Down Memory Lane

Pictures and memories from the past at PFL Inc. Some of these Pictures will have stories attached. There will be a link to the blog where you can read about them.

William VanKomen disking with horse team pre 1954. He was my (Gail) Grandpa.

This photo was taken by Maridel Merritt at the Circle G Ranch in Emmett, Idaho during a Paso Fino Clinic in 2004. The stallion was our own Numen Estelar.

This is Angel, our grand daughter on Tommy in 2008. Tommy is a Paso Fino Gelding we traded for. He came from the herd left by Marridel Merrit's mother when she died. Such an awesome guy.

Apache Red Cloud was my trail riding mount for 9 years. He was bred for racing and we did our share on the trails. Here we are overlooking the Snake River above Hells Canyon in the mid 1990's.

1999 Apache loved to camp. We would high line. One horse would be turned loose at a time to eat. He would make a loop around camp at a fast canter, then settle down and eat, finally laying down for a nap.

Apache was 4 years old here and this was our first week out camping together. We had another 9 years together before I sold him to a great couple in Seattle. Early 1990's

April 2006 After moving to North Idaho, I went to visit my grand kids in Boise. My friend Marsha Frazier let me use her Blazer Gelding Bubba to give pony rides. 

Bubba in April of 2006 giving pony rides. This time for grand son Login.

Dec. 2007 First winter with our new Barn at our place in Blanchard, Id. Rico and Promise, Paso Finos are looking on.

Stole Meadows is near Warm Lake in Central Idaho. It is an awesome place to go horse camping.

Aug. 2004 This was one of our last camping trips to Tripod in Central Idaho before we moved to north Idaho. All the horses were Paso Finos. My parents, Joe and LaWana Walker were there as well as Susan Browning. 

This Appaloosa belonged to my father, Joe Walker. His name was Capers Caper and he is packing out an Elk from the Tripod area of Central Idaho in 1970

At the Annual Meeting of the NWPFHA in Pasco Wa. The horses are Cloud, Cisco and Captain. All pinto Paso Finos raised by PFL Inc. Captain is owned and ridden here by Char Hemmingway.

2007 Char Hemmingway and Captain, her Paso Fino Gelding at the NWPFHA annual meeting.

2007 While visiting southern Idaho I borrowed Chico from my friend,  Leola Jones, to ride on Bogus Basin Ski hill near Boise.

1958 This is Cochise. We called him Chief. My family won him in a raffle at the Caldwell night rodeo in 1956. He died with his head in my lap in 1972 of old age. I am the one in the middle. My cousin Debbie Lowe is in the front, my baby brother, Roger is second, my big sister Karen is fourth, and my big brother William is on the rear. We lived in Emmett, Idaho on Toms Cabin Road. My parents still live there. They are now in their 80's and still have horses.

Here is a dear friend, Cindy Oswald, who lives on the Westwind Ranch in Athol, Idaho. We lived with her for 8 months before getting settled here in Blanchard. The picture is of her and her Paso Fino Stallion Dictador in Nampa, Idaho at an expo in April of 2007.

This is my cousin, Debbie Van Komen on the left on Midnight, and me, Gail Walker-Springer, on Cookie in the mid 1960's. Debbie later drowned in the Salmon river along with her baby and sister in law in their car.

1958 Chief again with my sister, Karen, brother, Roger, and cousin, Debbie Lowe.

2006 Dictador, Cindy Oswalds Paso Fino Stallion, getting some exercise in the arena at Westwind Ranch in Athol, Idaho.

2002 Our friend Kathy Woodhouse and her Paso Fino Gelding, Chile, on the trail to Red Mountain in Central Idaho. Chile was put down in late 2009 with DSLD.

 

2002 Numen Estelar, our Paso Fino Stallion, on the high line at the Red Mountain Trail Head in Central Idaho. We rode out daily to the old Red Mountain Lookout Site and to Cat Lakes.

This is Paul riding Angel, one of our Paso Fino Mares on the Sheep Creek Trail on the way up the mountain to Tripod Peak where the Lookout is on West Mountain between McCall and Cascade Idaho. We thought Sheep Creek was a funny name until we found out that in the past thousands of sheep have grazed this area. We actually found some old sheep sheers along the trail. This trail is one that will probably disappear as the cattlemen are stopped from using the area for grazing. They have kept it open. Many times we nearly lost the way over the years. The camping areas are slowly getting lost also and now motorized vehicles are not allowed. This trail will probably be gone soon.

2004 Paul and Angel starting up the junction between Sage Hen Basin Trail and Sheep Creek Tail and on to Tripod Peak and the Lookout on West Mountain. This was a favorite place to stop and eat lunch and rest.

2004 Gail and Cloud on Sage Hen Basin Trail on West Mountain, Idaho.

2004 Cloud tied at the junction at Sage Hen Basin and Sheep Creek Trail. At the base of Tripod Peak.

And more to come as time allows. .......