Effects of Food Deprivation on Horses’ Cardiac Function Researchers at the University of California, Davis, found that withholding a horse’s feed reduced his heart rate and increased his frequency of second-degree atrioventricular block (AVB,when the heart “misses” a beat). Read More

Equine Gait Abnormalities as a Diagnostic Tool One veterinarian shares case studies of gait abnormalities and lamenesses that indicate a variety of health problems, including stringhalt, locked stifle, muscle tears, nerve damage, and more. Read More

Equine Metabolism The term “metabolism” encompasses far more than simple weight gain, weight loss, or calorie burning. It refers to chemical reactions occurring within the body that ultimately provide it with the components required to sustain life. Read More

Ready to Ride?

Check out the links on the left. Oklahoma Horse Online has all sorts of events from trail rides to rodeos just waiting for you to attend.

Need a Horse?

Contact us to set a time to come meet the Champions at Sierra Ranch.  We have 20+ horses just waiting for you to come ride them. 

Maverick giving lessons.

I read this article today and it provides a great case for leasing a horse for that first time rider no matter what age.  It has a link to a Horse Cost Calculator that even makes more points to leasing a horse until you are certain.  And of course also links to folks with lots of money that have kids riding horses in some very top notch places.

At Sierra Ranch, LLC we provide you with the horse owning experience without the responsibility until you are certain you are ready for that responsibility.  We have seen several times a horse crazy teenager fall hard for her perfect horse, and then go off to college and not have time or money to keep the horses.

We provide our leasees with everything needed to learn about horses, gain experience so that you get the right horse, and without the up front cost involved with purchasing everything needed for the horse.  We provide this for the cost of boarding a horse.  Just $300 per month gets you full access to your equine experience.

The lease included for both rider and horse:

• A saddle that fits both rider and horse.
• A helmet for every ride and a vet when jumping for the rider.
• Regular veterinary care and farrier work for the horse.
• All vaccinations, worming and other veterinary care is included.
• The horse can be changed at the request of the rider without a penalty.
• The rider can progress and move to a more challenging horse that fits the rider’s skills.
• The rider and horse have access to transportation to events, trails, etc.
• All this at the same price as boarding a horse.

Leasing is a great option to learn more about the horse and see if you are the right match.  It is different than a lesson horse in that you are the only person riding the horse. 

Here at Sierra Ranch, LLC we prepare folks to begin horse ownership.  We know many folks that have never owned a horse , let a lone an ex racing thoroughbred.  These wonderful horses require some special care, just as they require a particular rider.  We strive not only to make good matches, but responsible owners.  We want each rider to know the limitations and expectation of the horse they are riding.  And how to care for them if they choose to purchase one.

If you would like to lease one of the horses on this site, please contact us and we will set an appointment to meet a Champion!

Rick riding Kita Pac Bailey in 2006

Kita Pac Bailey is a 1987 sorrel AQHA mare.  She is 14.2 hands and about 900 pounds.  She is a daughter of Pacific Bailey, one of the most notable racing QH in this part of the woods.  Click here to see her catolog page.  She is extremely gentle.  We were told she has riding experience, but she seems to be learning it anew.  She is a quick learner and great to work with.

Kita Pac has had several babies.  The last one was not in the proper position to birth and had to be removed.  She may not be breeding sound, however she is riding sound.  She loads, catches easily, stands for the farrier, takes baths and all.  She is up to date on shots and worming.  She is sound and not raced.

We are offering Kit for lease, however we would consider selling her to the right person.  She has the potential to be whatever you want her to be and the mind and calmness of an older horse.  We took Kita Pac on an overnight trail ride in October 2008.  She did great standing tied to the line and negociating the trails.

Kita Pac has been riding novice riders in the pasture and on the trail and doing a great job.  Kita Pac is available for lessons, trail riding, and lease.  She is one of the few horses we have for sale.  Please contact us if you would like more information.

Glen and Roy

I was contacted by one of Kita Pac’s offspring’s owners.  Glen Tomlinson is the current owner of ”EE Royal Choice”, a gelding out of “Kita Pac Baily” and “A Royale High”.  “Roy” is a 16.2 Grey with a winning attitude.  He’s proven it lately by winning every NATRC ride we’ve entered this year.  His ability to handle the long trail rides and deal with the obstacles has been a joy.

Above is a recent picture of Glen and Roy tearing through the woods at Lake Carl Blackwell on to his first win, which he just repeated at Pole Canyon Ranch last weekend.  Roy has become a minor celebrity due to his winning spirit, calm demeanor and being a first time competitor.

We will add more pictures of Kita Pac as soon as we get them.  If you have more stories about her babies or her, please send them to us.  We will galdly add them to her page.

Justin Dorsey with Serve Em Bud

Serves Em Bud is a 1995 chestnut TB gelding. He is about 17 hands and about 1200 pounds. This guy is a real pro. He has had 26 outs and made $17,350 before re-injuring a tendon in his last race in August 2004. You can see his race record here! You can see his Catolog Page here!

Bud took a year off and was retrained to his new career of riding horse. And he is a pro at this also. He likes walking kids around the pasture and trail riding.

Bud winning the Bud Light Race in March 1998

Rick has taken him on the trails and he does well. Bud has been to the Bad Girls Halloween Ride at Arrowhead and the OETRA Fall Ride at Cedar Lake in 2005. Bud is very much the joker of the pasture and will need someone who understands this when riding him. Bud has been ridden both in English and Western tack as well as bareback and does well. You can look for years to find a horse with this combination of size, conformation and attitude. He is one of the best prospects we have seen.

Rick and Bud in the pasture

Bud is a great horse for a novice rider. He is big enough to carry them and yet let’s them know how he wants to ride. Bud is available for leasing, trail riding, and lessons. Contact us to come ride Bud.

From Horse.com

You know Sierra Ranch, LLC loves OTTB’s!  Check out this great article on retraining them and what it takes.

Retraining Racehorses Racing is a physically demanding sport, and even with the best intentions many racehorses end up with an injury that forces them into retirement from the track. And while some horses have serious enough injuries to warrant euthanasia or full pasture retirement, many horses, with proper treatment and time, can be rehabilitated and go on to second careers. Read More

Fit a Hunter Bridle

Follow this easy five-step guide to make sure your hunter horse’s bridle fits perfectly.

1. The browband lies flat across the horse’s brow, close to but not touching the base of his ears. If it droops or slips, showing daylight, it is too large.
2. The noseband fits snugly across the nose, no more than half an inch ­below the horse’s cheekbone.
3. The bit should be adjusted so it creates two to three wrinkles in the corners of the horse’s mouth.
4. The cheekpieces should lie flush against the face without pinching. Make sure all free ends of the bridle are secured in their keepers.
5. The throatlatch should fit neatly, but should allow the width of a hand to fit between it and the horse.

Great tips to go to the next horse show with.

Disaster Preparedness

As I am typing this severe storms are hitting Oklahoma.  Check out this link for tips on how to prepare your horses and other animals for when the storm hits.

Horse Events

Remember to check out Oklahoma Horse Online for great local events from trail rides to rodeos.

Weather is getting warmer and perfect for riding.  Call for an appointment to come meet the Champions at Sierra Ranch, LLC!

Deb Stowers

Sierra Ranch, LLC

http://sierraranchok.com/

http://sierraranchok.net/

Karama Trapp on April 4, 2012 by Dailia Hibbs

Karama Trapp is one interesting horse.  We bought him after Rick pushed me to go look at him in his stall at Remington Park in OKC.  I had told Rick I was NOT buying another horse, but just one look and he was ours.

Karama raced for us a few races.  You can see his race record here.  You can see his pedigree here.  He was foaled March 1, 1999 and is out of Trapp Mountain – Karama Tales, by Castle Guard.  He is the most arabian looking throughbred we have.  Click here to see a Winner’s Photo.

Karama Trapp training in 2005

He found a perfect match. She came out and rode the crazy horse when he had not been home from the track a week. She had her trainer out and rode him. Then her family came out and he was sold. Karama didn’t like being in the barn in town and returned to the ranch. His rider came out and rode on occasion. Then we got the call they wanted to sell him, so we bought him back.

Karama Trapp going to race - October 2004Karama

Karama is definitely a been there done that kinda horse. He seemed to be an old soul even when we first purchased him. He can do shows, ride trails, jump, and be a perfect gentleman. He is currently one of the horses available for lease at Sierra Ranch, LLC. He loves not being kept in a barn. He is great on trail rides. He does have some issues. He loves to crib and this is why life in a barn is not the life for him. Living in on the ranch he only cribs when in a stall usually eating.

If you want to ride the perfect gentleman then call us for an appointment.  Karama loves his life at the ranch and loves trail riding.  He is available for lease.

Deb Stowers
Sierra Ranch, LLC
http://sierraranchok.com/
http://sierraranchok.net/

Digestive Health Through the Seasons

As seasons change, a horse’s nutritional needs require a little tweaking to avoid illness and weight loss. With some forethought and common sense you can maintain your horse’s digestive health throughout the year. Read More!

The Equine Mind: Top 10 Things to Know
“Why does he do that?” “What is she so scared of … there’s nothing there!”  Most—if not all—horse owners have been there and asked those questions. Even  though we don’t always understand equine behavior, there’s got to be a reason  behind it, right? Absolutely.  This is an awesome article that explains what is going on in your horses mind.  Great for beginners and experts alike!  Read more!

Rabies Confirmed in Two Middle Tennessee Horses

In the wake of two Tennessee horses succumbing to rabies, veterinarians are reminding horse owners to vaccinate their animals against the invariably fatal disease. Read More!

It’s Spring and time to vaccinate.  Almost time to schedule the herds annual vet visit.  Let us know what you want to see in articles and I will try to find that information.  Call us for an appointment to ride a Champion!  918-352-1079

Deb Stowers
Sierra Ranch, LLC
http://sierraranchok.com/
http://sierraranchok.net/

Wildfires: When Evacuation is Not an Option

Thanks to record summer temperatures and persistent drought, several wildfires have flared in Texas this year, according to information contained on the Texas Forest Service website. Since Sept. 1 the Texas Forest Service has responded to 181 fires. Read More

Senior Horse Care – Keeping Your Senior Horse Healthy and Happy
Senior horse care is a subject near and dear to my heart. My own senior horses, Annapolis and Star, are now 32 and 20 years old respectively–and still going strong.
Read more »

Study: Horses Prefer Nonacidic Water

A team of Canadian researchers recently revealed that horses tend to prefer water with neutral pH levels rather than low pH levels, meaning your picky drinker’s problem could be due to acidic water’s sour taste. Read More

Don’t forget to come see us out at the ranch.  We are open Monday thru Thursday and some weekends.  Call us to set up a time to meet your next trail horse.

Deb Stowers
Sierra Ranch, LLC
http://sierraranchok.com/
http://sierraranchok.net/

It was suggested that we show off some of the horses that we have for lease at Sierra Ranch, LLC.  We begin this with probably one of the horses we know the least about.

To say we have soft hearts for OTTB (Off the Track Thoroughbreds) is kind of an understatement.    We love what these guys do for their owners and are saddened with the way they are treated after the track.

Imagintor (AKA New Horse or New) filled that bill to the max.  One of our friends found him at her barn.  The owner wanted a walking horse and when she went to pick up the walking horse the owner “threw in Charlie” with her other horse.  Needless to say she was much more wanting the walking horse and paid no attention to “Charlie.”  Our friend knew we loved and worked well with OTTB’s and brought him to live with us in July 2009.

Since we had had a bad experience ( I can show the the never healing scar) with a horse named “Charlie” we decided to name him “New Horse” until we could figure out his name.  This was during the time that we were starting the other business that now pays for the horses.  There just never seemed to be the time to actually try hard to find out who this guy was.

New taught several people how to ride.  Attended several trail rides and did wonderfully.  Even rode in part of an endurance ride with no problems. Finally we got things somewhat under control and spent the day Saturday before Easter researching who this wonderful horse was.  Now understand trying to ID a 20 year old horses tattoo is not fun and New was so not excited about making this an easy process.    After a bit of trail riding tranquilizer and a black light we took a picture of the tattoo and tried to enhance it enough to figure it out. 

After doing several general searches using some of the numbers and his coloring. Then focusing on the numbers we knew.  Then eliminating the mares.  (LOL!)  We came up with a possible name.  Imaginator. And we ordered the winning pictures of his maiden race.

Now am I going to say New is a perfect match for this horse.  Maybe not. But he is a winner with several wins and loads of races under his belt, and New surly acts like all the winners we have in the pasture.  And what a really cool name:  Imaginator.  So much better than being called New Horse.  LOL!

Imaginator is available for leasing.  He likes trail riding and might be open to some other activities.  Come out to Sierra Ranch, LLC and meet all the horses.  You might just find someone interesting to ride.

We are open Monday thru Thursday and some weekends.  Call us to set up a time to meet your next trail horse.

Deb Stowers
Sierra Ranch, LLC
http://sierraranchok.com/
http://sierraranchok.net/

Here is cool news from the horse world:

DO HORSES RECOGNIZE THEIR PEOPLE?

Does a horse respond differently to “his person” as opposed to a stranger? The results of a recent French study indicate that horses use auditory and visual information to recognize specific people, and that they expect certain behaviors from those people based on previous experience. Continue reading…

BLM OFFERS TOUR OF OKLA. LONG-TERM HOLDING FACILITIES

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is hosting an all-day public tour of two wild horse long-term holding pastures in Hominy, Okla., about an hour from Tulsa. The tour, which will take place on June 4, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., will give the public an opportunity to observe wild horses roaming in a natural setting across thousands of acres. Continue reading…

THOROUGHBRED ‘PERFORMANCE GENES’ FURTHER EXAMINED IN STUDY

The genetics behind the athletic performance of Thoroughbred racehorses has been a popular area of research in the past few years. A large-scale study was carried out recently in Japan, the results of which corroborate those of previous studies: Identifying specific “performance genes” on equine chromosome 18 could identify the ideal distance for a Thoroughbred to race. Some industry veterinarians, however, suggest that this information should still be evaluated and used with caution. Continue reading…

Hope  you enjoy the news.  We will be posting pictures of the horses available for lease in the next day or so.  Don’t forget to come see us out at the ranch.  We are open Monday thru Thursday and some weekends.  Call us to set up a time to meet your next trail horse.

Deb Stowers
Sierra Ranch, LLC
http://sierraranchok.com/
http://sierraranchok.net/