Current News and Happenings!
2006
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Jan. 16 - Yep! I'm catching up around here and trying to get my website updated with all the new info. (Read here that it's a whopping 10 degrees this morning so I'm procrastinating going outside...) So don't be surprised to see some changes here in the next week or so. I've put 2005 into the archives, swept the place clean and I'm getting everything ready for 2006 to really get going. Of course the big news is Al's arrival. We're still waiting, the shipping company hopes to pick him up in Nevada later this week and bring him right home. Hopefully the weather will not interfere and we'll see him here very soon. I'm extremely excited about him, and we've already started booking outside mares to him. Several people have asked if we'll be showing him and the answer is that we'll wait and see. I'd love to, but it's going to depend on how well we click and how much time I have to get horses ready. Right now, my main show priority for the year is Mischief and Scarlet. I'd also like to get Zack back out there and get him sold. I'm not sure I want two stallions around here just now!
Other news, we have 3 foals coming this Spring, starting in March. All three are by Zack and he also has one outside futurity foal expected in Canada. Should be a nice colorful year for us! I'm hoping to see the economy pick up this year and find some good show homes for our stock we have for sale, and line up a good foaling season for next year.
Whew! February came and went in a bit of a blur!!! Seems Winter couldn't decide if it wanted to stay or go and we had a whole lot of mud that recently turned into ice here. Finally got some good snow towards the end of the month but it seems to have a hard time sticking around for long.
Al finally arrived on Valentine's day which was kind of neat, if a long time in coming. We are absolutely thrilled with him. Such a gentleman!!! A great horse to work with and around and I think he's going to fit in here really well. I can't wait to see what he will give us in foals...
We're nearing our first foaling. Red is bagged and waiting. Don't know what she's waiting for but I suspect some really bad weather or something...seems they always do that! Chris is also making a bag, though she isn't due until the 2nd of April, but that's par for the course when it comes to her. I expect she'll likely foal right there near her due date. KC is just getting fatter! But she's got a ways to go still so that's right where she should be also.
Mar 2 - We're still waiting. Red is very close, but just not quite there yet. Of course she could pull a surprise like she did last year so we're keeping a close eye on her. Chris and KC are both just plugging away, getting fat and doing well. Al is hanging out, just being himself, and hopefully we'll be getting some mares in heat here shortly to give him a little something better to do. So I'll update as soon as I have some news!
Mar 13 - Our first baby for the year arrived this morning, healthy, strong and with no complications - just the way we like it! As an added bonus, the color fairy seems to have found her way back with fireworks as this guy is a beautiful snowcap complete with lightning marks and white-tipped ears. Darn near to perfect if you ask me! And very muscled and tall, definite halter prospect! We've named him Max and can't wait to see how he unfolds and grows!
Chris is due next and doesn't look overly close but things can change quickly! After this first one, I'm really excited to see what else we have coming this foaling season!
Mar 20 - First day of Spring! Not that you can tell it here, as we had a couple inches of snow last night, and a couple more the night before. Of course it isn't prone to sticking around or anything and they are saying we're going to get some warmer weather moving our way towards the weekend.... we can hope!
Nothing exciting on the foaling front, Chris isn't looking to go any time soon. Max is growing, very full of himself and just one handsome little dude. He has that "Moon" look to him complete with the little head cock he does that reminds me of some of his kin folk that I have known.
Al is doing great, and I'm enjoying spending time with him. We're working on rebuilding a couple of paddocks so he'll have a whole lot of room to play here shortly. Until then he's been making do with turn out in the round ring.
Mar 27 - Yep, Zack's second colt made his arrival up in Canada. What a cutie! Well, we sure can't complain about Zack's color production, that's for sure. It occurred to me the other day that all 4 mares we bred him to are minimally roaned mares, so it's great to see him producing such striking blankets.
Here on the homefront we're still waiting. Chris is not seriously bagged and I'm beginning to think she's going to go over, which for her means a colt. KC isn't all that showy yet either but she still has time.
We're holding our breaths on our first breedings to Al. Red is in foal heat and she and Coyote both are sitting on 37 mm follicles and not going anywhere fast. Very frustrating!!! Hopefully they are just waiting on Spider to catch up with her smaller follicle so we can get them all three bred on one collection - wouldn't that be something! I'm all for less hassle, with maximum efficiency!
April 19 - KC foaled a beautiful chestnut filly this morning! She's still unfolding and drying out as I type and we'll get her out in the sunshine this morning and get some pictures. She has snowflakes over her hip and is quite the big girl!
Turns out that the bag changes we were seeing in Chris probably were due to heat cycles...as she is open. Not sure when or how she lost that baby as we had her up here in the barn and by the house all winter but she's sneaky that way. And of course being convinced she was still carrying, I saw "pregnancy" and not "heat"...but we're back on track and she's coming up on her 14 day ultrasound to see if she's carrying an Al baby for next year!
May:
June 23 - Well May came and went! Didn't get a chance to sit down and type hardly at all! June almost got away also but I am sneaking in some time here to just catch up with a few things. Trying to get our "for sale" horses updated to get them moved on along in their lives. We have gelded Zack, Emmett and Sam in the last several weeks, and Zack has already moved on to his new home, but not before we had ridden him several times and he looked to be well on his way to being a "real" horse. Our next "project" will be Tex, who I'll bring up and remind him of his ground work here in the next week or so, and then Travis will ride him. I'm not allowed on the greenies this year as we are due with our next human baby in November. This will be our last leadliner :) So things will be hectic here, and we're looking to lower our numbers for the next year or two if possible just to make the load a little lighter on me. So if you know anyone looking for a show prospect, send them our way!
Speaking of show prospects, Max will be leaving here shortly, we're weaning him this weekend. His new owner, Meredith Kelson of Flying Pig Appaloosas will have him showing with Doug Mileham so be on the lookout in the Leading the Nations list! I suspect he'll be showing up there before too long.
We have completed all our initial preg checks, but still have our 45 day checks to complete. Our mares were less than cooperative this year for some reason. The one 45 day one that is complete, Chris, came up open. Seems she has some cysts that hung around and caused problems this year. We're going to wait and see what next year holds but it's highly likely that she may be done with her breeding years. The kids have been riding her lately instead. At two weeks, we have Red, Cameo and Coyote bred to Al but I'm thinking Cameo did not hang onto hers....no harm hoping until the ultrasound though! Magic is carrying Zack's last foal and is due first, in early January so she's already getting a bit pudgy. Rita is bred to a Paint stud, The Quintessential, and we're excited to see what she will have.
Hay is on the ground as we speak, and yes, the skies are looking a bit suspicious! We've been trying to get fence repairs done, pastures mowed, hay up and horses worked...it's a never ending mess! Al's remodeled paddock is almost complete - still needs a bit of tweaking but he's out in it and loving life. He lost a bit of weight his first week out because he paces the fence when the mares are off in the back of their pastures but he's starting to settle down a bit and get used to their coming and going. I keep telling him breeding season is done for the year but he has high hopes!
July:
Eek! Where did the year go??? I will definitely have to do a whole lot better next year! I'm cleaning up the site, getting ready for a busy 2007 breeding and foaling season, and hopefully an even busier show season. We now number an extra potential leadliner...Quillan Burl was born on the 29th of November. Typical colt - born late! But he was worth the wait.
Other than that, there's not much to report. Foals will be arriving soon, Al is looking forward to doing his "job" in the breeding shed, my kids are talking about trail rides and showing...look for a wild and crazy year in 2007!!!
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