Anyone heading to or from Oregon?

Yippee! A natural horsemanship instructor has chosen Olivia (pictured above). Every time another horse hits the horsey lotto by having a gentle and understanding owner, I breath a sigh of relief. This gentleman will be driving down to pick Olivia up from Oregon and therefore, would be available to pick up horses heading this way from his area (northern California, Utah, Oregon, etc) or, would love to have a horse or horses to accompany Olivia for her trip from here in North Texas to Oregon. If you are shipping any horses probably end of April/more likely beginning of May, please let me know so I can hook you up.

Picture is Principe today at 3 weeks old. Boo hoo. I can't keep him--makes zero sense when I have Gitano, may keep Gitano's son, Macanuo, and this guy also related to all the Remate girls.... Tons going on. Thankfully, compared to last spring, way more horse inquiries. A lady/now friend from Florida is buying Dolly's Octavia and a big sigh of relief that this super-special soul will go to a great, great home and bonus that sounds like she will be staying here to grow up in big pasture with pals for a long time. Fantasia had the giantest ever colt last week by Wanapum. I know I've said before "this is the biggest one ever" but this one is off the charts. Quiet, gentle personality and just got back dna that he can produce color even though he'll be grey. Am not going to offer him for sale until I see if Karina has a colt or filly. Named him Paladin. Macanuo is revised as of last week and do not recall ever a revision experience where the spanish representative raved about one. He was better behaved than I even hoped at another farm where there were mares every direction--there was nowhere to face him that he wasn't looking at a pasture of mares. Hada is back! What a special horse she is and will always be welcomed here. I doubt she'll foal for another week or so but I'll be right there with her when she does. Her owner is going to wait and see what this Wanapum foal is like before deciding who to breed her back to for the 2012 foal. Dixie, Disney, Nobleza and Luna also visiting to breed and possibly two new boarders arrive this weekend. Horses everywhere--what is better? I can think of nothing. This year's babies seem so special and how fortunate I am to feel that way after so many years and so many babies. Padma is such an old soul and so sensible and I did not intend to get attached as I can't possibly keep another Ibiza daughter when I already kept two. But attached, impossibly, I am! Perfeita is just conformational perfection and you just have a time taking your eyes off of her. Picasso is unlike any we've ever had before from a looks perspective and Principe is the in-your-face personality like Oaxaca was from day one. Prisca has a great personality plus the "it" factor movement and drama that I love and now Paladin is statuesque beyond belief. Each so special, I can hardly stand it! Next week have a Denton Chamber of Commerce bus tour of barn group coming to educate themselves on andalusians. Have avoided doing this for years but figure opening my gate to introduce some folks to these horses and babies is the least I can do in thanks for having these horses to begin with.

Picasso?

Gorgeous, noble Dehesa is beyond compare. Her wonder-colt dna confirmed nongreying so is black and sold within a week of being born. Good friend and past buyer Diana had to have him but ix-nayed my chosen name Procopio. Since I held off sending in this guy's registration waiting on his dna to confirm his color, it wasn't too late to change his name and so far, Diana is leaning toward Picasso. Since this guy is a living work of art, sounds perfect to me.

For anyone who likes to spread misinformation about the market for sp's, I have 13 pre's or ANCCE eligible horses for sale and this makes 3 out of the last 4 sales to have been instead, my sp's. That buyers want quality horses rather than certificates assures me that these horses are being treasured for who they are.

Another mare arriving today to breed to Hereje and otherwise, we plod along with a fencing project and trying to get winter hair off all these horses that are shedding by the handsful. Hada should be coming back in the next week or so to foal out here and be rebred. I will always welcome this lovely and gentle friend and since I am a new foal addict, the opportunity to experience another new life.

Life is good.

My Prince has arrived

I should probably wait until he is dry before I rant on like a mental patient, but I am beside myself with Isa's colt! Tried my non-editing skills to take out the white eye from the flash so his eye looks smaller in this photo at about 10 minutes old than it really is. I just felt that this colt was coming and would be special and he seems to be--so calm and big, strong and sturdy. His name is Principe. Not the most original name perhaps, but the only one that possibly suits him.

Principe is a very mahogany color and has the curliest tail and mane I think we've ever had. I won't sleep a wink tonight, I am so excited about him.

Since my last post, Dehesa also had a colt--waiting on dna to verify but we think he may be black? Number 19 for Dehesa---is there a better broodmare in the world? This fellow, Procopio, has a splendid personality and is so balanced and square. Looks like will have the topline of his daddy, Wanapum. It will be wonderful to watch this guy fill in and I predict turn more beautiful by the day.

5 babies for 2011 so far--all healthy and each so unique. Ibiza's filly, Padma, continues to seem to be telling us she wants to be a hunter---loving to canter or walk and jumping things for no reason at all. She is very friendly and very independent from her mom. Gentileza's filly, Perfeita is about as pretty as a baby gets and something so sane about the energy she exudes. Conesa's filly, Prisca, is superstar material. Tall, statuesque, dramatic and I'm betting will be a mover extraordinaire so should go to someone to train to her potential which I see as very high level dressage, but I'll whine about wanting to keep her. Prisca bred to Principe. OMG!

Fantasma should be next to foal later in the month.

A couple of Gitano's dates for the spring arrived last weekend so breeding time will begin any day now. Both of the mares are ones Gitano has bred before and it is always great to do repeat business as we are all used to one another. Also had a lovely human guest over the weekend visiting from Florida, who I enjoyed very much. Karina's prior owner is scheduled to come next weekend and I am grateful for the beautiful weather as well as all the lovely people that the horses bring into my life.

Heading back outside to not let Isa and Principe have any privacy. I can't keep my hands off of him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or Isa! These mares are never more beautiful than when they glow right after foaling. How proud they should be.

Filly mania

I can't believe how lucky I am! Conesa delivered this spectacular filly last night about 9:30. Prisca is her name and she is Wanapum's second filly. 12 of the last 13 being girls--sometimes you do get what you ask for---all my years of always wishing for girls.

Prisca is photographed here at about 15 hours old.

Isa should be next and hopefully soon! I am predicting hers will be a colt so will see if I am wrong in making such a prediction!

Loving February

February has been a very lucky and wonderful month (so far anyway??). Pictured here is the first P baby. Ibiza had another bay by Gitano--this one so different than last year's Naxos in that she is so feminine so needed a girly name and thus Padma. I'm a fan of Top Chef and it means "lotus flower". I think is a lovely name for a lovely filly. Looks like is going to be an athlete and charming.

Following last year's string of fillies, our second February foal is a girl: Perfeita out of Gentileza and by Gitano. Long, long legs and a gorgeous neck and head, "perfection", her name, seemed to suit. In some ways, she reminds me physically of what Gitano looked like as a baby but her head and neck are more Remate. So probably need to give it more than 12 hours of age to wait and see who she is going to most favor.

This week I also enjoyed a quickie visit from Gina from Pennsylvania who honored us by choosing the moving machine a/k/a Onemisio. Another great home and I'm excited and looking forward to the magical things Gina and Onemisio will do together--he'll be gelded and a dressage/exhibition-demo horse. Perfect for one with such movement and athleticism!

Recent sales also include my friends/boarders' horses that I am pleased found perfect homes. The chestnut luso filly will be here until fall when she'll head to Seattle, Washington and a lovely owner/FEI rider. Maizie, the big and gentle TB/draft cross went to Michigan and the azteca, Micaela, will be here in Texas near Mansfield. I will miss the riding girls to whom I've grown so attached but happy they'll be enjoyed and ridden.

As I have so many fewer producing mares than in the past, I am once again going to be doing some outside breedings, preferably to nonandalusian mares and via live cover. That and foaling the rest of the babies and getting the mares back in foal will keep us hopping this spring.

Weather is wacky. One day we are putting up heated water buckets and cable-tying wood over all the stall openings because it is in the teens and in a week, tearing it all down and putting fans back up. How these horses stay healthy is beyond comprehension and a testament to how hearty they are.

Mom and I have found more of a routine and doing well. Thanks to all who have asked about how mom is doing.

Happy holidays, 2010

A bittersweet holiday season for my family. Thanks to all the folks who have wished us well. My wonderful father passed away on November 17th. My sister and nephews from Atlanta came as did my sister and niece from California and we had a very small, informal gathering at my dad's golf course where he belonged for so many years. A long and blessed life by any standard--60 year marriage, 30+ years with his company from which he retired and 4 children and 5 grandchildren who adored him and a painless passing but still a huge loss to those of us who loved Dad.

My mom has moved in with me and we are adjusting--me from my solitude and selfabsorbed schedule of not having anyone around to worry about meals and such--mom to giving up her home of 37 years and many of her things. She has her own "stuff" set up in the barn apartment that is quite charming, actually, but spends most of her awake time in my house so I can monitor better.

On to horsey news, we continue to be charmed by the enormous Dolly x Gitano filly born in October, Octavia--fearless and friendly and just makes one smile. Next came Onemisio (pictured with my xmas decorations that my dad made years ago with this entry) and this is a little powerhouse! Someone wanting the old style shorter, big round necked stallion will fall for this guy and talk about movement. Gasp is all I can say. The last but not least of our fall group is Odalisca, Karateka's first filly and by Hereje. As would expect, Odalisca is calm, big boned and just uncomplicated and feel-good like her line of Kara, Estepa, Marengo, et al. It sounds trite, but I do count my blessings when 3 come out in good health and each perfect in his/her own personalities and body styles.

Apologies to everyone that I am so behind in corresponding or getting back to. Selling my parents' house which seems impossible to empty, helping mom adjust, breeding back, getting some horses on their way to new homes, xmas shopping and decorating and the rest (oh yeah, law practice in there somewhere!) has me feeling a bit overwhelmed so thanks to everyone for understanding. I know your holiday season is equally as busy and I hope a happy one.