Gaited Horse
Copper State Peruvian Paso News
By Liz Potof/Becky Chase
Sep 14, 2007, 14:27

The fall season is not far off even though it’s hard to believe with 110º heat. Equestrian activities are beginning and the Copper State Peruvian Paso Club is gearing up for an exciting season. With hopes of attracting new members along with staying in contact with the “faithful long time regulars” the club has mailed flyers to a large number of Peruvian Paso owners throughout the state.

Starting the season was a meet and greet open house held September 28th at B.E.L. Peruvians in the Rio Verde area. Hosts were Liz and Bernie Potof. Bill Chase, Arizona regional representative for our national association, NAPHA (North American Peruvian Horse Association), gave a short presentation on the organization, its history and goals. As president of the Copper State Peruvian Club, Bill gave a presentation on the club and gave an update on the upcoming activities.

Mark your calendars for these upcoming exciting events

October 11-14 North American Peruvian Horse Association National Show. A must see, the only national show for the Peruvian Horse. Fort Worth, TX. For information visit the NAPHA web site HYPERLINK "http://www.napha.net" www.napha.net

October 27-28th Southern California Championship Peruvian Horse Show, Pamona, CA. Contact Debbie Pye at 858-674-7340 or wepye@sbcglobal.net

November 9-11. AZ Horse Festival at Empty Acres in Buckeye AZ. Many clinicians and breed demonstrations including Peruvian Paso horses. For further information see HYPERLINK "http://www.arizonahorsefestival.com" www.arizonahorsefestival.com

November 17th –18th Peruvian Paso Clinic
Where: B.E.L. Peruvians
31824 N. 142nd St.
Scottsdale, AZ
602-799-4913
Guest instructors Nola & Lou Giddings from San Francisco, CA. who are longtime breeders and trainers of Peruvian Paso horses. Nola is very active in the FOSH shows and is in the process of obtaining her judges cards for other gaited breeds.
Areas of interest to be discussed are handling young horses, individual riding instruction and farrier instruction

Nola Giddings love of equines began back in 1956 when, at the age of 2, her grandfather set her astride her first horse. At age 9 she became a wrangler for her grandfather who ran 150 head of horses of all breeds for numerous resorts in Arizona and Northern California. While growing up, Nola spent every holiday, weekend and summer working with horses that needed special handling/gentling and re-training. Nola began teaching horsemanship at age 13 and began training young horses for her grandfather 38 years ago.

Eventually she grew up and got married to a man (Louie). Her grandfather taught him to shoe and trim the horses. They moved to Plumas County in Northern California and opened their own facilities, Graeagle Stables and Mohawk Stables. While in Plumas County, she began buying, training, breeding and selling her own Quarter Horses, while running their stables. Then, in the 1980s, Nola and her family moved to the Bay Area. While living in the Bay Area, she continued working with her own herd of Quarter Horses and Arabians. She was asked to work and manage a small herd of Peruvian Pasos. She jumped at the opportunity and eventually bought her own Peruvian, which has developed into a herd of 10. For the last 15 years, Nola has been breeding and training Peruvian horses for show and trail, as well as many other gaited breeds and the occasional Quarter Horse. It has often been joked that horse owners bring their horses to Nola to be “Nola-fied”, as her training tactics have helped numerous problems from rearing to pacing to nervous horses, and many more.

Nola is well known for her work with Junior riders. Her “entourage of juniors” has ridden her horses to numerous Championships and High Points in shows all over the West Coast.

Nola doesn’t only work with juniors, though. Her students have ranged in age from 2 to 75, and she doesn’t only work with Peruvians either! She began attending several all-gaited shows in the Bay Area and began networking with many other gaited breeds. In 2007, Nola became a carded judge with Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH) and is looking forward to working with the organization, to create more opportunities for the Peruvian Horse.

Lou began his equine career as a farrier 35 years ago in Arizona. As he continued to refine his skills and knowledge of farrier work, many questions arose that couldn’t be answered by the current level of farrier sciences. While searching for answers, he became interested in “the other side” of hoof care thought, that of the barefoot horses.

With the addition to the family of a small herd of Peruvian horses, the search for hoof care answers increased. Peruvian show horses are barefoot throughout their show careers. All of our horses are barefoot throughout their lives. Through years of research and putting into practice the techniques of various barefoot philosophies, a safe and balanced understanding of goin’ barefoot is being practiced and shared with others. These include:

anatomy of the hoof
educating owners about what to look for in trimming
how to explain what owners want from their trimmers
how to evaluate the current condition of their horse
the benefits for your equine of going barefoot
understanding of various hoof pathologies and what to do about them (i.e. laminitis, founder, abscesses, etc.)

Hopefully, you will be able to come out of this discussion with a better overall understanding of your horse and be able to communicate that in basic terms to your hoof care provider.

For more information and a clinic schedule call or Liz Potof 602 799-4913 or Bill Chase 623-547-2206
For further information regarding the Copper State Peruvian Paso Club please call Bill Chase at 623-547-2206 or Liz Potof at 602-799-4913 or. Or visit our club’s website http://csppc.azgaitedhorses.com/index.htm


Nola & Lou Giddings to give clinic for Peruvian Paso and other horse breeds on November 17th and 18th.





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