Mountain Magic
Ranch
Newsletter Archive
"Old News is Good Old News"
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| | | Newsletter Winter 2009 What's been happening on the Ranch |
| Just another day on the Ranch. The sun holds promise of another beautiful day. The morning chores were so pleasant, the horses always seem so content in the ever warming days. I noticed some shedding the day before yesterday, so, soon it will begin anew. Life here on the Lower Madison, the West in all its splendor, with mountain peaks all around, warm breezes from the southwest, grass stirrup-deep in summer, a river as blue as the sky what a wonderful beginning for a new horse. What a place to start life, and this is the foundation for each and every horse here, "room to breath". Lives abounding with promise. Trails, now a dream, soon to come into view. There have been some changes here on the Ranch. New managers, Joe & Nicki Arcangeli  have joined us and bring many years of experience with horses, farming and ranching. Their integrity and knowledge of the industry are a plus and we are glad to have them with us. We have many fine horses that have been trained and are ready to go. Some are seasoned trail horses while others are ready to follow those hoofbeats. Others have great potential as show horses or driving horses. There are endless possibilities with a Rocky, so it is your choice where you take them from here. There are always things going on at the Ranch and the work never ends, but then that's ranching. Whether it's horses, cattle or any other livestock, there is always work to do.
Christmas 2008, feeding the started horses. |
Feeding and Training The horse herds are split into several groups in different pastures and are all getting fed off the hay trailer each day. What a curiosity they are, following along, grabbing a bite now and again, then settling down to their own pile of hay, leaving an opening for a different follower.    The horses in paddocks await their rations and the weanlings are always glad to see the truck coming. We get a good look at each and every horse every day and can see the growth spurts of the younger horses and the overall condition of each animal. It also gives us a chance to be in and around the horses so that they get used to us. This is especially helpful when it is time to select the horses that need to be brought in for training. . Silverado is a coming 3 year old. He is a chocolate with a lot of colorful markings. His sire is Fairwind's Remington West and his dam is Ozark Moonfire. He will be among the young horses selected for training this summer. Selected 3 year olds will be brought in to be started and worked for certification. Once they have been videoed they are turned back out to a selected group of started horses where they will be ridden out and about to give them their training in trailriding. Crossing the ditches and creeks, learning how to traverse the hills and rocky outcrops, climbing over the logs and enjoying the cool, refreshing splash of the river's water all are a part of learning for them. They learn to stand patiently as we open and close gates while still mounted, we mount and dismount and walk them on and off the trailer. All of this is done to insure that they become safe, trustworthy trail partners.  Fairwind's Remington West Blue Roan stallion
The stallions, all sensing spring, are more alert with each day passing. We have been putting trail time on these guys this winter and it has certainly kept their energy up. Some have been selected to sell to make room for the younger replacement prospects, but we know that they will go on to be good companions and great producers.
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Babies of many colors!  We have 30 of the most colorful babies from the 2008 crop! Blacks, chocolates, red chocolates, roans, creams, buckskins, chestnuts, greys and bays, you name it we have it. They are tall, short, fineboned, heavy boned, shy and not so shy. We even have a beautiful blue eyed boy we named MMR's Paul Newman! They are each an individual with different attitudes but they all love to be loved! Each day I handle my two selected weanlings. I have brought them in to the barn and they each are in stalls or in the paddock. This way I can handle them with no competition from the others. I start with haltering then handling every inch of their body with my hands then I move on to the brush which they find very relaxing. I pick up feet, rub ears, scratch tailends and teach them to give to the pressure of the halter and rope. It takes most of them about 5 days to get the hang of leading, but it takes about 1 day of them figuring out that being brushed and handled is about the best thing next to mama! Once they lead well, I turn them back out to the group and then select two more. When I start my day, I do it by walking through the babies. They all come to visit, pull on my coat or hat and just look for a good rubbing or nuzzling. The ones who have not been in yet are always trying to smell me or check me out but stay far enough away so as not to be touched. I basically ignore them as this really peaks their interest in me.  MMR's Denali and her dam, Passionate Lady are almost a carbon copy of each other. This filly is a chocolate buckskin and just beautiful! Her sire, Squirrel Too, adds to her looks and winning personality. All of our babies are for sale. If you are looking for a young horse to start yourself, this is where it begins. Each of these young ones are daughters or sons of two of our most respected stallions, Fairwind's Remington West and Squirrel Too. Each mare was selected to be bred to these stallions for their comformation, temperment and color. The selection process was a huge success! Come look for yourself! |
FEATURED HORSE FOR SALE MMR's Derringer $9,000 Derringer is a 2005 gelding by Fairwind's Remington West out of Davis's Blue Girl. He is registered RMHA and certified. Derringer is a sweet, gentle guy that has gait in his middle name. He is looking for a job and is willing to do just about anything. We have used him around the ranch to gather the herds and he does quite well on the trail. His color is beautiful and his temperment is wonderful. If you are looking for a "go to town, let's get it done horse" this guy is for you! |
| The phone, the emails, the inquiries all keep us jumping! Thank you for this! It gives us so much new energy & keeps us conscientious of the 220+ horses surrounding us. So, where does your trail lead? Going on an endurance venture? Riding in the back country? Off to the show ring? Competitive driving maybe? Pleasure driving or a show or two? How about Fox Hunting? We will be riding in April at Three Forks in the Annual Red Rock Hounds Fox Hunt, and we'll be riding Rockies! Care to join us? Now is the time to be thinking, planning and working it out in your mind. If you are longing for Spring, maybe a Rocky in your paddock will be all the inspiration you could ask for! Feel the Magic! Happy Trails to you, Joe & Nicki Arcangeli Managers |
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| | Save 10% | On the purchase of a Rocky Mountain horse from Mountain Magic Ranch. Purchase must be on or before April 1st, 2009 and must be on the FULL asking price of the horse. This does NOT include stallions that are for sale. | | Offer Expires: April 1st, 2009 |
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