Penny came to us in 1977 as half of a team. This was the first driving team of our very own. For many years Penny and her daughter, Millie, pulled a stagecoach in area parades and business promotions. She and Millie worked as the lead team for our first four horse team. Penny has helped train many youngsters to drive. She is pretty much retired these days, but I know if we asked, Penny would perform her job well.
Jeep is our biggest horse. Jeep's mother is Penny, our smallest horse. That's how he got his name, we looked into the stall to see a huge foal standing next to Penny and said, "Jeepers!" Jeep has pulled every piece of equipment we own. He quite often gets to work with Mack as a wagon team for public rides. He is an excellent wheel horse for our four horse team.
Mack is Penny's grandson, Jeep's nephew. Mack is the one we call The Genius. It seems if you show Mack what needs to be done, he'll do it with the greatest of ease. Mack filled his mother's position as Jeep's partner when she went to live with a fine family in Missouri. Mack is our son's horse, and has walked many trailride miles, near and far. Yep, he's really smart at that, too.
Sweetwood Valentine
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Val is the first horse in a long string of wonderful Morgans born here on our farm. She does it all! Rides, drives, prances, stands quiet to be petted by children, or helps hold a worried equine student during one of our Teaming Up To Drive classes. She is the best helper we have ever had to work young driving students with. We call her the head trainer around here. When she's not training, she most often gets the call to team up with Sweetwood Coal as a wedding team, or maybe as the lead team on the four horse sleigh. She does it with such beauty, she makes the Morgan breed proud.
Coal's claim to fame is that he can keep up with Val. They are the best lead team I have had the privilege to drive. I like to say "Coal is the Go, and Val is the Brains." Coal will pick my voice out of a noisy crowd and respond quicker than most horses can. He knows just what I need, sometimes before I do.
Moe is also one of Penny's grandsons. Moe has carried many riders on many miles of trailrides. Moe also drives well, helping pull wagons at a local Christmas tree farm during the "Cut Your Own" season.
Patty is Valentine's sister and has become my favorite mount for trail riding. She is smooth, quick, and quiet. She has faithfully carried me through many miles of the Black Hills, providing me access to some of the most peaceful and awe-inspiring places I have ever been to. In harness work, she often gets the call to work in a three horse team with Val and Coal. What a trio! She has helped one of our "Growing to Own" students get his public driving experience. Most recently, she has teamed up with Tino as the wheel team in our hitch of four black Morgans. It's a sight to behold.
Tino has filled the final spot in our hitch of four home-grown black Morgans. In January of 2005, Tino, Patty, Val, and Coal went to the St. Paul Winter Carnival Sleigh Parade and came in second place. (First place went to a fine hitch of four dapple gray Percherons.) Not bad for Tino's first day out in the public!
Vinnie is currently partway through our Growing to Own program. He is driving well as a team member. He will begin saddle training in the spring of 2005. Vinnie is very handsome and is being prepared for a family that chose him when he was a weanling. He's doing well.