Gaited Morgan Horse
organization
Winter 2017
The Gaited Morgan Horse Organization (GMHO), the MSFHA is a recognized service organization of the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA). The GMHO takes the position of promoting all Morgan types and disciplines with particular emphasis and promotion of the inherent four beat gaits found within the present registry of the Morgan breed. GMHO is committed to research, education and promotion of these Morgan horses due to their outstanding athletic abilities. Visit our web site at www.gaitedmorgans.org
GMHO Membership Form Check one: ( ) Donations please Canadians add $5.00 Memberships are on a Jan. through Dec. basis. The GMHO Magazine is issued quarterly and included in membership. Name________________________________________________ Farm Name________________________________________________
Any typos or omissions PLEASE let me know.
Address:_____________________________________________
Front Covers In a fond farewell to
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Silvershoe Black Jazzman by Caduceus Moses and MaryMels Calypso Owned by Jared Young
tate: ______________Zip____________ Phone: (______) ________________________________
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GMHO/MSFHA website
www.gaitedmorgans.org
Treasurer Ryan Hunter 652 N Woods Circle Lehi, Utah 84043
GAITED MORGAN HORSE ORGANIZATION / MSFHA STANDARD GAIT DESCRIPTIONS Single-foot: a broad term used by old time horsemen to describe any gait other than a two beat gait. A single foot hits the ground one at a time. GMHO has adopted the term ‘Single-Foot� as an umbrella term to describe the continuum. It includes the following gaits: fox trot, running walk, rack and stepping pace. Fox Trot: A four beat gait where the diagonal hooves move together with the front hoof hitting the ground slightly before the rear. Running Walk: An even four beat cadence with each hoof hitting the ground singly, similar to a flat foot walk but with more speed. Rack: A four beat cadence with each hoof hitting the ground singly but somewhat laterally in nature. The rack more closely resembles the running walk, but can develop more speed. Stepping Pace: A four beat gait in which the lateral hooves move together with the hind hoof hitting the ground slightly before the front. This gait is sometimes called a broken pace.
Officers/Board of Advisors President: Vali Suddarth Missouri Morgans 573-286-3763, 417-286-4720 valizoe1@yahoo.com
Vice President: Jennifer Conditto trailkinner@yahoo.com
The Gaited Morgan Magazine is the official publication of the GMHO also the Morgan SingleFooting Horse Association under the umbrella of the American Morgan Horse Association. Neither the Associations nor the editors are responsible for opinions expressed in the articles or letters submitted for publication. Articles, photos or other submissions must come with permission to publish and be free of copyright infringement and are guaranteed as such by anyone submitting items.
Secretary: Lorrie Gray Oklolo Morgans Oklahoma okloloranch@rocketmail.com 580-380-7092
Member Benefits •Bi-annual newsletter
Treasurer: Ryan Hunter
•Half Price discount websites by Heidi Sutton Design
mtvalleymorgans@yahoo.com
•Free text ads on classifieds page of GMHO web site when submit-
ted as you wish it to appear on the GMHO site. We reserve the right to reject any submissions that are not properly composed or lack contact information!!
Advisors Brent Skidmore Sky Harbor Morgans American Fork Utah 801 830 5255 Brent.skidmore@bankofamerica.com
Ken Thomas Thomas Morgans Utah klthomas@altazip.com 435-896-6824
•All PAID photo advertisements are posted on GMHO Classifieds
page as they appear in newsletter.
Advertising Rates (all ads are full color): Full Page: $60
1/2 Page: $30
Short classified ad- $10.00 Business card ad- $10.00
Helga Loncosky Pennsylvania Beacon Morgans amrhblmh@gmail.com 570-204-5509
Dwight Hanson dwighthanson@hotmail.com
402-450-8461
Publication Vali Suddarth valizoe1@yahoo.com Helga Loncosky amrhblmh@gmail.com
PRESIDENT’S LETTER Hi Everyone! I’ve had a great time putting this newsletter together this year. So many of you have contributed your news about gaited Morgans, farm and activities that it makes for a very interesting read. Thank you to the advertisers who continue to support our color pages. We couldn't do much in the way of color printing if not for that. We hope to continue making a print version available at least a couple of times a year. This kind of interest will really keep the club going strong. The horse market is strong now, with the gaited horse and especially the gaited Morgan in demand. Most buyers of course are looking for that good broke trail riding horse (you know the ones we want to keep), but as a breed we are a season or two away from having very many of those to offer I believe. I want to be sure to thank the different administrators of the GMHO/MSFHA, for so many years of existence (1996). Janet Hunter has served this organization as the secretary/treasurer for something like 12 years and is deserving of a great big THANKS! I’ve personally had the pleasure to travel and ride with Janet numerous times. Her and her husband Stan are fun, bright and knowledgeable people and riding and camping with them has been a good experience for me. Thanks Janet, for your diligence for our organization, and your friendship. This year we had a sort of an election. With few people interested in filling an office, I volunteered to step forward as your President after many years of avoiding it. Oh it’s not so bad!! This year we have divided the job of Secy/ treasurer and Lorrie Gray (Oklahoma) has stepped up to serve as our Secretary with Ryan Hunter (Utah) serving as treasurer. The enthusiasm and dedication is apparent as we embark in service together. Having Jennifer Conditto (Pennsylvania) return as our Vice President is a big plus for us as well, Jen is a great ambassador for the breed. I am excited about our club, our facebook page and our website...they are all pretty busy lately. Please be sure to jump in and contribute. Jim and I have been back and forth across the country a few times this year looking around for gaited Morgans. We personally have had a lot of interest in the gaited Morgans. Sales have been good this year for everyone we know breeding and selling gaited Morgans, and we are getting many more requests for buying than what we know of out there for sale. For 2018 it sounds like there might be close to 40 gaited Morgan babies foaled in our organization. Getting them sold as babies is always a challenge but the market is strong and hopefully it will be a busy year for horse sales. Looking to the future, not only will we be selling breeding prospects and trail horses, but the USEF show rules for gaited Morgans will likely be implemented in 2019 so buyers might be looking for show prospects down the road. I hope you are all getting my periodic e-newsletter that comes to your email box. You can sign up for it on our website. Your news will help this process. Your contributions in the way of photos, shares, articles you find interesting, articles you might write can be used in our newsletter, as a press release to AMHA, on our website, and on our facebook page. Personal achievements with your gaited Morgan are great and interesting news that we can use to send to AMHA and help promote the gaited Morgan, so do share with us and with your permission I will submit to AMHA. That information is shared weekly or monthly to all AMHA members. GMHO is primarily a members organization but we are also very fortunate that a few of our members are the seven or eight primary breeders of Gaited Morgans in the world (yes, in the world). That gives you, as a member, a first hand look at what’s on the market or coming up. It’s really fun to read how the gaited Morgan is being used, whether procreating, competing, or the treasured trail horse and family pet. Sharing photos and videos we can use and share to preserve the heritage of the gaited Morgan can be utilized in several places on our website. Don’t forget if you have items for sale, trade, ISO (in search of) or stallion service to post them on our sale page on our website. Don’t hesitate to ask me for help on it if you have trouble submitting an advertisement. Hope to hear from you everyone!! Happy Holidays. Vali Suddarth valizoe1@yahoo.com 573-286-1954 cell
417-286-4720
Fact: The Morgan horse is registered to the Livestock Conservancy as an endangered breed. Gaited Morgans are even more rare.
Name/farm name: Valverde Morgans Martha & Steve Cather Horse/s Vicky’s Indigo, Bessia Lucy Maude, Valverde Primero, Valverde Chinle New Horse, retired horse, horse Memorial – Vicky is retired and living on a pasture nearby, all the others still at home but because work keeps me busy right now I haven’t had much time to ride. Training practice – mostly riding dressage now interspersed with short trail rides. Our remaining rideable gaited mare is semi-retired since her main rider is himself sort of semi-retired. Steve used to use Lucy and Vicky a lot for his work as a field geologist, but since much of his work involves writing and not as much field work, he doesn’t get out on horseback so much anymore. Trainer – I enjoy working with Beth Beymer, an accomplished rider and trainer who specializes in Fjord horses but enjoys playing with my Morgan boys. She lives in Colorado but comes to NM occasionally for private lessons with a group of students. Accomplishments lately Personal – getting out of bed to get to work! Probably my best accomplishment in the past few years has been as a musician, learning how to play classical guitar. And learning how to get along better with my somewhat goofy youngest horse, who challenged several trainers before Beth saw how to best reach him. Accidents – I try to avoid them!
Riding Trips – wishful thinking right now! Personal Health and Family News (babies, deaths, relocation, etc.) – no big news. Lucy survived pigeon fever this fall and it wasn’t quite as awful as I was expecting from all the horror stories I’d read on the internet. I can supply icky pictures taken to keep my vet up on her condition. Actually that is a tip/trick. If your vet is sometimes hard to reach and doesn’t live close by, use your phone camera to help him diagnose or asses a situation!
Gale Bardos Mt. Pleasant, Michigan Own 2 gaited Morgans Eb is my 13 year old black mare and Missouris Dandy Boy is my 11 year old black gelding. Riding from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron on a designated 250 mile trail is a passion of mine. Seeing our state and camping along the way in mid June is a trip horse lovers would love.
Name/farm name: Oklolo Ranch Lorrie Gray, Chuck Clark Horse/s: Gaited Morgans: Wonder Farm Carson – 13 yr gelding, dk brown; “Pal ‘o Mine” (Dia-H Gold Moon) – palomino brood mare & her filly, name pending; ”June Bug” (Dia-H Calli), mare registered as buckskin. Plus two Tennessee Walkers – “Pawnee” (Generator’s Sun Drop Magic) and Traveler (forgot his papered name! The Night Flight X ); Jezebel the donkey. (Below 35th BD)
(Life as a school horse, summer camp grooming class!)
New OKlolo filly June Bug
Lorrie Gray and Oklolo Morgans continued) Horses for sale: Possibly the 2017 gaited filly 2017 foals: : Bay gaited filly: Lancelot’s Black Knight X Dia-H Moon Gold Mares in foal for 2018: We’ll breed Dia-H Moon Gold, and possibly try to breed June Bug too. New Horse, retired horse, horse Memorial: My daughter Kelsey’s first Morgan show horse, Souvenir Chanson, age 36, left for the greener pastures of the rainbow bridge this summer. He will be missed. He showed classic pleasure, hunt seat, hunter jumper, western and carriage driving. He spent his later years as a lesson/show horse for Majic Stables Morgan barn in Norman, OK. Although he was 3 gaited, he had the smoothest rocking horse canter, and was a kindly schoolmaster who taught many children and adults to canter without fear! Training practice: Cody is training June Bug to saddle for a trail mount, she’s 11 or 12, so it may take some extra time. She was not much handled when we “rescued” her from the Dia-H ranch/Lea Heib. Searching for a gaited Morgan: Yes, under 15h, child safe – 7 year old grandson, well gaited so Lorrie can ride it too! Trainer: Cody Crank, Talihina, OK Personal: Trying to move more centrally in OK, for more pasture! Professional: Lorrie – retiring the law practice in 2018. Chuck is going to open a third real estate office – Red River Realty and Auction. (www.redriverrealtyandauction.com & https://www.facebook.com/redriverrealty/ ) Accidents: Not yet thank God. Riding Trips: Took the horses to the Black Hills National forest this past summer and ended up in Sturgis too! Chuck and I have collected many great campfire stories to tell since the last camping trip, so let’s plan another Morgan horse camping trip to share and embellish the new and old stories!! Farm Visits: Come any time! Personal Health and Family News (babies, deaths, relocation, etc.): Our newest granddaughter was born September 30th! “Carley” Caroline (Lorrie’s Middle name!!) Elizabeth Elliott. T. K. finally got a sibling! We now have 6 granddaughters and 2 grandsons! I believe Carley will be the last edition!
Hunter Hill Morgan Farm November 19. 2017 I started clicker training my horses last year – all 17 plus the 2 Quarter horse boarders on the farm. The incentive was that some of my horses (& especially the boarders) were terrible with de-worming & I thought I’d give this technique a try since every thing else I have tried has not worked too well. What a change it made with all of them! I can now take the de-wormer into the pasture & use it without a halter. I have one mare with severe trust issues, especially with the farrier. She was so nervous when we first got her that you could not approach her from the right at all. This got worse when we would bring her into the breezeway of the barn. (no telling what went on in her previous life). She had to be trimmed with care outside the barn. Now she is calm as can be & even does all the “tricks” in the breezeway, too – at liberty, I might add. The “tricks” they know are: kiss, hug, backing by touching their tail, pick up all 4 feet by pointing to them, come, twirl around and a simple bow. Teaching them to “touch” something is the first thing. This is the foundation for learning that the behavior you are asking for gets rewarded first with a “click” & then a treat. I have watched a lot of videos & read several books on clicker training – even went to an Alexandra Kurland clinic in Sutton, Quebec Canada in September 2016.
This was an exciting experience as it was at the retirement farm for Cavalia horses. I believe they had 50 at the time. We actually got to practice our clicker training with them supervised by Kurland & some of her certified clinicians. My best ideas & instruction have come from an on-line course with an Australian – Jain Brand with her “Trick Training 101”. She is very easy to understand & keeps things simple. It is such a positive way to communicate with your horse. Nothing is forced as the horse is at liberty & free to leave anytime. But, believe me, they line up at the gate when they see me with the treat pouch. I make my own “special” treats for when my horse does especially good out of quick oats, corn syrup, flour & salt. Otherwise I use alfalfa pellets for treats. Having fun with my horses……… Janet Hunter
Gaited Morgan Horse Organization is proud to announce the Gaited Morgan Horse Silver Valley Tate earned his Open National Championship, Competitive Trail Ride (CTR) Again! Silver Valley Tate is a gaited Morgan owned by Mary and Dwight Hanson, bred by Missouri Morgans. Dwight is an advisor for the Gaited Morgan Horse Organization. Tate is bred from well known gaited Morgan lines. His sire is Caduceus Moses and dam is MaryMels Rosebud. In 2016, Tate earned his Open National Championship with the NATRC or the North American Trail Ride Conference. In 2015 Tate earned his Competitive Pleasure National Championship and now once again, he has earned his Open National Championship for 2017. Tate competed in two 50 mile American Endurance Race Competitions in Florida and placed 7th among a large competition. Tate’s rider, Sara Rinne, is the Executive Director at the NATRC, a Horsemanship Judge for the NATRC, and Hay Girl at Rinne Hay Service in Tennessee after a career as a US Marine Corp staff Sgt and Nebraska State Probation officer. Sarah has plans to compete Tate again for the 2018 season for NATRC and hope to be in shape to attempt the 100 Mile Tevis Cup in California. Sarah says she will always be partial to Morgans because of her retired gelding Phoenix and many wonderful miles on him, but Tate has stolen her heart. “Love this big boy…he’s sweet and he’s tough”! “NATRC is a great sport for the breed, they often excel.” Executive Director at North American Trail Ride Conference (NATRC), Horsemanship Judge at North American Trail Ride Conference (NATRC) and Hay Girl at Rinne Hay Service :) Lives in Lewiston, Nebraska
Tate earned his Open National Championship this weekend!
Tom Arthur and Silvershoe Augustus by WNS Windenstone and MaryMels Sally
In 2004, I bought Silvershoe Augustus (Gus) from the Arapahoe Ranch in Colorado. Gus was a Gary Gray gaited Morgan from WNS Windenstone and a Mary Mels mare. Without a doubt, he was the finest horse I will ever own. After we had to “put him down” a couple of years ago, I rode my gaited mule and our great TWH’s, but I sure missed Gus.
Missouris Bo Dandy by Missouris Dandy Boy and Missouris Silver Lynne
I called our friends Vali and Jim Suddarth of Missouri Morgans in early 2016 to see what they had. Well, they had Missouri’s Hi Hoss, a six year old grand nephew of Gus, so off to Missouri I went. He seemed to be a very nice gelding and Jim delivered him to our ranch in Wyoming in early June. What a great addition to our herd of horses! Early in 2017, I was talking with Vali and she told me they had a three year old gelding, who was a 1/2 brother to Hoss. After looking at pictures and watching a video, we bought Missouri’s Bo Dandy and Jim delivered him to our ranch in June 2017. Never have we had two horses so easily accepted by the other horses. Hoss and Bo bonded immediately, even though they had never been together! Both are smart, eager to try and please, smooth gaited and with wonderful dispositions. We are happy to once again have gaited Morgan horses. Tom Arthur Upper Cedar Creek Ranch Saratoga, Wyoming
Missouris Hi Hoss by Missouris Dandy Boy and MaryMels Hi C
News from Ostara Morgans: It was a fun year here at Ostara Morgans in Wisconsin. We are located just south of Hillsboro Wisconsin. About 5 years ago we made the move from a suburb of Minneapolis to the old farm at the end of the valley. We could not be happier, and the same goes for the horses. We had 4 healthy foals this summer. One of these is gaited. Ostara Silverdawn Adagio or “Dodge” (Triple S Silver Dollar x Do More Shawna Dawn). This is the second time for this cross and we could not be more pleased. Dodge is the biggest of this year’s foals and I expect him to grow to 15.2 at least. He has great bone, a strong hip, and the sweetest personality. He is so easy going and learns fast. He is leading, picks up his hooves and moves off pressure. He is getting exposed to lots of things and meets them all with a trusting curiosity. He appears to be a liver chestnut and we are confident he will be as handsome as his big brother, Ostara Silverdawn Aristos. Ari has progressed so well with his training we have decided to keep him. Expect to see him driving by springtime. Their dam, Do More Shawna Dawn was bred back to Silver for a 2018 foal. This time however, the foal will be born in upstate New York, as we sold this beautiful mare to Andrews Morgans. We could be persuaded to sell Dodge to the right home, but will not be advertising him at this time. We wish Shawna the best of life in New York, and look forward to hearing about her next foal in July 2018. We also can’t wait until Ari is big enough to ride. So much to look forward to. So many blessings. Figure 1 Ostara Silverdawn Adagio with dam Do More Shawna Dawn
Just wanted to update you on KTM Bravo. In 2015 we bought six acres barely outside the city limits and built a house, a two-stall barn, put up fences I got really lucky last summer and found another Morgan! She’s a pretty chestnut mare, but we were having weight issues with her. The seller and my vet both swore she was not pregnant—maybe IR. Well, in March she appeared with a super cute foal! My mare was bred by Heartquest Morgans down in Seligman. You may not know of them since his aren’t gaited. The girl I got my mare Aussie from took me to visit and see her sire. So glad to hear from you. Hope you and Jim are both still doing well and enjoying your horses. Gigi Wood
KTM RIO BRAVO
Marjies Manes: Michigan. Marjie Deer Horses: Rayvin-Arabian, Char-TWH, Zendora-TWH, SFG Faith-Morgan, Missouris MM Gabriel-gaited Morgan Stallion– Missouris MM Gabriel Training Practice: Natural Horsemanship Trainer– self Tips and Tricks: many Accomplishments lately: I built my own horse farm! Personal: I own a hair salon on my farm Professional: Hair colorist and soon to be retired Flight attendant Riding Trips: Aruba, Jamaica and all over the state of Michigan Farm Visits: World wide visits with my favorite being Lexington, KY Personal, health and family: Pretty healthy for an old broad!!
Name/farm name:
Cockatoo Park Morgans, Ruth McGill
Where: Warwick, Qld, Australia Horse/s: Gaited: Cockatoo Park Playboy Not Gaited: Cockatoo Park Dream (full sister to Playboy), Cockatoo Park UpNattum (1/2 brother to Playboy), Oz Hicountry Mitch, Fernleigh Creek Scarlet Stallion:
Cockatoo Park Playboy, 2yr old black gaited Morgan colt.
Playboy is by Wirraway Trademark IMP (PKR Primavera Brio x Fox Brush Custom Design IMP), out of Oz Hicountry Heaven Scent (Mt Tawonga Howqua x Mt Tawonga Keep). Training practice: Training with Natural Horsemanship Trainer: Ruth McGill
Although I am new to Gaited Morgans I am looking to learn as much as I can. Playboy is the first gaited horse I have met so it is all very new to me. I bred Playboy & his full sister Dream with only Playboy being gaited. He appears to me to be very versatile having a number of gaits although I can't pick what they are, apart from the 'normal' gaits. Playboy's breeding is Sport Morgan & he does have very nice elevation in his step. I am looking forward to watching this guy mature over the next few years and I'm sure we will learn a lot together. Cockatoo Park Playboy is the first Morgan in Australia that has been positive tested for gait. We are looking forward to introducing Gaited Morgans to Australia. With Cowboy Dressage recently introduced in Australia I will be starting Playboy in the Gaited Cowboy Dressage tests in a year or so. Very exciting times here bringing a whole new phase into Australia.
News report from Bar None Morgan Ranch, Thermopolis,WY Winter is finally showing itself. Snow on the ground for the first time this week (December 3 and 4.) We sure hope it doesn't last till spring. It has been wonderful fall. Our horses stayed on the mountain till the week before Thanksgiving. They all seemed glad to get home and have settled in nicely. It seems this year they are more content and quiet. As many of you know we launched last year into adding some gaited Morgans to our band of broodmares. It is a new adventure, although from time to time we have seen a gaited colt come out of our present breeding program. Mtn Edge Black Chrome is the gaited stallion we are standing at stud. He bred 10 mares this year with one foal from last year. (Chrome: GRM in the Black x Mary Mels Swinger) He has a quiet deposition and responds quickly to training. We at present have five gaited mares bred to him for foaling in the spring and 4 non gaited. We bred him last year to a non gaited mare, Bar Non Windy Spring and he gave us a beauiful bay filly that shows natural gait. The 4 non gaited mares have not matched well with our present stallion so we are anxious to see what will come of the cross to "Chrome." We had 12 foals weaned this year and 8 were sold at weaning. At present I have not listed the 4 others, waiting to see what they will grow into. Two are out of gaited mares, one is out of a non gaited mare, bred to Chrome and one is out of an old mare that continues to produce good foals. Morgans are noted for producing foals in old age. In years past we owned a very gaited mare named Shawnee Lass. Ramul Dvarishkis owned her and bred her to foal her first year at four years old. She continued to have foals (we got her when she was 18) until she was 26 and then we did not breed her again. At present I have a lot of old blood in my broodmare band. Adding now 8 gaited mares, 7 which are A/A and one A/C.
The market for us in the past has been exceptional. We have had a lot of calls for gaited foals so we are hoping for a good crop this spring to meet the growing need and requests for gaited Morgans. Getting to know the "gaited Morgan" community has been exciting. Several different breeders have come by this summer to meet us and meet "Chrome." It is rather humbling to have to take 2nd place to a Morgan Stallion...as the first thing they say..."we have come to see your stallion Chrome.� We started raising Morgans in 1976 and Lois and I have made the Morgan breed our love and passion. Learning from others as well as passing on what we know is what makes the Harvey Seidel & Sky Sadie Morgan horse breeding a family adventure. We invite you to come and see us and to go on our website to see what horses we have and view all the bloodlines. We are located right off highway # 20 south of Thermopolis, WYOMING. Harvey Seidel (pronounced Sidle, it is German like Heidelberg) 355 Bar None Drive PO Box 70 (mail) Thermopolis, WY 82443 Our Ranch carries the "Bar Non" Brand. The history of this old Wyoming brand is that God will "Bar None who come to him through the Lord Jesus Christ." Make sure you have made peace with God through faith in Christ.
farm name : MTN EDGE MORGANS website : http://mtnedgegaitedmorgans.com/ Stallions : 1) SKY CASPER # 184562 2) MTN EDGE BLACK BOAZ # 188362 3)2018 EXPECTING MARES • • • • •
SILVERSHOE BLUE BELL : Bred to KTM TEQUILLA RIO April 2017 SILVERSHOE SHYANNE : Bred to Casper in June or July of 2017 TRAILHEAD TUCSON : Bred to Casper april of 2017 MISSOURI'S SILVER BELL : Bred to Jazzman April of 2017 SILVERSHOE LADY CLEMINTINE : Bred to Boaz. August of 2017.
4) 2017 FOALS • •
MTN EDGE SILVER STORM : Black Colt. Very Gaited. LONE PEAK'S TIARRA colt MTN EDGE SHADRACH : Bay. Jazzman Colt
Jared Young 801-885-1449 jyoung@vivint.com
Jared’s Dad and partner, Dan Young
How I Came to Love the Gaited Morgan by Sue Schaenzer I started out a blessed kid. I lived in southern California, not exactly in a “horsey” neighborhood, but there were still a few horses here and there in pockets of my area as it became more and more built up. So I was blessed because when I kept begging for a pony, my dad was able to get me one and put him in the backyard. Oh I loved that pony, we went everywhere. I taught him how to jump and do some tricks. I grew fast though, and in 4 years my feet were well past his knees when I rode bareback. So I started asking about a horse. I really didn't think I was going to get one. Mom had been against the pony idea at first and would only come out and feed carrots to him once in awhile, although she did like the manure for her garden. So it was quite a surprise to me when she came home from work telling me she had a friend that had 2 studs for sale, a palomino and a pinto. Well of course I was picturing Trigger in my head and said oh I want the palomino! Mind you I was 10 ½ years old. So we went to look at those 2 studs. My opinion changed when I saw them. The palomino was very “studdy”. I was young but not stupid and could tell he was not what I could handle. Oh but the red and white ( really bay and white ) pinto was a doll! You could see how sweet he was looking into his eyes and I told my mom he was the one for me. So lucky kid I was, my mom paid the $150 for my untrained stud colt and he came home in time for my 11th birthday. That was in 1970. I know that sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. I am a book worm and read all I could about training horses. Now my dad said don't touch him, just ride your pony and I'll get him ridden. Well as soon as I got home from school, he and mom were still at work so my best friend Martha and other buddy Robby, who I held in great esteem when he told me his dad was a horse trainer for a living, would come over and we'd start to train Chuey. We did fine, got him going good and I had him many years. Eventually my parents got smart and had him gelded, but he was always a good boy. He never spooked, was fun to ride and had a smooth trot. In fact so smooth you could not post to it. I was spoiled already and did not know it! Once I got to high school, I met a gal in French class who also had a horse. She boarded at a stable. My buddy Martha had moved away, Robby had tons of girls after him and I wanted a riding buddy. So I started asking if I could board him where my buddy Barbara did. My brother wanted a doughboy swimming pool in the yard, so mom agreed to let me board at Hilltop Stables. I had a blast riding with my friends there, and could hardly believe how gorgeous the Morgan horses were the owner of the stable had. One I loved was his stallion, Waer's Dividend. That started my admiration of Morgans. I went on to college at Cal Poly, Pomona where they raise the Kellogg Arabians. I actually wanted a Peruvian Paso at the time, I thought they were nicely built and I admired the gait! But they were also out of my price range, as were Morgans that I knew of but Arabians were pretty common so I ended being happy with Arabians for many many years. I even found out some bloodlines are gaited! But they are hard to find, very hard to find. I moved to Oregon with an Arab mare. Chuey I admit I sold to be a kid's horse. I loved that horse but I knew somehow I had outgrown him, he loved to perform his tricks for kids and be a lesson horse. So I let him go to to what he did best, keeping kids happy. I went on with Arabians, still wanting a gaited horse and around 1996 I found out about Rocky Mountain horses. Wow some looked like Morgans and had the gait! So I tried to breed an Arab mare I had to one. She was checked in foal initially but must have reabsorbed. I did not get a foal and that was right when concern about ASD in Rockies was getting started but not a lot was known, so the people that owned the stud gelded him and I did not get my gaited foal. So imagine my surprise when I saw an ad in the Pacific NW Horse Trader about a gaited Morgan stallion in Washington! This was in 1999. Boy was I excited! There are gaited Morgans! I really thought there should be some, I know how the breed started but so many were used to found other gaited breeds so I just didn't know for sure. The stallion was Dia H Valiant and his owner was Bill Heib. I called him as soon as I could to talk to him about his Morgans. I learned a lot from Bill and Leah Heib. I found out he had one filly left for sale that year, Dia H Snow Goose. I saw a video on her, and while I was really drooling over her half sister who was not for sale, I did start dreaming about owning my own gaited Morgan. I had to wait until February of 2000 to bring her home, and another 2 years to get her started under saddle. I started taking her for walks around my area, and I'd walk fast, jiggle the rope and ask her to gait, and she would! So with great anticipation I got on her summer of 2002. The first time I asked her to gait, you should have seen me smile! I started laughing in fact, it was so much fun! That is how I came to love and admire the Gaited Morgan. I did finally get my “ Trigger”, a pretty Palomino named KTM Gold Mist, from Ken Thomas of Thomas Morgans.
The Nitty-Gritty Behind Hoof Abscesses NANCY RICH-GUTIERREZ The diagnosis of a hoof abscess is something most equestrians are going to have to deal with sooner or later. It is icky, painful, annoying, and time consuming to figure it out and get it treated. I talk to a lot of horse owners that don’t have a good understanding of what a hoof abscess really is or what to do if it happens to their horse. What is it? An abscess is a “localized collection of pus surrounded by inflamed tissue.” A hoof abscess is, therefore, a pocket of infection within the hoof. Horses, like people, can get abscesses virtually anywhere on their bodies, but hoof abscesses are unique—and very common.
Common doesn’t mean normal, though. So even if you have been lucky enough not to have a horse experience one, it’s a good idea to know what to do to make the horse more comfortable and treat the problem appropriately. Hoof abscesses are particularly painful because the hoof wall contains everything within the hoof so completely. Since it has very limited flexibility, when there is an infection brewing, the pocket of yuck that is forming will begin pressing on the sensitive inner parts of the hoof. Where do they come from? Hoof abscesses often form when a piece of dirt, rock, or other debris gets lodged in one of the softer parts of the bottom of the hoof, like the white line. (This is where the term “gravel” for an abscess comes from). The irritant then moves its way further inside the hoof, and the infection starts forming. Sometimes, your farrier might catch it early on during a routine trim, and the little troublemaker can be cleaned out before it becomes a huge problem. Other times, though, you’re not that lucky. Abscesses often work their way up the white line, looking for an exit. In those instances, the abscess will likely burst out at the coronary band, and then the resulting scar will grow out along with the new hoof wall. It’s nothing but an ugly reminder of all that soaking and wrapping you did months ago. Soaking? What? The tried-and-true methods of treating an abscess involves soaking the hoof in Epsom salts and warm water, opening up the pocket with a hoof knife, and antibiotics. Of course, like anything equine, all or none of these treatments may be appropriate depending on your situation. For example, if your horse’s hooves are already a little squishy from standing in mud all day, soaking is just going to make matters worse. If the infection is too deep, your vet or farrier can’t easily open it up without causing a lot of damage. If you just notice there must have been an abscess because your horse now has that telltale mark growing out on his hoof wall, antibiotics are probably no longer needed. There are other ways besides soaking to try to draw out the infection, like wrapping the hoof in a diaper with a poultice. What you do and how you treat it will totally depend on your individual situation. Consult with the pros and you’ll be on the best road to recovery.
CALL US 1-801-885-1449 Gunnison and Highland, UT jdanyoung@icloud.com
Sky Casper Gold Stallion
Jared and Dan Young
Mtn Edge Black Boaz stallion
Super Gaited Colt for sale, Mtn Edge Silver Storm by Lone Peak Tiarra
Missouris Silver Belle Jazzman for 2018
Mtn Edge Shadrack by Silvershoe Black Jazzman and KTM Nikita Cheyenne
Silvershoe Shyanne Casper for 2018
Trailhead Ruby in foal to Casper for 2018
Our mission at Mtn Edge Gaited Morgans is to preserve and promote a unique and quality foundation for singlefooting Morgans. We believe great bloodlines that demonstrate both gait and "sure-footedness" matter. We keep only the very best brood mares. Our stallions & mares are genetically tested for gait using the Synchro Gait Gene Test. We dedicate ourselves to the preservation of the old Morgan type, with the genetic ability to show gait. They must be athletic and excel in many disciplines such as endurance, reining, competitive trail, combined driving, cutting, and a good singlefoot down the trail. They must be a good trail horse with a lot of bottom end that will go all day like Justin Morgan, a family horse you love, and a show horse. They must be sensible, intelligent and willing. These horses are bred to dominate the rugged mountains and desert terrain of the west. They are all American-made.
HUNTER HILL MORGAN FARM Hunter hill
Located in Southwest Illinois
Stallion at stud Bucksnorts Silver Eagle
Stan and Janet Hunter
337 Hess Lane Cobden Illinois 62920 618-833-3728 or 618-527-1184 hunterhillmorganfarm@gmail.com Hunterhillmorganfarm.com
Janet and Stan Hunter on their gaited Morgans
Standing Silvershoe Sampson Brent on board Sky Thunder
Sky Harbor Gaited Morgans 801.830.5255 cell 801.756.7171 home
Young Stock for sale
Brent Skidmore American Fork Utah
skidmorebrent@gmail.com
MISSOURI MORGANS Gaited In Color
Midwest location
Missouris MOJO Image to Knight
R’Surene Hypatia to Knight
KTM Buttercup to KTM Shadow Hawk
5 mares In Foal for 2018 Sky Lindy Gold to Knight
Missouris Silver Lynne to Knight
3 Foals from 2017
Missouris Peace Train By Knight
Missouris Rowdy Ranger by KTM Shadowflax
Chief ...purebred unregistered gaited morgan colt
Vali and Jim Suddarth Home 417-286-4720 Vali 573-286-1954 Jim 573-286-3763
www.missourimorgans.com
The Nitty-Gritty Behind Hoof Abscesses continued 5 key things to know about hoof abscesses 1. It is, by definition, an infection. This means that you need to consult your veterinarian to get appropriate treatment, at least if you catch it while it is active. 2. It was probably not caused by mismanagement. Sure, environmental conditions can set a horse up for hoof trouble, and there may be tweaks you can make to help prevent problems in the future. But if you’re an average horse owner that is doing the best you can for your horse there probably isn’t much you could have done to prevent an abscess. Evaluate the situation, make changes as needed, and don’t beat yourself up over it. 3. Horses with hoof problems are often more prone to abscesses.That’s really fair, right? But if your horse has previously struggled with laminitis or white line disease, that part of his hoof is already compromised and open for trouble. That doesn’t necessarily make those horses harder to treat – you just want to watch them more closely (which you probably already do). 4. It likely looks way worse than it really is. If your horse comes up three-legged lame, it undoubtedly makes you think the worst. Abscesses are very painful, but treated appropriately, they rarely cause long-term damage – and many resolve on their own, before you even knew there was a problem. But… 5. They can be serious. I know, I just told you it probably isn’t a big deal. However, we ARE talking about a painful infection trapped in an integral area of the horse’s body. No hoof, no horse, remember. Don’t hesitate to seek treatment, and be sure to carefully follow the instructions you’re given to make sure your horse recovers fully. The bottom line with getting an abscess resolved (and attempting to prevent recurrence) is diligence and communication with your hoof care team. They, and you, know your horse and his environment the best. Happy soaking (or not)! All content is for informational purposes only. Contact your local veterinarian if you have any questions regarding the health of your animals. About the Author Nancy Rich-Gutierrez is an IT professional and manages her husband’s farrier company. When she’s not busy with her full-time job or running the office for her farrier, she’s chasing their two-year-old and riding her Arabian horses. Check out the HG Horseshoeing blog at hghorseshoeing.com.
JUST FOR FUN The festive 9th Virginia Co. B with Secret and Capt. Skott Borello, Major and Gregory Rose, Nepenthe and Regen C. Rose. The crowds were like this pretty much the whole two miles on both sides just a fun day at the Woodland Holiday Parade 2017.
Gaited Horses used in the Civil War First of all, what is a ‘Gaited Horse’, you ask? I asked the same question. Gaited horses are horse breeds that have selective breeding for natural gaited tendencies, that is, the ability to perform one of the smooth-to-ride, intermediate speed, four-beat horse gaits, collectively referred to as ambling gaits. Such breeds include the American Saddlebred, Tennessee Walking Horse, and the Standardbred, to name only a few. These gaited horses were popular as the trusted steeds for many Civil War General Sheridan’s horse, Rienzi, later called Winchester. generals that lead their men into combat on horseback! Did you know that General Ulysses S. Grant had two gaited equines during the Civil War, a pony named “Jeff Davis” was taken from Joe Davis (the brother of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy) at the siege of Vicksburg. General Grant had suffered from back trouble and his pony Jeff became a favorite due to his easy and steady gait. When Jeff needed a little r & r, a gift, Cincinnatti, a Kentucky Saddler type, took his place on the battlefield with a mounted General Grant.
US Grant with Cincinnatti
Sheridan and Rienzi
General Phillip Sheridan, rode a Morgan Black Hawk type horse named Rienzi, then renamed Winchester, serving him and the army with great distinction. Next to General Lee’s Traveler, Winchester is probably the most well-known horse of the Civil War. A stately horse, he was 17 hands of pure power on hooves…and ‘flew’ over the battlefields to deliver the General to join his troops on many occasions. The sight of General Sheridan atop Winchester, inspired poetry, sculptor and other artists during the Civil War and well after. General William T. Sherman’s horse Lexington, a Kentucky Saddler type became a bit more famous than Sherman’s other horse Sam, because more was recorded about him. Both were described to have extraordinary ‘action’ and for that reason, termed to be gaited by the era’s application of the term. Sam was the horse General Sherman rode during the historic and heroic march from Vicksburg to Washington, DC…through the South (Atlanta, Savanah, Columbia, and Richmond). General Stonewall Jackson’s favorite mount during most of the war, until his death at Chancelorsville, was Little Sorrel (later called Fancy). This pony was a ‘gift’ he took from a captured Union supply train. Little Sorrel was short in stature, but the steady, reliable gait won the general over and became his trusted companion. Upon the pony’s death, he was sent to a taxidermist and then to the Solider’s Home in Richmond, VA, to be remembered forever for his diligent service General Stonewall Jackson’s Horse, Little Sorrel
Gaited Horses used in the Civil War General Robert E. Lee was mostly depicted on horseback for many of his portraits on his almost as famous gaited partner, Traveler! Traveler is considered to be the all time, quintessential officer’s horse of America. He was typical of the American/Kentucky Saddlers of Virginia and Kentucky. Lee was loyal to Traveler as Traveler was loyal to Lee. The bond broken not even in death. Traveler escorted General Lee’s casket during his funeral parade, and then died a short time after. The two were inseparable in life, and rarely seen apart. It seems as if they were two souls joined together, comrades in arms. Think about it. These famous generals of one of the most monumental wars in our history depended on these gaited horses with their very lives. It was an era of great industrial change, yet, these men fought on the fields and lead their troops into battle on the backs of these majestic, dependable creatures. Trust between man and horse, a historic bond that was forged long ago, and continued onto the not so distance past… will forever be nurtured into present day. Sources: Website, American Morgan Horse Breeders; American Saddlebred Breeders; The American Heritage New History of the Civil War, James M, Mc Pherson, Viking 1996; Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, University of Illinois Press, 2002; The Photographic History of the Civil War, Portland House, 1997; Gaited Magazine, A History of Gaited horses in the Civil War, Sue Sherman, 2006.
Canter work is something that I feel that some gaited trainers don't do enough of. It used to be that they said that you should never canter a gaited horse. That has since been coming around which is good. Cantering is something that all horses should and can do and it only improves their balance and gaiting. I would work on getting the canter on the lead line. The more your horse canters the more balance she will get and the better she will canter when we are on her back. Another thing to add to some of your work is teaching your horse vertical flexion. That is when you pick up on two reins softly and hold pressure until your horse softens and drops his nose vertical to the ground. What you need in order to get a good rocking horse canter is collection. Vertical Flexion is not collection but vertical flexion will produce collection over time and softness. Teach your horse how to drop on the vertical and get soft, this will soften his neck, back, and brain. Also our horses need to learn how to canter in small and big circles. I know it is very easy for gaited horses to canter on a straight line but they need to canter in small and big circles to learn how to balance themselves properly. That is probably why your horse is cross-firing when in the canter, she is not balanced right. Whenever she starts cross-firing slow her down to a gait and get her in vertical and soft again and then start cantering again. She needs to regain her balance and she needs to come out of that canter to do so. One thing that is going to really help you is a ground pole. When you are in a circle either on the ground or riding, have a ground pole and come around about two strides before that ground pole and ask your horse for a canter. Your horse will more likely pace as you were saying but a horse can not pace while going over a ground pole. So ask for the canter 2 strides away, your horse will come up to the ground pole and will have to change his gait to something else to get over it and if you have speed, you will most likely get a canter. If you have no speed you will most likely get a gait so make sure you ask for that canter and have your horse thinking canter. Now that does not mean that you need to put the gas on fast, just put a little more gas on so your horse knows what you want. Truly, try it! It will work if you and your horse’s timing is right! Thanks and let me know if you have any more questions on what I have said here.
MT VALLEY MORGANS By: Ryan Hunter
I’ve often admired the now famous quote from Tom Brokaw’s book, The Greatest Generation. “[I]t is, I believe, the greatest generation society has ever produced.” He stated that these men and women fought not for fame and recognition, but because it was the right thing to do. “When they came back they rebuilt America into a superpower.” I believe that there will come a time when we regret having not gleaned one more tidbit; one more lesson from these great people. Consider where our country might be today if we had a little more of this generation’s perseverance and attitude. Duane and Fiddler during spring roundup Dee Hunter young boy
Ern Pedler and Duane Shepherd Alpine, UT
I wrote that short message the day my grandpa died. I was lucky to have been surrounded by all four of my grandparents until January 2015. I was nearly 37 years old. I feel very fortunate to have known them for so much of my life. Both of my grandfathers served in World War II. Grandpa Dee Hunter felt reluctant that he was even credited with such a title because he enlisted but, “never served overseas.” Grandpa Duane Shepherd served in England, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany during the war and I’m certain it shaped much of his life. Both came from extremely humble beginnings. One living with the family in an old chicken coop and the other living in a tent in a small town that even now is so rural it can’t possibly have grown since those days. Both went on to make a better situation for themselves than what they started with. Better in opportunity, not necessarily in “things.” In a world so filled with instant everything, iPhones, computers and the ability to shirk responsibility, I cling to every memory of simpler times. I honestly think that is why I have fallen so hard to keep up the family tradition of gaited Morgans.
Fiddler and his friend Flying Jubilee Alpine, Utah
Duane riding in his hand made buggy pulled by Noslo Ellacoya, Nellie
MT VALLEY MORGANS continued By: Ryan Hunter
My Grandpa Shepherd was quite a giant of a man. He was large in stature and his reputation for being a bit ornery preceded him. He was the local lawman, fireman, and worked at a steel plant until polio left him unable to work and he later returned as a guard on the graveyard shift. I’m not quite sure what led him to it, but his one hobby if he had one, was his horses. If I had to guess, it was probably out of necessity rather than enjoyment. I doubt quite seriously that they used a tractor for the farm chores at that time. Although horses had been in the family for years, Grandpa bought Mary Mel’s Fiddler (Devan Robbie X Mary Mels Godiva) from Uncle Mel Frandsen in embryo in 1980. He was the second, and last foal between these two parents. He quickly became well known for his wonderful temperament, despite being nicknamed Nipper. He was so well trained that he was able to be ridden alongside mares along the many trails above Alpine, Utah. Fiddler sired many wonderful horses, mostly Morgans and Arabs and Grandpa was able to begin the Mt Valley Morgans name in the ‘80s. As Grandpa grew older and less able to manage a stallion farm, his youngest son, my Uncle Clyde and his wife Jana, worked together with him and carried on the tradition. Bringing along one mare in particular in 1985, Noslo Ellacoya from the famed high-stepping Waer’s Nighthawk X Mary Mel’s Sally. She was named Nellie. Many other horses came and went from the barn, including Scout, Johnny, Pyper’s Hope (still with us), Magic, America’s Own, Chopin’s Robbie, Kristy, Sandeena, Lady Diane, and Blu Lady among many others. Both Nellie and Fiddler lived well into their thirties and it wasn’t until we lost Fiddler and Nellie of age, and then Scout unexpectedly, that I realized I was coming to the end of another great generation. Much like my grandparents, these horses were a stability that I never had to worry about losing, until it happened. My stability was rocked. The comfort of knowing where to go for a quick chat, unfaltering appreciation, or simply to calm a stressful week had quickly gone away. For the last several years, my wife, Erin, has put up with me while I go searching for another way to bind myself to both of those greatest generations. Finding a grandbaby out of Fiddler and Blu Lady’s lines only seemed perfectly fitting. Special thanks to Jon Gray and Jared Young for their willingness to part with Mtn Edge Kaylee’s Lady (KTM Tequila Rio X Silvershoe Shasta). I couldn’t think of a more fitting way to continue our herd than by leaning on the example and history of TWO of the greatest generations I’ve ever known. We have since added our little stud colt Mt Valley’s Orion (Silvershoe Sampson X MTN Edge Kaylee’s Lady) as well as a great new mare thanks to Jim and Vali Suddarth, Cat’s Risa Renee (Mary Mels Jiggs X Mary Mels Sippi) who is in foal to Lancelot’s Black Knight (Caduceus Moses X Missouris Silver Princess). We are committed to remembering our past by living in our present. Thanks to Uncle Clyde and Aunt Jana for the advice and encouragement to continue the family barn name, to Brent Skidmore for the time hanging around his barn and for all the insight, encouragement and support from this wonderful community of gaited Morgan horses. With any luck, we too can have a profound impact on the generations that come after us. Hopefully it has more to do with simpler lifestyles and less with faster gadgets. Mt Valley's Orion (5 months) 11.20.17
Clyde Shepherd riding Cats Risa Renee the day she arrived from Missouri 10.14.17
Mtn Edge Kaylees Lady
The Challenge of EPM Early detection and treatment are the keys to helping a horse recover from this neurological disease. LAURIE BONNEROCT 3, 2017 When your previously sure-footed horse starts to stumble regularly…. Or you notice his lip drooping and he’s dropping feed…. Or his gaits just seem to lack that usual smoothness under saddle…. Signs like these may be subtle, especially at first, but it is not good to overlook them. In fact, any persistent change in the way a horse uses his body---including his resting stance, his gaits, how he carries his tail, the pattern of his sweat, generalized weakness, a drooping ear or tilted head---could be a sign that he is developing a neurological dis-
order. And one common neurological disease affecting American horses is equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). Horses may develop EPM after ingesting feed or water contaminated with Sarcocystis neurona, a one-celled organism called a protozoan, that is spread by opossums and carried by other animals. Less commonly, a different protozoan called Neospora hughesi may also cause EPM. Most horses who encounter the organisms that cause EPM put up an immune response that fights off the infection. Sometimes, however---in less than 1 percent of exposed horses---the protozoa cross into the central
nervous system and damage the brain and spinal cord. Several drug treatments are available that can curb the protozoal infection, but the damaged nerves will still require up to a year or more to heal, and some horses never recover completely. Relapses are common if the protozoal populations are able to rebound after treatment ends. A horse’s chances of a full recovery are better when treatment is started early, before the damage is too severe. The most common signs of the disease are weakness and incoordination (ataxia), primarily in the hind limbs. Often, the effects are asymmetrical---one hind leg will be affected more than the other. As the disease progresses, the horse may develop muscle atrophy. In rarer cases, if the disease affects the brain, signs may include facial paralysis, seizures, difficulty swallowing, head tilt and behavioral changes.
The Challenge of EPM continued Diagnostic difficulties Determining whether a horse has EPM can be difficult. Because most who are exposed to the protozoa never develop the disease, the presence of antibodies alone is not enough for a diagnosis. A horse who is positive for antibodies to one of the protozoa could still have neurological signs due to some other cause. That said, however, some of the newer testing methods---an indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs)---can be used to determine the titer (the concentration of
antibodies) in a blood sample. Although these types of test results are not a definitive diagnosis, many veterinarians consider a higher titer, along with neurological impairment, to be evidence of probable EPM. The most definitive type of testing looks for antibodies to the protozoa in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Evidence that the organisms have penetrated the central nervous system is an even clearer indication that the horse’s neurological signs are attributable to EPM. Finding high titers of anti-bodies in both the blood and the CSF is the best indication of EPM that is currently available. However, even this evidence is not considered definitive proof that the EPM is the cause of any neurological signs. And because obtaining a sample of CSF is a more technically challenging and more in- vasive procedure, many veterinarians proceed on the assumption of EPM based on the blood tests and observation of signs alone. Treatment and recovery Three drugs currently have Food and Drug Administration approval for the treatment of EPM: • Ponazuril (trade name Marquis) is an oral paste delivered once daily for 28 days. • Diclazuril (trade name Protazil) is an alfalfa-based pellet that can be fed daily as a top dressing on a horse’s grain for 28 days. • Sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine (trade name ReBalance) is an oral suspension administered daily for as long as 270 days. All of these drugs are antiprotozoal and cross the blood-brain barrier to either kill or inhibit the reproduction of the organisms within the central nervous system. The best choice for your horse depends on several factors, including which is easiest to administer effectively.
The Challenge of EPM continued Your veterinarian will advise you on special handling for the drugs. For example, some evidence suggests that administering DMSO (dimethylsulfoxide) in conjunction with ponazuril may help the drug to reach therapeutic levels faster. Also, especially in more severe cases, a veterinarian may opt to begin the treatment with a “loading dose” of ponazuril, with three to seven times the normal amount, to help the drug reach the central nervous system faster. In a few cases, longer treatment periods are needed. Preventive measures Currently, no vaccine is available to protect against EPM. For now, your best bet for preventing EPM lies in limiting your horse’s exposure to the protozoa. And, for the most part, that means taking steps to break the parasite’s life cycle and to prevent opossums from contaminating your horse’s feed and water: • Avoid attracting large numbers of scavengers. It is not necessary, or probably even possible, to keep all opossums away from your property. And that’s OK: Opossums eat prodigious numbers of pest species, including mice and ticks, which can also carry diseases. But you do want to keep their numbers to a minimum--and that means closing down the food sources on your farm that would attract opossums and encourage them to stick around. • Keep your feed in sealed containers and clean up spills immediately. Use sturdy garbage cans with tight-fitting lids. Pick up uneaten cat and dog food at the end of each day, and clean up fallen seed under bird feeders. If you have fruit trees, pick up fallen fruit. Killing or trapping opossums won’t help---if you’re still providing food sources, more will come. • Pick up animal carcasses. Opossums pick up S. neurona by scavenging carcasses of other infected animals--which can be many species, including skunks, raccoons, armadillos and cats. To reduce the risk that local opossums will get infected, remove any dead wildlife you may find on your property. • Keep hay and bedding clean. Make an effort to keep any roving opossums away from your horse’s feed and bedding. Store these materials in a secured shed or loft to keep out wild animals, and dispose of any you find that has been contaminated with animal feces. Use feeders to keep hay off of the ground; check them periodically for animal wastes and clean as needed.
The Challenge of EPM continued • Seal off the shelters. Clear up brush piles, which can provide shelter for wildlife, and close doors to sheds and other outbuildings, especially at night. Close off access to spaces underneath buildings, too---but first make sure you don’t already have animals in residence. You don’t want to trap them inside. • Limit your horse’s stress. Horses who travel frequently and undergo the stresses of training and competing in high-intensity sports are at greater risk of developing EPM, according to a 2000 study from Ohio State University. Your veterinarian can advise you on steps to avoid overtaxing your competition horse and to keep him generally healthy. For more information, go to “On the Frontlines Against EPM” (EQUUS 451). The life cycle of sarcocystis neurona The opossum is the definitive host for Sarcocystis neurona, meaning that the protozoa can mature and reproduce within its body. 1. The opossum excretes the parasite eggs, called oocysts, in its feces. 2. The oocysts release a secondary stage, called sporocysts, which may contaminate feed or water and be consumed by other animals. 3. The horse may ingest sporocysts. Horses are considered aberrant hosts because, so far, no evidence has been
found that the protozoa complete their life cycles in horses. 4. In some cases, the protozoa may cross into the horse’s central nervous system and damage the spinal cord and/or brain, causing equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). 5. Other animals—including raccoons, skunks, cats and armadillos—may ingest the sporocysts and become intermediate hosts. 6. Once inside the intestine of an intermediate host, the sporocysts hatch and go through other life stages. Even-tually, they invade the muscle tissue and form sarcocysts, which contain parasite spores. 7. When the intermediate host dies, its carcass may be scavenged by an opossum, which ingests the sarcocysts. The parasites mature in the opossum’s intestine, and the cycle begins again. Note: The life cycle of Neospora hughesi is less understood, but it appears that horses do not have to eat infected food or water to contract it: Mares who carry the organism can pass it to their offspring during gestation. This means that EPM may be a possibility even in areas where opossums are not found.
Why Doesn't My Horse Gait!? By Ivy
This is the most common question I get. "If my horse is bred to gait, why does he pace/trot!?" I like to think of a sports analogy. There are those few people out there who excel at sports. They do well at whatever sport they try. Then there are most people, who are like me. They aren't very good at any sport without lots of practice, and I mean attentive practice. Without that good practice with advice and help along the way, I would never get better. Gaited horses are the same way. A very few never need the training, but the rest need someone to train their mind and body into a good gait. There are several specific reasons horses don't gait well: 1. Breeding - many of the gaited breeds have now been bred more toward a show ring type of gait and this is usually not smooth and very often towards the pace. 2. Conformation - some horses are just not built to gait as easily as others. This doe not mean your horse will never gait, but that it will just take more work. 3. Saddle fit - this is not the first thing I look at, but it probably is attributing to the problem if you have been working on the gait and it isn't coming. 4. Training - Your horse has never been trained/taught that the gait is the movement that you want. This is the most common reason. These are reasons why your horse doesn't gait well, not excuses to get another horse. All the gaited horses that have the conformation to gait can gait. How much training they need depends on each horse. Some horses get it very quickly and make the trainer look really good! Some horses need a lot of muscle re-conditioning. Many gaited horses have been allowed to stay bumpy and this trains their muscles to stay in that bumpy gait. Gaited horses need to be encouraged into a smooth, correct gait and then they need their gaiting muscles built up over time. The more you let your horse be bumpy, the more they will build the wrong muscle. So now you know that what your horse most likely lacks is training, but along with that I want to encourage you to keep a positive attitude. As you begin working with your gaited horse, you will most likely get discouraged and your horse will get discouraged too. Praise your horse when he makes progress, even if that progress is very small. Focus on the good things that you have done and are doing and remember to enjoy the journey. Ivyshorses.com
Department of Agriculture in Action Controlling Equine Disease Two years ago in September there were a number of GMHO members riding up at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. I think it was Chuck Clark, Lorrie Gray, Stan and Janet Hunter, Dwight Hanson, Sondra and Tom Sanders, and Jim and I. Sorry if I missed anyone. Before we left Missouri, we procured the standard required documents to travel across state lines to go to Nebraska and South Dakota, had our coggins renewed and were issued health certificates. So we enjoyed a few days at Fort Rob, riding the buttes and valleys and we were all camped and staying in the campground on the north end of the property. There were other horse campers there as well and we were sitting around one evening talking about going to South Dakota to ride at Mount Rushmore. Apparently a lady in camp overheard us and came over to offer a warning. She and her party had planned to go up there as well, but had been told by someone that there was an Equine Herpes Virus outbreak. She had done all this research on the disease, talking to vets and facilities up in South Dakota, and was just darn near to frantic at the idea that we still planned on going to our destination at the Elk Haven Camp. We actually had called the campground to see what they knew, and they re-assured us that the reported cases were about 20 miles from where we would ever be in camp or riding. We were good to go...I made a call to the South Dakota Department of Agriculture just to see what they had to say about it, and although there was a small outbreak, they were not advising equestrians to avoid South Dakota...maybe bad for business? More details here about the disease. So we went and had a wonderful ride up at the Black Hills, and rode over to Mount Rushmore. That’s a very nice ride along a little stream through the mountains. We stayed at Elk Haven Campground. It was good to gather and ride with everyone and finally the travel home day came. We loaded up and headed on back to Missouri, overnighting at horse motels along the way, most of which never look at our papers. I don’t recall where we stayed and if they looked at our papers or not. Home sweet home at last, and everyone is just fine, dogs are good, cats are good, all the horses are still here and no fences down. Yep...a really good vacation. So about a week later, we have a visit from a fella we knew as Jeff Jenkins...Dr. Jeff Jenkins, a veterinarian in the next county over. Turns out he quit his practice and went to work for the State of Missouri...The Department of Agriculture. Well Jeff asks us if we had recently returned from South Dakota, and our interests is building. Course when we get home from any ride where there are horses from all over the country, we always quarantine our horses for a couple of weeks. We have a dry lot we put a round bale in, that is secluded from the rest of our herd...you know, just in case. Well we pretty much do this with any horse we bring here from somewhere else. Just in case. So of course we show Jeff Jenkins just where those horses are and he gives them a pretty good look over...he was very glad to see they were quarantined from the rest of the herd...saved him a lot of “looking over”. He explained to us there was concern about the report of Equine Herpes Virus out of South Dakota, and they were inspecting any horses known to have been in South Dakota. After giving us the all clear, he mentioned he would be back in a couple of weeks. Well it was good to see Jeff after so many years, and to know that the trouble we do take to vet our horses, do the paperwork and follow the rules DOES matter, and that was our tax dollars at work.
See what’s going on in your surrounding area by checking in here: http://www.equinediseasecc.org/alerts/outbreaks
From capilet genetics
Gaited Horses
SynchroGait® is used to test horses’ natural capacity for alternative gaits. There are three genetic classes: AA horses
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Most often easy gaited horses Usually classified as five-gaited (walk, trot, gallop, amble, and pace) Less talent for a balanced canter than CA or CC horses High frequency of AA horses in gaited breeds worldwide CA horses
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Can often but not always amble Usually classified as four-gaited horses (can amble but not perform flying pace) Some of the CA horses may not show ambling easily at the beginning of their training The genotype may be “hidden” in a three-gaited horse because the horse has not been trained to amble (e.g. among Morgan horses 40% of CA individuals were classified as three-gaited by their owners) Better talent for canter than AA horses CC horses
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Classical three-gaited horses Probably the optimum genotype for horses used for show jumping, eventing high-level classical dressage and gallop racing Locomotion is a complex trait
Gaits in horses are influenced by several factors, both genetic and environmental. The summary above is what we see most often, but there are exceptions. Horses can to some extent be trained to re-shape their natural pattern of locomotion. Conformation also has an impact on the gaits and we have had reports of CC horses that are gaited and AA horses that seem unable to perform pace. However, these instances are quite rare and the gait-gene has a proven dramatic impact on horses’ gaits. The Discovery of the Gene That Controls Gaits The research was led by researchers at two major Swedish universities: Uppsala University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and was published in the renowned scientific journal Nature. The publication was the first ever to present a gene that control gaits in horses and identified a new molecule for regulating the pattern of locomotion. The study started on the multi-gaited Icelandic horse. It was shown that genetics play a crucial role in whether an Icelandic horse can perform flying pace or not. Flying pace turned out to have a simple genetic inheritance pattern. AA is a prerequisite for pace, but the horse also needs correct training, conformation, temperament, etc. In fact, in breeding field tests 30-50% of the AA horses are not shown in flying pace. However we know that many of these instances depend on a young age of the horse or that the owner wants to direct all efforts to achieving a high score for tölt. AA horses can also amble and thus most AA horses are called five-gaited (walk, trot, gallop, tölt, and flying pace). CA horses cannot perform flying pace, but they can amble. CC horses are very rare in the Icelandic horse population. The gene has also an effect on the other gaits. CA horses have better capacity for the basic gaits of walk, trot, and canter while AA horses have a better capacity for ambling gaits (however, no differences at low speed). CC horses were unavailable for analysis in this study. The frequency of the newly discovered gene variant (A) in other breeds was thereafter investigated and it turned out to have a worldwide distribution. In general, non-gaited horses such as those used for dressage and show jumping, eventing, drafting and gallop racing are CC while gaited horse breeds carry A. Sometimes nearly 100% of the individuals are AA, such as the Missouri Fox Trotter and Tennessee Walking horse, but in other breeds all three different combinations are present (CC, CA and AA). For example, this is the case for the American Saddlebreed and the versatile Morgan horse, where we know that both gaited and non-gaited individuals exist. More Information and Contact More information and references to the scientific publications can be found at www.capiletgenetics.com. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask on our Facebook page “SynchroGait - USA” either by using the messenger service or preferably on the page wall. For specific questions about your order or to order the test, please contact AMHA directly. American Morgan Horse Association 4066 Shelburne Road, Suite 5 Shelburne, Vermont 05482-4904 (802) 9854944 • www.morganhorse.com • info@morganhorse.com
On The Road Again by Vali Suddarth It’s pretty safe to say that there’s no where else in the world I’d rather be than in the truck with my husband, Jim, living quarters hooked behind, with a horse or two or three in the back. We’ve traveled back and forth across this country hauling horses several times, from Missouri to California, through Utah, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, Texas to Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin...yes, we’ve covered some miles. It’s very comfortable and relaxing to be on the road with Jim. He is a stickler for details when we are preparing for a trip, making sure that all the equipment we need to have a safe and uneventful trip is in good working order. He makes sure we have the supplies we need to take care of emergencies and any animals we have with us. My role? Well he likes to say that I usually instigate the whole thing with my wild imagination and possibility thinking! Ha...maybe so, but I like to think that I am the navigator, I’m in charge of entertainment (xm radio or an audio book..or you know, just ME), I find our gas stops, our horse motels, and make the brightest suggestions on any possible side trip tourists stops. “Hey babe...we are only 26 miles from the World’s Largest Barbed Wire Museum (and I had to correct him that it is BARBED wire not Bob wire..ya’ll know that right?), full well knowing that’s never going to happen!. Guess I’ll just google that one. Or how about the World’s Largest Ketchup bottle, or Buffalo Bill Cody’s Museum? Nope… google it. I mean I almost ...almost had him talked into the Reptile Garden near Rapid City but it was a 2 hour time suggestion so that won’t work. He did offer to take a little time to check out the Wall Drug but since I’m just not much of a shopper I was not interested in that...we just did a cruise by...looked pretty time consuming. Nope...let’s see something weird and wild...maybe next stop! We realized how close we were to where our GMHO camped and rode together up the Mount Rushmore. That was really a very nice ride along the brook and fun to take our photos on horses with the Monument behind us. Beautiful country in that park! No time to cruise through there though...pulling horses. You know, a person can see pretty much anything in this beautiful country of ours from Pink Elephants to the Jolly Green Giant (yes I’m serious) from buried Cadillacs to the Worlds Largest Candy store (right here in Missouri). But the west, now you just can’t see the West just anywhere, and if all I get to do is drive through it with Jim..well what more can a girl want? One interesting stop we knew nothing about was this apparently new sculpture at a rest stop in South Dakota. A beautiful monument to the American Indian woman titled “Dignity”. Rest stops...now rest stops are always interesting...we stopped at one out in Montana that actually had this sign warning us to stay on the sidewalks and watch out for rattlesnakes. Very nice for the warning I thought and later had to chuckle over the contrast when we stopped at a rest stop in Utah and they have a dirt trail for you to hike up into a desert highland where you can fall into a giant caved in cave and perfect rattlesnake habitat. Welcome to Utah...go this way at your own risk! So, anyway, this particular trip, we were headed to Butte, Montana to deliver a horse and to meet some folks from the west coast who were purchasing the horse. Let’s not mention we had no deposit on him (what?) and had a gut feeling the folks were good for the money but there’s always that question in your mind. (we never do this...why this time) What if they were a no show? Oh well it all worked out ok...well sort of. They had made arrangements for us to stay at this supposedly horse motel that was listed on the new Uber-like site for accommodations, (I forgot what it was called). Oh golly...not only was there absolutely NO SIGNS OF ANY KIND, it was not exactly set up for accommodating guests with horses. Or RV’s for that matter. I mean they squeezed us down between these old log barns (those were kind of cool) that were grown up waist high in buck brush and stiff prairie weeds with stickers, and just getting out of the vehicle felt like a fight to civilization to get to the trailer. They indicated where we were to put the horse we brought with us and I was highly skeptical. I mean it was a huge, falling down wood corral with the same kind of brush, right up against the old deserted wood barns on stone foundations. Know what I’m thinking? You’re ight...RATTLESNAKE! Poor Dan the horse!
On The Road Again Vali Suddarth But you know that all worked out ok too. He was perfectly fine in that horrible pen all night and by morning he had it looking pretty good. No snakebites either. In the end, it turned out to be a historical stagecoach stop and little village kind of thing that was there forever ago...a thriving, life saving stop for the brave souls who forged west to settle this part of our beautiful country. I appreciate that Jim drives a lot because it allows me to really take in the scenery and my camera rides most of the trip in my lap. I have some drive by photos that have turned out to be some of my favorites. It is not possible to stop and photograph all of the beautiful sites along the way. If you ever find yourself in need of a “western scenery photo just drop me a note. I have about a terabyte of them. Crossing the line into Utah is a beautiful place on earth. Coming in to the Great Salt Lake Valley makes me wonder about the Mormon people and the feeling they found their dream as they came down of the mountains in northern Utah and first gazed upon that Utah valley. It must have felt like the promised land. Jim and I feel a lot of excitement coming through this area as well. We are closing in on our destination where we have traveled 1300 miles just to come out and look at some horses and see our friends we’ve dubbed as the Utah boys. The Utah boys ( I hope no one is offended as we respect them as horseMEN) and their families have rolled out the welcome mats for us over the years. In past trips we’ve been treated to the tour of farms by different breeders of gaited Morgans we are happy to call friends. We enjoy the company of great horsemen and storytellers and get to look at some horses, which are in our mind, historical horses to our breed. This last time we went out to Utah, we stayed over at Brent’s barn and were joined by our Ohio friend Elaine Schmidt. Elaine flew in to Salt Lake and rented a car and met us in American Fork. Our friends in American Fork had made arrangements for horses and transport and treated us to a ride up the mountain in American Fork. And we went up the mountain and around the mountain and then back down, in a group of 11 gaited Morgans, most of whom are distantly related somehow We were pleased to be in the company of: Jason Beck (red hat) : riding Sky Legend Lucy (a Chestnut mare he bought from Brent) Elaine riding Brent's mare Sky Gypsy Rose Brent Skidmore : riding his son's gelding Sky Thunder Gary gray : riding a daughter of Silvershoe Shyanne (we own Shyanne) he also was leading a gelding Cody Veibell : riding Silvershoe Cisco (buckskin gelding) Jeff Rissinger : riding Apache (9 yr old unregistered gelding owned by court Reynolds) (Side note : court owns Missouris Pretty Boy also) Jared Young : riding KTM Windwalker Court Reynolds : riding Silvershoe Boogie Jim Suddarth : riding Brent's Palomino gelding Sky Grandy Vali Suddarth : riding Silvershoe Josie (we call her shadow)
We had a great day on the mountain, good food, good people, good horses and great scenery. After a good night’s rest we went on down to Richfield to Ken Thomas gaited Morgans on Sunday. Thanks for a fun time!
Breeding Gaited Morgans since 1976
2017 colorful gaited fillies and colts for sale. Easy prices and plenty of gait. 2018 foals by KTM Shadow Hawk, Gaited Morgan Silver Dapple Stallion, 2 mares in foal to KTM Tequila Rio Palomino Gaited Morgan stallion
Schaenzers Silver Eagle Silver Dapple Stallion for sale 2017 filly by Shadowflax
2017 colt on Shadowflax
2017 filly by Shadowflax
2017 colt by Rio
Driving pair well trained for sale
Ken Thomas, 650 E 1070 N. , Richfield, UT. 84701 (435) 896-6824 or 979 - 7203 Email thomasmorgans@gmail.com
KTM Silver Dollar, Silver Dapple Gelding ready to train