A Long, Long Time Ago...
This picture was taken at Skyline Stables in
Oakland about 1965. My best friend and I were
horse crazy girls who saved our pennies to
rent horses by the hour.
This very homely old buckskin mare named
June was my favorite. She was a nervous girl
who desperately wanted to please. Around me
she stayed calm and relaxed. I dreamed of
someday being able to own her.
But before I could buy her she died of a heart
attack from being ridden too hard by weekend
fools at the rental stable.
More about Rojalazan...
My First Foal...Spanish Siemon
out of Rojalazan by Tater Siemon (about 1977)
at Hawkins Stables, Palomares Canyon
near Castro Valley, California
Spanish DanSir and myself at a AQHA Pleasure Driving class at the
Grand National Horse Show (Cow Palace) in 1980.
Small and quick, driving Dansir was like driving a Maserati.
Our first stallion...Significant Skip
by Skippa Lark and out of Skipper's Slippers by Skipper's King
A linebred Skipper W (Weiskamp) stallion
My First Schoolmaster... Wimpy Bar Jo 1969 AQHA sorrel gelding
by Joak's Sugar Bar by Joak; out of Jo Jo Parks by Little Wimpy by Wimpy
669 AQHA perfomance points and 13 Halter Points
Unfortunately, my only picture of Jo. I was able to purchase him only because his previous owner had
foundered him and rotated his coffin bones. By careful babying, special feed and specialized farrier care
we were able to bring him back to gentle use. This horse taught me more than I could absorb.
Unlike most of the horses I raised, he was not a cuddly guy. When you tacked him up he was all business.
He knew his job and expected you to know yours. Steady as a rock and a great athlete.
Not really pretty to look at except under saddle, where he transformed into something beautiful to watch.
More about Spanish DanSir...
More about Significant Skip...
I was about 8 years old when my Aunt Flora sent me to
horse daycamp at Mrs. Engmann's in Los Altos Hills,
California.
These were some of the happiest days of my early childhood
and my first real hands on exposure with horses.
Here I'm in snazzy red pants meeting my summer charge for
the first time - a black and white pinto pony named Petey.
My first horse...
Rojalazan ("red sorrel" in spanish).
She was a range raised two year old with only two
weeks of basic handling when I brought her home. She
had only been ridden in a bosal and you couldn't pick up
her feet. I didn't own a saddle, didn't know how to ride
and had no idea what I was getting into. She was
basically kind and so we both survived .
Picture above is circa 1975 at Danville Horseman's
Association arena at an all breed halter class..
Picture at left is at Springdown Farms in Portola Valley
just before a beginner's dressage test.
(Yes, Quarter Horses *can* do dressage, although it
was rare to see one try back in the late '70's).
My Second Foal... Spanish DanSir
at an AQHA show at the Stockton Fairgounds.
By Sugar Daddy Too out of Rojalazan.
When belt buckles resembled dinner plates
