Frequently Asked Questions from Katie Van Slyke

Hey y'all! I figured I would give a little intro before I went in to the Questions and Answers!

My name is Katie Van Slyke (Mabry), and I'm a 27 year old Tennessean. I currently live across the street from the farm that I grew up on with my amazing husband of 3 1/2 years, Jonathan. I spend most of my day-to-day life caring for my Quarter horses who I both show on the AQHA circuit and breed! I also spend a lot of my time hunting, both in and out of state, for a multitude of wild game (Ex: Whitetail deer, Turkey, Dove, Quail, Wild hogs, and many more). My husband and I have two dogs, Kimmy and Winnie, who are our only children at the moment. They are spoiled rotten, but we still love them to death!

Along with the horses, we also have a small herd of Simmental Cattle that are housed with my Dad's cattle, and we plan to add some more critters in our brand new barn at our own "mini farm" in the upcoming year!

I hope that tidbit was helpful, now let's get to the FAQs!

1) Q: What is the name of your family farm, and how did it get it's name?

A: The name of my family's farm is "Running Springs" Quarter Horse & Cattle Company. When my parents originally moved to the farm, they were actively breeding and running barrel horses, so that is where the "Running" came from. The farm itself has natural springs scattered about the whole 300-acre property, and it's always been a beautiful part of the landscape: that's where the "Springs" came from. Now, "Running Springs" is the name that is affiliated with our favorite place in the world!

3) Q: Where can I see your content?

A: I'm active on most platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Youtube, and most of all on Facebook!

2) Q: How did you and your husband, Jonathan, meet?

A: Jonathan and I have a three year age gap, so I am the exact age of one of his younger brothers. We all went to Elementary school together, church together, and even shared a lot of the same friend groups as we got older. I was the good girl, he was a little rambunctious, and we didn't ever notice each other until we realized that his family had moved to property that shared a fence with my parents. I was 20, he was 23, and...... We started talking on SNAPCHAT! How embarrassing of a 'how we met' story! But, we did go hunting as our first date, and we had our first kiss in a deerstand, and its been a fairytale ever since!

3) Q: How many horses do you have and what breed are they?

A: We have 20 Quarter Horses, 2 off the track Thoroughbred, and 1 American Paint Horse! That makes 23 in all! Also, four are carrying foals!

4) Q: What is your favorite species to hunt?

A: Whitetail Deer, hands down! Maybe it's because that's what I grew up hunting with my dad, therefore I have the most knowledge about it, but there is something special about deer hunting!

5) Q: What is your WOC for hunting: Bow or Rifle?

A: That's a tough one! I love both archery and rifle season for different reasons, but I will have to say BOW! I haven't been bow hunting for near as long as I've hunted with a rifle, BUT the challenge of it is SO FUN and rewarding!

6) Q: Will you ever take your horses to your own land?

A: Never say never, but at this moment, we have no plans to. We have 4.5 acres across the street from my parents' farm, so it would be impractical. The horses will stay at Runnings Springs, BUT there might be some new additions to our own "mini farm" soon!

7) Q: What breeds are your dogs?

A: Kimmy is a 4-year-old wire-haired mini dachshund, and Winnie is a 2 year old English Bulldog!

8) Q: Do you do tours at the farm or offer outsiders a chance to come see the animals?

A: No, we do not. We also do not offer riding lessons. Running Springs is a working farm, and we do not wish to have the liability of people getting hurt on our property, nor do we have time to offer such things.

9) Q: What kind of horseshowing do you do?

A: I show the AQHA All-Around classes. The "All-Around" refers to doing multiple events with the same horse to compete for the "All-Around" title at horseshows. The "All-Around" title goes to the horse and rider combo who accumulates the most points at the show. The classes that I show in (When I have a finished horse) are: Equitation on the flat, Hunter Under Saddle, Horsemanship, Western Pleasure, Western Riding, Showmanship, Trail, and Performance Halter.

10) Q: Are you a Christian?

A: Wholeheartedly, yes! I am a Believer in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and I am blessed beyond measure. My husband and I share our faith along with our families, and are members of the Church of Christ:)

There are many more that I could include, but we will save those questions for later! Thank you for visiting my website, I appreciate you!