PRST STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID OMAHA, NE PERMIT NO. 36
Volume VI, Statewide Issue 3
September 2012
Wall Lake family hitched to the love of horses After nearly 30 years, Belgians continue to be a passion for Determann family by Greg Forbes The first glance in the living room of their Wall Lake home tells a fair amount about the passion of the Determann family. Cabinets and shelves are lined with miniature horse figurines from around the world, and in a separate room, a mantle displays a horse team wagon complete with a replica horse hitch. The collection of wooden, ceramic and stone horses stems from the Determanns’ history as horse trainers. Glen Determann’s father sparked Glen’s passion for horses.
“My father lived in times when they used horses for farming,” Glen said. “So I’ve been around ponies and horses my whole life.” Glen, his wife, Janice, and his kids have raised blonde Belgian horses since 1983. “I chose Belgians because they are very docile and I like the color,” Glen said. While Glen’s father used horses in his farming career, Glen explained that land today is too expensive to farm with horses. However, every horse on the Determann ranch will or has farmed at some point. Glen sends his horses to an Amish farm where they break the horse by utilizing its strength and en-
ergy for daily farm operation purposes. Throughout the lifetime of the Belgian horse operation, the Determanns have raised and trained horses to pull wagons as part of a hitch team. Glen, his family and their Belgians have participated in parades all over the country, including the Circus Parade in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. One parade, in particular, sticks out in Glen’s mind. The Determanns were asked to drive a hitch in the Frontier Days Parade. Western singer Michael Martin Murphey was supposed to join the Determanns in the wagon and perform but declined because of the weather. So, Glen and members of his family would sing songs as they passed crowds. “Everybody thought it was actually him singing as we went by,” Glen said. Glen, now retired from the banking and insurance
business, has made horse breeding his full-time job. On an average day, he will leave his house in Wall Lake to tend to his horses and return to the house between 5 and 6 p.m. But even during his career, the horses would have Glen’s undivided attention on the weekends. His efforts as a breeder earned a few of his horses national recognition. “We breed our horses so they are top wherever they are at,” Glen stated. One horse from the Determann ranch, in particular, stands out among the rest. “Justin was the lead horse of the best hitch at the National Western Stock Show,” Glen said of the Belgian he raised and then sold when it was four years old. According to Glen, Justin had perfect size and form but intimidated trainers with his sometimes stubborn demeanor. Determann . . . Page 3
Glen Determann, of Wall Lake, shows the stallion he raised on the Determann Belgian ranch. The ranch does not exist for awards and money but as a way for the entire family to stay connected with each other. Photo by Greg Forbes