Herbert’s Horses

Good question, I ask myself! Right now, the blog gives me a chance to see where I’ve been rather than where I’m going. Updates? The horses are all older and going on to great things. Several are owned by top nonpros, others by people whose high quality horses are shown by professionals, and some are owned by professionals. I’m still out there showing.

In the spirit of “life hands you lemons, make lemonade,” I’m having a great time with Wild and Friendly, originally bought for resale. But we all know how that goes! This is us from our first show. Sometimes, it’s nice when things don’t work out as planned. I’ve learned a ton from this wonderful horse.

Whodathunk I could ever have done this?

Thanks Dean!

After watching the debacle in the horse industry over the past several years, I’ve decided to keep everything really low key and just have fun.

I’ll probably continue to breed a couple, but I realize the days of walking out and selling a weanling for $20K are gone and never coming back. So I’m just going to be in it with the goal of getting very nice horses for myself or for others that I believe will do right by them.

Update: I first posted the pictures below when DeKooning was a mudball yearling. He’s now a 3 YO and looking like a terrific show prospect for the futurities for owner Dan Hoerauf in Virginia. Best of luck!! He’s a nice one! This gelding  is out of my mare, APHA Reserve World Champion White Goldpine and by Brennas Red Pine Jac. He’s the palomino (OK, in one pic he has a huge mud spot). The other horse is my old rookie reiner, Toad. He’s ancient and just hangs out as the baby sitter (AKA enforcer of manners).

Here’s DeK early in his 3 YO year.

Or “how time flies.” I posted the photos below when my filly, Georgia Okeefe, was a yearling. She’s is now a pretty cool 3 YO. Here’s a clip of her as a 2.

It’s always interesting to compare pictures as horses age.  And imagine how they’ll change as they mature. Georgia’s mom, Rock N Roll Olena, was a tiny, reedy looking 2 year old. She never got very tall, but she looked larger than life in the show pen, especially when she scored a 220.5 at the Congress in Senior Reining!

When I first posted this in November 2011, I wrote that I was “taking advantage of the sunny weather to get a few new pix of the yearling filly Georgia Okeefe. She is going to be as pretty as her mother.” I was right!

Just because it’s so much fun to watch, here is Rock N Roll Olena doing her thing:

Yearling filly named after the determined 20th century painter, this filly’s parents excelled in NRHA competition. Dam is Rock N Roll Olena, a very talented mare that marked a 220.5 at Congress, brought home a Morrison Bronze from almost every show, and was Top Ten in the Intermediate Open Division. Her sire is Peptos I Brow, NRHA World Champion. She is very sweet, easy to work around, and wants to please. She should be a great one.

4 YO Black Label Chex also got to the show pen for the first time this fall and she was spectacular. Trainer Dean Brown took her in for a low-key easy run and she marked a 141.5. He didn’t ask her for much, just the reining equivalent of a “walk in the park” (doing a lot less than she is capable of so that she’d think it was all relaxing and easy). This is how she looked in her stops. She’s now on vacation and enjoying herself.

Here’s a video of her at home just a few weeks before the show.

When I purchased Wild and Friendly at the NRHA Breeders Showcase Sale, I had hopes but I also knew the reality of futurity competition: it’s a long road from the first days of training to the show ring performance, and a zillion things can go wrong.

No one knows HOW to do it. Each year, some of the big names in the business buy high-profile yearlings and 2 year olds. A tiny percentage of those make the big time.
And sometimes the unexpected happens: A horse that no one saw coming steals the spotlight.
Here’s what Friendly looked like when he stepped into the show pen at the end of September with Santa Hill Ranch assistant trainer (and reserve world champion) Lorinaldo Gomes. He and Lori did even better in his second competition a week ago. Next stop: Oklahoma City at the end of November. The big one.

This is the first time in 10 years I’ve owned a horse that I thought deserved to go. The last horse was Mifillenium. He didn’t do what I’d hoped at that show, but he went on to become a superstar in Europe.
Hoping for all good things for Friendly. He should be a contender: Both of his parents and several full siblings made their marks there.
More show pix:

Too busy enjoying summer and horses to post. After such a horrible 2010, it’s been pretty good so far. I have recommitted to putting the horses first and being more careful about everything. It’s not about the futurity or the wins: it’s about the horses. I am fortunate to have horses in training at Santa Hill Ranch in Campbell Hall, NY, where horses come first.

Horses that I’ve raised and sold have gone on to successful training. Their owners really like them and I’m hoping that they have wonderful lives.

The horses that I own and are in training are great. Ru, Friendly (I used to call him Doc), and George are looking like wonderful show horses. I am extremely happy with Dean Brown’s training program at Santa Hill Ranch, Campbell Hall, NY.

These clips of Wild and Friendly were taken earlier in the summer. Lori Gomes, assistant trainer (and NRHA Reserve World Champion) was kind enough to ride for the camera at the start of a training session.

Plans are for Friendly to show at his first futurity in October (he did and was a star); Ru will hopefully show at the October EPRHA show (she did and was a star), and George will probably wait until next year.

Ralph is on vacation as my trail horse.

Meg, who had the undiagnosed fractured pelvis (thank you Tufts University) for so long is now sound and I’m riding her some, just trying (between the incredible rains) to get her in shape for whatever. Update: She has a new home with a family that loves her. They think she is the most beautiful horse in the world (they are right). My amazingly gorgeous colt, Bingo, is now 3 and has recovered from the EPM that sidelined him as a long yearling. He has been started, is doing well, and I’ll start working with him soon in the hopes that he can get a great home as a trail horse. Update: I’m working with him now and he will be a cool horse for low-key stuff.

The horse industry is still in horrible shape, and, amazingly, people seem to be breeding as many as ever. Some large farms make me think more and more of puppy mills.

I only bred one mare in 2010, my wonderful Miss Spot. Her baby is doing well. I decided not to contribute to the chaos for 2011, so the mares are all open, having fun grazing out in the field. That’s fine with me. They don’t owe me anything.

This is what my breeding program produces: This 3 YO colt is out of my mare Fancy Smoke, sold as a young horse and doing great with trainer Wayne Lafortune. I try to sell the horses as weanlings/yearlings at prices that allow me to make a small profit and let the buyer have an opportunity to also do very well. I breed only a few horses and want all of them to be successful. There are no throwaways, culls, firesales, etc. Just good horses that can do a lot.

Peptos Rock Star sold to a great home and terrific training situation. Here he is with just 5 rides, less than 2 weeks after arriving at his new home in Virginia. His trainer says he is the best-minded easiest colt he’s ever started.

Here he is again after 30 days:

Curiously George is showing great promise as a reiner–He started training LATE (Sept of his 2 YO year because he was small) and he isn’t being pushed at all and so isn’t consistent…yet… but he’s showing a lot of progress as a reiner.
He could also have another career path. Look at what he does over a jump! He might make a small/medium pony hunter phenom!

Please click the link: video won’t embed

Wow! A long time since this post. Update: Ralph is now owned by a green/rookie and doing really well. He’s very happy. When I first posted this, he was a 3 year old are getting ready to show. Here’s what he’d done way  back then: Ralph (or Hickory as Jesse calls him) has actually been to the show pen. He did a little jackpot show recently, loped through the pattern (with almost no warm up because of timing), marked a 69.5 and won the class! Why be surprised? His mom, Les Louise, has produced NRHA  Futurity finalists and his dad is the legendary Zan Freckles Hickory.

What a change  from some years I’ve experienced! The weanlings are starting to grow up, and look like horses, and little George (a yearling, age 2) is growing into himself and looking great.

Elans Playboy/RockNRoll Olena

Bingo (Caravaggio), who contracted EPM, is looking like he’ll make a full recovery. I’m thrilled!  (Update: he did recover and is now living with a great family in Canada.

by Nu Chex to Cash, out of a One Gun mare, the "magic cross"

I need to update the videos from last fall for these 2007 horses:

Rough year for the horse industry, and lots of decisions/changes activity. I’ve been fortunate: sold the most recent filly out of Gunners Destiny within 2 days of her birth. Went to a great reining home! Very excited for the future of this pretty baby by Self Shine. White Goldpine produced another outstanding colt by Brennas Red Pine Jac. Here’s a photo of his yearling brother. One of the few (or perhaps the only!) palomino offspring of this up-and-coming stallion.

Waiting for one baby–Rock N Roll Olena/Peptos I Brow–that I own and another that I own in partnership, Fancy Smoke/Brennas Red Pine Jac.

The BRPJs haven’t done much so far, but I think that will  change. They are very, very nice horses. The first of the Peptos are now 3–there are only a couple of them, but the one that’s in the barn is a real athlete and very pretty. Hoping that she makes a splash in her debut!

Little Bingo looks like he may recover completely from EPM. He’s now a big strong 2 year old. I remain hopeful!

New filly, out of NRHA Top Ten mare Rock N Roll Olena by NRHA World Champion Peptos I Brow. she is adorable! Born yesterday, in fact.

And this cute mother-daughter photo features NRHA Open Reserve Champion and Intermediate Open Reserve Champion Gunners Destiny’s daughter (by Self Shine) sold 3 days after birth to a great reining home.

Of course, it’s always hard to focus on just one generation…. very happy with how Little Ralph (or Hickory, as Jesse calls him) is progressing as a just-about-ready-to show 3 YO.

Briannes Final Print

Miss Spot (Briannes Final Print) is 10 years old. She has shown lightly for several years, had some years just hanging out in the pasture and has a riding routine with me that includes a little work in the arena and a lot of wandering around, going out on the trails, and that’s always followed by turnout or hand grazing. She’s a happy girl who leads a fairly low-stress life. But… in the show pen, she keeps getting better. This weekend, we did something that neither of us have ever done… turned a PLUS ONE spin. Amazingly, I didn’t lose my balance or my count, and we got things shut off right, too. If Spot were a dressage horse–not a reiner–folks would say she’s just coming into her prime. In reining, however, most horses at age 10 are looking for other careers. Spot is pregnant right now and will have to pack it in, but I will so look forward to showing her again… and for having a great partner for many years to come!

Update! This little guy, shown as a weanling is now in the show pen. At his last show (he’s 4 now) he marked a 71.5 to win the rookie professional for his owner Daniel Hoerauf.
So cool for my yearling and weanling by Peptos I Brow and out of NRHA Top Ten mare Rock N Roll Olena.

Lots of stallions have great success at a few big shows, moving them to the top of the charts in earnings and catching the eye of buyers and mare owners.

But only a few get it done in more ways than one–and go on to become on of the elite few participating in the World Equestrian Games. Pepto was part of Team Australia, paired with Warwick Schiller. I view international competition as a kind of litmus test–no drugs are allowed and the horses are monitored when ridden. That means no pharmaceutical help, no masking of lameness or pain, and no beating the horse up if it doesn’t perform up to expected standards. It’s a form of competition that includes a reality check–so important for breeders. It answers the question: what will this stallion REALLY be likely to pass on to his get? Although Pepto and Warwick didn’t get a medal, they put in a cool run and did a very nice job…. not surprising if you look at Pepto’s career.

Pepto did extremely well as a 3 YO, facing off against the big boys with a rider who was just joining the “big time trainer” club. Actually, it was Jeremy Gates’ first year as a trainer for his own operation (vs being an assistant trainer). Pepto then went on, after a successful career in the majors to take a run at a world championship title.. and this means hauling to a lot of shows for smaller paychecks. He hit 35 shows that year, and earned 12 championships. At the end of the day, the little roan horse has earned upwards of $50,000–and stayed sound, happy, and good minded. No nerved feet, no pampering and babying in between just a couple of big efforts–just honest, on the mark, and showing as well at (jeesh–how old is he? 9 I think) as he did as a young horse.
I have bred to him twice: and here are the babies out in the field in Tunkhannock; I hope they’ll be as good as their daddy.

“Ch-ch-ch-an-g-g-e-e-s” I suppose should be my theme song, or perhaps something as yet unwritten about how everything in life can turn on a dime.

Good news: Ralph  (Hickorys Last Louise) is a futurity money earner, having been an extraordinarily good boy at Williamston in NC. Here’s a link to his show pix (on order). Not bad for early July!!  Ditto (Gunners Blues) got into the show pen right behind him, finishing as 3rd in L4 and 2nd in L2 at the next futurity in Williamston in early August. Both nice horses. (for sale, hint, hint, hint). 

I’d really love to keep both of them (Ditto is in the picture) but I’m one non pro, don’t show very much, and well–I don’t need 2 horses to show (too much money, time, and work!!).

Even though the horse market has totally tanked, I gotta focus on the positive: I have 2 nice horses that have earned money at 3, with good scores and plusses for maneuvers. Much better than having 2 dinks that can’t get out of their own way!!

Plans are for Ditto to show again in late Oct in Williamston, and then both of them will get time off for good behavior and come back into training in 2011. They don’t really need a break, but I think they (and my wallet) deserve one.

If you’re interested in these nice horses, contact Dean Brown at Santa Hill Ranch (I moved Ralph up because I plan to be his next rider, if not sold) or Jesse Chase in NC (Ditto will be moving to NY for 2011, if not sold, as well).

Another bit of good news: I’ve been riding Meg–Mega Bar Time–my lovely mare that suffered a freak injury that took some time to diagnose. She is becoming more and more sound. I think she was like me before physical therapy when I took out my knee: and just needs some exercise to relearn how to use body parts that she protected for a long time to avoid pain. I’ve been working with her over the past month, gradually progressing from longeing to riding and now we’re walking and trotting small hills–and going English!! She’s a gorgeous mover and I’m hoping that she continues to improve, gets sound, and that she can do low level dressage.

Now for the hard stuff: My very promising 3-year-old Dot (Rock N Roll Playgirl) had an injury last spring, compounded by a second one when she got out of stall rest for an assessment. She had surgery in May to repair a fracture in her pastern, which healed nicely. However, she foundered repeatedly during recovery and finally had to be put down. One of the saddest moments of my life.

The Legacy sale, often a benchmark for the reining industry, took place last weekend. And whaddya know? The Gunners hold value, unlike a number of other bloodlines represented in the sale. I’m not surprised; I’ve been a fan of the flop-eared paint ever since  I first saw him. And I own two of his daughters–Gunners Destiny and Colonels Smokin Heart. Great mares!!

Some of their offspring are for sale. I think it’s a great opportunity for anyone who wants to tap into a bloodline that maintains its value even when everything else seems to be crashing and burning.

Gunners Destiny & her daughter, Gunners Blues

Gunners Destiny has produced 2 foals: her 2010 foal by Self Shine sold within days of her birth.

I own her 3 YO foal (for sale, see photo below): Gunners Blues, a NRHA futurity placing, money-earning filly (2nd and 3rd in her first futurity in early August)  by Royal Blue Quixote.

Gunners Blues, 3 YO NRHA money earner

Who’s that, you might ask? OK, I gamble on stallions that aren’t household names. But I do so with a purpose: Let me explain. Des is a mare that I showed, along with several professionals. She is honest, wonderful, and can be extremely physical. She’ll go out and mark 71s-73s pretty easily. But there’s a little spark missing.

Gunners Destiny, sliding in the mud to a 73

I thought I would get it in the cutting Peptoboomsmal lines, and I had liked Royal Blue Quixote when  I saw him show.  I also liked who owned him when he showed as a 3 YO, and who rode him. I had the feeling that there weren’t likely to be any skeletons hanging in his closet. I liked that he had shown AQHA–drug testing is a plus!! I also knew that his get had “big motors” … So maybe this would give Des the little extra that her foal would need. He wasn’t  a big name (not even a familiar name) to most reiners, but  I thought the cross would work.

I have to confess that I have long had a fear of breeding to high-profile, big-name  stallions. I have, for some time, believed that the industry is focusing too much on just a  few well known stallions. I didn’t want to breed to them because I was sure that there would be extreme overproduction. I worried about advertising hype, and whether the reports in the media about the success of  a few offspring would be representative–I mean, after all, if a high-profile stallion is bred to 100+ of the best mares in the country, you gotta have a couple of winners. But what’s the gamble to me, someone who just has a couple of broodmares and produces just a few babies a year? What are my odds–really? And what happens when the industry goes south and you find that there are hundreds of horses bred just like the one you put so much time and effort into producing showing up all over the place? (Gee, sounds a lot like 2010!)

In the end, I decided to gamble in a way that I was comfortable: on my mare’s ability to pass on her great qualities and on the contribution of a relatively unknown stallion with the breeding I liked. I did know that the filly would likely be unmarketable–because of her sire with no name recognition–at least until she got out there and showed what she could co.

Quite simply, it worked: Gunners Blues did well at her first futurity, marking a 141.5 in a very low-key run just to  give her experience and is on track to make a really, really nice horse for either a non pro or a professional. She’s being shown with the understanding that she will be a non pro horse, so there are no runs demanding everything from her–just the kind of runs that build for a great future and a long career. She is so much like mom, it is scary (good scary, that is), but I think there’s a little extra oomph.

Colonels Smokin Heart, by Gunner

Colonels Smokin Heart (Georgia)  has earnings in NRCHA and NRHA. An electric, talented, physical mare, she has her own connection with the Legacy Sale: her half sister was consigned by Tim McQuay in 2008. Here’s the link to the sale sheet. You’ll see that Georgia is also a full sister to HH Shotgun Rider. It looks like every foal that Georgia’s dam produced is an NRHA money-earner. Interestingly, Georgia was only shown for 1 year and very, very lightly. At that time (different economics, different world), it seemed like a good idea to just throw her out in the field and let her be a broodmare. How things change!

She has one foal (age 2), by Night Deposit Chex. This cross–Gunner/Nu Chex to Cash– has been very successful, and  I thought I might as well join in the fun. He’s looking like a nice, nice gelding.

Night Deposit Chex/Colonels Smokin Heart (by Gunner, full sister to HH Shotgun Rider)

Herbert’s Horses produces just a few foals each year, with a focus on bloodlines, athleticism, and great minds.

The horses on this site are bred to be reining horses, a sport based on the skills used by ranch horses in the American West. Click here to learn more about reining.

They compete on a loose rein in response to very light cues that beginner riders can learn quickly. People who show in this sport range in age from 8 to 80, and come in all shapes and sizes. Families may compete together. There are divisions for all levels of experience.

Horses teach kids lessons in responsibility, caring for a living being, how to win and lose gracefully, and how to work hard to accomplish goals.

For adults, they offer a break from the daily grind, a chance to focus, concentrate, and test yourself. Perhaps the biggest benefit is to feel the communication with another living being and enjoy the relaxation and calmness that comes with horses.

Although these horses are trained for a specific sport, they are very broke and make great trail horses, team penners, sorters, dressage horses, etc. Their training teaches them to move away from rein pressure, accept rein contact, and they know how to change leads and respond to voice commands.

Out this weekend to take pix of the foals…. key points: it’s good to have brown horses because they always look clean.

The same cannot be said of palominos. Two dirty boys out together, they are brothers, one a weanling and one a yearling. Weanling priced at $5,000; yearling at $6,000. Out of the great mare White Gold Pine and by Brennas Red Pine Jac.

This lovely filly is out of a dark bay mare and by a flashy red roan stallion…. WHAT HAPPENED??? At least in the color department. But for the rest of her: I think she looks great! By Peptos I Brow and out of Rock N Roll Olena. World championship bloodlines, athleticism, and great minds….priced to sell at $5,000. She is in Tunkhannock, PA, about a half hour from the Scranton-Wilkes Barre Airport. An outstanding prospect for top-tier reining competition.

Red White and Pine, the yearling colt out of APHA Reserve World Champion White Gold Pine and by NRHA Congress futurity champion Bennas Red Pine Jac, is like a 5 year old kid starting school.
Here he is on his first day, in the round pen, with a saddle blanket, starting to learn the equine equivalent of his A,B,Cs.

Never been to Siberia, but the trip out to Tunkhannock started with overcast sky (so much for the weather report) and snow showers. Bleak, bleak, bleak, but I was still not prepared for the strong gusts of wind that hit me when I got out of my toasty warm little car. So much for my plan of cleaning off the babies, outfitting them in spectacular silver halters and trying to make them look presentable (and get them sold). Not in the cards. They are looking good. It is amazing how they change at this age. Fortunately, they’re all getting cuter (or maybe I’m just getting more fond of them).

2010 filly by Peptos I Brow out of Rock N Roll Olena (full sister to Peptos Rock Star, just sold and doing extremely well) 

Bloodlines: Peptoboonsmal, High Brow Hickory, Smart Chic Olena, Codys Clone….

By: Peptos I Brow is the 2008 NRHA Novice Horse Open World Champion, with earnings of $50,000+. He represented Australia in the 2010 World Equestrian Games. His championships include the Northeast Classic Open and Intermediate Open Derby (score: 148), the Carolina Classic Intermediate and Limited Open Derby, The Great Reining Adventure Open, Intermediate, and Limited Open Reserve Derby Champion, Wimpys Little Step Derby Co-Reserve Limited Open, Congress Limited Open Futurity Champion, Firecracker Classic 3 Year Old Snaffle Bit Champion, and Central New York Ride and Slide 3 Year Old Snaffle Bit Champion.

Peptos I Brow is the son of the legendary Peptoboomsmal, whose offspring have won more than $16 Million, and one of the few that have been trained for and shown in reining. Although Pepto hasn’t been shown on cattle, he has a tremendous sense of cow and likes to cut volunteers, which often include assistant trainers, dogs, farm visitors, etc. He’s great minded and stayed sound throughout his career.

Out of the great mare Rock N Roll Olena, a finalist in the SWRHA Futurity, NRHA Top Ten, and she finished 4th in senior reining at the Congress with a 220.5.

Rock N Roll Olena

She has approximately $8K in earnings and was always a great show mare. She is by Chocolate Chic Olena and out of a Codys Clone mare.

Peptos Rock Star has been worked in the round pen and saddled. He is ready to start training as a 2 year old and is offered for sale at $6,000. Negotiable to a show home.

And very nice colt, “Red White and Pine”  by Congress Champion Brennas Red Pine Jac and out of APHA Reserve World Champion White Gold Pine. STARTED UNDER SADDLE. White Gold Pine has world champions throughout her pedigree: By Open World Champion Mr Gold Pine Jac, her dam, Lucky Destiny, is also the dam of 3x NRHA World Champion Hollywood White. She is an incredibly kind mare with a lot of grit and try in the show pen.

White Gold Pine

Brennas Red Pine Jac is by the great stallion, Great Red Pine and out of a tremendous show mare, Pretty Kilo Kid. A Congress Futurity Champion, his career was cut short due to injury.

Red White and Pine is a stylish yearling colt that has been saddled and worked in the round pen. He is ready to start training. When he matures, his low-headed carriage, big hip, and long white mane will make him a show ring stand out.  Offered for sale at $6,000. Negotiable to show home.

Thank you to the people who have bought horses from me. They include some very well known breeders, trainers, and non pros. I look forward to hearing about your accomplishments.

George is out of Colonels Smokin Heart ((see videos of her in the show ring and get more info about her on her page)

and by Night Deposit Chex. In training and looking like a great prospect. Here are some photos of him as a yearling and earlier in his 2 YO year (before he started training).

Night Deposit Chex/Colonels Smokin Heart (by Gunner, full sister to HH Shotgun Rider)