The most amazing moment that I had with my horse was when I traveled to the National Chuckwagon Races with friends. They were yearly visitors to this event and me and my horse Nicky hitched a ride along with them. I brought along my tent, air mattress, food for myself and Nicky, some clothes and a few other essentials (lots of books for me to read). Once you were on the property, you were restricted to traveling by horse and wagon. There were many events planned such as trail rides, cattle roundup, barrel race, cattle sorting and mounted shooting for visitors to enjoy. One of my favorite activities while there was to trail ride on the property with one of my friends. After about an hour of riding up a small mountain in Northeast Arkansas, we reached and area that made me pause and stare at the sight before me. At this point on the mountain, you could see over the valley below and enjoy the sight of thousands of people camping, riding, and enjoying life without the amenities of our regular lives. At this moment I felt more connected to my horse than at any other time. Without her, I would be limited to borrowing a ride in someones wagon. This would be an odd limitation to have in todays life. Should something happen and I would not be able to use a vehicle one day, I could always depend on her to get me safely to where I need to be. Riding in this anti-motarized vehicle area without any electricity provided, you realize how connected you are to nature and just how little you need. This weeklong event has done more for me and Nicky than any trail ride ever has. A week of me depending on her for transporation has made us closer than ever before.

This is a tough one... Just being lucky enough to have horses in my life makes it extraordinary, but there are a few moments where I've thought "Wow, I must be the luckiest person in the world!" Today was one of those days. The amazing power and grace of the Clydies I've been looking after takes my breathe away. They went for a hoon around the paddock, I put a photo on the KAT Facebook page :) They give me that "something special" that you can only get from the love and respect of a horse. Which is great as I don't have a horse of my own at the moment.

After typing and thinking for a bit I think I may have found that moment. When my Standardbred, Orion, was still with me (his story is on the memorial page) we were out on a trail ride. He suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and started quivering all over. He was so terrified of something. I couldn't work out what it was, there was nothing there and my sisters horse didn't seem to notice anything either. Orion would just not got past this spot. I got off him, gave him a pat, looked him in the eye and told him that it'd be ok, that I wouldn't let anything hurt him. He relaxed and dropped his head down to my hip. He then followed me, with his head still at my hip, past whatever was scaring him. That moment when he gave me all his trust, that he knew he was safe with me was unlike anything I'd ever experienced with any other horse before. It was amazing :)

And picking an item for under the Christmas tree is hard too! Probably a pair of those fanstic tassles. They are so bright, I love the teal and the hot pink, oh and the lime green. I've been thinking about ordering some but it's so hard to choose what colour! I'd probably end up getting the teal as that colour suits my daughters pony the best :)

Th moment that changed my horsie life forever was this january watching my mare step off the trailer after her trip from Alabama to California. She is the first horse I've ever bought all on my own. I never knew how big of a difference it makes when you fully and completely own a horse, not one that was bought for you, or given to you. It means so much more when you pay for it all on your own. 

I would love the show number magnets. The ones I have do not match my outfit and it would look so much better if I had them under my tree this year =]

I saw this beautiful white horse racing across the top of a hill. I said, "Gee I wish I could own a horse like that!" The lady standing beside me said, "For $500 he is yours." That is how I bought my first horse.

Now you would think that this was a dream come true ... but the first thing this horse did was throw me off of him so hard that I couldn't even have told you my name for about 5 minutes. Smokey and I eventually became inseparable (literally), but only after he had taught me to ride. He and I went on my very first day long trail riding event; we climbed hills, swam in a river, and competed in several competive events.

He was my first horse, and during his lifetime he taught me the beauty of a horse companion.

Carol Johnson

I can't remember how old I was but the horse that would have made that change for me was a younger quarter horse gelding that my Mom bought for me.   He taught me that you didn't have to be perfect in everyway to be loved by someone unconditionally because I loved this horse with all that I was.  He was a big sorrel with a stripe down the center of his face and a heart as big as all outdoors and a pleasure to spend my time with if ever there was one.  Mom had made a call to see about getting me a horse and we made an appointment to go out and see him, he was beautiful at least to a young girl who wanted he own horse more than anything in the world.  In fact my want was so great that I didn't even mind the fact that this beauty named Catus Fire was so sway backed that I couldn't have fallen off of him if I had tried to.  From what my Mother has told me about him nobody else wanted him because of the condition his back was in I guess for some it made him less than the perfect horse.  But for one young girl he was the answer to a dream and a best friend...

As for one thing that I would like to see under my tree as a gift...  There are just too many beautiful items to be able to chose

That moment for me was seeing my mare being born.

I would love to see a Key Chain under my Christmas Tree this year.

Oh my...pick ONE moment? LOL... I have had the great luck, to know several great horses, and all of them have had a 'defining moment' in my life, for different reasons.... it is so hard to choose! So many extraordinary moments...I think that is one of the reasons WHY I love horses...they take a normal, ho-hum life with little purpose (ok, not saying that most ppl without horses are like this...but MY life was, without them...) and transform it to something awesome. From seeing the world from the top of a 10,000 ft mountain on my oldster endurance horse, so going through a tough, but in the end revalationary ride on my stallion, to my first gallop bareback and in a halter on my trusty mare... So many moments I thought 'this is it', then another moment would come along and it was 'it' too! Hmmm...I guess one defining moment that really is special to me, is my filly's birth.

I don't have children, nor do I have any desire to have any. I adore my 4 legged kids and that is how I want my life to be. So almost 7yrs ago, I decided to breed my trusty Morgan/QH mare to the top mileage endurance Arabian, for a future endurance baby... It was my first breeding and I was there for the first cover and then picked my mare up at the breeders a few months later (they are a ways away, so had to time drop off and pickup with an e-ride in the area). From then on, I went through the great adventure of pregnancy with my mare...I wanted everything just right, and all my hopes were on this baby. All went well, and then the next spring, she was due.

My friend and I set up a nice foaling area in my other friend's barn. There is a studio up above, and the barn is just a big, open room. Laid out a bunch of shavings and installed a 'red' light (easy to see the mare, would not disturb her though) and slept up above for almost a week. My friend and I would take shifts and go down the stairs every hour and look through the window.. My shift came up again,the night of the birth, and I had a great book to read..the mare was not showing restlessness or anything, so as my 'hour' to check again was almost up, I decided to finish the great chapter i was in... 10 mins after the hour, the chapter done, I look in the window, and OH NO! There were LEGS out of a mare on the ground, having contractions...the brat had waited til I wasn't watching! I yelled at my sleeping friend and we zipped down the rest of the stairs and through the door..my first birth! I sure didn't want to miss it!

The mare of course (her first baby too) had laid down right up against some hay bales we were storing in there (despite having prob 25X25 or more space...) and she got her little baby bout half way out, but then would try and sit up on her sternum...that would almost squash the little babe...then she'd flop over push again, but nothing...repeat.... So I had my friend sit on her neck to hold her down, while I gently guided the foal out and around the mare and away from the hay bales, as she pushed. It was all very exciting and scary, but went totally well! IN about five pushes, she had it out and I had pulled it around to her side...so we then let her up to clean and bond with the baby without interference. Then..to look....boy or girl!???! And it was a girl! I love mares, so I was very pleased :) A beautiful, healthy, and wonderful filly... And she was able to get up and drink with no issues (though she did confuse my nose with her mother's nipple at one point, while I was trying to steady her walking atempts...). I had waited a long pregnancy and this was my first 'grandchild' as such, and it was the most magical thing!

That baby is now a beautiful, strongwilled, athletic, almost 6yo mare, who will be an awesome endurance horse! I just started her under saddle last year, and though we are having ups and downs (did I mention STRONG WILLED?! lol...), Eowyn is still a bright light in my life and I am so tickled I was able to be there at her birth! She is also one of the firendliest and most ppl-oriented horses around...she even whinnies back at me, when I call her name :) It was definitely an 'it' moment in my life, when she enrtered it!

Can't figure out how to make this image inserter work! Or I'd add a pic of us :( Ah well....

Hi Roberta,

I already answered the questions this morning,but forgot to sign in first.So i am doing them again.

Trivia Questions

1.Ginger,Piute & Chubb

2.Buttermilk

3.Ronald Reagan

4.Desiree

5.Scout(White Feller in the novels

Trivia Questions from Knot-A-Tail

1.Dallas

2.Eli

3.Lambchop

4.Blue

5.2nd Chance Mini-Ranch Equine Rescue & Rehabilitation Center

Tanx Teena

1.  Dan Blocker's horse was named Chub

2.  Dale Evans horse was named Buttermilk.

3.  Ronald Reagan said "There's nothing so good for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse.

4.  Napoleon Bonaparte rode Marengo at Waterloo

4.  Tonto's horse was named Scout.

1.  Mustang's name is Dallas

2.  Robert's horse is Eli

3.  Brittany Sullivan's pony was Lambchop

4.  Charlie's horse was Blue

5.  Ranch where Dallis is living is called 2nd Chance Mini Ranch

Hope how I did the answer's is OK!!!

Thanks,

Carol Crim

Trvia Questions

1.Dan Blocker,Hoss on Bonanza,rode a 1250,15.3 Thoroughbred/Quarter Horse called?

Ginger,Piute & Chubb

2.Dale Evans owned a Buckskin Quarter Horse named?

Buttermilk

3.Who said "There's nothing so good for the inside of a man as the outside of a horse"?

Ronald Reagan

4.Which one of the 150 horses that Napoleon Bonaparte used did he ride at Waterloo?

Desiree 

5.The Lone Ranger had a partner,what was his partner's horses name?

Scout(White Feller in the novels)

Trivia Questions from Knot-A-Tail

1.What is the name of the Mustang that Roberta wrote about for Thanksgiving weekend?

Dallas

2.What is Robert(Roberta's sons)horses name?

Eli

3.What is the name of Brittany Sullivan's(the model of Knot-A-Tail)first pony?

Lambchop

4.What is the name of Charlie Edstrom(Roberta's husband)horse?

Blue

5.What is the name of the rescue ranch that is taking care of the Mustang until she finds a home?

2nd Chance Mini-Ranch Equine Rescue & Rehabilitation Center

Trivia Questions:

1. Dan Blocker, Hoss on Bonanza, rode a 1250, 15.3 Thoroughbred/Quarter horse called?  Chub
2. Dale Evans owned a Buckskin Quarter horse named?  Buttermilk
3. Who said " There's nothing so good for the inside of a man as the outside of a horse"?  President Reagan
4. Which one of the 150 horses that Napoleon Bonaparte used did  he ride at Waterloo?  Désirée
5. The Lone Ranger had a partner, what was his partner horse's name?  Scout

Trivia Questions from Knot-A-Tail

1. What is the name of the mustang that Roberta Wrote about for Thanksgiving weekend?  Dallas Lights
2. What is  Robert (Roberta's Sons) Horse's name? Eli
3. What is the name of Brittany Sullivan's, ( the model on Knot-a-Tail) first pony? Lamb Chop
4. What is the name of Charlie Edstrom (Roberta's Husband) horse? Blue
5. What is the name of the rescue ranch that is taking care of the mustang until she finds a new home? second chance equine rescue

Thanks for another fun game Roberta... Huggz Terri

 Trivia Questions:

1. Chub 
2. Buttermilk
3. Ronald Reagan though many other people throughout the centuries have said as well.
4. Desiree
5. Scout

Trivia Questions from Knot-A-Tail

1. Dallas
2. Eli
3. Lambchop
4. Blue
5. 2nd Chance equine rescue

1.horses name was Chub

2.horses name was Buttermilk

3.Ronald Reagan

4.horses name was Cyrus

5.horses name was Silver

Dan Blocker, Hoss on Bonanza, rode a 1250, 15.3 Thoroughbred/Quarter horse called?

    “Chubby” or Chubb

Dale Evans owned a Buckskin Quarter horse named?

     Taffy

Who said " There's nothing so good for the inside of a man as the outside of a horse"?

    Ronald Reagan

Which one of the 150 horses that Napoleon Bonaparte used did  he ride at Waterloo?

    Marengo

The Lone Ranger had a partner, what was his partner horse's name?

White Feller, and later a horse named "Scout" 

What is important in your life? My Kids are most important in my life. 

 What starts your fire? Watching my kids (age 6 yr & 21 months) grow in horse shows/rodeo. It is amazing how much my 6yr old daughter learns with her horse.

2nd  Why do you come to visit the Knot-A-Tail site? I Love Love their products, Christmas Shopping!

 What is it that you like about it the most? the variety & not the same items in every other store or site I look at.(this is a questuion so we can learn how to help you more for the uncoming year)

3rd  the Prize.  This week, pick out something you would love to have, and tell us in your comment, why you would love it.  I love the Pony Tail Holder - My daughter wears her hair back when she is riding and she always goes to this item when we are on this site. It will match all of her outfits. :)

1st   What is important in your life?  What starts your fire?

My critters, my husband, my family. Dogs and horses keep me learning and trying to improve. Watching beautiful performances really encourages me to go out and work (like dressage and obedience/herding performances).

2nd  Why do you come to visit the Knot-A-Tail site?  What is it that you like about it the most? (this is a questuion so we can learn how to help you more for the uncoming year)

To read the forums, and look at the beautiful workmanship of the products and see what's new.

3rd  the Prize.  This week, pick out something you would love to have, and tell us in your comment, why you would love it. 

I would love to be able to afford the bridle and reins. They are such a gorgeous piece of craftsmanship - I love hand crafts as well, and have done beading and braiding, and know how intricate it can all be.

Thanks Roberta!

1st... What is important in my life? My family of course, especially my daughter. And all the pets that we have that make our house a home :) My partner is always saying that I want one of every animal, and I'm off to a good start!

2nd... Why do I visit the Knot-a-Tail site? I'm amazed every time I come here. I love looking at the creations from horse hair... who knew that something so practical for a horse could be made into such beauitful items? :) I also come for the competions... Great fun

3rd... Pick something I'd love to have and why. Now this is hard! I love everything! I'd love the bridles... bit more saving is needed first... because they are beautiful, need I say more!. However my next purchase would most likely be a shoo fly, for obvious reasons... those flys are getting a bit bothersome this time of year. Or kilties, or tassles, just because I think they look great :)

1st   My family is important to me.Then my horse.

2nd   I visit the Knot- A -Tail site because i like the beautiful products & i also like the fun competitions.

3rd The Prize   I would love the Horse Head Sterling Bracelet because it is beautiful & because i love horses & haven't been able to find a bracelet like that with a horse theme.

1.  The important things in my life are my husband, my horses and pets, and my friends.  I get so much enjoyment from my 3 cats and 1 dog - they are always doing something funny and making me laugh!  Laughter is so important!  My horses are my life-long dream-come-true and I am constantly learning from them as well as reaping the rewards of nuzzles, a warm breath in my ear and just the earthy, lovely smell of them.  My husband and friends are all a part of all of this and I can't imagine life without them.

2.  I enjoy looking at the silver jewelry and horsehair items.  I ride mostly English but am a cowgirl at heart so the western-themed items always attract me.  Maybe a few English-themed items would be a nice addition to your inventory.

3.  I would love the heart/barbed wire sterling and gold necklace.  I love hearts and two-toned jewelry and this one incorporates both along with the horse head.  Right up my alley!  Would be one of my go-to pieces.

1.  My horses, dogs and family are important.  They give me endless hours of joy.

2.  I love the unique items on Knot-A-Tail!  It's a fun shopping adventure.

3.  I drool over your horse hair band watches.  I love stuff that is different from the normal.  This item is so unique!  I just love them!!!

What is important in my life, is having 2 awesome boys who love to show our horses as much as I do! They're always up on show mornings, dressed in their show clothes, boots, & hats before I even get out of bed! By the time I get my coffee down, they have the  trailer hitched up, tack in the truck, & horses tied, & are grooming them! They've got the "Fever" along with me, lol!

I come to this site to drool over all the beautiful things I would love to buy as soon as they're in the budget! (Off from work due to a camping injury, broken leg & pulled muscles in my back.) After my surgery, I'm planning on getting a few new things for next year's show season!

I would LOVE to win a couple of pink/black or back/blue double layer tassels to go with my sons' horses' tack. The tassels would coordinate with their pads & horse boots, & add that "WOW" factor! (My gelding's tack is all black & purple... but that would be rude of me to want 3 pairs of the tassels, right? :p

1.  what's important in my life?  it is so important that I become the best possible companion and caretaker that I can for my animals health and well being.... no matter what species...

2.  why do I visit this site?  because it is so much fun!!!  I love the games and the interactions, not to mention the wonderful items you have available.... sometimes I just come to window shop and add to my "wish list"....

3.  I would love to have ....Knot-A-Tail's Horse Hair crop/ whip ... because I just know that it would be a wonderful desensitizing tool as well as a great way to keep those pesky flies away in the summer.... 

thanks for running another great contest Roberta!!!!

1st   What is important in your life?  What starts your fire?

If you had asked me this question 15 - 20 years ago I couldn't have answered.

Today, I treasure everything in each and everyday I wake up, I realise just how very important the people in my life are to me.  I am blessed to have my Mother near me and to have the friends I have both far and near.  My grandchildren are a true blessing in my life and bring so much happiness to me.  My horse Cut-Up is a true bright spot in my life and has been with me thru the good and the bad times in my life over the past 21 years.  It's amazing to me how nearly lossing your life can open your eyes to so many things.  Spending so much time fighting to hang on to my life back in 2000 has made me realise just how important every little thing in life can be.

2nd  Why do you come to visit the Knot-A-Tail site?  What is it that you like about it the most? (this is a questuion so we can learn how to help you more for the uncoming year)   

I come here to look at all of the wonderful talent that is designed by some very talented people.  But really I like to see what it is that makes one of my oldest (not age wise either) LOL) friends so happy everyday.  And the truth be known I have a huge wise list sitting here beside my chair of things that I have my heart set on.  I'm in such awe of the talent here.

3rd  the Prize.  This week, pick out something you would love to have, and tell us in your comment, why you would love it.

I have on the very top of my wish list the headstall and reins that you have in the bargin area.  I want one in sorrel and white to show my three year old paint filly this coming summer.  My mother gave me this beautiful filly as a gift to kind of ease the transition to a different horse.  After nearly twenty years of riding the same horse its going to be very different.  Cut-Up has been my best friend and carried me over many many miles.  I can only hope that I have done as well training my filly has I done with him and as he has taught me.   I think this headstall and reins are so beautiful that I am going to do what ever I need to so that this wish will be crossed off my list.  Then I can work on getting one for my Mother for her mare who is the dam of my filly.(Pretty good huh? Mother, Daughter ~ Mother, Daughter)...

Ok, this one I'll play in (not a cross fan, so skipped last week).

What lights my fire? Well, silly question, since I am on this site! The simple answer, is, of course, my HORSE!

But the answer is so much more complex than that.... All I have to do, to get that flame kindled in my heart, is to even think of my horses (particularly my own fire-horse...FIRESTORM!). If I want a warm, comforting fire, llike the one in a wood stove, or fireplace, or maybe that comforting campfire you hang out around with friends? I go and see my horses...just driving to the pasture, calling there name, to have an excited whinny echo back my call across the hills...or even if I don't have time to ride, to pull them out for 20mins and give them a nice grooming (often mutal, as they lip and nibble at my back in response), it warms my heart and soul to just BE with them. If I want a rip-roaring, exciting fire, like watching a forest fire or a burning building (exciting, yet kinda scary!), I take one of them out for a ride to the beach and just let LOOSE in a wild, screaming gallop...a gallop-gasm (can I say that on this forum? LOL) I call those... fun, but so fast, I know I'll die if the horse trips and crashes! But they always carry me safely though the run, having as much fun as I am (good thing the beach is LONG, as pulling them up takes a bit!) ....Or, I will go on an endurance ride, where we might have to navigate a single track trail on the side of a cliff (the scary part), but a cliff with a view into one of the most beautiful canyons on the planet, or on top of a 10K foot mountain with miles and miles of views....

I visit this site because you offer such fun things for us to do (instead of just being a 'shopping' place) and have such neat items to buy, with a budget for everyone! LOVE YOU! Not sure which part I like the most..though I would LOVE to see some trail/endurance related items, since I am not a western rider (so barrel racers, reiners, and WP horses on a lot of the items don't jazz me much, even though they are pretty enough to look at online) or more just 'pretty horses' (heads, bodies, foals, etc) on many of the items....

What I would like to have? A set of the horse hair Killties (my poor boots need spiffing up, esp for going out to dinner or something...might make me a tad more 'presentable', LOL) or a horsehair watch (all of them look nice!), as I lost my last watch and have been without a while and the cell phone thing for time is getting old! I also kinda like the 'pony tail holder', but again, the barrel racer doesn't do anything for me,...

1st   Whats important in my life is my horse, she is what I spend every penny I make on and spend every spare moment with. 

2nd  I visit knot-a-tail because I love looking at all the products and new items. Plus all the fun games =]

3rd  the Prize.  I would love to have the bulk horse hair. I show and just started showing paints and my mare doesn't have a thick long tail and I haven't been able to get her a fake one yet.

Just saw the post on FB that I won tonight's Sunday Night contest.  I am so excited and my daughter will be so happy to receive a new pair of kilties for her boots.  Thanks so much for your awesome contests!!

Sandee

As always - there are just so many things I would absolutely love to have, but on tonight's shopping I have picked out the Horse Hair Kilties.  My daughter has had some for many years, but since she has been working so much lately with her horse in her good boots, her horse hair has all but disappeared!! Would be a wonderful gift for her and a reward for the dedication she has shown in consistently working with her horse to build and maintain that loving bond.

Thanks for your much appreciated articles & antidotes, your site and quality merchandise and horse love and humor that you share with all of us.

Blessings to you my friend!

Sandee Duncan

Hi Roberta! I am ordering friendship bracelets for my daughter to give to her friends for Christmas and since my daughter has long, straight, beautiful hair, just like her horse's tail ;), I think she would look marvelous in a horse hair Barrettes also! (Money's a little tight right now but I will be saving up to get her a Heart Barrel Racing Barrette! Your silver work is beautiful ;)

Thanks!

Tequila Rose

PS My hair is just as long as my daughter's but, I got all the curls...isn't that always the way... I always wanted long straight hair and she always wanted the curls... however, at this point I'm just happy that it's mostly NOT gray!!! LOL