Blackburn Ironman

09/15/2024

You have to be able to have simple fun on your horse. Ironman and me have some of the best rides. Sunday mornings before church are so nice and relaxed. I rode most of the morning with the bridle reins laying on his neck and the saddle. Iron is the best❤️

09/15/2024

I couldn’t keep it straight. Marti

09/14/2024

How do you heal “brain-fry” from too much wedding planning???? A nice relaxing stroll on the best boy in the world! Ironman is the best there is🐴🤠

09/13/2024

How about an Ironman throwback to Dec 11, 2020. He was 19 months old here. Wowza! 😍 That old bloodline recipe still works folks. Thanks Lynette Leier for selling him to me. You do such a good job with your breeding program......much respect. He's my partner and takes care of me so good. I can take him and go do anything I think.

09/08/2024

Boy it was a BEAUTIFUL day yesterday in Kentucky. And look at this BEAUTIFUL boy!

09/05/2024

No he’s not Ironman and it’s been a long wait getting this guy home for Marti. Welcome Jaz Buenos Comet. “Bravo” is an 8 yr old Jaz Ranch bred stallion. He is joining our program alongside Ironman and for Marti to ride. Happy for Marti and looking forward to the future with this guy too. He has his own page you can like and follow along with our farm page. Give Marti warm congrats! We had to offload 4 1000lb calves and reload to get Bravo off the trailer……at midnight too haha

09/03/2024

Ironman had the evening out with his mares and the morning off from riding so Ms Piper(Top This Gal) and I had an awesome ride and then watched the sun come up this morning. This mare is pretty special with buttons so sweet and smooth. Abigail started her as a 2yr old. Piper stepped into the show pen and dominated the KRHA 2yr old challenge. Her mind is programmed to show. It's where she wants to be....pretty neat. Abigail sold her at 2 and she went up north to South Dakota and had a couple of babies but that's not the life this mare wants. We bought her back and I rode her just a bit last winter and now Abigail owns her again. She has ridden her this summer working in the grass fields and heat as best she could. No accommodations whatsoever and she just up and takes her to her first AQHA show with me this past weekend. Let me tell you that they looked goood. So proud of both these girls. No big placings but they were right there showing in the open classes with the best.❤️❤️❤️. This mare is that good and with the minimal training so far. It's hard to put words to it. With an intermediate to advanced rider the sky truly is the limit. Abigail will be offering her to the right show home and this is daddy singing praises. So proud to be a part....
Side note for bargain shoppers. I had a 1966 Fairlane 390 4spd car I wanted to sell several years back. I priced that car cheap because I didn't have a fortune in it. I couldn't get a looker........I suppose people thought it was junk. So I raised my price and the car sold immediately. Piper is not junk just so you know. For sale not on sale as they say. Abigail has ridden some very nice and expensive horses so she knows what she has with Piper. But she's also fair. Piper will be ranch show horse deluxe no doubt and with the zing to make it fancy. When she does offer her I'll be sure to share..... Dad
P.S....Iron and I had a good show this past weekend. He was a good boy. No big placings but we were privileged to catch the eye of a well respected trainer/judge. He made the time to compliment how well we did and offered some needed advice and explained some things from a judges perspective that I did not know. "Ignorance is bliss" they say but it gets you nowhere in the showpen. It's all part of the process that Iron and I will be working on. Thank you Mr. Sargent.

08/26/2024

It doesn’t happen overnight. Not for me anyway. I guess I’m just slow and maybe a little dumb. I have learned that I’ve needed to relearn much. Working on my seat and my hands and balance in the saddle. The reality is Ironman totes around 6 sacks of feed between me and the saddle anytime I’m on his back…..he never complains and is super stout.
I worked so hard trying to help Abigail show. I tried to be her eyes on the ground. We had many talks to try to figure this thing out. I think she does a wonderful job and she’s a good hand too….can work many a grown man in the ground. We always tried to do right by our horses and worked hard to “understand” what was going on with them. I never dreamed I’d own and show the best horse in the world once Abigail was out on her own.
Iron and I didn’t get much of a sniff in placings at our last show a couple weeks ago. I think a lot of the judge at that show and had a chance to ask what we needed to work on. The response….."More wet saddle pads. Your horse needs to be broke better and more relaxed”. Whoa…don’t ask if you don’t want to know I guess. Sooo, we’ve had to do some self evaluation and go back to some fundamentals. I always told Abigail there would be times she’d have to take a step back before she could move forward. Full circle. As you guys know there is a partnership thing going on with a horse and rider AND your horse needs to be confident you can lead them. So we press on with determination and I gotta get better so I can lead him. As far as “broke” goes??? Iron is broke to death. He’ll head anywhere I point him and we’ll get it done. But we do have plenty to improve in our training. I think there’s a difference. When Abigail was showing in high school I heard a man say, “These reiners are trained to death but most aren’t broke worth a crap”. True? You decide for yourself but it does take time to build a great horse. Oh and I do own the best horse in the world. Looking forward to next weekend and another AQHA show. Abigail and Piper are going to show with us too. It’s gonna be fun times❤️

08/22/2024

Ironman qualified for the AQHA World Show! Too bad Tony doesn’t have enough vacation time for us to go 😔

08/22/2024

Tony had to work until 11:00 pm again tonight. I thought I better get Iron out and give him some lovins and some beauty treatments. His mane is getting long! We have been using Cowboy Magic faithfully until Abigail told us about Tenda Sheen spray. If you haven’t used it you need to! I like it better than Cowboy Magic…easier (you spray it on) and smells good.

08/21/2024

Sugar wasn’t happy mama and aunties were on opposite ends of the field. Ms Sugar is close to weaning and will have a new friend Raven to play with soon and another coming from Ms Abigail. Babies are so fun!

08/15/2024

There’s a million opinions on how much you should handle your foals. Ehh….whatever suits you. I can say this is the first time Sugar was led away from mama. We went to the barn to see her sire Ironman and cousin Zeva. Then we came out to be tied(2nd time) and brushed down(1st time). No formal training to lead and she did just fine. Conformation, alert and willing. Love this filly❤️

08/11/2024

I’ve been working 12 hour night shifts for some mechanical failures at work for better than a week now. Iron gets turned out nightly with the bred broodmares. It’s pretty awesome when you can literally walk out to the field, grab your horse, knock off the dirt, brush out the tangles and then head to a horse show. The mares must have worn him out last night. I’m thinking he could have used some sugar to put some go go juice in his tank😆. He’s a goood boy❤️🤠🐴

07/25/2024

This is BLR Poco Sweet Iron…..aka Sugar. She is gonna be a good one too!

07/23/2024

Iron has settled in nicely being turned out nightly with the bred mares. I put him up each morning to avoid sunburnt hair and flies. He is special to me. This guy takes care of me. I'm like most of you and have to make the time to ride and work with my horse. I don't know that I could have the same success on the modern Quarter Horse breed standard. Iron is steady. He's not hot to ride. He's no nonsense and full of sense. I've said a thousand times there's no telling his potential under a more accomplished rider. But he's mine and I bought him for me to ride. I show him because I'm able to.....he makes that possible. We're able to have some babies by him too. Just more good benefits of owning him. Barry Haynes rode him 90 days for me winter before last but it just wasn't the same not having him home. So his training shortfalls are on me because I want him with me. But he still does good for me. I cannot be disappointed in him. He has 7 babies on the ground. All are super nice. Abigail has 2 with her and they'll be started lightly this coming winter. One yearling is in Texas with Amy Pratt. She and her kids have wallowed Merida to death and they play in the showpen all the time and do very well. I absolutely love this year's dun filly out of Lilly. She reminds me of Iron so much and sooo intelligent and easy to handle. Her full brother(Ziggy) from last years crop was the same. If she doesn't sell this fall I predict she and I will get along very well under saddle as a 2yr old. You just can't beat them. They are soo good. Their minds and conformation and ability. Iron does everything I ask. When we mess up and fall short it is almost always my fault. The world could sure use more horses like them. Yes, I am biased. This mornings ride was a blessing as always and I haven't been on Iron much the last couple weeks with other work obligations. That's what I wanted(and need) in a horse and he delivers. Lynette told me when I bought Iron that they'd let anyone ride them but a Blackburn will pick their person. Well.......

07/10/2024

This is awesome. I’ve been turning Iron out nightly with some of the broodmares. Lilly and Sugar are out there too. Mara intercepts all activity and keeps things safe. I’m always looking for ways to keep Iron content and happy. Solitary domestic life of a stallion can be so hard on the mind. He is at peace out here and that makes me happy. Someone else was concerned about peace for me and you too. He says,"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.” He also says,”In this world you will have trouble, but take courage I have overcome the world.” Peace is important for these horses……and us

07/08/2024

If you are local, this is where our daughter works. Check it out!

📆𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲!! 🐎
𝔼𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕟𝕖 𝔽𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝔻𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕘𝕟 𝔽𝕚𝕖𝕝𝕕 𝔻𝕒𝕪 is happening July 29!
Offering Educational Sessions on a variety of topics, this event will be at Léttleiki Icelandics, LLC, and is sponsored by UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Both organizations are great supporters of , and we would love for you to check out their event! Make sure you send in your RSVP's 😁❤

07/07/2024

The best part of a horse show???? Arriving home! We had a good show. It sure was hot and the nightly fireworks in EVERY direction kept Iron on edge. I think they wore him out more than the heat. We earned a couple more AQHA points and I do mean earned. The Amateur Division is no joke. The judges had their work cut out for them. I was most proud of our Thursday Working Western Rail class and it won us nothing. I thought we nailed it pretty good. I went back and watched the almost 6 minute long video and confirmed it. But so did everyone else sooo what can you say? The competition was just good. 4th under one judge and 5th under the other with 8 in the class. I’d bet my next paycheck Ironman took the highest foundation percentage hands down. We were definitely one of the shorter horses there. As always he commands his own respect. One lady commented on how she had been admiring Ironman all week and just realized he was a stallion. SIDE NOTE: For those of you familiar with the movie “Dreamer”. Cale(Dakota Fanning) comes running out early one morning and intercepts her dad Ben Crane(Kurt Russell) wanting to go to the racetrack with him and he agreed. These things pull on a daddy’s heartstrings. Well, I had taken Iron to the coliseum Friday evening late to ride and we actually had a decent workout. I rode over and looked down at Marti sitting on a stool holding her spurs….🥺🥺🥺. Iron was already lathered up but she did get to ride him around a bit. We try to keep things simple and real over our way. Life seems to work much better. Everyone shows a horse for their own reasons I guess. Personally, I think Iron and the old blood horses like him still deserve the shot. We don’t do it for the money because I assure you it’s a loss. It’s the process for me I suppose. I love riding my horse and the day to day process. Which reminds me…..
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” So thankful Someone else works this way too❤️

07/03/2024

Gonna try a 4 day AQHA show. We arrived and it was 97 degrees with a 105 heat index. Ironman was ready to get out of the aluminum pressure cooker. June’s radiator was dragging the ground. We were soaked by the time we settled everyone. BUT, this place has air conditioning 🙂. All the “City Horses” are out practicing on their trail pattern. I just recently learned the dirt-scooper western pleasure horses were called that😂. Iron is signed up for Amateur classes in Ranch Trail, Working Western Rail, Ranch Riding and Reining for tomorrow and Saturday. Two stallion performance halter classes Friday and Sunday. We’re gonna have a little fun!

06/29/2024

"I’ll protect you Chaos and Mara!" Marches up the hill and then runs back down to hide behind the girls😆. Big bad Ironman!

06/25/2024

Ironman has felt a bit tight bending to the left. I thought he might be a little sore somewhere. Thank you Isy Pruneda for finding his sore spots and working them out. Ironman was melting for Isy by the time she finished with the Magnawave

06/24/2024

Really good early morning rides today and yesterday. I think ole Murphy must have slept in both days so he wasn’t able to mess that up HA! However, I do believe the rest of the days his laws hit….. a new blower fan on the horse trailer AC. Servicing both AC units on the camper, ujoints and carrier bearing in the truck, oil sender in the Pontiac and front calipers on Marti’s Nitro. Still had time to grab some lovings this evening from Sugar. She favors Iron in so many ways. Worth it??? Oh yeah

06/21/2024

I was going through some withdrawal this week. I hadn’t ridden Iron since Sunday morning. The evenings are just too hot for me and those blasted horse flies are out late evening. Iron has been enjoying nightly turn out with Mara and Chaos but I hosed the crud off him last evening and kept him in the stall. I made myself go to bed early so I could get up early…..2:00 haha! Enjoyed some coffee and went out to enjoy some horse time. My braiding skills are lacking but it’ll work…..Ironman was not impressed! After the groom session we spent almost an hour getting reacquainted in the saddle. I took a few pics and noticed if I used my flash that my phone camera picked up the heat that was still radiating from the ground. It’s amazing to me my phone gathers enough light to take these pics early dawn. Miss June tagged along too. Hopefully you can find a time to enjoy your equine partner in all this heat.

06/18/2024

What about this little guy? Ironman only had 2 babies hit the ground this year. We have a filly out of Lilly and Ashley Winters had this super nice c**t out of Sammie. It makes me happy when the owner brags about how well Ironman stamps his babies with intelligent minds and awesome conformations. This c**t is 96% NFQHA and is a full sibling to our yearling filly Darla(owned by Abigail). It NEVER hurts to breed back cold to the foundation bloodlines. The proof is right here…..good minds, bone, hoof, muscle and looks! Ashley bought Sammie with intentions of putting her back in the showpen and wasn’t going to be able to keep her foal soooo he is available. Folks I can testify that there is no greater feeling than crawling up a horse bred like Iron. Listen up….6 modest 🥕 carrots can make this boy yours. Tony