Only 40 minutes west from the city of Fort Collins, Colorado, you will find yourself transported back in time to a place which is nestled in a high valley between the snow capped Rocky Mountains, verdant, lush and majestically isolated as only a heaven on earth can be... This is Stove Prairie Ranch. A place where the elk roam freely among some of the most beautiful horses to grace the land, the SPR Morgans.

Stove Prairie Ranch is dedicated to the breed they embrace, the Morgan Horse. Started in 1991, SPR is a private show, training and breeding facility owned by Gail Bratz and Dr. Mervyn Jacobson. With the owners' passion for land and wildlife preservation, they have found perfect harmony between the land and their breeding operations. The Show Stables and Broodmare barns were built one stone at a time, pried out of the very land they stand upon. They are solid and will stand the test of time... just like the Morgans they are breeding today.

Of course with the best Morgans, you need the best Trainer... and Stove Prairie Ranch is lucky enough to have both. Kathy Shorten is the resident Trainer for all the SPR Morgan Horses and a few of the Ranch's Quarter Horses and Arabians. Having grown up with horses in New York, Thoroughbreds no less, Kathy started training her father's horses and clients' at an early age. She has become a noted horse trainer and equitation instructor and holds her "R" Judging card for Morgans, Saddle Seat Equitation, Stock Seat Equitation and Western Seat Equitation.

Stove Prairie Ranch and Kathy Shorten adhere to the philosophy of taking the time to "train" a young horse. SPR has the patience to sit back and wait for Kathy to make a strong talented horse which will hold up mentally and physically in the show ring for years to come. From Park to Western, these young horses are well on their way to becoming the future world champions of the Morgan breed.