Teaching 16 kids a day, 3 days a week is hard work. Each and every lesson horse at Krazy Creek is amazing at what they do, but there comes a time when their job doesn't interest them anymore, or they get too overwhelmed. It's something that happens with all horses, and we can't avoid. Because it isn't fair to make the horses do something they don't enjoy anymore, we retire our loved workers to good homes. Almost every single past lesson horse has gone to a home where they are loved deeply, and used for trail riding (that is most of the horses' favorite thing to do). A home where they can relax and enjoy the rest of their lives. Here is a list of horses that have done their fair share in the Krazy Creek Ranch lessons, without them, lessons just wouldn't be the same today.
Jake
Jake was one of our first lesson horses. He was such a good old boy that listened great. We did have to put more experienced riders on him because he was just a little bit hard to control. Jake had been in the family ever since we first got horses, and he has done so many great deeds for the Krazy Creek Ranch. Jake was very old and couldn't hold his weight very well, but such a sweet heart and amazing horse.
Robbie
Even though he's quite a pickle, so many of our first lesson kids loved riding Robbie. He is a super unique horse that has his own little way of doing things. He is a little bit sour and his ears are almost always pinned back(unless there is food nearby). Robbie was raised by Grandpa Covington(Kristi's Dad) And has been in the family since he was born. As of 2016 he is 19 years old. This beautiful boy is such a trustworthy horse that will take anyone on his back. He loves trail rides, and doesn't mind giving the girls in Grandpa Covington's ward a little ride. He came to Krazy Creek to teach lessons while we searched for a more permanent worker. Robbie was never sold, nor did he ever belong to Krazy Creek. Every now and then some can still see him come down and teach a lesson or two as a back up horse. Because the people in Grandpa Covington's family hasn't been riding Robbie enough, he is being exercised in 4h by a cute girl that is testing out if her family wants to commit to buying a horse.
Holly
Holly was the first horse Krazy Creek Ranch owned, and man was she a trooper! She was super trustworthy and calm, we called her the babysitter. Even at her old age and with cancer she taught lessons perfectly. She loved humans, but wasn't a big fan of other horses, she did NOT want any horse near her. She had a very strong personal bubble. She is the horse that so many little kids learned to ride on, and the horse that took the Townsend kids to little rodeos to have fun. She never complained or got mean to her riders, always taking great care of the people around her. When Holly decided she was done with lessons, she was given to a good family where she is surrounded with love and kindness.
Maximus
Maximus is a TALL Arabian/Quarter horse. He is super sweet and loves people. Most of Max's riders were older because he could be quite overwhelming (his size). He had a very large gait, and covered lots of ground with one stride. He was also super (and I mean SUPER) smart. He learned how to open his gate and let out all of his buddies so they could go eat all of the hay. That's why we have to use locks on our gates now. Maximus didn't really like tight spaces, and got claustrophobic easily. That caused him to pull back when he was tied up to a fence. Even though he was big and overwhelming to some, most of Max's riders fell in love with his sweet in your pocket attitude. When Maximus started throwing fits, we knew it was time for the old boy to retire. He was sold with his best friend Holly(they came from the same place)
Sweetie
Sweetie is as her name states, SUPER sweet, all she ever wanted was love. Sweetie was pretty much a rescue horse. Her past owner had bought her from an auction, lied about her health online, and made Kristi drive A TON further than she had been told to drive(she was told St. George, she drove far into Arizona) The poor mare was super skinny, sickly in many different ways, and lacking of proper attention. We worked super hard to bring Sweetie into good health, and only got a little bit before realizing she didn't truly enjoy lessons, even though she was a super sweet heart, she needed just one rider to bond with. Sweetie was then sold to a very good home where she could retire and live the rest of her life happily.
Buddy
Buddy is a small young palomino mustang. He was super sweet, but just needed some work before he was ready for lessons. Tia rode him for about 2 months before Krazy Creek felt he was ready for some experienced riders. The lesson students that rode Buddy fell in love with him and the way he was. Buddy was one of the only horses that Sally got along with, he had a special something that she liked. Even though Buddy worked for most of his riders, Krazy Creek had to find a horse that would be better for more beginners. Everyone could also tell that lessons weren't really his thing, so we retired him to a great home where he could be ridden as much as he needed and go on trail rides every weekend. Krazy Creek Ranch loves hearing back from his owners as they go on about how amazing he is.
Sunny
Sunny was Kristi's personal horse. She was 18 but didn't act like it. She had lots of get up and go in her and she never wanted to go slow. We bought her with her "sister" Breezy, they had done lessons with their previous owner and were sold together. Sunny really loved going on trail rides and riding outside. She had many students that loved her attitude, but she really only needed one rider. Soon she started throwing fits and being stubborn and rude to the students that rode her. Krazy Creek sadly realized that she wouldn't work out for long and they needed to find another horse. Poor Kristi still hasn't found a horse that she loves as much as she loved Sunny. Sunny was sold to a wonderful family that enjoyed taking her on trail rides with their other horse. She loves her new home, and her new owners love her.
Taffy
 |
| When we got Taffy |
 |
| Right before we sold her |
Taffy was our rescue horse. When we went to Ceder City to take a look at her, we just couldn't leave her there. She was super skinny and malnourished, she had just barely had a baby and was being kept in a small pen with 4 other horses, being the sweet gentle horse that she is, she was picked on and hurt. Her baby was just taken away from her and they were separated. In fear that something worse might happen to her, Krazy Creek took her and brought her into their loving arms. After some time and lots of food, Taffy started to get better. Deep down we knew she wouldn't really work for lessons, but we tried it. Tia worked with her and she got good enough for advanced riders. Soon we could see that she wanted to bond with one rider not 20, and she was getting confused, so after searching and searching, and telling people no, we finally found her a good home where she will have great care and loads of love.
Breezy
Breezy was bought with her "sister" Sunny, and was such a sweet heart. She loved people, and was super super gentle with her riders. Sometimes too gentle, even when the rider wanted to go faster. She had many riders that just loved her to pieces, and many that worked with her perfectly. Breezy is a super unique horse, in more than just one way. For example, when Breezy was younger, she had a baby, the baby was super big, and it tore her back end. Her owners didn't pay the money to have her stitched up and she healed wrong. So now she has an open back end that make noise as air goes in and out. But without it, Breezy wouldn't be Breezy. Sometimes, Breezy would get too excited when she rode outside and kick up her heels in a small crow hop. This made some riders afraid of her, and we tossed around the idea of retiring her. When a student that Breezy loved couldn't buy her, Krazy Creek sold her to a super good home where she gets lots of love.
