“Working with Stallions is like working with a stick of dynamite” says Gypsy horse breeder Celeste Huston.  She knows a thing of two about it having bred World Champion St. Clarins and other gypsy horses of color – her specialty – like a Chocolate Palamino and Silver Dapple. While married to renown film director, John Huston and living in Ireland, Celeste fell in love with the gypsy horse.  She tells her colorful story to Equine VIP.

Miniature therapy horses Mozart went to visit a young man named Joseph with Pompe disease who was in the hospital participating in a painful clinical trial.  The trial could one day help young children.  Joseph had dreamed of meeting a real horse but had never seen one in person before that day.  When Mozart saw Joseph he walked over on his own and gently put his head in the young man’s lap.  They stayed there together and after a few minutes Mozart just closed his eyes, ignoring everything going on around them.  He refused to move away from Joseph, something he had never done before, except to walk along with him next to the wheelchair.  He stayed with his head resting in Joseph’s lap for over a half hour until it was time for the young man to return to his room.

Last week Joseph wrote about Mozart in a letter that was shared on Facebook with photos of their time together.  People from around the world were inspired by the brave young man and the special horse and began sending messages to Joseph and Mozart.  By the next morning thousands of people had heard and responded, from North Pole, Alaska to Texas, California to Maine, South Africa, Bulgaria, Ireland, Sweden, Argentina, Australia, India, France, Finland, Germany, Canada, England, Thailand, the Philippines, Egypt, Nairobi, Malaysia, Puerto Rico, Indonesia, New Zealand, Spain, Brazil, Uruguay, French West Indies, Greece, Kenya, Italy, Norway and more.  Sometimes a little good news is what the world needs.

Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses visited over 18,000 adults and children in 2011.

This is Joseph’s letter:

My name is Joseph W____ and I have Pompe disease. Pompe disease is a neuro-muscular disease that is a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy. Because my body is missing a certain enzyme (alpha-glucosidase), glycogen builds up around my muscles causing them to weaken. I am in a wheelchair, have a feeding tube, and use a ventilator. I have bi-weekly infusions of a drug called Lumizyme that helps halt the progression of the disease. Recently, at the University of Florida, I participated in a clinical trial where they injected a gene replacement into my diaphragm hoping to regenerate the muscles. This is still an ongoing trial. Hopefully, from the data they receive, Pompe disease will be controlled with a single shot at birth. This is a long time away though.

I have always loved animals. Ever since I have seen the movie Seabiscuit, I have wanted to see a real horse. A friend of mine told me about Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses. I visited the website and looked at it on Facebook. I fell in love with a horse named Mozart in the pictures. Since I am in a clinical trial, I had to travel to Florida which is where Gentle Carousel is located. My mom talked to them and agreed that we could meet one afternoon while I was there.

The first day I was in Gainesville was a rough day. There were lots of tests; a MRI, physical therapy evals, blood, etc. Also, I was really nervous about the next day of testing. After testing was done my family and I went to see Mozart and Cloudburst. They were both beautiful horses! As soon as I saw them I forgot all about the tests and how rough the day had been. All I knew was that I wanted to pet both of them.

Amazingly, Mozart seemed to love me right away. He came right up to me and put his head in my lap as if to say “Don’t worry Joseph, I’ll be your friend”. Mozart stayed with his head in my lap as we talked with everybody and I petted him. Cloudburst put his head on Mozart’s back and we stayed that way for a while. I know that animals have a special sense about people and Mozart showed me that. I will always remember that day and the friend I made with Mozart.

Mozart and I will always be friends and I hope to see him again soon!

How does sunshine convert to vitamin D? The key is in the skin’s oils, which contain a derivative of cholesterol called 7-dehydrocholesterol. When exposed to sunshine, this compound is converted to Cholecalciferol, which is then converted to the actual vitamin D, known as: 25-hydroxy-cholecalciferol, or D3. 

D3 is actually a hormone. A hormone, simply put, is a substance that is produced in one place and delivers a message to another place. D3 is produced in the kidney, and its message is to insure correct blood calcium levels which are critical to the proper function of your horses’ bones, joints, and muscles. D3 looks first to increase absorption by the intestine of ingested calcium, then if necessary, it will key the bones to give up calcium, and finally, it will instruct the kidneys to reduces calcium losses through urine.

There is a vitamin D2 which is found in plants. Plants make D2 from sunlight exposure, much in the same manner as D3 is made in animals, except the original starting point is ergosterol. Most vitamin supplements, however, contain the animal source – vitamin D3 – because it tends to be more stable and therefore has a longer shelf life. But when your horse eats fresh grass, he is getting the plant form. Once inside your horse’s body, they both have the same function.

Vitamin D deficiency is more common than you might think.

• Horses that are kept indoors have the highest risk.
• Frequent bathing with soap inhibits the body’s ability to produce vitamin D simply because the precursor in body oil (7-dehydrocholesterol) is washed away.
• The reduced intensity of sunlight during the winter or at higher latitudes (starting with the upper one third of the U.S., into Canada) inhibits vitamin D production.
• Vitamin D does not survive in hay.

Deficiency causes reduced appetite, slowed growth, physitis in growing horses, bone demineralization (leading to stress fractures and bone deformities), and poor muscle contraction.

Horses do best when they receive at least 6.6 IU of vitamin D per kg of body weight. For an 1100 lb (500 kg) horse, this translates into 3300 IU/day. Sunlight exposure—5 to 8 hours/day under optimal conditions—will produce this amount of vitamin D.

Vitamin D toxicity is unusual but possible, and somewhat confusingly, the signs of toxicity are similar to deficiency: reduced feed intake, poor growth, and an unthrifty appearance. An upper limit of 44 IU/kg of body weight (22,000 IU for an 1100 lb horse) has been established. Improper supplementation can cause excessively high intake; check all your supplements and fortified feeds to make certain you’re feeding a safe amount.

The very good news is that sunlight exposure cannot lead to excessive vitamin D production. So give your horse as much time outdoors, with minimal chemical or physical barriers. Let that vitamin D message do its wonders for the good of your horse.  For more information contact Dr. Juliet Getty http://gettyequinenutrition.biz/

There is no specific formula, in fact, many of the horses we bought early on were gifts to each other. However, we did rely on the opinion and experience of our professional trainers.

TELL US MORE ABOUT BREEDING YOUR OWN HORSES?
When I purchased “Dr. Devious” for Sid, another h o r s e “Crownette” came along with that deal. We liked the idea of breeding our own horses and always tried to select the best stallions for our mares such as Storm Cat, Deputy Minister, Theatrical and now Candy Ride, Benchmark and Tribal Rule. We paired Crownette with Candy Ride and got our beautiful
colt Chocolate Candy who took us to the Kentucky Derby and Belmont this year.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME CHOCOLATE CANDY?

His father is “Candy Ride” and he looks as smooth and sweet as chocolate!

WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO HAVE A HORSE ENTERED IN THE KENTUCKY DERBY AND THE BELMONT?

Watching Chocolate Candy run in both of these races was thrilling to me, even though he didn’t win. Both races are “events” and just having a horse run in either is a thrill in and of itself. Also race day for the Kentucky Derby and Belmont are so different than other race days. Racing is so unpredictable in terms of owning and racing, as well as, the outcome!
DO YOU EVER OFFER ADVICE TO TRAINERS OR JOCKEYS?

I rarely offer advice on which jockey to use for a race. I like to allow them to do what is right for the horse. However,
if I feel the jockey is unlucky for us or I don’t like how he/she handles our horse, I will certainly express my opinion to our trainer.
DO YOU HAVE A ROUTINE ON RACE DAY YOU FOLLOW?

I don’t have a set schedule on racing days. I’ve been traveling quite a bit since Sid died which has helped me a lot in dealing with his death. It all depends on where I am in the world and where the horses are running.
WHAT HORSES (THAT YOU OWN) SHOULD WE BE WATCHING NOW?

We have a few other two years olds that are exciting “Halloween Candy” and “Ivory Fudge”.

ANY ADVICE  TO OTHER HORSE OWNERS – EVEN IN OTHER RIDING DISCIPLINES?

I have a positive attitude and remain optimistic even when some of my horses have performed poorly in the beginning of their careers. I believe one has to be able to accept defeat gracefully in any sport or one doesn’t belong in it. We all know it doesn’t take practice to accept winning. It’s in NOT winning that true character comes out.
DO YOU EVER GET EMOTIONAL ABOUT ANY OF YOUR HORSES?

I always get emotional about the safety of our horses. It’s like watching your children prepare and perform a sport. I
get nervous and my heart beats faster each time one enters the starting gate but win, lose or draw I pray that come out of the race healthy.

DO YOU STILL RIDE HORSES FOR PLEASURE?

I used to ride for pleasure but I haven’t had the time. Our barn manager, Teddy Aroney and his wife Leslie, gave me a riding horse and a saddle for my birthday so maybe I’ll find some time now.

 It’s 5:00 am in Cody, Wyoming, a couple of hours before sunrise.  Ted Harvey is awake and ready for his first cup of black coffee.  He’ll go through a half pot of coffee before noon.  Ted is a handsome man and a solid buckaroo; a seasoned rancher and wrangler.  He wields the wrangler stride, necessary mustache, Levis that fit in all the right places and a wide smile. He has a solid history of skilled horsemanship, lasting kindness and engaging friendship. 

It’s 7:29 am now. The sun is up and trying to shine. On most days the sunrise is golden, azure and gleaming in Cody.  But today it is gray, perse and rainy, a typical autumn morning in cowboy country; hard, rugged and everything nature.  A climate manipulated and defined by the calloused hands and the sun-baked complexion of weathered wranglers. Ted has just returned from the barn; pulling horseshoes and trimming hooves.  He reaches for another steaming cup of stiff, wrangler coffee.

In 1967 Ted came into this world in Seattle, Washington. His family moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina when he was five years old. At the age eight, he was introduced to a horse for the first time while visiting distant relatives in France.  His encounter with the horse was exciting and humbling.  Ted remembers, “We were on a farm and there was a horse there.  My twin brother and I had gone out in the morning to pet the horse.  The farmer had just fed him his oats. I really wanted to pet the horse.  My brother kept telling me to leave him alone. The horse was swishing his tail and laying his ears back. I really wanted to pet him.  After a bit, the horse had had enough, turned around, and kicked me squarely in the butt.  He kicked me clear over a fence.  My brother is still laughing about that one.”

In 1981, at the age of fourteen, Ted and his family traveled to Cody, Wyoming for a dude ranch vacation.  Arriving at Valley Ranch, a large ranch south of Cody, Ted became fascinated with the ranching lifestyle.  Staying at the ranch lodge, he became accustomed to the aroma, feel and sensations of western living. The horseback riding was exceptional; well-equipped for family vacations and novice riders. “Back then, I don’t remember much in the way of instruction,” says Ted. “They showed us how to go, stop and turn and that was about it.  In the lodge each evening at dinner there was a sign-up sheet for riding the next day.  You could choose between slow, intermediate or advance.  I went on every advanced ride for the two weeks we were there and I was hooked.  I knew then that dude ranching was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”  Ted’s experience at the ranch would set the course for his future vocation and instill his love for horses.

Returning to North Carolina, Ted dreamed of being back in the mountains of Wyoming, riding horses and meeting new people.  “At that point in my life I knew nothing of horses or dude ranching.  I needed experience.  So, during high school, I worked shoveling manure at local stables. They would let me ride from time to time.  At seventeen, I returned to Valley Ranch and enrolled in their Wrangler School.  This was a six week course and consisted of eight other wranglers.  This was the real beginning of my formal education as a wrangler; I was a boy of seventeen from North Carolina chasing eighty horses across the Shoshone River at 5:30 in the morning with real cowboys who at the time I considered legends.” 

While attending Wrangler School, Ted had the opportunity to meet some real western characters; famous wranglers, gracious hosts and lifelong friends. “Everyone has people they have met who have had a profound effect on their lives,” he says.  “For me one of those people was a woman I met at Valley Ranch named Irma Larom.  Her husband, Larry, started the ranch in 1914 with one of the Brooks Brothers as a partner. By the time I got there in the 1980’s he had passed away.  But she was still there.  She was about 140 years old.  She wore full-length formal dresses everyday.  She liked to flirt with the wranglers and tell stories about going to New York City in the 1920’s and staying at the Waldorf Hotel.  They would party in New York in the winter and invite their friends to Wyoming for summer adventure.  Irma said to me once, ‘A well-run dude ranch is hospitality at its finest.’ That has always stuck with me and I have tired to live up to it.  Valley Ranch no longer exists, but for me it is where everything began.”  Ted’s journey to becoming a world-class wrangler was becoming reality.  His hard work and dedication to his dream was coming to fruition.  All he needed was a good horse, fitted chaps and a wide-brim hat. Oh…and a good dog.

 Wrangler.  It’s a tough word, not for the weak of heart.  Being a wrangler is hard work, long days, extreme environments, great friends and the sweet fragrance of horses – a lot of horses. Wranglers have an honorable place in American history.  Ted explains, “Historically, wranglers were teenagers hired on the big cattle drives of the 1880’s – 1890’s to take care of the string of horses the cowboys used to work the cattle herd.  Depending on the size of the herd, a cowboy might have as many as six to eight horses.  On most drives, the cowboys did not own the horses they rode.  They were owned by the cattle company. This was to prevent the cowboys from quitting and riding off in the middle of a drive that lasted for several months.  During an average day, the cattle might only move eight to ten miles, but the cowboys would ride three times that and change mounts several times a day.  It was the wranglers job to make sure the horses were groomed, fed, shod and generally cared for so they were ready for the cowboys. Today, wranglers are people who work for outfits taking usually inexperienced riders on trail rides, cattle drives and arena events.”

 After Wrangler School at Valley Ranch, Ted attended college in Riverton, Wyoming.  He studied the rules of horsemanship, a two-year program including training in overall horsemanship; livestock feeding, colt breaking and training, farrier science, ranch management, English riding etiquette, and team roping. “What I really took away from this experience was a little knowledge about many different equine areas, and it gave me an experience base to land my first paying job as a wrangler,” he states.  “But, if I had known then what I know now, I would have majored in business.”

 Ted’s first position as a wrangler was at Black Mountain Ranch in McCoy, Colorado.  It is at Black Mountain Ranch where he met Rowdy, a bay Quarter Horse gelding. Rowdy’s dam was a Quarter Horse named Joker who belonged to Sam, the manager at Black Mountain Ranch. Ted recalls his years at Black Mountain. “I started there in 1987 as a wrangler. After about a month into my first summer, the head wrangler was fired for let’s say inappropriate behavior with a married female guest.  The manager came to me and said you are the head wrangler now.  The following summer we had a guest named Chuck.  He was a wiry, cocky twenty-three year old from Pennsylvania who, after being a guest like me, wanted to live the dude ranch life.  The manager and I agreed to hire him.  Chuck turned out to be the best wrangler I had ever known.  We only worked at Black Mountain for three years together and went our separate ways. Chuck went to work as a hunting guide for an outfitter on the western slope of Colorado.  I went to Tumbling River Ranch near Mount Evans, Colorado, and became the head wrangler there.”  When Chuck left for his new position in Colorado, he took Rowdy, the bay Quarter Horse gelding, with him. Rowdy has been in Chuck’s family for nearly twenty-three years now. Recently, Chuck was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).  Ted says, “Chuck and his family now live in Cody. I am honored to keep his horse for him.  My daughter, Wren, who is six years old, is learning to run barrels on Rowdy.  She won’t ride any other horse.”

 While at Black Mountain Ranch, Ted had the opportunity to meet great equestrians from around the world. “In 1988, a group of guys called the Newfoundland Trail Riders came to Black Mountain Ranch.  These guys all owned horses and were good riders.  They brought their own chaps, spurs and saddles with sealskin saddlebags – packed with dried salted cod and Screech rum!” Ted exclaims. “We took them on an all day ride everyday they were there.  We did a 3-day pack trip and really had a lot of fun with these guys.  At the end of the week, their president thanked me for a great week.  He said they wanted to have a pair of custom chaps made for me to show their appreciation.  They were really beautiful and well-made, excellent leather, and stamped, ‘Thanks from Newfs, 1988’.  That was one of the nicest gifts I ever got.” 

Ted’s riding tack has grown throughout the years.  He is not partial to a particular saddle maker, but, through experience, prefers custom tack.  “The saddle I ride was built on a wade tree, with a big Mexican horn and a five inch cantle.  I have saddlebags that are actually permanently attached to the saddle,” he says. “I also ride with a custom made leather cantle bag.  With the cantle bag, I don’t like saddles with Cheyenne rolls.  Working on dude ranches, I ride a lot of different horses and find that the wade tree, with its high gullet, fits most horses well.”  A classic ‘wade tree’ saddle is designed for working ranch horses.  The tree defines the shape of the pommel and cantle. Riding horses with diverse physics require a multi-fit saddle that the rider is accustomed to and is appropriate for all horse types. 

Between 1992 and 2001, Ted was hired as head wrangler for Tumbling River Ranch in central Colorado.  Located deep in the Colorado high country, this ranch had an elevation of 9,200 feet.  “We rode to 12,000 feet on all-day rides every week during the summer.  One of the rides was a place called Rosalie.  There is nothing quite like riding a good horse above timberline with 14,000 foot mountain peaks all around you.  This was my church.”  The Colorado Rocky Mountains.  Beautiful, breathtaking and a trail riders dream. 

 In 1994, while head wrangling at Tumbling River Ranch, Ted meet his sidekick, Spur. “I think everyone is entitled to one great dog in their lifetime.  Mine was a black and tan coonhound named Spur,” Ted says, remembering Spur. “He was a birthday present from my parents.  He was the runt of the litter.  When they went to pick him up he was nine weeks old, had pneumonia, was tied under a pickup truck and the breeder was going to let him die.  My parents got him for $50.  I had Spur for fifteen years.  He spent most of his life on a dude ranch and went on trail rides daily in the summer.  Spur was truly my best friend.  On my 30^th birthday, I was on a working ranch in Roy, New Mexico.  This was a 23,000 acre ranch and very remote.  The closest neighbor was about 45 minutes away, if it wasn’t raining.  On my birthday, I was the only human on the ranch and I didn’t get a single phone call all day.  But Spur was there for me.  In his later years he slept about 23 hours a day.  In the end, he died at the age of fifteen on his couch in his sleep.  He lived well and died well.  I will never have another dog like him.” No wrangler is complete without a well-loved dog.  Spur was just that and much more.

 From the Colorado high country, Ted moved to Whitefish, Montana.  There he was the general manager of the Bar W Guest Ranch.  This was another opportunity to meet more horses, more dude ranch vacationers and make more friends. Ted says, “For my 40^th birthday the staff gave me a pair of custom boots.  These were really high quality boots with my initials on the uppers.  During a cattle drive on the Blackfoot Reservation, a man offered to take my duffle bag which had a leather vest, a pair of Levis, gloves a fifth of Wild Turkey, and most importantly my custom boots.  I thought he meant he would take them to the truck, but apparently he meant take-for-good.  I miss those boots.”

After leaving the Bar W Guest Ranch, Ted purchased Zeus, an almost-black Appaloosa.  Zeus had been stabled at Bar W for over five years.  Zeus was notorious for his disorderly disposition and bucking episodes. He was originally purchased from Mouse, a Blackfoot Indian.  Ted explains, “Mouse is a horse trader in the truest sense of the word and has some really great horses.  The Blackfeet have always been known as the best horseman of all the tribes. Zeus was the kind of horse that exploded into everything he did.  Because he loved to GO, the wranglers tended to let him go.  Unfortunately, this was not what Zeus needed.  He needed a consistent rider that would help him to calm down.  He now lopes on a loose rein and is a different horse.  My four year old son rides with me on Zeus.”

Ted owns another horse, Comet, who also came from Mouse.  Comet is a fifteen year old Palomino gelding. “Comet was given to me as a gift by the owner of Bar W Guest Ranch when we left there to move to Cody in October of 2010,” Ted says. “At that point Comet was already my horse since I had been, with a few exceptions, the only one to ride him. Comet is my friend and really fun to ride.  He is the kind of horse that will run the barrels at a dead run and five minutes later walk around the barrels with my four year old son, with his head down and a loose rein.  Comet has power steering, power breaks and cruise control.  In my life I have had several great horses, but Comet is the best.  He will do just about anything I ask; cross a deep river, go over the bridge, or jump off a cliff.  He is fun to ride.”  Comet is 15.3 hh and 1,200 lbs.  He is Ted’s all-time favorite horse, friend and confidant.

 Ted’s favorite horse breed? A Quarter Horse, of course. American bred, with the largest breed registry in the world, the Quarter Horse is a wranglers dream.  Quick, efficient, compact and smart, the Quarter Horse is well-suited for American terrain. Ted expounds on his experience with other horse breeds, “I am a believer that after each breed’s basic characteristics, horses are a product of their environment.  In high school, I worked at a couple of Arabian Show barns mucking stalls.  The horses spent most of their time in a 12 x 12 stall and they were always trying to kick, bite or stomp me.  At the time, I hated those horses and thought that was just the way Arabians were.  Since then, I have had numerous Arabs on dude ranches and while they generally are a little more high strung, I have had some that were great dude horses.  I have known mountain trail riders who swear by various breeds, but in my opinion, most of them can be turned into great trail horses if they are treated and used right.”

Working outside, in the elements, with horses, surrounded by sky, streams and mountains.  Wrangler.  A vocation synonymous with chaps, saddles, bits, bridles, manes, tails, and dirt.  What is the difference between a cowboy and a wrangler? Ted explains, “Often the words cowboy or wrangler are used interchangeably, generally representing a man who can ride.  A funny story: On Cowboy Sunday, the kids were at the front of the Church and the Minister asked if they knew a cowboy.  My daughter answered that her dad was a cowboy.  When asked then if I have cows, she said, ‘no, but we might get chickens.’ My three year old son stood up and then announced to the congregation that he was a cowboy…and he had a toy gun, boots and spurs to prove it.  I used to think being a real cowboy was having those things, too, but I have learned it takes a lot more.  When my son crawls into bed at night we always say ‘The Words’….they go like this:

Always tell the truth

Always be honest

Always do the right thing

Always admit when you are wrong

Always do what you said you would do

Always respect others

 Someday, whether my son is riding the range or working in a bank, I hope he will understand that his character and the choices he makes are what make him a true cowboy.”  Ted is currently a wrangler instructor and a dude ranch consultant in Cody. “The thing I am spending the most time on these days is managing Turpin Meadow Ranch in Jackson, Wyoming,” he says.  “This ranch was foreclosed and the bank hired me to run it until a new owner can be found.  My consulting includes caring for ranch horses, legal issues, horse program development and long-term ranch management.  Most likely I will be involved with this ranch for some time, including finding a new string of about sixty horses for the ranch.” Ted is a successful wrangler, businessman, equestrian, family man and friend. If you are considering a dude ranch vacation, give Ted a call.  He’ll provide you with accommodations befitting any want-to-be-wrangler; a steady horse, a sturdy rope, a night under the stars and memories that will last forever.

* * *

For more information, visit Ted….

http://www.duderanchvacation.co/index.html

http://www.duderanchconsultant.com

For more information on Larry Larom, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Larom 

Lyle Lovett joined other celebrity riders at the Reining Horse Sports Foundation (RHSF) annual event to help children from the Make A Wish Foundation of Oklahoma. Lyle Lovett took home the winning ride for the second year in a row. Lovett, owner of reining, reined cow horses and race horses, took some time out of his busy tour schedule to ride for the charity.

Ada Gates has exciting horse stories to share as the first licensed female Farrier.  She was the Farrier liaison at the ’84 Olympics over seeing 300 horses, 55 Farriers in 30 days.  She is also the Horse shoe inspector for the Rose Bowl.  She even made David Letterman laugh while imparting valuable information any horse owner can use to measure their horse’s feet.  For more information  www.harrypatton.com