horses, so the Park also had to couple these releases with very selective roundups to remove the original horses.

1979 - Leo Kuntz purchases

his first Nokota® horses, Luppy, and then a few months later Bad Toe, from local ranchers in the Medora area.

His full intention was only to use these horses for competing and for breeding to create competition horses with more bone, more brains, more agility, more endurance, and more heart than any other modern horse, but this would be the beginning of a very long, very arduous, and still very precarious fight for the survival of an entire type of horse, the last of the original horses of the Northern Plains.

1986 - Theodore Roosevelt National Park holds its most influential roundup ever. Leo and Frank Kuntz purchased 54 horses, including such crucial individuals as Black Fox, Black Squaw, Blue Roan 54, the Bobtailed Blue, Crazy Horse, Grey Butte, Grey Eyes, Grey Wolf, Hawkeye, Katz, the Keen Red, Lakota, Lakota Dancer, the Lead Blue, Lone Warrior, Nocona, Night Hawk, the Short-backed Grey, the Split Eared Blue, the Stout Blue, War Chief, and Wary Wolf. Midnight, a small black Traditional stallion, will also forever live in history for escaping capture by charging the helicopter in this roundup.

1986

- Another outcome of the 1986 Theodore Roosevelt National Park roundup was the chance meeting of Leo and Frank Kuntz and Castle McLaughlin, who was at the time researching the wild horses for Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

June 2003

1991

1989 - Castle McLaughlin published her incredibly intricate report titled The History and Status of the Wild Horses of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

- Theodore Roosevelt National Park removes still more of the most important Nokota® horses, some of which are yet again purchased by Leo and Frank Kuntz. Infamous for his defiance but ultimate capture during this roundup was Target. Other important purchases included Painted Lady, the Bohen Blue, Remy, the two Bay NPs, and Reesy.

1993

- During the legislative session, the Nokota® horse is declared North Dakota’s Honorary Equine.

- “Horses on the Prairie: An Equine Science, Math, and Culture Camp” funded in part

by NASA and the American Indian Higher Education Consortium gave both Native American and non-native children from various Bismarck elementary schools a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet the Nokota® horses while also furthering their scientific, cultural, and artistic studies that all tied in with the Nokota® horses.

October 2003

1994

- Theodore Roosevelt National Park holds another discriminating roundup to further modernize its herd.

1996 - The struggles of Frank and Leo Kuntz to save the Nokota® horses are detailed on ABC World News with Peter Jennings.

1997

- Theodore Roosevelt National Park again removes the most Nokota® of its horses, with Leo and Frank purchasing the most important, including Blue TT, Painted Canyon II, and Blue Canyon.

1999 - The Nokota® Horse Conservancy incorporates and holds its first annual meeting.

2002 Hank Award - Frank and Leo Kuntz, for their work with the Nokota® horses, were the recipients of the 2002 Hank Award

2000 - Yet again Theodore Roosevelt National Park holds a devastating roundup, this time removing the last Traditional Nokota® horse, 9007, from the wild. 9007 was purchased

by NHC supporters, as were such horses as 8102, the Grigg’s Grey, Luna, and 8503.

- Theodore Roosevelt National Park held yet another very selective roundup that left their horses looking even less like true Nokotas. Fortunately, various Nokota® supporters purchased some of the most important horses that were removed, including Wanblee and Lucky Dust.

2003-2006 - Sioux Artists Feature Nokota® Horses in Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Project

2000

- The Nokota® Horse Conservancy is granted official non-profit status by the Internal Revenue Service.

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GR Photographic Creations, Gerri Rose, professional equine photographer

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The Pictographic "Autobiography of Half Moon"

by Castle McLaughlin (Author) available on Amazon.com (Paperback $50.00) Houghton Library Publications, 2013 Peabody Museum Press, publisher (http://www.hup.harvard.edu/ catalog.php?isbn=9780981885865)

A beautiful manuscript that is reproduced in complete color facsimile, dramatic scenes, mostly of war exploits, were drawn by at least six different warrior-artists. Their vivid first-person depictions make up a rare Native American record of historic events that likely occurred between 1866 and 1868 during Red Cloud’sWar along the Bozeman Trail.

Irene Castle McLaughlin (Ph.D., Columbia University, 1993) is Curator of North American Ethnography at Harvard's Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. A social anthropologist, her research focuses on the historic and contemporary west. She practices and teaches Visual anthropology and Museology, conducts museum-based research, and has collaborated with Native American artists on several major exhibitions. She has conducted extensive fieldwork on Native American ranching, agrarian economics, Native American arts and art markets, and the cultural history of wild horses. She is the executive Vice President of the North Dakota based Nokota Horse Conservancy. Her superb research and writing was further recognized in 2015 when she was awarded the prestigious Western Heritage Award, presented by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum for her Lakota War Book: “A Lakota War Book from the Little Bighorn revolves around a 19th century ledger book of pictographic drawings by Lakota Sioux Warriors found in 1876 in a funerary tipi on the Little Bighorn battle- field after Custer’s defeat. Many of the drawings feature the Native American Warriors astride their horses, the unique Nokota® breed.

“Dr McLaughlin is the curator of North American ethnography at Harvard’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. She is also Executive Vice President of the Nakota® Horse Conservancy (NokotaHorse.org), formed in 1999 to protect the bloodlines of the horses descended from those surrendered by Sitting Bull and other Lakota chiefs at Fort Buford, ND, in 1881. “...Dr McLaughlin has deep roots in North Dakota. In 1986, McLaughlin, then a National Park Service employee, was commissioned by the Park Service to research the horses trapped when the Theodore Roosevelt National Park was fenced in the 1950s. McLaughlin spent three years researching the horses. Her study included an extensive review of historical records and documents, along with oral interviews of area ranchers and Native Americans. McLaughlin established that the horses had direct connections to animals ridden by some Native American Sioux, including the Hunkpapa chiefs in the Battle of Little Big Horn. "They are a unique reflection of the cultural history of western North Dakota,” says McLaughlin.

For many years, she and the Nokota® Horse Conservancy have tirelessly campaigned, defended, and preserved the horses whose bloodlines are a living connection with North Dakota’s colorful past...” ~ excerpts from National Cowboy Museum (NationalCowboyMuseum.org)

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A Lakota War Book from the Little Bighorn:

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Leo Kuntz is currently developing the Nokota Spirit Horse as the first breed of horse selectively bred for temperament for therapy work. We are now learning from epigenetics that the stallion’s training can be inherited. So it makes sense that the strong Nokota social structure can help produce a horse suited for his or her relationship with people.

Nokota Horse Preservation Ranch Contact Leo if you would be interested in: 1. Donating money to help support the Nokota Horses on the Preservation Ranch in North Dakota.

2. Helping fund-raise money to support the Preservation Ranch and the rare Nokota Horses.

3. Purchasing a beautiful Nokota Horse from the Preservation Ranch 4. Attending a horse training clinic, geared to gentling old line range-bred horses, using Nokota Horses, with special clinicians at the Preservation Ranch.

5. Visiting the Preservation Ranch for a personal and genuine western working ranch vacation, and meeting the Nokota Horses in person.

Leo Kuntz Nokota® Horse Preservation Ranch 2170 77th St SE Linton, ND 58552 USA Home phone: +1 (701) 782-4239 Visit the Nokota Horse Preservation Ranch online: kuntznokotahorseranch.com 32 | CURLY HORSE JOURNAL

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An Interview with Leo L. Kuntz … By Susan Bayard Rifkin “They’re just like people...it’s a whole social order just like it is here,” summarizes Leo Kuntz’s description of the horse cultures he has observed. His analogy of the roles and personalities closely follows those of people. Kuntz sees differences in personalities, attitudes, intelligence and vocabulary from one group of horses to another. For both wild and domestic horses, the personalities are related to what kind of horses their ancestors were, e.g. if their ancestors were “using horses”.

Learning From the Horses Leo Kuntz, a North Dakota rancher and horseman, has lived more than a half century with horses, both free running and domestic. His knowledge is based upon a variety of experiences learning directly from the horses. He also studied wildlife management, was a farrier, race horse trainer, and guest ranch wrangler.

Beginning more than 30 years ago, brothers Leo and Frank Kuntz used personal funds to buy horses captured in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. In the 1980’s the National Park Service (NPS) decided to modify the wild horses’ appearance. NPS removed or killed the old dominant stallions,

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thus also destroying the teachers of the horse culture. The brothers began buying as many of the original Park horses as they could, in order to save them from slaughter.

Leo Kuntz’s ranch is home to more than a hundred Nokota horses that he breeds to preserve the bloodlines and culture of the descendants of Sitting Bull’s horses.

Sometimes a Second Stallion The “old line” (a term Kuntz prefers to “wild”) dominant stallions would drive away their female offspring instead of breeding them. Kuntz said that some more tolerant stallions allow their sexually mature colts to mate with some of the herd’s mares. Some dominant stallions allow a second stal-

Protocol for Courtship A lot of the horse’s behavior is learned behavior. For many years people thought incorrectly that animals did everything by instinct. For example the colts and stallions have to learn “protocol” especially about their behavior with mares. The old line horses would read body language. They would note things that the domestically raised horses do not notice, because they don’t have the opportunity to learn how by being taught by older horses.

Kuntz notes that his stallions had better manners with mares and therefore were more successful at breeding than stallions who had not learned manners by growing up with a mixed herd that included mature stallions. His example was about a breeder who was disappointed with the percentage of mares in foal. So he leased one of Leo Kuntz's stallions, to see if he could get more mares bred. The client returned the stallion right after breeding season, and complained that he did not think Kuntz's stallion was an improvement. However, when the foals were born it was clear which were sired by Kuntz's stallion, far more than the other stud.

Mare as Matron The lead mare is like the family matron. She “runs the social order, like any person’s family, she runs the house, the area”.

Once again, personalities vary. Some mares are good at this role, others are not. Some mares act as if it’s their job “to kick someone’s ass”. The more dominant horses get tested

constantly. Although some have been around and been boss long enough that no one challenges them.

In order to help preserve the young horse’s opportunity to learn proper social behavior, Kuntz said “We try to keep it as close as we can” to the horse’s natural social structure with “the old mares teaching respect to the young boys” by including several dominant, pregnant broodmares in a herd of colts.

Not every mare who wants to join a herd is allowed to. Some mares are rejected by the stallion, some are rejected by the other mares.

A Variety of Youngsters The young horses also vary by individual personality. Some young horses are good at the social structure, others are not. Some foals like to play games with others, some don’t.

Some colts work their way up the social hierarchy, others won’t fight their friends for a mare.

To Know Horses - Observe People Kuntz reminded me of many years ago when I was boarding my first horse with some friends who amused themselves by speculating on what kind of person each horse’s personality resembled. We’d describe which horse was the school hero, or the class clown, or which other friends were like our horses. It is a lot of fun, and apparently great training for better understanding our horses.

Susan Bayard Rifkin is a Reiki Master and Certified Practitioner of Healing Touch for Animals and a science writer focused on holistic health for animals and their people. She lives with 4 cats near Philadelphia, and loves horses, especially the Nokotas, of which she has owned two.

Photographer, Jim Horner (Leo Kuntz’s cousin)

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lion (probably a friend from their former, bachelor herd) to hang around and help defend their herd. He is often the first challenge to an intruder. And he may be allowed to mate with the dominant stallion’s female off-spring, thus starting his own herd while avoiding inbreeding. The dominant stallions differ, just as human fathers do, and some help with the foals.

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Nokota Horse North Dakota State Honorary Equine North Dakota designated the Nokota horse as the state honorary equine in 1993.

Nokota horses are the descendants of generations of wild horses that lived in the rugged Little Missouri badlands in western North Dakota, ranchhorses of the northwestern plains, and Indian horses that trace back to Sitting Bull’s horses.

Other states that have adopted equine symbols: Alabama: Racking horse

New Jersey state animal: the horse

Florida: Florida Cracker horse

North Carolina: Colonial Spanish Horse

Idaho state horse: Apaloosa horse

North Dakota: Nokota horse

Kentucky: Thoroughbred

South Carolina: Marsh Tacky horse

Maryland: Thoroughbred

Tennessee: Tennessee Walking horse

Massachusetts state horse: Morgan

Texas: American Quarter horse

Missouri state animal: Missouri mule

Vermont: Morgan horse

Missouri state horse: Missouri Fox Trotter Source | Reference Links, StateSymbolsUSA.org Reference: North Dakota Symbols: ND.gov “Space of Silence” Nokota Horse Bec Professional Photography Service Becky Iglehart, Emmet, North Dakota order beautiful Nokota Horse prints online: facebook.com/Bec-Photography Horse symbols have been proposed by Arizona (Colonial Spanish horse), and Oregon (Kiger mustang), but have not yet been adopted.

©BEC PHOTOGRAPHY

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Leo Kuntz dubbed the “Nokota®” Horse in honor of their home, North Dakota.

Nokota “purity” designations:

Fully Foundation (100% foundation) Because the total fully foundation Nokota® population is so small, every fully foundation female really should have at least a few offspring over her lifetime. Mitochondrial DNA is inherited soley from the mother, and thus at least one female offspring should carry on the heritage of every mare.

National Park Cross (NPC) Nokotas®, Nokota horses on the Preservation Ranch still typically have a very high percentage of foundation breeding. ~ Leo Kuntz, kuntznokotahorseranch.com

There are two types of Nokota Horse.

1. The first is the Traditional Nokota. This type is usually smaller. It is more similar to the Colonial Spanish Horse.

It is more similar to the original Indian buffalo ponies or horses of the Sioux tribes, although it is generally believed that the Sioux rode larger and heavier war horses than some other tribes.

2. The other type of Nokota horse is the Ranch Type Nokota. The ranch type is more like some of the original northwestern American ranch horses, that contributed to the early big, fast, ranchy and versatile American Quarter Horses (think Hancock Horses). It is usually taller and heavier.

1. The “Dakota Stouts” are ranch type Nokota Horses with the power to break the prairie sold for the new immigrants.

2. The “Remington Style” are ranch type Nokota Horses with ranchy conformation and speed that were the ype Huidokoper and others used to develop the first stage-coach horses to connect the frontier to the rest of the world.

~ Leo Kuntz, kuntznokotahorseranch.com

Nokota Horse Colors: The Nokota Horses’ coats are often blue roan, a color that is more unusual in other horse breeds.

Other colors include black and gray. Less common colors are red roan, bay, chestnut, and palomino. Dun Nokotas are rare. ~ Seth and Emma Zeigler, Sweden

When Theodore Roosevelt National Park was created in the 1950s, some of the wild horse bands in the area were fenced in, an accident that proved to have far-reaching consequences. Unlike the federal Bureau of Land Management, that are under the control of the Wild Horse acts, the National Park Service (NPS) does not allow wild or feral equines, and is exempt from related protective legislation. Consequently, the park spent decades attempting to remove all of the horses.

During the 1980s, Frank and Leo Kuntz began purchasing horses after NPS round-ups, named them “Nokotas,” and started to create a breed registry. Nokota horses are descended from the last surviving population of wild horses in North Dakota.

Nokotas are also eligible to be registered in the American Indian Horse Registry.

Nokota Horse owners do not consider their breed to be mustangs.

Unusual colored blue roan colt, owned

by Kelsey Faaborg, Whitehall, TX -- “This is my recently purchased Nokota, from Frank Kuntz’ Conservancy herd. His coloring and pattern has gotten a lot of attention.”

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Interesting Nokota Facts:

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Are you looking around for your mares next date? If you’re seeking to produce an all around versatile prospect and add a little bone to your foals, look no further. Here is the next generation of incredible, own your own piece of rare history.

2013 American Sugarbush Harlequin Draft E-Designation stallion, dual registered with the prestigious Stonewall Stud Book, He’za Big O Texas Star is being offered for your consideration.

Foals from ASHDA Registered or Approved mares qualify for the ASHDA Main Book, foals from other mares qualify for the Heritage Book.

He comes from a line of champions and Hall of Fame horses. His Great Grandsire, Stonewall Rascal, ASHDA Hall of Fame and 2 time Grand Champion. His Grand Sire, Sugarbush Harley Quine , ASHDA Hall of Fame, and his sire, Sugarbush Harley’s Classic O, is a two time Grand Champion.

He’za Big O Star is an ASHDA bay blanket with roaning stallion, currently standing at 15.3 hands and expected to mature to 16.116.2 hands.

He’za Big O Star is 5 panel/JEB1 N/N by parental testing. This stallion has a great mind and a kind, willing disposition that’s hard to match. Correct with plenty of bone and substance, but also exhibits refinement and class. Not only is he well built, but has superb movement. Whether you’re looking for your next Western or English Pleasure prospect, hunter/jumper or an all around working horse, He’za Big O Star is the stallion for you.

He’za Big O Star has shown successfully in halter as a weanling and yearling, and is continuing to places well in the show ring.

2014 2nd Place Halter TDHMA 2016 ASHDA Futurity - 1st Place Liberty 3 Year Old Class.

2016 ASHDA Futurity - 2nd Place In Hand 3 Year Old Class.

He’za Big O Star was awarded the ASHDA Bronze Ambassador Award in 2016.

2017 ECEA March Show - 1st Place in Stallion Halter 2017 ECEA March Show - 5th Place Halter Spotted Color He’za Big O Texas Star’s 2017 stud fee is $400 LC. Mares must be approved. Mare care $12 per day (dry) $14 (wet) AI available to a select number of approved mares, contact us for AI information and fees.

Pedigree: http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/heza+big+o+texas+star Visit us at Texas Dotted Drafts to learn more about this amazing rare breed.

Stephanie R. Adame Owner/breeder of “American Sugarbush Harlequin Draft Horses” PR Director, ASHDA E-mail: texasdotteddrafts@yahoo.com Call/text: 817-819-6832 www.sugarbushharlequindrafts.com

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