Interesting statistics

Well, at least interesting to me! I keep records of all kinds of things like number of days a mare foals each years and what sex offspring the stallions throw. As of this morning, here is what I have for ones born here or that I bred and heard the outcome of the pregnancy:

Pinturero: 13 fillies, 4 colts so 76.5% fillies
Remate: 30 fillies, 22 colts so 57.70% fillies
Gitano: 35 fillies, 29 colts so 54.69% fillies
Galisteo: 100% colts for the 3 babies here
Hereje: 21 fillies, 25 colts for 54.35% colts
Chulo and Wanapum: 50/50 colts and fillies

Has Spring Sprung?

We keep being teased that spring is here and then a random day of snow as last Saturday or this morning, way cooler than yesterday. But we are close! And the mares seem to know it.

Reported last entry that Fantasia had a long legged filly. Well, Nia as we have shortened her name, is one of the real lovebugs ever--so calm and it is a beautiful thing to watch how kind, gentle and patient Fantasia is as a mom.

The day after St. Pat's, Hada (Pinturero x Sweet Life Beliza who I sold last year) had a feisty and athletic colt. Literally came out and up with perfect balance, able to rear and buck within minutes of birth and cute as can be. His owner is naming him Centenario and they will be here until we get Hada bred again. Congratulations Carlos!

Last night, Fantasia's and Destinada's full sister, Galaxia who belongs to Donna Deyoung, had a giant and big boned Gitano colt here. Donna spent the night and Galaxia, a first time mom, is doing great and the colt has the loveliest profile and like his full cousin, Nia, is a sweetheart. The personalities that Gitano throws are just something to behold.

Congrats to Terrye who bought Gema and her Gitano colt last year. This year Gema had a Gitano filly. And a shout out to Karen in Oklahoma who bought Enebrina who had an Hereje colt--the last I heard the little speedster may be named Apollo after our US speed skater.

Other fun is that Lexie brought Luna H and Jiga H back to breed. It is more than wonderful to get to see our babies years later and growing up. Jiga is her mom over (Incauta) in personality and conformation with daddy (Hereje)'s head and will be bred to Wanapum. Luna is built more like momma (Enebrina) but really wow movement like dad (Remate) and will be bred to Gitano. Lexie's Esplendida (a full sister to Chulo) had a black filly this spring so Lexie is well on her way to becoming a babymaking and baby having machine!

Other great news is that Ibiza is confirmed back in foal to Gitano. Her Gitano colt this year is just what you hope to produce--size, hair, personality, color--the whole package and everyone who sees him, wants him though I sold him at just a few days of age. So having another one from this aging mare is such a gift.

Also bred Dehesa to Wanapum, Gentileza to Gitano, Nicole to Chulo, Conesa back to Wanapum for hopefully a carbon copy of Nacar and Isabelina back for 3rd year in a row to Hereje. Her first two, Mariska and Nastia are so different from one another but each wonderful so will keep making those although temptation is to try Gitano one year as Isa can throw color. It is so hard not to fall into the color trap even though all I care about is making the best baby possible and love the greys as much or more than the bay or black ones.

Mariska leaves for Oregon next week to her home and it sounds like Nydia will be heading to California soon. Nicodemo will go to South Carolina the end of April. Great for these N babies to go to their permanent homes as we've weaned the fall babies and need room for the new arrivals.

Next to foal, I predict, will be Flama, but boarder Maizie may sneak in. The first time moms are sometimes a little harder to predict--Maizie's will be the first half iberian here in a while and great fun to see as by Urucum, the stunningly wonderful chestnut lusitano that was here for a while before he found his permanent home in Michigan. With each one coming, there is some reason that he or she is the most special one ever!

No sleep so kind of punchy but happy, as always, in my favorite time of year. When the clouds part and rain stops, I'll get photos to make these blog entries a little more interesting.

I love St. Patrick's Day!

This is at least the 3rd or maybe 4th St. Patrick's Day where we have had a new life join us. Fantasia had a cutie pie of a filly this afternoon out in the pasture. I could express milk this morning but felt like she'd deliver tonight, so we put Fancy outside on a glorious day and shortly after lunch, she decided to deliver a tall and especially sweet filly. I started looking at Irish names (i.e. Maghnus, a St. Patty Day baby two years ago), but am instead drawn to another mythologic name: Ourania--probably shortened to Nia around here--a goddess/muse and the name meaning "heavenly".

Other good news is I have had two baby inquiry calls today alone so hoping spring will bring a flood of much needed buyers after a quiet winter.

We have weaned 5 of the fall babies and they are doing well with the coming yearling bunch, a couple of which will be heading to their permanent homes in the next month or two. Nemo and Nicodemo were gelded last week and doing well. I love geldings!

And yes, the rumors are true--I am putting my paradise/home for sale in the next month or so when I can get the yard and everything as ship-shape as I can. I laugh when people are emailing me asking if I am selling all the horses. If you know me, could I possibly sell all the horses? I cannot imagine life without them and so no, no, no--I am NOT getting out of the horse business but looking toward downsizing both the overhead and work of this big place and big house for something more manageable. I simply can't afford this place and know I'll find somewhere where the horses will be serene and happy that will be a huge relief from stress for me.

I won't start looking for a new place until this one sells as one can never predict how long or quickly that might happen. For sure, we'll stay as close by as possible as I love the Denton area and need to stay reasonably close for Valente's wife's work and lots of other reasons.

So as the green (mostly weeds) pops out, babies born, a real sense of new beginnings on many levels. Today, I am especially grateful to Fantasia for treating us to a wonderful filly.

I rode!

Next month will be two years from my foot injury and last rides. My lovely boarders have two safe and wonderful mares that I have gotten on a couple of times lately to walk a circle or two, but today is the first time I put my metal plate in a tennis shoe and got on Gitano. It was unbelievably windy, he just bred Dehesa last night and there are mares screaming in heat....maybe not the perfect scenario for me to become a beginner rider again but somehow one knows Gitano will take care of you. I chickened out after I felt that Gitano was more interested in the mare across from the fence than my lackluster cues in the front paddock and went into the roundpen and will do that a few times to get my sealegs and balance feeling back. I have to admit I was nervous. When I commented how big and strong Gitano feels, Valente said I was expecting a tricycle but I got on a motorcycle. Isn't that the truth! I simply cannot have any more injuries and so must take this in my not-usual way of being cautious but I AM going to get back to riding!!!!! How lucky to have a magical gentle giant to put up with me as I find my seat and confidence.

I am still totally enthralled with Fantasma's little Oaxaca and the dna came back with no grey gene so she is black on top of being a little enchantress. Interesting that Gitano threw three black fillies last year, all from non-black mares! One in Michigan, one for my friend Donna and now one here!

I hope the worst of the winter is soon over for everyone and the spring brings lots of green grass, a better economy and good things for us all. In the meantime, I'll stay glued by night to watching the Olympics and hopefully a little at a time, glued by day in a saddle.

A star is born!

Yee haw! Here are photos of one day old Oaxaca. A filly AND maybe black? Sending off dna so I won't drive myself crazy wondering if will go grey or will go black. First foal of Fantasma, mare that was sold as a baby and back here (not sure if forever or for a while) and by Gitano. Fantasma's owner is hopefully coming soon to see us all as even knowing how saintly Taz is, she has to see for herself what a calm and perfect mom Tax is.

This filly is so like her aunt, Enigma. Typically, I feel no two foals are ever really alike but both in her look and her personality, (and having been born on a rainy night!), she and Enigma are the closest I think I've ever had. A great thing since Enigma is one of the most wonderful soulful creatures ever. Something that comes from the Dehesa line gives an extra lovingness to these horses (see Dehesa grandson, Chulo, for an example).

Named for the State in Mexico, the starter of my O year, I had a feeling before birth it was a girl and had to have that name.

Thanks, Laurie, for entrusting me with Tazzie and the opportunity of welcoming this filly into the world. She has to be for sale but if black, sure would be tempting to keep to breed to Wanapum. I know, I know...I sound like a broken record.

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.