Definition of a 'Good' Trail Horse

A good trail horse is one that does everything and goes everywhere the rider wants with a minimum of asking. He goes 'new places' as willingly as he goes familiar places.   He is quiet, does not easily 'spook' or shy.  He is sure-footed and watches carefully where he places his feet.  We ride in rugged country and it takes a horse a long time to learn to travel in it confidently and safely.  [ It is easier if they are raised in that kind of environment.  Our own broodmares and foals spend their summers running in rough pastures.]  A good trail horse does not try to travel faster or slower than the group and above all, is well trained enough to leave the group and ride where he is told to go.  He will lead, follow or ride in the middle of a bunch of horses.   He has good manners, i.e. he stands quietly for mounting and dismounting, stops and stands still when asked, is not upset when something is dropped or gets around his feet, etc.  In other words, he is a well trained horse, not a 'deadhead' that follows the horse in front of him.  We gather and work cattle on all our trail horses!   Throughout the "WOLFE RANCH" web site, if a horse is said to be a good trail horse, it means just that.

We also board trail horses for other people and will ride them often enough to keep them 'Honest' and can help with trail horse schooling -- BOTH HORSES AND THEIR RIDERS!

TRAIL HORSES FOR SALE

This extremely good looking gelding has been gentle since his first saddling.   I was leading trail rides with him since he was a 2 year old.   He was born broke.   He is the kind that you can leave out in the pasture for 3 or 4 months, bring him in, saddle him up and ride him off.   Absolutely anyone that can pick up the reins can ride him -- either by himself or with 100 horses on a big trail ride.    We loaned him to a friend from California last year to take on an AQHA trail ride.   No one could believe he was only 3 and that she had never ridden him before.   He is that way every day of his life.  He has been used to check and gather cattle and has done a little sorting, but no one has ridden him that asked for a LOT of quick moves so he is by no means a finished sorting or ranch cutting horse.   100% sound.  His feet are so good, he would probably never need shoes if he was not ridden in solid rocks like we have here.   

He is an absolutely solid trail horse now and as safe a gelding to ride and work on the ranch as you can find anywhere.  He has not been roped off of yet, but he just needs someone that can rope and doctor a few to be able to do it all.   (We just got too old and decrepit.)   $5000.00.

'Click' on small photos to see a full size photo.

'Cowboy', 2010

'Cowboy', 2011

'Cowboy', 2010

This about the kindest natured and easiest going mare we have ridden in a long time.   She is one of those rare individuals that was just 'born broke'.  She is a full sister to the young gelding listed above, Drifters Zip.   She goes anywhere you point her head and is as close to 'bomb-proof' as a young horse can ever get.  She is very laid back and does not have a very big 'motor' (a nice way of saying she is pretty lazy).   She never acts 'high' or 'silly'.   She is already traffic-safe, been in rugged solid rock canyons, rides anywhere alone or in a big group and could care less who is on her back.  She could use a fancier 'handle' on her and she is ready for her rider / trainer to ask for more quickness and  fancier moves.  She is smooth gaited with a very nice walk, jog and lope.  She does not care if you ride her every day or once a month -- She is the same every time you get on her.  She also has really good feet and would not need shoes unless she was ridden in the rocks like we ride in here.  She loads, ties, hauls, shoes, etc.   Weather permitting, she will be started on cattle in early spring, 2012.    $4000.00 before further 'finish' training.   

Drifters Blue Zip

October, 2011

Drifters Blue Zip

October, 2011

This good mare is outstanding in every way and had the kind of conformation and eye appeal to show as well as her dam and could really make a nice 'down the fence' horse.   She is well broke under saddle and is a super trail horse now.  She has been ridden on the ranch, but her only cattle work is gathering them in the pasture.   She is very athletic and is very talented.  She needs to be finished into a top cow horse but is a super trail horse and pasture horse now.   Some of the photos below were taken a couple of years ago.  She is much heavier and more filled out now.  She would be an ideal mare to export to the UK or Europe .   This mare could be a foundation mare for an outstanding breeding program.   If someone wants to buy her and have her bred in early 2012, we will facilitate that and only charge board.  

She is an absolutely solid trail horse and a very good pasture horse to gather and work cattle.   She has not been roped off of yet, but he just needs someone that can rope and doctor a few to be able to do it all.          'Click' on small photos to see a full size photo.       $5000.00.

Classy Lena Silver, fall, 2011

Classy Lena Silver, fall, 2011

Classy Lena Silver, fall, 2010

she is a finished trail horse now, but needs to be ridden on cattle and could be a really nice ranch horse or penning and sorting horse.   She rides like a horse that has had 2 or 3 years of trail riding experience, but has only been ridden steady for the last year (2011).   She is another horse that we raised and started and that has never bucked or made a mistake.   We do not think horses should need to be 'warmed up' or longed before they can be ridden.   When we start them, we train them to just stand quietly for saddling and mounting and they just ride right off.  This pretty young mare rides like that.  Anyone can catch her, saddle her, bridle her, climb on and ride off.   She has been in traffic, around cattle (is ready to start working cattle now) and has been ridden in the roughest country in the Arbuckle Mountains.  She, too, rides equally well in a large group and rides just as well off by herself.  She loads, hauls, ties, bathes, shoes, you name it.   She is 100% sound and ready to go.

She has a slightly 'bigger motor' that Drifters Blue Zip (above) who borders on being 'lazy' and will be a higher level sorting or penning horse and probably has a bigger stop and quicker turn-around in her future.   She definitely has the ability to go into  competition and can still be a very pleasant trail and pleasure horse.  She likes people and comes to you in the pasture.   

With her Incentive Fund nomination, we think she is an excellent penning and sorting prospect that is really started right.   She is for sale now (before being worked on cattle) for $5000.00.

Flashy Driftin Zan

October, 2011

Flashy Driftin Zan

October, 2011

Flashy Driftin Zan

October, 2011

Big Girl - 2009

Big Girl - 2011

Big Girl - 2009

Captain is 100% sound and has feet of iron.  He would probably never need shoes if he was not ridden in the rocks.   He is really a pleasure to have around.  He has been my personal riding horse all year.       'Click' on small photos to see a full size photo.    This gelding is absolutely solid as a ranch horse and a trail horse.   He can get anything done with any rider.   He does NOT have a big motor and is laid back enough for a beginning rider.   He has been a real 'confidence builder' for all who have ridden him.  SOLD.   We had three people want him at about the same time.   Thank you to everyone.  

Captain - 2011

Captain - 2011

Captain - 2011

September, 2004 - with Blue (above) at her side

Good Girl 

Good Girl 

Good Girl (on right)- on a trail ride

'Yeller' is gentle and solid on the trail and we don't have any problems at all with him. He is a little 'quirky' and, unlike most of our horses, does have some minor 'holes' in him. He pulled back when we got him. He has not pulled back now in more than 3 years, but we still do not tie him to shoe him or give him shots. He loads and hauls and fly sprays fine and stands tied up for hours with no problems, but we want anyone buying him to know that he used to pull back. We try to be 100% up front on every horse we sell and he would sure enough pull back when we got him. Just want everyone to know. He has a home here as long someone does not come along and want to pay $3000.00 for him. Even then, we will miss him as he has carried a rider on nearly every ride that has gone out for 7 years.

Yellow has an active 'sarcoid' on his left ear where it joins his forehead. We are putting medicine on it and it is shrinking. He is for sale at a very reasonable price if you want to finish getting the sarcoid off or have it surgically removed. It is not painful and does not bother him for riding at all. But because of it, he is for sale for only $900.00 He is otherwise sound and healthy in every other way.

photo taken June, 2005

Mello, barely visible going over the bridge

Mello in the middle

Mello with his rider leading his 6 year old daughter

To Contact Us: 

P.O. Box 243

Sulphur, OK  73086

(580) 622-6326  

(580) 993-0097  cell

e-mail   wolfeden@brightok.net