Sugar Hill Ranch

SUMMER RAFFLE!!! PLEASE go right ahead and grab yourself a ticket (cash, check or paypal) and show your support for Aimee and the rest of the talented ladies of the Womens Professional Rodeo Association; First Frontier Circuit! Doesn't matter where in the Great U S of A you live, we can mail these to you, or we'd be happy to have you visit to pick them up! Winner will be drawn at Cowtown Rodeo on August 6...ya don't need to be present to win! These are some great summertime prizes to be given to the winners, so why not give yourself a shot? Hit us up (pm), and WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

There’s a fine line between giving it time and giving it too much time. Parents- Stop the struggle before your kid decides to stop the sport. I understand mou...nting a kid is hard and it’s financially straining but seek advice. I am undoubtedly sometimes so honest it’s rude but I care for the longevity of the kid and horse. I see parents seeking instant gratification because the youth rodeo season is either starting or coming to any end. Guess what? They’ll be another year and no one will ever remember that Sally won the 8 and under when she’s older. I dont have biological kids but I do have kids I help and I understand what the goal is! If you don’t ride yourself seek help from someone who knows more. Whats the point in purchasing a horse thats tuned up then letting that horse get dull and rusty?When this happens buyers get angry with sellers. Most of the time the seller will assist you AS LONG AS YOU ARE RATIONAL!!! Read that part again, dont call hollering mad and expect assistance or guidance. If you struggle for 12 months and dropped that horse a division its no longer worth what you paid. It is totally irrelevant what you paid a year ago or what it’s resume was. I suggest my buyers/ clients look at this as an investment and not get attached. In a way if it doesn’t work out they can cash out without loosing a ton of money in a timely manner. Just do this for a hobby? Call with intentions of buying, let the seller know exactly what you are searching for and your max budget! Keep in mind a older horse is your best buy in this market. Sellers/ brokers do not get enough credit for all the time we waste. Thats exactly why I refuse to answer comments or Facebook messages. A buyer who calls or text has my interest. They are serious and are able to hear all info about a horse, usually more than listed in the ad. Also when you call, that broker will be able to tell you about other horses they may know about. Yes I’m aware its 2022 and the norm is to message or email. You should be aware the market is at a all time high and us sellers can now sell to who we want Monday motivation or Monday madness? You decide Kaycee Dougherty Photography

What a beautiful Mother's Day at Ker-A-Mel Arena (McWhorters Apple Orchard) in Argyle for the first NBHA race of the season! Thanks to Mel and Kerrie and the entire NBHA crew for putting on a great race, and Thanks to Picture My Heart Photography for these beautiful shots! (Top 4, group photo by Aim )

Seeing double!!! One pretty pali came in for 60, and one just finished up his 30! Super excited to send Shylo back home with some new skills added to his resume, and we can't wait to watch him coast thru his summer of chasing cans and bending poles. He has come SO incredibly far in his training here, and he is well on his way to success with his kid! Good luck, Shylo and Alyssa! ... Miss Kahleesi here just arrived for her training, and we can't wait to get her going! Just started under saddle, this filly will be following in the hoof prints from the pretty palomino that just left! She's sweet with some spunk, and we think she's going to be a lot of fun! We will be sure to keep you posted on her progress! We've got one spot available for the 2nd half of June, and we are booking into July and August. If you have a horse that needs to be broke to harness, under saddle, a refresher, started or finished on the barrels, give us a shout!

We will be making a trip to Tennessee with room for 1 or 2 first week of June, returning to 518/802 with room for up to 3! Message us if you need a horse hauled up or down along our route! Feel free to share! Thank you!

We had a calf stolen from us on Saturday night (Hebron, NY)... Please be on the lookout or if you hear that anyone has a new 4 week old Holstein calf please let us know! She was wearing a blue jacket and had an eartag in...both may have been removed!

Some may complain, but if you ask riders here, 2020 wasn't really all that bad! After all, this girl right here, and a few of her barn buddies have been given the gift of sitting the canter this year. They learned how to believe in themselves, and forget the word "can't", and erase it from their vocabulary, altogether. If you ask them (and the horse that helped them to get here), these kids have a lot to be thankful for in the year 2020. New friendships in the barn. New goals reached, that were never dreamt possible before. Life is what you make it, and sometimes it takes a barnyard beast to show you that the little things in life, really aren't that small, after all. Happy New Year, friends. We look forward to what we have to bring you in 2021. #SHRSTRONG

Rider of the Month November If course we couldn't forget to wrap up our year of those that stuck out without finishing November! We cant help but admire this young lady, for not only having pure dedication to get it right on her own horse at home, but for her relentlessness to make it back, week after week, to practice on our school horses, regardless of the distance!... Meet Jaelyn Burris of Ticonderoga; our November featured #RideroftheMonth. Jaelyn has been with us for a couple of years now, and from the shy and timid girl she once was, to the unleashed, need-for-speed cowgirl who can take a fall, dust herself off and hop on and demand to it again she is today; this young lady is tough as nails, and we know she (like her momma) has got the grit it takes to make it big in this business. Jaelyn and her mom have a herd of their own horses at home, and after her first gymkhana on her new mare "Angel", she was savvy enough to nab a few fancy ribbons, and she cant wait to get back at it! What we love most about Jaelyn is her ability to fight past discomfort, and keep consistent with her abilities & what's expected of her, to get the job done, and never fail her mount. Be it extreme heat or frigid weather, this girl never backs down, yet has the utmost compassion for her partner, too. We simply can not wait to see where the values, skill and care you possess today can guide you into tomorrow, and we are so blessed to be a part of your beautiful journey. Ride on, cowgirl; keep up the good work...were with you all the way!

A decision that became an event we weren't eagerly awaiting to encounter, we have had a really tough time coming up with one recipient that was more deserving than another...how does one make a choice like that? We have finely combed through our entries for the #sbstrainerschallenge for 2020, and although it cost us many hours of tossing and turning back and forth, we have a winner for this Christmas Eve! Both of our winners shall share an hour, with the additional porti...on for this pair of siblings to be sponsored by one of our amazing truly generous clients!! We are honored to honor Damien and Ryan Irish with a free 1 hr riding lesson this season. These children lost their father, Hogan, right before Thanksgiving. In October, Hogan was headed home late at night and was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident. Their mom, Kristin is not only a fellow former graduate of ACS, but also familiar to the world of barrel racing, and has often discussed a desire to introduce her kids to a world she once used to love herself. We hope that a first hand peek at the world of equines can help both of these children fill a hole in their hearts to carry them through a lifetime of rewards and happiness. We had a very difficult time coming to a decision, and would like to encourage anyone interested to sponsor these kids here, or one of our deserving runners up! We thank all of you for nominations, and wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! May the joy of horses bring you a happiness that you will never forget!

Open 1st calf Angus x Hereford beef cow looking for her new pasture. Friendly, easy to work with. Great fair project. 1k or best. Heifer calves available, too.

These pretty ladies are looking for new pastures! Twelve takes this pair; momma is a 2017 Lowline AngusXHereford 1st calf heifer fresh in June with her Lowline heifer calf...get started on growing a beef herd of your own with these heifers right here!

Rider of the Month SEPTEMBER This young horseman only recently came to us this summer, and OHHH how he has captured our hearts! Zane is an eager, tough as nails, persistent young man, currently in the 4th grade at Hudson Falls Elementary. This young man happens to have his own horse at home; a stubborn but patient paint mare named Dakota, whom he is dedicated to working with on a very regular basis, to improve their bond, and achieve some big goals that he has! Not onl...y does Zane have his hands full with Dakota, and a work load that reaches far beyond your typical 10 year olds chore list, this young man fights a very difficult battle against Type One Juvenile Diabetes. Despite having a challenge that most kids his age don't even know how to pronounce, Zane fights through highs and lows to make the most of his time with his mare, and NEVER. BACKS. DOWN. This kid refuses to quit, and his mare knows it! Over the last few months, we've noticed a vast improvement in their performances together, and it makes his family and Aimee so PROUD and HAPPY to see all of that hard work start to pay off, as their bond begins to unfold. Zane and his mare have a long list of goals to check off, but have already participated in Mounted Archery clinics, Obstacle Courses, multiple gymkhanas, and an open horse show! Zane would also like to barrel race, but aspires to improve their performances in the show ring and out on the patterns at gymkhanas! We find them an excellent fit for our little team here at the ranch, and from time to time, Zane leaves his Mare at home and gets fast to work on our lesson horses for a change of pace. Zane most recently enjoyed his very first trail ride on Roulette! Aimee immediately fell in love with this young cowboys desire to rise to the top, and his unwavering effort to fight past his difficulties to get the job done, no matter what the task at hand. This kid is a DO'er, and hes fast on his way to move mountains some day! He is loved by his teammates, and always has a big, bright smile on his face. We're so glad to have met you, your mare and your family, Zane, and we can't wait to see what your future brings! Keep up the good work!!! #RideOn #SHRSTRONG #Lessons #RideroftheMonth #workityourworthit See more

It's our laaaaaast week if riding with the luxury of stirrups...riders are aware... #NoStirrupNovember is almost here!

Welcome to the "Canter Club"!!! This 6 year old is flying fast, and we're taking this opportunity to recognize a few of our young riders as they've busted their way into the canter/lope, after many months of hard work! We start off with our sponsored rider; Kadie Finley. Kadie entered her first gymkhana this summer with Roulette, and after a good deal of lessons to improve seat and skill, she found a need for speed, & earned her leap into the next gate! This young lady is... just 6 years old, check her out in this video from yesterday afternoon! We are also so proud of quite a few more riders who've earned their bragging rights this fall...Congratulations Cahill, Talia, Gabby, Zane, McKenna & Emily!!!! We feel its super important for these kids to realize that theres much more involved, and theres a lot more to really RIDING than just sitting on the horse. Not only does Aimee have to feel these kids are ready to move forward, but they also need to have the confidence themselves to WANT to step up. These kids are learning to canter with CONTROL, and regardless of whether they start on or off the longe line, each rider has their own confidence barriers to overcome, and we're working on riding beyond a break into lope on a gymkhana pattern,"becaue the horse was excited." The riders natural aids, horses position and bend, leads, and specific commands are all learned in this very specific process, and it takes a lot of work to lead up to these events! This is a HUGE milestone in these kids lives...its an event that many of them will never forget. We are proud of you all...keep up the great work and ride on, and remember...#NoStirrupNovember is literally right around the corner!

A little more quiet than usual around here this weekend, because a few of our youth riders are out in the woods, hoping to take down their first buck! Good luck and be safe kids! #youthweekend #huntersafety

The clocks go forward next weekend. Not sure how far forward, but I think 4 months should do.The clocks go forward next weekend. Not sure how far forward, but I think 4 months should do.

Enjoying the pretty view and making sure to stay out of the woods...hunting season is upon us!

We love haul-in lessons, because we get to meet some really cool new horses! Have a safe trip up north, Sam & Angel!

A kid on a horse, and a mailbox full of apples...fall fun with working equitation on this last day of September!

Rider of the Month AUGUST Its been tough to write this post, to find the words, without sounding biased or partial. Thats why it took until the end of September to get our August rider featured...apologies for the delay! Shes been asking for months, when it would be her turn to be featured as a rider of the month, and its time because shes earned it! ...Continue reading

A little fall color before it disappears.

You've picked strawberries, apples, pumpkins, raspberries, peppers, squash, and blueberries. Now it's time to pick... potatoes! Goose Island's U-Pick field is open this Saturday and Sunday from 9 am-4 pm! Photo: @gooseislandfarm

Rodents invade homes this time of year. The most common are deer mice and white footed mice. These are the ones leaving poops all over, urinating in closets and... drawers, and chewing up papers, fabrics and valuables making nests. They are native mice that belong here and an important part of the food chain. They are also important pest control, which is odd, being pests themselves. You can easily identify them from one another by one reliable means- hold them upside down and blow on their throat with a straw. In deer mice, the white throat hairs have gray bases, reaching up to halfway up the hair. In white footed mice they are pure white. Of course this relies on holding them and breathing on them. Since wild mice are hantavirus vectors and in different areas spread any number of diseases and parasites, this would be a silly thing to do. Deer mice carry deer ticks AND the Lyme disease parasite, among other tick-borne diseases, so controlling them is important. Tapeworms are their life, and they spread their cysts like fleas. They chew through spray foam insulation, so any tightening up of the home should be done with metal or concrete, and they will chew on them, too. They climb like squirrels- in some places deer mouse nests have been found over 70 feet high in trees, and I've seen them run up the concrete block and bluestone walls of my house like they were sprinting on the ground. They run upside down on the right surfaces. They can fall 3 stories, spread eagled, twirling their tails and land on grass and take off. Falling on concrete or macadam may kill them. Anyway, fearless climbing skills is how they get in vents, soffits and chimneys without tight fitting, fine screened guards. I just smile and say nothing to people who live trap them and release them outdoors- after which they run to their original point of entry and go back to their disrupted lives of destroying your home and endangering your family's and pets' health. Females are pregnant as little as 22 days, and can get pregnant at as little as 35 days old, have produced 14 litters of up to 9 young in a year. From birth, they communicate with ultrasonic squeaks, barks and songs. They also communicate with feces, urine, and pheromones as well as drumming their feet and vibrating their tails. Watch your cat staring at the wall at nothing, he's listening to mouse song you can't hear. The worst is when you have a baritone deer mouse so you CAN hear its constant calls- they are chatterboxes. In nature, a lifespan of 12-18 months is common. In captivity they've lived 8 years and were still reproducing. This would be like you reproducing at 624 years of age. In the wild, their diet varies by the season, mostly seeds and bugs, but roots, leaves and other plant matter is also taken. They chew on bones and drop antlers for calcium and to grind down their teeth. In your house? Anything is game, and many of you have found dog and cat dry food caches in a little used drawer.They are also addicted to chewing electric wires and entering breaker boxes through open holes.. While sealing up your home remember that a young deer mouse, leaving it's mum, may go through a hole the size of a dime to a penny. Mice used to account for more than 50% of electrical fires when I was young. Soooo, what to do. Everyone has tips and tricks but pets complicate things. Inside a house I am not averse to poison, but check it often. If you see droppings and smell urine around the bait, it's been marked to warn others it's poison, so toss it, try another method. Sticky traps work well in a warm house, but the "fold over, stomp, and toss" part of the instructions put off many. Various types of clap traps work, but often only catch a leg or the tail, and then you have to deal with THAT running around, lol. The supersonic noisemakers work for some but if you have pets they can cause stress and personality change (made my mother's poodle aggressive). And there's a wide variety of live traps, and you can live the fantasy life of animal lovers, setting them free. On your property, they're back in your house within the hour. Drive them somewhere and release them, they have no home, warm nest, food stores, and the resident mice there will hear and smell them, track them down, beat them up and kill them, or without shelter they'll get killed by a predator. Do-it yourself garbage can traps to drown them in garages, workshops, coops and barns are also an option, many on YouTube. Essential oil your house, they'll just stay in the basement, walls and attic chewing the electric, phone, tv cable, and internet wires and trying to burn your house down. All methods are problematic when you have pets. My advice- kill them any way you can indoors- they don't belong there and are a danger to the lives of anyone and anything in the house.