Category: Travel across the U.S. with HorseTail Legacy LLC Blog
Follow us as we travel across the U.S. with an American Quarter Horse named Irish. The journey will be a modern day version of the pioneers trek to discover this great country. What better way than to do it with America’s horse. Check in often to see all the great place we visit like National and State Parks as well as unique regional attraction.
Canyonlands is divided into four districts, Islands in the Sky, the Needles, the Maze, and the Rivers. Each district is part of the desert landscape that was created by the Green and Colorado Rivers. Canyonlands National Park encompasses 337,598 acres of high dessert of the Colorado Plateau that ranges in elevation from 3,700 to 7,200 feet above sea level.
Canyonlands National Park’s mazes, buttes, rivers, arches, pinnacles and rivers all come together into an amazing geological landscape. The creation of Canyonlands occurred during the uplift of the Colorado Plateau and the cracking of the earth allowed melted rock to rise and cool creating igneous rock surrounded by sedimentary rock. Over time erosion exposed the rock and the water of the Green and Colorado rivers began to create the canyon.
Canyonlands National Park Buck Cayon
Canyonlands National Park
Green River Overlook
elevation 6,000 ft
Canyonlands National Park
Grand View Point
Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park
La Sal Mountains in the distance
The flora and fauna of Canyonlands has adapted to survive in the extreme weather of the high cold dessert. The winters are extremely cold and the summers are extremely hot. In addition, the daily temperature can vary up to 50 degrees. Add in the average amount of rain fall per of 9 inches and you have an environment that is challenging to live in. Still, there are many birds and small mammals that make Canyonlands home. The rivers also provide a habitat for many endangered fish.
Dessert plants have also adapted to living in the dry high dessert. There are plants like the Utah Juniper that can divert fluid to one or more of its’ branches to conserve water so the tree can survive. Other plants will only grow if there is enough water in a given year. Still others have modified leaves that are more like spines that lose less moisture to the air and solar radiation. The Yuccas have extensive taproots that allow it to access water deep in the ground.
Utah Juniper
Two Needle Pinyon Tree
Produces Pine nut every 6 yrs
We only visited the Islands in the Sky region of the park since it was the most accessible area. The other regions are only reached by hiking, off road vehicles or by boat. For me the canyon was visually magnificent. The colors of the rock layers told the story of how the canyon was created over time. The plant life that adapted to the harsh environment is a testament to survival. The rivers are a reminder of the tremendous force that water can exert on the land.
Canyonlands National Park in Utah has something to offer to anyone that wants to explore this beautiful place. For more information about the park, click on the links below.
Red Canyon is located on the route to Bryce Canyon which gives you a glimpse of what you will see at Bryce Canyon. As you travel down highway 12 you see hoodoos rising up next to the road like sentinels guarding the magnificence yet to come. There are even two stone arches that the road passes through. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/dixie/recreation/recarea/?recid=24942&actid=120
Red Canyon UT
Red Canyon UT Arch Over the Road
Red Canyon Hoodoo UT
Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the big five national parks in Utah. In 1928, the 35,835 acres that make up Bryce Canyon became a national park. The park is part of the Colorado Plateau and lies on the Paunsaugunt Fault. Bryce Canyon is not truly a canyon because it was formed by headward erosion and not a central stream. The result is a giant natural amphitheater of hoodoos, which are delicate colorful pinnacles that can be as high as 200 feet. The largest of the amphitheaters is Bryce which is 12 miles long and 3 miles wide and 800 feet deep.
The Bryce Amphitheaters can be viewed from the many rim trail overlook points. Each of the overlook points give you spectacular views of the hoodoos that rise up in the Bryce Amphitheater. The hoodoos are not the only amazing thing in Bryce. The clear air allows you to see the Navajo Mountain, the Kaibab Plateau and the Black Mesas of eastern Arizona and western New Mexico. The night sky in Bryce is a stargazer’s dream. The lack of light pollution makes Bryce one of the darkest places in North America.
View From Bryce Point in Bryce Canyon National Park Elevation 8,300 feet
View From Bryce Point in Bryce Canyon National Park
View From Bryce Point in Bryce Canyon National Park
View From Bryce Point in Bryce Canyon National Park
Thor’s Hammer at Sunset Point Bryce Canyon National Park Elevation 8,000 feet
View From Sunset Point Bryce Canyon National Park
View From Sunset Point Bryce Canyon National Park
View From Inspiration Point Bryce Canyon National Park Elevation 8,100 feet
View of Agua Canyon in Bryce Canyon National Park
View of Agua Canyon in Bryce Canyon National Park
View of Agua Canyon in Bryce Canyon National Park Elevation 8,800 feet
View from Rainbow Point in Bryce Canyon National Park Elevation 9,119 feet
The elevation changes in Bryce Canyon creates three life zones that suit a variety of plants and animals. This is very evident when you travel from one overlook to another ultimately to Rainbow Point which is 9,105 feet above sea level. Bryce Canyon was my favorite Utah National Park. The views are breathtaking and the hoodoos and their delicate permanence is captivating.
White-throated swift in Bryce Canyon National Park
Raven at Ponderosa Point in Bryce Canyon National Park
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel Bryce Canyon National Park
Nathan Kent Professional Reining Horse Trainer, Kuna, ID
Irish in Kuna, Idaho
Kuna, ID is as far west as this great adventure is taking us. We rode with professional reining horse trainer Nathan Kent. We worked on our roll back, large fast circles, lead changes, turnarounds and what to do if your horse spooks at things outside the arena. Nathan’s overall approach to horse training is to find what works for each horse. Even if the horse is not going to be a reining horse he will train the horse so that it could be ridden in another discipline like cutting, ranch riding or trail riding. He feels that this approach is what keeps horse training interesting and challenging.
While we were in the area we were able to go to the Great Western Reining Horse Association reining horse show in Nampa, ID. The fun thing for us was we got to see three of the trainers we visited Mack Weaver, Nathan Kent and Jay Dee Anderson all at the same show. Watching the pros that you worked with show is always a great experience. It inspires you to work toward whatever riding goals you have set. The other great thing about the GWRHA show was the support the members gave every night from the stands as their fellow rider competed. The GWRHA show also had a class called the red shirt futurity for four-year-old horses that did not compete in their three-year-old year. There were quite a few entries in this class and the GWRHA was really promoting this class for the future.
Rollback
To do a rollback you want to bring your outside leg back and away from the horse’s body to open the door for the horse to move through. You want your reins to come up and across the horse’s neck in the direction you want to turn. Your hand should point in the direction you want the horse to lope off in once they have rolled back. In order to get the horse to snap out into the lope after the roll back kick with both legs in the belly. The goal is to have the horse roll back on their hocks. To do that you need to be soft with your hands during the roll back and firm with your legs to get the horse to snap out into the lead departure. Once you have done this over and over the horse will learn to speed up on their own during the roll back in order to depart fast after the roll back.
Something we have never done before to get that snap out of the roll back was working with a cow flag. A few of the trainers have suggested trying it but we never had time to do it until we got to Nathan’s. The flag is shaped like a cow and is attached to a pulley system that runs back and forth along the wall. The idea is to give the horse something to follow in the roll back. By working the flag, you are able to sharpen the stop, the roll back, and the depart in the opposite direction faster. My horse wasn’t sure of the cow flag at first but once he got the hang of it he started following that cow like a cutting horse. This was really fun for both of us and it also helped our roll back in the process.
Circles
Nathan likes to warm up for circles by trotting in a small circle. From a small circle, you ask the horse to follow the path you chose for that circle. If the horse leaves that path, lay the outside rein, and move them back on the path of the circle. This is also done at the lope. Doing this exercise gets the horse sensitive to the neck rein, which teaches them to guide with very little pressure.
If a horse does not want to stay on the circle the other exercise you can do is to stop the horse and turn them around a few times and lope off. You want to turn them into the circle to teach them to follow it. You want to keep doing this exercise until the horse is soft in the face and following the circle with very little pressure from the outside rein. Click this link to watch the video explaining the circle exercise. Click this link to see video https://youtu.be/RMEurlwTr7w
Large Fast Circle
When running a large fast circle your hand position needs to be close to the horse’s neck and forward. To guide the horse in the circle from that position Nathan likes to have his hand lined up with the horse’s inside ear. This position allows you to direct the horse without lifting up or pulling back on the reins. It also gives the horse a clear direction to follow because your reins are contacting a sensitive part of their neck.
Lead Changes
This exercise is done by making your circle into an oval shape. You want to lope off and start making your oval. As you come through the center of the arena on both of the long sides of the oval you want to pick up your reins and keep your outside leg on. This is how you set the horse for the lead change. You don’t want to do the lead change until the horse is relaxed and straight as you set up for the lead change. Once you have the horse soft and straight, go ahead and change leads. Once you change leads you want to remain in a counter canter circle. Doing the counter canter circle helps keeps the horse picked up and prevents the horse from dropping into the other circle. You can counter canter a few circles and then move into the circle onto the correct lead and repeat the exercise. This exercise helps teach the horse to relax through the center and not anticipate the lead change. It also allows the rider to practice the lead change in the center without the horse getting sour in the middle. Click this link to watch the video explaining the lead change exercise.C lick this link to see video https://youtu.be/v_56fsgvjMk
Spooking Horse
If your horse is like mine and gets spooked by things moving outside the pen than you can use this technique. Nathan likes to make the horse look into the circle. If that isn’t enough than he makes a small circle and keep the horse looking into that circle. You can also break down to a walk and pump the horse’s face down until they are more focused on you and what you want than what they were looking at.
Turnaround
Nathan likes to trot a small circle in a counter bend to work on the turnaround. To do this you pick up your outside rein and bring it across and above the saddle horn. This bends the horse’s neck to the outside of the circle. The inside rein is back and just above your hip to help balance the horse’s face. Using your outside leg, push the horse’s hip to the inside of the circle. Doing this gets the horse’s front and back legs to cross over. After the horse has crossed over a few times release their head and let them turn in the direction they were crossing over to. So, if the horse was crossing to the right you want to turn right. This exercise helps get the horse to drive from behind for the turnaround. You don’t want the horse to only pull from the front on the turnaround. When you ask for the turnaround this exercise has conditioned the horse to use their whole body to execute the maneuver. Click this link to watch the video explaining the turnaround exercise. Click this link to see video https://youtu.be/buFxHccptQ0
I hope you have enjoyed this blog and keep watching for more about our trip across the U.S. and all the great people and places we experience. Please share this with your friends.
Utah is known for the” big five national parks”, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches and Capitol Reef. We visited four of the five and they are truly amazing. The parks are all part of the Colorado Plateau which occupies 130,000 miles in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. In this blog, I will be writing about Zion National Park located near Springdale, UT.
Zion became a national park on November 19, 1919 and later the Kolob Canyons area, was incorporated into the park on July 11, 1956. Upon entering the park, you find an outdoor display area at the visitor’s center that explains the history and features of the Zion. There is also a museum about the area and the people that made Zion their home. This is also the location were the ranger talks occur. During the peak season the only way to access most of the park is by using the shuttle bus system. Each of the shuttle stop are located at the most notable areas of the park. It is also nice not to have to try to find parking while you are trying to take in all the grandeur of the setting.
Due to the extreme variation in elevation Zion has desert, riparian, woodland and coniferous forests. Because of these different environments, Zion is home to numerous plant species as well as 289 species of birds, 75 mammals, and 32 reptiles spread through the park. The largest of the birds that make Zion home is the California Condor. The California Condor adults can have a wing span of nine feet and primarily live high on the cliffs. These birds are scavengers, who soar over great distance to hunt for food. Due to conservation efforts, the Condor is making a comeback. The biggest threat to them now is lead poisoning from bullet fragments in the carrion left behind by hunters.
Prickly Pear Cactus in Zion National Park
Lizard in Zion National Park
Zion was formed by uplifts in the Colorado Plateau 13 million years ago. The area that is Zion today was once a great desert basin. Over time sandstone, limestone, mudstone and shale was deposited and the Virgin River cut through the deposits to form the Zion Canyon we see today. Zion’s shape is ever changing due to forces of nature, but the biggest change comes from flash flooding of the Virgin River which erodes the walls of the canyon resulting in massive rock slides.
Zion National Park
Zion National Park
The Organ, The Great White Throne and Angels Landing Peaks in Zion National Park
There is so much to do in Zion from difficult hikes to the top of Angels Landing, to walks along the Virgin River. For the truly bold there is an opportunity to climb the walls that form the canyon. April was the time of the year we visited Zion and the weather was ideal and the crowds were small.
Virgin River in Zion National Park
Weeping Rock in Zion National Park
Weeping Rock in Zion National Park
Red Canyon is near Zion National Park and is located in the Dixie National forest. Driving through the Red Canyon was truly amazing with the red rock archway over the road and the hoodoos and cliffs that frame your way. There is just so much to see not just in the big five but in all the areas surrounding the parks.
For more information about Zion National Park visit the following website https://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm
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The city of Salt Lake is a combination of big city and historic town. When approaching the city from the north you can see the capitol dome sitting high on a hill overlooking the rest of the city. Once you get close to the capitol building and the surrounding homes you feel transported in time by the architecture of the stately homes and the capitol building itself.
We were fortunate enough to take a tour of the capitol with one of the volunteers. He explained about the history of Utah before it became the 45th state and the significance of the Morman pioneers that settled there to avoid religious persecution. The state symbol of a bee hive stems from the Morman’s belief in a community working together. The art work in the capitol depicts the history of Utah and what makes it a unique state.
The building itself was constructed between 1912 and 1916 and was designed by Richard K.A. Kletting. Mr. Kletting wanted the Utah capitol to have the best that technology had to offer and a structure that was grand enough to house the state government. The building was designed with elevators and electricity in a time when that was not common. The chandelier in the done is on a pulley system that allows it to be lowered for cleaning and light bulb changing. The curved skylight creates of sense of being outside from all the natural light that pours into the center of the building. The marble columns, walls and staircase only add to the elegance of the building. Click on this link to learn more about Utah’s state capitol building. https://utahstatecapitol.utah.gov/explore/about-the-capitol
Utah State Capital Building Marble Stair Case
Utah State Capitol Building Skylight
Utah State Capital Building Art Around the Dome
Utah State Capital Building Art Around the Dome
Utah State Capital Building Art Around the Dome
Utah State Capital Building Art Around the Dome
Utah State Capitol Building Leaded Glass Window
Utah State Capital Building State Reception Room
Utah State Capitol Building Dome
Temple Square in Salt Lake City
Temple Square is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints. The square is a quiet oasis in what is a bustling section of Salt Lake City. The raised flower gardens are bursting with spring flowers which lead you to a cascading water fountain. No matter the time of year the gardens are filled with seasonal plants. Once in the center of the garden you can see the Temple building and infinity edge reflecting pool overlooking the gardens. http://www.templesquare.com/
Garden In Temple Square Salt Lake City, UT
Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, UT
Garden In Temple Square Salt Lake City, UT
Antelope Island State Park
Antelope Island is the largest of the 10 islands in the Great Salt Lake. The island is near Salt Lake City and is accessed by a causeway from Syracuse, UT. John C. Fremont and Kit Carson were the first non-natives to visit the island in 1845. From 1848 – 1870 the land was managed by the Mormons. Than in 1870 John Dooly, Sr purchased the island and started the Island Improvement Company which managed a ranch on the island until 1981 when the Island was purchased by the state of Utah and made into a state park.
The wildlife and the scenery are why people visit Antelope Island. From the visitors center you have a panoramic view of the great Salt Lake. The center also has displays that explain the history of the island and its environment. As you follow the winding roads around the island you find antelope and mule deer grazing on the grassy fields and buffalo sunning on the sandy beaches. They are not the only wildlife that make the island home. Antelope Island’s shores provide an ideal environment for migratory birds.
The Fielding Garr Ranch is also located on Antelope Island and is the oldest Anglo built house in Utah still on its original foundation. Walking around the ranch gives you a glimpse into ranch life on an island. The ranch complex has a collection of old and modern equipment and tools that you can pick up and touch. You can tour through the building and learn the history of the family that made this ranch home. To learn more about this wonderful state park visit their website at https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/antelope-island/
Antelope Island State Park
The Great Salt Lake
and the Wasatch Mountains
Bison on Antelope Island
Antelope on Antelope Island
Fielding Garr Ranch House Kitchen
Fielding Garr Ranch House
Fielding Garr Ranch Bunk House
Fielding Garr Ranch House Spring House
Utah State Railroad Museum at Union Station Ogden, UT
The Railroad Museum is located in the old Union Station building which sets the tone for what you will see in the museum itself. The railroad played a big part in settling the west. The railroad museum chronicles the exploration of the western territory for the route the railroad would take as well as the engineering required to lay the tracks across such challenging terrain. As you wind your way through the museum you are immersed into life on the railroad. By the end of the exhibit you are treated to a large display of model trains as they follow the route of the Union Pacific railroad. The detail of the model makes you feel like you are right there riding the train across the west.
Outside there is a collection of retired locomotives. You can walk right next to these massive railroad icons and get a true sense of the immense power they produced to pull their heavy loads through the mountainous terrain. http://theunionstation.org/museums/utah-state-railroad-museum/
Utah State Railroad Museum
Railroad Dinning Car
Railroad Clock
Railroad Switching Control
Railroad Handcar
Train Engine Simulation Car
Union Pacific Caboose #25766
Union Pacific Super Turbine Locomotive #26
Can Pull 735 Fully Loaded Freight Cars
Nickname The Big Blow
Southern Pacific #7457
Rio Grande #5371
“Tunnel Motor” Diesel”
Union Pacific DDA40X Locomotive #6916
“Centennial Locomotive”
Two diesel engines on one frame
Union Pacific Steam Locomotive #833
The Speedy Engine with “Elephant Ears”
Can reach speeds of 110mph
John M. Browning Firearms Museum
The museum is also located in the Union Station building in Ogden, UT. Four generations of Browning’s are represented in this comprehensive collection of rifles, shotguns, handguns, machine guns, and automatic cannons. The basic mechanisms of many modern firearms were first invented by John M. Browning. He is also responsible for designing the first mechanisms to utilize energy generated from firing to load and cycle further rounds. John M. Browning’s life work culminated with the “Over Under” shotgun. It is amazing to see all the ground-breaking designs that John M. Browning created over his life time. http://theunionstation.org/museums/john-m-browning-firearms-museum/
1878 Single Shot Rifle
John M. Browning’s First Invention
First Semi Automatic Pistols
Gas Operated Pistol Invented in 1894 – 1895
By John M. Browning
Superposed Shotgun (Over-Under)
Invented in 1923-1924
By John M. Browning
Gas Operated Automatic Rifle 1889
By John M. Browning
Double Automatic Shotgun
Browning Machine Gun
Browning-Kimball Classic Car Museum
Union Station is also the home of the Browning-Kimball Classic Car Museum. The collection was started by Matt and Barbara Browning in 1971. They assembled one of the finest prewar Brass American classic car collections. When they died in 1996 and 1999 the cars in the museum where donated to the city of Ogden to remain on display for car enthusiasts to enjoy for years to come. We were fortunate to have a volunteer at the museum give us a guided tour which made the visit to the museum even more enjoyable. http://theunionstation.org/museums/browning-kimball-classic-car-museum/
1901 Oldsmobile Run-a-bout
1911 Knox Double Rumble Raceabout
1937 Packard Model 115C
1929 Packard Runabout
1929 Graham Paige Model 827
1926 Lincoln Sports Touring
1931 Lincoln Duel Cowl Phaeton
1935 Hudson 6 Cylinder
I hope you enjoyed this blog about Northern Utah. Keep following us for future blogs about the amazing National Parks in Southern Utah.
Steve and Dori Schwartzenberger Professional Reining Horse Trainers Longmont, CO
We arrived during breeding season at Schwartzenberger Equine. The barn was busy with foals being born and breeding for next year. While we were there a filly was born and we were able to see her just hours after her first steps. That same day we watched a 7-week-old embryo be transferred into a surrogate mare and another mare be artificially inseminated. All this while the everyday business of horse training went on.
Four Hour Old Filly
Lead Changes
We started the lead change exercise by counter cantering the circle. The advantage to the counter canter is that it helps the horse to frame up and stay in shape themselves. Once in the counter canter circle you want to have the horse’s head and body following the circle as if they are in the correct lead. By doing this it helps keep the horse’s shoulder picked up before you ask for the lead change. Having the horse following the circle as if they are the correct lead keeps the lead change simple for the horse. Their body is already following the circle so all they have to do is change their feet and they are in the correct lead.
What to do if your horse is looking out of the circle.
If a horse is looking out of the circle you want to use your inside rein and bend the horse at the pole by bring your inside rein back and up to your hip. Keep your forward motion as you ask for this bend and continue to ride half way around the circle and release the rein so the horse is following the arch of the circle. Continue to do this until the horse understand that they are to follow the circle without looking out.
Turn Around
For this exercise, we trotted a small circle with the horse’s front end squared up. Once the horse is collected up and lock into the circle ask for one or two turns and trot out into the small circle again. Continue to do this exercise and ask for more turns each time. Soon the horse will be hunting the turn around and crossing over correctly in the front and planting the pivot foot behind.
The interesting thing about the turn around that I learned was that the inside front leg needs to step laterally to allow the outside front leg to cross over. To help teach the horse to step laterally with their inside leg you want to bring your inside rein over your inside knee and lay the outside rein on the horse’s neck. This will cause the horse’s inside leg to follow the inside rein. The result will be a clean cross over with the outside front leg. Click on this link to watch the youtube video.https://youtu.be/Y-qKbgLqn-s
Jim and Linda have experience in multiple riding disciplines which was great to be exposed to. Jim focus is on training horses for trail competition and Linda is the reining trainer. Having the opportunity to ride with both of them exposed me to a verity of training techniques.
Reining Lesson with Linda Hitt
Transitioning from a large fast to a small slow first
Linda likes to think of the circle having spotting points in the shape of STOP sign. By thinking this way gives you the visual of the center of the circle being a straight line. Linda placed two traffic cones on each side of the center line. This created an alley way to guide through as you go from your large fast circle to your small slow. This add really helped me to stay straight through center and to time my transition to the small slow.
Lead Changes with Linda Hitt
The lead change exercise was a new one for me. We counter cantered around the outside of the arena being sure to stay away from the walls. After multiple times around the arena I would ask for the lead change by laying my outside leg on and releasing my inside leg and kissing for the lead change. This was done on the long straight line of the arena. I have to say I was not good at this exercise. Every time I took my inside leg off my horse thought I wanted him to stop.
Suppling Exercises with Jim Hitt
Jim likes to start his week by doing suppling exercises with his horses. He feels that these exercises help the horse become more balanced and helps the rider to be able to bend the horse in the pole, neck, shoulders, barrel and hips. When a horse is supple throughout their body we are able to place the horse where we want them to be in each maneuver.
The first exercise is done at the trot. You pick up your inside rein and bend the horse’s head to the inside and maintaining forward motion with your legs and the outside rein. Once the horse is bending well to the inside do the same bending to the outside of the circle by picking up the outside rein and maintaining forward movement with your legs and the inside rein. When doing this exercise the rein that is bending the horse’s neck is slightly higher than the non-bend rein. Keep both reins in front of the saddle horn while doing this exercise. You want the horse to pick their shoulder up and become round. They need forward motion to achieve that collection. Once the horse is moving well at moderate jog Jim likes to do the same exercise at what he calls the power jog. He asks for more forward motion and does the same bending. Doing this requires the horse to use their body more allowing them to self-collect. Jim also does this exercise at the power jog, which is a faster more forward trot.
Turning on the forhand at the trot
This exercise requires the horse to move their hind end around faster than the front end. To do this start by trotting a small circle. Than pick up the inside rein and bend the horse’s head to the inside and push the inside leg on the body to get the horse to cross their back legs over. Horses want to back up out of the exercise, so it is important to maintain forward motion as you move the horse’s hind end around. This link will take you to a youtube video of the exercise. Click this link to see video https://youtu.be/nLCcf4KoF6w
Lead Change
We started out loping circles on the correct lead and that came through center and loped circle in the counter canter. While doing the counter canter you maintain the same leg and hand position as you had in the correct lead circle. Once you have loped a few circles on the counter canter come straight down the long side of the arena and place your outside leg on and open your inside leg and change your reins so that the new inside rein in slightly higher than the outside rein and ask for the lead change by kissing. Changing the rein position helps to lift up the inside shoulder and clears it for the lead change. This link with take you to a youtube video of the exercise. Click this link to see video https://youtu.be/vRxyqwPW2pY
While in Elizabeth, CO I logged 6 hours of riding time toward the AQHA riding program.
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Garden of the Gods Park is a city park located in Colorado Springs, CO. It is a registered National Natural Landmark.
“It was August of 1859 when two surveyors started out from Denver City to begin a townsite, soon to be called Colorado City. While exploring nearby locations, they came upon a beautiful area of sandstone formations. M. S. Beach, who related this incident, suggested that it would be a “capital place for a beer garden” when the country grew up. His companion, Rufus Cable, a “young and poetic man”, exclaimed, “Beer Garden! Why it is a fit place for the Gods to assemble. We will call it the Garden of the Gods.” It has been so called ever since.”
Charles Elliott Perkins owned the land that the park sits on today. In 1909, the Perkins family gifted the land to the city of Colorado Springs to be used as a free public park. Today the park plays host to visitors from all over the world. They come to hike the trails, climb the sandstone rocks, and to photograph the beauty that is the Garden of the Gods.
We visited the park on a clear sunny day which made the impact of the sandstone rock formations and the distant Pikes Peak even more impressive. Inside the visitor’s center is an exhibit about the history of the area as well as information about the habitat and wildlife. This park is a photographer’s dream subject and not to be missed if you are visiting Colorado. http://www.gardenofgods.com/
Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak
Garden of the Gods Balanced Rock
Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado
On January 26, 1915 President Woodrow Wilson signed the act the established the boundaries of the Rocky Mountain National Park. The Continental Divide runs directly through the center of the park which helps to create one of the most diverse plant and animal environments in the United States. With an elevation of 14,259 feet, the Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the highest National parks with Longs Peak being the highest point in the park.
We visited the park in April and found much of the park closed to cars. Even with the limited access along Bear Lake Road the vast beauty of the park can still be appreciated. On a sunny day, you are able to see snowcapped mountains rising up from the valley floor to create a majestic landscape. Rocky Mountain National Park is a true American treasure to be seen. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountain_National_Park , https://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm
St Vrain State Park Longmont, Colorado
“Formerly named Barbour Ponds, this nature and people-friendly park offers 604 acres of land and 152 acres of water split among several ponds. It’s a great place for anglers, campers, photographers, birders, walkers and anyone who loves nature.”
While visiting Longmont we hooked our LQ horse trailer up at St. Vrain State Park. The nice thing about hooking up here is that there is plenty of space between sites and almost all the sites have a water view of one of the many ponds in the park not to mention the great view of the Rocky Mountains and Longs Peak in the background. The park is also very close to the city of Longmont so you are able to camp and have access to all the things the city has to offer. http://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/StVrain/Pages/default.aspx
The Longmont History Museum Colorado
The Longmont Museum houses exhibits on the history of Longmont as well as, art and science. The area that is Longmont was first traveled by nomadic Indian tribes that followed the migrating buffalo herds. Than in 1870 a group of men from Chicago sold memberships to the “Chicago-Colorado Colony and built the small town of Longmont. The town remained primarily agricultural until the early 1960’s when high tech companies like IBM came to Longmont.
Twenty-three years ago, Dick Doore and Eric Wallace started Left Hand Brewing in Longmont, CO next to the St. Vrain River. They decided to name the brewery after Chief Niwot (meaning left hand). They started producing their Sawtooth Ale and moved on to release America’s original Nitro bear, Milk Stout Nitro. Today the company distributes to 40 states, the District of Columbia, Europe and Japan. This award-winning brewery became an employee owned company in 2015.
We were treated to a tour of the brewery by Lauren. She started by telling us about the company and then walked us through the brewery and explained the art of brewing from fermentation to bottling. Turns out that the reason beer is so good from Colorado is the water. Of course, no brewery tour is complete without tasting the finished product. I had their Traveln’ Light Kolsch bear and Mom had three samples, The Milk Stout, Milk Stout Nitro and her favorite the Wake up Dead Nitro. If you like craft bear give Left Hand beers a try. http://lefthandbrewing.com/about/history/
The University of Colorado South Denver Wildlife Experience Museum
The Wildlife Experience Museum offers something for all ages. The Globelogy exhibit is an interactive journey through habits around the globe. The displays depict the animals and the plant life that make each area home. There are interactive video screens that allow you to gain information about each area by selecting the topic you are interested in learning more about. There is also a gallery dedicated to Colorado. This exhibit depicts the wildlife and their habitat that is unique to Colorado.
The wildlife art gallery was established when Dave and Gail Liniger donated a large number of important wildlife art pieces to the museum. The collection is made up of paintings and sculptures by internationally acclaimed artists. For me the highlight of the visit was seeing the bronze sculpture of the Canon Princess by Gerald G. Balciar. The same artist that did the marble sculpture of the Canon Princess at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma. http://southdenver.cu.edu/events/event/wildlife-experience-gallery/
Vehicle Vault located in Parker, CO
Vehicle Vault is the brain child of Daniel and Erin Dilley. They have taken their private collection of rare and exotic automobiles and have created a museum and event space for the car enthusiasts. They are also creating a community in which elite car collectors can store their cars and share their passion with like-minded car enthusiasts.
You can tell from the moment you walk into the gallery that every car has special meaning to the owners. From the way, the cars were restored and displayed, to the details on the signs it was clear that these cars are something special. The photos say it all. http://www.vehiclevaultco.com/
Sean Johnson started his riding career in the English world of three-day events. In 2001, he decided to make the change to reining to continue his career in horse training and showing. During my time at Sean’s we worked on my leg position and making my horse do more of the work. Sean believes that you should expect your horse to do their job and correct them when they make a mistake. He feels that you should not help them all the time because your horse will start to depend on you. The drawback of always helping them is when you don’t help them they fall apart. Sean says expect the horse to be good and maybe they will live up to your expectations, but if you always expect them to be bad they are still going to live up to your expectations. Taking this philosophy and incorporating it into the circle, the turnaround, and the stop was the focus of my time with Sean.
Warming up
Every day we would warm up with trotting exercises. First, we would trot a few circles in each direction. Than we would move to a long posting trot to stretch the horses shoulder. Than a trot and a long trot with the horse in a counter bend. To counter bend the horse you use the outside rein and slightly bend the neck to the outside of the circle. You want to keep the horse on the circle so you need to balance the neck with your inside rein and use your legs to keep the horse from dropping into or out of the circle.
Leg Positon
All horseback riders have heard keep your heels down from the time they start to ride. I for one have struggled with this the whole time I have been riding. Sean explained that the reason keeping my heels down was so difficult was that I was gripping too much with my upper legs. By relaxing my upper leg, I was able to push down into my heels more effectively. This correction allowed my horse to move more freely and me to connect to each stride without having to work so hard.
Circling
Sean explains that it takes another half circle before the error becomes evident. So, if your horse is not coming through center on a straight line, the error occurred half way back on the circle, not at the center. Thinking this way was a great insight into where the mistake really started and that the correction should be made back when the mistake was created and that would prevent the mistake that became evident halfway around the other side of the circle.
The goal of the reining circle is to have the horse willingly guided and if you are helping them all the time they are not willingly guided. You want the horse to do more work than you. If you want to teach the horse to lock into the circle, only correct them when they make the mistake. If they leave the circle guide their nose to the inside with your inside rein at the same time bump with your outside leg. Once they are following the circle bring your hands back to center and let the horse follow the circle. If the horse is dropping into the circle guide them to move out by opening your outside rein and bumping with your inside leg. After working on this my horse started to move more freely and was locking into the circle on his own.
Circling can become monotonous for both you and your horse. You really want them to be waiting for what comes next. A great way to do that is to add a stop and a turnaround to the outside and loping off in the opposite direction. This one exercise helps sharpen up the circles, the turnaround, the roll back, the stop, and the lead departure.
Turnaround
The turnaround requires the horse to cross their front outside leg over in front of the inside leg. The outside shoulder cannot be pushing to the outside or the horse will not cross over well. To work on this start trotting your horse in a small circle and guide their nose by pulling your inside rein out and holding it there. Continue to trot like this until you feel your horse’s shoulder and neck commit to the circle. Once they commit to the circle open your inside leg and lay your outside rein and turnaround. While turning pull your inside rein out and kiss and release. The horse should increase in speed every time you kiss. If the horse does not increase its speed bump them in the outside shoulder and pull your inside rein out and kiss all at the same time. Do this for multiple revolutions and then trot out into the small circle and repeat the exercise. After doing this exercise in both directions and you feel the horse is crossing over well and is committed to the turnaround you can go ahead and do the turnaround maneuver in both directions.
Sean likes to start the turnaround by opening the inside leg and rein and laying the outside rein on the neck and outside leg on the body. He does not like to kiss to start the turnaround because he feels it can create a more abrupt start. Once the horse has taken three steps he kisses once for more speed and then again for each increase in speed. If the horse does not increase in speed he will bump the horse with the outside leg or both legs as well as kissing. If they speed up with every kiss, reward the effort by stopping the turnaround and let them rest.
The Run Down and Stop
When you are running down to the stop you want to have your inside leg forward and your outside leg is used to bump for more speed if the horse does not respond to the kiss. You also want to be driving down into your heels and sit down and back in the saddle. The idea is to have your body already in the stop position and be behind the motion. Being in the stop position as you are running down allows your horse to go to the ground with their hind end and you to stay seated during the stop. When you are stopping a horse you also want to be aware of your reins. You can use them to moderate the speed if you need to but when you ask for the stop you really don’t want to pull back on the reins. Pulling back on the reins will stop the forward movement and result in a shorter stop that can be heavy on the front end.
As with everything in reining maneuver the approach to the stop is just as important as the stop itself. What we did was use the entire length of the arena as well as going around the ends. The advantage to this is you can practice speed control at the ends as well as squaring off your corners in preparation of the run down. Sean likes to practice the stop this way because it allows you to build for the stop but you are not always stopping every time. He feels that when you are sitting in stop position and squared your corner and building incrementally you are able to surprise the horse with the stop there by training the horse to stop only when asked.
Route 66 is alive in Oklahoma. We have traveled up and down Route 66 and its side roads as we explore the Northeastern part of Oklahoma. This area is like stepping into a time capsule of the American West.
The Rock Cafe Stroud, OK
The Rock Café epitomizes the enduring spirit of the Route 66. In 1936 Roy Rieves built the café from the sandstone that remained after the constructions of U.S. Route 66. That is why the café is called the Rock Café. Over the years, the Rock Café has endured many hardship such as the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, an F3 tornado and a fire. Through all that the Rock Café remained and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. To further confirm the impact of the Rock Café and Route 66, Disney Pixar’s film Cars based the character Sally Carrera on the current owner Dawn Welch.The Rock Café
The Rock Café is a must do for anyone traveling on Route 66. The menu takes standard dinner fare and puts a unique spin on it. The atmosphere is rustic and the staff warm and friendly. We even got asked to sign the visitors book while we waited for our meal. http://rockcafert66.com/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Caf%C3%A9
Rock Cafe Route 66 Stroud, OK
Wine in Oklahoma
The first documented winery in the Oklahoma Territory was opened in 1898 by Charles Fairchild. By 1907 the state enacted a prohibition on alcohol. After the repeal of the national prohibition in 1933 the state of Oklahoma continued to imposed prohibition through 1959. It wasn’t until the mid-1990’s along the Route 66 corridor did Oklahoma see an increase in the vineyards and wine production. I am happy to say that we have visited two such vineyards and feel we have tasted the future of wine in Oklahoma.
The Stable Ridge Vineyards
Stable Ridge Vineyards is located on Route 66 in Stroud, OK. The tasting room is housed in an 1898 Catholic Church that was dedicated to those who died in the Civil War. As you taste the wine made from locally grown grapes you are treated to the simple architecture that made up the buildings of the time. Stable Ridge Vineyards makes 11 wines including: Bedlam Chardonnay, Riesling, Peachy P, White Zinfandel, Beau Blanc, Montage, Centennial Red, Ridge Port Select, Cabernet Sauvignon, Wild Thang, and Jeremiah’s Red. http://www.stableridgevineyards.com/
Stable Ridge Vineyards in Stroud, OK
The Tidewater Winery
Tidewater Winery is located in Drumright, OK. The tasting room is the 8,000-square foot Federal Style Tidal School built by John D. Rockefeller company and later owned by J. Paul Getty. The school was to provide a first-rate education to the children of the oilfield worker. Tidewater winery makes ten different wines including: Moscato, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Way White, Cimarron Red, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Rush, White Zinfandel, and Sweet Jimmy Jane. All the labels on the bottles are of the mural depicting the history of Drumright. http://www.tidewaterwinery.com/
The owners of both these wineries have not only contributed to the regrowth of wine making in Oklahoma, they have also preserved the history and architecture of the area. If you are traveling Route 66 and love wine be sure to support these trail blazing wine makers.
Drumright Historical Society Museum
The Drumright Historical Society Museum was founded by Emma E. Akin in 1965 and is housed in the 1915 Santa Fe Railway Depot, which is on the National Register of Historic places. Mrs. Akin was passionate about education and the museum certainly carries on her vision of preserving the history of life in Oklahoma during the oil boom to current times.
The first thing you see when entering the museum is an eight-foot mural that tells the history of Drumright and Oklahoma from the arrival of the Spanish and French, the trappers and traders, the Trail of Tears and the discovery of oil.
On March 17, 1912 oil was discovered in Drumright. By 1917 Drumright and the neighboring towns of Shamrock and Oilton became the largest oilfields at that time. With the oil boom came an influx of people ready to capitalize on the wealth that came with finding oil. The setting as well as the artifacts paint a picture of a time when fortunes were made and lost on the backs of hard working men and women. There is still oil being drilled but the boom is over and all that remains is the small-town America and its rich history.
Drumright Historical Society Museum Mural
Drumright Historical Society Museum Mural
The Drumright Historical Society Museum
Replica of The first Oil Well of the Oil Boom in Drumright, OK
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
“The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum preserves and interprets the evolving history and cultures of the American West for the education and enrichment of its diverse audiences of adults and children.”
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is located on the top of Persimmon Hill overlooking Oklahoma City. The museum is surrounded by beautiful gardens that only enhance the setting. The portico at the entrance looks like a line of tents that would have been seen back when the west was wild. Once you enter the museum your eye is drawn to the magnificent 18-foot sculpture “The End of the Trail” by James Earle Fraser. This sculpture sets the stage for the amazing collection of fine art, and culture of the American west. The galleries take you from life on the frontier to modern day rodeos. Each gallery expertly presents a glimpse into what life was like for the Native American, frontier military, and cowboy of the west.
I found this museum to be truly amazing. The roll of the horse for me was the most interesting part of the museum. Even though we have modernized the making of saddles and horse tack, the basic form and function has remained the same. Now when I get into my saddle I will feel even more connected to my American heritage. For more information click this link https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/about-the-museum/
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
The End of the Trail Sculpture At the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
Canyon Princess Sculpture At the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
Native American Artifacts At the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
Native American Artifacts At the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
The Rodeo Gallery at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
The Military Gallery at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
Western Saddle at the entry of The American Cowboy Gallery
Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
On April 19, 1995 at 9:01 AM a bomb exploded on the street in front of the Oklahoma City’s Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. This act of terrorism shocked not only Oklahoma City but the entire nation. On that day 168 people lost their lives and countless others were affected by such a horrific event. Many lessons were learned as a result of the bombing and a community came together to rise above the hatred that inspired this act of violence.
Today, on the site of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building is the sacred Oklahoma City National Memorial. Every aspect of the memorial is designed to honor all the people effected by the bombing and to inspire hope for the future. The Mission Statement sets the stage for what you will find when entering the Memorial. Every aspect of the Memorial is designed to remind us of the great loss and the coming together of a community.
“The Mission Statement
We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.” https://oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/about/mission-statement/
Entry Plaque at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
Reflecting Pool and Enry Arch of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
Survivor Tree Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
The Field of Empty Chairs at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Gilcrease Museum
The Gilcrease Museum houses a vast collection of fine art, anthropology and archival items that bring the American West to life. When you visit, you will view the history of the American West through the art of Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell, Charles Schreyvogel and Frank Tenney Johnson. You’ll find landscape paintings of Thomas Moran and Albert Bierstadt, and works by Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, James McNeill Whistler and William Merritt Chase.
What I found most interesting was the Plains Indian Art. The Plains Indians lived a hard life and yet they saw the beauty in what was around them and incorporated it into everyday life. I was also inspired by their ability to change and adapt to survive. Through their art, you are able to get a glimpse in the Native American values and culture. For more information about the Gilcrease Museum visit https://gilcrease.org/
Native American Basket at the Gilcrease Museum
Native American Beaded Mocassins at the Gilcrease Museum
Native American Clay Figure at the Gilcrease Museum
The Sacred Rain Arrow Sculpture at the Gilcrease Museum
The Page Memorial Library Sand Springs, OK
Charles Page lost his father at the age of 11, and was forced to go to work to help support his mother and siblings. This experience inspired Charles to create a planned community where widows and orphans could live and become more productive members of society. To achieve his vision Charles purchased land and encouraged businesses to come the Sand Springs to provide jobs and income that sustained the orphanage and homes.
The Page Memorial Library was donated to the city of Sand Springs in 1930 by Lucile Page in memory of her husband Charles Page. Today the building is a museum depicting the history of Sand Springs and the progressive thinking of Charles Page. The building is in the art deco style which is evident on the exterior facade and in the interior with its cork flooring and chandeliers. We were fortunate to have a guided tour of the building while hearing the history of Sand Springs from a gentleman that has called it home for most of his live. http://www.sandspringsok.org/index.aspx?NID=480
Page Memorial Library Exterior Sand Springs, OK
Charles Page Statue
Page Memorial Library Interior Sand Springs, OK
Sand Springs, OK Town Clock
I hope you get a chance to travel Route 66 and experience this iconic highway.
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