Welcome to my website! I am a second generation horsewoman who has managed horse breeding farms in the U.S. and Europe for over 30 years. If I can be of assistance in your program, please do not hesitate to contact me.

August 8, 2008

Last weekend I helped my friends at Parnell’s Irish Cobs with a display of their horses at the first Fort Collins Irish Festival. The horses were a big hit, especially with the kids. Temple Bar, a four month old colt who had never been off the farm, worked the crowd like a star

.

Parnell’s Roisin, a stunning mare, surveys the kids vying for her attention.

July 30, 2008

I was able to cross something off my bucket list that I had wanted to do for many years. Snorkel with wild manatees. I went to central Florida and had an amazing time floating with these gentle animals. Manatees have no predators (except humans and motorboats) therefore they are very tolerant of humans floating with them. Those that do not want to interact will just swim away.It was sad to see that every manatee we saw, from young calves on up have scars on their backs from boat propellers. Even in areas where it was posted to go at idle speed, I saw boats at high rates of speed, ignoring the manatees below them. These are one of the most unique mammals in North America yet it appears that boats have preference in the water as far as the law is concerned.

This young manatee was very active and inquisitive. Note the multiple scars on the back.

July 10, 2008

I recently went to a driving day held by our regional driving club. A great time was had by all. There was a cone course set up in the outdoor arena and an obstacle course in a hay field. There were Friesians, Appaloosa, miniatures, Irish cob and Morgans. Sadly I didn’t see any Arabians. Used to be that Arabians were widely used as driving horses. Driving is becoming more popular, especially with the older crowd as it is easier on the body than riding. As the cost of gasoline continues to rise, having a driving horse in the barn might not be a bad idea!

May 15, 2008

The Horsin’ Around Saddle Club are a great group of people. A few years ago, I judged their show in Rapid City, South Dakota and had so much fun that when they asked me this year, I was delighted to go back. Judging open shows keeps me sharp on all breeds and is a challenge when you have Quarter Horses, Appaloosas, Morgans, Arabians and Half-Arabians all in the same class! I was allowed to “talk” the classes this year, which I really like to do. I like to let the exhibitors and spectators in on how I selected the winners and why. I don’t ask them to agree with me, but want them to know what went into the decision making process.

The Black Hills of South Dakota are a special place. Here is a handsome fellow I met along the way.

April 30, 2008

I recently judged a show in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. This is a great area on the western side of the country and reminded me a lot of Colorado without mountains.. Very agricultural and lots of cattle. The city of Campo Grande has over 600,000 people, but feels like a small town. I really liked this part of Brazil. The quality of the horses was excellent. The champions could compete anywhere.After the show, I headed for the Pantanal, an area I’ve wanted to visit for over 20 years. It is one of the most wildlife-rich areas of the planet. I stayed at the Fazenda Barranco Alto–a working ranch that takes only 9 people at a time. As it was the end of the wet season, the only way into the place was by air. Lucas and Marina treated me like family and I was agog at the amount of wildlife spotted each day. It was my version of heaven.

I have always loved the Nelore breed of cattle that are raised in Brazil. They came originally from India, and are bred for their heat tolerance and disease resistance. Every day we saw a diverse array of wildlife, from capybara (the largest rodent in the world) to highly endangered Hyacinth Macaws. Howler monkeys, giant anteaters, tapir, jabiru storks. Amazing. The one species I really wanted to see was the giant Amazonian river otter and I wasn’t disappointed. Canoeing on the Rio Negro offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to see these huge, yet inquisitive otters. I am already scheming on how to get back to the Pantanal. I have only touched the tip of the wonder of this place..

A young capybara. Their hair is usually dark, but the high salt content of the lakes bleach the coats blonde.

A family of rare Hyacinth Macaws.

Black caimans were abundant.