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!
Your Top Questions, Answered
1) What is the name of your family farm, and how did it get it's name?
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!
2) Where can I see your content?
I'm active on most platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Youtube, and most of all on Facebook!
3) How did you and your husband, Jonathan, meet?
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!
Want to hear more from us? Check out our full Q&A with Jonathan, or read our full love story from the very beginning.
4) How many horses do you have and what breed are they?
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!
The herd has grown a lot since this FAQ was first written! As of our most recent animal count, Running Springs is home to 176 animals across the entire operation, including Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds, mini horses, mini cows, mini donkeys, Nigerian dwarf goats, Simmental cattle, barn cats, two dogs, and a pig named Winston. You can meet the full crew in that post.
5) What is your favorite species to hunt?
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!
6) What is your WOC for hunting: Bow or Rifle?
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!
7) Will you ever take your horses to your own land?
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!
The mini farm is officially thriving! We added mini Highland cows (Poppy, Petunia, and the rest of the "P" crew), mini horses, and mini donkeys to our property across the street. It's become one of my favorite parts of what we do.
8) What breeds are your dogs?
Kimmy is a 4-year-old wire-haired mini dachshund, and Winnie is a 2 year old English Bulldog!
9) Do you do tours at the farm or offer outsiders a chance to come see the animals?
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.
10) What kind of horseshowing do you do?
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.
11) Are you a Christian?
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!
More Questions From the Running Springs Community
Y'all have been asking these ones a LOT lately, so I figured it was time to add them here.
What is VS Code Red, and why is he such a big deal?
VS Code Red (barn name: Waylon) is our cornerstone stallion and honestly one of the reasons I pinch myself every single day. He's a Congress Champion, 4x NSBA World Champion, and the sire behind so many of the babies we've raised at Running Springs.
We acquired him in August 2023 at the VS Dispersal Sale, and that moment changed everything for our breeding program. You can read the full story of how we got him in My Dream Horse: VS Code Red.
Who is Denver?
Denver (registered name: First Thingz First) is our younger stallion, a 2021 red roan by RL Best Of Sudden out of VS The First Lady. He's VS Code Red's grandson, which makes the whole thing even more special.
Denver won Reserve 3-Year-Old Pleasure Versatility Champion at the 2024 AQHA World Show, took home 3 Championships at the 2024 Quarter Horse Congress, and won the inaugural AQHA Fan Favorite award with 13,000 votes.
His first foal crop is expected in 2026, and we could not be more excited. Follow his journey on Instagram @firstthingzfirst.
What does "RS" mean in your horses' names?
Every foal born at Running Springs carries the "RS" prefix in their registered name. It stands for Running Springs and is our way of marking the horses that were bred, born, and raised right here on our farm.
Examples include RS Hankwhydoyadrank (Hank, a 3x Quarter Horse Congress Champion), RS Wanted N Dallas, and RS Son of a Gun. You can see the full list in our registered names blog post.
Do you sell horses or cattle?
We do! From time to time we have foals and cattle available. Selling babies to their new farm families is a normal part of the breeding business, and we love keeping up with them when we can.
For current availability, check our Horse & Cattle Sales page.
How can I learn more about foaling season?
Foaling season is honestly my favorite time of year (and also the most stressful!). I document the whole process, from broodmare bump dates to the actual births. Here are a few posts to get you started:
- 2026 Foaling Season Preview
- The Thrilling World of Foaling Season
- Placenta Care After Foaling
- What Are Foal Slippers?
Do you have merch?
Yes! We have an entire online store with designs inspired by the animals y'all love the most. Everything from Poppy & Petunia mini cow tees to donkey merch, mini horse gear, and a whole lot more.
Want to browse everything? Check out the Katie's Classics collection for our evergreen favorites, or see what's new in the shop.
Shop Running Springs
If you've made it this far, you're officially part of the Running Springs family. We've got merch that celebrates every animal on this farm, from the mini cows to the Quarter Horses. Whether you're looking for a cozy hoodie for barn chores or a fun tee for everyday wear, there's something for every animal lover.
Stay Connected With Katie Van Slyke
The best way to keep up with everything happening at Running Springs is to follow along on the platforms where I post daily. Here's where to find me:
- Facebook: @katievanslyke96 (my most active platform)
- YouTube: @katievanslykelife (long-form farm content, 1M+ subscribers)
- TikTok: @katievanslyke
- Instagram: @katievanslyke
You can also sign up for my email list to get updates on new merch drops, foaling season news, and farm updates straight to your inbox.
Keep Reading
If you enjoyed this FAQ, here are a few more posts you might love:
47 comments
I have followed you since pretty much day one.,
I love all your content and how educational they are. I grew up on the farm without animals and have learned so much from you.
I love the passion you have for all your babies.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful life with all of us.
Katie,
You and your family are an asset to the horse and cattle community.I have learned a lot from you about horses and I grew up on a farm with with horses and cattle.God has assigned you to tell the story of these magnificent creatures.Critics are there,but They are jealous of you and your skills.I tell them to get a life.I am 71 and retired and I watch you as much as I can
I love the content on your videos. I have noticed that you and Johnathan are hunters. I have hunted here in East Tennessee most of my life but never got into bird hunting. Now that I am getting close to retirement. I am wanting to try it. The help I need is I wish to buy a gun that can do both turkey and dove. When I ask around BPS or other stores I get different answers. I have found that if you want to know the real answer ask someone that does it. You get a more truer answer. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
I need to know. Everything I see says Seven has died. Is this true. I don’t want to believe it. It breaks my heart as if he were mine. Said he got colicky and was put down.
You are all in my thoughts and prayers.. Thankyou for all you did for Seven from his first breath to his last.. please take comfort in knowing you did the right thing.