Ranch History

My principal enjoyment of horses has always been that of trail riding. Shortly after moving to Ventura County, CA., buying a small property and developing two offices for the practice of ophthalmology, I met Robert Miller, D.V.M. ( an innovator of “imprinting” foals and the author of many equine articles ). Bob is a Quarter Horse enthusiast and invited me to ride with him in the local hills, with me on a borrowed mare. The mare was stout, reliable and moved at a walk or trot with a vertical force capable of inducing permanent kidney damage. After a few of these “jackhammer” outings I mused to Bob that I wanted a horse with a smooth fast walk. Bob immediately said, “ what you need is a Peruvian Paso “. He knew a retired couple less than 10 miles from my house that owned a few young Peruvians and put me in touch with them. They had a 3 year old gelding started in bosal and were kind enough to let me ride him in their paddock. Within 10 seconds I knew this was the breed for me. I asked the couple where I could buy a good young mare. They informed me that there were less than 1,200 purebred Peruvians in the United States and people with sound young mares of quality were not interested in selling. I particularly wanted a mare in order to ride and also produce offspring.

My wife and I visited many breeders in the western states and could not locate a young, high quality mare available for sale at a price we could consider. My medical practice of ophthalmology was just beginning and we had a mortgage and a young daughter. At the time a trip to Peru was not practicable. We then learned of an auction of about 60 Peruvian horses scheduled, at the Earl Warren Fairgrounds in Santa Barbara . The seller owned a beautiful 16 acre horse facility in an exclusive development in Santa Barbara , CA . Her husband had passed away and she wanted to sell most of her horses, quickly. We visited her barn prior to the auction and found one mare that appeared perfect for our needs. She was 3 years of age, started in bosal and was a gorgeous chestnut with beauty and correct conformation. I had a chance to ride her and the chalan spoke highly of her quality. The auction was held in July 1971 and we were fortunate of make the purchase at a reasonable price. Her name was Melosa ( Burlador x Diamela). We hired the chalan, Segundo Rios Salazar, part time to finish the training of Melosa and assist me in learning the basic process of traditional Peruvian training. We bred her to a son of Sol de Oro (V), Su Senoria, owned by Phyllis Austed. The result was an incredibly athletic, powerful filly that we named La Delicia.  Meanwhile, Verne and Pat Albright arranged the purchase and transportation of Laurel * Caramelo x Centella, Peruvian National Champion Breeding Stallion, bred by Sr. Alfredo Elias). Michael Pardue, M.D. actually purchased Laurel * but domiciled him at my property for an extended period. This gave me the opportunity to breed Laurel * to Melosa on several occasions. This produced some excellent colts. One of the colts (Cheroqui) was purchased by Gus and Elsie Parker, gelded and shown extensively. He was rarely defeated and one year was the National High Point Show Horse. I sold the filly by Su Senoria to Vivienne Lunquist of Meadow Springs Ranch. La Delicia was later bred to Sol De Oro (CRR).  This produced a colt, named Vendaval and he became National Champion Breeding Champion in both Peruvian organizations.  One filly resulted from Laurel * x Melosa. She was born in 1975 and I started her in bosal when she turned three. 

In late October 1978 my wife and I separated and subsequently divorced. The outcome was that she retained the horse property but did not want the horses. I was living in a rented a condominium and the only practical solution was to sell the horses. An obstetrician and his wife, living in New Mexico purchased my beloved Laura and Dr. Pardue purchased Melosa.

By 1983 I had sufficiently recovered from the effects of the divorce to buy a ranch near Durango, CO and discovered a compulsive desire to re-establish my dream of continuing the breeding program initiated by cross of Laurel* x Melosa.  I located the couple who purchased Laura from me in 1979. They were living in Fort Worth , Texas and were boarding Laura with John De Lozier (Thunderbird Ranch). I flew to Fort Worth to see Laura. She had an exquisite filly nursing at her side. This filly, Lisa, by El Palomilla, was subsequently a National Champion Junior Mare at an AAOBPPH show in Burbank . There were over 20 fillies in her class. On my visit to Forth Worth I rode Laura, found her to be sound and healthy and repurchased her. I left her in Fort Worth area at Alexander Ltd. (owned and operated by Becky and Nicky Juarez) with arrangements for Laura to bred to Real* (Regional x Sultana) and Laureado National Champion Breeding Stallion in the United States . Two breedings to Real* produced a handsome colt and an impressive filly, named Laureal and Laura de Oro. I did not have a breeding stallion at the ranch in Colorado , so I left Laura at Alexander Ltd. to be bred to a young stallion, Co-Piloto TB. (Piloto* x Dulzura by Regional). Co-Piloto TB was later an AAOBPPH National Champion Breeding Stallion. The first offspring of this cross was Especial CR and the second was a filly, La Patricia CR, born on St. Patrick’s Day at my ranch in Colorado . At the time there was a strong market for top quality Peruvian Paso horses and I decided to launch a large breeding program to use the best of the major bloodlines with the goal of improving each generation and producing my image of the “virtually perfect Peruvian Paso horse”.

Fortuitously I had opportunities to buy and lease some top quality mares representing virtually all of the best bloodlines and breed to some of the best stallions in the United States . Harrison Mac Donald was generous in allowing me to breed to his proven gait producing stallion Casanova MCD and Iquenito TB, a full brother to Co-Piloto. Some of this was achieved by shipping mares and some by shipped semen. I obtained breedings from other National Champion Breeding Stallions and foals from winning stallions of virtually all of the top bloodlines in this country. These included such diversity as Su Majestad, El Pisquero, Ovacion, Me Lama Peru, Quajiro, Sol Peruano, Yo Soy NJ, Cimarron, Sol De Oro (CRR), Sol de Oro (J), Sol De America HSDO, Domingo HNS, and others. Some of these were purchases and some were due to the generosity of the owners and breeders. Other famous bloodlines, such as Sol De Pajain were represented in the pedigree of some mares.This information will be openly shared upon request. The bottom line is that I had a fairly unique opportunity to “experiment” with breeding mares and stallions of virtually all of the most highly recognized and successful bloodlines of the breed for several decades.

In 1998, I sold the ranch in Colorado . The altitude of 6,500 ft. resulted in some bitter winters and a short growing season. At the time I had about 40 Peruvian horses and transported them to my new location in southern Oregon , near Klamath Falls . It is of more northern latitude but an altitude of 4200 ft and much milder winters. With 975 acres and a “fresh start”, I felt an impetus to rapidly expand the breeding program to produce Peruvian horses of my “dreams”. I was still working intensively in maintaining two full time practices of ophthalmology in the adjacent communities of Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley, CA., commuting to the ranch in Oregon for a few days each month, producing over 20 foals per year and encountering enormous problems with the ranch administration. Within a few years I realized this was not tenable and was experiencing some health problems that forced me to retire from practicing ophthalmology. By 2003, the sale of my ophthalmology practice in Ventura County, CA was effectively consummated and my home in Thousand Oaks  was on the market.

With the horse and hay market failing to produce a positive cash flow, I embarked on the new venture of developing and marketing products derived from western Juniper trees. Details are readily accessible by clicking on the right side of my website homepage, http://www.curryranch.com/wood-products.asp

In 2006, the 975 acres was sold and I moved to an 18.5 acre property, virtually around the corner from the larger ranch. By then I had “read the tea leaves“ and reduced my Peruvian Paso population from a high of 143 head to less than 50. Some of my finest stock was sold for reasonable prices and some with problems were donated as gifts. The remaining 40 horses are all of very high quality. There are no culls. At my age, downsized facility and need to simplify a life style, some fortunate buyers will have an opportunity to buy at least 30 of the best Peruvian Paso horses available in North America. My life would feel incomplete without an active participation with this unique breed. I plan to retain about ten sentimental favorites and then breed no more than one to three foals per year. Meanwhile, there are some superb examples of a 37 year breeding program available for sale for prices at far less than fair value. Necessity is the mother of invention. 

I am most fortunate to have a full time trainer with all of the positive traits one cherishes in this role. Jaime Aquirre has patience, skill, sensitivity  and the ability to work well with horses of all ages and temperament. In addition to being fluently bilingual he possesses the gift of instilling confidence and working well with clients. He is doing a superb job of maintaining the hoof care, general health measures and finishing any required training of the remaining horses.

Happy trails, Henry Curry

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