MARCH 2015


Don Knapp, head trainer for The Pegasus Project, riding Pegasus rescue horse, Raven

DON KNAPP MINI-CLINIC
Pegasus Ranch
Sunday, March 22nd
"Trouble-Free Trail Riding"

Bring your horse and come join us for our first ever mini-clinic with Pegasus horse developer, Don Knapp. We will be offering these clinics quarterly, each with a different theme!

Our March clinic will focus on preparing your horse for the trail. Free to all Pegasus Partners who donate $100+/month and just $150 for all other riders. Your admission fee includes lunch, three hours of clinic instruction, followed by a short trail ride around the Pegasus ranch. For just $30, auditors are welcome to join us for the lunch and three hours of arena instruction.

Don't miss this chance to learn from one of the best. Don Knapp is an exceptional horseman, and we are fortunate to have him on the Pegasus team. A former instructor of Parelli Natural Horsemanship, Don has extensive experience as a colt starter, horse developer and clinician, having trained countless horses and having taught hundreds of students over the course of his career. 

Mini-Clinic Agenda:
11am - Arrive and settle in your horse
Noon - Lunch served
1pm to 4pm - Trail prep instruction in and around arena
4pm to 5pm - Trail ride around Pegasus ranch

This clinic is limited to 6 riders! So, sign up TODAY!!

To register as a rider or an auditor, send an email to:
allyson@MyPegasusProject.org

Registration and payment i nstructions will be provided by return email. The FIRST SIX RIDERS to register and pay will have the slots reserved. No limit to the number of auditors allowed.

Questions? Call Allyson at 903.469.3578


~Sundance~
"Hollywood, Here I Come!"
Sundance learning to soften with Mark Rashid
On June 3, 2011, The Pegasus Project conducted a seizure operation in Jacksonville, Texas, consisting of six mares, two stallions, one stud donkey, and three cattle, all running loose together in a filthy, barren junkyard. After a court battle with the owner, Pegasus was awarded all of the animals. It turned out that five of the six mares were pregnant, and those babies were ultimately born healthy at the Pegasus ranch. Sundance (who was four years old at the time) was one of the stallions from that herd, and we believe he is the father of three of those babies, Audrey, Little Bear and Belle. We named Sundance with Robert Redford in mind since this golden boy possesses maximum movie star quality. His personality is playful, self-assured and engaging, and he has a face the camera loves!

Sundance was in the best shape of that herd, being a little on the thin side but not emaciated like most of the other horses. We quickly brought him back to full health and converted him to a sweet gelding. From the beginning Sundance was friendly and people-oriented. We started him under saddle in January 2012, and he received most of his training with Bruce Logan, who we consider to be the most talented colt-starter around. Sundance lived at Bruce's ranch in Loving, Texas for several months, where he rode the range, worked cattle and learned about the great outdoors! Bruce showcased Sundance at the Pegasus Open House event in June 2012, where he proved to be a crowd favorite.

Sundance next went to live with Pegasus board member, Lorna Russell, who kept his training moving forward. In early 2013, Sundance came back to the Pegasus Ranch and continued his development with our oh-so-talented head trainer, Don Knapp. In February 2013, acclaimed horseman, Mark Rashid, spotted him at Pegasus while teaching a clinic. Mark decided to adopt Sundance and include him in his upcoming film, Out of the Wild. So, in April 2013, Mark returned to Texas to claim his new horse. Sundance now lives in Estes Park, Colorado with Mark, Mark's wife Crissi, and the rest of their horses, including Pegasus alum, Ally, who was adopted by Crissi in 2014. 

Huge congratulations to Mark and Sundance for this amazing pairing. This lucky boy was adopted by one of the all-time greatest horsemen, and he has movie-stardom in his future!! Incredible things lie ahead for this stunningly beautiful horse.

To view all of Sundance's photos, click here:  SUNDANCE


~NOEL~
Poetry in Motion

This gray Arabian beauty is Noel. She is named Noel because she came to The Pegasus Project near Christmas 2013. This little darling belonged to the neighbor of one of Pegasus' ranch hands, Jennifer Leard. Jennifer had been keeping an eye on her deteriorating condition. Despite numerous discussions with Jennifer, the neighbor continued to neglect this sweet mare. She stood in a tiny pen in the muck and filth day in and day out with no exercise or stimulation.

 

One cold December morning, Jennifer saw Noel trotting up her driveway, skinny, hungry and filthy. Jennifer called the DeCanios for help. After speaking with Allyson, the owner decided to relinquish custody of the horse to Pegasus rather than face potential legal charges. We picked Noel up that morning and decided to send her to a special foster home for her initial rehabilitation. Heather Young, an 18-year-old girl in Tyler, Texas had wanted to foster a horse for a while. Considering Noel's gentle disposition, we thought she'd be perfect for Heather.

 

Noel thrived under Heather's care, and on March 17, 2014, she returned to the Pegasus ranch to begin her training. Pegasus trainer, Dale Kahl, began working with Noel in March and started her under saddle in April. Noel seemed to have never received saddle training prior to this time, but she proved to be a quick study and came along beautifully. Noel has blossomed from a fearful and hard-to-catch mare into one of the most people-friendly, loving horses on the ranch. She is very timid and quite with the other horses, but she loves attention from people. Noel can be nervous in new places, but with every passing day, she becomes a more solid trail horse. Noel's sweet nature is the hallmark of her personality.

 

This beautiful girl is going to make someone a very nice partner. Noel would also be an ideal find for a therapeutic riding program. She is approximately 15 years old and stands about 14.1 hands tall. We will continue to develop this lovely mare until the perfect person comes along. She deserves the very best.

 

To view Noel's full photo album, click here: NOEL

If you are interested in adopting Noel, we would love to hear from you. Start by reviewing our adoption process by clicking Adopt, and submit your application today!

A Note from Allyson

 
Introducing Mark Rashid
Pegasus Project Board Member
World-Class Horseman

From its inception, The Pegasus Project has been affiliated with and supported by some really fantastic people. In February 2012, a dream came true for us when one of our idols, Mark Rashid, an internationally acclaimed horseman and writer, agreed to stop in Texas to teach a clinic. As the author of ten books relating to horsemanship, Mark is a celebrity to those of us who love the horse. That 2012 clinic turned out to be the beginning of an amazing relationship between Mark and Pegasus.

When Mark entered the gates of our ranch, he immediately sensed the magic that is Pegasus. He saw happy, healthy, peaceful horses all on the road to beautiful futures and living in harmony. Mark wanted to be a part of it, and we were honored to have him accept our invitation to serve on our board of directors. Mark's union with The Pegasus Project brings international attention to the work we do, and we are so grateful for his support and guidance.

Mark is known for his ability to understand the horse's point of view and solve difficult problems with communication rather than force. He has perfected the art of working with the horse, not against the horse, and to listen to what the horse is saying.

As a person who is always striving to learn and grow, Mark decided to study the martial art of aikido as a way to improve his horsemanship. He has earned a second-degree black belt in Yoshinkan aikido and now teaches the "way of harmony." Mark is a master of understanding and harnessing energy to effectively communicate with the horse with few to no physical cues. His way with horses is in perfect agreement with the dreams and goals of Pegasus and how we want our horses to go.

To familiarize yourself with Mark's philosophies, I encourage you to read his blog. Here is a link to his most recent entry, which also provides access to his writings from prior months:  BLOG

Mark is also the author of a novel, Out of the Wild, which is being made into a movie this year. Because of the generosity of Mark and his production team, The Pegasus Project is slated to benefit from the proceeds of this movie should it become profitable. Out of the Wild is a beautiful story of love, loss and redemption centered around a mustang and a down-on-his-luck cowboy. We are thrilled to be a part of this meaningful project! 

When Mark and his wife, Crissi McDonald (an acclaimed horsewoman in her own right), are not traveling the world teaching clinics, they reside in Estes Park, Colorado with their three dogs and herd of horses, including Sundance and Ally, both of whom were adopted from The Pegasus Project. Sundance's story is featured in the In Horse Heaven column of this eNewsletter, and Ally's story was featured in the November 2014 eNewsletter, which you can access here:  eNewsletters

To learn more about Mark & Crissi and their amazing brand of horsemanship, click here:  WEBSITE

Mark and Crissi teach clinics twice per year at the Pegasus ranch. Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for details regarding their next return trip. Our hearts overflow with gratitude that Mark & Crissi have chosen to become part of the Pegasus family.

Allyson DeCanio
President, The Pegasus Project

Send inquiries to: allyson@MyPegasusProject.org

PEGASUS PARTNERS


Friday, March 13th 
5:30 pm
Home of Anne Ellis
16281 Beacons Jet Court
Lindale, TX
(Stallion Lake Ranch)

Monthly, fun,  information-packed meetings for  Pegasus supporters at various locations throughout the year. All Pegasus Partners at the $25/month level and higher are Happy Hour members. Membership includes a car decal, a Pegasus hat or t-shirt, a Pegasus logo wine glass and an open invitation  to every meeting!  Discuss the latest Pegasus news and connect with other like-minded horse fans. (Your wine glass is free, but the wine isn't! We know how much you drink!)

  Click here to join:  


 
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Did you know Pegasus relies entirely on private donations? Our regular monthly donors, known as  Pegasus Partners , are our most treasured asset. For as little as $10/month you can help provide us with a predictable source of income at a much lower cost than any other fundraising method.

While we are very  appreciative of  one-time donations, the monthly donations of our

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