Out on the ranch with the cowgirls / LJWorld.com

Archive for Monday, January 21, 2008

Baldwin City tour caps exhibit at Watkins museum

Ally Wilke, 14, of Lawrence, pets Dinky the horse while giving a riding demonstration Sunday during Watkins Community Museum of History's tour of Stepping Stone Ranch, 95 E. 1600 Road in Baldwin City. The tour marked the end of the museum's exhibit on cowgirls.

By Alexander Parker

January 21, 2008

Ranch owner talks about being a real cowgirl

Vera Gannaway, owner of the Stepping Stone Ranch, talks about what kind of horses live at the ranch and how she and her colleagues are real cowgirls. Enlarge video

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To coincide with the close of an exhibit on cowgirls, the Watkins Community Museum of History organized a visit for the public to see how real cowgirls work.

Stepping Stone Ranch, 95 E. 1600 Road in Baldwin City, was the setting for the educational venture, where owner Vera Gannaway demonstrated to 17 guests how she takes care of the 24 horses on the ranch.

A lawyer-turned-rancher, Gannaway explained how she keeps her horses, which range from competition steeds to horses rescued from the brink of death, healthy. She said one blue-eyed horse, Dinky, arrived at the ranch with shoulder blades that almost touched each other, the result of years of malnutrition. Thanks to Gannaway's efforts, the horse is rehabilitated. On Sunday, Dinky trotted around the ranch's barn, giving guests a demonstration on different types of riding techniques.

Gannaway walked through the steps of giving a horse a checkup, inviting visitors to listen to the stomach of a horse named Bart, as well as checking his gums.

"I hope from the beginning that they understand that horses are more difficult than dogs; they need more care," Gannaway said. She hoped her guests would "learn a little about who (horses) are and how wonderful they are to be around."

Chad Bloomer brought his wife, Kari, and two sons, Chase, 4, and Chandler, 7, to the ranch. Though the Bloomers own five horses, Chad Bloomer was soaking in as much advice as he could.

"We've got some horses. We brought the boys out to learn a bit more," said Bloomer, who planned to take Gannaway's advice to use square hay bales rather than round bales, which can have growths of mold, potentially causing disease in horses.

Rebecca Phipps, executive director of the museum, 1047 Mass., said the trip to a working ranch encapsulated the exhibit, which featured photos of cowgirls from the 1990s.

"The exhibit, the photographs were of working women on ranches and farms, : but those are just photographs," Phipps said. "This is real life."

Gannaway said she hoped owners of horses would have an increased awareness of ranches like hers, which can act as knowledge centers for those looking to learn more. Stepping Stone Ranch offers summer camp sessions and horse training throughout the year.

"We don't typically wear cowboy hats around here," said Gannaway, who noted her ranch is an English farm. "Whether or not we wear cowboy hats, we really are the quintessential cowgirls, because this is what we do. We work with horses every day."

Discussion

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21 January 2008
at 8:47 a.m.

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conservativepunker (Anonymous) says…

But does she get the blues? hehe
21 January 2008
at 9:12 a.m.

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trinity (Anonymous) says…

does anybody know if this is the same gal that rode a motorcycle 20+years ago? just curious….
21 January 2008
at 10:20 a.m.

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bearded_gnome (Anonymous) says…

“even cowgirls get the blues.” lyrics.

horses are a delight to work with and give so much once they've had a little training.
21 January 2008
at 12:34 p.m.

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Krakatau (Anonymous) says…

Owning a horse has been one of the best experiences of my life. Having “Indy” taught me about patience, persistence, and trust. I had a bond with him I have never had with any other animal….. or human, for that matter. He was an ex race horse, grandson of Alydar. After racing on the track in Florida - he was determined to be “too slow”. I purchased him after he somehow made his way (??) up to Kansas. Skinny and forgotten, the Vet told me he wouldn't bother with him. But, there was something in his spirit, his eyes that I couldn't ignore. I got him anyway and I nursed him back to health. The first time I got on him, he still thought he had to out run ever other horse around so it took him a while to learn to 'calm down'…. and for me to recover from the “speeding”. He was sooooooooooo fast!! Being a thoroughbred he was fairly energetic anyway, but he learned he could trust me and relax around me. He eventually slowed down - well, sorta. When we started working together and we started jumping, he would take the jumps so fast that he would fly one way and I would fly several feet the other way - BAM!! At first I thought I was crazy getting on this ex racehorse, but then realized it was just Indy - giving me all he had - which was always 110%. I admit, it was hard to get back on him sometimes, but I learned if I didn't I would never overcome my fear of falling - or failure - again. We learned to trust each other and work together.

I have remembered this lesson many times in life as I have hit 'bumps in the road'….I have to keep trying, keep moving forward, and never give up.

Thanks Indy for all the lessons you taught me and the wonderful memories you gave me!!! You weren't lucky I found you ~ I was lucky you found me!!!
21 January 2008
at 10:01 p.m.

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bearded_gnome (Anonymous) says…

that's a wonderful story Krakie. in the 7th grade I had a pony and trained her to the saddle and such. I learned so much working with her. your horse sounds like quite a guy, I wish I had met him.
21 January 2008
at 10:38 p.m.

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Krakatau (Anonymous) says…

Thanks. Yes, he 'kept me on my toes' so to speak. When I first had him, I boarded him at a barn. He looked awful in the beginning, but in a few months and after a lot of TLC, he gained weight and muscles and was so athletic, I started getting offers for him. He didn't even look like the horse I brought in months earlier. Then a trainer offered to take him to jumper shows where he starting winning. The transformation was unbelieveable. He was a beauty (of course what horse isn't)? I knew when I saw him he had 'something special'. I had no idea the stock he was from until after I bought him. Then I found the tatoo in his upper lip. After some research with the Thoroughbred Assoc., I find out all about him and that his whole line was from Calumet Farm. Crazy huh. I think if you did a google search on Alydar - you would find a picture of him and that is exactly what my Indy looked like same exact markings - 'just like his granddaddy'. I didn't care so much for the shows ~ heck, I just like getting out in the open and riding!

Of course, I couldn't just stop at one - I had to get a companion for Indy, then another, then 3. Well, you know how it goes with horses….lol