Foal Update!Finally I can get you all an update on the foals. With unfortunate results.
With only two months old, Puzzle has left us. We fought with her for a while as she developed regular colics and medication started to drop its help to leave the filly more and more with her cramps oftener and more severe every time. One night we simply couldnt help anymore and even the vet had no idea how to help, something just happened to be very wrong here.
Upon autopsy we got contacted to tell that she had some kind of tumor or wrongly developed digestive system that over the time started to desolve itself what ultimately led to her death and there wasnt anything we could have done about it. It was a gene defect and we are strongly advised to get a big genetic checkup on both parents, Blacky aswell as Dante. Though we do believe if it is something inheritable and slumbering genes in one of the horses if probably is Blacky, because Dante has two other healthy foals produced.
So we got that genetic screening for both and as excpected Dante was completely free from any suspiciouse DNA. Though we had a bad result for Blacky. Apparently its a recessive gene that rarely can become dominant while breeding and meeting a certain other gene. And thats what happened for the pairing of Blacky and Dante. That gene combination in which the defective gene becomes dominant leads to deformations and other phenotypical problems that are at this point not fully researched, but Puzzle's fate is one of them.
So we were advised to better not breed Blacky anymore, which leaves a very sad Viktor as he was already looking out for a broodmare career for his mare now that he is competing with Dante. We will probably get Blacky into a schooling horse, as she is not the fittest for competitions and unusable for breeding. Otherwise we only have one last option to sell her, but thats Viktors desicion then.
Until now we can only say: Rest In Peace little Puzzle!
But I dont want to leave you all with this tragic message, so here is a happy-windy photo of the two remaining foals, Cracker and Gemmy. Star is up for sale by the way, he has such a great potential that we did not want him to end up as our first plan as a schooling horse, he has been gelded and wil probably be awaiting a great show-horse career!
Meanwhile Cracker is like the protective big brother over Gemmy, looking out for any danger. He is also troubling our minds with all his shenanigans and bad habits, but otherwise we love him for what he is! And Gemmy is like that nerdy girl in class, trying to do everything to her best, always learning and always wanting to help. Whenever we ride Catt and practice Trail obstacles, Gemmy copies her and tries that too. Its lovely!
A helpless calling!Mathew and I were as usual once a quarter year visiting the local "Last Chance" Market. Horses get hoarded up here, some too old to be normally sold, some to sick or some penned together from seizures all aroudn the country because of various reasons. Mat is always looking for new projects and after Koda is now a healthy mare that is soon very close to her local chamption title and competing like a charm, he was looking for a new horse that he could help into a better life.
So this time we definetly were out for buying a horse instead of just looking and sobbing for their fates ending up in the hands of 'canners' and butchers. I am always so sad to see how many horses just out of bad luck had to end their lifes like this. But we cant safe them all and for some horses I also think its better to end than to pity and try to help when its already too late.
I was just walking casually around looking at the scared and poor conditioned horses, making a halt at the auction pen where a black tobiano stallion made his rounds, observed and eyed up by all kinds of people. He did not seem to be scared by large crouds, but rather by his own shadow, starting to turn around everytime he saw it and rearing up to avoid touching it. Mathew meanwhile was already 'lost' in the crowds of people further ahead from me. Its always the same, we go there together but we part and look for ourselves. But its better this way, because if we keep walking together we just keep being stuck at every single horse and start debating. Thats why I leave him go on his own if he is really looking to buy a horse. At the end its his horse then and he has to decide about it, my opinion better not needed.
I was walking further along the pens when suddenly Mathew came up to me with a bunch of papers in his hand! "We should get the Trailer ready, I bought two beauties with a great future!" he pushed the papers into my hands, his eyes glowing in happyness on how much he loved his new horses. At first view it were two bay mares, untouched and grabbed up after a ranch sale. Quarter Horse at breed and still pretty young! I was a bit worried, two horses at once? Gonna be a lot of work! "Dont worry, I called Vitja and asked him if he wants to help out, I told him about my awesome project. He is already waiting and prepping the roundpens and wash stall so we can get them clean right away! He is in love!" Mat came before I could even ask. He always knows my looks and knew I was worried. But if he can manage that, its not my business (I'd like to say, but its my Ranch he is buying these two for).
We went to the pen they were standing after we readied the Trailer and from afar I could hear a high pitched squealing in a corner, just to see a light bay mare kicking another mare, black in color, to keep her space in the crowded pen. Just right next to her a darker shade of bay, ears back and showing teeth against every horse coming closer. A moment later Mathew pointed at these two mares: "Thats them! We just need to get them out, luckily they kepp themselves at the back entrance right there!" he pointed again. Sure, but it says they are unhandled, this will be great...
I am better not talking about the rest of the whole 'loading up and unloading' part until we finally had them at Otter Creek Stables. Let me sum it up with I ended up having a big blue eye and a half broken rib now. Yes, thats how much I love Mathew and is silly Projects, its not hurting that bad, but it wil keep me from riding a few weeks. Hope Mat is aware of that and can train Twoface for the competitions! And still keep track of Maskys training and Ada and Theos riding lessons, everything next to his 'little' Project mares here.
On the picture I got you a view on how the darker bay mare looked like at arriving here. Dreaded mane, skinny, dirty and the tail was chewed away by the other horses. The light bay mare just looks similar, but way more anxious and scared of everything! This darker mare was told to be around 7 years old, at least knows halters and leading around, but after 3 years of untouched pasture time it was very hard for her. At least she seemed to know that we do her good. We cleaned her up and got her into the roundpen, wanted to proceed with the light bay mare but came to our limits. We had a hard time keeping her standing and not spooking around. She is 4 years old, with 3 years of pasture time she must have been a yearling and never touched assumingly. I couldnt take a picture of her due to the hard time keeping her standing an not trying to rip everything apart that kept her from standing in that area. But we also did not want to let ger go and try later as it would proove her behaviour right to break away from these situations. Somehow we got her cleaned aswell and got her to her friend in the roundpen.
Both, exhausted and alert standing close together, finally having time to scan their surroundings and find out where they have landed. We got their manes cut the most part, as it was just way to dreaded and full of sticks and straw to get it untangled. Its just way cleaner this way and new, healthy mane can grow. Aswell as the tails, we cleaned the most parts and cut away the few dreaded ones. They look so beautiful but way to skinny. I have to admit, Mathew made a good choice with these two lovelies, hopefully he can get something good out of them!
A big thanks to
Piper Chance for these two beauties to add to my project! They are awesome!
Official Day 1Its now the first official day for the two bay girls in their new home. Yesterday was just full of stress and confusion, today they already seemed to be way calmer. Standing there cleaned and just for them without any crowded place they would have needed themselves to defend. They sure still looked exhausted, but thats no woner if you think of how long they might have gone trhough all that stress on the auction pens.
Mathew got them fresh hay outside aroudn the water bucket and watched them for a while until he had to start training scedules for Masky and Twoface. So he went of, and guess who put out a blanket and started reading a book right next to the girls?! Ada! Her training lesson was in the afternoon, so she had the full day until then off and decided to join the two new girls. It just looks so peacful how slowly both mares gain trust and feel safer going to the food and wter even though Ada way laying there, and that for hours. And just look how cute it is, the lighter bay mare, we called her Blu for now because of her blue eyes (genetic tests are running to know if she maybe carries overo), trying to get to the carrots next to Ada, still way to unsure, but it seemed worth a try.
I bet that Mathew will speak up to her if she wants to help him, she really seems to have a natural draw for the mares that could help a lot to get them haltered and trained later on.
Butts!"We like big butts and we can not lie!"
Jup, we are stockhorse breeders. And we love our big booties! And I just had to take that picture of the crew getting their horses and readying them for a trailride. Theodores first trailride, but there are more than enough experienced riders with him so I am not worried. Left to right:
Oakie Smart Lena, Mathews cute girl.
BVR Levitating Gun, Theo's riding girl.
Drovers Some Sparks D Luxe, my baby Twoface, today ridden by Viktor.
RL Sheza Perfect Illusion, Ada's riding horse.
And D/Z Ima Dun It Diamonds, ridden by Tiffany.
And me, staying at home with my damn rib. Whatever, I can watch the bay girls chill out in the roundpen and gain a bit more trust with them.
