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ABOUT US... |
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| Eli Ruonavaara acquired his first Kiger in 1998. A wild captive bred grullo yearling gelding. As they developed their partnership, Eli simply could not take him anywhere without being stopped numerous times by people of all walks of life - horse aficionados or not - asking “what kind of horse is that?” He knew then he would spend his life trying to share his magnificent Kigers with everyone he could. Eli logs countless miles on the trail, and also rides in Kiger breed demonstrations, western shows, trail trials, numerous horse organizations and is involved in mounted search and rescue with his Kiger Mesteno horse Wallowa’s Rio Smoke. In addition, with his excellent eye for the true Kiger look, every summer Eli traverses the hills of Oregon with camera and binoculars in tow, choosing our new crop of wild young prospects. He enjoys handling and gentling the young colts as great relaxation from his stressful corporate job. | ||
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Susan Watkins is a professional animal trainer with more than 30 years experience in animal behavior, working with everything from lions, tigers and bears (oh my!) to chickens (yes, you can teach a chicken to cross the road!) but specializes in horses. As a youth, Sue rode hunters, jumpers, and dressage at the illustrious Foxfield Riding Academy. She holds a Bachelors’ in Animal Husbandry from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where she was an active member of the Horse Show Team, and the Polo, Vaulting, and Cutting/Reining Clubs. As a very accomplished Horsewoman, her diverse professional experience includes serving as a pack-guide and wrangler for Commercial Pack Stations, starting a variety of breeds for the show ring and the race track. A renowned specialist in training trick horses even zebras, Sue’s work can be seen in numerous television productions and feature films. She also volunteers as the Mounted Division coordinator and instructor for a Search and Rescue Unit. Sue became interested in the Kigers several years ago at a search and rescue training. She now shows and trains them almost exclusively. With her expertise and guidance, our Kigers have found a home in many diverse disciplines. A devotee of the traditional Vaquero horsemanship style of old California, Sue relies on a solid foundation of ground work, ranch & trail work, plus formal dressage, to develop solid, responsive horses suitable for any discipline. |
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Kigers de los Californios: By 2000 Eli knew he had to start bringing these magnificent animals back to California - their original home- to expose more people to their beauty, grace and versatility. In 2002, plans were finalized and the first five Kigers arrived from Oregon, followed shortly by several more. They were all placed in new homes within six months. They now happily range from California to Wisconsin. From that simple beginning we now have a steady stream of wild Kigers coming into our training facility. We usually have from 5 to 10 Kigers in training and for sale at any one time. We specialize in providing quality, trained horses in a range of ages that will bring you many years of pleasure and service no matter the discipline. Each horse is personally selected for conformation, breed type and trainability. Susan trains using the traditional Californios methods, proven over the centuries to be effective, providing the ultimate bond between horse and rider. All young horses are shown at halter, and have solid ground skills, stand for farrier, load/trailer, pony, etc. Our mission is to offer quality, well bred, young Kigers to the public that have a solid foundation and the skills necessary to ensure the success of both the horse and human in their future partnership. We are honored to present you with the opportunity to own a piece of living history, the Kiger Mesteno Horse!
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