Sonny is 26 – Levi, “Child Prodigy” is 5

February 7, 2025Posted inSonny, Tenor
Written by Sharon Sheppard, Mimi (grandmother)  Levi gets to ride Sonny occasionally.  He has never been coached on the fox trotter gaits.  He doesn’t get to come and ride Sonny often….and yet: “Levi went with me to feed tonight and of course he wanted to ride the "red horse". So after Sonny finished his feed we put his halter on and went out into your back yard along the fence. Tenor came cantering to where we were and started to foxtrot back. Levi being the prodigy he is announced to…

First Ride 2025

February 4, 2025Posted inSonny, Tenor
Sharon, Wyatt (Sharon’s grandson) and I rode Tenor and Sonny today.  Winter is over for three days.  I rode Tenor one day in December and winter freezing cold forced us to cease. We pulled into arena property. Gate was shut. Normally gate is open. We pulled in and opened and shut gate. We noticed the owners 4 horse herd had jumped over their electric rope. I knocked on owner’s door and told her horses were loose. She knew. That’s why gate was shut. Grandson rode Tenor while I coached and…

Tenor’s Turn

November 16, 2024Posted inTenor
I loaned Fancy to a good friend who lives in Mississippi.  Fancy is having a wonderful life with her.  She will stay till June when Beth will ride her in the Missouri Fox Trotter Spring Show. In the meantime, I have Tenor at home to ride.  When Fancy was home, I only wanted to ride her. I occasionally forced myself to ride Tenor, but not often.  Sharon took turns riding him and Sonny, but she loves Sonny the most.  Poor Tenor! A couple of days ago, I made the decision…

Spring Show Miracle 2024

July 6, 2024Posted inA-fib, Fancy, Missouri Fox Trotter
2024 Spring Show Poignant Surprise! 2022 Celebration Two years ago, when I was sitting in the Ava spectator seats for Ranch Horse Day, I told my new (probably irritated) best spectator friends why I wasn't showing in the Ranch Horse classes. I'd been showing in the prior Versatility events, and I knew they all missed me in the arena. While cleaning my horse's stall the day before, I got dizzy and almost felt like I would pass out. That evening, my pulse rate soared to 200-240 beats most of the…

A Gold Whirlwind, Tenor

March 26, 2024Posted inMissouri Fox Trotter, Tenor
Whirlwind’s Golden Tenor is my horse, ridden by Jenny Vaught in this competition. My son is an opera singer, thus the name, Tenor. Tenor’s sire was Whirlwind, the black horse used at the Celebration for many years  to honor those who died that year. I bought Tenor from Teresa Osborn when he was a weanling because I didn’t have enough horses…haha. I gave Tenor to a client of Tony and Jenny Vaught, who all live  in Florida.  When Tenor was a yearling, the man and his wife from Florida came…

Fancy Parelli Level 4 Freestyle (Bridleless) Journey 2

January 31, 2024Posted inFancy
My confidence is high and I didn’t need the halter with lead role.  Nothing is on her head.  She has a neck rope. Today, Fancy stopped inside the 4 markers  which we call a Question Box.  What do you want Mom?  Do you want to go through the box?  Do you want to stop.  We go through the box with a straight center line or in circles.  We could do straight, figure eights or half arena circles.  Yesterday I asked her to stop going thru the circle in the straight…