Benefit for One Heart

Hi Friends;

We are having another snow day here in Iowa. Time to think about a HOT, summer activity. Maybe swimming, boating, lemonade? How about a Ride and Tie Race?

This photo is by Thom Vollenweider of the Santa Ysabel, CA R&T.

What is Ride and Tie, you ask? When a youngster, most of my allowance went to The Western Horseman magazine. From this, I learned, in the early '70s about Ride and Tie. Fashioned around a Native method for transporting warriors and their horses ( due to raiding and warring, warriors sometimes outnumbered horses) across vast distances, Ride and Tie became popular. I want to refer you early on to the Ride and Tie Association's website; they cover this topic better than I can. I will give you the simple version. Two people and one horse cover a predetermined distance. The first team to arrive at the finish is the winner. The stategy is to have one person riding while the other person is running. Periodically, they switch. The team of three all start together. Of course, the rider outpaces the runner. Once the rider gets to a tie spot the team has selected, the rider dismounts and starts running along the trail to the finish. When the original runner arrives where the horse is tied, they mount and head up the trail towards the finish. The plan is that the rider will than catch and pass the runner until they arrive at the next predesignated tie spot. That rider dismounts and takes off running. The horse waits until the teamate comes upon it, mounts and rides. In this way the team of two runners relays the horse between them. They alternate riding and running (or walking) until they all three cross the finish line.

This is a sport more common on the west coast, but One Heart wants to bring it to IOWA!

A committee is being formed now to organize and promote a ride and tie benefit for One Heart in the summer of 2010.

A Great Day Not to Worry About Sonny

Hi Friends;

This is the perfect day to write the memorial for Sonny. Our dear Sonny accompanied Rosa and Patch on that fateful day when the trailer made its way to the Vet school.

Before I attempt to explain what Sonny meant to the people and program of One Heart, I ask you to keep in mind that Sonny was probably the very first mount of almost every child rider we started. Sonny was an endeared and treasured pony. I want to extend my sympathy to each of our riders and the families impacted by the news of Sonny's death. Prior to this notice, some of Sonny's current riders were notified of our decision. Especially, the mothers of our 2 - 5 year olds were advised. Typically, moms remind their kids how fun it will be to ride Sonny again next year. This winter they will make their statement more impersonal. They will eagerly await the spring rides on "the horse/the pony" - not including the name. Sonny will become a fond memory.

What makes this a good day not to worry about Sonny is the fact that the entire state is under a blizzard warning. The wind is a sustained 25 miles per hour. The snowplows have been pulled from the roads. Kids are rejoicing in a snowday. The drifts are higher than the big bales. This is the kind of day that would make my grey hair fall out in clumps with worry over Sonny. Even with supportive shelter, supplemental grain, and his donkey companion, Sonny didn't have the physical reserves to withstand this climate. Tonight they predict a -25 degree windchill. The photo at the right is looking out of my office window this morning.

In Loving Memory

Hi Friends;

It has been a few days since I have checked in. Last time I told you about the loss of Patch. Today will be an update of the memorial list.


Not many folks at One Heart realize that the very first Norwegian Fjord horse donated to One Heart was Rosa. Rosa was the result of me internet surfing and finding a Fjord affectionato and "broker". This was the summer that we were working so diligently with the Sons of Norway to locate the more infamous Alma and Dagmar. Through the internet contact we were referred to the McCollum family in northern Minnesota. They had an older mare who was no longer having foals. Her primary function was as a producer of fine, Norwegian Fjord foals. When those days appeared to be finished, they considered donating her.


Again, as no example to anyone with basic sense.....I accepted this old mare sight unseen over the phone/internet. Shock of shocks, I also found her a free ride from close to the Canadian-US border all the way to Iowa. Our friend Meg was taking her trailer to the Minnesota Horse fair and the McCollums always made a point to come to the same fair. The transfer was made in the late spring and Rosa arrived at the Jungle in 2004 - Several months prior to Alma and Dagmar.


Being the first Norwegian Fjord horse for One Heart met with such honor that the true royal nature of Rosa was hidden for years. Our interest was if she was ready to go to work in the therapy arena. She passed immediately and went to work immediately. She was well suited to the task although when we asked if she was trained to ride or drive, the donors didn't know. There is a good chance that she had never been trained for either.

Rosa's registration papers did not indicate her suitability for the therapy arena so were simply filed away.

Back to Business

Hi Friends;

I need a break so decided I should have my conversation with you. My head is swimming with facts and figures as I prepare for our Board meeting. We are putting together a business plan. I am surrounded by charts and graphs and facts and figures. Saturated.

It's a good time to let you know what's up with One Heart. The first item of business when I got back from Thanksgiving break was to put the final touches on the Angel Tree. I went Monday to Theisen's in Ames to set up our display. I hope when you stop by you shop for One Heart. As an example of what the Angel Tree does for us...... we haven't had to purchase any fly spray (a staple!) for two years in a row because of our generous "Santas".
The Angel Tree is covered with ornaments of the horses in the One Heart herd. Also on the table is a list of the active horses, the recently retired horses, and the horses who have gone to greener pastures this year. For most of you, this is the first you will hear about those who have gone to greener pastures. You know about Dagmar which was quite a loss. Over the next couple of days I will write the obituaries of the others.

The first is Patch. Most of you didn't know Patch. He was a beautiful black and white pinto who had lived with One Heart for over a year. Patch came to the arena when he was first delivered to Stagecoach but was moved to the jungle for his remaining time.