Winter Is Here

I left a couple of post here last year reminding everyone to remember how hard cold weather is on our equine friends, but I wanted to reinterate a few of things again this year. Personally, I don't care if I ever see a snow flake or feel the wicked fingers of "Old Man Winter" again, but our horses are trusting us to take care of them through the cold winter months, so we must pile on the cloths and trudge through the snow and freezing cold to take care of them. Horses, as with all warm blooded animals, must maintain their body temperature from dropping. A high forage diet is a vital part in helping to maintain the body temperature. Hay has a higher fiber content than grain. So please buy a high quality of hay and make sure your horses have access to this hay through out the day. Remember horses need to maintain their water intake when temperatures drop and with the increase in feed consumption this can sometimes lead to a higher incidence of colic. So please don't forget the water! You will need to check the water buckets/ponds at least twice a day to remove any ice build up, or to break the ice so that your horses are encouraged to drink during the day. You will also want to discourage the horses from walking out on the frozen waters and falling through. The Mountain Horses are a hardy breed and are accustom to the harsh winters, but the old and infirm need a little extra aid and possibly shelter during extreme temperatures. Their long winter coats give them extra warmth that is essential in helping to keep them warm, but if your horses are being kept in a barn, they may not have grown the hair that is needed. For these instances you may want to protect your horse with a blanket. Mother nature generally knows what is needed, but then again Mother Nature would not have them in a barn. :o) Just a reminder to remember your best friends during the cold winter months.

Oregon Bound

The Frenchmen that came to Van Bert Farms and bought two Rocky Mountain geldings left our farm riding their horses bound for Oregon. They just called and said they are in Florence, Oregon and would like to sale their horses. So...if you know anyone that is interested in two well broke Rocky Mountain geldings, that have traveled by foot across the United States, please contact us and we will put you in touch with them. These are wonderful horses, that will be wonderful companions for any family. Please pass the word on because they will be at the end of their journey in 2 days!

From The Hills Of Kentucky

By: Vera Patterson


An unknown author once wrote: HORSES – If God made anything more beautiful, He kept it for Himself.

When I read these words, I thought how perfectly this describes how I feel about the Mountain Horses. Whether the horse is registered Rocky Mountain, Mountain Pleasure, or Kentucky Mountain, they are the Mountain Horses.

For more than a century of traceable ancestry the Mountain Horses have been one of the best kept secrets of Kentucky. While the Mountain Horse registries/breeds were not recognized until 1986, breeders from the hills of Kentucky prized this horse and bred for their ability to adapt to the rugged, sometimes sparse terrain of the hills. They were bred for their smooth, even 4 beat gait and for their eagerness to please and be part of the family.

Seventy years ago a 5 year old boy was given a beautiful bay filly for his birthday. As the boy and the mare grew up together they became constant companions. She would carry him and his friend riding bare back to the river to fish and swim, ride the hills and meadows at a gallop and in later years carry him through the pastures to check the cattle. Some years she would be bred and produced exceptional foals, but most years she was just his friend. The boy in this story is my father. The mare is Dinah, a beloved Mountain Horse. I remember a few things about Dinah that was not told by my father. I remember her teaching my brother to ride and carrying him to his first blue at the county fair. I remember Dad saying she was more than 30 years old when she died, and then the real stories would begin.

Once, as a young boy, a man brought one of the first cars to the small town of Stanton, Kentucky. He bet Dad a “soda pop” at the general store that he could reach the store faster in his car than my dad could ride Dinah. My dad was so sure of his mare’s ability to run he took him up on the bet and off they ran… my dad and his friend riding double for 2 miles. Dinah stayed in front most of the way, but about ¼ mile from the store the car came up ahead. My dad was so worried about his mare because she was breathing so heavy he never thought about not winning the race. What a foolish endeavor of a boy learning one of life’s lessons. Then there were the stories of Dinah swimming him across the rain swollen river and him holding on to her tail, to safety. There were also stories of him spending the days playing in the forest with friends while Dinah waited and grazed patiently until the sun set and it was time to go home. However, every day was not fun and games, for they were too few and far between. Living on a farm in Eastern Kentucky, everyone and everything was expected to work or help produce food for the family. Dinah would pull a plow or wagon and many days were spent doing just that. Whatever the task, she gave her best effort willingly.

Today, Mountain Horses are prized for these same qualities. They are very appealing to the “Baby Boomer”, who is ready to enjoy their horses without all the work. They are ready to set relaxed in the saddle, cover ground, but not trot. They are ready to give their knees and back a rest and have found with the Mountain Horses, they can once again get back in the saddle and ride for hours. Their sure footed ability, their eagerness to please and learning ability makes them the all around ATV. Competitive trail riding, endurance, dressage, barrel racing and team penning are just a few of the venues riders are successfully competing in with their Mountain Horses. Their beauty is second to none and they show it in the show ring. Their main forte is riding the trails at a relaxed pace and being your companion.

While they are off of the endangered species list now, they are still closely monitored. The preservation of this breed is the main objective of the registries. Van Bert Farms, has been breeding Mountain Horses for many years and have been a training facility since 1965. A family owned and operated farm, 4 generations are currently working with the Mountain Horses. We boast of having the largest herd of Mountain Horses and pride ourselves in the quality we produce. Many World and International Champions were born and trained at Van Bert Farms. You will find the perfect mount here and we look forward to your visit and sharing the beauty of this wonderful breed with you. Give us a call or email us about your desire to own a Mountain Horse.

The boy in the picture is Conner (the great grandson of H.T.) and his favorite mare, Blue Jean. Another generation here at Van Bert Farms!

Where Are The Frenchmen

I finally heard from Augustine and Marc (the Frenchmen that have set out on a ride across the United States from Kentucky). Guess where they are? South Dakota, close to Mount Rushmore! They are suppose to be sending me pictures of them at Mount Rushmore when they get there. They have not been in touch for awhile because they have not been close to electric in order to charge their phone. They said the horses are doing fine and Augustine and Marc are also doing good. I asked them if they were eating enough, because they packed so light. There main food was going to be rice. They decided it was a very versatile food and could be flavored any way or eaten plain. As soon as I get pictures in, I will post them.

On a different note...we have been very busy preparing for the World Show and are very eager to meet the competition and meet our friends. Many people have worked very hard to make this a grand show, celebrating the 10th anniversary of United Mountain Horse. I was at the Kentucky Equestrian Facility today. Everything is looking good and lots of work has been done mowing, cleaning and preparing for the crowd. Don't forget the Bluegrass Concert on Thursday evening after the show. Daily and Vincent is a many award winning Bluegrass group. So come by and spend the evening enjoying fine horses and good music.

They Love You Indiana

Larry talked with Marc and Augustin last evening. Since we were at the show in Tennessee over the weekend, we did not get a chance to stop long enough to give them a call, so we were anxious to hear how they were. Augustin said they were still in Evansville, IN. It seems that one of the horses got tangled in a line they were using to tie them with and received some rope burns on his legs. They have decided to stay until he is healed enough to travel without aggravating it further. They have ridden through the rain and storms and have suffered through some grueling heat, but they are still going. They are really impressed with how "horsey" people are so eager to help them and how everyone is ready to cheer them on. Well, of course we would like to see anyone succeed if they are doing it on horses!

Evansville, IN ...they are in your area

I talked with Marcus last evening. They were close to Evansville, Indiana (by car that is close to 235 miles) and were doing fine. They had stopped in a nice field, were setting up camp while the horses grazed. He said the horses were doing well and he and Augustine were also fine. They were worried about the weather, it looked as if a storm was coming up. They do not have much for shelter, just a small tent and bed rolls, so that worries me. I know they will be facing a lot of bad weather in one place or another in the coming months, I just hope they are able to find shelter when they need it. This is a big endeavor, but they have experience of doing this sort of thing. Several years ago they rode across Mongolia on Mongolian horses. They said the strong point of the Mongolian is the extended time they can go without water. The strong point about the Mountain horse is their smooth gait and their stamina.

Keep checking the blog, I will continue to post their progress.

Looking For Two Cute Frenchmen

I knew that title would catch your eye!:o)

A few weeks ago, we received a call from Augustin Blanchard. He explained his desire to ride from here to Oregon and was searching to buy two Mountain Horses for the journey. We told him we had several geldings to choose from, so he made the trip from New York to look at them. While he was here in Kentucky he visited several farms, but returned here and bought two nice geldings that we had on our website, Amigo Midnight and Blue Midnight. He left them in training with special instructions for us to prepare them for the trip.

Augustin returned with his long time friend Marcus Von Pelier, they spent 5 days here preparing for the trip and acclimating themselves to the HOT weather. There are no pack horses, there is no one meeting them on the trails. Everything they need is packed in a saddle bag and small bed role.

They left here and traveled to the UMH show grounds to overnight there. The next day they left and rode to the Clintonville area. From there they only went about 5 miles to FairWinds farm where they were able to spend the day letting the horses rest, graze, wash their cloths, and prepare once again for the next day ride. Their next destination was in the Georgetown area and then off to the Shelbyville area. They ran into a problem trying to cross the river, since they were not able to take the ferry. It took another day but they were finally able to find someone who would take them across to the Indiana side. They hope to hit the American Discovery Trail in St. Louis, and then later the Lewis and Clark Trail. Their goal is Portland, Oregon. I will keep you updated as they check in to the travels of this duo, but in the mean time, keep your eyes open for two cute Frenchmen on two beautiful Mountain Horses.