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On this page you will find two articles that have been published in the Rocky Mountain Horse magazine. The first article was written by Robert Kaper, titled “It doesn’t get better than this.” This article helps describes how our Rocky Mountain horse and English Setter Gun dog work together in a hunting or field trial setting. The second article was written by Tara Kaper, titled, “My beginning, my love”. This article helps describe how I fell in love with the Rocky Mountain horse and how they changed my life. |
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IT DOESN’T GET BETTER THAN THIS WRITTEN BY BOB KAPER |
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Ask the question, "what is your idea of a place you would call heaven on earth", and you’ll get as many answers as times asked. My perfect day starts when looking out over a west Texas prairie on a crisp winter day. The bite of a frosty I’ll begin by describing the game of field trials so you can appreciate how well the Rocky Mountain Horse plays its part. Horseback field trials were designed to pit bird dog against bird dog in a hunting situation testing their natural talent and Field trial venues and terrain vary depending on the geographic area they are held. You, your dog, and horse may have to navigate the rugged slopes and vistas of the west, the rolling plains from North Dakota to Texas, pick your way While some might consider the horses’ role in these events is to simply carry handlers and judges from point A to point B, nothing could be further from the truth. The horse becomes an active partner in the process; often time anticipating what dog and/or handler are going to do next. A field trial horse is I’ve been formally around bird dogs in one way or another for the better part of 30 years. It wasn’t until more recently that I was exposed to horses while judging a few local trials. When you don’t travel with your own horse you are at the mercy of what the wranglers for the trial provide for you. The outcome can be good or bad, you never know. Once we decided we liked the game of dog trialing The rest so they say, "is history." Bandit’s Run Farm and Kennel was soon established. Our two geldings and seven English setters soon included a Dakota mare in foal to Charmin’s White Cloud. After producing a wonderful little filly, a |
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Bob & Tara Kaper |
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MY BEGINNING, MY LOVE WRITTEN BY TARA KAPER |
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As a wife, a mother and a grandmother of two young grandsons my life revolves around my family and my life on the farm. My husband Bob and I had a dream. Our dream was to purchase 10 – 20 acres, build a Victorian style home, a Gambrel style barn, raise and train a few English Setter Gun dogs and own a couple of gaited geldings. We dreamt of holding the In 2001 our dream became reality when we bought 250 acres, built a barn, sowed some seed, fenced in a one acre pasture and moved seven gun dogs to the farm. It was now time to find our gaited partners. We needed to find a breed that would be calm on the trail and work well with the gun dogs in the field. A classy young setter hunting out front while its handler sits atop a smooth gaited horse is a scene that one has to experience to really appreciate. It was at the Hoosier Horse Fair during the “parade of breeds” that we were introduced to the Rocky Mountain horse. We watched most of the gaited breeds demonstrate their capabilities and we were ready to leave thinking the Tennessee Walker would be our breed of choice. Then a breed we had never heard of was announced to come into the ring, the flash of the flaxen mane and tail against the dark chocolate body caught our eyes. We both looked at each other and said, “We’ve got to stay and watch this.” We were mesmerized by beauty and grace of the Rocky Mountain horse. Shortly after the Hoosier Horse Fair we bought our first Rocky Mountain horses, a gelding for my husband and a mare in foal. Why a mare in foal you may ask….I still don’t have the answer. Little did we know that this mare would change the path of our simple dream. Her first foal was a gorgeous chocolate sorrel and her second was a double cream stud colt we named BRR Bandit’s Gunsmoke. With the birth of Gunsmoke we knew we had something very special and our simple dream of 2 geldings quickly grew to include raising a stallion. We built another barn, an indoor riding arena and started participating in the Rocky Mountain show circuit. At the same time we began searching for a few select foundation bay mares to breed to Gunsmoke with the hope of producing buckskin and palomino foals. In the mean time I was still in search for a gelding I could call my own. My search led me to Kentucky where I rode several. As I was trying to narrow down my selection of a new trail partner I was told I needed to buy a woman’s horse – a smaller built horse. I didn’t listen. When I rode Toby’s Moon Dancer a 15.2 hand chocolate gelding I knew he was the one regardless of his stature. Moon and I have formed an unexplainable lasting bond. He knows his job is to take care of me whether it is on a trail, participating in an ACTHA ride or in the show arena and he does it well! Although Moon is my boy, I have 5 other horses under saddle on the farm, on which I have ridden to accumulate my 1,000 trail miles. I feel it is important to keep all my horses in shape mentally and physically weather it is a gelding or a broodmare. I feel this is my job and I love it. I find there is nothing better than gathering up a bit of rein, giving a little squeeze, a kiss and off you go riding a smooth 4-beat gait. My husband told me when we bought our farm that he could see me raising and training horses. I thought “No Way”. I was raised as a farm girl and we had a few horses in the pasture. I didn’t ride much in fact I was nervous while on the back of a horse. I thought my husband’s comment was crazy but….now I’m one of those people who need to ride every day and if I don’t get to ride I become a little cranky. The days I am not watching my grandsons you will find me on the back of a horse. At the end of each day I’m rewarded when I tell my husband about my day in the barn or on the trail, or of a small accomplishment made with a horse. Many people tell me at my age I should slow down and enjoy life but little do they know that is exactly what I am doing! Having our pastures filled with the beauty of the Rocky Mountain horse is not the only blessing bestowed upon us by our newfound lifestyle. We have been equally blessed by the friendships that have been created with the people we have met along the way. Happy & Safe Trails. Tara Kaper Bandit’s Run Farm |
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northern breeze quickly fades to the background as the call of bobwhite quail erupts when the morning sun peeks over the endless horizon. Two overanxious English Setter pups strain against their leads while our calm and quite Rocky Mountain Horses await us; prepared to follow the bird dogs and faithfully carry their riders to the next covey of quail that are surely hunkered down beneath a juniper bush just over the next hill. Smooth gaited horses, classy bird dogs and bobwhite quail have gone hand in hand for over a hundred years. While heaven on earth for me does exist, it just happens to be 1000 miles away. Living in Northwest Indiana means that my typical day-to-day bird-hunting season is a far cry from the type I most truly desire. So what do I do with my horses and bird dogs for the rest of the year? The answer for me...Field Trials.
trained abilities. 
through the bogs and hardwood thickets of the northeast, or meander the piney plantations of the south. Regardless of where the trial is held you and your animals will some day be tested by the worst Mother Nature has to offer. They will have to negotiate streams; beaver ponds, thick brush, bridge crossings and slick rocky slopes just to name a few. On the course, a trial horse will be exposed to deer, turkey and other wild game exploding from cover. Sudden rushes of commotion like these will test the most seasoned horse. 
expected to travel at a walk, intermediate gait and canter for at least 1 hour at a time under the conditions previously mentioned. A judge’s horse will be asked to do this for a minimum of 4 to 5 hours. A good trial horse must be able to travel in a group or alone, while maintaining a quiet demeanor. They have to be comfortable around dogs...have them run between their legs...carry a dog back to the starting line lying across the saddle, all while remaining perfectly calm. Dogs are often exercised using a procedure called "roading". This is where the dog is slipped into a harness and a long lead is attached to your saddle. The dog then pulls against the harness while the horse follows. Both dog and horse must learn to work together to achieve success.
my wife Tara and I began the search for a couple seasoned trial geldings. With the qualities previously mentioned in mind we began our search. We looked at the usual suspects; Tennessee Walkers and Missouri Fox Trotters were both naturally considered. It was at the Hoosier Horse Fair during the "parade of breeds" that our perception of a potential trial horse changed. After watching most of the gaited breeds demonstrate their capabilities we were ready to leave when a breed we had never heard of was announced to come into the ring. As we began to walk away the flash of the flaxen mane and tail against the dark chocolate body caught our eyes. We both looked at each other and said, "We’ve got to stay and watch this." After watching the horses calmly negotiate various obstacles and exhibit the smoothest of gaits, we decided we had to find out more about these outstanding animals. Shortly there after, we found ourselves walking down "Stallion Row" at the fair. Observing the typical uptight and nervous stallions we found one of the Rocky Mountain Horse stallions. It was then after being introduced to Guy and Adele Minix and their magnificent horse Dakota that Tara and I began to get even more excited about the breed. As we talked to Guy and Adele about the breed and their farm, Minix Mountain Horses, it was hard to take our eyes off their 4 year-old son Manden sitting on the back of Dakota while the stallion stood quietly in his stall. We knew we had found our breed!
repeat breeding produced a double cream stud colt we named Bandit’s Gunsmo
hands of our grandchildren as we taught them the values of farm life and instill in them the love that we have for God’s wonderful animals. It is amazing where a dream, a love, a passion can lead you.