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Located about 40 minutes east of Dallas, our ranch is a horse lover’s dream. The 100 year old oak trees that are scattered about the property add to the elegance of the setting.
The union of Karen and Alan is likely the proof that opposites do, indeed, attract. The glass artist “hippie chick,” and the Army sergeant is not what most people might think would form a solid relationship. But it is what they shared in common that did form the strong bond; both are klutzes and horse people.
After they got together they began planning their breeding program and soon had the mares and stallions in place to start. As the first set of foals arrived (all three boys!) The next step was to select a training program and choose the disciplines that were going to be worked on. The training style was the easy part, using the slow native American style where the bond between horse and rider is a primary focus was the best choice.
Karen wanted to start showing and seeing how her first colt was a paint, that path became obvious. They jumped in with both feet and ended up a bit over their heads when the first show was an APHA World Show. It was a learning experience and the one that performed the best, was Moony (the colt.)
Where It Began
Karen Maia-Donnan
Karen has been a leaded glass (stained glass) fabricator for over 30 years. She got her first horse, Carmen, when she was 10 years old. Her dream was to own a ranch, raise and show horses. At age 46 she and Alan married, a year later they bought the new ranch and all of her dreams came true.
Alan Donnan
Several years after being medically retied from the Army, he moved to north Texas in 2004. As a teenager he competed in junior rodeo and helped raise horses on his family ranch in Hill City, South Dakota. In 2006 he rescued Lillian from a slaughter house and a year later both were competing in cross county endurance rides.
