Our Story
A life built around good horses.
Welcome to The Golden Horse
We’re Karlee and Dallon Parks, a husband-and-wife team with a shared passion for developing good horses, good horsemanship, and the western way of life.
While horses are at the heart of what we do, The Golden Horse is something we hope will continue to grow with us. It is a place for the horses we believe in, the products we make, and the knowledge and experience we’ve gained along the way.
Built Around Horses
Horses have been a major part of both of our lives, but our experiences have taken us down different paths within the western horse industry.
Karlee has spent more than 17 years riding and competing, with experience ranging from 4-H and rodeo to reined cow horse. Her experience as both a competitor and riding instructor has shaped an approach centered around feel, communication, and helping both horses and riders build confidence.
Dallon has spent his adult life developing and training horses, with extensive experience in both family horses and reined cow horses. He is especially talented at starting colts and developing them efficiently while building a strong foundation. Over the years, he has become known for producing versatile, safe horses that can do far more than simply perform in an arena, from dependable trail and family horses to horses that ride bridleless and perform a variety of useful and fun skills.
In the reined cow horse world, Dallon also brings extensive knowledge of pedigrees, genetics, bloodlines and performance records, along with his own experience showing and competing.
What Makes a Good Horse?
We get to work in two very different sides of the horse industry, and we’ve learned that there isn’t one definition of a good horse.
In a reined cow horse prospect, we look closely at genetics and proven bloodlines first, followed by the instinct, athleticism, willingness and trainability necessary to succeed in a demanding performance discipline.
In the ranch, trail, gaited and family-horse world, our priorities look different. A good mind and a solid foundation matter tremendously, but so does something that can be overlooked when buying a horse: the right fit.
A horse can be exceptionally broke, safe and well trained and still not be the right horse for every rider. We believe being honest about who a horse is, what they do well and the type of rider they are best suited for is an important part of finding them the right home.
GOOD MIND
Temperament, willingness and confidence.
SOLID FOUNDATION
Thoughtful training that prepares a horse for the job ahead.
RIGHT FIT
Matching the individual horse with the rider and home where they can succeed.
Two worlds. One Standard.
From purpose-bred reined cow horse prospects to dependable horses meant to carry a family down the trail, the horses we work with don’t all have the same job. We don’t expect them to.
What stays consistent is our commitment to understanding the individual horse in front of us, developing them appropriately, and representing them honestly.
Looking Ahead
The Golden Horse is still growing. Today, you’ll find horses we’re proud to offer and our handmade pulled wool saddle pads, but our vision extends beyond where we are now.
As our program grows, we hope The Golden Horse will become home to even more of what we love about this industry, including horsemanship, riding, and eventually a breeding program of our own.
Whatever comes next, our goal is to build it thoughtfully and put The Golden Horse name only on horses, products, and services we’re proud to stand behind.
