Star Walkers

November Update!

2011-11-18T15:55:00.002-07:00

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Over the last few months we have been very busy at Star Walkers. We have been working on our own arena! The arena is now standing. It is a 70' X 140' steel frame, insulated building and it will be heated. There is still to do but it should go quickly. We are hoping to be in by the end of the month. We've also been working hard to clean up the yard as well as make improvements to our pens.

BEFORE

AFTER

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LESSONS

A new 10 week session of lessons has started.

There are still some spaces available for new students.

Monday:

4:30 - 5-7yrs old - Beginner Rider - Group Lesson

5:30 - Adult - Beginner Rider - Group Lesson

7:30 - Young Adult - Some Experience - Group Lesson

Tuesday:

4:30 - Any Age/Level - Private or Group Lesson

5:30 - 12-16yrs old - Some Experience - Group Lesson

6:30 - Any Age/Level - Private or Group Lesson

Wednesday:

4:30 - 8-11yrs old - Some Experience - Group Lesson

6:30 - Any Age/Level - Private or Group Lesson

7:30 - Any Age/Level - Private or Group Lesson

Thursday:

5:30 - Any Age/Level - Private or Group Lesson

For more information or to sign up talk to Nicole

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CONGRATULATIONS!

Darren & Colleen purchased Bustin' Out The Money! I hope you enjoy her and have many fun miles!

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FEATURED HORSE FOR SALE

Silver Dollar Anniversary
2007 Sorrel Mare- 15.3

Annie is a very athletic mare and is an absolute sweetheart. She was started as a 3 year old and has continued with ground and saddle work this year. She stands for the farrier, grooming and bathing. She is up to date on vaccinations and deworming.

Contact for Price

Genuine Silver Dollar X Doubleplays Choclit Shake

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October Update!

2011-10-09T15:09:00.010-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone has a good weekend with lots of turkey.

www.star-walkers.ca

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Shows

Show season is now done for another year. The final show wentreally well. All of Star Walkers' students and horses did great! There was a total of 10 horses taken to the show and 6 students riding.
Some of their wins include:

Finally Bustin' Out - Yearling Champion

Finally Bustin' Out & Finally Royal representing The Final Legacy - 1st place Get of Sire

Fancy Lil Power Play - Graduate Award Winner

Shaker's Ebony Cupcake & Raegan Wasilka - High Point Youth

Major's True Colors & Nicole Hirsekorn - Champion Model & Halter

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Riding Lessons

A new winter session of riding lessons will be starting in November. I am currently only teaching Mondays-Thursdays. I am offering 45 minute private lessons for $30/lesson or hour group (up to 3 riders) lessons for $20/lesson. There are limited spaces available. For more information on lessons contact Nicole.

www.star-walkers.ca/lessons.html

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Training

Star Walkers offers training specializing in Tennessee Walking Horses but accepts all breeds. From starting young horses under saddle, to preparing horses for the show ring, to taking horses down the trail Nicole will customize a program to get your horse to its full potential. Star Walkers has limited spots available for the November & December and spring is booking up fast! Contact Nicole to book your horse in for training now!

www.star-walkers.ca/training.html
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***Featured Horse For Sale***

Broker's Powerplay
2007 Sorrel Mare- 15.2

Jewels is a very friendly sweet mare. She has been shown as a weanling and did well. She was started last year. She has great overstride and head nod. She needs more time but will be amazing when finished. She could be your next show horse, trail horse, or broodmare. She is up to date on vaccinations and deworming. She is good to load, stand for the farrier, bath, & clip.

Contact for Price

www.star-walkers.ca/sales.html

Mane Event

2011-05-03T07:08:00.009-06:00

The Mane Event was this past weekend in Red Deer. Loretta, one of my students, and I went to ride in the Walking Horse clinics and demos. I rode Flake and Loretta rode Mel. It was a good weekend and we got a lot of exposure for the breed. Barbara Civils came up to do the clinics. She did an excellent job. Chris Coffey, TWHBEA Director of Marketing, also came up and was a big help in the booth and an excellent photographer! Bill and Grace Adams did an awesome job organizing the booth and working with the people at Mane Event.

In the breed demos there was a great turnout! We had 12 TWHs representing both TWHBEA & CRTWH. And there was even a TWH doing sidesaddle demos!

Nicole & Legend's Golden Flake

Loretta & Melting Point

Barbara Civils during a clinic

TWH Demo Horses

The Booth

We Survived the Wild Rose Versatility Show!

2010-06-15T08:25:00.005-06:00

Well I survived my first horse show with students! It was a little crazy. I took 7 horses and 7 students all together. Everyone did an awesome job and looked great! It was nice to see all my horses in the show ring. It's weird, I never get to see my own horses go. I would really like to thank everyone that helped especially: Elisabeth, who helped bath, load up the trialer, and set up the tack stall. Hailey and Charlene for bathing and cleaning tack. Loretta for helping to bath. Koren and Barry for getting horses ready to go home and packing up the trailer after the show. Jannik for being such a good show mom even at her first show. Grandma for helping to hold my bratty 3 year old! And everyone else for coming out to show!

Here are some pictures. I didn't get very many since I was so busy. If anyone that was at the Wild Rose Versatility Show has some pictures I'd love to see them!

Loretta & Tori - Camillia & Riley

Koren & Mel

Elisabeth & Gen

Stalls

It was a very fun show and I'm looking forward to the next one on July 3rd and 4th!

Other than the show everything else has been very busy as well. I've been keeping busy with lessons and training horses. On June 5th and 6th I went to the Gaited Experience Clinic. It was an excellent clinic and I really enjoyed it. The babies are also keeping me busy. And they're growing like weeds!

Oasis

Dallas

I Can Sleep!!! Finally!

2010-04-26T18:56:00.003-06:00

I am finally done waiting for foals this year! Lexis foaled early Wednesday morning around 5:00. I was a little late. Baby was standing and almost dry except for the top of her back. She is another tall black baby with a big white star. I am really hoping she turns grey since her Daddy is grey. She a little shorter than Bussy's baby but she has a lot more body. I was very impressed. Lexis is being an excellent mom. I was nervous since she is a maiden mare and she can be quite touchy but she had no issues. She let me come right in and help baby nurse and dry her off the last little bit.

I have decided to name her baby Oasis. I haven't decided on a registered name yet. Lexis' registered name is Class of Her Own and the sire is Manhattan. These pictures were taken today not even a week after she was born. This was the first time that she was turned out in a big pen so she can stretch her legs. I am really excited about her and can't wait to see how she turns out as she grows up.

Bussy's filly is doing good too. She has attitude and is already turning into her sister Boo. She is friendly and curious and she likes to move! I've been calling her Dallas and probably will be registering her as Finally Bustin' Out.

Here's a few pictures from the last couple days.

I was also at Mane Event with Mel doing some clinics with Bobby Richards. Loretta, one of my students, also came and she rode Riley. She did an awesome job especially since she found out that she was going only about a week before and she has never shown or anything before!

I've also decided to try and sell Dixie. She's an 18 year old mare. She likes to trail ride and is very smooth. She does not have a lot of time on her and would need a confident beginner or intermediate rider. I am asking $2500 for her. You can check out video of her on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp1zx3KNPVk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9v0BMXtZLU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tKAZrKXKUc&feature=related

BABY! FINALLY!!!!

2010-04-15T09:05:00.003-06:00

Bussy finally foaled on Tuesday night at about 10:30. About 2 and a half weeks late... I got there just afterwards. Baby was still wet and Bussy hadn't dropped her after birth yet.

She had a huge black filly with a star and 3 white feet. She's all legs! I haven't decided what to call her yet.

Now I just have to wait for Lexis to foal. She's not due until the end of the month but she looks close.

I Love This Weather!!!! :) :)

2010-01-13T20:30:00.004-07:00

Well I'm back to work after my little bit of time off during Christmas and New Year's. I have a couple training horses in. February is still going to be a little slow but once March hits I'm going to be super busy! Which is awesome! I've also started working my own horses again, more consistently. So hopefully that'll keep up. It's always the trainer's horse that needs the most work...

I've taken Boo over to the arena and started working on her. Today was the 2nd ride on her since September. She's not a huge fan on the indoor arena but she's dealing with it. I've decided to show her next year. She is just like Bussy (her mom). She is big powerful mare that can just shake and walk all day. She is obviously still green and not in condition but I think she'll be very competitive this year! Very excited for show season to start!

I've also been putting quite a bit of time on Dixie. I had been riding her off and on since I started her last fall ('08) but nothing serious. But now I've been riding her 4 days a week. She doing really good. She has weird little quirks but nothing serious. I've decided to try and sell her. She doesn't fit into my lesson program and I have enough horses. I don't need another sitting around in the field. She's not a show horse but she'd make someone a nice trail horse. If she doesn't sell I'm planning on using her for competitive trail next year as long as she can handle it. There will be a couple of us trying out competitive trail and it should be lots of fun!

Most of my lesson horses are doing 3 lessons a week but I try to get on them at least once a week just to make sure that they're still doing what they're supposed to and not trying to get away with anything. They're all been there done that kind of horses though so I don't really have any issues. It's just fun to get on all my well broke dependable horses!

And of course there's Cupcake! Well she was only here for a couple days and then I just couldn't resist! I had to try her! And I was very pleasantly surprised. I was told she was green broke. So I was expecting something that barely had the basics but she stood perfectly still to get on and didn't move a muscle until I asked her to move. She gives to the bit left and right, moves off of leg pressure, dog walks on a loose rein, has an awesome stop, backs quietly. She's not a finished horse by any means but she is calm and willing to do almost anything. I am very impressed and so happy. I lucked out with her. I could have got a horrible horse but she's perfect! And the best part!! She walks!!!! She is so easy gaited. She just walks and shakes that pretty little head! She is just a blast to ride. I'm way too big for her but she's still fun! And she doesn't feel that bad to ride. I don't feel like I'm going to crush her at least!

And she's adjusted to the weather pretty good. She's been outside for the past few nights since it's been nice and warm. She still has to have a couple winter blankets but at least she doesn't shiver and shake.

This past weekend was absolutely gorgeous! Saturday after lessons there was a group of us that went out for a 6 mile ride. It was a great ride and it was so much fun to get out and go for a nice ride with some friends. And to see how good my horses and the horses I've trained are going. Here's a couple of pictures:

Dixie

In the Lead: Julie on Bella

Following: Loretta on Riley

Gayle on Tori

Merry Christmas To All And Merry Christmas To ME!!!

2009-12-19T20:29:00.005-07:00

Well finally after waiting for what felt like forever I finally have my little girl home! An early Christmas present for myself! I've been wanting a registered TWH pony for quite a while now and I'm always searching for them on the Internet. Well I finally found one! Her name is Shaker's Ebony Cupcake. Cupcake for short. She is a black 2005 mare with a star. She's only 13.1 hands tall!!!! Omg she is so cute and I can't believe how small she is. I knew she was going to be little but now that she's here I just can't get over her. And her legs, she is so fine and petite! I am so happy with her. She's exactly what I wanted. The plan for her is to put a few weeks of time on her and get her going good and then she will hopefully work in my lesson program for some of the younger kids. She has been started but from what I've been told she is still quite green. I'll see how it goes but I think she is going to work out awesome! She seems very quiet. She might even be in the show ring next year! I also would like to breed her eventually and start breeding a few walking ponies.

All parked out and pretty. Just got off the truck from her trip from TN.

Having a good drink

And a bite to eat

Snug and Warm in her stall hiding from the cold. A little cooler than she is use to!

So I know I haven't wrote anything for a while. I've been keeping pretty busy the last couple of months. Both lessons and training have picked up. Training spots are filling up fast which is really nice. I hate having to worry if I'm going to have horses or not.

I've started some drill team practices every other Saturday. So far we've only had a couple practices. December practices have been cancelled because of the weather. It's been a lot of fun and it's great to see everyone throughout the winter. If anyone is interested in coming just let me know. Everyone is welcome. It's mostly walking horses but if you have another horse you'd like to bring you're more than welcome to!

The weather has been kind of horrible for the last few weeks. We have a tonne of snow now. The minus fifty degree temperatures have not been nice at all! Even the arena didn't help when it was that cold! I am very thankful that I have the arena though it makes it so much nicer. I can bring in 3 or 4 horses at a time and work them instead of trudging through the snow a thousand times a day.

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a good New Year's. My Christmas is going to be very busy. I have Christmas dinner at my aunt's tomorrow for mom's side of the family. And then Christmas Eve I will probably be with David's dad's family. Christmas Day will be breakfast at home and then dinner at Grandma's. And then on the 27th I'll be at David's mom's. And in between all this turkey I will still be riding horses as always! Still no plans for New Year's but I'm sure I'll be doing something!

Talk to you in 2010!

Winter :(

2009-10-07T19:11:00.003-06:00

Well summer is definately over.... It's getting dark earlier and earlier each day, all the leaves are changing colors, it's getting colder and it snowed this morning!! It's so depressing... I am not looking forward to the minus 30 degree weather that is just around the corner. Luckily I have the arena! The barn has 6 stalls and a wash bay. The arena has pretty good footing. It's a little on the smaller side but for what I need it for it's great! Here's some pictures:

Arena

Stalls

Right now I only have the lesson horses and Tori over there. After the long weekend I will have one training horse there and I might be moving Dixie over too so I can work with her.

Tori enjoys his supper and new blanket. My poor boy gets to wear purple. hehe I'm so mean!

Typical Merry food is more important than anything.

Riley

Mel

New Website..... FINALLY

2009-09-26T14:26:00.002-06:00

After about 9 months I've finally updated my website. I got tired of the black background and changed it around a bunch. I'm hoping it'll be easier to read now! Hope you like it!

Hopefully I'll also have more time to keep up with the blog. Show season is done and winter is coming... :( Training has slowed down a bunch and after this month I'll only have one horse in for training.

There is an arena that is about 5 minutes south of me that I'll be working out of this winter. I will have it all to myself! So I will be taking training horses in over the winter. So if anyone is interested in getting some training done over the winter let me know! Winter is a great time to get some miles and training on your horses so they're ready and in condition to ride next spring! I will also be doing lessons over the winter. If you're interested in those again let me know!

Fini

2009-01-29T08:30:00.003-07:00

I've finally been getting more time on Fini. He's going so much better. Not as lazy as he was before and he's actually starting to use his back end! Here's a quick video of him from yesterday. He still needs work but I think we'll be ready for next year.

And I also started working on his canter yesterday! It was a complete disaster but he tried at least!

Also, I have video of Juliet (Kings Keeper) If anyone is interested in her let me know! She'll make a nice little show horse!

This is why I'm not riding today!

2009-01-08T09:17:00.003-07:00

SNOW!!!

YUCK!

It's only about -18 right now but it's just not very nice outside... So I'm hiding inside and working on my business plan for the arena!

Before the yucky snow I did get some pictures of Juliet. She's a very nice little filly. She stands at about 14.3. She is very easy gaited. She just walks and shakes! I've been riding her for three months. She stands to get on, turns, backs, and stops really good. She doesn't have very much experience out in the open and would do better with another horse for a few rides. With more time she could make a nice trail horse. She would also do good in the showring as a trail pleasure horse. She has not had any work under saddle at the canter but has a beautiful natural rocking chair canter. She has the bloodlines to be a future broodmare as well. She is a half sister to the very successful Hot Lightning and her sire is a full brother to Canadian Perfection.

If you're interested in Juliet (Kings Keeper) Let me know!

Video Coming Soon - Check Out The Website!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-19T13:08:00.003-07:00

Well Christmas is only a few days away! I thought I should maybe give a bit of an update!

Winter is finally here :( I can't complain too much I guess. I was pretty lucky for November. There was only a couple days that I couldn't do anything. Now it's just yucky outside. I'm glad that I don't have too many horses in for training this month. It's given me a bit more time to work with my own horses. But now the weather's getting in the way so I still haven't rode them as much as I want.

Updates on My Horses:

Dixie: Dixie's still going pretty good. She doesn't like to stand to get on. She's fine until you swing your leg over and touch her right side. She gets quite nervous about her sides being touched when you sit on her but could care less if things hit her sides when you're on the ground. I think it might be from her previous training. I took her for a short ride in the field the other day. She was really good. She wasn't spooky or anything. Heading out she was perfect, coming home she wanted to rush and just go but I think with a few more rides she'll get more comfortable.

Bussy: I love this mare! She is such an awesome mare! I've finally started to get comfortable while I'm riding her. She's such a powerful mare and I wasn't quite sure if she was going to do anything on me. So far though she's been really good. I haven't rode her much outside of the arena yet. I rode her on the yard a bit and she was ok. She was looking at things and didn't really want to move forward but not spooky or stupid.

Fini: I have barely rode Fini in the last month and a half. I did take him for a ride in the field the other day. He was a bit of a brat. He just wanted to play, not work. We had a few 'airs above the ground' nothing major but when you're on a 17hand horse it's a little unnerving. I'm still hoping to show him next year but I'm going to have to get my butt in gear and get him ready. He has made some improvements. I can ride him past other horses without him getting distracted. Now he just has to be able to handle strange horses all around him... Could be interesting.

Tori: I've started riding Tori my 2yr old Palomino gelding again. He had most of the summer off because he had some major abcesses in his hoof that made him completely lame for a month and he still wasn't a 100% for a while. He is such an amazing boy. He's so fun to ride! He's strengthened up so much since the summer! I love his run walk. He's still inconsistant and easily distracted but he's going to be hard to beat in the ring once he's going good. If anyone's interested in him he's for sale.

Before it snowed Dad put up a little Cover-All Building. It's going to be the entrance building for our arena that we're building in the spring!!!!! I'm so excited! It's not finished yet but it's close. We're planning on doing alot of cleanup next year and building more fences, shelters etc. Hopefully we'll be starting to take in boarders in the summer!

I'm starting to fill up for training next year. I'm already booked up until the end of May and a couple horses for June already. If you're interested in training for 2009 let me know asap!

Merry Christmas Everyone

& Happy New Year!!!

Why Do I Torture Myself??

2008-10-28T15:59:00.004-06:00

I have another winter project!

Winter seems to be the time when I really start working with my own horses.

Mel - 2005/2006

Hank - 2006/2007

Riley - 2007/2008

And now 2008/2009 three winter projects Haha at least it keeps me busy!!

I got Bussy in summer 2006. She was bred to The Joy of Money for a May 2007 foal. She ended up having Boo (Bustin' Out The Money) I didn't rebreed her in 2007 and she didn't catch this year. So instead of being a lazy fat ol' broodmare I've started working with her!

When I got her I was told that I shouldn't try riding her. Her previous owner had bought her as a broodmare but wanted to see what see was like under saddle. I guess she almost reared over backwards when they asked her to go forward.

She has never given me any problems in the couple of months that I've been working her. She's never offered to buck or rear. I've been taking it slow with her. I did some ground work and lunging and ground driving. She never had a problem with any of it. She just likes to go sometimes. She stays in gait though and OMG she is going to be a blast to ride when she's going good! She stands like a rock for me to get on and just stands there until I ask her to move. And when I do ask her to move she's quite content to just dog walk.

She still needs work. She doesn't turn great and she's not always sure about going forward, and she's inconsistent. That'll all come with time though. She's very willing and sweet about everything. I really love this mare!

No one was around to take pictures with me up so I had to settle for ones on the lunge line.

2 For 2!

2008-10-27T16:51:00.004-06:00

Two days of having a blog and I've had something to write each day. This won't last too long...

Lately I've been trying to ride Fini. I haven't done anything with him since July or August last year... I've been better though in September and October especially this last week. I rode him 5 days a week! Haha it was a miracle. He's not going great yet. He's just used to pacing around his pen doing whatever. He's not in shape yet. But he will be! The plan is to show him next year. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he'll do good this winter and be ready in spring. It's the first year that I'm actually allowed to show him! I'm excited!

Well I might as well start too....

2008-10-26T11:49:00.002-06:00

I've decided to start blogging! I don't know why exactly... I don't know if I'll have time but I've decided to start!

First off I'll start with some good news!

In August I got a new mare. Her name is Performance In Dixie. She is sired by A Comand Performance and out of a Pride Of Midnight daughter. She's a half sister to '96 WGC He's Puttin' On The Ritz as well as I'm In Command. She was started as a two year old but then sold. Once she was sold she became a broodmare. She's had nine foals since 1996 mainly sired by The Skywatch.

Well since I've got her I've decided to restart her. She's such a sweetheart and very easy to work with. She has her little quirks. She doesn't like to be caught and she's quite sensitive about things flapping around her head. Other than that though she's been really good. She's starting to get in shape a tiny bit and has been getting a much better gait since I started riding her. She's starting to stretch out those muscles that she hasn't used in a while. She's still got a baby belly waddle though! Haha that will take a while to go away if it ever does!I'm not 100% sure what my plan for her is yet. It all depends on how she does this winter with her training. I would like to get at least one baby from her. I'm planning on breeding her to Fini (The Final Legacy) in the spring. And maybe for the summer she can be a lesson pony! I'm hoping to do the required courses so I can become an Equine Canada Level 1 Certified Coach in both English and Western and I'm also looking into Saddle Seat. So hopefully I'll be doing more lessons next year and if everything goes good this winter she might work out really nice!

There is a bit of bad news this week though :(

On Monday morning when I went out to feed I found BOGO dead. He was a palomino yearling gelding that I had got from Deb Jack. He's the one who's mother came up from Tennessee as a two year old and had a foal. We never knew who his sire was. I was quite heartbroken when I found him. I was very excited about starting him and seeing what he'd be like under saddle. He was so cute and he would have been the perfect size for some little kid. He'll be greatly missed.

We took him to the vet for an autopsy so we knew what had happened. He had a twisted gut :(

Well I'm off to do some updating on the website!!

Star Walkers

November Update!

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- - - - - - - - - - - - - -***FEATURED HORSE FOR SALE***Silver Dollar Anniversary2007 Sorrel Mare- 15.3

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October Update!

Mane Event

We Survived the Wild Rose Versatility Show!

I Can Sleep!!! Finally!

BABY! FINALLY!!!!

I Love This Weather!!!! :) :)

Merry Christmas To All And Merry Christmas To ME!!!

Winter :(

New Website..... FINALLY

Fini

This is why I'm not riding today!

Merry Christmas!

Why Do I Torture Myself??

2 For 2!

Well I might as well start too....

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FEATURED HORSE FOR SALE

Silver Dollar Anniversary
2007 Sorrel Mare- 15.3