1967-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1967 March Voice RS | Page 26

LET'S TRAIN A COLT
CHAPTER 6
As they say at the bam . . . “she done it again!” Just
when everything looked rosy our fine filly ran away with
our trainer. We had her tail cut this past month and she
was not worked to any extent for about two weeks. When
our trainer climbed aboard our colt she was feeling extra
good and after making about two complete circles, took off
in a dead gallop. After two trips from one end of the hall
to the other he managed to get her stopped. Question?
What makes a colt pull a stunt like this just when you
think you’ve got her good and broke?
In discussing this with our trainer we learned that
there were several factors involved. She hadn’t been
worked regularly for about a week and had an “edge” on
her which he thought was very good. Also, he had decided
to go back to the broken snaffel bit for awhile just to
loosen her up and give her a chance to set her head by
herself. According to him, the colt realized that she had
more freedom with the snaffel bit and took advantage of it.
After getting her under control he worked her for about
fifteen minutes with the snaffel bit and two pair of small
chains on her feet. He had her “re-set” in the front this
past week and had been working her with a pair of
weighted heel boots as well as a pair of chains. He keeps
her feet well greased and so far her feet arc in excellent
shape. She is still pacing a little and is slowly slipping into
a very good walk. She likes to “go on” so we are bound to
have some more fun with her. Our trainer says she may
be ready to show some time in the early summer. He is not
pushing her, however.
SAN ANTONiO SETS SHOW DATES
i’rst trained horses of two countries come to San An-
7 ; ic. ;>r the five-day fifth annual San Antonio Charity
• V a . April 12 through 16. The annual show, pre-
d jg.di in 1967 by Alzafar Shrine, has become a
••grnr.ey -• . i- s.-. with both exhibitors and audiences.
A.n Antonio show opens the 8-city Southwest cir-
; '
expected to again draw top horses, trainers and
.• almost even,' state and Mexico. Additional in-
d-vn Mexico is expected because of the 1968
\ .chav-cue Ward and James C. Midcap have been named
chairmen, and have accepted the responsibility of
putting an exciting show together. Both exhibitors, they
have entered their own horses in all previous shows.
Mideap said the program for the 1967 horse show
would be aimed at attracting the best stables in the country
again. “The well-rounded program will include events for
three and five gaited, fine harness, walking horses, road­
sters, Shctlands and others.”
The show will be expanded this year to adequately
stage larger youth activity events and equitation classes.
Premium lists and information on entry, events and
tickets may be obtained from Box 1385, San Antonio,
Texas.
Ward said there would be night performances on
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and matinees
on Friday, .Saturday and Sunday, when the championship
stakes will be decided. The Friday matinee has been added
to give more time to equitation events and to better pro­
gram eventing classes. AH events will be held at Joe Free­
man Coliseum.
26
Major Walking Horse Training
And Breeding Operation Under
Construction in Elizabethton, Tenn.
ALL THE WAY TO THE FENCE—Dr. Hoyle Bowman is
pictured showing the boundry lines of the Windy Hills property
to Carolyn and Skip Standsbcrry as Dr. David Slagle looks on.
The new show horse stable is in the background.
Windy Hills Stables, owned and operated jointly by
two area doctors and their families, is scheduled for com­
pletion shortly in Elizabethton, Tennessee. Dr. and Mrs.
Hoyle Bowman and Dr. and Mrs. David Slagle have spent
a long winter overseeing the construction of this beautiful
training stable and are looking forward to their planned
grand opening sometime in April.
The stable is located on one hundred acres of beau­
tiful rolling hill country that allows plenty of room for
brood mares. It is patterned after several new stables
that have been built recently and has a few unique feat­
ures that were incorporated by the owners. There arc
26 stalls, each 12' x 12' complete with automatic wat-
erers and tail boards. The working area has all the con­
veniences of a major training operation. The riding hall
is 216' long.
Focal point of the stable will be the lounge and
trophy room which was handled exclusively by Thelma
Bowman and IaVonne Slagle. It is decorated in charcoal,
gray and red and will have board and batten walls and
a bar complete with an old fashioned brass rail. This
should become one of the “meeting places” of the horsey
set throughout upper East Tennessee.
Mr. Tommy Wetzel has been hired as trainer and
manager and surely has his work cut out for him during
the first part of 1967. Tommy, who previously worked for
John T. Carter in Kingsport, is now in the process of
setting up the “horse” phase of the new stable and already
has commitments from several people for training of out­
side horses. This will be a public training operation and
the activity in this part of the country indicates that
Tommy should have his hands full shortly. Juvenile and
Amateur horses should comprise a large part of Tommy’s
activity as the Bowmans have five children and the
Slagles have four.
Plans for an official barn party arc underway and just
as soon as the stable is ready they will have a real “barn
warming.” The best of luck to the fine folks at Windy
Hill Farms. We arc fortunate to have people such as these
in the Walking Horse business.
VOICE of the Tennessee Walking Horse