I've been horse crazy since I was about 9 years old. That is when I got my first horse, Molly. Right now I have eight horses. Rocky was my first horse as an adult. I had him 20 years and he passed away peacefully in his sleep this year at age 33. He was an endurance race horse for the first 10 years of his life. He completed the Tevis twice! He was a great trail horse with lots of spirit who never let me down. Sugar was a jet black Quarter Horse. I bought her many years ago for my kids. She was a wonderful, sensible, trail horse that anyone could ride. In her prime she was a halter champion! My boys are grown up, and Sugar has gone to the rainbow bridge. Magic was my first project horse. She is a Palomino Quarter Horse that I rescued from being sent to the slaughter house about 13 years ago. She was completely unmanagable, terrified of everything and everybody, but she radiated a sweet personality when she wasn't afraid. She has developed into a wonderful trail horse, but she is an old lady now and mostly keeps my foals in line.

Then, there was Chick, my beautiful buckskin filly. I bought her as a yearling and she was my first futurity prospect. We took her to the NRHA Futurity in Oklahoma City in November 2005. What is reining, you ask? See Reining - What It's All About. Sadly, we had to scratch her at the last minute. I showed her in reining for a couple of years after that, and then I sold her to a wonderful lady up in Washington.

SPC Smart Nu Chick pedigree purchased from North Quarter Ranch
Chick's Sire - Smart Peppy Cutter - Isn't he Gorgeous!

My stepmom and friend, Missy, has given me a broodmare and two foals so I can continue to pursue my interest in breeding and showing performance horses. Millie is a beautiful sorrel Quarter Horse mare. In 2005 she had a foal by Chicspeare. Here is Nu Chic Brandywine (Brandy) at a few days old using Mom's hay for a soft bed.

"Millie" Good Nus Malbec pedigree	Millie's 2005 foal is by ... Chicspeare pedigree
Millie's foal at 2 minutes old!!	Just 15 minutes later, she is up and nursing...
Millie's 2006 foal was by Smart Peppy Cutter (shown above - he is also Chick's sire). I call the palomino colt Twister because his blaze looks exactly like a tornado! Here he is at one day old. Here is Twister as a yearling.
Here is Dancer - half sister to Chick. This is the mare I am currently showing. "Dancer" SPC Smart Sprize pedigree purchased from North Quarter Ranch also by Smart Peppy Cutter As a yearling... All grown up!

There are more horses! According to my husband, way too many! See them at VinaVistaRanch.com.
Also, check out NorCalEquest.com - a website I host for the Northern California equestrian community.