We are a small, private stable and ranch offering boarding for horses
and training and instruction.
We also usually have one or two foals a year that are offered for sale, as well as offering horses for sale that we have worked with or that are owned by our clients.
Standing 'A Famous Great Date'
a 2006 AQHA reining bred stallion.
His first foals will arrive in March 2009!
We own and show American Quarter Horses, although also work with many other breeds. Our students show 4-H, open and AQHA shows as well as ride for recreation.
We pride ourselves on taking many youngsters up through the ranks to breed level shows. Many have gone on to work as assistants with some of the countries top name professional trainers, become veterinarians and licensed vet technicians, or work with children as teachers and counselors, as a direct or indirect result of their years spent riding at Spring Valley Ranch.
We also have many adult amateur owners and students. Several have ridden with us since they were kids, others are newcomers to riding or showing.
Several of our clients have been with us since they were children and have become almost like family.
While breeding, training and selling many top level horses and instructing students at all levels, we still operate in the low key, low cost area we live in. Our board and lesson prices are extremely low for the quality of care and experience we provide and many of the horses we offer for sale would cost many thousand dollars more in other areas!
Spring Valley Ranch is owned by Rod and Doreen Passuello. Rod is a detective with the Ironwood, Michigan Public Safety Department. Doreen has ridden and worked with horses for more than 45 years and has been a professional horseman for 20 + years. Before turning to professional training and instructing, Doreen and her sister owned a western apparel and tack store in Ironwood for 7 years.
One thing more important than their jobs to Rod and Doreen is their family - sons, Pete, Clay, Marty, and Lane and daughter, Sarah. The kids are grown or almost grown now with businesses and hobbies of their own. All of our children have been involved with our farm and the horses. They have all showed horses at one time or another, and all of our boys have raised market animals for our County Fair 4-H Market Sale. Many, many Grand and Reserve Champion Market Steers have been raised at Spring Valley Ranch, as well as a Reserve Champion Market Lamb and and Reserve Champion Pens of Market Turkeys. Our boys have also always been very competitive in Livestock Showmanship classes. The skills they learned showing horses at a young age helped in the livestock show ring, too.
A Great Place To Learn About Horses, Competition, Life!
Ironwood, Michigan is located approximately 220 miles northeast of Minneapolis, MN, 100 miles east of Duluth, MN or 260 miles north of Madison, WI.
Our farm is just 1/4 mile from the Wisconsin border and 5 miles from gorgeous Lake Superior, the largest fresh water lake in the world!
The proximity of Lake Superior to our area has a great effect on our weather. It usually keeps summers relatively cool and acts as a 'snow machine' during the winter. A north wind off the lake often produces snowfall, as early in the fall September or October or as late in the spring as May. Our farm is located just north of a set of hills that mark the dividing line of who gets tons of snow and who gets less. Thankfully, we are USUALLY on the side that gets less. But wintertime, less can still mean a foot or more at a time! Needless to say, our area is known as 'Big Snow Country' and has numerous ski hills and miles of snowmobile trails. Summers are usually great though and our fall colors can't be beat!
