Zoetic Quarter Horses

The weather for the last week has been simply gorgeous.  Below zero at night and well above zero during the day with plenty of sunshine and vitamin D .  The mares are shedding like crazy and Velvet and Tonka are in a bit of a competition to see who has the Fella baby first-so long as they both wait til the end of March I'll be happy.

Yesterday my good friend Kim and I travelled to Hillsburgh to see Fella and attend a clinic on AI'ing the mare and nutrition.  We were so busy with everything we were learning that only a quick visit with Fella before it began was available.  He was pretty happy to see me, gave me my hug, and loved his scratches.  He's not happy being on individual turn-out, I think he'll be pretty happy to be back hanging with Ryker and Max when he gets back.

Kim and I both worked on feeling out the internal of a couple of mares, felt the cervix, and were coached through the insemination process.  Kim got to see ultrasound use on a horse for the first time and the opening of 2 caslicks. 

The nutrition part of the clinic was incredible and Rene was great at answering questions and offer some suggestions to everyone's queries.  There are a few things that I fully intend on implementing in my feed program that I am very excited about, including the increased protein for pregnant mares not at 9 months but at 5 months gestation and adding something special that will microbind toxins that are found in hay and grain and prevent it from affecting the mare and the fetus.

I can't wait to post pics of the work that has been going on in the barn-warmer weather has meant we can finally get the work going.  I'm very happy with schematics and can't wait to usher the mares in to get them comfortable in the next week.

Everyone keep pulling for this sunshine and heat to stick around and get stronger so this white stuff can go buhbye.  It would be awesome to get these foals on grass before they are a month old.

The field's seem empty now that Fella has left to stand at the collection facility Iron Horse with Deb Ottier.  True to his classy nature he calmly checked out his temporary home and then set about to eating his hay.  I'll be sure to post updated pictures in a couple of weeks when we go down to attend a clinic as well as his semen evaluation at that time.

Fella's breeding in the OQHBF has been sold-this is a great futurity and gives even more value to your 2011 foal.  There is now only 4 available breedings remaining for this season.

I'm sure the girls will keep me distracted while he is gone~we are winding up for foaling and watching these little guys n gals kickin up a storm inside their momma's tummies as the mares start making themselves ready on the outside brings a big smile to my face.  Who's going to be the first?  My bet is on Honey but you just never know what kind of surprise Tonka has in store.

I managed to grab a few pics of the yearlings playing with Fella the day before he left and will get those pictures up in the next couple of days.  He's butt-hi again so I am pretty sure he's going to hit 16.1hh-a true gentle giant.  Until then, enjoy this picture I snapped of a fox last week.

The 2009 holiday season has finally wound down and things are getting back to normal.  What a great time was had visiting with some great friends and enjoying some delicious turkeys.  We pulled in a couple of movies-Avatar is a movie I highly recommend seeing in 3D...spectacular!!!

The snow returned New Years Day and the horses were all frisky as the temps rose a little.  I snapped a couple of pictures of the maniacs and the fresh snow in the background just makes them all the prettier.  It's hard to believe that lil Deena is now a 2 year old-they grow so fast

This is Whiskey-a fjordX that has been here for a couple of months.  He just loves playing in the snow and trees and it is easy to see he is certainly built to do it.

With the new year comes the date that Fella leaves for a couple of months for the 2010 breeding season.  Nominated for the Incentive Fund as well as 2 breedings through futurity programs (Ontario Quarter Horse Futurity and the Michigan Quarter Horse Futurity) breeding to him certainly will increase the value of your foals.

3 months until foaling starts up again~all are pleasantly plump and hormonally a force to be reckoned with.  The babies are kicking up a storm in their bellies, just as anxious to get out as I am to meet them.

There have been many enquiries about Fella and what the future holds for him.  While I have no problem talking about my boy I think it's important to realize what this young man has gone through to get to his Canadian home.

Fella was bred and raised for the first 18 months of his life at Fossil Gate Farms in Texas before being sold to the people I bought him from in Kentucky.  When I first saw pictures of Fella I was struck by just how handsome he was, even if he was a 'plain ole chestnut'.  I purchased him from these people but he had to remain at their farm to acquire another coggins due to a concern of strangles in the county.  I received numerous emails from the people, including one that said he'd make a great riding horse because they'd been on him before they sold him to me.  I didn't think much of it and was really excited when he was finally on the trailer with Linda Reinders at the wheel.  I've trusted her with many of my horses and have highly recommended her to others who have purchased a horse from me.

Fella arrived December 6 2008 on an extremely cold morning.  I met Linda eagerly and was shocked at what I found on her trailer.  To say Fella was skinny was an understatement, he had very little coat, rain scald from head to tail, mud caked on his legs up past his knees and hocks and was very standoffish.  Here are pictures from that day.

The process began of being triple blanketted and feeding as much as I considered safe to help him regain his weight.  He wintered well, gained weight quickly, learned how to socialize with the other young horses, and grew-which made it harder to get his weight balanced.

As you can tell by his fall pictures on his page, he has finally stopped growing long enough to have the weight sit on his frame.  While I have been encouraged by many people to get him in the show ring I am more than happy to just spend time with him.  His movement is absolutely divine and I had hopes to get him started under saddle but apparently, when the people in Kentucky were hopping on him, some damage happened to his back.  You can still see the swelling that lies just in front of his kidneys, though it has reduced significantly.  But his focus on riding is on hold indefinately.

You will not find a better natured horse.  He follows people around the field as they visit other horses, races around behind my son on his bike as he tears through the terrain, and keeps company while I am trimming back branches in the paddocks.  He seems to be the exception to his bloodlines in that he truly likes people.  His colour is anything but plain and is such a deep shade of blood red.

I cannot wait to see his first 2 foals in a few short months, from two exceptional mares.

He will be standing to limited mares in 2010 based on approval and will be nominated to one futurity.  All mares are shipped semen only.

Just a quick note to say thank you to all of the wonderful people who purchased a foal this season.  For all of those who inquired but missed out be sure to keep watch in April when foals by FG Fantasy Fella and Last Mighty Tink start arriving.

This fall has just been amazing!  We actually had a chance to do some camping the end of September while enjoying a concert put on with The Road Hammers, Aaron Pritchett, Jessie Farrel, and Toby Keith.

The weaned foals that still remain have adjusted well, and are ready to be blended back into the herd with their dams.  I was doing a quick reflection on 2010 foaling dates...wow! only 5 months to go.

Fella will be standing to approved mares with shipped semen only and Tink will be standing live cover only to the public.  Keep watch for early bird discounts to breed to this grand stallion with a proven sire record of futurity halter horses and competing horses. 

Yes, it is that time of the year...the time when sad baby cries fill the air.  The foals are being baby-sat by a new 2 year old filly, Perpetually Fancy.  This exceptionally well-bred filly carries Kid Clu, Sun Days Tradition, Perpetualism, and Cluition and is a very nicely built filly.  Pretty pretty headed, she is a SBP and has been shown in MI.  Updated pictures will be coming soon.

All the mares that were sold have now gone to their new homes and the sold foals will be leaving by the beginning of the month.  There are still 2 foals available for purchase-send an email to enquire. 

Rocki has been training under saddle, I'll get her page reloaded as soon as I get new pictures of her.  She is doing absolutely amazing under saddle and seems to enjoy her new job.

In 2010 only shipped semen will be available with no live cover.  I have found it neccessary to remove the stress of handling unknown mares and avoiding injury to either stallion is extremely important.  FG Fantasy Fella is private treaty to approved mares only, he endured our long drawn out photo session last week so keep watch for updated pictures.

Foaling season has offically ended with the arrival of one of the hottest colours in the AQHA industry today--grulla.  Poco Jean delivered a large strapping colt with such a pretty little head and legs that go on forever. 

With genetics like this-Max will make an amazing stallion prospect and be even more phenomenal under saddle.  His siblings have all gone on to do a variety of disciplines, one is even retained for an exhibit horse for clinician Jeremy Wells. 

Opting for later foaling for 2010, breeding season only just started a couple of weeks ago.  Mares are coming in and being covered successfully and people are falling all over themselves with Tink's look-his gorgeous head and exquisite eyes coupled with such a well muscled athletic body--is it any wonder why he's being so well received?  He's a dream to handle and this is known to pass on to the foals--the foals in 2010 will be just as nice-if not moreso-than this years.

I want to say congratulations to all the new owners of the foals and remind others that there are still a few left.