NUKA
Nuka is proof that size isn’t everything. Standing a stout 13.2 hands, he’s seen more miles than most horses could dream of. From search and rescue efforts after Hurricane Helene to dragging calves out of branding pens, halter-breaking colts, packing veterans through the mountains of Montana, teaching kids to ride, and everything in between, Nuka has never backed down from a job. Nuka doesn’t seem to realize he’s only 13.2, and he packs more heart, grit, and determination than horses twice his size. As my first personal mustang, Nuka paved the way for dozens more to come through our facility. He’s also the inspiration behind the mustang drawing featured on one of our shirts.
Want to learn more about Nuka’s role during Hurricane Helene? Click the link below.
https://horseandrider.com/news-and-events/appalachian-aftermath-father-daughter-duo-use-military-training-and-horsepower-to-provide-help-after-helene/
FLASHY SAVANAH CAT 'VANA'
Vana Banana is a 5-year-old Quarter Horse mare that joined the crew in the spring of 2025 while I was working on a ranch in southeastern Montana. She had around 15 rides when she came to me, and we spent the summer getting to know each other. After a long, cold winter spent preparing for the 2026 show season, Vana kept getting slower, rounder, and less interested in work. As it turns out… she had a little secret. In May 2026, she surprised us with a beautiful red dun colt. Since then, we’ve been slowly bringing her back into work, with our sights set on the 2027 spring show season and making a name for ourselves in the working cow horse pen. When she’s not working, Vana can usually be found demanding butt scratches or sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong… literally.
TELES BOUT THEM LEGS 'SANTANA'
Santana is a 3-year-old Quarter Horse filly sired by the infamous METELES CAT. If you looked at her pedigree alone, you’d probably expect an absolute psychopath. However, Santana didn’t get the memo. Instead, she’d much rather tote youngins around than cause any trouble. Very little phases her, and she has about as much “umph” as your average 25-year-old lesson gelding. As she’s maturing, we’re starting to see more of the athlete hiding underneath that easygoing personality. We have high hopes for this mare and can’t wait to see what she accomplishes in the show pens.
RAFTER O RUBY 'RUBY'
Ruby-better known around here as Boobie-is what we like to call our legacy mare. She had 90 days of training as a 2-year-old before spending the next 12 years sitting in a pasture and looking pretty. We purchased her at 14 and hauled her home from Texas, where she quickly reminded us that good horses don’t forget. Ruby is athletic, feely, and an absolute blast to ride. We do, however, feel a little sorry for the poor soul who had to start her as a 2-year-old, as we’re pretty confident she was terrifying. As a granddaughter of Freckles Playboy, Ruby brings some old-school cow horse blood to the table that most folks nowadays only get to hear stories about. She’s currently in foal to a son of Metallic Cat, and we’re counting down the days until spring to meet what we hope is a big-boned red youngster.
GREMLIN
Gremlin is a 9-year-old miniature horse who somehow snuck his way into our hearts, and we’ve never been able to get rid of him since. I bought Gremlin at a sale (where I definitely wasn’t supposed to have a bidding number), and he was about half the weight he is today. We assumed he was simply ancient and planned to let him live out his golden years here with all the groceries he could eat. As it turns out, Gremlin wasn’t old - he was just being slowly starved. Thanks to his severe parrot mouth, his teeth don’t wear evenly, making it difficult for him to keep weight on without proper dental care, and even harder for an appropriate aging. These days, Gremlin has one of the most important jobs on the place: babysitting weanlings. He has absolutely zero tolerance for colt nonsense and runs a tight ship, teaching babies manners long before the big horses have to. We’ve all come to the conclusion that Gremlin probably outlive the rest of us. The devil doesn’t want him, and we’re not convinced heaven is quite ready either.