Happy springtime and belated Easter blessings to you. Greetings from the only warm place in America! As it seems winter is continuing to keep spring locked in the freezer in most of the country, we have been blessed by a very mild winter here in southeast Arizona. Now that the March and April winds have arrived and the mesquite trees are poking out their leafy green fronds, we know spring is truly here. Every day, the arid dry desert turns greener and is truly coming alive as the recent and rare spring rains have brought on elusive wildflowers. It felt like an endless summer all winter, which may sound great, but we out west are suffering from drought and low snow packs. If we could only have packed up all your snow and moved it west of the Mississippi! But alas... we'll keep praying!
We arrived in mid-November and it was a treat to be here early before winter set in up north. This gave us time to enjoy the good weather and ride, rest, and prepare for what turned out to be one of our busiest seasons in recent years. Praise be to God!
WHR Notice!
We are on the road heading back from Arizona to the Home Ranch and should be settled by April 29... then we'll be on the road again, heading to western Colorado and returning in mid-May. We can now be reached in Oregon at 541-893-6535. We do check messages regularly and will get right back to you ASAP. If it's urgent, we can be reached on our cell at 520-820-1096.
Arizona Winter Recap... Private Clinics & Horse Sales
As people's lives are ever busier, we have been meeting our client's needs by offering Private Clinics and accommodating schedules that don't always fall in line with our scheduled classes. But it all works out the same, and good folks are getting matched up with good horses and getting an education in horsemanship not to be found elsewhere. We continue to changes lives through our fine horses and Wil's training philosophies that resonate deeply with so many.
I always mention this to reiterate to you, our followers, that the best way to carry on in your journey of Fine Horsemanship is to re-visit us again and again, and that can be done most anytime of the year by appointment (see our Private Clinic info on our website). This why the Horsemanship School class page on our website has been so rarely updated lately. For the first time in 20 years we do not have any Oregon Home Ranch classes scheduled! It's kind of liberating but scary at same time, as any change can be. As we have been saying for awhile now...it's almost LAST CALL! People always say "Oh! I was planning on coming" and we keep saying "You'd better do it!" Well, the time is now, as you'll see when you read about our summer plans later on in this newsletter.
We are headed back to Oregon a bit earlier than last year to put cattle on our pastures early for some intensive grazing pasture management to give us better grass yields. We wrapped our up our busy Arizona season in the last two weeks...just shipped 3 head, had 3 pending sales with private clinics, and now will be taking 2 sold horses along with 2 held with deposits and what's left of our current string and a few NEW ones back to Oregon with us! You can get a sneak preview of them here and on our updated geldings page. And we keep saying we are cutting back! HA! Like Wil says, it keeps him going--all the phone calls (which he answers personally), helping people, and the ongoing promise of deals, placing great horses with great people! Let alone the gift of caring for, training, and enjoying horses as nice as those we own.
Over the winter we sold Smarty, our handy little Reining Cow Horse--he's gone to Michigan to compete in Ranch Horse Versatility and is already turning heads in a recent pre-show event.
Our pair of handsome Buckskins, Lou and Jake, are going to a working cattle ranch in Colorado. Our new "Lil Guy" AKA "Shorty" is headed to Virginia to hit the trails and give Ranch Horse Versatility a go in the future, and Wil's new favorite by Playgun, "Hoot" will be going to Sun Valley, Idaho this summer after a private clinic with us in June. We congratulate all our recent clients on their exceptional acquisitions.
"Bling" now Offered For Sale...
Speaking of exceptional acquisitions...we have finally posted online our offering of "BLING", our pride and joy who we have owned for the past three years. He is the gorgeous, rare, chocolate palomino gelding that we have kept in hiding (except for his presence in our advertisements and at the Pendleton Round Up parade), because he's such a flashy, handsome guy. When folks come to see our other geldings, the "Golden Boy" becomes such a distraction, we have to hide him! "Bling" is now 6 years old, in the bridle, riding great and ready for some special and lucky horse person. Be sure to take a few moments to check out his web posting and photo album.
Honoring our Return Riders...
Over the winter we have had several former WHR students and gelding clients return to the ranch to further their education, traveling all the way from Minnesota, Michigan, New Mexico, California, and even Alberta, Canada. By empowering people with knowledge and skills that will
last a lifetime, we help these folks protect their investment for the future, bringing enjoyment, safety and independence to all their horse activities. We honor these people and their commitment to gaining knowledge. As Wil always says, "What you put into your horse is what you get back."
Settling In and Summer Schedule at the Home Ranch...
As we mentioned above, we have no Horsemanship Courses scheduled so far this year at the WHR Home Ranch in Richland, Oregon. This does not mean that we aren't teaching, we are just scheduling Private Clinics by appointment instead. These can be combined with other students, groups, or families, and we can accommodate your specific needs, following our From Foundation to Finished Bridle-Horsemanship principles, techniques, and class formats. As opposed to our Arizona location, the Oregon Home Ranch does have bunkhouse lodging onsite. Known for our all-around training abilities, we embrace a wide variety of disciplines and goals, offering our signature Effective Riding Skills instruction & coaching, pro-active Outback Trail Challenge Training exposure work, and Cow-work instruction. And as always, we get positive results with you and your horse..."In spite of you!" Come and join us! Contact Beverly at 541-893-6535 to schedule your clinic.
We have some openings in June through the 18th, then Beverly is off to Ohio on the 22nd to hold a private Cowgirls Only clinic and then to Michigan for another private clinic, returning June 30th. July is open after the 6th. Between horse client visits and private clinics, we hope to head to the mountains for trail mileage on the string, go cowboy, and make another trip to the west Yellowstone area and Montana in late July and early August. We can always be reached for a Private Group Clinic or lessons while on the road. Just call, make an appointment, and get your deposit in to confirm. Contact Beverly for details.
Till we meet again, keep up the good work, stay true to your horses, and be the leader they need. Be awake...be aware. Follow what you have been shown, stick with the plan, and stay on task. Need help? Don't be afraid to ask, and keep seeking. Horsemanship is a journey. Our results-driven knowledge and techniques absorbed and applied will make the trail worth riding.
See you this summer!
Blessings,
Beverly & Wil,
Katie the Ranch Dog, and Pauline, our all-around "Right Hand"
Gelding Sneak Preview!New Wil Howe Geldings & String Update
Here are a few new guys that we acquired last fall and over the winter and are taking through the WHR Foundation to Finished/Reliability "Acid Test". They are not officially offered as yet, but this lets you know who's coming up! Often our horses sell without ever making it here, let alone to the main Gelding page. Ever in demand, we only offer a small handful of select geldings that we hand pick and ride ourselves...and we're pretty picky! All are individuals with the Wil Howe appeal, velvet handle, and all-around ability from reining cow horses to mountain Cadillac trail horses and ranch using horses. They are truly versatility horses at their best! Those who own one know it, and those who don't wish they did! So call 541-893-6535 for more info. Click here to view the entire string.
2004 Big Black & White
Flashy Specialty Trail Horse
15.3 hands, 1300 lbs
Unique in every way..."Waldo", as Wil calls him, is a registered Tennessee Walker and Pinto. We have owned him for a year. Wil took him on as his personal project, and adores this big gentle giant because of his attitude and trainability. Waldo is a kind-hearted horse who is a smooth traveling machine and can flat cover country. He is an old-style western Tennessee Walker, big-boned and footed; not show-horse gaited, but he rides like a Quarter Horse with afterburners! Great for trail riding with other Walkers, or he can walk on a loose rein and cruise with Quarter Horses, just pick your gear! He handles rough country on and off trail, and has done well moving cattle. Goes anywhere like a D-8 Caterpillar! Would make a great ranch or trail horse for a big guy who needs to cover a lot of country, and is gentle enough for the whole family
2006 Silver Red Roan
Working Cow Horse
AQHA Gelding
15 hand, 1050 lbs
Here is one classy and fancy handling cow horse. Sired by a son of Boowhite Dancer by Peptoboonsmal and out of a Smart Little Lena mare, "BW" is a smooth riding guy schooled for reining & working cow horse with limited showing. Now he's going through our WHR versatility program and is coming along very well, with our mile-long list of tasks and acid tests. He is fast becoming one of Wil's favorites. "BW" is a handsome individual, a very unique red/silver roan with a thick mane & tail (not yet fully shed out in these photos). He's very willing, kind minded, and easy to school, always ready to give you his all. Gentle, solid, and grounded under saddle, with a lovely loose neck rein, he rides outside in the desert like he's "been there-done that" all his life. He'll be getting more ranch and mountain use this summer up north, and will make a super Ranch Versatility horse or go back to cow horse pen. For a non-pro or even youth, he's got a world of talent and is so fun to ride...he'll show you! Big stop, easy loper, smooth changes and turnarounds. Quite the "Vaquero" looking guy, all bridled up now, and has a pretty flowing trot that would be eye-catching in the Cowboy Dressage arena too! Yes, from the trails to the show pen, he's got it. Keep watching and get your dibs on him!
2008 Bright Sorrel
Solid & Stout Ranch & Trail
AQHA Gelding
14 hands, 1100 lbs
Here is one easy-going chunky boy. "Dewey"has been raised, started, and used on a ranch since he was two, and can get around tough country and mountains trails like a pro. With a steady unflappable personality, he puts up with almost anything! He's seen a lot with us, from mountain trails to riding down Main Street, even a helicopter landing nearby! He goes anywhere, always looking at what he's doing, making him a great candidate for the Trail Challenges. Dewey's been roped on at brandings and doctored on too. He's plenty cowy and can really stop, making for a great heeling prospect. He's a bit on the lazy side, but can be pushed with a little encouragement, and that gentle, cool head is what makes him so special. For that "get on & go" guy, he's a pretty solid young horse, suited for most riders, young or old, and he's got a full life ahead of him! For an easy to "reach the stirrup" versatility ranch cow horse or for pleasure & mountain trails, he'll do!
2008 Travelin' Reining Buckskin
AQHA Gelding
14.2 hands, 1100 lbs
This is a cute, up-coming golden buckskin that has all the makings to be part of our first string. Very personable; greets you at the gate. Performance bred with both cowhorse and reining breeding by Cal Bar, Whimpy's Little Step, Nu Chex to Cash, and Hollywood Dunnit. We call him "Traveler", and he can do just that! He is one of the fastest walking quarter horses we've owned. He puts his head down and can flat cover the country and loves it! Having had some reining background, he has lots of feel and handle. With Wil's finishing touches, he'll soon be in the full bridle; and with our WHR "acid test" versatility training, he is seeing a whole new world and loving it. This gelding has a big motor, but a soft and easy way about him. Super big stop and full of cow. We are looking forward to starting him on cows as soon as we get home...go cowboy on him and it won't take much to make a super all around cow horse out of him. Lots of potential as a top heeling prospect too, he's got the speed and the stop. PHOTOS COMING SOON!
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