Happy New Year

Wow--2010 has started off with a bang. Literally. My first January day to work, had a carwreck on the way home but not hurt and other driver's insurance seems to be acting appropriately so hoping to get my car fixed this week.

A photoshopped image of Hereje is the cover of a 2010 calendar--in fact, his image is on 4 of the different months for anybody that may have his offspring and wants a neat keepsake. It continues to be fun that Bob Langrish gets good shots of my horses and uses them on so many magazines, books and calendars. Bob will be back in April and I yearn for some great shots of Wanapum.

Speaking of the devil, Wanapum's dressage lessons are really coming along and we just learned that Habana is in foal to him for an October, 2010 foal. Since most of my mares are either too pregnant to ship or have a baby at side, I have, sadly, added Habana to my sale list as some money just has to come in soon. Habana's last year's filly, Niagara, heads to her permanent home in Las Vegas on Jan. 29.

I have two boarder horses and surprise to noone, I adore them both. I'd love more boarders for the income, but only people and horses that I adore. Not too picky, huh?

Somehow, knowing the whole country has had an all-time cold winter makes our weird weather more bearable (as is knowing EVERYONE is suffering from the economy) so spending time on inside projects when not de-icing buckets. In next couple of weeks, am replacing the entire roof on my house and so inside, have started painting and spiffing up. Added a page to my website for sale stuff as cleaning out closets and realizing how much stuff I have accumulated that we never use.

The next mare, Fantasma, due to foal isn't looking terribly close yet and as the fall babies are getting to be big and independent, I am ready for new ones, as always. Then maybe Fantasia and Karina due in March when Hada will be back here to foal out and rebreed--can't wait to see her again. Also will be foaling out one of Donna's mares---since I don't have nearly as many as I used to, I'm importing extras to be part of those wondrous births!

I sincerely wish each of you a prosperous and healthy, happy 2010.

In with the new!

At the same time that I know I was terribly fortunate compared to 99% of the world in 2009, I can't help but think 2010 will be a better year ---no surgeries!

Has a nice holiday season with lots of folks around and my favorite extra time with my local niece and nephew, I was ready for holiday to be over and to move on. We've had a tougher winter so far than most Texas winters---lots of subfreezing temps and some ice and snow so my poor guys are working harder than anyone should have to---I am of little or no help these days.

Last week a superquick visit with my friends who drove down from Michigan---they brought down a new wickedly wonderful TB/draft cross mare for my boarder friends--has been too yucky to ride since she arrived but she ought to be a fun horse to have and one I'll be in love with. The friends took home the lovely and special Integra, the lippizaner mare another friend was looking for a home for---I believe her partnership with Kaitra in Michigan (a GORGEOUS rider) is going to be magic. They also headed out with my precious Maximus (black mini). He didn't have a job here and up there, at a farm with lots of kids and riding lessons and a family with 3 under 4 years old, he'll be busy and important. I sobbed my eyes out walking him to the trailer but he looked quite happy as if he knew a more fun destiny lay ahead. So one more down, lots to go of the ones that aren't imperative to my existence to stay here!

A goal in 2010 is to further cut back on number of horses---lessen the amount of work and overhead now that I am physically doing alot less. The problem is which ones when there isn't a single one that I feel like could leave without a hole in my heart. What a big baby. Most people have one if any horse!

Poor Valente was making huge, huge progress with both Chulo and Wanapum and now we hit weeks of no footing, no time for him to ride but perhaps is nature's way that the horses get vacations from work too. We bred Habana to Wanapum and will be checking to see if she took---haven't had great luck this fall but the weather certainly has messed with the mare's cycles. But Wanapum, having not bred in a whole year, was wonderful to handle and went right back to work so is meeting all my stallion behavior requirements, as we hoped he would!

I hope each of you had a great holiday and that this year is your best ever.