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Two Faced Dude
This was such a gorgeous photo, we had to share. Here's Two Faced Dude who was reserve HUS champion at the 2011 Palomino World Show. He is owned and shown by Annie Schneider of Scottsdale AZ. This photo was taken at the Scottsdale Sun Circuit in February 2012. Click the button to the left titled Face's Foals to see Dude as a weanling in 2007.
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Bucket List Check Off
Boarder Kay Prince has always wanted to go on a San Antonio Rodeo Trail Ride,
and this year she is checking it off of her bucket list. She rode
almost 20 miles on her 3-year-old gelding Artful Face "Simon" on the
first day of the ride, then switched to her trusty 7-year-old gelding
Paddy O Pep "Hansum." More photos will follow.
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Brave Horse Clinic
At the very end of January several of us from CHHR traveled into San Antonio for another of Anne Van Dyke's clinics. Anne calls it her Brave Horse Clinic and says "A brave horse is a safe horse." Believe me, any horse that can do all of her obstacles quietly and with confidence, is definitely a safe horse. None of us accomplished as much as we wanted to, so we can't wait to go back again next month.
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Noise Desensitization Clinic
Four of us from CHHR (Barb/Leisle, Kay/Simon, Sherry/Riley & TJ/Bruce) took our horses to Anne Van Dyke's noise desensitization clinic in San Antonio on the first Sunday of January. Even though they weren't part of the clinic, Anne's emus were very interesting to our horses!
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Bandera County Cowgirl Roundup and Showdeo - 2012
Self-named "Cowboy Capital of the World," Bandera (TX) has a yearly gathering of cowgirls of the county. In 2012 a call went out for cowgirls to meet for a Cowgirl Round-up and Show-deo at the Hill
Country Natural Area's arena at noon on Jan 1. Nearly 60 cowgirls were there for the panoramic photo. Several equestrian drill teams performed, TJ Corgill set up some ACTHA obstacles and let everyone play on them, and the kids barrel raced. The audience, which included folks from Puerto Rico, Canada and Japan, enjoyed the cowgirl antics.
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What A Party!
The 2011 CHHR Barn Christmas Party was one for the record books. During our usual white elephant ornament exchange, there were also hidden surprises . . . a pair of Christmas boxer shorts and a big red bra. The person who got them had to wear them for the remainder of the party. Click the little camera to see the results.
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Roper in Training
Not withstanding the English attire, boarder Barb Taylor took to the roping dummy like a duck to water. This is becoming our new addiction at CHHR -- throwing ropes!
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Equine Myofacial Seminar at CHHR
Nationally reknown myofacial therapist Cathy Covell held a two day clinic at CHHR in mid-November. She instructed a dozen students how to utilize myofacial therapy to help horses regain more freedom of movement after trama. Myofacial therapy helps remove the "straight jacket" from the body by releasing facia - a three dimensional web that connects and surrounds every muscle, organ, cell and system in the body. Usually some trama (injury, poor conditioning, bad saddle fit, etc) causes the facia system to tighten as a protective mechanism.
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Sherman's New Home
Owner Beth Bennett and her husband Mike built Sherman a brand new barn on their property in Bulverde, and even bought him a new friend -- Shiloh. These two geldings will now get spoiled beyond belief! So although Happy Heart Ranch has lost its namesake (Sherman with the natural heart on his hip), we are happy for Beth and Sherm that they will now be living together.
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Blanco Trail Ride and Top Hand Competition
We ended the 2011 competitive trail ride season with a really fun time at Franklin Family Ranch in Blanco TX. Not only did we compete in the trail ride, but we also had fun trying to compete in a Top Hand Competition put on by ranch owner Jason Borchardt.
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Chilly is MY Favorite Trail Horse
America's Favorite Trail Horse competition 2011 is officially over for Chilly and TJ. We did not make the finals, but what an experience it was! Thanks to everyone who supported us and voted for us! News flash: The winner of AFTH was announced 12/6/11, and Chilly has to be proud. The winner (a cute bay roan mustang) came from Chilly's episode on TV, so we can say "we got beat by the best!"
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Viewing Party
On Nov 8 the ACTHA "posse" met at Sherry Rosser-Carroll's house for a viewing party of TJ and Chilly's episode of America's Favorite Trail Horse. There was wonderful camaraderie, good food, great wine and lots of laughs about the TV show. Chilly and TJ did great. The commentators said only positive things about their ride. And it was obvious to all that Chilly is a very photogenic horse! Let the voting begin . . .
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Checked Off the Bucket List
Sherry Rosser-Carroll checked another item off her bucket list on the first weekend of November. She won a beautiful western belt buckle for a first place finish in the Open division of an ACTHA ride on her grey Arabian gelding Rocky. She also finished the ACTHA points necessary for Rocky to be awarded his Bronze Medal.
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Chilly Gets his GOLD MEDAL in ACTHA
Halloween weekend found TJ and Chilly on two ACTHA rides in Milano TX. Chilly placed well enough in both rides to accrue his final points toward the ACTHA Gold Medal. Quite an accomplishment for a 5-year-old!
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Colorado Trip
Late in October TJ traveled back to
Colorado to visit Bobbi and Don Taylor at their winter ranch in Canon
City. Plan was to do a long ride in the mountains since the weather had
been beautiful. However, mother nature had another idea and CO got its
first snow of the season -- 6 inches worth! It was still good to see
Bobbi's gelding Nevado who was in the TV show America's Favorite Trail
Horse with Chilly.
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Lots of Ribbons at Utopia
Mid-October ACTHA ride in Utopia TX netted a lot of ribbons for CHHR riders. But even if we hadn't placed so well, the ride would have been well worth it. The Adventure Horse Ranch was a beautiful venue for an ACTHA ride.
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ACTHA Ride with WATER!
After doing so many rides this summer in drought striken Texas, it was wonderful to see water crossings again . . . plus rain! No one complained as we rode at Lazy Hills Retreat in Ingram TX. Kay had a good training ride on her 2-year-old, Simon. Sherry dealt with the fact that Rocky had never been ridden in the rain. And after trying to buck TJ off for two days, Chilly regained his senses and took 2nd place in the Open Division.
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Early Fall ACTHA Ride
The days were hot, but we were oh so ready to start this fall's ACTHA rides. Kay Prince completed her Silver Medal on Hansum on Sept 10, then began Simon's career on Sept 11. All photos were taken by Rhonda Fryer.
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Scoping Out the Competition
TJ Corgill visited Bobbi Taylor and her beautiful palomino Peruvian gelding Nevado at Cataloochie Ranch in Guffey CO. Both TJ (riding Face It Im Chilly) and Bobbi riding Nevado are finalists in the TV reality series America's Favorite Trail Horse.
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Mustang Adoption in Colorado
TJ went to Canon City CO with Tiffany Fryer and MaryAshley McGibbon in mid-August to adopt mustangs. It was a fun trip which included some sight-seeing on the Royal Gorge Railway. Tiff brought home a gorgeous yearling palomino filly while MaryAshley picked a 2-year-old gray gelding.
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Reserve World Champion in HUS
A big congratulations to TWO FACED DUDE who was named the Reserve World Champion in junior hunter under saddle at the 2011 Palomino
World Show in Tulsa. He had a beautiful ride and it was only his 6th
horse show. He is a 2007 palomino gelding by FACE IT IM GOOD.
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TV Reality Show in the Works
September is when America's Favorite Trail Horse reality series will be on HRTV. We just want you to be ready to VOTE for Face It Im Chilly (entry #295) and our friends. Any of us could win a lot of moolah, with your help! Click the envelope below to see photos of 10 of our friends, from near and far. There are 100 horses in the competition from all over the USA. FLASH: Chilly will be on the Nov 8 episode.
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CHHR Miata Mamas
Besides horses, here's another thing that we have in common at Happy Heart Ranch -- Mazda Miatas! Left to right, Sharon Brewster, Sherry Rosser-Carroll and TJ Corgill.
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Shout Out to Diamond C
We here at CHHR want to send a big shout out
to Branden Culver of Diamond C Stables of Boerne/San Antonio. He saved
the day for us by collecting the last two cooled semen shipments for Face It Im Good
this breeding season. While Kendall County Equine Clinic has shipped
for us for a number of years, they had an unexpected equipment failure.
Thanks to Branden for jumping in to help us!
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Jewel is a Jewel
TJ Corgill has begun riding Face It Im A Jewel in the round pen, bareback and with only a halter. Jewel seems to have been born already trained. On the first ride she would already stop, stand still, back up and serpentine around cones. Trail obstacles come next!
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Legion of Supreme Honor
TA Rodansk+/ was awarded his Legion of Supreme Honor at the San Antonio Arabian Fiesta Show on May 20. Owner Sherry Rosser-Carroll rode "Rocky" into the arena in full trail ride regalia as the announcer explained that Rocky has been shown successfully for over 15 years in big-time Arabian venues. He is now going to be shown primarily in casual competitve trail rides.
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America's Favorite Trail Horse filming
TJ Corgill and Face It Im Chilly participated in the filming of a reality series entitled America's Favorite Trail Horse May 8-11 in Blanco TX at Franklin Family Ranch. Besides filming for the series, many internationally known trainers and clinicians were on site to give demos and to coach the competitiors. Here TJ and Chilly pose with Linda and Pat Parelli. Click the little camera below for lots more photos of the event.
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WE'RE IN THE FINALS!!!
TJ Corgill and Face It Im Chilly made the FINALS for Americas Favorite Trail Horse, sponsored by ACTHA. The reality TV show will be filmed in Blanco TX in May 8-12. Top trainers from all over the world will be there to coach the finalists including the Parellis, Lynn Palm, Nancy Cahill, Monty Roberts, Barbara Schulte, etc. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime event. Also making the finals was Tom Yeager, with Dawn Spangler being chosen as an alternate.
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Americas Favorite Trail Horse Auditions
Sherry Rosser-Carroll and TJ Corgill from Happy Heart Ranch took Rocky and Chilly to AFTH auditions over Easter weekend. We'll post soon if either made it to the "finals" which will be a taped TV series shown over the summer on cable. Friends Dawn Spangler, Tom Yeager, Mary Dodson, Julie Dinse and JoeMike Johnson also competed. Whether we make it or not, we had a blast!
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Now If It Would Just RAIN!
TJ and Chilly received their award for achieving the Silver Medal status in ACTHA, which is 100 points. It is a wonderfully designed full-length Muddy Creek raincoat which covers rider, saddle and most of the horse.
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Parrie Haynes ACTHA Ride
TJ, Sherry Rosser-Carroll and Tiffany Fryer had a great time camping out for the Parrie Haynes ACTHA ride in mid-April. It was COLD at night -- probably for the last time this year! The ride was great fun. TJ/Chilly won first place in the Open division. Sherry was named "Best Dressed Cowgirl."
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What Drought?
Even though water restrictions have begun in the San Antonio area due to the drought, we are very lucky to be able to ride at Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne. Kay and TJ took Hansum and Chilly to the park in mid-April for some water splashing fun.
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We Did IT AGAIN!
The April ACTHA ride at L cinco Ranch in Pipe Creek was a huge success for the Happy Heart Ranch riders and friends. Dawn Spangler got 3rd in open, Kay Prince got 2nd in open, Carol Warren got 5th in open, Tom Yeager got 2nd in pleasure, and TJ Corgill won the open class.
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Art Exhibit
OK, I had WAY too much time on my hands. I started web surfing to find artsy-fartsy, cutsie artwork to represent the horses here at CHHR. This is what I came up with. Laugh if you must, but I had fun doing it!
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Back in the Saddle Again
After taking a number of years off, Tad Corgill is once again back in the saddle. He is riding Kay Prince's gelding Paddys O'Pep (Hansum), and may even start competing in ACTHA rides in the near future!
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Utopia ACTHA Ride
Mid March had Beth Bennett & Sherman, Sherry Rosser-Carroll & Rocky, and TJ & Chilly at the Utopia TX ACTHA ride. The Adventure Ranch is a gorgeous horse ranch. The obstacles were great. And we all had a fantastic time. TJ and Chilly won the open division, which gave Chilly the necessary points to be awarded the ACTHA Silver Medal!
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Kay and Simon
Owner Kay Prince has put a lot of hours into her two-year-old gelding Artful Face "Simon". They are already going on trail rides, and are beginning to work on ACTHA obstacles. Simon is by Face It Im Good and out of an own daughter of Artful Move.
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March L Cinco Ride
For it to have ended up so well, the ride was a comedy of errors  in the middle! TJ and Chilly led the other riders up a steep hill, underneath a very low branch. TJ did the limbo in her saddle to miss the branch, only getting a fat lip from it. Dawn sliced the back of her hat (and part of her neck) open. Sherry slid over on the side of Rocky like a wild Indian to miss the branch. And Beth (on Sherman) rode right under it. Pays to have a short horse!
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Back to the Big Times
After a warm-up open show, Sherry Rosser-Carroll was ready to take TA Rodansk+/,
aka "Rocky" back to the Arabian circuit. It was a tremendously
successful show circuit at the Rose Palace in San Antonio (SASHA Charity Show). The team
picked up two championships -- in open and amateur western pleasure.
They also placed second in open trail and in the side-saddle class.
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Trail Clinic
TJ Corgill and Sherry Rosser-Carroll helped with Linda Williams' trail clinic in Pipe Creek in late February. It was a misty day, but Linda's obstacles were so much fun and so challenging, no one noticed the weather.
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