- - - - -
From: "Craig Jolley"
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Fri, June 6, 2003 8:47 am
Subject: Re: Welcomes, Birthdays, Concert Report?
Stuart, Had a thought for a potential way to build interest for the pending Ranch reunion.
Those of us at Ranch has as many fond (and some not so fond {G}) memories of the horses and
their personalities as we do fellow staff and campers. If it is possible to do a segmented
email just to former Ranch members of the list (Main Camp staff just would understand this)
maybe we could ask people to list the horses they remember best during their tenure at
the Triple...er, Circle K. Mine are:
Peaches AJ Tonka Charlie Brown Blaze & his mama, Notion Apache Prince Proud LeMans
- - - - -
From: JoEllen Mullins
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Sat, June 7, 2003 9:05 am
Subject: Re: Welcomes, Responses
----------------------------------------------------------------
STUART-
AS A FORMER RANCH DIRECTOR/PROGRAM DIRECTOR THERE ARE SEVERAL
HORSES WHO I FEEL EARNED THEIR PLACE ON THE CIRCLE K RANCH HALL
OF FAME...FOR THEIR DEDICATION, UNDYING LOVE OF CAMPERS & TRUE
ABILITY TO REACH CHILDREN WHO NO HUMAN COULD......
1991-1994
SIKEMA
SWIFTY
GEE-JOE
NASHA
BANNER ( CAMP SONG NAMED AFTER BANNER)
BUD ("THE BUD-MAN" WROTE HIS OWN CIRCLE K NEWSLETTER)
VICKI
MIMI
TYE (OUR PONY CART HORSE)
HOOFER
LONDON (WHO RETIRED TO NORTH CAROLINA)
KATSUARA
LADY
PABST (AK.A. PABST BLUE RIBBON)
A.J.
FLINT
TRAVIS (A.K.A.-QUICK SILVER)
BRAVA
CAJUIN SPICE
MONTY
BO-DIDDLE (WHO NOW GIVES RIDES TO GRANDCHILDREN IN WEST UNION OHIO)
CHARLIE (DECEASED DURING CAMP 1991)
NIKKI
STRAW
DUDE
RUSTY(DECEASED DURING CAMP 1992)
NINTENDO
LATINA
AZAR
AZREAZEL (ORPHAN FOAL BORN @ CAMP IN 1991-RASIED ON GOATS MILK
BY RANCH STAFF)
STAR (MIKE REES PURCHASED FROM CAMP)
TAZ-TERRI'S VERY OWN ORPHAN FOAL
CONCHO
PRIDE
ROCKY
CINDERS SLEW
RAJ
MARIO
ZACK (PERCHON DRAFT USED FOR HAY RIDES)
DECK (A.K.A -GO DECK EM)
CHEIF (A.K.A. -RED LION CHIEF)
JANNIE
TROUBLE SOCKS (JENNY MAXWELL'S HORSE)
COVER GIRL
FOXY (WHO JUST PASSED AWAY LAST YEAR @ CAMP)
ARBIE
KEI
BEN (OUR VAULTING HORSE)
SUGAR
PEPSI
ROSIE
LUCY (DONNA GENTLE'S FAVORITE/BUT A RICK TREAT SPECIAL)
PATCHES
POCO
TEX
BIG RED (A.K.A. UNFINSHED BUSINESS)
THUNDER BAY
JAZZ
DUSTY
UNO
AND OF COURSE ASK ANY Y-GUIDE GROUP OR SUMMER RANCH STAFF OR
CAMPER ABOUT "KILLER"?
JO MULLINS
- - - - -
From: Joe, Vergie, & Luke Fabian
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Sun, June 8, 2003 1:42 pm
Subject: Re: Horses Remembered
Major flashback!! I remember most of the horses Craig listed.
Hall of Fame List would have to include:
Sweet Pea
Charlie Brown
Chocolate
Barney & Nellie (Team)
Proud/Gypsie
Peaches
Blaze
Jesse
B.R.
Clark
Tonka & Le Mans
An honorable mention list would be 10 times as long!
Wow, It is really hard for me to narrow this list. There are so many
great memories attached to so many great horses. Like the ones I
personally rode as a camper...
Eagle
Clark
Reggie
Nutmeg
Ranger
B. R.
Then there are the ones you "dealt" with as a counselor :)
And the ones you could trust to get you safely around the lake at top
speed around midnight. (Oh, did I type that out loud???)
Okay here goes a "condensed" list:
Sekima (mom)/Meskelara (son)
Clipper & Judy (great "lake runners")
Fat Albert & Blossom (2 fat and fuzzy little black balls. They looked
like the giant stuffed animals hanging as prizes at the fair)
Magic (my favorite "lake runner")
Domino
Buckeye
Chief (Mind you there have been several "Chiefs" the one I remember
was a 50" paint as wide as he was tall.)
Ruby
Mimi
Vicki
London
Mattel
Frosty
Pepsi
Rocky (Mare)
Sierra
and who could forget Camel. (I never met him in the flesh, but his
ghost did walk through the bunk house a time or two on stormy nights
when I was there :)
I know I've left a lot of great ones out but I did say a condensed list.
I'll let the rest of you fill in the blanks.
Thanks for the trip down "Memory Lane" !!!!
Ranch Rules!!
Vergie (McCracken) Fabian
- - - - -
From: "Andy McGarvey"
To:
Date: Mon, June 9, 2003 2:28 pm
Subject: Re: Welcomes, Ranch News, Kim Concert Pics
Okay Stuart,
I looked through the list of horse names and (maybe I missed it) but I
did not see Max. Who could forget him and the day he spent in the
trailer?
--
Andy McGarvey
Dean of Middle School
The Seven Hills School
513-527-1314
andy.mcgarvey@7hills.org
- - - - -
From: Laura Huffman
To: KERN FRIENDS OF
Date: Tue, June 10, 2003 11:48 am
Subject: RANCH RELATED
While I was curious to see Craig Jolley's list of horses, I must admit I
was shocked and horrified to see Proud listed next to the bottom !!!
Obviously, Craig must not have placed them in order of importance or
perhaps the listing was scrambled during the process of electronic
transmission! (lol)
Glad to be hearing from you again! It brightens the whole process of
receiving emails.
Laura Huffman
lhuffman@twcny.rr.com
(the first letter is a small L, not a 1 [one])
- - - - -
From: "ktrowbridge"
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Tue, June 10, 2003 10:55 pm
Subject: Re: Welcomes, Ranch News, Kim Concert Pics
Hello everyone.....
Browsing thru the new ranch section of the website and came along the
Favorite Horse List and thought I would update a little. As a former
student, camper, past, and current staff member of the ranch, I have known
alot of the horses on the list and hadn't thought about several of them till
I saw their names again.
Of those mentioned, Swifty is still at camp and going strong. She is 26 I
believe this year and is still giving mostly walking lessons to my 5 and 6
year old riders in her saintly way. We just purchased a few more ponies to
keep her company. She hasn't been quite the same since Foxy died. One is
"Molly", a very small, Foxy-sized-sweet paint pony that she has taken a
liking to. THe other is a larger pony "Ruby" who patiently lets Swifty eat
all of her grain....and I'm hoping that will stick up for her when they are
turned out into the main herd.
Also still trucking is Mimi. I believe she is 23 this year, and is still
used in all aspects of our program, and as always, is a barn favorite. She
still loves her job and all the attention she gets, and we are extremely
happy to keep her around.
Slew and Nasha are still going as well.
This year Tye was retired to a very loving home. She enjoys daily grooming,
lots of treats, and does pony rides for her new owner and friends.
Deck was retired a few years ago.
More recent horses that should be added to the list are
Brandy (Been there since 1995)
Amigo (Purchased this year - The best Beginner horse)
And to add to the "Hall of Shame" is Chief, who thankfully was recently
sold.
He was the rearing-ist horse I've ever ridden!!
Karri Trowbridge
Lesson Student and Ranch Camper 80's
Riding Instructor 97
Equestrian Director 97-99
Equestrian Coordinator 02-Present
- - - - -
From: Laura Drake
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Wed, June 11, 2003 3:29 pm
Subject: Famous and infamous horses
Heading out to Strawberry's and Ice cream tonight but thought I would
add a few horses to the list
Ok been thinking about the horse lists and here are the ones that I
remember and loved.......
Blossom (who could forget that little stubborn pony)
Camel (the legendary horse ghost)
LaMons
Roy and Rodger
Clipper (first horse I jumped on)
Ladybug
Deck
Rusty (died in my arms)
Vicky
and or course the coolest horse ever to reside at camp..........
London!!!!! (always faster than Vicki even though he was a morgan)
- - - - -
From: Lynn Arnold Sparks
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Wed, June 11, 2003 9:43 pm
Subject: Re: Horses
Sorry Stuart, but I'll keep it short (or should I post to the new Ranch
section?),
As a contemporary of Craig Jolley's I remember all the horses he
mentioned well. Of course, I had a preference for my Apache instead of Camp's
Apache...I would have to add Chocolate and Sweet Pea, as well as Roy and Roger to
the list of memorables. Of course, I liked BR (named for the significant
others of two ranch staff) and am still riding her colt, Caspian. He is now 25.
The Chief of that era was a fabulous calico pinto pony gelding who was a very
reliable mount for anyone. I saw him 2 years after Camp sold him at Caesar's
Creek with a new family.
If anyone from more recent years remembers Jazz, be assured she is
living the good life with my son. She is on three types of medication to keep
her sound enough to be ridden at age 29, but she just doesn't quit. She and my
mare have a grudging respect/hatred for each other--don't get between them
with grain!
Lynn Arnold Sparks, "Triple K" Ranch 1973-1979, looking forward to the
promised reunion!
- - - - -
From: John Fiely
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Thu, June 12, 2003 8:07 am
Subject: Re: Welcomes, Ranch News, Kim Concert Pics
Hi Stuart,
Thanks to all of you for the horse listing, this is a good idea. Patty and I
should be able to conjur up some of the horses from the late 70's and early
80's when she was equestrian/ranch director. My favorite was Carey, died of
colic when Patty was in the Galapogos Islands. Utterly clueless. Had no
concept of the purpose of the trail and wandered wherever back in the days of
horserides to the park below the I71 bridge. Ears stuck straight out like the
flying nun.
- - - - -
From: Amie Bello
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Thu, June 12, 2003 9:06 am
Subject: Re: A Bunch of Ranch Responses
Hello all!
Just want to add my favorite horses to the list...
Ruby, Venus, Uno, Magic, Clipper, Ranger, Princess,
London (oh he of the famous rubber neck). Anyone else
remember Babe, the meanest horse on the planet?
Amie "Bogie" Bello
- - - - -
From: Sharon Gustin
To: stuart@friendsofkern.org
Date: Thu, June 12, 2003 9:28 am
Subject: Ranch Horses
Ok Stuart - I couldn't stand it. I was not Ranch Staff but as you know I spent many
hours at the barn doing weekend trail rides, girl scout rides ect. Some of my all
time favorite horses:
LeMans - I bought him in the fall of 83 and we had to have him put down in 89 (I
think) He was back being boarded at camp at that time. My daugher Heather learned
to ride on him.
B.R. - one of my favorite trail horses.
Sweet Pea & Chocolate - I have a nice photo of them together
and I could go on an on!
Sharon Gustin
- - - - -
From: "Craig Jolley"
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Thu, June 12, 2003 10:32 am
Subject: Re: Welcomes, Radio Show, Horse News
>>While I was curious to see Craig Jolley's list of horses, I must
admit I was shocked and horrified to see Proud listed next to the
bottom !!!<<
Actually, Proud is right where s/he (I can't remember which) always
was.....bringing up the rear!
- - - - -
From: Doug Bruggeman
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Thu, June 12, 2003 11:46 am
Subject: ranch stuff
Stuart:
I can not let Laura Drake's statement lay: London faster than Vicki? the
coolest horse at camp? PLEASE. First, Stuart, I know you are busy being a
Chiropractor [uhmmm..., pediatrician(!) -Stuart], or whatever, but I wish
you would take the time to edit out
such libelist content. I would hate to see this degenerate into a forum for
trash talking among bored old counselors.
..besides London was a complete knuckle head! I rode London to lead a Girl
Scouts trail ride, once, once. He side-stepped the whole trail around Elk
Lake, which did not reflect my equitation skills [solid Circle K training].
Araby, now that was a haus. I am also a huge LeMons fan.
Also, favorite camp song from summer of '86 & '87: "She packed all her things
and took off down the rode" originally performed by Bob Seager.
Doug Bruggeman
- - - - -
From: Bill Kelley
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Fri, June 13, 2003 12:17 am
Subject: Re: Yep, More Ranch Responses (5)
Stuart...
I wasnt a Ranch Staff member, but i was a part of the Trail Rides and Girl
Scout ride Staff of the 80's, along with Outdoor Ed and Summer Staff...
If anyone remembers Cinders, she was bought by Kathy Boggs from Cape Cod
Farm. I know this because i gave many lessons on her while I worked for
Kathy..around 10 years or more...she was a good pony to do Lunge lessons on, and the
kids loved her..
Just thought you might like to know that She had an excellent home after camp
work..Pampered beyond everything!!
Bill Kelley
- - - - -
From: Amy Lecklider Martin
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Fri, June 13, 2003 9:42 am
Subject: Ranch staff at Kern
Well I go way back into the 70's and the one horse that comes to mind is
Kent. After winning the horse show I put my ribbon on his head and he spooked and
took off. What a ride that was. The idea of a Ranch reunion is great. We
should start a list. Let me know if I can help. Amy Lecklider Martin
- - - - -
From: Terry Ackerman Jones
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Fri, June 13, 2003 10:48 pm
Subject: Re: Yep, More Ranch Responses (5)
Yes Stuart Doug is right ....Vicki was definitely faster than any horse on
camp in the many years i was there(Or so I heard over and over). Yes I remember
Babe....white arab teeth bared...best thing that ever happened to her was the
black hand prints Scott Peterson left on her while painting.
John , Carey was a great beginner horse and his ears were cool.
Laura liked London because he was as stubborn as her.
I would have to say vicki was the best horse. I started many a beginner on
her, jumped many an advanced rider, but the thing I remember best was I had a
student in a wheel chair with spinal bifidia who rode her. Vicki would drop
her head to allow Mandy to bridle her and would allow Mandy to pick up her feet.
Does anyone remember how Swifty received her name? She was one of the leased
horses summer of 1983. She was hard to catch during staff training and was
called Swift shi*.
Ruby was always a staff /camper favorite too.
I remember the day I sold Roy(Roger was gone before I ever started) . We
were doing trail rides...Sharon Gustin and Patty snyder were there . Roy would
get loose over lunch and push the doors open and go grazing along the lake
....the indian guides found this humerous...because he would be wearing his
saddle but no halter...Why? He always rubbed his halter off on his leadrope, so
one day I croostied him tightly. We came back from lunch and there was his
halter hanging from the crossties in his stall. Unfortunately that wasthe day
someone came looking to buy horses.(he was also in a bad kicking phase , so I
sold him)
How about the horse that kept on ticking? Uno . Struck by lightning, fell
off the bridge over the creek on the river ride...was still there In January
2000 when I taught some lessons.
terry(ACkerman )Jones
- - - - -
From: "Matt Sutton"
To:
Date: Sun, June 15, 2003 7:48 pm
Subject: Re: Yep, More Ranch Responses (5)
hey all,
dugbrugg, good call on the whole london-vicki debate. vicki, clearly the
faster mount. however, i would like to throw in Pabst (blue ribbon boy) as a
contender. camp got him straight from the track if i remember right, which
would account for the incredibly hard mouth. but that horse could run. i
never had the opportunity to run him against vicki, but mike mo and i had
many-a-argument on which would've actually taken the title.
now, as for london, his talent does not go unnoticed. to this day, he is the
only horse i've ever seen actually bend in half. laura, i luv ya, but can't
see what you do in london.
anyone remember the little pinto pony "max"? maximillion was amazing. no
saddle, no bridle, no halter, no problem....jump on backwards and ride him
through the old barn. sad day when i saw him put down.
one more thing, brugg......wasn't that song originally sung by matt
hoskins??
matt sutton
- - - - -
From: Christy Kunz
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Sun, June 15, 2003 10:13 pm
Subject: Couldn't Resist
Hey Ranchers,
From old camper memories... Who could forget Sikema?
She was the most forgiving pony on the planet, I
remember when she was painted for a luau and brought
INTO the dining hall. Along with Dona the curly
horse, Lady (Cinder Slew's momma, what a classy mare),
Lacey- the most thoroughbred-looking Quarter Horse
I've ever met. Cinders was great, she deserved the
loving home she got. Dawn, the Quarter-Morgan who was
"Advanced Only"(She ended up at Miami U when I rode
for them in 1995, called Shirley. I leased her for
the summer and brought her back as my staff horse),
and Araby (God love the old man). The love of my life
as a camper- Cadet. What a great little Arab.
Vickie- a friend of mine bought her from camp and we
ran into each other at the Warren County 4H show-
great mare. What about Happy Hoofer, the paint with a
heart of gold who would jump the moon- but watch that
grass on trails!!! Azar was the most gorgeous thing
when he was donated to camp, as well as Mimi and Tye-
man, were they fun to drive. Uno the Morgan. Ben the
BIG Morgan who could EAT (and foundered easily).
London who I think went on to be a Dayton Police Horse
(if memory serves...) Deck was the "push-button" horse
to get for Advanced camp. Tammi the flea-bitten
ticklish Arab who would jump mud puddles. Chief was a
"wild" young thing then. Swifty-poor camper who had to
catch her in the morning:) Pride, slow but steady;
Key- what WAS he, anyway?
Sikema was still there that summer of 95 but she was
pretty well retired by then. Dixie was/is the leader
of the herd, along with the other "Michigan
Horses"from 95: Brandy, Skeeter, Megan, Maji(damned
thing),Cherokee to name a few. Indy and Nasha were
there, AJ and Latina, Sugar(died spring 97 of cancer)
and Nintendo, Concho(bought him winter 95-my best
horse buddy ever, even though everyone else thought he
was insane) Willow pony the furriest "white" pony
there ever was, Zack and Zeus the ENORMOUS black
Percheron brothers with terrible feet, but fun to
drive. Araby was STILL there when I left in 97, and
his top front teeth were so worn he had to bite off
grass by turning his head from side to side- but he
was still the spry old man. Uno, same old man, just a
little grouchy in the ring. Cinder Slew, Happy
Hoofer, Pride, Foxy and Swifty, Deck, Azar, Azset,
Tammi, Ben, Brava, Key... I know I'm forgetting a
bunch that I just can't remember their names, but
remember them.
Hope that helped!
Christy Coggins Kunz
- - - - -
From: Erin Policinski
To: stuart
Date: Mon, June 16, 2003 3:36 pm
Subject: More ranch memories
Can you ever have enough ranch memories?!
Coggins email made me a little teary (I'm directing a day camp without horses)
for those fun summer days at the ranch. I'll throw in some of my memories ...
Azar -- the green arab I learned to jump on. I fell off him more times in one
lesson than I had in my entire life!
Araby -- the good old man that was always there.
Sugar -- the one international camper saying over and over "no shugaaar."
Straw pony -- she' s my all time favorite ranch pony. I spent many a long cold
Saturday leading trails on her (okay and many of the other horses too!).
There was a blue roan (named Blue?) that was there for a very short while who.
And I remember dealing with my first colic when Jazz went down (but she got
back up and became a favorite beginner horse).
And there were to paints named Jinks and ...
I have many fond memories of the Michigan horses that came summer of 95 (and
there was that whole staff too!).
And London was the Houdini of Kern no matter what you did to keep him tied up
(I think that he even escaped from a box stall or two).
And of course the two ghost horses Camel and Killer. I can't believe that we
actually did the whole Killer thing and didn't scar too many children :)
There's a not so short list of some of my horse memories.
I'll be very interested to hear more about the ranch reunion.
erin "ears" policinski '87 - '96
Erin M. Policinski
Bloomington, IN
(812) 332-6831
- - - - -
From: Tom Warriner
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Tue, June 17, 2003 8:37 am
Subject: Re: Welcomes, Ranch Memories from Policinski....
Stuart, 40 years makes some brain cell mighty rusty, however in ''64 and'65
we had a donkey named Mike who loved peach brandy and cigarettes ( only
rumored since such contraband never made its way to Kern!) My favorite memories
include a paint named Tanglefoot, famous for dumping the uninitiated into the
pond. Ted Hopple getting nearly killed in a stall when trying to brush a new
horse to the string, and Gary was without a doubt the strongest and biggest guy I
had ever met, however I was only 15 and easily impressed.
Thanks for the venue and the trip down memory lane.
Tom Warriner
Peace River Ranch
- - - - -
From: Amy Wokasien (Weeney)
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Tue, June 17, 2003 11:33 am
Subject: Re: Welcomes, Ranch Memories from Policinski....
I have to jump in with more Ranch favorites: Buckeye (a fat little bucksin)
was the first pony I ever rode my first year as a camper in '78. I rode Reggie
my next year there. Then I rode Frosty, who I took home for the winter a
couple of years. The first year I rode Frosty, all the saddles had been stolen, so
they scrounged up enough tack for us to use, but my saddle didn't have
stirrups, so I rode all week without stirrups! I remember as a camper, everyone
wanted to ride Ruby, but she was an advanced only horse! I also remember Judy, a
dun who had epilepsy, and I can't remember the horse's name, but it only had one
eye - was that Clipper? And Peaches the circus pony. As a counselor, I
remember Blossom, Max, Uno, Vicky, and I have a great picture of Babe with daisies
in her mouth! Sherry and her baby Candy, Chocolate, Sweet Pea - all those good
old horses that were great camp horses.
Amy Wokasien (Weeney)
Ranch Counselor '84 & '85
- - - - -
From: JoEllen Mullins
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Tue, June 17, 2003 10:55 pm
Subject: Re: Special Welcomes, More Ranch Responses
LONDON UPDATE...
LONDON WHO LOVED TO SLIP HIS HALTER OFF & GO GET GRASS IN FRONT OF THE LELAND
STALLS, NOW LIVES OUT EAST WITH THE FAMILY THAT ADOPTED HIM EVERY WINTER...HE
RIDES ON THE BEACH WITH THE QUARTER HORSE GELDING THEY BOUGHT TO KEEP HIM
COMPANY....THE SHIPPER WHO PICKED HIM UP ( A SEMI FROM KENTUCKY HAULING
THOROUGHBREDS TO NEW YORK) LOADED HIM UP-SAYING HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE
HIM....HE TIED HIM BUT WHEN HE ARRIVED AT LONDON'S NEW HOME GUESS WHO WASN'T
WEARING A HALTER?
JO (PEASE) MULLINS
- - - - -
From: "SALLY BAKER"
To:
Date: Wed, June 18, 2003 9:25 am
Subject: old memories of old friends
Ok Ms Laura Drake (my dear friend) I have to go with M. Sutton on the Vicki vs.
London debate. I showed her a few times so I am kind of partial to her. VICKI
RULES !! :) Anyways, I started working the camp ranch when I was 13 or 14 doing
trail rides. Then was a counselor in 88, 89 and worked there with Terry a few years
after. I have very fond memories of all the horses and these were some of my
favorites:
Chester (didn't see his name mentioned, but how could anyone forget him)
Sweet Pea (best trail horse)
Deck (showed him several times)
Vicki
Frosty
Sikema(sweetest pony)
Tory
Holly (my very favorite)
Tory was a little Morgan given to camp and I got to break and train her. Quick
story. Terry was helping me one day. We put a saddle on her for the first time and
took her into the arena. after a few minutes on a lead, she broke free, ran to the
back of the arena. She then turned around and bolted to the front and put her head
and neck through the viewing window. Terry and I liked to died and I am sure Terry
remembers. Thanks for the memories and stories. It was great to read all of them.
Sally McClain
- - - - -
From: Sue Bryant Wadsworth
To:
Date: Thu, June 19, 2003 9:36 am
Subject: Re: Welcomes, Bob Barr Golf Outing, From Angi/Mike Rees, Ranch Memories
Even though I didn't work ranch camp, I have a few horse memories of my
own..I was a regular camp staffer in 82 and 83 and remember "catching"
horses on the weekends to bareback ride. Those horses knew it was their
weekend off as on separate occasions I was dumped in a soybean field,
stepped on and bit in the shoulder when my horse was stung by a yellow
jacket. Horse revenge, I guess!
Sue Bryant Wadsworth
- - - - -
From: "John Paulson"
To: "'Stuart Weinberg'"
Date: Fri, June 20, 2003 11:55 am
Subject: Horse names
Stuart,
FYI -
Names that I have not seen but remember are:
* BOB - Gray Arab Gelding
* Shena - Paint Mare
Regards,
John Paulson
jpaulson@trinitymfg.com
Product Manager
Agricultural Division
Trinity Manufacturing Inc.
Office 910/582-5650 x 118
FAX 910/582-4433
Mobile 910/894-2139
- - - - -
From: "Don Handley"
To:
Date: Sun, June 22, 2003 10:13 am
Subject: Re: Welcomes, Birthdays, Responses
In regards to BOBBY and SHENA, I had the utmost pleasure of riding both of
these great horses. I once raced a pickup truck with Shena over at the
Poppy(?) Farm, off of Gilmore Rd., and was told by the driver of the truck
that Shena had gotten up to 35 mph. The reason I say this is that all the
talk about fast horses makes me wonder if any other horse could beat BOBBY,
since he could leave Shena in the dust. It nice to see so many familiar
names from the past show up on this website, thanks for all the memories.
Don Handley
- - - - -
From: "Pat McClain"
To:
Date: Sun, June 22, 2003 1:41 pm
Subject: Ranch Camp Horse List
Hopefully we have some other old timers out there from the Ô67 Ð Ô72
timeframe. We had some great rodeo horses back then when ranch camp meant
western. Greatest barrel horse back then was Smokey but my favorite for Ô70
and Ô71 was a little speedball named Candy. I wanted to buy that horse but
end of Ô71 someone beat me to it. Won everything with this horse and she
was a great bareback ride and a decent bareback jumper. Some may remember a
jumping horse by the name of Fern. She was the only real jumper the camp
had back in those western only days. I sleek palomino about 16 hands with
legs like springs. I loved jumping her bareback since we rarely used any
English tack. As a CIT in summer 72 I road whatever was left but for some
reason no one wanted to ride a new horse named Lady Dancer which was fine by
me because she was a great horse. Road her with my own hackamore and of
course no saddle (as a CIT back then we were luck we werenÕt walking or
driving the 3 on the tree truck) and she was great.
If anyone out there from those days send me an e-mail.
Pat McClain
Austin, Texas
Camper: 65 Ð 71
CIT: 72
- - - - -
From: Lynn Arnold Sparks
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Sun, June 22, 2003 10:30 pm
Subject: Re: Horse names--to John Paulson
Bobby (big grey gelding) and Sheena (big pinto mare) were sold to the man who
hauled my horse to camp for the second year of girl's ranch--back in 1973, I
think. I remembered them as always being staff horses during the Family Camp
trail rides. I don't know what happened to Bobby, but fortunately I knew
Sheena (like Peaches) was trained to rear on command. Instead of getting labeled
as an incorrigible, she was sold to a man who enjoyed showing off her talents.
I kept track of her for a couple of years.
I don't think anyone has mentioned Charlie Brown, the old bay Morgan
who spent many years sleep walking and trotting through beginners classes. He
would canter in my class only when I called him by name.
I think the horse with one eye was Thelma Pratt's grey mare Bonnie.
The Clipper I knew was a light buckskin gelding; so named because someone had
body clipped him before he arrived at camp.
It's great to hear old names from the past--human and equine. Sorry
about all the ranch responses lately to you Main Campers!
Lynn Arnold Sparks
- - - - -
From: "andrea longenecker"
To: "Stuart Weinberg"
Date: Mon, June 23, 2003 8:39 am
Subject: Re: update emaill
Hi Stuart,
....I am thoroughly enjoying all the stories regarding the
ranch ponies...and just to put my two cents in....London would take Vicki
any day!
Take care,
Andrea
- - - - -
From: Jim Kidd
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Tue, June 24, 2003 12:05 pm
Subject: Re: Welcomes and Ranch Responses
Hi every one. I have been reading all of the ranch camp responses. Does any
one remember Pebles Starbuck and Santana? Both were really great horses. I am
constantly reading the notes and thinking wow it's great to remember the
wonderful times and friends I had and made at Camp Kern.
Jim Kidd Ranch Camp 68-73
- - - - -
From: Bob Hunsaker
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Wed, June 25, 2003 9:20 pm
Subject: pebbles
Never thought I'd respond to any Ranch Camp notes but- - - I did ride the
horses while at regular camp in the 60's and very early seventies. And I do
remember the name Pebbles. I remember even better the name Jim Kidd - I thought it
was the coolest name for a "cowboy"!
Bob Hunsaker (camper 1960s, staff early seventies)
- - - - -
From: "Pat McClain"
To:
Date: Thu, June 26, 2003 10:27 am
Subject: RE: Welcomes, Birthdays, Responses
Ahhh I had forgotten about Pebbles, Starbuck, and Santana they were great
horses of the late 60's. Thanks for bring back those memories. Wasn't it
Pebbles that inflected some damage to one of the campers with a kick to the
head? Who was the camper ... anyone remember? Don't think we was hurt
badly but a lot of blood. Anyone out there remember the covered wagons we
slept in before they built the bunk house?
Pat McClain Camper 60's- 70's,Staff '72
- - - - -
From: Mary Kaye
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Thu, June 26, 2003 11:11 am
Subject: Re: Welcomes, Birthdays, Responses
I'll put in my two cents worth about the horses. Poncho was quite the man. He was
supposedly gelded, mounted everyone and even got one of the mares pregnant. Is his
baby still there?
Mary Kaye
- - - - -
From: Lynn (Arnold) Sparks
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Mon, June 30, 2003 8:45 am
Subject: Re: conestoga wagons
I remember the wagons; we parked one at Poppe farm and used it for
overnights. I had to talk a camper out of walking home to Cincinnati from there one
night when she found a tick in the wagon.
We also had one fixed up enough to drive, and I drove Roy & Roger to it a few
times. There were no brakes, and the tongue was too long to allow them to
stop the wagon as well as they should have. Fortunately, they behaved
themselves and we had no accidents.
Pebbles was a big buckskin as I recall. Santana was a deep red chestnut
Morgan who was repossed by the family who donated him, much to the dismay of the
ranch staff of the era who really liked him!
Does anyone remember when the dealer from Indiana (Leatherbury?) left us a
stallion who proceeded to go through all our fences and breed all our mares?
Lynn (Arnold) Sparks
- - - - -
From: JoEllen Mullins
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Tue, July 1, 2003 5:35 pm
Subject: Re: Welcomes, 1st Year of Girls Ranch, Responses
Stuart-
More Ranch staff names for 1994......
Brandt Keckler-Sr. Counselor/Instructor
Dave (Big Dave) Ebert-Sr. Counselor/Instructor
and Wrangler...Jennifer Klontz
I know I was Ranch staff but I for one am not at all inpatient with all the Ranch
memories,
those horses touched alot of lives, not only the campers but the staff as well. Even
the horses names I don't know, I can tell by the emails-they were just as special as
those I worked with for four years.
Vicki could take London but neither could take "MONTY" ask Ben Cabanas....Monty beat
both those plus Pabst & Concho.
Jo Mullins
- - - - -
From: Tami (Opferkuch) Kesling
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Wed, July 2, 2003 9:08 pm
Subject: Re: Lotsa Welcomes, Birthdays, Responses
In a message dated 7/2/2003 2:12:04 AM Eastern Standard Time,
stuart@friendsofkern.org writes:
> Does anyone remember when the dealer from Indiana (Leatherbury?) left us a
> stallion who proceeded to go through all our fences and breed all our mares?
Yes, I remember that animal, Lynn. And was he the same one about whom we
would get calls EARLY in the AM that he was on the road?
Tami (Opferkuch) Kesling
- - - - -
From: Tami (Opferkuch) Kesling
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Wed, July 2, 2003 9:12 pm
Subject: Re: Welcomes, Birthdays, Responses
Wow, Jim Kidd. I remember my "interview" with you one spring when there was
about a foot of muck in the old barnyard. You handed me a halter and told me
to go get a horse for you. I said sure and took one or two steps and the muck
sucked my boot right off my foot. I got the horse though. So good to hear
from you.
Tami (Opferkuch) Kesling
- - - - -
From: Lynn Arnold Sparks
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Fri, July 4, 2003 10:07 pm
Subject: Re: Leatherbury's stallion
Hi Tami..yes, I believe we dragged him and his harem off 350 more than once.
I was never so glad to see a gate replaced as that one from the pasture onto
the road--we never used it anyhow. I can recall being woken up very early one
Saturday morning after being up late with parent's program and the campers
who stayed over by someone outside the window calling out "The horses are out on
350!" I recall saying something totally inappropriate for the campers
sleeping in the same room with me--I hope they were still asleep enough not to
understand!
Camp stays fresh in my mind when we go to family camp. My son will be
doing his first week of ranch in another week, so I'll get to visit the
alumni tent. We also have an old camp mare (Jazz) that he rides here...I'll bet
she was a great beginner horse.
Lynn
- - - - -
From: Jim Kidd
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Sat, July 5, 2003 11:17 pm
Subject: Re: Leatherbury's stallion
Just for added information, Leatherbury's stallion didn't even belong to
Leatherbury. The horse belonged to his neighbor. The stallion got into Joe's
field with the horses Joe was sending to camp Kern and Joe just loaded him up
and sent him along because he didn't have the number of horses he had promised.
He also sent two horses that he had worked on the week before. He didn't do
the correct procedure.So we had so we had two very sick horses. The vet said we
wouldn't be able to use them at all that summer. Joe got mad when we called
to tell him we couldn't use the stallion or the horses he had personally done
the vet work on. He came and got all of his horses. So we ended up getting
horses from so trader near Camp Kern. Some of those were winners also. Those
stories to be told at Ranch reunion. Jim Kidd
- - - - -
From: Tami (Opferkuch) Kesling
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Mon, July 7, 2003 8:41 pm
Subject: Re: Leatherbury's stallion
Nice to hear from you Lynn. We have gone back to Camp several times but
usually no one is around. Can't believe how far things have come since we were
there. Truly amazing. Never could get our younger daughter to go there as at
the time she was learning saddle seat and had no interest in any other style of
riding. She was very good at it though, then lost interest.
We will be doing some riding this summer and I will suffer dearly but enjoy
every minute of it.
It is great to see everyone's name from camp, brings back so many memories!
Tami
- - - - -
From: Tami (Opferkuch) Kesling
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Mon, July 7, 2003 8:44 pm
Subject: Re: Leatherbury's stallion
I have a picture of Bob Kesling (now my spouse) on Notion the black quarter
horse I usually rode. And I was glad someone remembered Peaches the very fat
pony who probably could have gone the rest of his life without eating another
thing!
And what about the horse that spooked returning from a trail ride and jumped
the old barnyard fense and severely injured one of our campers. Not a
pleasant memory but wondered if anyone knows how the camper is doing? and what
became of the horse?
Tami
- - - - -
From: "Craig Jolley"
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Tue, July 8, 2003 7:47 am
Subject: Re: More Alumni Stuff!
> And what about the horse that spooked returning from a trail ride...
The horse in question was A.J., the former steeplechase thoroughbred.
A.J. was as gentle as a mouse (one time I even laid down under his back
feet to show this to a camper who was afraid to come into the barn when
he was around) but he sure loved to run!
I remember that day well...as a CIT for Boy's Ranch at the time (before
they integrated the staff) we were at the bottom of the hill baling hay
during the Girls Ranch program and heard the sirens of the ambulence.
Found out later in the day what happened from some very shaken Girls
Ranch staff.
At one point I had heard that the girl involved in the accident had had
brain damage and was going through therapy but don't know what
ultimately happened to her.
A.J. became an exclusive staff horse for years afterward, despite his
basketball sized knee which was a result of the injury. Sadly, when the
lawsuit the parents filed was completed one of the provisions of the
agreement was that A.J. was put down. I guess I can understand the
parent's feelings but he was a very gentle horse and I was sad to hear
that he was gone.
- - - - -
From: Lynn Arnold Sparks
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Tue, July 8, 2003 1:55 pm
Subject: Re: camper injury on trail ride
Tami,
The horse that jumped the gate was AJ (short for Ajax, but we had an
Ajax). I was at the back of the trail ride. The horse became sound enough again
to ride after a bad knee injury but was eventually sold because he was
relatively useless for main camp trail rides and most staff members didn't want to
ride him either.
I still have Caspian, BR's colt, and we trail ride regularly for up to a
week at a time. I finally got the grey Arab I always wanted--she's 15 now
(Caspian's 25). My son enjoys trail riding--western--and we will see what he
makes of camp life next week! I'm not sure he believes me that he may have to
work a little harder at learning control a camp horse than our privately owned
ones.
Let me know if you're ever in North Central Ohio--if we can time it
right, we can go trail riding! I've took Emily (Landis) Dennis riding a few times
this spring and her boys rode our ex-ranch horse Jazz Sunday.
Lynn Arnold Sparks
- - - - -
From: Laura Huffman
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Tue, July 8, 2003 4:42 pm
Subject: Re: More Alumni Stuff!
> And what about the horse that spooked returning from a trail ride...
The horse was named AJ and he remained at camp for several years beyond the
accident. A big white horse. He needed quite a bit of medical attention as the
barbwire fencing cut deeply most of the way down one of his legs. I believe he
later became a staff horse, as no one else was allowed to ride him for liability
reasons.
I recall later being interviewed at my house by an investigator (for the attorneys
or the insurance company?) My very dim recollection was that she was either
paralyzed or otherwise very seriously injured and not expected to recover. That
may not be correct as is recalled from close to 30 yrs ago.... Very, very sad.
Laura Huffman
- - - - -
From: Tami (Opferkuch) Kesling
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Wed, July 9, 2003 8:07 am
Subject: Re: Lotsa Responses
AJ and the accident was certainly a dark cloud on ranch camp for a while.
But really the only really serious accident as far as I know which is remarkable
and speaks well for all the staff.
Thanks for the responses. I do remember the girl (a shame I don't remember
her name) had permanent short term memory loss and that was a few years after
the accident.
Tami
- - - - -
From: "Ted Hopple"
To:
Date: Thu, August 7, 2003 12:44 pm
Subject: Question??????????
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stuart,
.... while we had a brief discussion about all the "ranch camp" trivia that has
recently consumed our cyberspace I forgot to mention this probably unknown fact. I
dropped our of OSU for a quarter (Spring 1963) to work at camp prior to the regular
summer camping season. Why? I don't know probably stupidity or maybe I just loved
to be there. Worked mostly with Bud. Well it was then that I kept nudging Jack to
consider using the land and barn adjacent to Pioneer Village as a ranch camp. I
actually ended up picking up the first five horses from all over the state in that
fab '57 Chevy Camp station wagon with of course the requisite horse trailer. Had we
not done that I am not sure we would have had the pleasure of Gary Wilkinson and all
of those that followed. Hay or I'm sorry hey, trivia is trivia.
Ted
- - - - -
From: "P. Knoop Miller"
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Date: Mon, August 18, 2003 6:32 pm
Subject: RE: More Ranch horses...
Stuart,
I have to weigh in on the ranch horse memories.... First, I have to back Doug, Terry
and Matt on the Vicki-London debate. Vicki was the fastest every time/anytime I
saw her go! And I remember a trail ride on Happy Hoofer (with Mike Morrison on
Vicki) where Hoofer bolted around the lake and back to the barn...Vicki thought it
was a race and left us in the dust.
My favorite was Bay Fortune and I remember many round-ups where I was lucky enough
to get him for the weekend. I also remember a round-up on Lacey, who bucked every
time I asked for her right lead. And another on Cadet, who I know Jeff loved
dearly, but who bucked (more like catapulted) every rider who sat on him the entire
round-up. Then there is Tammi - who I got for an Advanced week right out of the
"counselor field." She was pretty green and so I rode Lance for the bareback
lessons. While cantering, he bolted and round-and-round we went. Janni swore that
if I just said "whoa," he would stop. When we did finally stop (after MANY
circles), I learned that he had bolted on a trail ride the week before and jumped a
gate, so they were just happy that he hadn't taken me over the fence!
Cinders was awesome for the camp shows - especially the magazine race and others
similar because you could swing up and barely be on and she would be off for the
finish line. And Uno gets credit just for hanging in there after the lightning
strikes. I saw him fall off the bridge on that trail ride with Terry and we all
thought he was gone...only to find him in the creek under the bridge taking a long
drink. That horse must have nine lives!
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Patti (Knoop) Miller
Charlotte, NC
ranch camper 87-88
PS. My favorite camp song was "Today" - and I always thought it was about the pony,
Blossom. "Today while the blossom still clings to the vine..."
- - - - -
From: Angela Ostholthoff
Date: Mon, October 18, 2004 3:59 pm
To: stwmd@stwmd.net
I smile and laugh as I look at the website, the list of Ranch Camp Horses. It brings
back so many great memories. I was a camper from 88 to 92, worked at the barn,
adopted many horses, and many other things. I still have bags full of ribbons from
the horse show and of course all the pictures from the many years of being there....
.... By the way, two horses that I didn't see were Amy and
Charlie. Everyone should remember Amy. She made constant noises from her
behind.... Also, Hasty, the horse that you couldn't ride with group
becuase she would kick at anyone that came near her.
Angela Ostholthoff
- - - - -
From: "JoEllen Mullins"
Subject: Re: [FOK] Weekly-ish News
Date: Tue, October 26, 2004 8:34 am
To: friends@friendsofkern.org
Angela-
Hasty was sold because of her kicking problem went to a home with no other
horses-just to be spoiled and be a pet...Charlie passed away at camp during a
session in the 350 field...may tears were shed for him. I don't remember Amy are
sure it wasn't Tammy you were thinking of? JoEllen (Pease) Mullins
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