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…

Just a Trailride! Dog attack; Riders Bucked Off; Horse Runaways (Not Tenor, Sonny, Susan or Sharon)

February 19, 2023Posted inMissouri Fox Trotter, Sonny, Tenor
Just a day in the park trail ride and Missouri Fox Trotters rescued their fellow fox trotters. Many hero’s appeared today during a drama at James A Reed Wild life Park in Lee’s Summit.Sonny will be nominated for Hall of Fame. Many hero humans were involved without their names being recorded. Sonny, Sharon, Tenor and I went on a trail ride today  at James A. Reed Wildlife Park.  We rode a total distance of 1.3 miles.  Trail riders might sneer at this minuscule miles, but Hero Sonny was born and…

Fancy Lost Her Domination and Slid into #3 Dominate Horse

August 24, 2022Posted inFancy, Sonny, Tenor
 When Tenor arrived there was heated exchange between Sonny and Tenor.  Fancy also played a big role in the domination battle.  Tenor has ended up with a few teeth marks on his back, I believe most are from Fancy.  Sonny is so powerful, he snarls and runs at the new horse and instantly wins. The horses tell me where they are in the domination determination by the stalls they inhabit at feed time.  Sonny is always #1.  Fancy has been #2 as was she was at morning’s feed time. The…

Tenor Receipt Day

August 18, 2022Posted inDelta, Fancy, Horsemanship, Jennifer Vaught, Sonny, Tenor
Today, Tenor came from Florida and returned to me. Long, long ago, I gave young Tenor to Kevin from Florida when his horse, Delta, became allergic to Florida. Tenor was old enough to "start." I bought Tenor as a weanling and took him to Jenny and Tony "Parelli" colt starts and young horse clinics as he developed. Tenor is a left-brain horse, exceedingly friendly, always begging for attention. Kevin revisited Missouri with his horse trailer. He successfully rode Tenor and soon took him back to Florida. It was a happy…

Sonny D. BILLION Dollar Horse

August 11, 2022Posted inFancy, Sonny
This is about my new “rescue” fox trotter, Sonny D.  I’ve known Sonny almost forever. He is 23 and has been long employed as a lesson horse for Tony and Jenny Vaught in Florida. This past year he became allergic to Florida. His hair on his inside front legs was ripped off with long sores from his hooves to his knees. His chest had many little bumps. In despair, Jenny asked the vet, “What can we do”? The vet replied, “Get him out of Florida”. Since moving to Missouri, the…