The Horses of Black Sheep Farm

The Equine inhabitants of our little farm have it made! In return for the occasional trail ride, Broom Polo Match, or being a contestant in our "Dumb Horse Games" they are fed a nutritious and balanced diet, get regular vet care and health maintenance, and have really nice cozy stalls to sleep in at night. During the day they eat grass or hay and loll around in a pasture, swishing flies and chasing each other around. However, their lives were not always so lazy or uneventful...

DREAMER

LP Prairiedreamer, foaled March 11, 1989 out of "Sheza Prairie Bug" (CRHA) by "Dream On Stage" (CRHA/ApHC), is a triple registered, big blanketed Appaloosa gelding. Purchased by us in 1992 as a green broke 3 year old, "Dreamer" was qualified to compete in the Appaloosa World Championship Horse Show by his previous owner, so we joined the ApHC (Appaloosa Horse Club). Dreamer was qualifies in three classes:

Geldings of 1989
Most Colorful
Suitability for Dressage

At the time we bought him I also became aware of a new club for Appaloosa horses called the International Colored Appaloosa Association (ICAA). They were a small club and had an open show point program, whereas you could earn "points" on your horse by competing at smaller local shows and have those points go towards year end awards. I liked the idea of that and we registered him with the ICAA and also joined as members. Dreamer was also already a registered "Colorado Rangerbred" Appaloosa (CRHA/ Colorado Rangerbred Horse Association) a specific kind of Appaloosa who's lineage must be able to be traced directly back to one of two foundation stallions, either Patches #1Z or Max #2Z. Okay, so its only money, we joined that too.

That summer we showed Dreamer at some "A" circuit ( ApHC sanctioned) shows and some of the local "Backyard" ( saddle clubs, county fairs, local riding stable open shows) for the experience. In November we went to the World Championship Appaloosa Horse Show in Fort Worth Texas and came back with a 6th place ribbon for Geldings of 1989.That was a lot of fun and an eye opening experience! We were fortunate enough to see some great performance horses and fantastic riders!

Back home, in February of 1993, we found out that we had gathered enough points at the open show we had attended to earn the ICAA 1992 High Point award for Dreamer in the adult division. I also found out I was pregnant! So much for showing in 1993! I was able to go to Michigan in August , hauling Dreamer and the youth division winner and her horse, to compete in one more show and pick up our awards and ribbon from the ICAA. I was 7 months pregnant, and hauled 2 horses 250 miles with a 22 foot motorhome in 95 degree temperatures and no air conditioning. Plus the engine kept overheating and I got a flat tire on the horse trailer. I have yet to decide if I have a lot of guts or am just a big idiot.

I quit competing in horse shows after my daughter was born...its really hard to find a baby-sitter who is willing to start at 4 am, but Dreamer is still with us, and Nichole is learning to ride on him. He is quite a character and is my good boy. If Nichole ever wants to start competing in 4-H , I know just the fella who can teach her a thing or two.......