"Horses are not my livelihood, they are my passion" says Bucky. Bucky and Nancy Sparks have owned and operated Sparks Plumbing and Heating for twenty six years. They have seven employees. The shop specializes in hot water heat, new construction and repair work.

The Sparks have three grown children. Two sons, both journeyman plumbers and a daughter studying for a PHD in molecular biology at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg Germany.

Bucky and Nancy purchased Walking the Dog Ranch in 1994 and began their journey in earnest to produce and train naturally gaited, quality Tennessee Walking Horses. "We would be out on hacks with an entourage of four dogs and we would laugh and say, we aren't riding, we're just walking the dogs." Thus, the name, Walking the Dog Ranch.

Nancy and Bucky both are students of natural horsemanship, reining, and dressage.  Combining the three disciplines, they have developed a training system they call B.L.E.S.S. which is an acronym for balance, looseness, engagement softness and soundness. "A sound mind and body make for an ideal mount," says Nancy.

Bucky travels throughout the U.S. and Canada giving clinics for horses and riders seeking to fine tune their equestrian experience.  Click these links to learn more about hosting a clinic, attending a clinic, or placing your horse in training.