1968-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1968 December Voice | Page 73

RIVER TREE
FARM. . .
Life Centers on
Tennessee Walking
Horses for the
Leo Baum Family
December, 1968
HAPPY FAMILY — The Leo Baum family is pictured with one of their many fine
Tennessee Walking Horses. Left to right: Jeff, Leo, Jim, Karen and Jean.
Uorsemen know that the mecca of Tennessee Walking Horse activity is
11 Tennessee. This is where the breed was developed, where the great
stallions stand, and where the top trainers have their barns. In no
other breed is the influence of one area so strongly felt. Middle Tennessee
means more to the Walkers than the famous Bluegrass area of Kentucky
means to the Thoroughbreds.
How, then, could horses from Ixonia, Wisconsin become known in the
Walking Horse world? Not easily . . . but it is being done by Walking
Horses from River Tree Farm of Ixonia. The farm, owned by Leo A. Baum,
is a family operation. It all started about five years ago when the family
lived in Milwaukee. Jean Baum persuaded her husband to buy their first
horse, a part-Walker. His smooth gaits sold the Baums on Walkers. Their
next purchase was a show horse, SIR JOHN PRYOR. A big gray gelding
with a natural way of going, he needed a lot of riding to make him per
form. He was hardly the horse for novices to win with, but he taught
them how to ride and show. SIR JOHN won his share of ribbons and even
a few blues, but he was nothing to get excited about.
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