Our first new addition, a gelding named Blackjack, was received at the ranch in December of 2009. I heard from my rescue buddy, Debra, about Blackjack, who was only 10 miles from the ranch. We went and visited him first, and when we pulled up he was standing by the gate and we saw that he was underfed and in need of some TLC. When we pulled away, Blackjack stood at the gate with a look on his face saying, “Please take me with you!” I then decided to call my brother, Kendall, to see if he could help sponsor Blackjack at the ranch. Kendall had always wanted a big, black horse, and Blackjack fit his description perfectly. My brother prayed about it that night, and the next day he called me and said that he would be willing to help sponsor Blackjack. Debra and I proceeded to go and pick Blackjack up the very next day. He ran to the gate when he saw us pull up with the horse trailer. We pulled into the pasture to load him up, and the minute we got in the gate Blackjack was following the trailer and jumped in the second the door was opened. It was so funny! He was excited to come to the ranch! Since Blackjack’s arrival, he has filled out, still gaining weight, and is turning into the big, beautiful horse that he was meant to be!
About 2 months later, the ranch received another blessing. When I was picking up hay one day, I was told about a little sorrel quarter horse that needed a home. I very interested, but I thought that I better bring my grandkids along to see how he connected with children. The minute Zarra and Zane went up to him, he put his head down and welcomed them with open arms. He was a keeper! I went home and prayed about finding a way to bring this gelding home with us. The ranch’s funds weren’t quite ready for more horses! A girl named Lexie has always come to the ranch to ride with my granddaughter, Zarra. Lexie’s mother Amanda had always motivated me to go forward with my dream of having Son Valley. While I was praying, Amanda came to my mind, I called her and she was more than happy to help sponsor the sorrel gelding. I went by myself to pick him up later in the week, and I was pleased to see that he loaded right up. However, when I got back to the ranch, I was not pleased to see that he did would not unload. He was scared and shaking, so I decided since neither one of us had lunch yet, that I would go get us some grub! I went and got myself a sandwich and got the gelding some hay. I then got back into the trailer with him and we had ourselves a nice lunch! I talked to him and spent some quality time with him in that little two horse trailer. I drove down to the neighbor’s house to see if they could help me unload the horse, and they agreed, but couldn’t come for another hour or so. I let the gelding stay content in the trailer with some hay until they could come to the ranch to help. When they showed up, we decided to take the center divider out so that we could turn him around in the trailer and he could walk out instead of backing out! Amanda, Lexie, my daughter Mandy, and Zarra came down later that day to meet our new horse! After a few name changes, Lexie decided that he was going to be named Niko. Niko has become the horse that I imagined he would be the first time Zarra and Zane met him. He is great with all of the kids, and from the look on his face every time you see him, you realize he’d rather be with one of us than out in the pasture.
Our latest additions came only a month after Niko. The owner of the horses first got a bay pony named Sugar when she was younger. Then when she outgrew Sugar, she bought Gray. Gray is a speckled, tall, but lean gelding. I came to know these horses because Gray always found his way out of the neighboring pasture, I guess he believed that the grass is always greener on the other side! One day, when I was helping Gray and Sugar’s owner put Gray back into the pasture, she mentioned that her horses needed a good home because she was in college, and was going to be in college for quite a long time. I was excited because ever since I’ve owned my property, I drove past these horses daily. I always had a feeling that Gray was going to be mine, and Sugar was just a bonus! Due to the muddy road conditions, I had to walk Gray and Sugar 2 miles to their new home at the ranch. It was quite the task, but my rescue buddy and I did it again! Gray and Sugar are quite content at the ranch nowadays. Sugar always wants to be in up in your business, typical pony personality. I can always look forward to coming home to Gray’s welcome home nicker at the front of the gate.
All of our horses have made great progress and are getting along with my horses. I already had 3 horses before I started making additions to Son Valley. First came Velvet. She’s fifteen now and has came a long way since the three year old I first purchased. She’s spunky, bay Arabian who started out as a fire cracker but has turned into a favorite for the kids at the ranch.
When I moved to the property that is now Son Valley, I received a phone call from an acquaintance asking if I would like to buy his sorrel Arabian mare. He was wanting to find her a good home. Although Bambi didn’t cost me much, she’s now priceless. She is another favorite at Son Valley. The kids argue over who gets to ride her first, and Bambi doesn’t complain.
The last horse I purchased was for Zarra’s fifth birthday. Romeo, who is now known as Rusty, came to us as a three year old who was broke to ride, as well as cart-broken. I bought him for my horse trimmer, Amos. Rusty couldn’t be ridden as much as he needed to be, he was quite the handful! He was ornery, full of spunk, and quite the looker. He’s a sorrel paint pony that has bonded with Zarra. He has come a long way in 4 years, he and Zarra ride anywhere and everywhere. She has become very fond of galloping on her pony, Rusty!
