April 4, 2008

I think this has been the worst winter that I can remember as far as raising babies is concerned.   There is no way that I can get the mares and foals outside during the day because the snow has ice under it.  They have to take turns going out in the arena to play and with the veterinarian working out of our barn, we have to take the arena down every other day so that they can collect stallions.  It will be so nice to be able to get them outside all day.  There is definitely something to be said for late babies in Wisconsin.

One of my best friends, Jackie Hardwicke from Australia and her good friend, Jackie James came to visit me.  They spent 2 days here and then we flew to Kentucky to look at the stallions.  Another great friend, Vicki Benker met us there.  Lanis drove up from Mississippi the following day and we toured some of the breeding farms.  Jackie, Jackie and I  drove to Grace Bertons the afternoon we got to Kentucky.   I was the designated driver as the Australians drive on the opposite side of the road.  Well, I do not fancy myself as a good driver---in fact, Mike never lets me drive.  We did make it but it was thanks to the GPS and Jackie directing me.    Grace Berton and I have been friends for years and she and I were best friends with Dudley Pillow.  We were all “Cool Skip fans” and we would discuss breeding and blood lines for hours at a time.    I tell Grace that she is my hero for packing up and moving Sir Cool Skip and Cool Stylin Star to Kentucky, along with several of her Sir Cool Skip mares.  I truly believe the Kentucky deal is the way to go but I am just too old to move there.     Sir Cool Skip looks great!!   I hadn’t seen him in years and his muscle definition is incredible and he definitely is  not showing his age.  The Sir Cool Skip daughters and Grace’s young stud, Style are what a breeder dreams of producing.    What a great program she has going for her.

The next morning, we went to Triple C Ranch and Lanis met us there.  It couldn’t have been a more pleasant experience.  Kari and her husband Dave, along with Eric Creeley and Pam were hosts extra-ordinary.  David Creeley even made the trip to be there while we were there and to top it all off, Grace Berton also joined us for the “tour”   What an operation they have.  We were very impressed with all of the stallions that were there. Caribbean Kid exceeded our expectations.  Of course, I am partial to him because I raised his mother and still have his grandmother.  He has so much hip and is so pretty and besides that his disposition is unbelievable.  I don’t think I have seen more front end on a stallion as there is on Seriously Secure and Mighty Clue truly resembles Caribbean Kid in mass and pretty but with color.  Both Jackies decided that they want to export frozen semen from Caribbean Kid to Australia.  Another stallion that impressed me was Courtnay’s stud, Stylizer.  I had seen him a year ago and he has matured so much since then and has really made a nice horse.  Last and of course not least was Western Sundown.  As you know, I raised him and sold him to Terry and Karen Sartain.  What a beautiful animal he has grown into.  He is a full brother to Kids Classic Gal, the dam of Donna from this year and he is also a full brother to the filly out of Dandy Dee Gal.  All in all, every stallion on the place is really a nice individual and you would have to choose the one that best fits your mare if you decided to breed her there.

From Triple C, we made the trip to Paris, Kentucky and visited Xalapa Farm, which is owned by Mac and Linda Crawford.  Talk about heaven, this has to be it in Kentucky.  The scenery and facilities are beyond belief---it is like being in a fairytale world.  I don’t know if you are aware of it,  but Connie Mason and her husband Zane are there.  Connie was the manager for Chip Knost for years and they don’t come any better.  I was so impressed with The Finest Mocha.  He has matured so much and has so much size and pretty to him. His babies are carbon copies of him and Mac is so lucky to have two gorgeous colts out of JMK Blink Blink, who he had to put down recently.  Elusive Kid looked really good too but the Australians were more interested in the NN stallions so we spent more time looking at his get and him.  Mac invited us to come back and believe me, I am going to take him up on his offer as I would love to spend a whole day there just looking at horses.

The next morning, Vicki flew back to Florida and  Lanis, the 2 Jackies and I went to Clint Fullertons.  He was a wonderful host and we really enjoyed our visit.  Of course, by then the weather had changed and it was raining.  Thank goodness we had 2 beautiful days before then.  I loved TD Kid.  He is double registered and NN besides.  I guess I am a little partial as his dam is out of the mother of Skips Shane, which fits right in my program. This is the first time I had met Clint and our group was impressed with his horse knowledge and willingness to take the time to show us whatever we wanted to see.  They dropped me off at the airport and I  flew back to “good old Wisconsin” that afternoon.  Lanis took the “Jackies” to Memphis so that they could “tour” Graceland before they flew to Texas the next day.  All in all, it was a wonderful visit and it was just good to get away from our farm for a few days.  I am thankful for all the wonderful friends that I have and Being able to spend time with them was so great. I am looking forward to November when both Jackies will return for the World Show.  Jackie Hardwicke and I are like sisters and we keep in touch via email but it just isn't the same with her in Australia. 

Now, back to the things going on at Ellis Quarter Horses---the babies are growing and there is not one of them that I am disappointed with.  I think this is the best crop that we have had.  I cannot decide which filly I like the best and of course, Fred is something else.  Our weather was nice for a day and I was able to get pictures of 3 of them.  I will have them on their pages and also on the news page.  As soon as we get another break, I will get pictures of the others.  It is hard to believe but the “next batch” is due to foal the end of this month.  Shanes Lady Romantic and her recipient are next.  Both foals will be by Malibu Ken. The last baby will be The Finest Mocha foal out of Miss Bunny Tardee whose recipient is due the end of May.  At least the weather will be better by then,--it had better be.  

Sandy  

P.S. Please check out the foals page. New pictures 4/2/08.

March 3, 2008

Babies, babies, babies!!!!!   I know that I am way behind on the news but unlike last year when we only had two foals, it seems as though they are coming like rabbits this year.   One thing about it, we have the most awesome foal crop that I think we have ever had.   Let me begin by telling you about each of them---and there are six!!!!!

First of all, the palomino stud colt out of Miss Bunny Tardee is unbelievable.  I was afraid that he would be HH as I bred NH to NH.  The reason that I did it was since the mare is 23 years old and  throws so much body on her foals, I wanted to try her once on the stallion that I consider has the most body in the industry today, Kids Classic Style. My intention was to breed muscle to muscle and see what I would get.  Of course I assumed that since it was early in the year, I would just breed her on her next cycle to an NN stallion and would be set.  Well, it was June before we were able to get another embryo out of her.  That one will be by The Finest Mocha.   Fred, as we call the baby, had me sweating for about a week and a half as I was so nervous to get his HYPP status back from UC Davis.   Imagine my surprise when he came back NN.   Believe me, he looks just like his NN half sister, You Bet Im Cool.   The trouble is that I have been so busy that I haven’t had time to take up-to-date pictures of him.  I promise that I will soon----sure wish I could get them outside but due to the snow and ice, that is impossible.

On February 15, everything started to just explode around here.   Cooleah had a chestnut filly by Kids Classic Style.   The filly wasn’t due until March 7, but then this mare always foals early.   Unfortunately the navel did not close and  the filly was quite sickly in the beginning.   We were afraid that we would have to take her to Madison to the University Hospital but Dr Fox, being the miracle worker she is, was able to get her turned around at our farm. Of course that was during the period when we were having the large amounts of snow.  The filly did develop navel ill in one joint and we are still treating her for that.

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Then on Saturday morning, February 16, as I was walking down the aisle to treat the baby, I glanced across the aisle and there was a bay filly in the stall with Janie (Kids Classic Gal)   The mare foaled early and we were nervous about her as she is a maiden mare but the filly was just standing there healthy as can be.  Well, we do have one problem.  Janie, being the prima dona that she is, has decided to only let her nurse if she faces the same way as Janie.  The poor little thing has to crank her neck around to drink.  Besides that, she is not giving a lot of milk, so I have been supplementing the baby with Buckeye milk replacer.   The directions say to leave the milk replace in the stall and the baby will drink it----however, Janie must think she is a baby as she was devouring it.  So, that leaves me, holding the pail while the baby drinks.  Right now, we are calling her Donna but I don’t know for sure if that name will stick.  She looks like a carbon copy of her mother. 
 

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That left me with a break until February 22.   On that day, Shanes Night Lady, who we call Angelica, had a chestnut filly by Kids Classic Style. Of course, since the mare is gray, you never know if the filly will stay chestnut or turn gray.  Mike is calling her Georgie  as she was born on George Washington’s birthday.  Talk about elegance and class.  This filly is huge and has that special look about her.
 

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Three days went by and it was February 25.   I walked out in the barn and there was a chestnut filly in the stall with Dandy Dee Gal (PDS)   Talk about surprise.   This mare always goes 3 weeks late and she showed no sign of being close to foaling and here was a baby---filly besides---born 4 days early.  Penny as we call her, is a full sister to Janie and Barbie and Western Sundown.  She is tall and elegant and I just love her.  
 

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Last but certainly not least, we had another filly---this one a palomino out of That Perfect Clu (Sally) and JMK Malibu Ken.  This one was born on February 28. We knew she was going to foal but it took both Mike and I to pull the baby out of the mare.  Then to top it all, the mare got very colicy and despite banamine, Mike had to hold the baby out of the way so that Sally wouldn’t roll on her.   He has been calling her Goldie.  She is a sight  to see with her long legs and gorgeous head and big hip.

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Now, when will I have updated pictures of all of these babies?   As I said I would like to be able to get them outside in order to get really clear ones.  I will try to at least keep them up to date in the stalls and perhaps if the lighting is good enough, in the arena.  I have a break now as we are not expecting any more foals until the end of April.  I didn’t ever in my life think that would make me happy, but I guess I am just getting too old to be going from morning to night taking care of babies.   I usually have them halter broken at a few days of age, but this year, the only one that leads even halfway is Fred.

Guess I better get back to the “nursery”    Poor Coco has been put on the back burner as I have no time to spend with her.  I just put her outside during the day and in the barn at night.  When spring comes I will be able to get the “kids” outside and that should help.  

Sandy