Meadowsweet Ranch

12/20/2024

My favorite spot in the barns right now. So nice on these darker mornings.

12/20/2024

Our Event page on our web-site has just been updated and we have a few spots left in our Winter Break Camps. Check it out.

12/17/2024

Just had to share.

12/12/2024

All I can say is WOW! As an adult, I've seen many changes in the way horses are trained, not by everyone, but by enough to be making a difference in many horses lives. I hope as information like this gets out, more changes will be made, such as using spurs for barrel racing. Or western spurs at all.

12/12/2024

Never give up on your dreams.

For years, whispers floated around the polo fields of America about the mysterious, mustachioed young man who galloped across the field with unmatched skill, then vanished before the champagne corks popped at post-game celebrations. Who was this elusive figure? Little did they know, behind the disguise was not a man at all—it was Sue Sally Hale, a trailblazing woman determined to rewrite the rules of a male-dominated sport. Her secret life was as audacious as it was inspiring, and her story is one of grit, courage, and sheer defiance against societal norms.

Sue Sally Hale’s journey began at just 12 years old, when she fell in love with polo while riding her pony in the hills of Los Angeles. But in mid-20th-century America, the U.S. Polo Association barred women from competing in their prestigious tournaments. Undeterred, Hale crafted a bold plan to infiltrate the sport she loved: she disguised herself as "A. Jones," a male player. With her hair tucked under her helmet, her chest taped flat, and a fake mustache provided by Hollywood makeup artists—courtesy of her stuntman stepfather—she took to the field. For nearly two decades, she dominated matches in her double life, leaving rivals baffled and fans impressed, yet never suspecting her true identity.

Her masquerade wasn’t just about playing polo; it was about breaking barriers. Hale faced ridicule, rejection, and threats from male players who felt threatened by her skill. But she refused to back down, riding through her pregnancies, finishing games with broken bones, and even humorously proving a point by playing a match astride a mule. Her relentlessness eventually paid off. In 1972, after years of campaigning and threatening to expose her ruse, the U.S. Polo Association finally admitted her as a member, forever changing the sport’s landscape. Today, nearly 500 of the association's 3,600 members are women, a testament to her enduring legacy.

Hale’s passion extended beyond the field. She was a mentor who trained countless players and ponies, a poet who captured her soul in words, and an artist who sculpted beauty out of raw materials. Her personal life was just as vibrant; married to Alex Hale in 1957, she balanced her roles as a mother of five and a polo legend. Even in the face of adversity, her wit shone through. When male players tried to intimidate her, she’d retort with a grin, "Gentlemen, better boys than you have tried."

Hale’s story didn’t end with her triumphs on the field. Her daughter, Sunny Hale, carried her torch, becoming the top female polo player in the United States. Sue Sally Hale’s legacy is a powerful reminder that no dream is too audacious, no barrier too unbreakable, and no disguise too elaborate when it comes to defying the odds and changing history.

12/12/2024

When I was young I read everything I could get my hands on about Man O'War and he was why I wanted to be a jockey. Then I got too tall for that and decided I'd be an exercise girl at the track. Then I learned more about the racing industry when I was 18 and changed my mind on that. But, I still feel he was a great horse.

This is an original 1947 photo of Man o’ War lying in state in a solid oak coffin just outside his stall at Faraway Farm. He passed away on November 1, 1947, at 30 years old from what appeared to be a heart attack.

At the time of his death, he was the most celebrated Thoroughbred in history. He was the first horse to be embalmed. His casket was adorned with his racing colors.

Over 2,500 people attended his funeral passing by his coffin to pay their respects.

The funeral was broadcast live on NBC radio.

12/11/2024

These two are an amazing pair. Endo was at ILHA Liberty Horse Festival in 2023. Watching them brought tears it was so touching.

Blind Horse From Oregon Achieves 3 Guinness World Records

12/05/2024

A Horse-Drawn School Bus Sleigh in front of J.J. Newberry's in Presque Isle, Maine in 1930. Inside is an airtight wood burning stove and two benches for seating both the driver and children.

12/03/2024

The Lipizzaners of South Africa
South Africa has the only group of Lipizzaner stallions recognized by the Spanish Riding School outside of Vienna. This is a big deal. The man who originally brought them to South Africa is not actually South African, but originally from Croatia. The story of how the stallions came to be in South Africa is quite epic, including staining them in order to disguise them to hide them from the N***s and move them around Europe. The Lipizzaners spent some time in England until they came to their home on a South African farm.

The stables where the Lipizzaners perform are between Johannesburg and Pretoria. The grounds are gorgeous; we saw at least four outdoor arenas and the large indoor arena. Just a beautiful facility. We watched the stallions perform the traditional Lipizzaner stunts. They reared, jumped, kicked, etc. Lipizzaners were originally war horses, and these stunts were originally to help on the battlefield. For example the capriole, where the horse rears onto his hind legs then jumps with all four feet off of the ground, at the peak of which he kicks out, was used to decapitate foot soldiers. The work-in-hand training is very impressive.

The show a portion where a new c**t was allowed to romp free in the arena, in order to get used to the crowd and performance area. He had a blast with himself, running around and bucking. He was a ham and a half. We also saw a horse in lunge line training, with a rider in training as well. They had dressage components, and ended with the ballet of the white stallions (in which four lipizzaners performed a drill together). All in all, quite impressive training.

11/30/2024

Boys and they're halter tag. Rev is quite a bit bigger than Latte, but they don't seem to mind the size difference. Photo credit to Rudy's owner, Veronica.

11/30/2024

Look who had time to visit during her Thanksgiving break AND got a ride in on Oliver🙂 I can't express what it means to me to have former students that have gone off to college squeeze in a visit when they're on break ❤ I was AWESOME seeing you and that beautiful smile, Brooke.

11/30/2024

Meadowsweet Ranch currently has two horses that were adopted from Midwest Horse Welfare Foundation, Tequila (my personal horse) and Oliver (one of our lesson horses). I have also referred people to MHWF that have had successful adoptions. MHWF cares for a number of horses daily that are not up for adoption. I hope you will consider them on Giving Tuesday. Remember, a lot of people doing a little amounts to a lot. Pictures of Tequila & Oliver in the comment section.

Faith – It does not make things easy, it makes them possible.
The horse we named Faith came to us in her early 30s in a near-death condition. She came from a larger scale rescue mission and was one of the tougher rehabilitation cases from that group of horses. Faith did rehab beautifully and lived on for 3 beautiful years with us here at Midwest Horse Welfare Foundation (MHWF) before she passed on. She was a happy and determined mare who truly did enjoy life to the fullest here at MHWF. We just want to remind people that old does not equal skinny in equines. We see and hear that kind of thing far too often, and it’s just not true. If the horse has no untreated medical conditions and are getting their nutritional and medical needs met, there is no reason for them to be skinny. Older horses can have different nutritional needs than their younger counterparts, some of them not having the grinding power with their teeth to be able to properly chew and eat hay and then may require more help with that like soaked alfalfa pellets, special chopped hay, and/or a complete feed, like a good senior feed. Old does not equal skinny. Faith was in her 30s, and was able to be brought back from her state of near starvation.
MHWF has dealt with many cases like this over the years and tend to run into these types of things on a fairly regular basis, unfortunately. Because you have chosen to team up with MHWF and support the mission of helping horses in need, this important work has been able to continue for the past 23+ years. From the young to the old, many horses wind up needing a helping hand.
We have faith that you will keep MHWF in mind this coming , December 3rd, where your contribution and kindness will make a significant impact on our mission. We are able to do this life-saving work with your help and with you by our sides.
https://www.facebook.com/donate/585586250509833/