Letter from the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Equestrian Lifestyle Equestrian Lifestyle Hacienda Gualcala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Do You Really Want to Own a Horse?. . . . . . .20 Ocala Entertainment Complex . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Juliana’s Journey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Not Just for Cowboys Anymore . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..38
Breed of the Month Breed of the Month Featured Story: Resorte III .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 The Paso Fino Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 The Besilu Collection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 “My Obsession With Paso Fino Horses” . . . . . . . 62
Arts & Entertainment Arts & Entertainment Featured Artist: Ricardo Morales Hendry . . . . . . 67 A Profile of Cheri Prill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Legends: Wyatt Earp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Top 10 Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Ocala Author, Trishia Gibson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Absolute Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Nutirition & Health Nutirition & Health Absolute Health: Forages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Homeopathic Remedies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Preventing Heaves in Horses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Pennfield Feeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 The Key to Fluid Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Travel & Leisure Travel & Leisure Polo: The Game of Kings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Traveling to Colombia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Absolute Travel: Guest Ranches . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 146 Treats For Your Horse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Absolute-ly Delicious Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Coming Next Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160 Horse Myths and Facts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
ON THE COVER Painting by
Ricardo Morales Hendry
Absolute Equestrian Magazine is pleased to be the first publication to share the “true story” told by Rafael Rivera, the person who actually contributed his part to the history of the American Paso Fino Breed. Resorte III: Page 42 Ricardo Morales Hendry: Page 67
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Championship Golf Course
The Clubhouse at Golden Ocala
She’s found her forever home in Florida . . . for the time of your life
T
he time of your life awaits you in a home you will want to live in forever at Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club. This extraordinary enclave of elegant, world-class residences is for the truly discriminating. Nestled within the pastoral splendor of Ocala’s famed horse country, Golden Ocala offers superior equestrian facilities and a private country club with all the accoutrements you demand: • Two outdoor arenas and riding field. • Miles of scenic bridle trails. • Quality living quarters with 14’ x 14’ stalls. • Daily turnout and on-site management. • Private Country Club with 77,000-square-foot Clubhouse. • Championship golf course with 8 tribute holes. • 17,000-square-foot Spa, Tennis Club and Fitness Center. • Award-winning restaurants and banquet facilities.
• GOLF & EQUESTRIAN CLUB •
O CA L A , F L O R I DA www.GoldenOcala.com Golf Homes from the $600s Custom Homes from $1 million
800-251-7674 • 352-369-6969
VISIT GOLDEN OCALA GOLF & EQUESTRIAN CLUB AND DISCOVER YOUR FOREVER HOME IN FLORIDA. PLEASE INQUIRE ABOUT OUR DISCOVERY STAY PACKAGE. 60 minutes from Orlando, 90 minutes from Tampa. I-75 to Exit 354, then north on US 27 for 5 miles. The entrance to Golden Ocala is on the left.
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in Ocala, FL
Benefit for
February 27 2010
tickets available in January information: 352-732-7300
Marion Therapeutic Riding Association (MTRA) is a Premier Accredited therapeutic horseback and carriage riding organization for individuals of all ages challenged by physical, mental or emotional disabilities. Contributions and volunteers are always deeply appreciated. www.mtraocala.org 352-732-7300
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My Obsession with Paso Fino Horses By: Kay Chiappetta
My life with horses did not begin with Paso Finos, but with a mix of quarter horses, appaloosas, and even a thoroughbred, in the middle of 2000 acres, in Wisconsin, where my parents raised cranberries. I used to spend all the time I could with the Parker family, who lived a couple miles away, and had constantly changing numbers and breeds of horses. Back then, horses were regularly sold for meat to feed animals used for the fur market, such as foxes and mink. There were collection points where people could go and buy the horses before they were hauled to market. I was only six years old when I fell off one of these and broke my arm. My parents told me I could never ride another horse! After finding excuses to visit my friend Norma, a daughter of the Parker family, a few years went by and I was finally allowed to own a horse of my own. She was a pinto, pony and horse mix, about the size of a Paso Fino, and I bought with my life savings of $50. She became very barn sour and mean because I thought that if I was sweet and kind to her, she would be nice to me – yeah, sure! My parents thought I would get caught and dragged to death in a stirrup so I rode her bareback. I regularly got bucked off but usually could keep one of the reins in order to keep her from running back home and scaring them. After her, I had a series of horses during the next few years - some good, some bad. An old gentleman, who worked for my Dad, told me I needed a “good single-footer.” I would agree, but had no idea what he was talking about at that time (and didn’t want to seem dumb and ask). Many years later I went to Phoenix, Arizona with my husband, on his business trip. Rather than stay in the hotel, I went to watch an Arabian Horse Show. At intermission, they demonstrated Peruvian Pasos and let anyone interested ride on one of their horses. Of course I was the first person in line and was amazed at the smooth ride compared to the trotting horses I had known.
Suddenly I remembered and knew what I had been told about needing “a single-footer!” At that time, we still lived in Wisconsin, where there were few, if any, Peruvians. But I came upon the “American Paso Fino,” a mixture of Puerto Rican and Colombian bloodlines. We bought a couple trail horses to ride and, wanting to learn more, we attended a show – that’s when I became obsessed! We bought a 15-month-old Paso Fino colt, sired by a horse owned by Tom and Mary Uelsmann. Gradually, I became acquainted with Bud and Margie Magnus, further north in Wisconsin and Rufo Figueroa , who was their very young horse trainer. We went to more shows and met many of the people involved with the breed, at that time, such as Mary Wadsworth, George LaHood, Ray Gillis, Rosalie Macwilliams, Angel Usategui, the Figueroas and many more. Gradually, we sold the first horses we owned, replacing them with better animals, as we learned to tell the difference. Before there was artificial insemination, we would haul the horses across the country to breed mares and then later were some of the early users of artificial insemination, in order to have access to top stallions, including some from Colombia. Over the years I became involved in the national association and was elected to serve as Secretary, Vice-President, President, then served on the Board of Directors. Without realizing it, my life had become committed to furthering the Paso Fino breed in the United States. As a breed, we have grown, but not nearly to the extent that we should have, by now. Many people have never heard of Paso Finos. Very few have actually encountered one, at least in regions north of Atlanta, Georgia. This breed of horse is so incredibly smooth and smart and possesses endless endurance. They are ideal for anyone would like to ride and not be stiff and sore the next day, due to the natural four-beat gait (singlefoot movement) they are born with. Their small size, 13.1 to 15 hands, allows easy mounting and dismounting. My life, with these horses, has given me countless experiences to visit many countries over the past 30 years, attending shows in Colombia, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. I’ve met so many wonderful, talented people and beautiful horses. I have been able to judge and/ or give clinics in Germany, Austria and Brazil, bringing back new ideas from people I’ve met during those visits. To illustrate the range of these horses, I recently received word from a friend in Canada who had recognized a horse, with our “QC” suffix, on a YouTube video. It was a horse that we bred and trained, then sold to Germany, who later sold him to the United Kingdom, where he won the Gaited Horse Dressage Competition. We have lived in Kentucky for about 25 years and although there are many more paso finos here than in Wisconsin, we are vastly outnumbered by saddlebreds, Tennessee
walkers and Rocky mountain horses. The well-known saddlebred, like the Paso Fino, is exciting to watch. Both have lots of brio and tremendous hock-action but the saddlebred is much larger than the Paso. Some saddlebreds are trained to do a four-beat gait, although it is not natural, as is the Paso Fino’s. The bloodlines, at Quinta Chiappetta, are all of Colombian origin, directly and indirectly. We breed to the market that wants a larger Paso Fino, with a lot of action, front and back. Our careful breeding program has produced about 150 foals and we’ve trained and shown many more. Our training caters to the amateur own owner because, in the United States, most owners want to be involved with and ride their own horse. Some prefer trail riding to the show ring, but others will do both. Those who show, usually bring their horses to us for Spring training, to get ready for the show season that starts in April, in our area. Ricky Mendoza has been the trainer at Quinta Chiappetta for the past16 years, so we offer a consistent way of training and usually take about 12 to 15 horses to Nationals, both hon ours and other owners. This year, we were honored when Ricky was voted “Trainer of The Year” by the other trainers at the National Show. We have a daughter and a granddaughter that have ridden since they were four or five years old and still ride and show today. Catherine, our youngest daughter, attends Texas Wesleyan University, in pursuit of her Masters Degree in Nurse Anesthetist. Her only vacation, in the past three years, was last month during the week-long Paso Fino National Show in Perry, Georgia. It’s obvious where her obsession is also! The horses have given our family a wonderful opportunity to meet and get to know so many terrific people. My husband was not an animal person when we met. Now he says he “feels sorry for people who don’t have and love animals.” It is such a shame that one of these marvelous Paso Fino horses isn’t owned by every horse person. I hope to be able to continue providing a service where people can experience these incredible horses for a long time. Kay Chiappetta co-owns Quinta Chiappetta with her husband, Charles “Chips.” Quinta Chiappetta is located in Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA and generally has between 30 and 50 horses at their facility. They welcome questions and enjoy visits from the novice to the experienced horse person. Please visit their website: www.QCPasoFinos.com. Send email to info@QCPasoFinos.com or call 502-741-8211.
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Featured Artist
RENOWNED ARTIST
“I have worked in many capacities throughout my life: college art instructor, corporate graphic designer, art director, and quite a few other commercial jobs, but my greatest satisfaction has been the one I feel when doing horse and pet portraits.”
RICARDO MORALES HENDRY
M
y first contact with equine and sporting art came while living in England during the early seventies. At the time I was living in a fox hunt area (Oxfordshire), and meeting society people which were all very knowledgeable about horses and owned beautiful horse paintings. I was so impressed that I began researching about these great British painters from the 17th century on, among them, Alken, Ferneley, Herring, Stubbs and Munnings. Their extraordinary work estab-
lished a field of painting on its own right, and from there on I dedicated great part, if not most of my painting endeavors to portraying these beautiful animals. (continued on onpage page152) ...continued
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TOP TEN
vorite a F ABSOLUTE
TOP TEN
FAVORITE
FAMILY MOVIES
M ovi es
Racing St ripes
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When you start watching Racing Stripes, you may not be prepared for how unbelievably cute a young zebra is. --Bret Fetzer (Amazon.com)
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Nat ional Velvet
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Flicka
Can a wild horse with a bad attitude and a not-quite-wild but pretty darn sullen teenage girl with a bad attitude be the best things that ever happened to each other? --A.T. Hurley (Amazon.com)
This classic family film made a star of 12-yearold Elizabeth Taylor in the title role as spunky Velvet Brown, a girl who’s determined to enter her horse, Pie, in the Grand National Steeplechase. --Jim Emerson (Amazon.com)
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Dreamer: Inspired by a True St ory
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The title is a mouthful, but Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story hits the winner’s circle as a warm and inspiring family film. --David Horiuchi (Amazon.com)
Hidalgo
Director Joe Johnston has always had an entertaining sense of adventure, and with Hidalgo he proves it in spades. --Jeff Shannon (Amazon.com)
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Black Beaut y
A spectacular adaptation of the Anna Sewell novel, this is faithful to the source material but creates a life of its own on the screen. --Rochelle O’Gorman (Amazon.com)
Spirit: St allion of t he Cimarron
Horse lovers young and old will celebrate this utterly enjoyable and marvelouslooking animated film. --Doug Thomas (Amazon.com)
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The Horse Whisperer
The film takes all the time it needs to let its characters heal and make their important decisions, and that alone makes it a refreshing alternative to the frantic pace of most big-studio productions. --Jeff Shannon (Amazon.com)
Seabiscuit
Proving that truth is often greater than fiction, the handsome production of Seabiscuit offers a healthy alternative to Hollywood’s staple diet of mayhem. --Jeff Shannon (Amazon.com)
The Black St allion
Adapted from the beloved novel by Walter Farley, this 1979 family classic was hailed by no less than hard-to-please critic Pauline Kael, who wrote that “it may be the greatest children’s movie ever made.” --Jeff Shannon
You can win all of the movies shown here! See the details on page
to find out more!
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a b s oTravel lut Guest Ranches hether you’re an experienced horseback rider or you’ve never been on a horse before, there’s a horseback riding adventure waiting for you. Are you looking for a dude ranch for you and the kids, or a romantic getaway for you and your significant other? Here are some locations you could look into.
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On first look a guest ranch vacation looks expensive, but if you add up all the horseback riding, fantastic meals, singing around the campfire, swimming, hiking, and good times, you’ll soon realize that an all-inclusive guest ranch vacation is a great deal and it will bring with it some very fond memories. 1. Paradise Guest Ranch 282 Hunter Creek Rd, Buffalo, WY 82834 307.684.7876 www.paradisereanch.com FUN is our brand and our rustic elegance & unparalleled wilderness beauty make us true to our name. Find out why we are one of the best family vacation values anywhere. 2. Wind Walker Guest Ranch 11550 Pigeon Hollow Rd, Spring City UT 84662 888.606.9463 www.windwalker.org Uparalleled western hospitality, first-class lodging, homecooked food, breathtaking landscapes… Wind Walker Ranch is a Utah dude ranch that is family-owned and operated. Located in Spring City, Utah it is a sanctuary buffered from worldly cares, where the heart and soul of the American West is a part of each day. In this ancient land where time slows down amidst the juniper trees of the high desert, your spirit will be invigorated and renewed. 3. Dixie Dude Ranch 833 Dixie Dude Ranch Rd, Bandera TX 78003 830.796.4481 www.dixieduderanch.com
For more than half a century, spending time at Dixie Dude Ranch in Bandera Texas has been a tradition for visitors from all over the world who are looking for that perfect western getaway to unwind, relax, and put the stress of everyday life on hold. The ranch retreat, nestled in the spectacular Texas Hill Country, continues to adhere to its original purpose – a real working ranch where longhorn cattle, cashmere goats, and pigs are raised – where real cowboys work the horses and compete in rodeos, and where the meals are always home coked. When we tell a guest “This is your home on the range,” we mean it. 4. Greenhorn Creek Guest Ranch 2116 Greenhorn Ranch Road, Quincy, CA 95971 800.334.6939 www.greenhornranch.com Greenhorn Creek Guest Ranch has been a vacation getaway since 1962. Offering generations of families who want a dude ranch vacation that includes something to do for everyone in the whole family is very important to us. We are located near the Feather River Canyon in the beautiful High Sierra Mountains of Plumas County. While at our California Guest Ranch, you can swim in our heated swimming pool, race frogs, do some fly fishing, and participate in our rodeo games. 5. River’s Bend Guest Ranch 397 Riversbend Road, Stanley, VA 22851 800.672.7726 www.riversbendranch.com Rivers Bend Guest Ranch has a room with a beautiful view waiting for you. It’s a great time to plan your dude ranch vacation in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. From trial rides, fishing, antique shopping, site seeing, or just relaxing, we’ve got a dude ranch style package for you. Our accommodations for groups are some of the best in the valley. Call now to reserve your lodging at one of Virginia’s most beautiful guest ranches. 6. Elkhorn Dude Ranch 27000 W Elkhorn Rd, Tucson, AZ 520.822.1040 About fifty miles southwest of Tucson, you will find Elkhorn Ranch
nestled in secluded Sabino Canyon. Originally part of the Otero cattle ranch, Elkhorn is now a guest ranch offering unexcelled horseback riding and comfortable living for around thirty-two guests. The third generation of the Miller family and their crew can provide the care you need to enjoy friendship, rest, quiet, and adventure around the ranch and on miles of mountain and desert trails.
Travel Leisure
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7. Smoke Rise Ranch 6751 Hunterdon Rd, Glouster, OH 45732 740.767.2624 www.smokeriseranch.com Nestled in the rolling hills of Southeastern Ohio is Smoke Rise Ranch Resort. The resort is a working cattle ranch that offers guests an opportunity to experience the adventures of the west, not so far from home. Whether you refer to be a pert of the action with cattle drives, team penning, cow cutting and guided trail rides, or to ride at your leisure, Smoke Rise is sure to give you a taste of the old west and the famed cowboy lifestyle. 8. Westgate River Ranch Westgate River Ranch Resort Blvd, River Ranch, FL 33867 866.438.2507 Enjoy an authentic “Dude Ranch” experience while relaxing in luxurious, western-style accommodations at Westgate River Ranch. Surrounded by 100,000 acres of protected wildlife preserve, Westgate River Ranch is a 1,700-acre ponderosa of winding trails, pristine waters, and more!
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With such a rich history, Spain deserves more than a passing interest when it comes to experiencing the rich equestrian flavor. Spain is steeped in equine history and the rich cultural heritage includes everything from dance to food to nature; horses play an enormous role in the culture and history of the country. The Spanish horses are loved and treasured by the people and are thoroughly enjoyed in many aspects. Whether it is taking a casual ride through the breath-taking landscape, experiencing the back trails on a guided tour, or getting lost in the natural feel of the land, Spain has what the horse lover is looking for.
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Andalusian horses are the breed of royalty. In this issue, learn about the history of the breed and how they fit in today’s world.
Spanish Barbs, Spanish Mustangs, Spanish Jennets, and Paso Finos are just some of the famed breeds that have their roots in this rich culture. For the horse veteran and beginner, Spain has everything you are looking for, whether it is a holiday visit, a week –long horse trail through the mountains, or a place to find the horse of your dreams. So grab your passport, book your flight, and check it out for yourself!
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