Colonial Spanish Horses of Karma Farms

Karma Farms: America's Leading Breeder of Colonial Spanish Horses

Copyright Š1999-2012. Š Vickie Ives and Tomlyn Grey, Karma Farms. All Rights reserved. Note All Images, Photographs, Documentation, etc. on this site are Copyrighted. Do not duplicate or redistribute in any form. Any reproduction of Images, Photographs, Documentation, etc. on this site for personal, public or commercial use is strictly prohibited without prior written permission from copyright owner. You may not store these pages in any form except for your own personal use. All other usage or distribution is illegal under international copyright treaties. Permission to use any of these pages in any other way besides the before mentioned must be gained in writing from the copyright owners. This article is exclusively copyrighted in its entirety. This article may be copied once but may not be reproduced or re-transmitted without the express permission of the copyright owner. 2009 and 2010 National Show photos courtesy Chris Hurd and Karen Crumbie. All other photos by Karma Farms.

Contact info: Vik's cell: 903-407-0298 Tommi's cell: 903-407-5544. Home phone with answering machine: 903-935-9980.

Feel free to e-mail us if you want more info or have a nice comment.

For Sale from Karma Farms:

When you know you want the best, buy from America's Number ONE breeder of winning Spanish Mustang/Colonial Spanish Horses. The 2011 severe drought in east Texas forced us to make reductions in herd size. We're having a sale so big it needs its own webpage. Check out our 2012 SALE page! Also check out the horses for sale at Karma Farms on Facebook and feel free to email for more info. You'll find lots of nice selections from 2011 foals to ready to ride mares and geldings. And we post new albums of horses for sale at

Karma Farms on Facebook

. We'll start your young Karma Farms horse not under saddle for $500 per month plus board.

Our friends the Halupas at Karmelita Farms have some very nice stock for sale near us, most carrying Karma Farms bloodlines. Check their horses out at:
Karmelita Farms: Colonial Spanish Horses of Distinction

Another great place to look for Colonial Spanish Horses while in Texas is Mustang Bend in Whitney, Texas near Hillsboro. Their new website will let you get a good look at Heyoka, one of the nicest trained geldings available plus a look at their fine silver dun stallions. Visit with the Nelis family about any of their good horses for sale or to pick a stallion for your mare in 2012.

Selling our American Bison, Star Woman

Check out Star Woman's album on Facebook for more pictures. She was 4 years old in October 2011 and has always been with horses. She is friendly and gentle here but as she is a for-real buffalo, she may take some time to acclimatize to a new home. We are only offering her because we need to pay for our winter hay. Call for more info: (903) 407-0298.

Archer leads the campers and their painted ponies up the backside of Dairy Hill.

Our Karma Farms Day Camps and Ladies Weekend are over for 2011. Thanks to everyone who made our 2011 events such a success. Hope to see you all (and your friends!) in 2012. Don't forget our special events throughout the year.

LADIES WEEKEND

Darlene and Brooke getting ready to saddle up

What Did Karma Farms Horses Do in 2011?

American Indian Horse Registry and the Horse of the Americas Registry held the 30th annual National American Indian Horse/Horse of the Americas Show in September at the Marshall City Arena. This year's Reunion Show judge was Kyle Germany.

Congratulations, Rowdy Yates and Building A Mystery!

Karma Farms' stallions 25 year old Rowdy Yates and his son Building A Mystery tied for Overall Champion at the AIHR/HOA National Show in 2011. This historic wins was the first time ever for a tie for Overall. Even more intresting was the fact that it was father/son horses ridden by Mother/Daughter riders! Sixty nine horses competed at the National in 2011, so the competition was furious and more fun than ever with full classes in Youth, Junior, Adult and Senior Adult. Rowdy won the Senior Adult division with BAM winning the Adult division.

BAM on the Trail

Building A Mystery has won THREE NATRC National Championships, collecting his third in 2011. He ended the 2011 season in 1st place Open Heavyweight in Region 4 and 5th place in the NATRC National Open Heavyweight Standings. He and Tori also won the High Point Open Heavyweight Team for 2011 in NATRC Region 4. Congrats to BAM and Tori. KEEP IT UP! The big grullo stallion by Rowdy Yates out of Liona already has well over 1500 miles in NATRC competition.

Vik and BAM at check-in at the Region 4 Benefit CTR.

Building A Mystery is certainly earning his name as his legend grows. BAM will be standing at Karma Farms in 2012 for $500 stallion fee. His sire, the great Rowdy Yates, will not stand to outside mares in 2012 except by private treaty.

Karma Farms Junior Stallions

Our farm is well-known for the many winners produced by the great stallions we have had the pleasure to own over the years like Choctaw Sun Dance, Rowdy Yates, El Tigre Segundo, Brother Love and now Building A Mystery. We have several younger stallions whose careers have just begun.

Save some $ and help us promote our junior stallions. Fee for 2012 will remain at $350 for any of our junior stallions. Take a look at our stallions just starting their careers:

Meet Illya Kuryakin (Magneto/Dancing Dove, she by Choctaw Sun Dance out of Morning Dove (Paloma Manana in SMR). Illya is a creme stallion with superior Spanish type. He is by Magneto (Broom/Espéranza), NATRC National First Place Open Jr. Horse. No one who has seen Magneto has ever doubted his wonderful type and ability. Add to Magneto's superior performance pedigree Illya's dam Dancing Dove, an outstanding isabella Choctaw Sun Dance daughter out of Morning Dove (Paloma Manana in SMR), perhaps Tiger Eye's best producer and dam of NATRC National Champion Cito Mocha Raton. Unlimited potential is the heritage of this young stallion. Wait until you see Illya in action!

Ashley Frazier has dreamed of riding Sun and in Feb. 2011 her dream came true.

If you prefer the painted variety, be sure to check out Under The Sun (Locomotion/Lady Madonna) and Astral Traveller (Choctaw Traveler/Fewie). "Sun" is one of our favorites and is such a gentleman under saddle that even our Karma Kids like Ashley Frazier can enjoy riding him. "Sun" was National Broken Color Champion at the 2009 AIHR/HOA National Show, and has already collected a number of ribbons in performance classes. His daughter Sombra del Sol is his first champion offspring, but we bet there are lots more to come! Congratulations to Ashley Frazier on her family's purchase of "Sun" who will stand at the Frazier's farm in 2012. Ride him like you own him, Ashley!!!

Astral Traveller (Choctaw Traveler/Fewie) was started under saddle in 2011 and we hope to get him out in front of the public in 2012. If you like the bigger ones or were a fan of Astral's well-known parents, both of whom are deceased, now is your chance to breed to a uniquely colored red roan tovero with the silver factor in the mane and tail just like his dam Fewie. He's larger, quiet and easy to handle and should make a nice smooth riding horse. "Astral" had a few foals prior to our bringing him back home and all were paints.

Johnny America is by National Halter Champion Johnny B. Goode (Rowdy Yates/Dainty Bess, she by Broom out of Pie) and out of Earl Wessel's National Champion Halter mare Ilo's Spanish Dancer. There are very few Ilo Belsky bred horses left in the CS Horse community and considering what superior riding and stock horses the Belskys are, that's a real shame. This wonderful young stallion has type, color and brains, and he's a breeze to ride. Congratulations to Scott Nelis on his purchase of this classic silver dun stallion. Bet we'll be seeing lots more of this fellow as Scott starts his show and trail career. Looking for Rowdy Yates tough and type in a larger, stockier and trainable package? Johnny America may be the stallion for you.

Our Spanish Sport Ponies

If you need a smaller stallion, don't forget our two little Spanish Sport Ponies. Stallion fee for either is $350, but CWH The Sea King's fee is free to pure Corolla mares. Our homebred Grand Canyon stallion is Scoundrel Days by Rowdy Yates out of Lucinda, she by Barbwire out of Starlite. "Scoundrel" is a 7 year old copper dun under 13 hands. The Grand Canyons are among the rarest and smallest CS Horses. "Scoundrel" has Rowdy's brio and lots of action in a very small size.

The Sea King and Tommi pose before a trail ride.

And have a look at CWH The Sea King, a wonderful flaxen maned sorrel stallion from Corolla Island in North Carolina. King" is 13' 1", and the kindest little horse. He was started under saddle in 2010 and doing great. He and Tommi did the Tejas Indian Horse Club events in 2010, and got better with every show, ending the year in second place in the Adult division for 2010. King started his trail career as a drag rider's mount when he and Tommi went to the Critter Creek CTR Sept. 4-5, 2010 to let him get a taste of NATRC. In 2011, he has started at Girl Scout Scamper and just finished Tarrant Ranch. No placings yet for King as he is just learning this sport and has had very large classes in Novice Lightweight. But he has garnered lots of interest and gained many fans as he starts his trail career. Wish the little stallion and Tommi luck!

In fact, we've got six wonderful Corolla Horses now including three mares, Vik's gelding CWH Up 'N Adam and a jet black 2 year old stallion the Corolla Wild Horse Fund named CWH Suerte. CWH Adam's Eve had her first foal this spring by our Grand Canyon stallion Scoundrel Days. This cross has likely NEVER been made before in history, and if it has, it must have been over 150 years ago. What do you think we got? The red dun stallion colt is large for either strain with strong Iberian traits, and Grand Canyon type markings including a thin blaze that suddenly hooks sideways, bisecting his nostril. So we couldn't resist--we named him "Captain Hook". Will his hybrid vigor make him much larger than either parent?

Captain Hook, 2011 red dun colt Captain Hook has plenty of action!

Captain Hook shows his dorsal stripe and blaze

Watch as we train the Corolla "sea horses" at The Corolla Horses of Karma Farms, and be sure to keep up with them at our Karma Farms Facebook site. CWH Whispering Jesse has made her halter debute at the 2009 AIHR/HOA National Show, winning fourth at halter in a huge (and tough) class of CS mares. Jesse and is now being trained to saddle by several of our volunteer Karma Kids including Ashley Frazier, Zoe Hill and Brooke Smith. Bet you'll be seeing much more of Jesse soon!

The Fernando Saddle

Looking for a saddle that will FIT your Colonial Spanish Horse? Check out our Fernando Saddle

Riding Lessons on Champion Colonial Spanish Horses

If there is a young rider (or "rider-wanna-be"!) at your house, we'd love to have him or her join us for riding lessons here at Karma Farms. Tommi and Vik love teaching new riders the joy of Colonial Spanish Horses. Our emphasis on safety and good horsemanship has helped many superior young riders including NATRC National High Point Juniors and AIHR Papoose, Youth and Junior National Champions. We use the best horses on the farm for lessons including champions like Fernando, Thunderheart, Ever After, One Dance Left, Private Dancer and Song for a Chief. Give us a call at 903 935-9980 to enroll your young rider now.

Jennifer Maddox leads campers below Rock Hill.

Here's a special new feature for our newest young trainers. Your youth riders will love our Young Trainers Page.

Kids love the horses and woodland beauty of Karma Farms.

Trail Riding by Appointment

We also take trail riders out by appointment every day--and we do late evening rides in summer. Prices are still $25 per hour per horse with double riders (little kids only!) for $10. Want to take a virtual visit and see our trails? Check out our Trail Riding at Karma Farms Web gallery. We have more info on riding here at the farm at the Karma Farms Trail Riding Page. Just leave the office and homework behind and join us for a "One Hour Vacation".

Need a top trail or endurance mount? Check out Baby Driver on our new Super Select sale page. Hope to have it up soon! Call us if you need a "ready to go" distance gelding right now.

GENERAL INFO ABOUT KARMA FARMS and COLONIAL SPANISH HORSES
Karma Farms is located in deep East Texas between Marshall and Jefferson on US 59, only about 12 miles north of I-20. Glad to have you visit us to meet America's First Horse. No Colonial Spanish or Spanish Mustang breeding farm in the world can match Karma Farms' list of winners and champions.
The Colonial Spanish is still America's best horse for trail riding, distance riding, cattle work, and all around best compadre. This breed is called the Horse of the Americas, but also known as Colonial Spanish Horse, Spanish Mustang, Barb, Original Indian Horse, or even Cayuse. By whatever name, these tough, smooth riding, intelligent and historic horses are still proving their worth for today's riders. Our farm is home to some of the best Colonial Spanish horses in the world. Don't make the mistake of confusing these rare horses with wild ferals like most BLM adoptees. The Horses of the Americas are pedigreed horses. These horses come from stock brought to the Americas during the Colonial Spanish period. At Karma Farms, history is a living, breathing remnant of the America's Old West. We breed the best to the best to share that history with today's riders. Here at Karma Farms, we lead ALL other breeders of these horses in championships, registry awards and number of winning horses--whether they are called Colonial Spanish Horses, Spanish Mustangs or Original Indian Horses. America's most decorated breeding farm invites you to visit and try a CS Horse.
When you visit Karma Farms, you can meet some of the horses that helped to inspire John Fusco's 2002 animated movie Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron. He honored us by naming Spirit's dam after our famous broodmare Espéranza. Many of this great mare's offspring still live at Karma Farms including Rowdy Yates, Magneto, My Sunshine, and Xena and now Cactus Jack, Rowdy's look-alike full brother lives right down the road in Hallsville. "Jack" is owned Karma Farms foreman Curtis George and our good friends Eric and Laura Christensen. You can find Espéranza grandsons and daughters on our Ready To Ride pages. John's other famous famous horse movie Hidalgo released in 2004 introduced more people to America's First Horse. Come and meet the real horses of the Old West at Karma Farms.

These historic horses are indeed rare today. Probably less than 5,000 are left in the world. Colonial Spanish are among the most wonderful, tough and loyal of horses. Each is a unique work of the Great Spirit. This is not a "look-alike, think-alike" breed. They are Picassos, not screen prints. Those who love the unique as well as the historic often find their equine soul mate at Karma Farms. The Horse of the Americas is also America's best family horse.

These handy, versatile horses can do virtually anything--from barrel racing to dressage. At Karma Farms, our favorite equestrian sports are competitive trail riding and American Indian Horse shows, but we do special exhibitions, parades, and all sorts of fun events as we promote America's First Horse.
Our very first Colonial Spanish Horse was also registered as an Original American Indian Horse. He changed the course of our lives. His name was Choctaw Sun Dance. This magic Medicine Hat made breed history. Meet "Dance" by clicking here, on his name or on his picture.
Tomlyn Grey would like to tell about her horses herself. Check out the pages she built for Fernando and her others years ago: "One Crazy Kid And The Horses That Put Up With Her...". "Tommi" works hard helping with the farm. She and her boy Fernando can do it all! Meet the little black gelding, now 18 years old, that Tommi trained herself, a special little horse that is the most decorated CS gelding alive today. He's still out there winning today. In fact in 2008 "Ferdie" won the Youth Division at the AIHR/HOA National Show under Remington Hill and then went on to the Region 4 Benefit CTR the next weekend and won the Novice Jr. Division under Ashley Frazier.

If you would enjoy another sample of Tommi's writing, here's Tommi's "shout out" on those who unfairly condemn others.

Want to know more about our senior Karma Farms stallions?

Our Senior Stallions Gallery
Rowdy Yates
Champion at halter, performance and distance. AIHR Dreamcatcher Award, SMR Grande Conquistador, a Breyer model and Breyerfest performer.

Building a Mystery, 2009 AIHR/HOA National Show Overall High Point, National Solid Color Champion, and Horse of the Americas Overall High Point, 2008 and 2009 NATRC National Champion, 2007, 2008 and 2009 SMR Show, Games and Trail Horse of the Year.
Tambourine Man
*Champagne
*Overo
*Gaited
*Sire of NATRC National Champions including 2007 National First Place Open Junior Horse "Rambler".

Locomotion, our paso-gaited, color producing Choctaw Sun Dance son. "Loco" was the sire of THREE AIHR National Champions. The last "Loco" foal was born in 2010 to the fabulous high point earning mare Liona (Broom/Starlite), dam of Building A Mystery. May our Loco rest in peace. His boys Under The Sun and Half of My Heart and daughters Layla and Walk This Way will be here to carry on.
Brother Love, 3 times National Champion Original at halter.

Karma Farms Suggested Links:
Visit
Karma Farms on Facebook

Colonial Spanish Horses Perform . This webpage has Karma Farms horses in action in the arena and on trail in competitive trail riding (CTR).
Our favorite registries:
To Horse of the America's Home Page

To Indian Horse Home Page

Come to see the Twisty Kats?

T-P Ranch Equine Massage--equine massage, Colonial Spanish Horses, competitive trail riding, and lots more.

Phone: Home--(903) 935-9980 and leave a message if we aren't in or use our cells if we're outside: (903) 407-0298 (Vik) or (903) 407-5544 (Tomlyn). Evenings are best.

Feel free to e-mail us if you want more info or have a nice comment. Otherwise, don't bother. Any hate mail sent to this email address will be reported to your server.