DREAM CATCHER ENTERPRISES 
& ROCKY RANGER RANCH 
 ABOUT OUR BREEDS

There is a legend that years ago a great stallion was brought east from the Rocky Mountains and introduced to the mares of eastern Kentucky. What resulted from the match of this stallion to those mares was an extremely smooth gaited horse with a gentle disposition and remarkable endurance. This was the horse that would work in the fields in front of a plough all day, proudly pull the buggy to church on Sunday and bareback the kids all the rest of the time.

Through the years four different breed registries representing the mountain horse have been formed. Each registry has adopted its own defining characteristics concerning height (anywhere from 13.2 HH to 16 HH) and coloring (amount of white and where it can be located). These four registries are: Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse Association, Spotted Mountain Horse Association, Rocky Mountain Horse Association and the Mountain Pleasure Horse Association.

And, because of the gait, disposition and stamina of these horses, they have become very popular in the ever growing ranks of recreational trail riders. Many people who do a lot of riding are looking for gaited horses because the ride is so much smoother and more comfortable. A gaited horse does a running walk with only one foot touching the ground at a time in a 4 beat cadence. The effect is quite different from the trot of other horses where one fore foot and opposite rear foot strike the ground at the same time resulting in a bounce for the rider.

From the trail to the rail....  As each mountain horse has a natural gait, The Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse Association offers a show circuit with the horses divided into classes that recognize and celebrate the different "ways of going".  The different divisions allow for a fair (and fun) competition. 

We have ridden our Mountain Horses in Texas, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. They carried us 25 miles a day at 9500 hundred feet in the mountains, and it appeared we were more tired than they were! They are always ready to please and seem to be as eager to hit the trail as we are. This year (2006) we participated in Cowboy Mounted Shooting as new members of the Tombstone, Arizona Gunslingers, using our mountain horses Cisco and Doc (see pictures on the About our Ranch page).  The horses took to the activity with their usual calm acceptance and willing attitude (now if we could just learn to shoot better).  Upon returning to Kentucky, Doc hit the Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse Association show circuit competing in the Country Trail Pleasure and the 4-gaited classes for novice and amateur riders.  We are always looking forward to new adventures with our trail buddies and know they are up to any challenge.

Home / About our ranch / About our Breeds / Contact us /
Stallions at Stud / Horses for Sale  / 2008 Foals for Sale

Copyright 2000-2007 Dream Catcher Enterprises & Rocky Ranger Ranch