Heart of the City:

(Take Heart [ASHA] X Bint Amaryz)

1998, Grey Mare

Citygirl, as we call her, is a Half Arabian mare. She has been a part of our family since 2003. Citygirl came to us from the Salem Ranch. Gene Reichart called me and asked if I would take a look at this mare that he was bringing home from a donor in Michigan. Gene had said, “She was really common headed and of average substance.” In the show arena, that would mean a not so pretty horse. When we arrived to see her, Gene walked us out to the barn and there she was…Head hanging over the stall door. I told Gene, “I thought you said she was common headed?” He said, “ No, I said really common head!”  We took her home and started to work her. I called the donor to find out just what had been done with her, and I was told that she was their 4-H horse project. The kids had broke her to saddle and had done a lot of arena work.  When I was told this, I knew I had possibly struck a vein of gold. The mare went straight to work as a trail horse.  The more I rode her, the more I knew that she could make a driving horse. She has won numerous Competitive Trail Drives and has been ridden in Competitive & Endurance Trail Rides. Citygirl has also won a Top 5 award for Arabian Horse Association Region 11 Competitive Trail Ride and was the Champion Pair Driving in 2008 and Champion Singles Trail Driving Horse in 2009 for Upper Midwest Endurance & Competitive Rides Association and Midwest Distance Driving Association.  This “really common headed” mare has proven that looks are not as important as attitude and performance! Citygirl is as good as gold.

Precious Legacy:

(Cognacs Diplomat X Toni)

1998, Grey Gelding

Precious Legacy, aka Junior, was born late one night on our farm and raised by us. His mother, Toni, was a grade paint mare.  Toni had foaled four babies, and at the age of twenty-six, we had thoughts of getting just one more if she would still settle. At that time we owned a Purebred Arabian stallion, Cognacs Diplomat.  We pasture bred that year and were successful. Toni had taught the kids and the grandkids how to ride, and we knew that this foal would be just as special.  What we did not know was that Junior would be replacing his sire. The year we bred Toni, Cognac passed away.  Junior was broke to the saddle and to drive as a three year old. He was an easygoing colt, a lot like his mother, and with the looks of his father. Junior’s job was going to be like his mother’s - just a good horse to teach the kids how to trail ride.  Later, I started using him for competitive distance driving as a pair and then as a single.  Junior still continues his duties of teaching grandkids how to ride.

Junior and Val

Heart of Valparaiso:

(Magnum Force X Heart of the City)

2007, Bay Mare

Val, as we call her on the farm, is the first foal of Heart of the City. We bred for this foal to enhance what her mother did not have - a bit of pretty. Well, we got the best of everything. Good looks and her mother’s heart to work! Val is just getting started at life, with last year being her first year of work under harness and this year she will be under saddle. As a single she drives like her mother, Big and Bold! We hooked up Junior and Val together for our pair in 2010 and it worked well. Some people say  “you need a match pair.” We think that a matched pair is great, but you still need two horses that work well together, and these two are awesome! 

Salem Ranch:

Flanagan, IL

All of our carriage horses have one common factor within them…Salem Ranch!  Salem Ranch has been a part of our farm and we have purchased our distance riding horses from them for years. Precious Legacy’s sire, Cognac Diplomat, was purchased from Salem in 1996. Heart of the City was purchased in 2003. Heart of the City was bred to Magnum Force, a son of the great Magnum Psyche, both of which had been donated to Salem Ranch.  Salem is a private children’s home for “at risk” boys between the ages of 12-18. Their horse program is stellar and their use of the Arabian horse has been covered in print. The horse program helps teach these boys to deal with some of their problems as well as giving them skills for the future.  The Arabian horse is smart and sensible with personalities like that of humans. The bond these kids make with the horses of Salem Ranch is priceless!  Check out their web page.

www.Salem4Youth.com