Sierra Steffen

November 30, 2018January 1, 2019

Let The Holidays Begin!

Last week was super fun! E had a birthday and wanted to shoot nerf guns off the horses! So E, Meefy, Dad and I got Iroquois and Sundance ( a new project pony) out and we would ride the horses around shooting targets and whoever got the fastest time won! Meefy and I also rode Iroquois double for the first time!! He was so good. I have some pretty awesome little sisters!

For Thanksgiving we went over to my Grandparents house. My Aunt and Uncle and cousins came too!! We all probably ate too much turkey and pie! Haha!!Playing board games while drinking apple cider and eggnog with my cousins is so much fun! I can’t wait for Christmas!!

My Aunt and Uncle were able to stay for a couple days so Mom and Dad took all of us kids for a trail ride!! We only brought four horses and there was seven of us including Mom and Dad, so we took turns riding and walking/running…just like “Ride and tie”(an endurance type race where you ride and run)! At one point, Dad let us older three run ahead a ways. Wind against our faces racing up the sun-spotted trail…Magical!

November 20, 2018February 6, 2019

November Fun

The last two weeks have been totally crazy. My family has been able to go on five trail rides in the last two weeks. It has been super fun! Ty, (the good looking Appy in pink boots below) has gone on his second and third trail ride and did great! Meefy also rode Ty for the first time. Yay!

On Sundays, Dad, Mom, my two little sisters and I, go on a trail ride after church with the training horses ( Ty, Echo, Buckwheat (My 5yr old sister’s pony) and Sundance our new training pony). On Mondays, we leave E, my youngest sister, with my grandma. My parents, Meefy and I go on a “fast” ( trot and canter) trail ride with my Dad’s old Ride and Tie partner, Lisa. We have been on some pretty amazing trails right up the rode we didn’t even know about. There have been deep water crossings and steep muddy inclines and the horses are taking it in stride.

Last Monday, Meefy, Dad and I got to go on a 15 mile trail ride with a friend from 4-H. It was really fun! Meefy rode her 14yr old Appaloosa, Miranda, and was able to jump 2 foot logs like a cross country course! Dad rode Iroquois, and I rode a new Arabian named Pip.

Also exciting, back in September, I applied for the AQHA Young Horse Development Program and last week I received a letter saying I had been accepted!! The Program gives AQHA Youth a donated weanling (4 to 6 month old horse) free of charge! The youth are required to do reports, YouTube videos and other assignments throughout a nine month period, competing for a $2,000 scholarship! My weanling is being donated by KT Ranch in Connell, WA. I can’t wait!! You can see her here ➡Ruby

October 10, 2018November 30, 2018

The Fun Has Just Begun

Hi Everyone, my name is Sierra. I am a homeschooled teen growing up on a small farm with two little sisters, seven horses and a whole lot of fun. To start out with let’s meet a couple of my favorite four legged horse friends.

The first horse we will meet is a 9yr old paint named Iroquois. My family has had Iroquois for nearly his whole life. He was born on our farm and my Mom trained him until he was three. Then my Mom sold him to a local lady, who took him through 4-h. Three years later my Mom was looking for another horse. The lady who had him was heading off to college and had to sell Iroquois. He was brought back to the farm soon after that.

Iroquois and I have competed at the county fair for the past two years. The first year we eased into showing by just competing in Western, English, trail and showmanship. Last year, we were more ambitious and competed in Reining, Western Dressage, English Dressage and speed events!

Next let’s meet my newest training project, Ty. I have been working with Ty, an 8yr old Appaloosa Arabian cross, for a little over a year. When we got him he had never been sat on and had little ground manners. After lots of ground work and round penning we are finally learning how to be a riding pony! I have ridden a few green horses (not fully trained to ride) but Ty, has been my very first horse I have saddle broke (trained to be ridden). He has and is still teaching me something new everyday.

Echo is an 18 year old Arabian. We got her about three years ago. Echo was an endurance horse before we got her. Mom had one of her old lesson girls ride Echo for a month to get her used to arena work when we first got her. I have ridden her for the past two years and my sister, Meefy, just started riding her this month. They are doing awesome together. Echo and I have been working on Huntseat and Jumping. She also likes trail riding.