My husband Larry Gondert and I live in the gentle rolling farm country in Southeastern Minnesota. I grew up on a dairy farm in southwestern Minnesota,

and had horses until I moved away to college and another life.  In 1993, it was time to get back into horses.  This lead to trail riding and camping, and jumping

and dressage shows. 

Larry grew up in Racine WI, and had ridden a horse only three or four times until 1996, when he decided he was willing to give it a try and keep me and

my Quarter Horse, Dakota, company while trail riding and camping.  Our herd now consists of three Rocky Mountain Horse mares and one retired grade

Walking Horse gelding.

best friend and trainer Lori Greenwood, Greenwood Stables in Dousman Wisconsin.  So, in 1996, Eboney Expresso, a three-year-old Rocky Mountain horse came home

to Larry.  While working with Larry and Eboney, Eboney’s smooth as glass gait, her calm, willing and steady temperament and can-do attitude taught me that when it was

time to retire the old Quarter Horse, I wanted my own Rocky.  This led to purchase of a yearling, Nikita Force (Nikki) from Kentucky.  While waiting for her to grow up,

another yearling (Libby Jo) was found in West Virginia. Dakaota, my wonderful old Quarter horse, is retired to that big pasture in the sky, and we continue to ride our

three Rocky Mountain horses.  Lori Greenwood has trained all of our horses, and she and daughter Raelynn are the ones we go to with all our questions. 

From the old bloodlines we chose our Rocky Mountain horses for temperament and gait. 

• Eboney Expresso is out of R & R Midnight Express and a grade mare.  R & R is out of Cocoa, who is out of Choco, who is out of Kilburn's Chocolate Sundown.
• Nikita Force is out of Magnum and Pucket's Judy Ann.  Magnum is out of Dock, from Choco, who is out of Kilburn's Chocolate Sundown.
• Libby Jo is out of Ramblin Rex and a racking mare.  Ramblin Rex is out of Buddy Roe, who is out of Sewell's Sam and Maple's Squirrel, both of whom are direct from Tobe.
  

with our horses is our first love.  Moving three times from 1993 to 1998 provided plenty of opportunity for us to check out many locations

for camping and trail riding in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri. Some of our favorite rides: 

Iowa - Shimek State Forest, and Stephens State Forest (Lucas Unit);

Wisconsin - Horseman’s Park (Palmyra WI), End of The Trail, WildCat State Park

Minnesota - Wild River State Park, Forestville Mystery State Park;

Missouri - Golden Hills Trail Ride and Resort in Raymondville and Cross Country Trail Ride in Eminence.  

We showed our Rockies at the Rocky Mountain International Show in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005.  We had a grand time meeting and getting to

know others involved with this wonderful breed.  In Iowa, we had a rather small contingent of owners of Rocky Mountain Horses.  In 1999, a group

of those owners got together and formed the Iowa Rocky Mountain Drill Team. The Rocky Mountain Breed has been one of only ten breeds selected

to appear at the Extravaganza breed demonstrations at the Iowa Horse Fair, held at the Iowa State Fair Grounds in Des Moines, IA from 1999 to 2003. 

Since 2003, Rocky Mountain breed demonstrations have been tailored to show off the Rocky tempermanent and 4 beat lateral gait.  

In March 2004, Roxy had the opportunity to become a Rocky Mountain Senior Examiner.  As an examiner, she can start the certification process by

checking the horse’s height, markings, testicles, etc, and then videoing the gait only.  After signing off on all of these, the videotape can then be sent to either the Home Office or to two other examiners, to complete the certification.  Roxy is willing and available to help anyone get started on his or her certification process.  
 
Roxy was involved with the Iowa Horse Council from 2003 to 2006, and was the Rocky Mountain breed representative for the Iowa Horse Fair from 2000 to 2010.