Horse Tales Blog

Dear readers, in this edition I know I promised to tell you about how towns were named during the westward expansion, and I promise you that tale is still on it’s way, but I had the rare opportunity to interview a stagecoach driver from yester-year, and I thought you’d be interested in this driver’s experiences while employed here in Northern Nevada and California.

Here is my interview with One-eyed Charley Parkhurst – stagecoach driver. Now be patient as Charley tells his tales in the only manner he knows how…

“One time I was brakin’ down Carson Pass, when my lead horse stumbled off the road. Well I bit down hard on my cigar and held tight to them ribbons with all my might. Then my wheel hit an embankment and over I went! Somehow I never lost my grip on them ribbons and I managed (as the poor frightened beasts were draggin’ me along on my stomach) to steer my team back onta the road. Why them passengers were so grateful to be alive, they took up a collection and presented me with $20 which I put towards a new suit of clothes, as my favorite ones was all in shreds!

Now ole Charley here was only ever robbed once in his life. And I decided right then an there, there’d be no second time. So one evenin’ when the notorious road agent name a “Sugarfoot” (called that on account of puttin’ burlap sacks over his boots to disguise his tracks…) stopped my team and hollered fer the box, why I was havin’ none of it! I cracked my whip over my team then I pulled out my .44 and fired all six shots. That was the last time ole Sugarfoot ever attempted to rob a stage. He now resides in a local Boot Hill pushin’ up daisies! An my company was grateful enough to reward me with a gold watch on account of my bravery.

Well, after so many years of driving in the cold and the rain, rheumatism caught up with me as it does with most drivers. So I decided at the age of 54, I’d slow down a bit and retired to my farm near Watsonville, California. I did some lumberjackin’ and raised me some cattle and chickens. I even became involved in the local community and joined the I.O.O.F. Lodge #137. Stellar group of fellars! We met above D.J. Cummins’ grocery store. That Cummins…weighed about 375lbs and sat by the door for every meetin’. I believe we was the only lodge I know of with a bouncer!

I’d never been much on politics, jus listen’d ta the fellars jawin’ about it up in the seat next ta me. But it was my lodge brothers who convinced me of the importance of voitin’ in the 1868 U.S. Presidential election between that yahoo from New York name a Seymour and General Ulysses S. Grant. Glad I did it too. I feel as if my vote helped to elect the right man. Yes, I felt very fortunate to have such good friends lookin’ out for me.

Therefore, in 1879 along about Christmastime when I’d not been seen at the lodge for a few days, a couple of the members came a lookin’ fer me. They knocked on my cabin door, but there was no answer. I was gone… gone to meet my Maker! It was cancer of the throat and tongue which got me in the end. Suppose it was smokin’ them cigars, drinkin’ whisky an chewin’ tobacca. Well, bein’ the good folks these men were, they wanted to give me real nice funeral and called on the local undertaker to prepare my body for this auspicious occasion!

That’s when they found the secret I’d kept nearly all my life. Ya see, ole’ Charley here is really a woman! That’s right, Charlotte is my given name. Well, after recoverin’ from what must have been the shock a their lives, everyone started lookin’ aroun’ for some answers. They found the red trunk filled with baby clothes. That’s a deep sorrow I never discussed with another livin’ soul and I ain’t about to start now! Anyway, they gave me the grandest send-off any lodge member could have ever hoped for. But still, they wondered who I really was and why I done it?

Alright then, I’ll tell you… I grew up in an orphanage and the only good thing that ever come from it was my love of horses. Loved horses better than I Ioved most people. So when I ran away, I disguised myself as a boy so as I could get hired at a livery stable. They’d a never hired me if they knowd I was a girl.

Eventually I became an excellent driver and left Rhode Island for California in 1851 when Jim Birch of the California Stage Line come from Sacramento, back to his home state, a lookin’ fer excellent drivers and horses. Of course I hired on… do ya think I was crazy? So many folks was leavin’ the old states headin’ fer a better life on the Pacific Coast, whether it be gold panin’ or what have ya.

Now, I’m no slow-poke in the head, an I know yer wonderin’ how I could drive a six-up stage with the sight in just the one eye. Allright, since yer curious, I’ll indulge ya. One day I was bendin’ over shoe’n my horse and the next thing I knowd I woke up in Doc Lee’s office with a brass band goin’ off in ma head. When I made my way over ta the lookin’ glass, I realized I’d have to wear a patch over my left eye if I didn’t want ta be called “Cockeyed Charley” the rest a m’ life.

Jim Birch was the kinda man who stood by his word and assured me I’d always have a job with him, but no longer drivin’ a stage. All I ever wanted to do was drive a stage, it was tha only thing I knew how ta do! So I bidid’ my time and taught m’self to drive again. First using a carriage and a two-up team, then a four-up and finally a six-up. When I could complete my old route without an upset, ten times complete, I approached Jim once again. He was reluctant, but agreed to give me a chance. Next day in the pourin’ rain I completed my old run in record time and ole’ Jim handed me back ma reins.

So, folks, I continued to live as a man in order to do what I had to do, the only thing I could do which was drive stages. And I didn’t want to do nothin’ else neither!

Here’s what I want ta leave ya with; do whatever you want to do. There’ll be sacrifices aplenty. But if you are determined enough, you will find a way. And here’s somethin’ else fer ya to chew on…I am very blessed to be alikes of that Melissa Coray who was the first white woman to cross the Sierra. What was my first you ask? Well I was the first woman to cast a vote in a U.S. Presidential election, 52 years before women was given the right to do so! Know this, history is made every moment, every hour and every day, by every one of us. So make our history count – keep it ALIVE!”

Charley Darkey Parkhurst, also known as “One-Eyed Charley”, was one of the fastest and safest Whips here in the Sierra and a contemporary of the famous Hank Monk who was known as the Jehu of the Sierras. Charley arrived in Sacramento Town, California during the great Gold Rush and drove the Sierra and later the Central California Coast, when stage drivers were kings. She represented many women, unbeknownst to much of our nation, who found a way to serve their country in ways that were forbidden to their sex.

Alright pardners…next edition I promise to tell you about the exciting, weird and sometimes obvious ways towns received their names as the westward expansion claimed land along the way.

~Kim Harris

Western History ALIVE!

Grit – a firmness of mind and spirit.

Resolute – marked by firm determination.

Initiative – working independently without a need for guidance.

Tenacity – a dogged, stick to it attitude.

To successfully be in this world of horses, livestock, and ranching you have to have true grit. I love this word GRIT as it truly is the mark of a good cowgirl. And I am not talking about wanna-be’s, but rather the real deal. The kind of person who gets the job done no matter the circumstances; the one that never ever gives up; the one that can work alone and take charge; and the one that has the tenacity to see beyond the challenges in front of them in order to reach the goal at hand.

While many think this is a glamourous lifestyle it is actually a lifestyle born out of love for all it entails. The public catches a glimpse of this world via TV shows, a day spent on a horse, or driving by beautiful green pastures, but the real work, the gritty day to day work, is what you never get to see. No two days are the same and no day goes without its challenges. I am usually out the door at 5am. Some mornings start out so peaceful and serene as the sun begins to rise over the mountains, until I notice a gate was left open, or a horse is down, or a broken fence board needs fixing, loose chickens, a busted water pipe, or a flat on the tractor. All of which is not a surprise as much as it just is. And all of it is handled in a timely, efficient, no nonsense manner. And the morning continues. Such is this life. And its not even 9am!

Some of us are born into this lifestyle and some of us find it by way of a calling. I found it by way of a calling and have never looked back. I have a student who too is finding her way into this remarkable world. She started with me as a 4 year old learning to ride on Big John the pony. It was her idea too, not her moms. But she was also extremely shy, to where even then, I was telling her she had to speak up and find her voice. And yet for all her shyness there is a steeliness in her that tells a different tale. Fast forward to the present day where Taylor continues to ride with me, is a RanchSchool fixture, and you will find a kid who has become quite the young ranch hand and cowgirl.

When she started RanchSchool, where I teach kids to run a ranch in real time while teaching leadership skills and life skills, Taylor would hang back a bit letting others go first.  Still ever so shy and unwilling to speak up she would miss opportunities to get into the grittier work of ranch life to play it safe and remain in the wings. And yet I knew she wanted more.

Of course this didn’t last long as I put her in situations where she had to be a team leader and speak up; where she had to handle many different horses with their different personalities; where she had to be in charge of a project and complete it or repeat it; and the list goes on. I threw the book of horses and ranching at her, and as uncomfortable as it was at times, she kept taking what I had to give, and worked hard at tending to all the tasks set before her. The more I threw at her the more she stepped up and kept stepping up. But more importantly she worked hard at overcoming her biggest challenge – which was believing in herself and trusting that she had the answers and the voice to express them. It wasn’t easy by any means but over time Taylor’s steeliness turned into a grittiness that spoke to her desire to be in this world as a lifestyle choice.

When I look at this young cowgirl who has gone through the 4H Sheep program and all that it entails in terms of raising a lamb, bringing it to shows, and ultimately letting it go to market, I am impressed. Not an easy endeavor, especially in the letting go, but one she handled with aplomb. When I see how far she has come in my programs, I am impressed. She is now one of the top ranch hands and has no problem speaking up, being in charge, and getting a ton of work done.

I chuckle when I look at her at the end of the day. Taylor always comes to the ranch presentable, tshirt tucked in, and her hair neatly tied back. By days end she has that dusty, sun-kissed face; her hair is askew with bits of hay in it; her tshirt is messily tucked in; and she’s got a smile from ear to ear for yet another day in the gritty life of a cowgirl.

She will soon be a first time horse owner as well which is a responsibility that will bring with it a new set of challenges. But she is more than ready. And I am certain she will handle all situations with a confidence born from this lifestyle and that she will take a leadership role as she moves forward. This very, very, shy kid who took a backseat to others is gone.

Just the other day when a newbie student tried to blame his mistake on Taylor, I yelled across the ranch to her, “What’s up with that?” To which she replied in a strong, commanding voice, “I didn’t tell him to do that. I told him to wash the bit in the bucket and then hang up the bridle!”

With a hearty laugh, I smiled to myself . The kid who would never have spoken with such strength and confidence has found her voice and her place in this ranch world. As I walked away I thought to myself, “ My work is done here!”

Kim Chappell, M.Ed., Instructor and Equine-Facilitated Life Coach. For further information on riding programs and Equine-facilitated life coaching, you can contact Kim at kkc827@aol.com or go to www.chappellranchllc.com

A dedicated team of professionals at UC Davis work around the clock to help newborns beat the odds.

Posted by UC Davis Center for Equine Health Horse Report | Jul 8, 2017 | Article, Foal Care, Veterinary Practice

One of the most thrilling and heartwarming experiences in the equine world is seeing a healthy foal stand within minutes of birth. However, sick foals can have some of the highest mortality rates in veterinary medicine. Therefore, the effort to save them takes a talented and dedicated team of professionals such as those at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), Equine Medical Emergency, Critical Care and Neonatology Service, who work around the clock to help newborns beat the odds.

Sick foals brought to UC Davis are admitted to the veterinary hospital’s Lucy G. Whittier Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The team there, led by Gary Magdesian, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, ACVECC, ACVCP, CVA, chief of service and Roberta A. and Carla Henry Endowed Chair in emergency medicine and critical care, handles the most complicated cases, providing coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Resident veterinarians, technicians, veterinary students, and undergraduate members of the UC Davis foal team are also part of the cooperative effort involved in managing these patients.

The NICU is equipped with customized stalls to support sick foals, allowing intensive management under the watchful eye of the mare in an adjoining stall. Critical conditions the NICU staff treats include maladjusted foal syndrome, failure of passive transfer, neonatal isoerythrolysis, orthopedic problems (i.e., contracted legs, crooked legs), prematurity, sepsis, and much more. Additionally, the NICU performs post-foaling procedures such as providing physical therapy for foals with leg deformities; evaluating the mare’s reproductive tract with the hospital’s equine reproduction service; handling retained placentas; and milking mares to feed foals if necessary.

Premature foal care can be especially laborious. In addition to potential health problems, premature foals’ bones are not fully ossified (hardened), requiring them to stay off their feet for potentially weeks. To accomplish this, the NICU foal team sits with foals in their stalls and prevents them from standing up.

One team member recently tweeted, “Spent from 2:30 a.m. – 8 a.m. taking care of a foal in the neonatal ICU and somehow I’m not even tired.”

This dedication is needed to see mares and foals through a lengthy stay in the NICU. A foal named Brave recently spent 43 days in the NICU after he was born five weeks premature. Few equine hospitals have the capability to care for a critically sick foal around the clock for more than a month straight.

Many conditions and complications related to foaling are not within your control, but horse owners and breeders can take steps to promote the health of a foal even before it is born. Providing a clean foaling environment and keeping the mare healthy, clean, and current on vaccinations are some ways.

Provide good prenatal mare care. Provide adequate nutrition for the mare, including vitamin E and selenium supplementation to ensure healthy placental function and blood supply to the developing foal. Consult your veterinarian to determine the appropriate dose of supplements. Selenium intake can depend on geographic location. Ensure that your mare is current with vaccinations as this can positively affect the quality of colostrum.

In the May 7th Saturday race at Churchill Downs, Rich Strike, which closed at 80-1 odds — the longest of any horse in the field of 20 — won by 3/4 of a length over Epicenter and third-place finisher Zandon. It was the second-largest upset in the race’s history Saturday. Rich Strike’s team won $1.86 million of the Derby’s $3 million purse. The only time a horse overcame longer odds to win the race was in 1913, when Donerail triumphed after closing as a 91-1 longshot. Rich Strike was only added to the field Friday after Ethereal Road dropped out.

The colt was an even bigger underdog in Las Vegas, where some sports books had him as long as 300-1. Former President Donald Trump was among the spectators, becoming the first former president to attend the Kentucky Derby since 2000, when George H.W. Bush attended. Former President Richard Nixon is the only president to attend the race while in office, watching in 1969 when Majestic Prince won.

Horses that have not been halter broken are virtually impossible to handle or do anything with. The halter is a basic piece of equipment which is placed on the horse’s head and used to tie the horse, lead the horse and convey basic commands to the horse. Halter breaking is the first step in training a horse.

In an ideal situation, a foal should be handled by humans almost immediately after his birth. It is considered normal to place a halter on a foal within the first few days of his life in order to get the foal used to the feeling of wearing a halter on his head. The benefit of halter breaking a foal is that he has not developed any bad habits yet and his small size makes him relatively easy to handle. If you can get your foal used to having his head handled and a halter taken on and off regularly while he is still very young, he will likely always accept the halter as a simple and unquestioned part of his daily life and routine. When halter breaking a foal it is important to make sure that the halter fits appropriately and is not loose enough to get snagged on anything.

Adult Horses

When horses are born in the pasture or left unhandled for the first part of their lives it can make it slightly more difficult to halter break them. Halter breaking an adult horse involves patience and time. You will have to spend time getting the horse used to your handling his head, ears and neck. Reward the horse for letting you touch him by offering him treats and verbal praise. Once the horse accepts your touch, you will begin getting him used to the halter. You will have to introduce the halter slowly and let your horse get used to the smell and sight of it in your hands. When you are ready to try to put the halter on the horse, you will need to gently slide it over his nose and up onto his head, buckling it on the side of the head behind the ears. It may take multiple tries to get the halter onto an adult horse, but you should not be discouraged. Once the halter is on, you will probably want to leave it on for several days so that the horse accepts wearing it before you begin practicing taking it on and off.

What Not To Do

It is important never to get angry with a horse when you are trying to halter break it. You should not scream at the horse, hit him, throw the halter or behave in any type of aggressive manner towards the horse. You do not want the horse to view haltering as a scary process. You should also never give up when working with your horse. It is important to end each lesson with some kind of success, even if it is just that you got the halter over the horse’s nose without him trying to escape. End every training session on a positive note for both yourself and the horse.

Leading The Horse

Once you have the halter on your horse’s head, you need to teach him to respond to pressure being applied on the halter. Start by attaching a lead rope to your horse’s halter. Stand to the right of the horse and apply pressure by pulling the lead rope to the right. Your horse should turn his head towards you. When he does, praise him. Now do the same thing to the left. Teach your horse to step forward and backwards by applying pressure to the halter and releasing it when he moves the direction you are asking him to move. Your horse will soon figure out to follow the pressure of the leadrope as a way to release the pressure that is being applied. You can reward your horse with treats and praise for behaving correctly.

APPROACHING A HORSE FOR THE FIRST TIME

The way you approach a horse can set the tone of your interaction with him. While some horses are relatively difficult to upset or frighten, other horses can react very negatively if you approach them the wrong way. If a horse feels threatened or frightened by you, he may bite, kick or run away from you. Approaching a horse is not difficult if you do it the proper way.

Let Him Know You’re There

Sneaking up on a horse is always a bad idea. A startled horse who suddenly realizes there is someone — or something — near him may kick out in reflex or run away. As you begin walking towards the horse you want to approach, start calling out to him gently in a soft tone of voice. Make sure he can both see and hear you approaching him. Do not walk up behind a horse. If you must approach from the rear, approach him at an angle so that he will still be able to see you coming on the edge of his vision.

Avoid Loud Noises

Horses are prey animals and they generally don’t like loud scary noises. Yelling, screaming, shouting and even just loud, overexcited talking can upset a horse. Try to keep your volume turned down as you approach a horse as well as when you are handling him. While a horse will eventually get used to you and most of your noises, it may take some time to desensitize him to your screams of joy.

Let The Horse Smell You

When you first reach the horse you are approaching, hold your hands out to him and allow him to sniff your fingers if he desires. Horses use their sense of smell to help them decipher potential threats from potential food items. If you have a treat with you, now is a good time to offer it to the horse. Let him take it from your hand. Make sure the treat is sitting on your palm and your hand and fingers are completely flat to avoid accidental nipping. Pet the horse on his face, neck and sides once he has sniffed you. At this point, if the horse has sniffed you and is allowing you to pet him, then you have successfully approached him and he has accepted your presence.

Problem Behavior

For an assortment of different reasons, some horses are not easy to approach and may even be dangerous. Never chase a horse that attempts to run away from you when you approach it. If the horse behaves aggressively by pinning his ears, bearing his teeth, biting, rearing or kicking, then you need to stop what you are doing and leave the horse alone. This type of behavior needs to be dealt with by a professional horse trainer in order to ensure the safety of everyone involved. Never go into the stall or pasture with a horse you do not know unless a professional has instructed you to do so and you are under her supervision.

The Most Basic Way to Halter

• Stand at your horse’s shoulder and face forward (toward their head).
• Allow the halter to slide onto your horse’s nose.
• Next, take it up and over their ears.
• Clip the cheek snap.
• Lastly, your lead rope attaches to the round circle under their chin.

Approaching An Unruly Horse

1. Put your horse in an enclosed pen when you need to halter it.This may not always be possible, just depending on your situation. If it is, having your horse in a contained space where it cannot easily run far away will help you get it haltered faster.[1]

• Avoid having other people, horses, or animals present in the pen when you’re attempting to harness your horse.

2. Show your horse the halter as you begin to walk toward it.When you enter the pen, keep the halter in your left hand. Never hide it behind your back, and don’t shake it back and forth. Just let it be visible, so your horse knows you have something in your hand.[2]

• Approach your horse near its shoulder from the front side so it can see you well. Avoid approaching the horse from behind or directly in front of it because it has a gap in its vision and may not be able to see you.
• If the horse bucks or runs away at the sight of the harness, that is okay. Let it run around or back up, and then approach it again slowly or wait for it to come back to you. You may need to repeat this several times until you’re able to stand next to it.

3. Use your horse’s name and speak to it in a kind voice.Even if you’re nervous, try and keep your voice calm and steady. Your horse can pick up on your attitude, and if you’re skittish, that could make the horse nervous, too. Call out to your horse and use its name. Use reassuring words as you make your way to it.

• If the horse bucks or runs away, stop and stand still until they’ve stopped moving. Then start approaching it again.

4. Move slowly and avoid making any sudden movements.As you continue making your way toward your horse, avoid making any fast movements. Don’t run at the horse, wave your arms in the air, or lunge at the horse. Fast movements could spook the horse and make it nervous.[4]

• If you brought treats with you, you could always take one out and carry it in your right hand so your horse can see it, too. You could also use a bucket of grain to encourage your horse to come closer to you.

5. Continue approaching the horse until you’re on its left-hand side.Depending on how skittish or unruly your horse is, it might take a little while until you’re able to get next to it. Make sure the horse can still see the harness and continue using calm, kind words as you speak to it.[5]

• If you ever feel that the horse is too upset and that you could get hurt, leave the pen. Give the horse 5 minutes to calm down, and then try again.

Haltering Training Your Horse

1. Pass a lead rope under and around the horse’s neck.Stand on the horse’s left-hand side, take the end of the lead rope, and pass it under your horse’s neck. Reach over the horse’s neck with your other hand and grab the rope (keep the halter in the hand that’s under the horse so it doesn’t startle it). The horse will feel like it’s “caught” and is less likely to run away once you have the lead rope around its neck. This gives you a little more control over the horse’s head while you’re putting on the halter.[6]

• The lead rope attaches to the halter, and you use it to lead the horse around.
• Remember to use reassuring words while positioning the lead rope.

2. Position the halter and slide the noseband around the horse’s muzzle.The halter is made up of the crownpiece, which goes behind the horse’s ears, the cheekpieces, which line the horse’s face, the noseband, which goes around the horse’s muzzle, and the ring, which is where the lead rope is attached. To put the halter in position, the ring should be on the bottom so that when you slide the noseband in place, it’ll rest below the horse’s mouth.[7]

• Depending on how skittish the horse it, it may pull its head away several times during this process. Keep a firm hold on the lead rope around its neck to keep control of the horse and be persistent. It may take a few tries, but you’ll get the noseband in place!

3. Fasten the crownpiece over the horse’s head and behind its ears.Once the noseband is in place, take the crownpiece and position it behind the horse’s ears. Secure the end of it in the buckle, but don’t make it too tight—there should be enough room for your hand to fit under the strap.[8]

• Be extra gentle around the horse’s ears. Many horses have sensitive ears and get upset if they’re accidentally smushed down or touched on the inside. Take care to not fasten them down or yank them in any way.

4. Release the lead rope that has been around the horse’s neck.Pull the lead rope back around the horse’s neck so that it is hanging down from the ring. Remember to tell your horse what a good job it’s doing, and keep in mind that this may be a really uncomfortable moment for it.[9]

Don’t yank on the lead rope. Eventually, you’ll be able to start leading your horse around the pen and teaching it to walk beside you, but for the first few weeks of halter-training, you just want to acclimate it to the harness itself.

5. Stay by the horse’s side for a few minutes before removing the harness.This is a great time to talk to your horse, pet it, give it a treat, and just hang out. Depending on your horse’s attitude, you may even be able to groom it while you’re in the pen, which is another way to teach it to associate the harness with pleasurable things. After 4 to 5 minutes, slowly remove the harness, give your horse another treat, and end the training session.[10]

• Repeat this process for 2 to 3 weeks before moving on to leading the horse around. Ideally, you want the horse to not be skittish or aggressive when you approach it with the halter before you start the next part of its training.
• Remember patients and taking your time will eventually pay off and you and your horse will have a positive learning experience. Your horse will learn that the halter is a normal everyday bond between you and him.