Maximum Equine

Sulphur's Nataqua "Taqi"

Last push to raise $450 to move him to his new home by May 31st! Thanks for all your support!

Looks like I will only be able to do post Tevis Ride massage at the fairgrounds this year. Please message me if you are interested. I have been at Foresthill in the past, but am too busy to even go watch the front runners come in. I can do pre-ride massage too, if you are local or at the fairgrounds. $60/hr. or $1/min. Multiple horse discounts. Happy Trails!

My Sulphur Mustang Taqi will be coming to the ranch where I'm living in January. I hope to finish his training and finally get him started under saddle in the coming months. I am hoping I can pick up where I left off after he got 2 months of training with a TIP trainer a couple of summers ago, and get him under saddle without needing any more professional help, which I can't afford at this time. I need to reestablish my alpha position which is shaky due to lack of handling, d...ue to him living far away from me and not getting regular attention. There is a nice big round ring where I live and I'm hoping I can take it step by step and make some progress once he is here. Though I got him into the trailer by myself to get him where he is now, when we tried to load him to get him here a couple of weeks ago, he had bonded with the mare there and would only get halfway in. With the help of the ranch owner I got him all the way in finally, but the person who was in charge of shutting the trailer door was too scared to do it quickly enough and he got back out. So we decided to postpone it to January to give me and my new landlady time to make sure this living situation is going to work out before I move him. She has some fear issues around horses and has trepidation about having him on her place after seeing how resistant he was. Even though there's like, 6 different pastures here, where he can have his own space in case it turns out he ultimately doesn't get along with her mare and gelding, she's not sure that he isn't going to disturb the current peaceful vibe here. I think I have a real problem child with him, he acts more like a stud since he was gelded late, at either 2 or 3. (he's 10 or 11 now) He may give her gelding grief, seeing him as competition for the mare. This happened at a stable where he was getting trained, and the gelding had to be removed from the paddock even though he was literally a foot taller than Taqi. Taqi ran him into the fence repeatedly in order to claim two Arab mares. Taqi is only 13.3, but doesn't think so. Doesn't think he's gelded either, for that matter. I have started several domestic horses under saddle, but this Mustang is a different matter. I am told the Sulphur herd is known for being more difficult and more Arab-like and hot blooded in temperament compared to your average Mustang. I've had Arabs all my life, so am somewhat prepared, but I definitely have my work cut out for me.

This is the new Wendell Robie Trophy with all the horse's names who have finished 5 rides or more. My 1000 mile horse Shatir is on it and I got a nice medallion replica as a keepsake.

Last push to raise $450 to move him to his new home by May 31st! Thanks for all your support!

Looks like I will only be able to do post Tevis Ride massage at the fairgrounds this year. Please message me if you are interested. I have been at Foresthill in the past, but am too busy to even go watch the front runners come in. I can do pre-ride massage too, if you are local or at the fairgrounds. $60/hr. or $1/min. Multiple horse discounts. Happy Trails!

Watch for my upcoming article in The Tevis Forum about my ten Tevis rides on my 1000 mile Tevis horse Shatir! Due out the beginning of July. Can be purchased at the Western States Trail Foundation Office in Auburn near the Overlook trail head. The long version of the article is also on my blog: judyshatir.blogspot.com "A 1000 Mile Adventure on a Horse Named Shatir".

I will be available for pre-ride sports massage at the fairgrounds for anyone staying there the week before the ride. Message me or call 530-263-9097 for an appointment. I have worked on 4 previous Tevis Cup winners before and during the ride. I will be at Foresthill on ride day. Post ride massage also available at the fairgrounds. Certified since 1998. Good luck riders!

I know this is late, but I am notifying everyone that I will be at Foresthill on Sat. to massage any horses that need it, especially front runners. I have work...ed on 4 previous winners, either before or during the ride. I can be reached at 530-263-9097 to reserve a massage. I will also be at the fairgrounds for post ride massage, and pre- BC judging massage for the top ten horses. See more

Will have a separate page for this soon, but thought I'd share it here.

Another success story from Tevis was JJ Donley, even though he got pulled again like last year, at the quarry at 94 miles, running in about 10th place. (his mom finished 10th) If you look in my photos on my personal page, he is the red haired kid crossing the finish line with me in'12. He was my rabbit and I don't think I would've finished in time without him! That year his mom got pulled, then his 2nd sponsor, and he was waiting around at Foresthill at 70 miles when I stra...Continue reading

Finally updating from Tevis Activities. Check my page Judy Houle for one other highlighted update plus some great comments. Kathy Torgerson finished 58th out of 107 finishers and 186 starters! So rewarding after she was lame at the walk on Wednesday! I checked her at Foresthill and she was still loose as a goose where she had been like a rock when I first worked on her. 57% completion rate this year, one of the highest ever I think! They really lucked out on the weathe...r. I think the winning time for Heather Reynolds at 9:30 was only the 2nd fastest in like, 20 years. The only other sub-10:00 finish I know of was in '99 at 9:00. Only 6 showed for BC, but they all looked great, Heather's horse was quite something and handsome, I hear a former stallion, he had that attitude. She had an exciting race from No Hands on, between 2nd and 3rd, but I don't know the details yet. This is the first time in years I didn't get to the fairgrounds in time to see any of the top ten! They were all in by 10:30 or so, and I saw 11th finish at about 11:00, running up and asking someone stupidly if that was the winner. See more

Kathy Torgerson has left Red Star Ridge at 28 miles! She is doing great, only spending 5 minutes or less at the last two stops! What a great mare. My best client from last year, Diane Stevens, who went on to win Virginia City 100 after placing 18th on Tevis, unfortunately got pulled at Robinson Flat at 36 miles due to lameness. Dang! She was in 2nd place! Hope it's nothing serious. She is in line to win the Triple Crown with the Nevada All State Trail Riders after winning Nevada Derby and placing high on the NASTR 75. Hope she's sound for this year's Virginia City and can clinch it!

Just found out that my client Kathy Torgerson, who came all the way from Illinois, but whose horse was lame at the walk on Wed. evening at the fairgrounds, was still able to start and has made it out of Hodgson's cabin at about 20 miles! Yay!! Her Arab mare Jasmine was really iffy, but had improved greatly after a massage and then did lots of walking that I had instructed her to do around the fairgrounds. I also told her to not trailer to the starting line at Robie Park u...ntil Friday, so she would have plenty of time to work out that cramp before more trailering, which seems to have caused it. She was not used to a slant load, and it was the left hind where she put all her weight, apparently, that was cramped up badly. It was not the hamstrings that are usually the case with endurance horses, but over the top of her hip. Being short, I had to get up on a step stool to adequately address it. She was a real trooper and responded well. Kathy told me she has a high pain threshold. She was very good for a mare, which often, especially when they're in heat, object at first to massage on sore spots. I'll be watching for her at Foresthill at 70 miles! Go Tevis Riders! See more

Been at the fairgrounds doing massages, and now am taking reservations for massages at Foresthill vet stop and the finish line and post ride on Sunday. NEW CELL # : 530-217-8894. HOME 530-888-0970. Had cell phone failure. Sorry if any of you have had trouble getting through. Good luck Tevis riders!