The Horses of WWRC
We have both had horses in our lives for many years in the past. Most recently we had started as small breeding program to help preserve the Canadian Horse (National Horse of Canada) and a breed that is dangerously close to becoming extinct. We also had purchased a purebred registered Lipizzan Stallion to do a crossbred program with the Canadian Horse; blending the movement of the Lipizzaner with the mild temperament of the Canadian. The thought was to produce a horse that was not as hot as some Lipizzaners could be and with improved movement for the Canadian Horse. We had already successfully produced this with Prince's sire, Misha, and wanted to continue on that path.
Life presents many challenges (twists and turns) sometimes, and our bodies don't always keep up with our spirit, it seems. Jacqueline's health and ability to work with large animals was becoming too risky for her degenerative disc disease of her spine and a bump or a pull the wrong way could be catastrophic for her, so we decided that it was time to sell the horses...but never Gracie...
About that time, Jacqueline started to look into the world of Miniature Horses. Wondering if this might be an outlet for us to continue in the horse world with our love of the Equines, but in a safer way.
Slowly and methodically, she began to research the lines and see if there was a niche that we could fill in this breed.
She soon realized that although there were many finely bred horses available on the market, there was a lack of quality of movement for specific disciplines such as Pleasure and Dressage Driving in the small equines.
After more research, that took over a years time, we began to find certain lines within the Miniature Horses and American Shetland Ponies, that might be somewhere to start with improving the movment and gaits of the small equines. Not to say there are not other breeders out there doing this...just that there seemed to be fewer of them than anything else.
So began our journey into the world of "Small Equines"; Miniature Horses and Ponies.
We currently have 10 Miniature Horses which 10 are registered with just the AMHR (American Miniature Horse Registery) and 3 that are double registered with the ASPC (American Shetland Pony Club) also.
Of those horses, two are eligible to be registered in the Pinto Registry.
**To view our Miniature Horse Sales List Click Here**
We still have Gracie...our Canadian mare who is turning 20 this year! She is the Matriarch of the Ranch and takes her job seriously. Currently she is housed with the American Blackbelly Ram. She has adopted him as part of her herd and he's adopted her. Unfortunatly he has a taste for chewing her once beautiful long tail!
More about our horses:
Our main focus at West Wind Ranch was to breed not just rare horses suitable for many types of disciplines , but rare horses, easy to handle with awesome temperments at affordable prices for many types of disciplines. This is paramount to us.
We are very happy with what we have managed to produce in a short time. Our horses are recognized for there quality and value and have sold across North America to quite a prestigious list of new owners. They are now as far west as Vancouver Island, British Columbia, east as Belleville, Ontario, north as North Bay, Ontario, and south as Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA...
The list of buyers include top names in the Lipizzan world, a retired RCMP trainer for the Queen's Horses in the Musical Ride, a world champion tri-athelete, and great families serious about having quality horses to compete with, work the cattle, or just have a safe trail ride with their kids...
The youngsters are being trained to respect people from the start (and we still do this with the Miniature Horses) and we strive to have the horses ready to travel to their new homes (basic halter training, touching all over, brushing, picking up feet, as well as introduction to round pen, vet, farrier, and the horse trailer). We believe that giving a young horse a good, fair start in life if very important. It makes them a better companion and of value to someone in the future, no matter if they end up in a fancy stable or someones cherished pet in a back yard acreage.
All our horses are kept up to date with a scheduled program of vaccinations, de-wormer, and farrier trims.
They get free choice of mineral/salt blocks, appropriate grain feeds and quality local hay.
In the summer months they get time out on the pastures.
References will be provided upon request.
Grace, our matriarch Canadian mare.
Prince with his new owner!
Prince at his new home in Florida!
Trooper at his new home (Yukon's sire).
Kika at her new home with one of her kids (Grace x Misha) - half sister to Prince.
Breeze (Grace x Misha) and half sister to Prince and full sister to Kika (above).
These two went on to fullfill exactly what they were bred for! So wish we could have continued with that cross breeding program!
Both Kika and Breese do Dressage and Jumping with Novice and beginner riders!
Trooper - what a wonderful testament to people who care and put horses first in their lives!
He now rides/drives/does dressage, jumping...the skies the limit!