The Horses         Ginger & Foal Gypsy Sage Sam Jacqui Shammie Dixie Derby Bloopie Jake & Judy Most of the horses in the show go back five generations of horses owned by Dale’s family and a couple have been purchased in recent years.  All have some draft horse breeding.  Ginger and Gypsy were the original two horses Dale used in the show as well as for farm work and hay rides. Ginger’s offspring, Sage and Sam, now play some of the major roles in the show although Ginger and Gypsy still actively participate.

GINGER was foaled in 1982 and her maternal ancestry goes back three generations of horses owned by Dale’s family.  Her dam was a small quarterhorse with a touch of Welsh pony and her sire was a working Amish owned Belgian draft horse.  Ginger is a sharp, sensitive horse that is extremely responsive to cues.  She is the smoothest riding of Dale’s horses and has traditionally done the liberty trick routine in the show.  She is an alert, sensitive horse that is eager to perform, learn new tricks, or be hooked in harness even though her work time has been greatly reduced due to her age.   She also added the youngest addition to the herd, Dixie, at the age of 24 in 2006.

GYPSY is a full sister to Ginger, foaled in 1983.   She is a quiet, gentle horse and a favorite among the inexperienced riders on Dale ’s crew.  She is used to train some of the younger riders because of her steadiness and dependability.  Together with Ginger, she was born on the same farm where Dale was raised and has the same Belgian work horse sire.  Gypsy is the choice horse to go to for a beginning rider as well as to hook to the grain grinder during demonstrations at the farm.  She has done vaulting and is still used throughout the show:  Chariot, drill team, trick riding, and Roman riding through the fire jump. 

SAGE is a gelding out of Ginger and a Welsh Cob stallion, foaled in 1997.  He is a powerful, independent-minded animal with a can-do attitude.    Although bold, he responds well to consistent handling and, in spite of his nickname, “the monster”, he is a solid riding and driving horse even for beginners.  He is a “Journeyman” in the show, being used wherever needed:  Chariot, vaulting, drill team, liberty, dressage, trick riding, and Roman-Riding including the fire jump. One of his specialties is galloping to Dale to pick him up, completely unguided, at the end of the show.

SAM is Sage’s full brother, foaled in 1998.  He has a clever “pony” disposition and is quick to test the unaware rider when he sees an enticing mouthful of grass along the trail.  His playful nature makes him an eager student for trick training and he is the type of horse that throws in his own ideas from time to time.  He and Sage make the team most used for pulling the walking plow or for hay and sleigh rides on the farm. Like Sage, Sam is used in almost any part of the show needed: Chariot, drill team, trick riding, Roman-Riding and has his own trick routine.  

JACQUI was foaled in 1997.   Dale purchased her in April of 2003 as a “green-broke” horse and she developed rapidly, already performing in the show that June.  Jacqui was foaled in Canada and is part Clydesdale, part Paint horse, and part unknown.  Jacqui has a remarkably sweet disposition which is making her popular among the young riders on the team. She pulls the chariot, is used in drill team, Roman-riding, and trick riding.  Jacqui is also a favorite horse used by the garden crew to pull the cultivator each spring and summer.  She added another contribution to the herd, Derby, in 2006.

SHAMMI is a Belgian/Quarterhorse cross who also came from Canada .  He was foaled in 1994 and joined the horse show team in 2004.  He is a nice moving horse who responds well to consistent handling and is used wherever an extra horse is needed in the show:  Chariot, drill team, and Roman-riding.

BLOOPIE, around 12 years old, is the playful, nice moving, rescue pony on the farm, given to Elizabeth a number of years ago.   Using the “Since he’s here, we might as well put him in the show” philosophy, he adds excitement to the Roman riding race and is being trained for other roles with the goal he will also become a reliable riding pony.

DERBY was born at Mesa Farm in 2006 to Jacqui and a Welsh Cob stallion.  He is extremely good-natured as well as extremely large for his age.  Time will tell his role in the show, but he has a affable personality which adheres him to the crew.

DIXIE was born to 24 year old Ginger in 2006 and is out of the same Welsh Cob stallion as Derby.  Sweet dispositions are the two things these two young horses have most in common and Dixie also seems especially clever.  She apparently didn’t get the “extra-large” genes that Derby has, so many of the younger crew members are eyeing her as their future ideal pony mount.

JAKE, foaled in 2003, and JUDY, foaled in 2004, are the most recent equines on the farm.  These Belgian/Percheron cross draft horses were given to Dale from his father in the fall of 2007.  These full siblings were born at the family farm in Minnesota out of a Belgian mare and a Percheron stallion owned by an Amish neighbor.  These gentle giants are undergoing training for farm work and as vaulting horse.  One can guess that other roles in the show will be found for them, as extra-large horses will especially need to earn their keep!