| Sher Olson's Barn Buddies We all share our 35 acre home, in Deer Trail CO - 30 acres are devoted the Equine Crew! |
| "Kiowa" or Ki for short ... grade Welsh/Shetland pony mare, 11 yrs old, 11.2 hands. She is trained for hand led saddle rides, also bit'n'bridle for trails. She lends a hoof in our family pony ride business. |
| (Retired fm Trail Riding) "Morning Mist" aka Misty grade QuarterHorse/Arabian mare, 21 yrs old, 13.3 hands. That is Misty and 5' tall me, in the first photo - I'm playing with her ears as the ol' girl "puts up" with my antics. :-) She has a very reliable, very calm trail horse for us, for 5 years. A great little girl! In 2011, a guest's horse kicked her in the hock (permanent damage) - Misty is now retired to light riding, such as for little kids in our family pony ride business. For all her years of service to our family .. due to her permanent semi lameness, Misty will spend her last days with us (she will never be sold)! |
| "GingerSnap" grade Miniature horse mare, 6 yrs old, 7.2 hands. Ginger comes to birthday parties, where the kids brush and decorate her with barrettes - she loves it! Ginger would sit in one's lap, if she could talk you into it. :-) In Fall 2011, Ginger added to her "job skills" ... and now she drives cart out on horse trails. In Spring 2012, she is learning to drive as a team with Thunder. |
| "Amika" aka Mickey - registered American Haflinger Registry .. # 1110-84 He is 28 yrs old, 13.3 hands. Before our home, he was with the same family for 2+ decades - his owner was given him when she was a child, by her mother who raised Haflingers for competition. Mickey was her first HunterJumper pony, as a kid. They did arena, parades, and tons of trail riding together. Now grown, and with six daughter (none really into horses) - the mom offered Mickey for a carefully screened adoption. Mickey has quickly become one of our favorites - he might be older, but he's proven to be priceless in reliability under saddle, and a steady goer even on the back country trails! You'd never guess his age, seeing him chug along! I am now 49, with bad hips & back - so Mickey & I need about the same number of rest stops ... we are a perfect match for each other! :-) |
| (On indefinite loan) "Muffins MSC" aka Muffin - registered American Haflinger Registry # 2774-89 ... 23 yrs old, 14.1hands. Before our home, she was a trail riding mount, and broodmare. Muffin was Amish trained. She came to us from the same owner as Mickey, who needed both horses to be placed. :-) Muffin is now on indefinite loan to a close family friend's 9 yr old daughter, who shows her in 4-H ( English, Showmanship, Trail) ... plus trail riding in the mountains with her family. |
| Muffin (below) our "Lady of the Lake", for all of us King Arthur mythos fans! |
| (left) Misty taking a break, near top of the Continental Divide, July 2010 |
| Mickey (left) near the top of the Continental Divide, taking a snack break. (right) The ol' man "demonstrating" to 10yr old Nowen, "Hey, I can still fly!" jumping a narrow but deep creek, and a wider one, on a back country camping trip. These pics, July 2010 |
| (left) Muffin on a back country camping trip - Jacks Gulch, July 2010. During the trip, the group got caught in a summer hail storm - (right) Muffin carrying 9 yr old girl back to camp, like a trooper! |
| Young Carmen with Muffin at 4H in 2011 Trail, Showmanship, English |
| click here for pictures of Ginger learning to drive cart! (right) Ginger & Sher (me!) on our very first off-our-ranch driving trip! |
| "Thunder" reg. AMHA & AMHR Miniature horse gelding, 10 yrs old, 7.2 hands. In Dec.2011, my 70 yr old mom was showing much interest in joining me for wagon rides in the mountains. This meant we would need a second Mini and a 2-passenger wagon! So Thunder, who had 6 years' driving experience, was purchased. He had the last 3 years "on vacation" (lazing in pasture, getting FAT and no work.) When he came to us, he was easily 100 lbs overweight (that is over 1/3 excess weight!) So, his first two months home was on a diet and refresher driving exercises. Thunder should be driving single by March. In April, we will be visiting the big Troyer's Auction in search of a 2-passenger wagon. In April, Thunder & Ginger will begin team driving training! We look forward to enjoying trails in wagon, like Garden of the Gods, Caribou Ranch, Greenland Trail, South Valley ... there are many horse trails that translate well for a miniature wagon! :-) |
| Thunder minus his big weight gain |
| Ginger's "Day Job" as a brushing pony in the family party business. |