History of Rebel Ridge Farm
Our involvement with Rocky Mountain Horses began in 1992 when we read an article in “Kentucky Living” magazine about Rea Swan and her work to preserve this unique Eastern Kentucky breed. Shortly after that, we were at a medical meeting with the Swans, and Rea invited us by to see her horses. We had owned “backyard horses” for riding with our children, but that was the extent of our horse experience. Rea led us into a field with perhaps twenty mares and foals of all ages, and the horses gathered around like curious, lovable dogs. We knew that we wanted to own a Rocky and soon bought a four-month-old daughter of Mocha Mundy and Nuncio.
Rea recognized that we were enthusiasts and advised us to visit with Eugene Sebastian in Jackson, Kentucky. Mr. Sebastian, a retired school superintendent, had been raising and showing these mountain horses for many years. We spent many hours with him and his wife, Vada, looking at horses and talking about the breed.
As our interest in the horses grew, we decided to make a lifestyle change and moved to a farm ten miles north of Bowling Green where we could raise a few horses and have the wildlife habitat that Ron desired. We bought Reb’s Big Blue, a yearling colt, from the Sebastians who graciously agreed to keep him until we had completed our fencing and barn. Donnie Gillum trained “Blue” and campaigned him, and he came home to Rebel Ridge as the three-year-old stallion State and International Champion. Blue’s dam, Sebastian’s Misty Blue, was a daughter of Tobe, her dam having been bred on Mr. Tuttle’s place before being sold to Eugene Sebastian. We feel fortunate to have such a fine example of the breed!
In the years since we bought that first filly, we have carefully added select mares to our breeding program. Besides the daughter of Nuncio, we have two daughters of Buddy Roe, one daughter of Sam, and a daughter of Tim. We also acquired a black stallion, Johny’s Pride, a son of Buddy Roe. In 2004, we purchased Elton John, a son of Reb’s Big Blue.
We have four or five foals each year. They are imprinted at birth, vet checked, given their shots and dewormed on a regular basis, and provided with the best nutrition possible. All of our foals are accustomed to being trimmed by the farrier and led in a halter. We feel that the attention shown only reinforces that wonderful Rocky Mountain disposition. We usually show several of the young horses at the International Show at the Kentucky Horse Park in September, and we have had very few who have not won ribbons. Rebel Ridge Anna was the RMHA High Point Junior Conformation (2 to 4-year-old, both sexes) as both a 2-year-old and a 3-year-old. The offspring of all three stallions won blue ribbons at the 2006 International Show.
Our farm philosophy is to help preserve the traditional Rocky Mountain Horse through a careful breeding program, and we feel that we have been successful. We are proud of our horses – their temperament, conformation and gait – and invite those interested in the breed to visit Rebel Ridge Farm in Bowling Green, Kentucky.