Keeping Tradition Alive

The History of King Spur Stables - Three Generations of Horsemaship

Great Grandpa Card

The King Spur Tradition started in the 1800's in the mountains of Northern Idaho and Montana. Back then, logging with horses was a way of life. My Great Grandpa Card logged this country with horses for many years.

Great Grandpa Card with one of his logging horses.

Like so many other loggers, Card needed to be able to trust his horses to be reliable and safe. Getting his horses to maintain steady nerves and quiet temperaments could be a matter of life and death - literally. Over many years of working side by side with horses and mules, Card developed his training methods "in the field." He used consistency and clarity, and never asked his horses to do more than they were capable of.

Grandma Millie

Card's daughter and my grandmother, Millie Peterson, moved to Western Washington. There she used her knowledge of horses to survive financially. She was a working girl in an era when many women were expected to stay home and keep house.

Millie made her living training and showing horses in many different disciplines. She competed at World Competition level several times, and was honored with the Appaloosa Hall of Fame award.

Today Grandma Millie is in her 80's. Though she doesn't ride any more, she still coaches her granddaughter - that's me, Sara Mason.

Grandma Millie giving an award-winning ride in an Appaloosa show

Granddaughter Sara

I inherited Grandma Millie's love of horses and passion for training. When I was a little girl, I dreamed of following in her footsteps. I began training horses and giving lessons professionally when I was only 14 - under her watchful eye. She not only taught me to train and show, but to TEACH horses and EDUCATE riders.

Since then, 21 years have passed - years of working with hundreds of horses and riders in Western Washington. Throughout my career, I have slowly perfected the techniques Grandma Millie used. I began to understand what she meant when she repeated to me, over and over, "Sara, you must lay the FOUNDATION. Without the FOUNDATION, your horse can't learn."

What was this "foundation" that was so important to Grandma Millie's success with horses? Click here to find out about "The Mason Foundation Method."

When I returned to Northern Idaho several years ago, my husband Doug and I opened King Spur Training Stables and Children's Equestrian Center. Our goal is to help the children of our community, and share the joy of horses, by teaching the heritage and principles of horsemanship passed down from Great Grandpa Card and Grandma Millie.

King Spur isn't just about lessons or ribbons. It's about a long tradition of working side by side with horses - learning with them, growing with them, and achieving great things together!