Saturday, April 23, 2011

Newest arrival: Providencio



Do I sound like a broken record or what as I ramble and rant on every time a new foal is born? But wow--am I crazy about Providencio, pictured here 3 days old. He is the 4th in a row of the Destinada x Gitano Cross that I feel is the home run for what I want to achieve as a breeder. So now just wait another month or so for our last spring, 2011 baby from Karina.


Special thanks to Lucie in Canada who did one of those love at first sight experiences and will be the permanent mom for Principe, to become another Canadian. My other good news this week is that Isa took in her breeding to Wanapum so that we are doing well with getting the girls back in foal for next year. Two of the outside mares that were here to breed were confirmed in foal and went back to their homes. Got fertilizer down right before a light rain but still praying for alot more rain for our hay and pastures but mostly for the poor folks suffering and having losses from the Texas fires. Next week my Atlanta sister coming for a few days to help with mom and give me a little break---possibly I'll catch up so I don't do things like I did today--took about an hour's worth of photos of the babies in the pasture only to realize I had no card in the camera.....sleep will come. Worth losing it to have a colt like Provi 2!


Saturday, April 16, 2011

Happy days


If life could be better than having beautiful weather, things turning so green and new babies, I don't know if I could stand it. Pictured here (he is getting more than his share of posts!) is Principe enchanting a couple of young lady guests here this weekend. The horse lover in the blue shirt asked for a trip here from her home in Michigan as her birthday gift to get to be with animals. My kind of girl! Her cousin in pink is local and a regular visitor with her grandparents who board their horses with us. How else am I lucky? Well, besides having all healthy babies so far this spring, I have had buyers and some more folks being interested. Olivia (Bielsa x Gitano) leaves this week for Oregon. The following week Obriza (Destinada x Gitano) heads to Montana where Khan (Galisteo x Flama) already has his home. Picasso (Dehesa x Wanapum) will join Libertado, Nemo and Naxos here locally which is always a treat as I get to see how he will mature in person rather than through photographs. Dolly's total snuggle-bug daughter, Octavia (by Gitano) will be boarding here for a while longer, but ultimately will head to her forever home in Florida. But the long distance awards go to Padma (Ibiza x Gitano) and Odalisca (Karateka x Hereje) who will stay longer than is typical for foals, as they have a major journey to their new lives in Australia. Thank you to these wonderful buyers.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

So proud

For those of you that have been here, you may remember seeing the black plastic mess created for the frac tank for the gas well at the bottom of one of the mare pastures. The boys have worked so hard clearing and we finished our big fencing project to enclose the previous messy area to let the mares and babies, rather than us, do the mowing. The mares now stay down there, loving having a new spot to go to. Of course makes for farther to walk down to retrieve them! Flama graced us last night with a lovely solid bay colt. She is so consistent and I am grateful this one is a colt--I kept her last two fillies and looking at how pretty this colt is, I would have wanted to keep again if a girl so bravo, Flama, protect me from myself! Hada had a DARLING Wanapum colt. He has those big white rings around his eyes and a big blaze so alot of white that is irresistable to me. Sweet, sweet personality to go with. This morning, had a fun time. The Denton Convention Center has asked me for years to bring a tour group and I've always said no--I'm so busy in the spring but for some reason last fall I said okay. Could not have asked for a prettier weather morning and a group of just lovely people who I think were expecting a big show barn and some riding demonstration. Ride horses? Not us! Valente brought Gitano out and probably 40 of the 50 guests all raced up to him and stood hugging his neck, feeling his oily/beautiful coat, the texture of his wavy mane and tail and could not believe it when I told him last week he'd bred 5 mares and was this quiet. Then we brought out Isabelina and Principe, a couple of weeks old who again stood like statues with crowds of people, at least 20 of whom got to rub around on Principe's ringlet mane. Everyone wanted to crowd to the birth stall to see Flama's 8 hour old colt and of course neither the colt nor Flama was the least bit concerned for the sudden onslaught of people and instead, Flama just looked proud. I couldn't have been prouder and know my ambassadors left a great impression of the magic of iberian horses on all our visitors today.