Circle Y Saddles, Inc.

Circle Y Saddles, Inc. to Give Away Eight Saddles at the National Finals Rodeo

2011-11-02T10:24:00.000-05:00

YOAKUM, Texas (October 31, 2011): Circle Y Saddles, Inc., America’s Leading Saddle Brand, is announcing its presence at the National Finals Rodeo by giving away eight saddles.

Circle Y will be part of the “Step Into NRS” experience at the MGM Grand Marquee Ballroom. National Roper’s Supply has created an interactive western shopping experience where shoppers can step into the NRS catalog and shop several major brands. There will also be a unique social networking element, entertainment, education, and the opportunity to meet your favorite rodeo stars.

Circle Y will be giving away a saddle a night for seven nights after the rodeo performances. Shoppers can register daily at the Circle Y booth and the winners will be randomly selected and announced each night at the MGM Gold Buckle Zone. Winners must be present to accept their prize.

In addition, shoppers can register to win an additional Circle Y saddle by visiting the Circle Y booth and scanning a QR code. No presence is necessary to win this saddle. The winner will be randomly selected on December 15th and an announcement will be made on the Circle Y and NRS Facebook pages.

Visitors to the National Finals Rodeo should also look for NRS coupon books being distributed at the MGM properties during the NFR. The coupon books are valid only for the length of the rodeo and entitle the holder to valuable coupons from several vendors. The Circle Y promotions include $100 off a saddle purchase, 10% off the purchase of a tack or accessory item, and a free gift for the first 500 visitors to the Circle Y booth. Circle Y will be displaying a wide assortment of saddles, tack, and accessories for all western disciplines, including items from the High Horse and Tucker Trail Saddle brands.

“All of us at Circle Y are extremely excited to be a part of the NRS experience at the MGM. Whether you are participating in the Finals, watching the Finals, or simply visiting, we invite you to stop by our booth and see all of our exciting new products,” said Mark Jemelka, chief operating officer of Circle Y Saddles.

Circle Y Saddles, Inc. is America’s Leading Saddle Brand. Circle Y’s innovative products reflect the current trends in design and are ahead of the industry in technology. Circle Y started saddle manufacturing in 1960 in the small Texas town of Yoakum. Still located there, Circle Y continues to produce high quality saddles and tack with the heritage and tradition the company was founded on. Circle Y saddles and tack are sold through a network of authorized dealers; visit www.circley.com to learn more.

Learn more about National Roper’s Supply and Step Into NRS at www.nrsworld.com.

For more information on the National Finals Rodeo visit http://www.nfrexperience.com/.

Professional Barrel Racers Tammy Fischer and Jackie Jatzlau Join Circle Y Team of Champions

2011-08-31T08:48:00.000-05:00

Tammy Fischer

Jackie Jatzlau

Circle Y Saddles, Inc., America’s Leading Saddle Brand, welcomes professional barrel racers Tammy Fischer and Jackie Jatzlau to the Team of Champions, and introduces their new signature treeless barrel saddles.

Tammy Fischer is a 5-Time NFR Qualifier, Calgary Stampede Champion, and Rodeo Houston Champion Barrel Racer. Jackie Jatzlau has won multiple futurity and derby championships, and is a 2-Time NFR Qualifier and AQHA World Champion. The sisters are long-time fans of treeless saddles, and came to Circle Y to design their signature saddle lines.

Circle Y considered the unique riding styles of Fischer and Jatzlau when designing their signature saddles. Fischer’s saddle suits the rider that likes a deep, secure seat with an upright swell and 5” cantle. Jatzlau’s saddle appeals to the rider who prefers a more open seat, with a lower swell and 4”, laid back cantle. The treeless design of these saddles keeps the rider in close contact with the horse and allows unrestricted movement. Fleece lined neoprene skirts distribute weight, absorb shock, and are flexible, bending with the horse in the turns. Forward hung stirrup leathers keep your feet from getting behind you and provide the rider flexibility in the stirrups.

1310 Tammy Fischer Treeless barrel (short horn)
Also available 1311 with medium horn

"The close contact of my saddle lets the horse and rider connect in a way that traditional saddles can’t”, said Tammy Fischer.

“When fractions of a second make the difference between winning and losing I need my saddle to help me shave off that precious time! My treeless saddle is very lightweight and fits so closely to my horse to help me, as a rider, feel every move my horse makes so I can help my horse make the best run possible. This saddle is a big part of my winning team!” said Jackie Jatzlau.

Jackie Jatzlau 1331 Treeless Barrel (short horn)
Also available as 1330 with medium horn

“Circle Y is proud to introduce these two new treeless saddles to the market, and we are especially proud to have Tammy and Jackie on our team. Their energy and enthusiasm for the sport of barrel racing is like a breath of fresh air,” said Mark Jemelka, chief operating officer of Circle Y Saddles.

The Tammy Fischer and Jackie Jatzlau signature treeless barrel saddles can be ordered through Circle Y dealers nationwide. Each saddle comes with the option of short or medium horn, suede color choices, and leather color choices. Saddles may also be custom ordered through a Circle Y dealer. Visit our website to see more details and matching tack and accessories for the saddles:

http://www.shopatron.com/products/productdetail/part_number=1310/468.0.1.1

http://www.shopatron.com/products/productdetail/part_number=1330/468.0.1.1

Learn more about Tammy Fischer at http://www.tammyfischerbarrelhorses.com/.

Learn more about Jackie Jatzlau at http://www.jackiejatzlau.com/.

NEW SupeRide™ Trail Saddles

2011-06-29T17:02:00.001-05:00

SupracorÒ StimuliteÒ Honeycomb

New to the Circle Y line are the SupeRide™ Trail saddles packed with great features for horse and rider comfort. Two models are available-the 3855 Tahoe Trail and for Gaited horses, the 3875 Yosemite Trail, which features a Gaited tree.

The most notable feature of the SupeRide™ saddles is the SupracorÒ StimuliteÒ Honeycomb incorporated between the suede skirt liner and tree bars. SupracorÒ material has been used in the medical and aerospace industries for it's shock absorbing, weight distribution, and pressure relieving properties. The SupracorÒ acts as a cushion between the horse and the saddle and it's "memory" means it won't break down. The skirt is lined with suede, providing a no-slip grip, and the suede is also easier to keep clean of debris vs. fleece.

3855 Tahoe Trail

The SupeRide™ saddles have an Easy-Fit™ RalideÒ tree-slightly flexible for freedom of movement, durable, and lightweight-they weigh in at around 30-33 pounds. The Tunnel Skirt™ eliminates pressure on the horse's spine, especially important for the horse with a protruding backbone. The SupeRide™ saddles have a 3-Way Adjustable Position Rigging so you can rig the saddle in the position best suited to your horse. The front dee is the full position, giving the most stability to the front of the saddle, and used in conjunction with a rear cinch. The 7/8 position is the most popular and utilizes both dees, a good all-around rigging position. The 3/4 position moves the pressure of the rig back away from the horse's shoulders. This can allow a gaited horse to freely gait by preventing interference with the shoulders.

3875 Yosemite Gaited Trail

For the rider, an Impact Foam™ seat, a memory type viscoelastic foam, provides rider comfort with it's conforming properties. SofteeÒ seat jockeys and fenders mean this saddle has a "broke in" feel right out of the box-no need to train your fenders with a broomstick! The EBS™-ErgoBalance™ stirrup design reduces knee and ankle fatigue and promote balanced riding. The key to this stirrup is the "cone" design that cants the stirrup slightly to equalize the pressure on the balls of your feet, reducing the torque on your joints.

The SupeRide™ saddles have brass hardware and an attractive border tooling pattern. They are available in walnut, regular oil, or black finishes in several seat sizes. Matching tack-headstall, breast collar, flank cinch, and saddle pads-are also available. Suggested Retail $ 1499. For more information, follow the link:

http://www.shopatron.com/products/category/SupeRide/468.0.1.1.22293.107318.0.0.0

Circle Y Teams with Pam Grace to Design Western Dressage Saddle

2011-05-05T10:20:00.005-05:00

Pam Grace is a professional dressage exhibitor, horse trainer, clinician, and “L” dressage judge. In her lifetime with horses, Grace has ridden several disciplines, including barrel racing, reining, polo, and race horses, but “dancing” with horses is where she excels. Grace is a 5 time ABIG Grand Prix Champion and USDF Gold Medalist with numerous wins in the dressage ring, including 87 USDF All Breed Championships and countless ABIC, GAIG and Southwest Dressage Championships. Grace’s latest endeavor is the relatively new discipline of Western dressage, the melding of Classical dressage and Western horsemanship, with her Dutch Warmblood, Star in Stripes.

Recognizing the need for a specialized saddle in the Western dressage discipline, Grace collaborated with Circle Y to design her new 1850 “The Dance” Western dressage saddle. A Flex2® tree allows freedom of movement for the horse, an important factor in performing precise dressage maneuvers. The saddle is lightweight with several performance and comfort features for both horse and rider. The strategically placed thigh blocks, seat design, and stirrup leather position allow the rider to maintain perfect dressage position and alignment. The rough out seat jockeys and fenders and rubber grip tread of the stirrups also help the rider keep a secure seat. The saddle has a dropped in-skirt rigging and close contact skirt to minimize bulk under the rider's leg and allow the horse and rider close contact for precise cueing. For the rider's comfort, the Impact Foam™ padded seat provides a comfortable cushion and the Softee® seat jockeys and fenders require no break-in time. ErgoBalance™ stirrups position the rider's feet and legs to minimize joint fatigue and promote balanced riding. For the horse, a Neo-Shock™ skirt absorbs shock and conforms to the horse, and the suede skirt liner provides grip for a no-slip fit. The skirt design also has the XPG™ Gel bar pad between the tree bars and the skirt liner to absorb shock and improve fit and comfort for the horse. The beautiful "shimmer suede" seat and skirt inlays and crystal mosaic conchos add a unique, showy flair. “This saddle is cutting edge-a fabulous one of a kind design which is unparalleled. It takes balance, freedom of movement and comfort to new heights. You cannot sit incorrectly in this saddle,” said Pam Grace.

“We are proud to add Pam to our ever growing Team of Champions. Western Dressage is a new discipline for our Brand, and Pam was a natural choice to help us introduce it to our line. Her long list of accomplishments proves she is a true Champion,” said Mark Jemelka, chief operating officer of Circle Y Saddles.

Pam Grace offers both Traditional and Western dressage clinics and private lessons. Learn more about Pam Grace at http://www.pamgrace.com/.

To learn more about the growing discipline of Western dressage, visit the Western Dressage Association website at http://www.westerndressageassociation.org/.

Martha Josey visits Circle Y

2011-03-01T14:32:00.016-06:00

Last week we had the honor of hosting Martha Josey at Circle Y. Martha is an AQHA, WPRA, and NBHA World Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, and WPRA Hall of Fame barrel racer. Today, Martha, along with husband R.E. and Team Josey trainers put on barrel clinics all over the United States. The Team Josey motto is "We Create Champions" and you can feel their pride when they talk about the accomplishments of their Josey clinic students. For the Josey's, the cultivation of the next generation of cowboys and cowgirls is what it's all

about.
Martha and R.E., along with their Team Josey friends, stopped by to tour the saddle manufacturing facility and talk saddle design. While walking through, Martha stopped to chat and take photos with the craftsmen. We determined that Circle Y has manufactured the Josey saddles for over 25 years!

The newest saddle to the Josey line is the 1179 Josey Ultimate Smash. It has all the same great features of the other Josey Ultimate saddles (forward hung, free swing stirrup leathers, center pocket seat, 3-way adjustable position rigging, 4" forward slanted horn) with the added benefit of a 1" taller swell and 5" cantle, for the rider who wants extra security and support in the saddle.

After the tour, we took some video and Martha gave us some barrel racing "quick tips" ("Like" us on Facebook and stay tuned for future posts to see what Martha had to say!)

If you've been lucky enough to attend a Josey clinic, you know how fun spending the day with Martha and R.E. can be! And if you haven't...wait are you waiting for? Visit http://www.barrelracers.com/ to learn more about Team Josey, sign up for a clinic, or learn more about the features of the Josey Ultimate Barrel saddles.

Barrel Racer Lisa Lockhart Joins Circle Y Team of Champions

2010-11-16T09:29:00.015-06:00

Lisa Lockhart is a wife, mother, rancher and 4-time NFR Qualifier. Residing in Oelrichs, SD, she credits the team effort of her family for her barrel racing success. When she's not on the road barrel racing, Lisa balances family life at the ranch with her husband and children, ranching, and horse training.

This year Lisa goes to the NFR ranked 6th. Her main mount is Fast An Gold aka "Chisum", a chestnut gelding. Lisa has ridden Circle Y saddles for years, and this NFR, she'll be riding one with her name on it, the 1544 Lisa Lockhart Fast & Furious barrel. Fit for the horse was the primary concern for Lisa. Featuring a Flex2 tree, this saddle was designed to sit down low and close to the horse, flexing with the horse to allow freedom of movement. For the rider, the groundseat keeps you in optimal position. Suede seat, roughout seat jockeys and fenders, and aluminum rubber grip stirrups help keep you secure in the saddle. Pre-twisted fenders keep you comfortable in the saddle, and make it easy to find your stirrup should you lose one during a run. Unique star cutout silver and seat design with snakeskin print inlays are set off by nickle spot trim and floral tooling.

The 1544 Lisa Lockhart Fast & Furious barrel will be making its debut at the NFR-on Chisum and at the tradeshows. See the new saddle at these dealers at the NFR:

W.C. Equestrian at the Southpoint

Riata West at Mandalay Bay

Circle Y Welcomes Luke Reinbold to the Team of Champions

2010-11-05T10:55:00.011-05:00

Circle Y Saddles, Inc., America's Leading Saddle Brand, is proud to welcome Luke Reinbold to our Team of Champions.

Clinician, trainer and competitor, Luke Reinbold, specializes in Ultimate Cowboy Versatility Challenges using practical obstacles to create a safe, willing horse and build a positive relationship with the rider. Luke believes the relationship between horse and rider should be something that is enjoyed. He stresses the importance of being able to control every part of your horse. While conducting clinics Luke teaches how to build trust with your horse while using common things found along the trail or in the barn, using everything as a learning experience for the horse. By keeping things new and interesting for both horse and rider a stronger trust relationship is formed.

Luke calls the Finger Lakes region of New York State home along with his wife and young family.

Luke rides a Maverick Roper and a 1470 Rocky Mountain High Performance Versatility saddle.

Learn more about Luke at his website.

Check out a great video of Luke showcasing his abilities below!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFKxLNOKNZs

Cowboy Mounted Shooter Dan Byrd Joins the Circle Y Team of Champions

2010-10-08T12:49:00.005-05:00

Circle Y welcomes Dan Byrd to the Team of Champions. Dan is a top Cowboy Mounted Shooting competitor, and a renowned horse trainer who has trained many of the horses being used today by shooting competitors. He owns and operates Dan Byrd Performance Horses in the Cave Creek/New River area in the heart of Arizona. Along with horse sales, Dan offers horse and student training specializing in Cowboy Mounted Shooting. Dan has over 20 years professional experience in the horse training industry and has produced winning horses in Polo, Polocrosse, Eventing, Western Show Ring, Roping, Barrels, Dressage, Jumping and Cowboy Mounted Shooting. For more information on Dan, visit his website at http://danbyrdhorses.com/.

Dan also competes in the "Superhorse" events, which consists of shooting, barrel racing, and breakaway roping. When designing his new 2721 Super Shooter saddle, the goal was to create a saddle that would give a competitive edge in the arena for cowboy mounted shooting and the Superhorse events, but also be ready for a hard day's work on the ranch. This saddle is built on a fiberglass reinforced wood tree, so it's versatile enough for the ranch or the arena, and is suitable for roping.

2721 Dan Byrd Super Shooter

Features include:

Fiberglass reinforced wood tree-suitable for roping
Close contact skirts keep you close to the horse for precise cueing
Swell and horn stay out of the way when reaching for guns
Fenders are placed for optimum mobility
Pretwisted fenders reduce joint fatigue

Dan will be competing in the CMSA World Championship in Amarillo, TX October 19th-23rd. Circle Y dealer Foust Feeds will be debuting Dan's 2721 Super Shooter saddle at the event. For more information on the CMSA World Championship visit http://www.cmsaevents.com/. To find a Circle Y dealer near you, visit http://www.circley.com/dealer/dealers.shtml.

Julie Goodnight Presents at WEG and IEF this September in Lexington

2010-08-25T16:37:00.006-05:00

Julie Goodnight Presents at The World Equestrian Games and the International Equestrian Festival this September in Lexington, Kentucky
Internationally acclaimed natural horsemanship trainer, host of Horse Master on RFD-TV, and Circle Y Team of Champions' member, Julie Goodnight, travels to Lexington, Kentucky to teach horse lovers horsemanship skills September 25, 2010 at the World Equestrian Games (http://www.alltechfeigames.com) and daily September 25 through October 10, 2010 during the International Equestrian Festival. Join Goodnight in the WEG Equine Village to learn equitation tips and strategies during her 10 a.m. demo at the Kentucky Horse Park. Then, join Goodnight daily at the International Equestrian Festival—a shopping and educational expo held at the Lexington Convention Center in downtown Lexington.

At the IEF, Goodnight presents two educational seminars and demonstrations daily for two weeks. Watch Goodnight work with horses at the expo then see her at her row of shopping booths to register to win daily prizes and great grand prizes from her sponsors.

If you’re going to the event, be sure to stop by Goodnight’s booth to check out all the products she offers. Take the time to learn more about her full line of training DVDs and check out Goodnight’s PEAK Performance™ seven saddle line by Circle Y.

The International Equestrian Festival Schedule (http://horsecapitalproductions.com/component/content/article/182)
Demonstrations in Ecotrack Park at 6:00 p.m.
Sept. 25: Be the Best Rider You Can (Part 1)
Sept. 26: Be the Best Rider You Can (Part 2)
Sept. 27: "Gaining Respect from the Ground"
Sept. 28: "Tack Up Like a Pro"
Sept. 29: "All in the Approach: Catch, halter and lead safely"
Sept. 30: "Conformation 101; Structure, movement and balance"
Oct. 1: "Caution: Danger: Stay Safe Around Horses"
Oct. 2: "Horse Behavior & Human Relationships"
Oct. 3: "Decipher Your Horse’s Language"
Oct. 4: "Gaining Respect from the Ground"
Oct. 5: "Tack Up Like a Pro"
Oct. 6: "All in the Approach: Catch, halter and lead safely"
Oct. 7: "Conformation 101; Structure, movement and balance"
Oct. 8: "Caution: Danger: Stay Safe Around Horses"
Oct. 9: "Horse Behavior & Human Relationships"
Oct. 10: "Decipher Your Horse’s Language"

Presentations in the Seminar Room at 3:00 p.m.
Sept. 27: "Build Your Confidence!"
Sept 28: "Inside the Horse’s Mind"
Sept 29: "Life Lessons that Horse’s Teach Us"
Sept. 30: "Find and Buy the Perfect Horse"
Oct. 1: "Exercises to Improve Riding Skills"
Oct. 2: "So You Want to Be in the Horse Business?"
Oct. 3: "Implementing the Best Safety Practices"
Oct. 4: "Build Your Confidence!"
Oct. 5: "Inside the Horse’s Mind"
Oct. 6: "Life Lessons that Horse’s Teach Us"
Oct. 7: "Find and Buy the Perfect Horse"
Oct. 8: "Exercises to Improve Riding Skills"
Oct. 9: "So You Want to Be in the Horse Business?"
Oct. 10: "Implementing the Best Safety Practices"

Don’t miss it! Learn more at juliegoodnight.com.

Team of Champions Spotlight: Kenda Lenseigne

2010-07-30T16:10:00.017-05:00

Kenda Lenseigne is an amazing horsewoman and fierce competitor in Cowboy Mounted Shooting. She is the reigning overall World Champion and a multiple world record holder. I mean really, is there anything cooler than riding your horse full out, shooting a gun, and working as a team with your horse? Because of Kenda’s success in Mounted Shooting, she has designed a signature line of KL Shooting Saddles with Circle Y from the tree out. While these saddles can’t guarantee you won’t miss your target, they will:
1) help keep you in a balanced position with the deep, dished seat and 4 ½” cantle
2) provide grip with the suede seat and rough out seat jockeys and fenders
3) let you position your fenders to your riding style with a stirrup leather positioner
4) free your horse to do his job because of the Flex2® Shooter tree which works in several ways-it has some flex with the low density bars so your horse can move freely, but has high density bars under the groundseat that will not collapse in the middle so you have good weight distribution which is the whole point of proper saddle fit. Furthermore, the Neo-Shock™ skirt provides superior comfort to your horse because it absorbs shock and conforms to the horse's back
5) gives you some extra room to get your guns because the swell is low and tilted forward

6) reduce knee and ankle fatigue with pre-twisted stirrup leathers
7) be easy to carry and put on your horse because they're lightweight at 27 lbs.
8) give you years of service with proper care because of the Circle Y hand made quality built in every one

There are two KL Shooters-2401 Quick Shot (pictured right) which has beautiful floral tooling, a rawhide braided horn, silver spots and brown iron silver star conchos

The 2402 Men’s Rundown (left) is designed for men and has a flatter rise for comfort and looks more manly with flint rawhide accents and basketweave tooling.

While Circle Y will provide you with the best gear, be sure to check out Kenda’s website to find your next horse or improve your horsemanship and shooting skills. Shop online for KL Shooting Saddles here.

Learn more about Kenda and her winning philosophy at http://www.kendalenseigne.com/.

Kenny Harlow Signature Saddle Line

2010-07-22T10:51:00.005-05:00

Kenny Harlow is a true horseman, sharing his “Training with Trust” methods with horses and students alike and gaining astounding results. He is a graduate of John Lyons very first certification program and has continued his education training under top trainers in the disciplines of dressage, hunter/jumper, eventing, and reining. Kenny's training methods have been featured in many horse publications. His specialty is working with problem horses and starting unbrokes. He proves that clear communication and patience is the key to solving the most difficult of problems. Kenny resides in Cumberland VA, and continues to teach a year long certification program, apprenticeship programs, horses and rider training vacations, as well as traveling the east coast teaching 5 day riding clinics. Kenny also has a new series of television shows airing on the Dish network. “Kenny Harlow: Training with Trust” airs Sunday mornings at 7:30 EST, Dish channel 9411. Kenny will demonstrate his methods on his new horse "RAMM". Watch as RAMM progresses through the stages of training from round penning, first saddling, and first rides. If you don't have DISH, you can order the DVD through kennyharlow.com.

The Kenny Harlow signature saddles were designed by Kenny with Circle Y with features to keep the rider and horse comfortable and maximize performance. Both of Kenny's saddles have a close contact skirt shape, cut out under the leg, for precise cueing. The Tunnel skirt™ design eliminates pressure on the horse's spine. Impact Foam™ seat padding conforms to the ride for a comfortable seat. Softee® seat jockeys and fenders provide a broken in feel, right out of the box. And fenders are pre-twisted to reduce knee and ankle fatigue (no broomstick required!). The 3-way adjustable position in-skirt riggings allows you to use the rigging position best suited to your horse. Stainless steel hardware for durability, attractive acorn tooling with a rope edge border, and silver conchos make these saddles look as good as they ride. With a choice of a Flex2® tree or Wood tree version, there is a Kenny Harlow saddle for any job.

The 5620 Cedar Run Flex2 trail saddle has Flex2® tree technology for fit and comfort of the horse. The Flex2 tree conforms to the horse, even while in motion, for great fit and freedom of movement. The Neo-Shock™ skirt absorbs shock and conforms to the horse's back. The saddle is also lightweight, at just 27 pounds. The perfect saddle for trail, arena performance events, or recreational riding.

The 5622 High Rock All-Around saddle is designed for the rider who needs a more heavy-duty saddle. It features a Fiberglass reinforced Wood tree suitable for roping, dragging, or ponying. The tree is also finish coated in DURAhide™ for extra strength and to seal out the elements. This saddle weighs in at 35 pounds.

Also available are matching accessories for Kenny's saddles-saddle pads cut to match the skirt shape and saddle color, headstalls, breast collars, flank cinches, and slobber straps.

For more information on the Kenny Harlow signature saddles, see the catalog page at

http://www.circley.com/catalog11.shtml or shop online at http://www.shopatron.com/products/category/Kenny+Harlow/468.0.1.1.22293.76025.0.0.0.

To learn more about Kenny Harlow, visit his website at http://kennyharlow.com/. You can also sign up for his e-newsletter.

Just-B-Natural™ Tree Free™ Saddles New Brand from Circle Y Saddles, Inc.

2010-07-09T11:16:00.004-05:00

Just-B-Natural™ saddles are Tree Free™ for the horse’s complete freedom of movement and comfort while the rider enjoys the closest contact next to riding bareback for the most natural ride.

Designed for the rider who desires the ultimate close contact feel of their horse, or the horse who is hard to fit with traditional saddles, the Just-B-Natural™ saddle is Tree Free™ for the most natural ride. With a wood swell and cantle, but no bars, the Tree Free™ saddle looks traditional but allows the horse complete freedom of movement. Wool felt skirts with neoprene filler conform to the horse’s unique shape and aid in shock absorption and weight distribution. The Tree Free™ design and cut out skirt shape allows the rider to be in close contact and total harmony with the horse for an extremely comfortable ride.

Just-B-Natural™ Tree Free™ saddles were inspired by the natural horsemanship movement and riders who desire the most natural feel and freedom of movement for their horse, next to riding bareback. Just-B-Natural™ Tree Free™ saddles also provide a comfortable solution for horses that are difficult to fit with traditional saddles. The Tree Free™ design makes them suitable for horses of all sizes and breeds. Current saddle styles include trail with barrel models coming soon and future plans to expand the line into other disciplines.

“Circle Y Saddles is proud to bring this new brand of saddle to the marketplace. The features and benefits of the Just-B-Natural™ saddle are so horse and rider friendly, and it is so technologically different from our traditional line, we created a stand alone brand,” said Mark Jemelka, Chief Operating Officer of Circle Y Saddles, Inc.

Just-B-Natural™ Tree Free™ saddles are hand made in Yoakum, Texas by the craftspeople at Circle Y Saddles, Inc. Circle Y started saddle manufacturing in 1960 in the small Texas town of Yoakum and is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2010. Circle Y’s innovative products reflect the current trends in design and are ahead of the industry in technology. Circle Y continues to produce the highest quality saddles and tack with the heritage and tradition the company was founded on and looks forward to the next 50 years.

Visit jbnsaddles.com to learn more and to watch the product video.

Touring Tack Shops in Virginia and Maryland

2010-05-19T21:11:00.033-05:00

On the road again---this time searching for outstanding tack shops in Virginia and Maryland. My tour guide this week is AJ Garofolo.

AJ and I set out this Tuesday, May 18th to visit Champion Saddlery http://www.championsaddlery.com/-- It is located at 15225 Breedens Rd, Doswell, VA. The owners, Bruce & Linda Warner offered us a warm greeting when we arrived. Their shop has a large variety of English and Western tack items.

Champion Saddlery is a family owned and operated business established over 40 years ago. They offer over 500 new and used English, Western, Aussie, and Racing saddles at discounted prices. Trade-ins on saddles are always welcomed. Champion's knowledgeable, friendly and professional staff will assist you with selection, style, sizing, and answer any questions that you may have.

Along with their store the Champion Saddlery road show is present at many of the regional equine events.
AJ & Bruce have teamed up for over 20 years in assisting Circle Y customer in selecting the best saddle for their fit their specific needs.

Champion carries a large selection of Circle Y & Tucker Saddles.

Jackie Oates & Elaine Neal have provided the Champion customers with world class assistance and support for many years.

Owner, Linda Warner and & Carol work together to insure that their loyal customers select the proper equipment to meet their specific equestrian needs.

On our way from Champion we had the awesome privilege of seeing the birthplace of the legendary race horse Secretariat. Wow!!

!!!!NEXT STOP!!!

Crawford Saddlery in Ruckersville, VA,

http://www.crawfordsaddlery.com/.....

Owner Joe Crawford-

At Crawford Saddlery, we found the areas largest selection of English and Western Saddles,a vast inventory of tack supplies, riding apparel, accessories, and a full line of horse care products.

The store is located in Ruckersville, Virginia, just 20 minutes North of Charlottesville and 1-hour from Lexington, Virginia.
Over the past 15 years, Crawford Saddlery has become Central Virginia’s best stocked tack store.

Angie and Lynn assist owner Joe Crawford in providing excellent customer service to all of their customers.

- Maryland here we come!!-- We are soon to see the beautiful Carroll County Tack Shop-

Carroll County Tack & Supply is a family owned and operated store that was opened by Charlie and Denise Duvall in 1981. Carroll County Tack has grown to be one of the areas largest English and Western tack store.

Carroll County is always expanding their product lines to better serve their customer needs.
The owners, Charlie and Denise Duvall are delightful people that are committed to provide superior service to their wonderful customers.

Along with their extensive line of equine products Carroll County offers:
•Tack Restoration - We can clean and condition your tack for you.
•Consignments - We will sell your items for you. We charge a 25% commission for this service.
•Cleaning and Re-shaping Western Hats - We can breathe new life into your beaten-up, dirty western hat. We only charge $8.00 for this service.
•Special Orders - We will special order any item that we do not already stock
•Gift Certificates - The easiest gift to give regardless of the holiday.
•Prompt Tack Repairs - We can repair most everything you need to be fixed. We perform all of our repairs in-house. Generally, repairs take a few days to complete.
•Custom Fabrication - If you need an unusual piece of tack that you can not find in stores, we can build what you need.

Carroll County's Saddle and Tack Selection is one of the best in all of the Northeastern U.S.

This extensive product selection combined with Charlie & Denise's extensive equine knowledge and experience it makes Carroll County a regional favorite of horse enthusiasts.

As you look around the store you'll find a lot of really neat antique collectibles.

AJ has been working with Charlie and Carroll County for many years helping to outfit their customers with the best saddle and tack choices to enhance their riding experience.

AJ & Goerge (the store cat) have been friends since the revolutionary war....

2010 Josey Reunion Round-Up

2010-05-19T15:26:00.003-05:00

2010 Josey Reunion Round-Up Press Release
April 30-May 2, 2010

The most beautiful sunny skies, perfect temperatures and 364 contestants and horses from all over the US and Canada, battling it out for over $100,000 in cash and prizes, including a decked-out BIG TEX/CM Trailer, Circle Y & Billy Cook Saddles, Bob Berg Championship Trophy Buckles, Purina Feed, United Vet Products, and more! That is Barrel Racing at its best and that is what happened during the 2010 Josey Reunion Round-Up for former students this year!
“We could not enjoy the freedom that we have this weekend without those men and women in the armed forces that have served our county”, Randy Adams and Coy Huffman announced as the weekend began with a salute to our veterans and the presentation of the colors by the Marshall High School ROTC under the direction of Major Mayfield.

Over 2000 people came to the Josey Ranch with family, friends, riders and horses to enjoy food, fun and fellowship among the excitement of barrel racing and pole bending. But what really lit up the main arena with electricity was fourteen-year-old Blue Grass Iowan, Mesa Leavitt who began making history in the rodeo world in 2005 with her horse, Junior’s Genuine Doc aka “Junior. She won the prestigious Josey Jr. World title back-to-back and four times overall in 05, 06, 08 and 09. She holds the Triple Crown of barrel racing winning the Josey Jr. World, All American Youth, and NBHA Youth World. Sitting tight in her Martha Josey/Circle Y Ultimate saddle, holding fast to her Josey Beagley Knot Reins attached to the Josey Million Dollar bit, and styling in her Cowgirl Tuff Jeans, the official Jeans of the Josey Ranch, she and Junior ran to win with an outstanding time of 16.112. Mesa’s parents purchased Junior from Suvoy and Cheryl Rosser through the Josey Ranch and what a winning combination that has become. Mesa took home a slew of cash and prizes including a beautiful trailer donated by BIGTEX/CM Trailers, a Circle Y Saddle, Bob Berg Championship Trophy Buckle, a Don Wasson Bit for the fastest time, quality Hy-Flex products by United Vet Equine, Purina Feed, and much, much more.

The champions in each division won saddles along with a beautiful, custom designed Bob Berg Buckle. And standing on the stage was Amy Swan of Olney, Texas, riding, Boons Prescription to win the 2D Championship, with a time of 16.626. The 3D Champion was Gilmer, Texan cowgirl, Kari Arreola Henson riding Pinto with a time of 17.150. And the 4D went to a great friend of Josey Ranch, the one and only Kris Suard of the Black Star Ranch in Houma, Louisiana, riding her horse Phoebes Smokin Cat to claim a time of 18.147. Andrea Whiteside, of Kilgore, Texas, riding The Right To Run won the Senior Division Championship with a 16.574. The Reserve Champions were 1D - Abby Pursifull of Arthur City, Texas, riding Truckstop with a time of 16.217, 2D - Jana Guthrie of Canton, Texas, riding Gee with a time of 16.635, 3D - Cooper Clinton of Carthage, Texas, riding Fortune Five with a time of 17.166, and the 4D Reserve Champion was Sara Funderburk of Bossier City, Louisiana, riding Money with a time of 18.234.
On Thursday night, the Josey Ranch kicked off the Reunion with a ground shaking Pole Bending competition. Keily Abney of Hugo, Oklahoma riding Dallas made a streaking run of 20.719 to win the 1D. The 2D was won by Brittany Ellis riding Troy with a time of 21.721, and Jolie Null of Marshall, Texas riding Doll captured the 3D with a time of 22.721.

Two college scholarships were awarded immediately following the church service. The Thomas Mitchell Scholarship was awarded to Ashton Michelle Wright of Queen City, Texas. And the Green Beret SSG Jamie Alford scholarship winner went to Kelci Kennedy of Linden, Texas delivered tearfully by Jamie’s mother, Gale Alford who spoke of her son’s passing, and loving commitment to barrel racing. Former Green Beret Judge Jim Ammerman presented the award and gave a salute to the fallen soldier.In honor of Martha Josey’s great horse, Sonny Bit O’Both, the only horse to ever win the AQHA and WPRA World Championships in the same year, a very special award was given to the Horse with the Most Heart. This year’s honor went to Kylie Abney’s horse Southern Spunk aka "Dallas". Despite broken withers just five years earlier and a devastating diagnosis that this horse would never run again, 23 year old “Dallas” won the 2010 Reunion Round-Up Pole Bending event with a time 20.719The Oldest Horse Award, as well as the Fastest Veteran Award, went to Elaine Lambino on 32 year old “Peppy” . The Fastest Paint Horse Award went to Royena Clifton on Cooza Crisp with a 16.503. Contestant Hailey Poole’s Grandfather, Roger Dees, won the Martha Josey Ultimate Circle Y Raffle Saddle.

Thanks to the Barrel Horse News, Circle Y Saddlery, HealthyCoat, Thoro’Bred Horseshoes, and Mark Burt MVP Video Productions the 2010 Josey Reunion Round-up was webcast live and viewed all over the World. With comments on the race all the way from China’s NBHA Champion, Dashun Liu, it can truly be said that Martha and R.E. are loved the world over.

If you would like to be a part of the 2011 Josey Reunion Round-Up or for more information on future Josey Clinics and events at the Josey Ranch in Marshall, Texas or in your area, please visit us at http://www.barrelracers.com/ or call us at 903-935-5358.

“We have had over 100,000 students through our clinics and the Reunion is such a great time to see our students again and to see their progress and success. Congratulations to all of the 2010 Josey Reunion Round-up winners!” – R.E. & Martha Josey

New England Tack Shop Tour

2010-04-29T21:21:00.051-05:00

Our First Day:
Early Monday morning David Royal and I saddled our ponies and set out on our New England Tack Shop tour. Our purpose was to visit some of the premier Saddle and Tack shops in the area.

Our First stop was Green County Horseshoe Supply located in Greenville, NY.

This shop has an extensive offering of saddles and equipment that would appeal to a broad selection of horse enthusiast. Circle Y and High Horse are Green County's premier saddle and tack brands.

The owner, Butch Colbert, has a broad understanding of the equestrian market and uses that knowledge to provide tremendous service to his customer base.

David and I also enjoyed looking at some of Butch's collectibles.

Along with Butch and Steve we also had the privilege of meeting Alyece Russo and her daughter Bonnie Harvey. They are both seasoned and accomplished barrel racing competitors. (Also Circle Y fans!) Bonnie rides a bay gelding named Duelly.

Time to get back the ponies and head East to Westfield, MA.....

Second Stop:

Our second shop to visit was Sackett Ridge Saddlery in Westfield, MA.

Owner Marci Kramer has a wonderful collection of Saddles and Tack that she sells through her store locally and on the Internet around the world. (She carries wonderful brands such as Circle Y, High Horse and Tucker Trail Saddles!!!!)

Sackett Ridge is known around the country for their large selection of Circle Y Arabian Show Saddles and Tack.

Marci is an expert saddle fitter and works closely with her customers assisting them in the best saddle fit possible for their horse. Along with her show equipment focus Marci also outfits lots of trailriders.

The next stop is Uxbridge, MA

The Mane Place in Uxbridge!

The Mane Place is a family owned an operated tack shop located in Uxbridge, MA. Paul, Linda and their daughter have been serving the region since 1988 with a broad selection of saddles, tack, clothing, feed and equestrian supplies.

The Mane Place is a premier dealer of Tucker Trail Saddles.

The Mane Place is renowned both regionally and across the nation for its excellent customer service and product knowledge.

Before we left we had the privilege of having our picture made with Linda and a special friend.

On the road again----PONY TIME!

"WAIT-UP!!!"

We were determine to make it to New Hampshire before Dark.

Our ponies were a little spooked with the single lane bridge but with some fast moves we were able to navigate through.

Our next stop was the Cheshire Horse in Swanzey, NH.

The Cheshire Horse has been serving horse people throughout New England since 1997. Doug and Mary Anne Hampshaw have continued to grow the business ever since then and now have two locations!
Their philosophy is to offer the best and largest selection possible backed up by knowledgeable staff and great customer service. Their retail stores stock everything you need to equip you, your horse, and your barn. Along with a tremendous saddle and tack offering Cheshire has a wide variety of Purina Mills, Buckeye Nutrition, and Platform feeds at both our locations.

David worked to assist Mary Anne determining the best product mix to offer the Cheshire customers.

Doug Hampshaw also owns and manages the Hampshaw lumber company located in the Keene. It was a great pleasure to have the oppertunity to learn obout his business and the region.

Hamshaw Lumber Inc.

Our final stop on the New England tour was the

Double G Ranch in Lebanon, Maine.

Double G Ranch has been growing for 18 years and is currently 11,000 sq. ft. of retail space on two floors. They are proud to have over 650 new and used saddles and an extensive selection of merchandise that their customers have come to expect. They stock tack for training, trail riding and showing. They also have barn supplies, fencing materials, supplements, grooming aids, and clothing for both horse& rider from Mini to Draft and Toddler to Adult. Double G has a one of the most extensive selections of Circle Y, High Horse and Tucker saddles that can be found in the entire north east.

Double G is located in some of the most picturest areas of New England surrounded by stone fences and rollings hills.

Gary and Ruth along with their tremendous staff offer their customers an unprecidented level of expertese and service.

Mesa Leavitt-My International Finals Rodeo Experience

2010-02-19T12:53:00.006-06:00

I.F.R. 40 had an awesome turn out this year. 15 barrel racers from across the U.S. and Canada came to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for the I.F.R. But there were only 4 who came in search of a world title. Sindy Laliberte, Carie White, Laura Kerley , and me, Mesa Leavitt. I came to the I.F.R. $5,000 behind and had a lot of catching up to do.

This year I kind of had fallen behind because my good horse, Juniors Genuine Doc aka Junior, had to have ankle surgery at the end of July right in the middle of a bunch of really good rodeos. I spent the rest of the season trying new and different horses-some were better than others. Our main concern for Junior was getting him back and ready for the I.F.R.. Junior was off until the end of November and that's when we started legging Junior back up. I had taken Junior to a couple barrel races trying to get him back into his routine of running. Junior has a special way of doing things before he runs and if you don't then you're in trouble.

By the time the I.F.R. rolled around I knew he was gonna be ready to go. I took Junior and my new horse Red to the I.F.R. Red was simply there for Junior if he were to have any problems or for some reason I did not think he needed to run. After 13 long hours of hauling we finally made it to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. When I got Junior in the pen I could tell he knew where he was and he meant business. By the night the first round came around Junior and I were ready. Our first run he didn't fire like he usually does but he still won third in the round. On Saturday there were two rounds, an afternoon performance and an evening performance. The second round was kind of like the first round-it was nice and smooth but still did not fire like he usually does. He placed fourth in the round that night and we were still sitting good in the average. So for the third round I knew we needed to pump up our game and win the round. So Junior and I had a good long talk and stayed by ourselves and I just let Junior do what ever he wanted and be himself. Before we ran I could see that his eyes meant business. He made an awesome run it was smooth and fast and I was so proud of him. Sunday afternoon was the last round and I knew all I had to do was make a smooth clean run. But evidently Junior was thinking the same thing. Cause when he saw that alley way he reared straight up in the air then took off. He won the last round and that put him number 1 in the average.

I was so proud of him, he deserved this title more than any of the other titles he has won. I need to give all the credit to Junior. He is truly a once in a life time horse. I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world. Junior is my baby and always will be. He has brought so much joy to the Leavitt family and I'm sure still more to come. We would really like to go for a 5th world title cause no one has ever accomplished 5 in a row. We have a lot planned for 2010 and can't wait to start going hard again. I need to send a big thanks to Susan, Shiloh, and Richard aka Dad Leavitt for all their help and support at I.F.R. 40. Thank you also Circle Y for all your help and support- you supply me with such marvelous and beautiful tack and saddles I really appreciate it.

Hopefully we will see you down the road.

Mesa Leavitt

Circle Y 2010

2010-02-10T15:00:00.008-06:00

This year Circle Y celebrates our 50th Anniversary. Since it's founding in Yoakum Texas in 1960, many changes have taken place. The company has grown, changed ownership, and revamped it's manufacturing process. 2010 also marks another milestone in the history of Circle Y-for the first time the manufacturing, office, and shipping operations are under one roof. Still in Yoakum Texas, the relocation has combined our operations from 4 separate buildings into a single facility. We are loving the new building. It has allowed the manufacturing process to be more streamlined, and has eliminated the unnecessary trucking of materials between buildings. The move took place over Christmas vacation, and as you can imagine, moving 50 years of accumulated stuff is no small feat! When we came back in January we quickly went to work unpacking, organizing and preparing for our first visitor to our new home-Julie Goodnight. Julie was in Texas for a Horsemaster TV shoot, so she came in a day early to visit, accompanied by her Horsemaster associates Heidi and Cheryl. It was great to finally meet her face-to-face, after months of designing and perfecting her saddle line through conference calls, telephone, email, and shipping saddles back and forth! We gave the ladies the grand tour of the saddle making process, start to finish. Technology has brought the company a long way, allowing us to design and create precision parts with computer digitation and computerized leather cutting. But saddles are still handmade one-by-one, and the employees at each phase of saddle making demonstrated their craftmanship. We even came across some of Julie's own Peak Performance saddles along the way. After experiencing the amount of labor and skill required throughout the saddle making process, the ladies vowed they would take better care of their saddles!

HorseMaster Texas Filming

2010-02-09T09:18:00.015-06:00

Julie Goodnight is the real deal. They don’t call her the HorseMaster for nothing. Last week she filmed 6 episodes for her hit TV show, HorseMaster with Julie Goodnight which airs on RFD-TV, at the Banshee Ranch in Montgomery, Texas. It was about 3 hours from Yoakum, so I took a little drive to watch, help out, and be the Circle Y rep.
I was really looking forward to meeting Julie. After all, several of us horse ladies here in the office are big fans and have watched and used her training videos. Her demeanor was very nice and all business. She is excellent at what she does and was intensely focused on doing just that. Watching the transformations between horses and riders was especially interesting to me. How many times have we-as riders-tried to teach our horse something and someone who has more experience comes along and says-do this instead and it’s like magic! Our horse amazingly does what we were trying to teach him. One of our own was a cast member on the show. Tina, with her sweet gelding, Buddy, needed some help side passing. By the end of the session, Buddy had a good understanding of what Tina was asking him to do and Tina learned how to correctly ask him. You'll have to tune in and watch the show to see Julie's method for teaching a horse to sidepass! The show airs every Wednesday at 5:30 EST on RFD-TV.
The filming took place at the Banshee Ranch which is a boarding, training, and rehabilitation facility. The staff was friendly and took excellent care of the horses. The barn was laid out well with horse friendly conveniences-not to mention neat as a pin with manure no where to be seen. Julie is having a 2-day riding clinic there in May. Check out Julie's web site for all the details.

Kenda Lenseigne Takes a Tour of Circle Y

2009-10-29T16:00:00.009-05:00

After winning the Overall World Championship title in Amarillo, Texas on Saturday, Circle Y Team of Champions member Kenda Lenseigne took a detour to Circle Y in Yoakum before heading home to Arizona. We hadn’t met Kenda in person, so her being in Texas was a great opportunity to take a tour of our facilities and meet. Traveling with Kenda was her photographer Brian, 4 horses including Justin, her champion mount, and her two dogs. Before the tour, she volunteered to give a private clinic to some Circle Y employees and their spouses. Besides being one of the nicest people you could meet, she was a great instructor and entertaining to visit with.

Kenda arrived at Circle Y Tuesday morning. After meeting the office personnel, we started the tour in the Cutting room, where our digitizing and cutting machines demonstrated the technological advances Circle Y has made in the past 5 years. Being able to digitally trace paper patterns and import them into the cutting machine means that we are not constrained by “cookie cutter” clicker dies, or strenuous hand cutting. So we can make a design in any shape we want, tweak them to fit perfectly together on a saddle tree, change or improve designs instantly, and make a safer working environment for our employees. The cutting machine uses laser imaging to lay out and mark the patterns on the hide, then a pneumatic knife cuts the parts, which are popped out of the leather skeleton and put in a box to go the assembly area.
Next we toured the Saddle factory where Kenda watched each operation from the leather coloring process to hand finishing edges, stitching, putting in the groundseat, seat, skirts, and final assembly. Even though technology has advanced saddle making in some areas, saddles are still built by hand, one-by-one, and Kenda was able to witness the craftsmanship that goes into each and every saddle at Circle Y. Kenda even got to see her Quick Shot Mounted shooting saddle in process. Kenda finally got to meet the Design & Engineering team of Mike and Bull. These are the guys that take the first prototypes from start to finish. Bull even talked Kenda in to trying her hand at hand tooling a leather design!
The last stop of the tour was the finished goods warehouse where Kenda got to check out the finished product. Throughout the day Kenda took time to pose for pictures and visit with the employees. Later, she returned to factory to hand out pictures and sign autographs for her fans at Circle Y.

Aspiring Shooters get a Private Clinic

2009-10-29T12:59:00.028-05:00

While in town for a tour of the Circle Y facility, Kenda gave some aspiring shooters a private clinic this past Monday evening. My husband Robert and I, Amy, and Tina with her husband, John, met with Kenda for some instruction with the top competitor in the sport. For me, it was a little intimidating at first to be riding with such an incredible horse woman, but in no time at all you felt at ease. She began the clinic with an overview of the sport, gun handling, and discussion of gear. Then we progressed to working our horses through a clover leaf pattern to get them bending and approaching the targets correctly. While doing this, we progressed to dry firing the pistols and getting used to reholstering and pulling the other gun, holding it correctly, and proper firing technique. Then Kenda had us get in a herd and while walking circles around her, she fired the .45 pistol on the ground to get the horses used to the sound. Most of our horses had been exposed to gun fire so it wasn't brand new. Robert, myself, Amy, and John shot off our horses. In addition to providing valuable information, her teaching style was fantastic. She teaches in a way that is easy to understand and it was a lot of fun. Tremendous progress was made with each of the horses and individual attention was paid to each rider with homework assigned. On a personal note, I was so pleased with the progress I made with my gelding, Copper. I began the clinic thinking there is no way Copper is ready to be shot off of, but to my amazement he did superbly. Under Kenda's direction, I shot 4 rounds off of him. He took to the ear plugs too; it didn't take Copper long to appreciate them and not try to shake them out. It was an amazing opportunity to ride with such an awesome competitor that is so nice and down to earth. I really can't say enough nice things about her. If you ever get a chance to attend one of her clinics, don't pass it up! kendalenseigne.com

Kenda Lenseigne is the 2009 Overall World Champion!

2009-10-26T15:11:00.004-05:00

Team of Champion's member Kenda Lenseigne took the 2009 overall world champion title at the CMSA World Finals in Amarillo this weekend. She beat more than 300 competitors in the six-stage competition and also took top scores in the Ladies' Colt Eliminator and Ladies' Wrangler Pro with top overall times over the men's categories. Way to go Kenda-congratulations!
http://westernshootinghorse.ning.com/profiles/blogs/kenda-lenseigne-takes-top

Kenny Harlow Signature Saddles are Out

2009-10-22T10:44:00.006-05:00

Kenny Harlow, a Circle Y Team of Champions member, has worked with Circle Y to create his signature line of saddles. There are 2 in his line-a Flex2 trail and a performance trail with a fiberglass reinforced wood tree. Both saddles feature a new tooling pattern unique only to these saddles with the close contact skirt for cueing the horse easily. Both have Softee seat jockeys and fenders so they're broke in straight out of the box. Combine that with the pretwisted stirrup leathers and your knees and ankles will never know you spent all day in the saddle! A deep, padded seat with Impact Foam makes sitting in these saddles a dream. They are available to purchase on-line through Circle Y's authorized dealers.

Julie Goodnight's Peak Performance Saddles are Out!

2009-10-14T15:25:00.003-05:00

We are excited to be officially releasing Julie Goodnight's Peak Performance line of saddles. Each one has unique features and are ideal for performance events, trail riding, gaited horses, and ranch work. With 5 styles to choose from-each of which have been personally ridden and designed by Julie Goodnight-there's a saddle to fit your horse and keep you comfortable. Check them out on juliegoodnight.com!!

Kenda Lenseigne breaks another record

2009-09-15T15:17:00.006-05:00

Champion cowboy mounted shooter Kenda Lenseigne won the Reserve Overall Cowgirl spot at the Eastern US Championship. Despite that she missed one target in the first round, she fought hard and came back to win her division along with this title. She also broke her own world record that she and champion horse, Justin, set last year. She broke the record by 1/100 of a second! Way to go Kenda!

Check out the Circle Y 2401 Flex2 mounted shooter saddle she rides made specifically for this event.

Hotter Than Hallettsville

2009-08-27T08:17:00.021-05:00

Last weekend there was a Cowboy Mounted Shooting event in Hallettsville, which is about 15 miles from here, put on by the Gulf Coast Mounted Shooters. Friday night they had a beginner mounted shooting clinic so Amy and I decided to take our horses and go. She took her gray mare Fancy and I took Copper. My husband joined us and he actually rode Copper and I rode a great, well-broke gelding of Tina's. We were the only 3 there with horses so we got to ride through some patterns-without guns of course-and get a feel for it. The main person who worked with us was John Guido, a level 5 champion shooter. He explained the class divisions, how to approach the patterns, how to get your horse used to gunfire, and a lot of other topics. We never shot off our horses, but being able to ride through the patterns really helped with what he was telling us. There are 53 patterns that can be chosen so I don't think this will ever get boring. Once we finished the under saddle portion, we tied our horses and went to the other end of the arena where we got a lesson on the guns. Lisa, of the Gulf Coast Mounted Shooters, explained this portion. Shooters use .45 revolver pistols and there are specific rules of gun requirements. They shoot five black powder blanks that are similar to a shot gun shell effect. Once fired, the blank spreads so the optimum range to be from the balloons is 5-6 feet. We got conflicting info from Chris and Lisa about this, so I guess when we start practicing we'll see what works. Lisa strapped on the holsters, after a thorough gun safety lesson, and we got to fire 5 shots walking shooting the balloons and pretending to hold reins with the other hand. This is why it's so critical your horse neck reins and listens really well because you have to fire the gun, do a gun change, and steer your horse. It was a lot to take in but we got a great introduction to the sport. What's really cool about the whole experience is even my husband was talking about doing this when we left. He isn't a horse nut like myself, but by the end of this evening, he was wanting to get into it. The next morning he was scouting the internet for guns and holsters! Then on Sunday we had to go try a new horse for him which is monumental to say the least! Didn't work out with the horse so the search continues. I can say we have definitely found a new sport to get into. They encourage family participation and safety is always the first and foremost priority. For the children, who are called little Wranglers, they get to walk the pattern on foot and dry fire to begin with. Then when they are older they ride the pattern but still dry fire. Then, when they are a certain age (not sure of the exact rules) they can ride and shoot off their horses. So, it really is a sport the whole family will enjoy.

First Time Saddling Tip

2009-08-18T15:32:00.003-05:00

Here's a Julie Goodnight tip on how to properly saddle a horse for the first time.
Tip for First Saddling - When saddling a young horse for the first few times, it pays to be extra careful so as to prevent needless mistakes that can cause problems for a long time. If in the process of saddling, the saddle should slip and fall off the horse or slip underneath his belly from too loose a cinch, it could scare your young horse badly—a fright that he’ll remember for some time to come. As you saddle, never leave the saddle sitting unsecured on the horse—even for a moment. Always keep one hand on the saddle with a good grip on it so that if something were to happen, you could pull the saddle off without frightening the horse. Make sure the girth or cinch is tightened adequately to prevent the saddle from rolling. Often young horses withers are not fully developed and pronounced and their youthful figure can make it easy for the saddle to slip. Take all precautions to prevent saddle slippage, even tightening the girth several times during the session.

Julie Goodnight: ID your Horse

2009-08-07T15:58:00.005-05:00

Julie Goodnight explains a quick tip to identify your horse in case of an unscheduled dismount on a long trail ride. This way if a good samaritan comes across your horse, he/she will have your information to return him.

Angled Rear Dee Rigging Explained with Julie Goodnight

2009-07-09T09:58:00.006-05:00

On certain trail saddles, Circle Y has an angled rear dee with the in-skirt front rigging. Not all of the trail saddles have this rigging, but for this type it's imperative that the saddle is rigged correctly for you and your horse's safety. It's a great option for trail riders that frequently ride through rough and varied terrain. Our Team of Champions member, Julie Goodnight, explains how to use this rigging correctly. Be sure to rig your horse the same on both sides!

Sunday Trail Ride

2009-06-15T16:15:00.017-05:00

Several of us here in the office went on the annual church trail ride/picnic Sunday. We ride in the ditches for those 7 miles so it's not a real scenic experience but fun nonetheless. In my previous post you got to meet some of our horses and these are the ones we took on the trail ride. An addition to our group is Donna, our Tack Production Supervisor, and she rode Buddy; Tina rode a cute little gray Quarter horse she is training; I rode Copper; and Amy rode Fancy. Amy also had her favorite horse of all time, Boomerang, which she ponied so her young daughter could ride. Boomerang will be 25 in September and is now teaching the second generation of children to ride. What a guy…

I am pleased to say Copper was a perfect gentleman not spooking at anything! He walked along, looked alert, and paid no attention to trucks whizzing by, flags flying, the teams of mules, or anything else except me. It was fantastic being able to visit with the girls and trust my horse too. He is mischievous and among several of the breaks during the ride he would pull the end of the rein into his mouth, hold it for a minute, and then turn around and look at me like-c’mon let’s get going! This is a habit I do not want escalating! He gets bored easily and is quick to entertain himself.

Several of the husbands would drive along slowly with their hazards on to keep an eye on us and get us cold drinks. They also had some fun driving up the trucks and trailers to the church. One older truck they drove up had to be started with a screwdriver! I appreciate this very much since my husband is not horse crazed like myself. This was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday morning riding and visiting in the hot summer sun.

Horses of Circle Y

2009-06-12T11:35:00.016-05:00

I thought I would showcase some of the horses that are owned and loved by several of us at Circle Y. Some of us ladies got together the other night to ride, which we try to do about once a week, and I snapped some pics of our faithful companions. These are also a few of the horses we try trees on, test new saddle designs, or try new tack.

The bay Quarter horse belongs to Tina, our Purchasing Agent, and is only 3. He is the calmest, most laid back baby horse I think I have ever been around. Tina aspires to make a barrel horse out of him, but he has many other talents such as being a cowhorse, baby sitter, and teacher for novice riders. Normally young horses are never a match for children or new riders, but this guy's a wonderful exception. Plus, he's pretty and a versatile athlete!

The lovely gray Quarter horse mare is Fancy. She belongs to Amy, our Design and Marketing Manager. She is a real cowhorse and will rope and chase cows all day long. She is a big girl at 15.2 hands and stout. Her name suits her because she has this gorgeous refined face. When we ride, this mare covers some ground with her long strided walk and is always alert. She is also our tack catalog cover model.

Last is my chestnut Tennessee Walker, Copper. He is my continual project of becoming a bomb-proof trail horse. I set this goal for myself at the beginning of the year and am progressing-even though we have a lot of work to do before he achieves this title. He is gentle but mischievous and has lots of personality. He gets thoroughly bored with arena work and loves to see new things and be on the go. All of us girls are going to a beginner Cowboy Mounted Shooting clinic in August so I've been working on getting a better handle on him.

Goodnight saddles

2009-05-22T09:22:00.005-05:00

One of our favorite things about this job is seeing a new saddle design or concept come to fruition. It's almost like giving birth...we plan, we wait, a saddle is born! We ooh and aah, take lots of pictures, and fall in love with our new favorite saddle. This week we sent some new saddles to trainer Julie Goodnight for testing. We are so excited about working with Julie on a signature saddle line that embraces her horsemanship philosophy. These saddles have some great features for horse and rider and are GORGEOUS! Come back soon for a product update in the coming weeks.

Riding Technique

2009-04-29T16:38:00.001-05:00

So here in the office us gals were discussing whether riding is more about balance or movement. One opinion is it’s more about balance because if you’re not balanced you can’t stay on the horse and go with him. The other opinion is riding is more about movement because you have to be able to move with your horse to stay on…not to mention how uncoordinated we are on the ground until we get on a horse so it couldn’t possibly be only balance. To me, both of these concepts are valid. It seems like one would have to be balanced to stay on the horse no matter what your riding tasks might be. But, is it movement that keeps you on the horse when a deer pops out of the brush and your horse jumps sideways? What about when you are trotting or loping your horse, then movement really seems to be priority because you want to move with your horse’s rhythm. Or the third option is you can’t have one without the other. Who actually knows the answer to this Wednesday lunch hour horse discussion?

Getting Fixed

2009-04-15T13:48:00.005-05:00

I have recently have been given an opportunity to get a horse that is a 14-year-old Quarter horse stallion. I am planning on gelding him immediately if I decide to take him, and hopefully he will mellow out fairly quickly. He is a great horse and has been used extensively for cattle work and some trail riding and not been allowed to be “studdy”. In fact, if he was a gelding he would have been in my pasture yesterday! He has been socialized with other horses in his younger years but has been by himself for the last four or five and has not had a real breeding career. I don’t have any experience handling a stud, and am not looking to start. If he will remain acting like he is a stallion but more mellow, I’m not thinking that is something I would like to take on. I do have a gelding already so he would have a buddy. I want to be able to relax and enjoy my ride, not be on the lookout for fellow mares. Does anyone have an input on gelding an older stallion? How did it work out?

Horses for Sale

2009-03-16T11:49:00.016-05:00

My husband and I went to an estate horse auction a few weeks ago looking for a well broke ranch gelding. It was not what I was expecting, although I have never been to a sale like this. There were a lot of brood mares, most with babies at their side and bred back, a few studs and 3 riding horses. The catch with the mares is they were all turned out together with the stallions, so you didn't know what stud bred the mare. That's a real genius way of being in the horse business. One of the studs was a real pretty Hancock bred blue roan with a gorgeous, wavy black mane. I guess he hadn't been handled that much because he was pretty wild in the auction pen. Some of the broodmares sold for $200 with weanlings going for $75. We could've bought the entire herd for $2000. We came home with an empty trailer, but I can't get those images of the horses out of my mind and wondering what happened to them. It's a real pity in these kinds of situations; I wish I could've brought them all home. It seems like "horse breeders" would stop breeding these kinds of herds seeing they have no real goals in mind. I understand if you have a champion and you are in the real biz of competing or raising calm, well rounded riding horses. There's a real need for that, but this guy totally seemed to miss the mark. How do you stop people from breeding horses just for the sake of breeding a horse? Foals are cute for awhile until they nail you in the stomach with one of their sweet little hoofies and leave a bruise the size of a grapefruit. Now there's talk of reopening slaughter plants or creating new ones in the U.S. to help ease the horse population. The thought of horse slaughter makes me absolutely nauseous, and I don't feel there's one easy answer. I do think we must stop horses from going to Mexico regardless of what's done in the U.S. No matter what solution you think is the best, I think one thing we can do is write our Congress representatives and senators with a particular viewpoint. The squeaky wheel gets the grease...

Tour Guide

2009-02-16T15:13:00.014-06:00

Last Friday the 13th we had the privilege of hosting a tour for the Texas A&M Chapter of the National Block & Bridle Club. Block & Bridle is a club that's dedicated to the promotion of agriculture on campus, encouraging higher scholastic standards among ag students, and enhancing professionalism of students who will one day be leaders in the ag industry. These students were part of over 650 undergrads that attended the National Convention for Block & Bridle in San Antonio. Students could choose from different tours and we were honored that over 80 students chose to come see Circle Y. We showed them all of our operation: tree making, leather cutting, saddle and tack assembly, and the shipping department.

The group seemed to be diversified with horse people and cattle people. Even some of the students with cattle backgrounds thought the tour was interesting so that was neat. The horsemen of the group asked some tough questions which was great because that meant they were actually thinking about what we were saying. There's so much that goes into making a saddle that I guess it really can't be appreciated until you've seen it first hand. Just because more than one person builds your saddle here and not one person from start to finish, it's still our daily pursuit for perfection to create the best saddles in the world for a variety of disciplines, riders, and horses. Photo: Mark Jemelka-General Manager of Circle Y, Texas A&M student hosts, and Yoakum mayor Annie Rodriguez.

2009-02-05T13:07:00.004-06:00

Riding my gelding has steadily stayed on the back burner but with the days already getting longer, it will soon be time for the spring tune up. I am beginning to feel spring fever and ready to spend some time in the outdoors with my fuzzy, attention-deprived gelding. (I know for some of you this is still a long way off seeing most of the country is still covered up in snow!) I have set my riding goals high this season with having a much more broke trail horse by the end of summer. I plan to use a lot of Julie Goodnight’s DVDs to help me get a willing partner and become the leader with ‘ole Copper. We will continue to have our lessons with Anne, who works here and is my gaited horse instructor, who will continue to teach me and Copper the proper gaits of a good Walking horse. There are only a few more weeks until daylight savings time. I groan at the thought of losing an hour but at the same time, it’s more riding time in the evening. At that thought, the daylight will be a welcomed time to really ride and build a better relationship with my horse. Happy Trails.

2009-01-28T10:58:00.002-06:00

The new Circle Y catalogs have arrived from the printer and we will begin mailing the end of this week. The catalog is being added to the Web site under BROWSE THE CATALOG. Please be patient with the site as we are correcting links and getting it all up for download. We hope you love what you see with the new designs. It seems a lot of the country is frozen and buried in snow and ice. Be safe and feed those horses some extra hay for warmth!

A Busy Start to the Year

2009-01-14T12:51:00.004-06:00

It has been a very busy first few weeks of the new year! We have been getting ready for the Denver Market this weekend which is a huge event we work all year to prepare for. There have been some late nights trying to finish the last of projects and tying up the loose ends. We don't settle for less than perfection! This is where we unveil all the new saddle and tack designs for the year. We also have the annual sales meeting with all the salespeople who are able to attend. A lot of our major competitors are there as well so it's always interesting. I have finished the new 2009 Catalog and it's on the way from the printer. It will be available next week so be sure to request a catalog. We hope you'll find your perfect saddle! We will be updating the Web site soon too with some new features and of course with the new catalog. Be safe on the trails and stay warm!

Shopping Near To Home

2008-12-15T15:51:00.005-06:00

The stalls still need to be done, hooves still need to be trimmed, hay put out, buckets scrubbed... Even when it seems the whole world is focused on the negative, we still can count on our fuzzy friends to bring us back to the real world. And, a nice world it is. Many horse families are just that, whole families involved in the horse owning lifestyle. Children are still wishing for a horse or pony, new saddles, new boots. Circle Y prepares for the upcoming spring season this time every year. Though some predictions for retail sales of all kinds are dismal, we are working hard to bring you fresh, new designs, and saddle styles. What hasn't changed is our dedication to make the highest quality saddles at a fair value. Please keep your local tack shop on your shopping list. They have been there at your convenience for saddles and tack, and day to day supplies. We want them to weather this economic storm, and your patronage will help them do so. All here at Circle Y Saddles wish your family, and horses, a very happy holiday, and a brighter new year. We hope your Christmas wishes are coming true.

Bring on the New

2008-12-05T08:52:00.014-06:00

I have begun working on the new saddle and tack catalog. Doing the catalogs is one of my favorite projects and it's something that I, and the entire Design Team, put a lot of care into. Our Design department puts a lot of time and thought into the new models we are rolling out hoping that if a potential rider hasn't found exactly what they are looking for, they will this year. It's no secret that times are tough these days with a lot of households having a skinnier Christmas than last year. At Circle Y, we take very seriously offering saddles and tack that are the highest quality, made with the highest level of perfection humanly possible, and with features that are important to riders of many different disciplines. Buying a saddle is an investment so finding that perfect one that suits your riding needs, horse or mule, and price point is a lot to consider. We are here to stay despite the economic downturn, and hope you will order a new catalog mid-January when they are available. We are always open to suggestions and comments and take requests to the design board so e-mail us if you have a request in mind.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-24T10:03:00.004-06:00

I can’t believe it’s already Thanksgiving week. It’s the start of parties, Christmas music, putting up the tree and all that fun stuff. The Marketing department put up a Christmas tree last week at the Yoakum Museum. We had some leather ornaments made special in shapes of a boot, a saddle (of course), a star, and a bucking horse. We used some hardware like the rings, halter loops, dee rings, and curb chains for icicles to give it some sparkle from the lights. Amy and I have a super crafty friend that took a rope and tied some bows with red bandana pieces that we strung around the tree that really added to our look. We got a craftsman to make up a large leather star that was tooled with silver tips for the topper – gorgeous! It was fun and it sure put us in the holiday spirit. I’m headed north to see family to get my bird on. Warm wishes to all and safe traveling.

Change is in the Air

2008-11-19T16:09:00.006-06:00

It’s no secret that all across America consumers are cutting back. At Circle Y, preparations have long been made so that we will survive an economic downturn. Rest assured Circle Y is here to stay. We are sorry to hear, however, that some of our competitors are not. A few weeks ago Big Horn Saddlery closed its doors. Even though they were a competitor, we don’t rejoice in people losing their livelihood. It’s an uncertain time and we are weathering this storm like all the other businesses and can’t wait for this hurdle to pass.

For all horse people crunching budgets, it’s still important to support your local tack shop. With on-line shopping on the increase, you can still buy from your local guys when they have a Web site. As a matter of fact, some dealers are adding some great incentives with a saddle purchase such as free tack and free shipping! They do need your business and resist the urge to buy a cheap product somewhere else. With the holiday season quickly approaching, it’s a little unsettling wondering what the new year will bring. With a new president taking office, I sure do hope the change we have constantly been hearing about will be for the better.

Extreme Cowboy Race 8

2008-10-27T14:13:00.004-05:00

Last Wednesday and Thursday I had the privilege of attending Craig Cameron's Extreme Cowboy Race 8 competition at his ranch outside Stephenville, Texas. This Race was all female competitors which was an interesting mix. There were riders with all kinds of backgrounds: some women who ride for pleasure, some Miss Rodeos, a professional ranch cowgirl, professional horse trainers, and one competitor was 15! Everyone was cheerful and dressed beautifully for their TV debut.

The obstacles Cameron had set up were creative and difficult. Talk about a test of horsemanship and the ultimate test for trust. You could tell real quick who had a partnership with their horse and those who needed some work. One competitor was there on a Mustang that she only had 120 days on! The challenge is open to any breed of horse and any age rider, the only catch is the horse has to be 10 or younger. The competitors are allowed to walk the course to memorize it but only on foot (memorizing that is a challenge in itself!). Those horses did amazingly well on a course they were being hustled through never having seen it before.

Cameron's ranch is meticulously maintained with not a pile of horse manure to be seen-not even in the paddocks. He and his wife, Dalene, were very nice and welcoming. He had a new intern that was only in week 2 so he got broke in real quick to all the responsibilities. We were all pitching in and I got to do the back up timer for Ryan Dorhn (the other brain who created ECR with Cameron) so that was neat. The extra people helping had to be silent and watch the cameras and get down so you're not blocking the shot. Most of the time I had to huddle in a low area with my timer but that was okay because I could see pretty much everything. After all, I was there to help. I wasn’t expecting the cold front about mid morning Wednesday and it got chilly. The sky turned dark, the wind picked up and we thought it was going to pour down rain but it never did, thank goodness. I miss those cold breezy days-call me crazy but it doesn't get that cold down here around Yoakum.

There were two judges for this event: Lynn Palm and Joy Murray. What fantastic ladies. Both were so nice and willing to talk to you. Not to mention both are legends! Cameron gave the whole speech that he wanted no crying, whining, or pouting if you didn't get good scores and were not advanced to the next round. Not mention, who wants to argue with those judges?!

Everyone seemed excited at the chance of winning a Circle Y XP-HDR4 Frontier All-Around Trail saddle. We sponsor this event so the 4 finalists each go home with a saddle plus some cash. I hope they enjoy riding this saddle and it will serve them well. I can't spoil who won so tune in to RFD-TV in March when it airs. You'll be glad you did!

Leavin' Town!

2008-10-20T16:49:00.004-05:00

I can't wait for tomorrow afternoon because Anne, our Marketing Media Director, and I are headed to Stephenville to the next filming of Extreme Cowboy Race hosted by Craig Cameron. What is really neat about this coming show is all the riders are women! These are some of the best horsewomen and I am really looking forward to watching the good horses and gals compete. If you aren't familiar with this competition which is aired on RFD-TV, you can go to Cameron's Web site http://www.craigcameron.com/extreme.shtml to read all the details. It will be at Cameron's Double Horn ranch so it will be neat to see that as well. Circle Y sponsors this show so four finalists will go home with a brand new XP-HDR4 Frontier All-Around Trail saddle. This saddle was designed for Tammy Harty and her horse, Bunny, who was in the top 4 of a previous season of ECR. When I get back I will tell you all about it!

Our First Horse Show

2008-10-08T16:00:00.017-05:00

Well I decided it was time to get Buddy away from home and show him the big city! John and I were hauling my 5 yr granddaughter, Kaylee, to Houston to Sienna Stables for her Western Pleasure Lead Line class and I decided to haul Buddy. Sienna Stables has an Adult walk/trot Western Pleasure class and it was perfect to introduce Buddy to an arena and other horses.

Buddy was on his best behavior warming up in the practice arena. Then we got to the show arena they had 12” white pvc pipe at the end of the arena. He didn’t booger but I thought he was so I went ahead and two handed him…then we came to the other rail and there were all these people standing at the fence. He really wanted to talk to everybody. I was able to keep him moving and not visit with everyone. Other than that he went thru his paces wonderfully and even backed when he was asked. The judge told me we would have placed well if I hadn’t two handed him. She was very sweet to take the time to talk to me. I told her that Buddy had only been broke 60 days and only 2 yrs old and that it was his first outing. She told me he did very well and all horses had to start some where. I felt like it was a positive experience. Only problem was Kaylee was very disappointed that I was last place. Kaylee won her class and is still walking on air. And another generation of horse lovers is born!

After Kaylee went home with her Momma and little sister, John and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful riding trails they have at Sienna Stables and went for a trail ride. It is always wonderful to see new scenery and new terrain. We rode thru century old Oak trees and majestic Elm trees down to a 30 foot bluff that dropped off into the Brazos River. We rode up and down the levees that keep the river and bayous from flooding and across the creeks. We came across gorgeous white cranes that flew over us as we rode. It was just so peaceful and beautiful! A perfect ending to a perfect day with family and horses.

Party Time

2008-10-08T15:13:00.011-05:00

This past Saturday was my son's first birthday. Naturally, we had to go all out and invite all his friends. It was a swim and sprinkler party so the kids enjoyed jumping from one pool to the other and then to the sprinklers-it's still in the 90s here so it was plenty warm. Copper, my TWH gelding, stays in a several acre paddock that wraps around the house in an L-shape. Being the kinda jumpy guy that he is, he was on the lookout once the kids started playing in the yard and running about. He stood at the fence with ears pricked forward, still as a statue watching all the commotion. Once the kiddos started playing with the balloons, then he was really on guard. He looked so pretty standing there all attentive.

Surprisingly, he only walked off once or twice when the bubble machine/sprinkler started up. I was happily surprised to see he wasn't flying about the pasture with his tail in the air snorting! In no time, there were parents and kids at the fence petting him - which he loved by the way. He loves attention, and Anne that I work with was teaching him how to drink some bottled water out of the bottle. He loves to drink from the hose so this is a skill he can master! It was good for him to see so much activity around his normally peaceful home. He is definitely a friendly horse, and he also got some desensitizing among the festivities.

Breast Cancer Awareness Saddle-Our Privilege

2008-09-26T16:17:00.008-05:00

It's always interesting here at Circle Y, but every now and then we get the chance to design a very special saddle for a great cause. This time we designed a Breast Cancer Awareness saddle for the benefit of the Oklahoma University Cancer Institute. It is a group effort. Jud Little Ranch, Shorty's Hattery and the Women's Pro Rodeo Association commissioned the saddle.

The Jud Little Ranch, Ardmore, OK, well known for quality competitive horses and barrel event production, will display the saddle at many events. Showing at Ohio Quarter Horse Congress, Columbus, OH in October, and WPRA Finals, Tulsa, OK in November, it will eventually make its way to the WPRA booth at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, NV late November. Raffle chances are being sold at these events, including the 6th Annual Bar Nothin Barrel Bash, September 24-28 in Ardmore and the Jud Little Ranch Production Sale September 27 in Springer, OK. “We are pleased to team up with Shorty’s for this fight against breast cancer,” said Little.

Shorty Koger, owner of Shorty’s Hattery in Oklahoma City, personally understands the necessity of breast cancer care and research. While her late sister, Shirley Bowman, fought a breast cancer diagnosis, Shorty herself received one. After her recovery and the loss of her sister, Shorty now works with OUCI providing funding to support free nutritional counseling for cancer patients through the Shirley Bowman Nutritional Clinic. The saddle raffle donations go 100% directly towards this program.

One of our best toolers, Carol Marshall, specially created the Breast Cancer Awareness saddle tooling, incorporating the program’s pink ribbon, and continuing the ribbon around the entire saddle. A pink ostrich leather ribbon inlay enhances the seat, and sparkling pink crystals trim the cantle, silver conchos and stirrup hobbles. The WPRA logo, as well as Jud Little and Shorty’s logos, are tooled into the saddle. For information about ticket purchase, contact Phyllis Wells with WPRA 405-850-0898.

The Aftermath

2008-09-23T10:44:00.007-05:00

We survived Hurricane Ike. As a matter of fact, we got nothing. I've learned there is a dry side to a hurricane, which is the west, and there is the nasty side, or the east. Fortunately for us here around Yoakum, we were on the dry side and did not get a drop of rain. The wind blew but not bad. For those folks in Galveston and north on up to Houston, they got the pounding. There is a horse rescue operation, Habitat for Horses http://www.habitatforhorses.org/, in Galveston County and it suffered mass devastation. They are still in desperate need of water, hay, feed, and money.

Even though we weren't going to get the big hit of the storm, I made preparations for the worst. The news predicted we would get up to 60 mph winds so I thought of tree limbs falling on the fence and Copper getting out. I ended up using a paint pen to write my phone numbers on Copper's neck and shoulder. I also braided some mane at his withers and wrapped duct tape around it for an additional place for my information. I did not leave his halter on him because I don't have a breakaway one. I decided to leave him out because it seems he goes wild when a storm is brewing.

I got up that Friday morning at 5 to check the computer to see if the hurricane was still heading north of us. Even though we are over an hour from the coast, a hurricane is enough to send me packing - with my family and all my animals of course. Luckily I have a big horse trailer, so we would all fit comfortably. To me, it's just not smart to underestimate a storm like this. And I can't understand people who think they won't be swept away when the news is telling you to evacuate or certain death is imminent. That would be the red flag to get out of dodge pronto. For all those families rebuilding, my thoughts and prayers are with you.

Plan for the Worst, Pray for the Best

2008-09-11T11:34:00.004-05:00

Well, hurricane Ike seems to be going north of us. Thank God, but I feel so bad for the people and homes that it will consume. We will still get the high winds and rain here and I am not sure yet what I will do with Copper. I have put identification on his halter and will braid identification in his tail just to be safe. I am also seriously considering spray painting my phone numbers on his side. He stays in the pasture, but I do have a 3-sided shelter for him that I can put him up in. He likes it when we have a rain storm and stands at the gate for me to put him up. Our four dogs will be safe in the shop on their doggy beds.

As for me, this hurricane is pretty much all I can think about. I am originally from Oklahoma - born and raised there for 25 years. At least with a tornado, you can watch the sky and see one brewing. Then, you take appropriate steps to ensure your survival pronto. Then, after 30 minutes or so it’s done. With this hurricane, my first one to go through by the way, I’ve had to worry about it all week. I try not to worry and give it to God, but I have to do what’s safest for my son. I don’t know if riding out a hurricane’s outer wrath is the best move or not. It depends on how it’s going to turn by the end of the day.

I have backed up my “brain” on my computer with all my graphic files, pictures, and all the other stuff. It will be locked down in the company safe place. For me, it’s pretty nerve racking to know what’s coming.

Labor Day Ride

2008-09-02T14:06:00.011-05:00

Copper and I spent part of our Labor Day holiday in some back woods trail riding. Tina, the purchasing agent here, Anne, Amy and I went to Tina’s place to ride. We “horsepooled” to get there and they all rode perfectly. Copper has never been hauled in a trailer like that and I was a little worried. Fancy, the gray mare he was standing next too, let Copper know real quick to stay out of her personal space when he gave her a little nip on the wither. With a squeal and a swish of her tail, he didn’t so much as look in her direction! Glad that was settled before we headed out.

When we got to the unloading point, it was so peaceful and just gorgeous. We got everyone saddled and headed out to the river even though it’s totally dried up. We are in a drought so the river bed made a perfect place to ride. It was like riding on the beach with all that white sand, plus it makes for a great varied terrain. Copper negotiated those sandy hills and banks like a seasoned trail horse. He was listening to me and went into his ground eating smooth gait. Anne said nothing like the trail to get a gaited horse to square up and that he did. It was great!

Copper is one of those horses that walks like he’s got some place to go. Even though he has been at the bottom of every herd he’s ever been in, he does not like to be the last horse in the trail string. He wants to see where he’s going. I like that about him. I could tell he really enjoyed himself getting to do something different – don’t we all. I can see how people become addicted to trail riding. It is something I don’t do enough of and could easily take off every weekend to go and do.

At the end of the morning, all the horses were tuckered out. Even though it was hot, it was a great way to spend the holiday. I am so pleased that Copper is progressing, listening better, and hopping right up in the trailer. I am looking forward to the cooler weather but not to the short days that come with it.

Hello

2008-08-27T11:54:00.002-05:00

Hello Everyone,

This is Martha Josey, I am very excited about getting to speak with everyone. I would like to thank Circle Y for giving me this opportunity to visit with all of you.

Today, we are very busy here at the Ranch getting prepared for the hurricane evacuees that maybe coming this weekend.

Design Ahead

2008-08-26T08:49:00.030-05:00

I’m gearing up for catalog time here at Circle Y. Even though the 2009 catalogs won’t be available until the spring, it’s something that is top priority on my list. This year I will be doing four catalogs in all so it’s a huge task but by far one of my favorites.

This is my third year to create the company catalogs. It is something I put a lot of consideration, creativity, and plain hard work to create something that will catch the eye of anyone interested in our brand. My other goal is to create a tool that our dealers are able to use easily in their stores. There are many hours of design and then even more proofing that get's poured into the catalogs. Both Anne, the Marketing Media Manager, and Amy, the Design Manager, also put in a lot of time editing and getting the design just right.

Our best saddle designers and saddle craftsmen work all year long on improvements and innovation for the next year. We are people just like you who expect a saddle or tack to be perfect and built superbly. Our tooling is creative and fresh from our master hand toolers that create art on leather. If you haven’t checked out a new Circle Y saddle lately, I urge you to do so. I mean go to dealer and really give one a look over. If you need help finding a good dealer that's stocked with options, call Customer Service at 800-531-3600 to guide you.

The other fun part of the catalogs is getting to use pictures of employees' horses and our friends' horses. We use all kinds of photos from our professional riders in the Team of Champions but also use our backyard horses. On the cover of the current tack catalog is Amy's gray mare. The Tennessee Walker used in the Trail Gaiter pages and on the tag is my gelding, Copper. We love to get pictures of riders in their CY saddles and tack so if you feel the need, send 'em on over. You might appear in a future catalog! Email me at dloudon@circley.com.

You can download our current catalog off the Web site along with our 87-page tack catalog at http://www.circley.com/. I hope you'll find exactly what you’ve been waiting for.

My Friend Buddy

2008-08-15T15:01:00.011-05:00

My name is Tina and I am the Purchasing Agent at Circle Y Saddles. I feel very blessed to be a part of such a wonderful family. I was one of those late learners that didn't figure out where I was supposed to be in life until I was 43 and came to work for Circle Y. I had to give up my horses 12 years ago when I got my divorce after a lifetime of running barrels and roping.

At the first of the this year, I was diagnosed with colon cancer which, believe me, makes you take stock of your life and put your priorities in order. I received a clean bill of health in July so since then I have been on a quest to find the right horse for me. No, I'm not picky just know exactly what I want in a horse which is a ranch horse to rope off of and cut off of in the pens, then go and run barrels on when I want to, and to be a kid's horse for my granddaughter...
Well, last Friday I found my dream horse. His name is Little Bit of Bud. He is a 2-year-old registered Quarter Horse and has the best attitude. He has far exceeded any expectations I ever had for him. Sunday John, my significant other, saddled him and he did so well he got on him!!! Buddy never even bucked, just did anything John asked of him. John rode him every evening this week and then yesterday we went to the arena to meet "the girls" to ride. It took several tries to back Buddy out of the trailer. He didn't like putting his hind foot all the way down. When he finally backed out he behaved beautifully. I ponied him for a while and he behaved, so John went ahead and got on him. I couldn't believe that he did everything John asked of him. At the end of the evening I got on him myself and walked him around the arena...I was in heaven. It was such a wonderful feeling to know that I finally have my horse. I have never had a colt that was so willing to learn and that has such a good attitude. I hope that everyone gets to go ride and have a wonderful weekend.

No Hoof, No Horse!

2008-08-15T11:30:00.005-05:00

We rode Tuesday, and I got there early to meet my hoof trimmer, Eddie Drabek (http://www.drabekhoofcare.com/) Eddie is no typical farrier, he's a natural hoof care practitioner. I'm a firm believer in bare feet and the natural trim. I used to trim my own horses, but when I became pregnant, I began searching for a trimmer. I was doing research online and stumbled across Jaime Jackson's website. His research of wild horse behavior, habitat, and physiology built the foundation for the natural "wild horse" trim. Pete Ramey is another well respected natural hoof care practitioner (http://www.hoofrehab.com/). I have been a horse person all my life, read tons of stuff, and majored in equine science in college, but I learned more about the horses hoof than I ever knew after reading Pete's book Making Natural Hoof Care Work for You. I have literally read this book cover to cover at least 20 times, it is so great! It will enlighten you! After reading it, I was determined to find a trimmer near me, and eventually found Eddie. These guys have great websites with tons of information-check them out...

So how does the natural trim differ from a regular trim? I'll try to give you the highlights:
Wild horses travel many miles throughout the day, wearing down and "self trimming" their own feet. But before you pull your horses shoes and vow to never trim again, take note! Domestic horses don't have the environment & uninhibited movement to keep their feet in a naturally perfect state on their own. The goal of natural hoof care is to trim the hoof in a way that mimics the wear of a wild horse hoof. Shoes are a no-no! A horseshoe inhibits the hoof from working the way it was designed-expanding and contracting with contact. Even horseshoers agree that horses benefit from a "break" from shoes. It is important to note that natural hoof care is about a natural lifestyle, not just the way the feet are trimmed. Horses need movement for healthy feet-24 hour turnout is key. The way most people have been trained to feed and care for their horses can be a detriment to their health. Eddie has some great info on natural horsekeeping on his website http://www.drabekhoofcare.com/, and also has lots of links to other sites.

The sole is meant to be thick, hard, and calloused. It is the protection between your horses coffin bone and the earth. With a traditional trim, the old dead sole is pared away each time the horses hoof is trimmed. With the natural trim, there is no old dead sole to pare away. When a horse is maintained barefoot with natural hoof care, the sole, especially the outer band of sole near the hoof wall, will actually pack into denser, calloused material, and the sole becomes thicker and harder. As the sole becomes thicker, it also becomes more concave. No more ouchy, sore, flat footed horses!

The natural trim does not attempt to manipulate hoof angles. Each horse is individual and the hoof is your guide. Heels are meant to be low! Toes are meant to be short! The profile of the hoofwall should be straight (indicating a good connection with the coffin bone) not "dished" which is a tell-tale sign of the the separation of the hoofwall and internal structures and could indicate coffin bone rotation and impending founder. A stretched white line, seedy toe, etc. also are indicative of hoof wall separation. Natural hoof care supports and encourages the integrity of this connection. One of the greatest things being accomplished by natural hoof care is the treatment of laminitis. Horses that traditional medicine had given up on, about to be put down, are being rehabilitated fully to normal use through natural horsekeeping & hoof care. And I mean as USING horses, not pasture ornaments!

One of the hallmarks of the wild hoof is the "mustang roll"-the outer perimeter of the foot is beveled (in contrast to the sharp edge left on a horse that is traditionally trimmed). This bevel keeps the foot from splitting, cracking, etc. The best analogy I have to explain it is from Pete's book. If you imagine stabbing the smooth rounded end of a broomstick into a gravel driveway, the gravel will just wear the broomstick smoother. But if you were to cut the rounded edge off, you have sharp corners. If you stab this repeatedly eventually the wood will start splintering and splitting. The mustang roll does for the hoof what the rounded edge does for the broomstick, preventing the hoof from splitting and chipping.

Here's an interesting fact. Hoof growth is inversely related to hoof wear. If you let your horses hoofs get overgrown before you call the farrier, you have just slowed down his hoof growth AND sent the signal to his hoof to produce a thinner hoof wall. The hoof will try to help itself trim by putting out weaker growth. Conversely, if you keep your horses feet trimmed on a regular schedule and give them lots of exercise and natural wear, they will have stronger, faster hoof growth in order to "keep up" with wear. One of the finishing touches Eddie gives the horses is that he abrades the hoof wall with fine sandpaper-it "tricks" the hoof in to thinking it's being worn away by rocky, wild horse country! And don't waste your money on any kind of hoof dressings. If you have a pond in your pasture, or let the water trough run over a little, their feet will get all the moisture they need when they come for water.

A lot of skeptics are probably saying right now "some horses just need shoes". There is a transition period for horses that have been shod and this is where hoof boots come in. These horses may need to be booted until the hoof starts remodeling itself. The more you ride and stimulate hoof wear, the faster the transition will be. If your horse was already barefoot, he probably won't have any issues transitioning to natural hoof care. And yes, PERFORMANCE horses can go barefoot. Eddie has clients that are Barrel Racers, Cutters, Reiners and even Racehorses! And Clinton Anderson keeps his Reiners bare in front and only shoes the rear (for sliding stops).

If I sparked some interest in natural horsekeeping & hoof care with any readers, Eddie & Pete's websites are a good source to learn more. If you have any comments or personal experience with natural hoof care, I would love you hear from you!

Groomed To A "T"

2008-08-14T15:01:00.003-05:00

No matter what kind of horse or in what discipline you compete-Quarter Horse, gaited horse, jumping, roping, grade horse or otherwise, we can all take a lesson in grooming while viewing the Olympic horses. These horses simply sparkle in the lights of the equestrian venue in Hong Kong. There is not a spec of dirt showing, not a hair out of place. Their tack has nothing flapping or mismatched. The pads are in place under the saddles, upon which sit riders in white pants (there's a challenge to keep clean!) and shiny black boots. They are similarly groomed as the horses.
Presenting a horse to the world is a bit different than at a "Saturday night" show, but the lessons are the same. Clean and healthy horses, tack that fits, and horse and rider dressed in the style for that arena.
I have judged many a club show where the horses, though of not the highest quality, were presented at their best. It doesn't take big bucks to clean and oil the saddle you have, fit the bridle to the horse, wipe off your boots, and bathe the horse. Your horse reflects your desire and intentions to win in his presentation, and you will garner points and respect from a judge.
I do live in the real world. I know the bigger the show, the more your presentation will matter, and good tack does matter. There isn't a single place in America, whether its the board room, lunch room or school room, where the "right" clothes don't matter-that's just a fact.The show ring is no different. The higher up the ladder you go, the more that's the case. It does take money to win at the top, and tack is a part of the expense. At the more local levels, you can do well with your tack as it is, as long as its clean and well fitted to you and your horse. A new clean pad is not a big expense, and it can make all the difference.
Having your horse healthy and well fed not only enhances his look, but makes him more able to perform at his gaits with style and endurance. As a judge, horses have come in the ring for my consideration that should have had the entry fee spent on their hooves-which were so long and split, it was painful to watch them go. I can't imagine how the rider thought the horse would perform well with those hooves, when, in any discipline, its all about how the horse travels.
Maybe your event doesn't have points-its judged on time. If you dress yourself and your horse like you came to win, you stand a better chance of doing so. You show your competitors you have confidence in your abilities. It gives you a boost to have on a nice starched shirt, jeans without holes, and clean tack and horse.
I believe it doesn't matter how big the event, its still a competion, and its about winning. Presentaion matters and like I used to tell my clients, "Show up like you expect to have your picture made."

Dressage Perfection

2008-08-14T10:25:00.006-05:00

Last night I got a chance to catch some of the Olympic dressage. Wow! I think that has to be just about the most beautiful thing you can do with a horse. I don’t do that myself yet because Copper and I are working on bending and getting our gaits correct. Anne, our Marketing Media Manager here and my riding instructor each week, said that no matter what discipline you ride you should be able to do a basic dressage pattern so I aim to get there.

According to Don Vizi, executive director of the National Walking Horse Association, there is a dramatic increase of interest among dressage for gaited horses. Realizing this, the National Walking Horse Association and the United States Dressage Federation have collaborated to provide exhibitors correct information and to train judges for modified tests since gaited horses don’t trot. This is so great because within NWHA or TWBHEA, Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association, sanctioned shows in the Versatility portion riders do a dressage pattern. This is a way to provide expertise to the discipline and to promote it.

Gaited horses won’t be able to compete in the USEF or USDF sanctioned events because they don’t trot and, therefore, can’t exhibit the trotting requirement of regular dressage like you see in the Olympics. Dressage is beneficial to any discipline you ride for the communication, bending, and overall collection. Plus, it is amazing to watch! Here are some links for more information. I'm not up to speed on the official rules between NWHA and TWHBEA.
http://www.nwha.com/dressage.html
http://www.nwha.com/news08Feb06.html
http://www.twhbea.com/News/08WVSRelease.htm

Abuse to Win

2008-08-07T14:10:00.004-05:00

I have been keeping up with the soring issue within the Tennessee Walking Horse industry and have no idea how people are capable of purposefully inflicting pain on a horse for personal gain. This issue is important to me because I own a 6-year-old Tennessee Walker and cannot imagine him having a life of abuse for a ribbon and money.

For those of you who might not be familiar with soring, this is what it is: The practice of inflicting pain on a horse’s forelegs to induce a higher-action gait. There are several kinds of chemical substances that are used to accomplish this like diesel fuel, mustard oil, kerosene, salicylic acid and others. The purpose of doing this is to achieve the “Big Lick” gait used in the show ring which is an exaggeration of the gaits the horse performs naturally. Personally, I see no beauty in this. It is artificial and unnatural, and I do not agree with the several inches of pads used to shoe the horse with because this is another avenue used for abuse. The flat-shod TWH on the other hand is pure beauty, elegance, and grace. Why would someone manipulate something that is the foundation of the breed to produce a fake series of movements?

I am disturbed by the fact that some people will do anything to win – even compromise the existence of a creature that supports their cruel habit. If the desired goal can’t be achieved through hard work and practice, it seems logical to get out of the profession. Not everyone is meant to be a horse trainer. When a “trainer” or owner is willing to hurt the horse to win in the show ring, what else do these horses have to endure?

Soring has been illegal since 1970 with the Horse Protection Act but until offenders are severely punished it will still be widespread. Welfare and industry officials issue numerous citations every year and are using more sophisticated methods of detecting soring and improper shoeing. In 2006, the USDA became a lot more involved to crack down on such offenders and there are other equine organizations banning together to help stop this unethical practice.

This is a huge issue that will need the cooperation of the owners, breeders, trainers and judges and will not be corrected overnight. These horses have been bred to move with these thick pads to produce the exaggerated gaits that win in the show ring. Millions of dollars have been invested in these horses and will require the cooperation of the key players in the industry to become eradicated.

Beyond this, in other breeds of horses there are practices of abuse to win. These offenders are on the same level of the people who sore the TWH which deserves punishment and in my opinion, banishment from all competition FOREVER. There are several organizations that believe soring is inexcusable. I belong to the National Walking Horse Association. http://www.nwha.com – National Walking Horse Association

Saddle's Done with a Side of Hurricane

2008-07-23T08:52:00.024-05:00

So my Flex2 saddle is finally done! The saddle was finished Thursday and my birthday was Friday so it was perfect timing. Despite my sheer excitement and the fact that I was unable to focus for the rest of the afternoon, I was only able to squeeze in a short ride. My little one is teething so sometimes he doesn't go down for the night right away and it's already getting dark sooner. When I got Copper all tacked up, I stood back and looked at what a gorgeous boy I have with the beautifully crafted saddle and headstall. Now I need a new saddle pad...and a new girth...and new bell boots.

When I climbed up in the saddle, it was awesome! I know I have a perfect fit for Copper, which was the whole point of me getting a new saddle, and now I do for me as well. It already feels broken in and I love the close contact. Now if I can get to ride for more than 5 minutes this week I'll be doing good! I'm not too hopeful with the hurricane rolling in.

With Hurricane Dolly getting ready to come ashore, I have made some preparations for Copper. Normally he is out in the pasture all the time even if we get a shower because that's where he is the happiest. I have learned he gets upset if he is in a stall for very long, but I know even he will like some shelter from the wind and rain if it comes our way. He has a stall that's about 15' x 15' and open on one side so he shouldn't feel too claustrophobic. I put him in there last night for about an hour so he could get used to it and after he tested the gate, he decided it wasn't so bad and went about munching his hay. For the morning feeding, he didn't want to leave! So, I'm content that he likes it. Looks like we are in for just rain which I am looking forward to - we desperately need it.

Does anybody out there have some helpful hints to get your horse ready for the storm?

Mules and Saddles-A Whole Different Fit

2008-07-11T12:15:00.001-05:00

Used to be that fitting saddles on mules was all about addressing their straight backs. Because mules are increasing in value, especially those used for trail riding, the quality of the mare being bred has dramatically improved. In years past, is was not the highest quality mare, or the best donkey jack, that was used to produce mules. These days, many good Quarter Horse, Tennessee Walking Horse, and draft mares are used. Together with the improvement in jacks, mules have better conformation, way of going, and attitude. For saddle makers, there is increasing demand to fit these better mules.
Though most modern mules continue to have very straight backs, especially when compared to horses, the substance and widths of their bodies has increased. Good horse saddles with standard trees will have a curved bars to accommodate the typical curve of the horse back. This style of tree will ride high center on a mule, and will rock. A mule tree needs to be much flatter in the bar, and the saddle design needs to allow for a raised backbone conformation-usually seen in very straight backs.
Because of the better mares being crossed, wider trees are also in demand. The Quarter Horse and draft type crosses will usually require a wide tree.
Circle Y has found that our Flex2 saddles will address the fit of the mule very successfully. Because of the nature of the flexible bars of the Flex2 saddle which conforms to the curve of the animal's back when girthed down, it will fit the mule's straight back. The skirts are channel fit, so that the middle if the saddle is open, giving room for the raised spine. Most Flex2 styles are available in regular and wide width trees.
More mules are being seen with a curve to the back and in these cases, horse saddles can be used. The Flex2 saddles will conform to the horse types just as well. The Flex2 can be a useful fit for owners with both mules and horses of all types. to see the selection of Circle Y Flex2 saddles, please visit www.circley.com .

Monty

2008-07-11T10:48:00.007-05:00

Last week for the July 4th holiday I went north see my sister and her family. I finally got to see my brother-in-law's Paint gelding, Monty. He's 15 years old, about 15ish hands and is stout. He had been used in a feed lot and for cow work most of his life but surprisingly is not nearly as seasoned as you would think. And, all that work and no play had taught him to be hard to catch with a general sour attitude towards being ridden. My BIL has been working the Pat Parelli horsemanship method with him and I have so say Monty is respectful and tries to figure out what is being asked of him.

I think one of the keys to any successful horsemanship method is patience. My BIL has taken Monty back to basics working on groundwork, desensitizing, and is trying to create a new attitude towards being saddled and ridden. He is making huge strides in trust and respect on the ground which will translate under saddle. I noticed Monty's general personality is kinda jumpy and nervous. That may be just the way he is wired, but as long as Monty continues to look to his leader for guidance my BIL will soon have a willing partner that is a pleasure to be around.

Dara

First Things First

2008-06-27T10:17:00.015-05:00

Copper and I are a little out of place down here in south Texas in the land of Quarter horses. I hauled him into town last night for our first lesson with Anne, and we were working around barrel racers and a girl practicing Western Pleasure. The way I need to ride Copper is different than riding a Quarter horse, especially now since he is still relatively untrained in the proper ways of a Walking Horse. I feel encouraged by the information that Anne has and can’t wait to practice what I learned last night this weekend.

Anne has an easy going, but all-business style of teaching. I like how she takes the time to explain things and gives me little demonstrations on what I need to do with my legs and hands. She gave gentle reminders when I was doing something wrong and that was exactly what I needed. We worked on circles for bending, the flat walk, his head set, and the final lesson was parking out. Overall Copper caught on quickly and my legs were Jell-O by the time we were finished. :)

Copper has also been doing a lot better about getting in the trailer. Most of the time he hops right in, but he will still do the put his front legs in and stand there thing. Then I back him out, walk him around and then he will hop up in there. Stinker.

I am really excited that my Flex2 Trail has been put into work. It should be done in a few weeks and I can hardly wait! This is the first brand new saddle I have ever had. I have changed up some things on it like the conchos and tooling pattern. I also ordered the coordinating headstall so I will be completely outfitted in matching gear. It’s been awhile since I had a completely matching rig.

I am getting ready for vacation next week. The saddle and tack departments shut down for a week at July 4th and at Christmas. We run a skeleton crew in Customer Service and Shipping, but the rest of the office can take off if they choose. I’m out for the week and headed north to see some family.

Happy July 4th!
Dara

Great Horses and New Endeavors

2008-06-20T14:13:00.019-05:00

Hi, I'm Amy. It's my first time blogging, so here's a little about me-

I have been with Circle Y for 14 years...that makes me sound old...but I actually just turned the big 3-0 this year. I started working here part time through high school and college on the production floor, spent a few years in quality control, and now my major focus is product design and marketing. I have a degree from Texas A&M University in Animal Science-Equine science, and even though I am not working directly with horses on a daily basis, I get to put my horse knowledge to good use here at Circle Y.

I have lived in Texas all my life, am married, and have two little girls, ages 3 years and 8 months. Being a mother is one of the most fun, rewarding things I have done. The big challenge is balancing work, spending time with your kids (when you don't want to miss a second), and doing the things you love to do, like ride!

I have two Quarter Horses. My old gelding, Boomerang, is 24 years old this year. I've had him since I was 12. He is the kind of horse that everyone should be lucky enough to grow up on...makes you feel like you can do anything! I grew up roping with my Dad, and Boomerang was my solid head horse-he knew his job and I just had to concentrate on the steer. He's retired now, due to unsoundness. The drawback of having a great once in a lifetime horse-they only come along once in a lifetime AND you tend to compare every other horse against them. Which brings us to horse #2, Fancy. My uncle bought her and later gave her to me. So I've had her for 4 years, but between two pregnancies she hasn't been ridden consistently. For a while, I was disappointed in our relationship-we just weren't "clicking". I even started looking for a different horse. But as soon as I stopped telling myself "she's no Boomerang", our relationship blossomed! Lesson learned: If I want another great horse, I've got to accept Fancy as the individual she is, and put in the time to build our trust in each other.

My friend Dawn is trying to turn us into barrel racers! I have barrel raced ONE TIME (I ran Dawn's horse when she was pregnant and couldn't compete), and Fancy is new to barrel racing too, so we're learning together. So far we've just done slow pattern work. It's fun! Working at Circle Y, I test ride a lot of different saddles-for research and development, to investigate a problem on a repair saddle, etc. Since I've never barrel raced before, I needed a barrel saddle. Right now I'm riding the Xtreme PerformanceTM Studded Croc Barrel-http://www.circley.com/catalog10.shtml. It's the saddle Kelly Kaminski is riding, too (she's on our Team of Champions). The Xtreme PerformanceTM series have some very unique features. So it's fun when I'm riding and people ask about the saddle and I can let them take it for a test ride. So far everyone thinks it's really comfortable. After a ride last week, I noticed the stirrup leather positioner was broken (its a new feature that lets you adjust how far back your fenders can swing-barrel racers don't want their legs to get too far behind them and throw them off balance, so the positioner is an adjustable strap that holds your fenders right where you want them). Mike, our design engineer, fixed it and we are making a design change to use biothane (a super strong synthetic) instead of leather. That's how product improvements are made!

Dawn and I are riding tonight so she can tune up for a barrel race on Sunday. Fancy and I might haul with her, just to ride around and get used to the competition atmosphere. If I get brave, I may do an exhibition run. I'll let you know how that goes next time...

Amy

Welcome!

2008-06-16T15:17:00.002-05:00

So this is the first post to many upcoming insights into Circle Y. I am the graphic designer, take pictures of saddles and tack, and do all kinds of stuff in between. I am a native born Okie but moved to Texas about 3 years ago with my husband after graduating from Oklahoma State. I love working here and being in the horse industry without mucking a trillion stalls everyday! We do a ton of stuff in the Marketing/Design department and there really is never a dull moment.

I own a 6-year-old Tennessee Walker gelding named Copper. I have had him since he was 10-months-old and despite the long ownership time, he is not as broke as you would think. I just started riding him after a year and a half off because I was pregnant and then the winter was here with those terribly short days. Plus, I had a new little one to take care of and devote all my attention to! But now that summer is here, we are on track to make leaps and bounds in our partnership. He is my trail horse and my goal is for him to be sturdy, reliable, and capable of doing lots of things that a proper trail horse should do.

This past weekend Copper and I went on a local trail ride. We rode with the Marketing and Design Manager here, Amy, and her mare. Amy is a great rider and her horse is a sturdy mount so that was a great companion for Copper. He has been kinda spooky in the past and we have been working on that. To my delight, Copper did great. He had a couple of minor spooks but nothing serious. I was so proud of him!

In addition to my horse having a great learning experience, I had the pleasure of riding a Tucker Trail saddle. We also make this brand which I was unfamiliar with until I started working here. Let me tell you, I am a believer of the Gel-Cush! I have a Flex2 on order but I am riding a Tucker because I sold the saddle I did have. It didn't fit Copper well now that he has matured. It's truly notable how much difference your gear makes in the performance of your horse! But, that's a whole new discussion.

See ya,
Dara

Lots of Work Ahead

2008-06-16T09:40:00.013-05:00

Wednesday, June 18
Copper and I have a lot of work ahead of us. We rode the end of last week and he was feeling good! He didn't act up but it took a few minutes to get his attention. A couple of friends and I haul into town most every week and ride at a nice arena. This is a great opportunity for Copper to get out and see new things, and it's fun. He has a lot of heart but I need help perfecting his running walk and canter. Anne, our Marketing Media Manager here, has tons of experience with Tennessee Walkers and is willing to give me some lessons to perfect his gears. I hope we can begin this week.

We also have had some issues with trailer loading. He has always been a great loader, even when he was young. Two summers ago I was hauling him quite a bit and he got kind of trailer sour. He knew when I loaded him up he was going to have to work. And that's the thing, it's not like this horse has ever known a real hard day's work like some horses out there or even performance horses for that matter. Anyway, to get ready for this year's riding season I have taken him back to basics.

We started doing all the groundwork about three months ago and within that was trailer loading. I tried the feeding him in the trailer but that doesn't really get the horse good and reliable to get in the trailer. He should get in there because I ask him to. He was used to an open top stock trailer and I got a 20 foot closed trailer. I thought maybe he was a little scared so I gave him plenty of time to warm up to it and that was why I started feeding him in it.

Well, once I knew he was fine with the trailer (he would stand in it on his own parked out in the pasture) he started making getting in the trailer a battle of wills. That's the thing about Copper, he is never malicious but he is always testing me. So to make a long story short, we practiced last night and he hopped right up in the trailer. I make a big fuss over him and tell what a good boy he is and he lowers his head and licks his lips. He loves attention and scratches behind his ears. It was kinda dusky so that made it even better. We will see how it goes tonight riding in town.

See ya,
Dara