RICHER THAN RICH
the kenny van skiver and kay magruder story

Kenny Van Skiver and Kay Magruder are having their souls massaged. The masseuse is the rugged San Juan Mountains that collide with the softly rolling hills of Hastings Mesa. Canopied by the every-changing, ever-so-moodsetting sky above, the 110-acre Running Horse Ranch is their massage table. It is the stalwart platform that is largely responsible for generating their new found energy and their new found love of life. They, in Kay’s words, "Have never felt closer to God," or as spiritually balanced than in being in what they dub as "God’s country." Nestled deep in the Rockies at 9,000 plus feet above ocean waters, Running Horse Ranch has proved to be Kenny and Kay’s Shangri-la.

There’s an undeniable mysticism about being enveloped by 360 degrees of Mother Nature’s untouched and most finely woven tapestries. If you’d step foot on Running Horse Ranch in the early morning hours or on a misty, cloud-covered day, you’d feel as though you’re walking in the clouds; you’d feel the magic. Billowy, marshmallow-like clouds as immense as buildings hover in and out of the contours of the mountainscape allowing the jagged peaks of Last Dollar, Hayden and North Pole Peaks to coyly peek through. As morningtide sweeps across the easterly horizon with its brilliant bands of violet, magenta, orange and yellow, Kenny, Kay and their entourage of Rocky Mountain horses, dogs, cats and a pet pig, begin to stir in sync and in rhythm with the coming of dawn. Birds begin tweeting. Hawks, eagles and ravens launch their initial flights as the sun cuts away at the nighttime sky. By the time the aroma of coffee is smelled throughout their old sheep ranch, the couple can see and hear the birds of prey swooping, soaring and scouting for an "energy source" from the skies above. Coyotes yapping, elk bugling, whistle pigs playing hide-n-seek and deer meandering through the homestead at all hours of the day and night are some of the things that keep this couple’s juices flowing. They enliven their senses and rub their muscularity with soothing warmth. The nuances of living in the mountains, keep their blood flowing at a high velocity which, in turn, bring a healthy glow to each of their faces and an incandescent twinkle to their baby blue and hazel eyes.

Kay and Ken didn’t always count their lucky stars as they do now. They’ve gone through some growing pains. "Long story, short," as Kay often says, is that both these 40-something- year-olds were not in the "places or situations" they thrived to be in a mere eight to ten years ago. They knew their lifestyles weren’t, at that time, what made them feel whole. Both had followed the much-traveled path of moving from small farm towns, attending college and then setting up camp in suburbia. They became the classic "yuppies." Each made their mark in the corporate world. Kenny had been with the Xerox corporation for a total of 16 years. The first stint was in the Rochester, New York, division and the second in Los Angeles. Kenny became disenchanted with Xerox just when they were beginning to get involved with printing systems. This venture was discontinued by Xerox and, "Of course," says Kenny kiddingly, "it dissolved because I left them." Though challenged, he certainly wasn’t fulfilled. Thus, he followed his heart, sold most everything he owned, packed up his car and headed for the Rockies with a friend of a friend’s name in pocket. He called his friend’s friend who graciously invited Ken to attend the sometimes cantankerous and always talked about Halloween Bash at the Quonset Hut in Telluride. Ken attended, and in what seemed 20 minutes, (it was really a day or two) had a roommate, a job with Telski and new friends. "One of my favorite things about Telluride is its people. Unlike other luxury resorts, Telluride’s locals are easy going, unpretentious and comfortable - yeah comfortable," reflects Ken. "All the other ski towns I visited before Telluride seemed to be stand-offish to newcomers. The Telluride people welcomed me with open arms," he claims. Of course, it’s not bad to have a friend of a friend’s name be the offspring of the owners/developers of the Telluride Ski Resort either.

Kay, on the other hand, was a flight attendant for Delta Airlines and was pursuing her longtime career as a dental hygienist. Things were going quite well for Kay until...an airline crash! Having experienced what all of us never want to, Kay had survived a soul-searching, earth-shattering event. It seemed to, as she said, "Put my life in perspective and made me realize that I needed to live one day at a time." Kay’s traumatic time seemed only to be soothed by her visits to the mountains with her girlfriends. "I have always loved the mountains, especially Telluride. Every time I’d visit here, I’d ask myself... 'How could I make it work if I moved here?’" The answer seemed to come when she met Kenny on a winter afternoon at Telluride’s beautiful ski lodge, Gorrono. Scoping out Kay and her two girlfriends, Kenny while seated at the edge of a table with several ski buddies, muttered out, "Hey, get me one of those, too!" (Meaning a beer). "I thought he was cute," Kay exclaims with her western Tennessee accent, "so I got him one." Hook, line and sinker they fell into the blissful state of love and later the state of matrimony. They eventually tied the knot where they met - at Gorrono. After five harmonious years of marriage, the couple describe themselves as "soul mates." Kenny says, "Never before have I cared about anything as much as I do now. Since being with Kay, my work, my health, my leisure time... everything has taken on a different and even profound meaning." With Kay, Kenny seems to have filled whatever void there was in his years past. Ditto for Kay.

The good earth offers us riches - though not always tangible in nature. There is a therapeutic or wholesome feeling when soil runs through your fingers; there’s something enlivening about eating from your own garden and something more rewarding than any money could buy about being in harmony with the planet and its many idiosyncrasies. Kay and Kenny’s appreciation, fulfillment and lifestyle on Running Horse Ranch can, in many ways be paralleled to the Navajo’s philosophy of life, in that they relate to the land as their mother and treat her with the utmost respect. Like the Navajo, Kay and Kenny, seemingly believe they are an extension of Mother Earth and are part of her beauty. The gifts of the earth and the ambiance of Running Horse Ranch have made them feel lavishly rich in spirit and have filled them with vim and vigor. The land alone, however, doesn’t make their cups runneth over. What tops-off their spiritual beings, is their family of animals. Horses, cats, dogs and a gigantic pet Vietnamese pot-bellied pig named Bob.

They got Bob when he was eight weeks old. Even though Bob is not of the same species as Kay and Kenny, he is, in fact, their kid. "Bob has three focuses in life: food, sleep and sex. Since there’s no other pig in our neck of the woods, you cannot stand in one place too long when Bob is around," smirkenly, but seriously explains Kay. Kenny says in a 'that poor fellowtone,’ "We should probably get him a girlfriend or get him fixed." Kenny continues, "Bob thinks he’s a dog. Like our dogs, Boo and Belle, he hangs with the horses and tries to follow us when we’re horseback riding. Right now Bob is running a thin line as he’s wandering farther and farther into coyote territory." Kay and Kenny have to keep a close eye on Bob as there’s no doubt the coyotes, bear or mountain lions would find Bob a delectable feast.

Frankly, Bob has it as good as or better than many of Telluride’s locals. He has his own house, which is an old chicken coop. It has an upstairs and downstairs as well as a sunning deck with views to die for. He sleeps on two feet of nicely "fluffed" hay that Kay tends to before putting him down for his daily nap. He is fed well - a diet of pot bellied pig food and horse pellets - and doesn’t have to pay for food or rent. (His eating habits are monitored, however, as pigs have been known to eat themselves to death.) Bob also has a special bond with Belle, their red heeler. Since Bob was a babe, Belle has cuddled, cradled and mothered the little ham. She protects and watches out for him constantly. He, in turn, nuzzles up to her for comfort and love as well as watches out for her, too. (Interestingly enough, pigs have a better sense of smell than dogs and are generally more attentive to danger than dogs.)

Though Kay and Kenny are the nucleus of Running Horse Ranch, the focal point is their horses - The Rocky Mountain Horse, a modern equine species that finally became a registry in 1986.

Since the 1950s, Rocky Mountain Horses have become scarce, and Kay and Kenny proudly tout they are instrumental in re-introducing them to the region. In fact, the couple headed up the Rocky Mountain Horse showings in the First Annual Gaited Horse Expo in Colorado Springs last summer. At the Expo, the couple exhibited their horses’ smooth gaits by holding glasses of champagne while parading atop the horses and being judged. Experienced horsemen and women were very impressed with the Rockies and are glad to have them as a "new" entry in the shows.

"In effect, the Rockies have an extra gear. Every foot hits the ground independently; making their gait as smooth as silk," explains Kenny. "Their unique gait keeps the rider on a level platform rather than one that rises and dips," he says demonstrating with his hands. Their natural stride is easy and keeps you going forward versus up and down. Further, they are noted to be extremely "sure footed;" meaning their lateral, four-beat gait makes them rarely stumble or go out of their natural moving rhythm.

With a name like the "Rocky Mountain Horse," you’re likely to think they’re a breed found mostly in the West. Conversely, the Rocky Mountain Horse is primarily found in eastern Kentucky. However, its ancestry is one of Spanish origins. "The Spanish horse was the premier horse of Europe for over two centuries, and the favored mount for kings and captains. Its influence was pervasive and remarkable. In the early 16th Century, Spanish horses were taken to the Americas by the conquistadores," states Elwyn Hartley Edwards in the book titled, Horses. Bred with other hearty, Kentucky mountain stock, the Rockies are perfectly suited to withstand cold, long winters.

Other characteristics of the Rocky Mountain breed are its unique coloring, perfectly shaped bodies and good temperament. A rich shade of chocolate highlighted by blond or flaxen manes and tails are the most desirable and distinctive qualities of the Rockies. While the tones of chocolate may vary, the manes and tails are most always light in color. The Rockies stand between 14.2 and 16 hands high. Their bodies are well-proportioned and of medium build. The heads are considered exceptionally handsome in that they have prominent jaws, straight teeth, elliptical noses, foxtail ears and shorter necks. As far as their temperament go, Kay and Kenny rave about them being "family oriented." Kay says, "They love people and are so easy to be around."

Kay and Kenny own four of the eight Rockies at Running Horse Ranch. "We just love to turn people on to these horses," states Kay. "They are so...incredible!" Blue, Bo, Ruby, April, Rosie, Cody and Ricochet are the names of the horses. As with Bob, each animal has a special place in Kay and Kenny’s hearts. Each is recognized for their special characteristics and personalities. Ricochet, for example, is their breeding stallion, while Bo is the largest and Blue has the prettiest mane. One female was pregnant over the winter and therefore kept in Cortez where it is considerably warmer.

The duo ride three or four times a week. Sometimes for an hour or two; sometimes all day; many times with Bob waddling behind. Last summer they rode in the Fourth of July parade and will probably make it a tradition. "The Rockies are so well-behaved, I feel I can take them anywhere," says Kay as she further admits she relishes most being with the horses at the ranch tending to their needs, the garden and their sweet cabin.

Kay works outside the home as a dental hygienist at Dr. Mallette’s office in Telluride three days a week and still flies 16 days a month. She doesn’t choose to be crazy-busy with her career any more as she gets such satisfaction caring for the ranch and the animals. "Kenny is the one who goes to Telluride most days," states Kay. Kenny’s business, The Office Outpost, is in its fourth year and is doing "great." For the first two years, Kenny mostly operated from his vehicle as he’d go to local businesses to get office supply orders and then deliver the products straight-away to the clients. In 1996, Kenny opened a store at 209 E. Colorado Avenue and proudly states, "that it is holding its own." Kenny says he loves working with the locals and appreciates the community as a whole because most everyone wants to work together. Unlike some depictions by the media, Telluride isn’t a place made up of "ritzy, gold-diggers," but rather is made up of genuine, caring, outdoorsy-type people who are equally as rich in spirit as Kay and Kenny as they seem to acknowledge they’re in an unique mountain oasis.

Scholar, Thomas Paine, said, "It is in nature, we find information." And, so it appears, that by Kay and Kenny getting in sync and closer to nature by moving first to Telluride, and then onto the Running Horse Ranch, they rekindled their spirits and found what they needed in life. May we all be so brave as to follow our hearts as they have.