Wrave Comes Home!

After leasing the amazing mare Wrave (Wallstreet Kid - Garibaldi II) for four years to breed, the sweet Hanoverian left for Canada for four more years where she produced two additional Hanoverian foals.   Now Wrave has come home to stay, and after an 8 year hiatus is back under saddle.    She and  Caelea are enjoying each other as they work slowly towards fitness and hopefully a future in dressage.   Also in the plans are a breeding with frozen semen in April, 2015.

Wrave is dam to our stunning black mare Donarsagan (by Donarweiss) and half sister to Windtanzer.  What a perfect addition to the family.
                                WELCOME HOME WRAVE!

Yearling 'Class Photos'

As Ishin Maru and Imari passed the year and a half mark it seemed an appropriate time to take their Kindergarten 'School Photos.'    The fall colors provided a perfect backdrop for the pair, appropriately gangly at this stage but always beautiful in our eyes.     They are already getting woolly, and I fear it won't be long until they disappear under winter coats, only to metamorphose again in the springtime.

A few milestones were reached this fall, including bridling, blanketing and working in hand at the walk and trot in preparation for next year's breed shows.     Breeding and breaking age can seem so far away, but as we look back to their births nearly 20 months ago we realize that it will fly by, and soon we will be preparing them for 'college.'    Things to look forward to!

Fall Pictures: The 'Ladies of the House'

Fall officially arrives, and with it those increasingly thick coats on the horses that warn us that winter is on it's way.    Today we had our annual Photo Session with Sagan and Tanzer, as well as Sagan's now weanling foal Rhylen.   A last glimpse of those dapples before they fade into fuz.    Sagan is now in the second trimester of her pregnancy to Netto, and Tanzer a week behind with her Rotspon foal.

Both are also back under saddle getting a little fitness in before maternity leave begins in several more months.   It's wonderful to see how they have matured, and especially to enjoy a last day with Sagan's first baby before he leaves tomorrow for his new home and loving new mom.
Happy Fall!

Goodbye Kaareltje, my Dear Friend

We will never forget you.     So appropriately named "Little King" you were truly a Prince among Men.   Katje was euthenized today after a fall in his pasture let us know that he was no longer able to control his body.   Ultimately we were able to keep him comfortable for all his days, but could no longer keep him safe from the instability caused by severe arthritis of the spine and a previous bout with EPM.

Perhaps best recognized for his golden coat, those who lived with him and loved him knew Katje best for his golden heart, and a soul that matched his size.    I had the honor of caring for this gentle giant for nearly eight years, during which time he taught me so much, always with grace and patience.  

Katje is survived by his sons Grimmauld, Inigo, In Italics, and Jaden as well as daughters Heir Apparent, Kastiana Sahal, Imari and Ishin Maru, the latter two of which will remain here and will be our living legacy to this one of a kind stallion.

"While the World Outside My Window Goes Insane
 You're here to Remind Me, A Few Good Things Remain."
                                                             Kathy Mattea 

The 1st Kaareltje Grand-daughters Come of Age

Having now owned Kaareltje for eight years it is hard to remember a time when the Gentle Giant was not part of the family.   How fun it is to look back to his first foal, Kastiana Sahal out of Wrave, and to watch her her two daughters as they come of age.   Nova, by Parcival, now has a new owner and has been confirmed in foal to the spectacular Totilas.    Her owner is ecstatic with the big young mare, who has her father's laid back and kind disposition.

Two year old Hannah Boden, (pictured above) Kastiana's second filly by Licosto, is now two.   Her owner says she is a lovely mover who has the potential to succeed in both the dressage and hunter arenas.   Both mares are tall like their dam, and seem to have inherited her big heart as well as her big body.   Kastiana herself is now under saddle and enjoying low level eventing with her rider.   How nice to see the second generation of Katje foals 'all grown up.'   We can't wait to see our own Katje fillies, Imari and Ishin Maru, at maturity.   At the rate these yearlings are growing it will seem like the blink of an eye!

Windtanzer and Sagan are IN FOAL!

Breeding season 2014 came to a close with two exciting conceptions.  Windtanzer was confirmed in foal to Rotspon, her first pregnancy with frozen semen.   Sagan, already a proven frozen dam  with her first foal, also checked in foal to the lovely Grand Prix Dutch stallion Netto (Negro/Purioso/Nimmerdor) and we are really excited about this cross.

Netto, pictured below, is in great demand with very limited semen in the U.S. this year.   We will be offering this foal in-utero with colt and/or filly options when Sagan safely reaches her second trimester.

Tanzer's foal will hopefully be a 'keeper' as this kind and very amateur friendly young mare is my dream performance horse and I would like to have a 'grandchild' from her.    Rotspon has already graced us with the spectacular colt Rhylen out of Sagan, and I believe the cross with Tanzer will be equally wonderful both physically and mentally.    Now the LONG wait until spring of 2015...

Rhylen Turns 6 Weeks Old

Rhylen, Sagan's Rotspon colt, turned 6 weeks old today.   We had a little 'Romper Room' session for those who (like me) are old enough to remember the children's T.V. show, introducing the Jolly Ball.   We had a blast, and Cealea and I even tried a little game of 'Monkey in the Middle,' but Rhylen wasn't quite ready to intercept the ball in flight.   Next 'recess' we'll break out the Hula-Hoop, a favorite of our fillies.

The little boy is a stout athletic package with wonderful bone and great feet like momma, and a playful personality.   We liked the cross so much we decided to try Rotspon with Tanzer, who appears to loath frozen semen.   The stallion is known as the 'fertility god' of frozen sires, so with a little luck we may have a younger sibling on the way?!

The 'Babies' are now TEENAGERS: Ishin and Imari become Yearlings

Ishin Maru and Imari are two spectacular gifts of nature (and their dam's owners) whom we welcomed home from their dam's respective farms last fall along with brother In Italics.   The three are offspring of our beloved Kaareltje.    Italics has a marvelous new home with a dear friend, and we have retained the two little girls as potential breeding prospects to carry  on Katje's lines.

Recently we celebrated the 1st birthdays of these two 'grand-daughters.'   Tall and leggy with a face to die for and the sweetest expression,  it is no surprise that the intellectual Imari captures everyone's eye.  She has the build and movement to take the hunter arena by storm.   Ishin, the powerhouse of the pair, has incredible suspension and is bold and athletic and we believe will be a spectacular dressage horse who we hope to cross train for show jumping.   We look forward to not only riding these girls, but to seeing the next generation when they are of breeding age.   They are pictured (Ishin above and Imari below) as they turned yearlings.   Normally a gawky, gangly age, we are so impressed with them now that we can only imagine how wonderful they will be at maturity when they have finished their growth spurts.   Both have had their first heat cycles, and now we an officially say "Oh my, they are TEENAGERS!"  

And it's a BOY (Again!)

April 26th was just a day shy of 11 months for Sagan, who delivered a spectacular black colt by Rotspon, giving us our second colt this week!    Pictured above and below at just 7 hours after birth,  Rhylen, as he has been named by new owner Lori, bears a striking resemblance to his dam at his age, and is athletic, bold and forward.   It's always bittersweet knowing that the foals will leave the farm after weaning, but knowing that Lori is enamored, and that we have helped to make a dream come true for this warm, caring person, makes it all worthwhile.  

Sagan has been a model first time mother, carrying beautifully and foaling easily as well as taking all the first of new motherhood in stride.   She will be bred to Netto next month  and we look forward to another athletic little bundle in 2015.    

Wieta and Kaareltje Reprise Their Success as a Breeding Pair

Sullivan Farms lovely mare Wieta, an amazing producer for many years for her owners, delivered a stunning chestnut colt by Kaareltje, a full sister to our lovely Imari.    'Jack of Hearts'  (Jaden) lives up to his name, with a sweet dispostion and long-legged elegance.   We are so greatful to Sullivan for allowing us to lease this very special mare, dam of many Elite mares as well as a stallion son, to produce two wonderful babies.  
Now we await Sagan's first foal.   Ah, the suspense...

Winter Blast 2014

WOW!   What a winter.   We have an unusually snowy, wet and COLD winter for Maryland.   The humans have been working double time keeping the critters warm and comfortable.  The babies, like all youngsters, have relished  the snow days, and it was so much fun to see them negotiating the white stuff for their first time.  Since none of the foasl had seen snow up until this December we had more than a few laughs.   Imari, Ishin and Italics are pictured enjoying themselves in what was to be the first of many snows this year.    Glad SOMEONE is enjoying this winter!    I, for one, will be ready for spring.

As we await another night of ice and snow I am reminded that Sagan is now officially in her last trimester, and is 90 days from foaling.   Now THAT'S something worth shoveling for!