Beetle, 10 y.o. Argentine/Tb gelding 15hh

The polo community has been so good to Square Pegs! Beetle was donated by Julia Belford when she decided to give up polo. She knew that she wanted to visit Beetle and be able to stay in her beloved horse’s life. And so he came to us. He quickly became a favorite in the barn. He’s given beginners their first ride and he’s taken the advanced students to wonderful places as a polo mount. He’s also a favorite on the trail and has logged on many miles at Jack Brook Horse Camp in the 2010 camps. He’s got a large and growing fan club at the barn. Lovin’ us some Beetle!

Bert, 24y.o. DWB gelding 16.2hh

Our darling and globe-trotting Bert has been with us for going on five years now. It seems like yesterday that this beautiful animal came into our lives. The story as we know it goes something like this: Bert was born in Holland, trained in England, imported to California as a Grand Prix jumping prospect. Something happened and Bert decided that jumping was no longer for him. He went on to compete quite successfully in dressage up to Intermediare 1.

As talented as he is, his real value lies in his gentleness. He’s our go-to guy for introducing vaulting and longe line work. His large gaits should prevent him from being a great school horse for beginners, but his generosity draws you in. He’s also very game for a long trail ride. As for me, I’m a sucker for his long eyelashes….. As of January 2011, Debbie Tolaney is a part sponsor of Bert.  Congratulations Debbie!

LeRoi, 17y.o. Paint Gelding 16hh

 

Leroi "the King"

When we offered to take in and foster a starving mare from horrible circumstances (see our posts on Stella) the van arrived with not one, but TWO foster projects. LeRoi hobbled out of the trailer and into our hearts.

After a call to the rescue ranch and all we were told was that he had been “a fancy show horse” and had worked at a lesson barn but that he was sent to auction when his lameness became cost prohibitive.

Our spectacular team of veterinarian, acupuncturist, farrier and chiropractor professionals, sponsored in large part by Chris Wilson and Mary Burns helped us to get this beautiful animal back on his feet.  Just goes to show what some dedicated horsemen can do together.

LeRoi is getting the second chance to be comfortable and to be a useful addition to our school program. Go Team!

LeRoi is currently looking for a sponsor.

Cometa – 17y.o. Tb gelding 15.3hh

If a picture is worth a thousand words, this video, made by students and volunteers  speaks volumes.  I’ll let the video speak for itself. Need I say more?  This animal is deeply loved.

Jack – 22y.o. Tb gelding 16.2hh

This is one horse that has done many things and has done all of them with panache and aplomb.

As a race horse “SweetTeaNMe” placed in California stake races and earned a good living.

As a show horse “Special T” excelled over fences in Open Amateur and Junior hunter divisions.  He was known for his fearlessness, unflappable nature and sense of humor.

Chronic uvitis cost him his left eye and his show career.

Showing’s loss has been our gain however as this horse now shares his plucky outlook on life with the team here at Square Pegs.  He’s happy to march down any trail and still more than happy to teach our students anything they want to know about riding over fences.  If a horse can be “happy-go-lucky” then this is the horse.

Jack teaches us every day about adaptability and gratitude.

Thank you Jack for all the joy you bring to our barn! We are forever in your debt.

Red Power – “Sammy” 12yo Tb gelding 16.3hh

Sammy bounded into our lives in late 2005 fresh from his last race at Bay Meadows.  He raced 16 times and earned $47,000.  His career was plagued by injuries and he just kept coming back.  When we picked him up at the track, our longtime friend and his regular rider Colleen Hartford told us that he was “mighty tough, but a real sweetheart.”

As usual, Colleen was right.  Big, bold and sweet, we tried to give him a name that would encompass his personality.  We’ve always tried when we could, to name the horses after jazz musicians.  We tried Django and Satchmo and Porter.  But nothing was right.  Within a week, it was clear to all of us that this big bold red horse was no jazz player.  It was clear that he had a heart that was all rock ‘n roll.  He was named after the Red Rocker, Sammy Hagar.  It fit.

Sammy has competed in endurance races and is one of the best, boldest trail horses ever to climb over the Santa Cruz mountains.  He’s also capable of climbing into your pocket if he thinks you have a treat.

We have worked hard to keep this guy sound with his array of racing injuries and something must be working because when it’s time to saddle up and go – Sammy is always game!

Fran, 21 year old bay Tb gelding, 15.2hh 

Fran and his best friend Tina

This entry was written by Fran’s donor to Square Pegs, Ms. Kelly Sika.  They have spent 14 years together and Kelly tells his story best:

Fran had a very short racing career in which he won a whopping $95 before being sold as a skinny little firecracker. He spent a year doing nothing but cantering in place. I started riding him when he was six, and we were inseparable. Fran and I trained with local dressage and eventing trainers. All the while Fran stayed consistently quirky; playing tug of war with dogs, and chewing on whatever he could get in his mouth (including new saddles). We  barrel raced at any given opportunity and absolutely hated walking on trails.

Fran loved jumping, and we never did determine his height limit, only mine. :) He started work as a school horse at Glenoaks in Portola Valley. It was Fran’s great personality with newbies that made him so much fun; he was kind, patient, and still quirky, as to not let you forget Fran’s spiciness was still there, hidden just underneath the well-behaved school horse.

In my very-biased opinion, he has been the most trustworthy and entertaining horse I have ever ridden. It sounds funny putting these two adjectives together, but I think they sum up our 14 years together. I am so glad he is with you now, being a horse kids can feel comfortable riding, with a little bit of the fireworks here and there.

If I keep writing, I’ll get emotional, I love him and he’s just the best horse!

Trots ‘n Socks 20-something year old Arab/Morgan Pony

We have Heidi Gaian and Rachel Williamson to thank again for a fantastic addition to our horse family.

Known as “Trottie” at Villa Rosa where he competed in upper level dressage, this horse traveled near and far competing and winning for junior riders.  Once at Square Peg, the kids started calling him “Bobby Socks” because of his perfectly matching hind socks.  That was soon shortened to “Bob” and we think it fits.

This pony has a work ethic that is nothing short of inspirational.  Not only is he kind and hard working, he’s a very fancy pony as well.  He’s still interested in strutting his stuff and has awed visitors with the occasional display of dressage prowess.

When it’s time to hit the trail, Bob is as game as horses half his age.  He’s earned his other nick name “Super Bob the Wonder Pony.”

Gigi, Thoroughbred mare, age 15 16hh

Ah, what can I say about my darling Gigi?  That she shuffled into my life as an injured five year old fresh from the track?  I could tell you she had earned a reputation as a “rogue ” on the track, never starting in a race due to her unruliness in training?

Getting Gigi’s trust has been one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever taken on in my career.  11 years later, we still have days.  Burned into her psyche is a fundamental distrust of humans and their plans.  She’s not a horse to be intimidated.  But anyone who spends any time with Gigi knows how special it is when she lets you in.  She loves little kids and riders with quiet hands.  She loves pets and scratches but she hates being brushed.  She loves her best friends Stan and Sam, and strangely enough, she seems to love the barn goats.

With the help of Rainey Sealey, Gigi and I have worked on our jumping again together.  She’s my grindstone as she is as unforgiving of my mistakes as she is honest when I remain fully present.  Gigi is a reminder that some scars don’t heal, but they can be stronger in some ways.  We will never know what caused her to be a rogue on the track, we can guess that she suffered at the hands of someone unkind or maybe she was born a suspicious, flighty soul.  Learning to work within those parameters has helped me to grow as a horseperson and as a human.

I owe her so much.

Hank, 6 year old Thoroughbred gelding, 16.2hh

Handsome Hank.  Talented Hank.  Adorable “Hankie.”  This gorgeous son of Broken Vow raced under the name “My Cheatin’ Heart.”  With a name like that, how do you call him anything other than Hank?

Hank came to us racing sleek and fit.  We were told at the track that he had raced a few times recently and each time, he would emerge from his stall the next day body sore and exhausted.  The attending veterinarian did all the right things, he took x-rays, pulled blood and ran tests for infections or virus’.  Each race, Hank became more lackluster.  We turned him out to rest for a couple of months and noticed that he slept all the time.  Very soon his coat became rough and dull.  We checked for lamness, we ordered chiropractic and body work sessions.  We tried different shoes, we tried barefoot.  And still Hank was listless and tired and had a hard time keeping weight.

One lovely day, we turned Hank into the arena to roll and play, which he did.  A visitor came by and remarked about the “big horse in the arena.”  None of us ever thought of Hank as big.  He was a 15.2hh horse when we brought him home and we always hoped, because of his rather small size, that he’d be a nice polo prospect.  A light went on in my head and we brought him into the barn and measured him.  In just 90 days, Hank had grown almost 4 inches!  No wonder he was tired all the time!  No wonder he didn’t want to train or race!

Our ranch manager Greg Crosta knew what it was like to have a sudden growth spurt and it was clear to all that Greg and Hank had a very special bond.  Within the year, Hank and Greg were playing polo together and soon after that, galloping the trails and exploring the local hills and beaches.  Hank has matured into an extremely lovely mover with a unique willingness to please and to play.  We expect great things from this beautiful animal.

Monty, 24 year old Quarter Horse Gelding 14.2hh

Having Monty in our program is nothing short of a blessing.  Monty has been a champion intercollegiate polo pony for Cal Poly and we understand that at some point, he was one heck of a cow pony as well.  We have many people to thank for Monty coming into our family here at Square Peg including Francesca Finato, Connie White and Henriette Vierra.

Monty had some mighty big shoes to fill when he showed up needing a home just two short days after we lost our dear Willa.  But he stepped up to the plate with the alacrity that we have come to understand as uniquely “Monty-esque.”

Monty is the most sought after horse in the school.  He’s the trustiest horse for beginners and he’s the steadiest polo horse around.

And there’s one more thing we ask ourselves around here;  can this horse get any cuter?

Stay tuned as we are adding information on all of the critters at Square Peg

as fast as we can.  That is, when we aren’t out in the barn…