Hidden Trails Stables

Henry

2012-01-21T10:38:00.003-05:00

Here is Henry, one of my youngest horses, born here on our place in 2006. He is the last foal from Midnight, and Spot's half-brother. Henry doesn't have the height like Spot, but he has the beautiful gait and willingness to go. I don't think Henry ever gets tired. He has been a challenge to train, since he discovered that if he bucked before the saddle was completely cinched, it would come off, and if he ran, he wouldn't get resaddled. Lots of little steps had to be taken with Henry to get him to finally accept the saddle. We took Henry to the stables when he was three and put him in the stall where he could watch all the other horses getting saddled, which helped him realize that being saddled wasn't so scary. We also put his saddle right in the hay manger, so he had to eat around it, and understand that the saddle wouldn't eat him! Horses are so funny sometimes. They are so large, but so afraid of little things. It amazes me that horses look to us for reassurance and to keep them safe. Just another reason why I love them so much!

Brandie and Dia

2012-01-10T09:04:00.002-05:00

Today I will introduce you to Brandie and Dia. These horses aren't really mine, but I've taken care of them for about 8 years now. They belong to a friend of mine who used to live behind us. Ruth was in her late 70's when she asked me to "adopt" her horses. Brandie and Dia are sisters, and pure quarter horses. Dia is the older of the two--this year she turns--wait a minute, I've got to check her record--do the math--she'll be 27 in April! That means Brandie turns 26! Both are gentle, sweet horses with wonderful personalities. Brandie tends to walk slower on the trail, unless she has an incentive to go faster--like when the stables come into view. Both horses are great for children, because they are mild mannered and well behaved. Dia is the bay, with black stockings, black mane and tail. Brandie is what I call sorrel, but I've heard other people call her color chestnut--whichever, she's all one color. These pictures were taken in the fall, so you can see that their coats are starting to lengthen and get thicker to keep them warm in the winter. All my horses are turned out 24/7 which is how I would want to be if I were a horse. Dia and Brandie do have special diets since they are older.

2012-01-09T11:43:00.005-05:00

Hello 2012!! Actually, I'm nine days late--where did the time go??

I'm looking forward for the new season to begin. There has already been a request for reservations for trail riding the first weekend of April. That always makes me happy. Of course, there is a lot of work to be done before we open the stable doors for another season. Lots of cleaning to do: the saddles, bridles, halters, breastcollars, girths, saddle pads, boots....the list goes on. And then there are the trails to consider---wonder what Mother Nature destroyed this winter? And, of course, the horses. We have been keeping their feet trimmed religiously and grooming them when the weather allows. Their coats are long and shaggy right now--good insulation for the cold days, but almost too much for some of the warmer days we've had this winter. They are looking fat and sassy right now. The horses know they are on vacation. I need to get my camera out and start adding pictures of the rest of the herd.

We lost one of our older mares in November--so heartbreaking, but then, we knew it would happen sooner or later. I never did know how old Ginger was when she first came to the stables, but I know she's been there all eighteen years I've been there. We will miss her. She was the first horse to go barefoot at the stables, and because of her, all the horses are now barefoot. She taught us a lot.

Coco

2011-05-05T07:27:00.000-04:00

I'm looking at the pictures I've already posted. I'm going to need to get new ones, since all the horses are so woolly from winter. They are in the process of shedding--which means I've eaten a lot of hair! But, they do look much different in the summer, with short hair. Still beautiful, with less hair!

Today's picture is of Coco. She is another favorite of many children. She only stands 14.1 hands, which is a wonderful size for children, and adults who don't like to be too high off the ground. My granddaughter, Mireya, has claimed Coco as "her" horse, and she does take good care of her, picking her feet out and brushing her every chance she gets.

Coco has been at the stables since almost as long as I've been there. I can't remember if her first year was 1993 or 1994, but she has always had the same calm, quiet temperament. She never gets excited. The first time I ever saw her run under saddle was when my oldest son used her to round up the horses one afternoon. She was having fun!! And, even though she is small in stature, she holds her own in the herd--she is actually one of the alpha mares--nobody messes with her!

I've included the picture of Coco from last spring, after Coco had shed her winter coat. You can see that she has a good bit of dark coloring in her coat, which was the first time that had ever happened. I had changed her diet by balancing her minerals, and it made a huge difference in her coloring. I was amazed that the right ratio of minerals would make such an impact, not only in her coat, but also in the condition of her hooves. I had taken a class on nutrition for horses by Dr. Eleanor Kellon, and used what I had learned. All the horses showed dramatic improvement in their health. It was well worth my time.

Nugget

2011-04-20T09:08:00.000-04:00

The "golden boy"--Nugget. Actually, he belongs to my son, Josh, and he's been at the stables since he was two. We met Nugget in the summer of 1994 and became his owner that same summer. Seems Nugget was a nervous little colt and when the son of his former owner opened the stall door suddenly and ran inside the stall, Nugget kicked him, as any startled horse would do. Well, Nugget was headed for the auction. I bought him that day and gave him to Josh as a Christmas present. Best present ever, I think. Josh had always wanted a horse since he could walk and talk and now he had his very own. Nugget has matured into a beautiful horse with a sweet nature and willing attitude. He is the best round-up horse ever. He is a quarter horse, so not as smooth riding as the walking horses, but he has a huge heart and will go wherever we ask him to. When we take the horses to the pasture in the evening, Nugget is one of the horses we use to keep them in a herd, or to get any stragglers. I think he might have made a good cutting horse, if we ever had the need for one.

Rascal

2011-04-12T19:48:00.000-04:00

I bought Rascal as a 3 year old on February 14, 2004. He is a "Walka-Loosa"--half Spotted Walking Horse, half Appaloosa. His original name was Curly, but since we cannot tame his mane, he earned the name Rascal. He started working at the stables the summer of 2004, and has become a favorite. He is a very willing, hard working horse and has a sweet temperament. Rascal is one of the "younger" horses, although, as I write this, I realize he is now 10 years old! Time flies when you have fun, I guess.

Nutmeg

2011-04-03T20:12:00.000-04:00

Here's Nutmeg. I'm not sure how he got his name, but I'm guessing it's from his coloring. He is a Missouri Fox Trotter by breed, strawberry roan in color. He's been in our line of trail horses since 1994. I have no idea how old he is, but I figure late teens, early 20's. He is one smooth riding horse. He has an interesting personality. When on a trail ride, if events aren't to his liking, he'll liven them up by nipping the butt of the horse in front of him. When I holler at him, he has the most innocent look on his face, as if to say, "Who, me???" Gotta love him.

We just finished trimming his feet today, so I think he's feeling pretty spiffy with his new pedicure. Our horses are all barefoot and need to be trimmed about every 4 weeks. My daughter-in-law, Angie, and I do the trimming. It keeps us busy and I'd have to say, flexible. But, it's rewarding work, especially when we see changes in the horses feet that we know come from being barefoot.

2011-03-27T15:38:00.000-04:00

Say hello to Moonshine! He is another Spotted Walking horse and this year he'll be 19 years old. He's been with us since 1998, first as a guide horse, and now as an "almost anyone can ride" horse. He loves to eat, and sometimes he forgets that when he's working as a trail horse, he's not supposed to graze. I can't blame him. It's hard to see all that grass along the trails and not want to do a little trimming now and then. Moonshine has a very sweet nature, calm and tolerant. And he's smart. I can take him on a trail one time and he'll remember the directions better than I do. When Moonshine first became my horse, I was "test riding" him on a trail behind our house. We had to cross a creek and turn sharply left, which I forgot and tried to steer Moonshine in another direction. He resisted, wanting to go left. That's when I fell in love with him. He would take care of me, and keep me from getting lost.

Meet the horses

2011-03-24T09:00:00.000-04:00

I've had this blog for almost 4 years now, and never knew exactly what to say. My sister, Sue, has had a blog for a long time and hers is full of interesting information and tidbits. So, I asked her how to go about writing my blog and she said "Talk about your horses." Well, that's easy. I can do that forever. Trouble is, will anyone want to listen?? We'll see...

I'm going to start with introductions to the horses at Hidden Trails Stables. And, I'll start with the gorgeous black and white horse shown here. His name is Spot and this year he will be 17 years old. Hard to believe!! He is the very first horse my husband and I raised from a baby. So many mistakes!! But, he survived and we learned and he is a wonderful horse. We started riding him when he was two and brought him to the stables when he was three. I'll never forget those first trail rides with him. I was so nervous when I rode him, I know he could sense it. I learned from my mistakes and he has matured into a 16 hand cadillac--smoothest riding Spotted Walking horse ever. He is a pleasure to ride. He has taught me a lot--as have all the horses. Seems they are mirrors to ourselves. Whatever emotions we bring to them, they will project back to us. Good lessons to remember!!

2007-07-29T11:07:00.000-04:00

Hidden Trails Stables is located in Lost River State Park in Mathias, WV. We are a family-oriented facility striving to make your horseback riding experience safe and fun for everyone. All trail rides are guided at a walking pace only so you can fully enjoy the beautiful scenery of the mountains.