I spent a lot of nights on the run

It's been a few months since an update happened here.

It's not because there isn't anything going on, it's actually the opposite. Myself and my team have been busy, and to the point where I just didn't have time to update. 

Spring is here, and that means a lot of things in this region. It mostly means that we've stepped up to a full week of training, that foals are being born, dams are being rebred, horses are being sold, and the rigs remained fully hitched to go places. 

It's been a lovely blur. 

May we started back out showing. 

First up was the Spy Coast Young Horse Series, a show that I've come to love and really appreciate as a relaxed starter for my guys. We brought everyone out except Flair (who aged out of contention this year), and came away with qualified horses, ribbons, highpoint and cash. 

We then turned to Kentucky Dressage Association's Annual.  

This has been a staple in the community for 30 years, and I occasionally come to play there. It's my way of catching up with people, saying hello, and getting to sleep in my own bed at the end of the day, which if you travel the circuit, you come to really appreciate. 

It's not my favorite to bring untested young horses out since the atmosphere can be too intimidating, but we took Fahrenheit out for just a materiale class. 

The problem is that both Mike and I couldn't ride. Mike had to have some unexpected time off (he's fine), and my allergies had become so bad I had to carry an epipen incase I went into some weird attack or had a reaction to whatever happened to be in the air. 

So, I asked a favor and got a nice junior rider to pilot him instead. With four rides, he confidently put 

out a great result (78,9 and 81,5), and handled everything that the Kentucky Horse Park threw at him.    We're now focused on USEF Four Year Old Qualifiers at Tryon, Dressage at Lexington and a sale. 

Then there's Flair, who has become savant-like with work. On great days, she gives you changes (right to left is fab, left to right is... interpretive), piaffe/passage work, working pirouettes, walk pirouettes, super lateral work; and on the bad days well... the walls take a beating. 

She went in front of JJ in April and we've been taking semi regularly lessons off the farm.  It's been a tremendous amount of help in developing her since it's been a bit of time since my last young horse and my expectations have undoubtably changed. 

But putting it in perspective is that she's only been under tack for a grand total of a year. She's vastly 

changed from the Alberta Brown Cow to a lovely, modern sport horse.  

This year she has IBOP on the menu and I would really like to get her out at third if we can get our acts together.  

Then there's the steady drippings of sales, and looking at prospects. Already this year two have sold sight unseen. Justus SSM (Diamond Stud/Flemmingh/Ferro) and Mirage CBF (Balta C'zar) sold pretty quickly to their respective homes. 

My contacts in Germany are already looking at another young horse to come in, I have another client wanting to breed mares, and then there's another partnership in the works with another nice, young, horse, which will be sorted as soon as everything else gets sorted out. 

As for the rest of the year, Tryon will play a pivotal role as to if we pursue the rest of the Young Horse classes, or if we go more for the HOY items. Then there's the year end things of Inspection and Keuring, with no less than two or three to attend to in the fall, and the fall clinic schedule to host. 

She's buying the stairway to heaven

A few weeks ago I vaguely explained what's happening with the herd and how my life is changing.

Then William Fox-Pitt, convention,  and a number of other things took over my life and I had to put introspection aside and do what I do.

A few weeks ago, I left my regular paying, 9-5 corporate non-equine related job. I left the security of knowing that despite good pay, a 401k, stock options and other various, great things in the normal world, I was unhappy. I survived six years of a job that had a crazy mentality and demanded total unrelenting obedience.

I'm happy that I had that opportunity to be there, it's given me a huge amount of perspective that I wouldn't have gained otherwise. It gave me a background for business which has become invaluable. It's helped me expand my skills to deal with a lot of situations. It was a good resource and the team I worked with was one of the best in the world.

But in the end, this was a hobby to them and no amount of bargaining or discussing could change this. So, after the last management change, the talk of unionizing and facing down another winter, I finally said I couldn't do it anymore without mentally becoming undone.

In the meantime, I'm still continuing the clinics, which has been a good thing overall. But there's one final step I'm taking and that's going Professional.

"Going pro" has been on my radar for sometime. It's not something I necessarily wanted to do until I was totally confirmed at Grand Prix with at least appearances at major venues. I enjoy the sport but lately I've been pushing the defining boundaries of what it means to be an Amateur.

I still have a slightly romanticized version of the ideal professional who not only scores exceptionally well, but has a balance between teaching, riding, business and the normal life. They have that pipeline of horses that can sell somewhat easily in the market to buy up or take the capital and run, have committed lovely clients who want to progress in their various paths, a workmanlike barn and an overall love of the game.

While I have many of those attributes, I still struggle with the idea of playing in a broader field, and fear doing what you love may lead to burnout. There's also the fear of becoming apart of the crowd.

In short, aside from the USEF rule book, there is no how-to human resources cook book of guidelines that gives you a path of what to do next. For a lot of us, there are still, and always be questions of how to do this without killing yourself. But I know now that I can't wait around until Grand Prix and to be treated seriously you have to change.

The nice part is my herd has changed too.

In addition to Sinari, Danzador and Reba, there are going to be a few new faces.

Flemmiro SSM, by Flemmingh out of a Ferro mare will be joining the herd.  There are also a few planned breedings in the works to keep things growing in the right way.

So in 2014, with the renewal of my cards, the quality added to the herd, my Amateur status is officially done. I loved my time in this group. It's given me a huge amount of perspective of what people go through to achieve goals.

Baby, baby, baby

I've had walking allergies for the last few weeks, which is not normal by any stretch of the imagination, but the weather, and stress finally got the better of me.

But being laid up for a few days isn't so bad, I had a stack of magazines/books to look through, a freshly anointed cable box to watch all sorts of movies and fun shows (hello cable horse show coverage!) and a speedy internet connection when literature, the moving pictures and texting proved fruitless and boring.

The downside of being laid up in late March and early April (aside from missing out on the bouts of nice weather)? It's breeding season. Again.

Everything with four and sometimes two legs wants to reproduce itself. Stallion auctions are concluding, stallion shows are going off in Europe with delightful tape trickling in. Breeders are sizing up their wallets and preparing for the impending wave of foalings.

This year I'm going back into the game.

The past few years I've been watching Sincere grow, and now that he's onto his new adventure (who is happily doting on him with all sorts of fun toys) it kinda leaves a void in the line of talent. I enjoyed producing him, I enjoyed watching him mature.

Yes, Sinari is jumping the big 1-4 this year, she's making the leap to becoming a really solid upper level horse.

Reba is doing well, but not going to be a dressage horse (updates on this later). She loves to jump.So someone has to earn a paycheck in this business might as well be her.

So, I'm looking at a couple of gap years and using this year as a developing year for everyone.

There's the option of also going to Europe for a few months as well, but I'm not looking at that trip just yet. 

So it's off to the shed we go.

I've always been very partial to the KWPN books, I grew up with good, talented, Dutch horses (also worked with PRE/PSL occasionally). Not the half baked nimbly things that everyone often sees, but powerful, compact horses sometimes with questionable temperament. The love was only really aligned when I followed many of the Black Pearls of the 90s, the spectacular little horses that really secured Dutch dominance. I've been keeping track of them ever since. 

Over the past few years, I've developed a lot of relationships with breeders, and found a number of mares that I adore. I've found bloodlines that I've clicked with and feel that are in line with my programs.

So this year, we're aiming for a late in the US Season (working Canada!) Jazz x Ferro cross.  

Shameless promotion: Jim Koford

For those who know him, Jim Koford is an amazing guy and one of the best people in the industry to know. Bar none.

Seriously, who else can roll around Rolex and compete Grand Prix dressage the next and then go out for a beer and shoot the breeze? Koford.

Jim is known for a lot of antics, but recently he's managed to find himself in a place that a lot of us would envy: high performance dressage with not just one, but two horses that have a very serious shot at the Olympics, World Equestrian Games and several other venues where the Team is planning on showing up. 

One of the horses is Rhett (R. Johnson). He is American-bred (in fact Kentucky-bred) by Shirley McQullian who lives maybe six miles from my house. 

This is indeed a unique situation.

A lot has been said over the years by numerous people who have bemoaned, that despite successes of the US team, the field is still, for the most part made up of European imports. That breeders do not support the efforts of trying to field riders with international-caliber mounts via their program.

Not in this case.

We, as an American community, have a superb opportunity to showcase two Americans, one horse, one human, on the world stage. We, as a breeding community, have the opportunity to send a message to others that yes, small breeders who thoughtfully breed and support riders CAN be competitive in here and Europe. We, as a riding community, finally have a shot to bring someone who is authentic, personable and realizes, it's about something greater and far more important than the DQ mentality.  

So why the hell NOT support them? 

While there are the normal ways (Medal Equus, direct donations, sacrifices), McQullian and several members of the community have put together a treasure trove auction of canvas art, pottery, bronzes, jewlery, breedings, lessons, books and other fun items on FACEBOOK.  

While I'm sure everyone has gotten their Holiday shopping done, I would be much obliged if you would visit, leave a comment and pass the word along. If you find something interesting, bid on it, the auction ends December 10th.

In the meantime, if you run across Koford, give him a kick in the ass and a slap on the back. He's gonna need all the help he can get.

For all the wrong reasons

Tis the season for FedEx dates and baby making in Kentucky.

In Kentucky, you'll find the majority of the mare owners on the road this month trolling the back roads up and down to have their stock live covered by the stallions. For non thoroughbred owners it means getting to know your FedEx delivery guy a lot better (and hopefully tipping him generously when he hauls three Equitainers up your drive).

With a small break, I've become involved in following a contest series that's taking place on Facebook with winning breedings to some of the best stallions in the nation.

The contest is in two portions, the first being a popularity driven and the second and currently ongoing- essay portion. The essays are open to the public, and are quick reads between rounds. The entire concept is great, and has huge publicity for stallion owners.

I've begun reading through the submissions. The essays range from hard core pedigree addicts to mare owners praying on a dream and a genetic gamble. But somewhere in between I look at the mares and I go why would you cross or even reproduce or why would you post that photo of that mare looking that way in a public forum?

The things that people see and then hear what they expect out of the cross is even more concerning. Everything from an advanced eventer out of a short stirrup pony to a children's mount out of a half wild, unrideable mare.

What's worse is that some of the worst entries are from experienced breeders. 

I really begin to wonder about the state of American breeding when this is occurring and where some people are getting their information from.

I know several good breeders in stone's throw distance from me that have done excellent jobs of consistently producing top quality horses that are very well loved, and equally talented for their chosen discipline.  They are knowledgable and calculated when it comes to pairings. They do their homework, and as a recent acquaintance said: they load the dice. If they have to keep the offspring until it matures and goes under saddle, they have their teams in place to consistently produce good young horses.

When I look at contests such as the one going on above, I really begin to wonder whether breeding in America has become a personal romantic notion, or a mechanic's mathematical equation with the expectation of superior results. I wonder if they are prepared to accept the consequences of their actions and have the long-term ability to keep something if it doesn't turn out to be exactly what they want, or support it in a way so it is successful? 


Personally, I enjoy the ulcer-inducing, wallet draining, wait-and-see game even almost two years after Sincere was born. It's so far been a great adventure, learning experience and for the most part, enjoyable time. I've had excellent help along the way.

But when that sperm met that egg, I was just as unknowable, and romantically induced as some of the mare owners that are participating. It's funny what time and a little perspective does to you.

7th Heaven.

I'm not a stranger to verband inspections.

I've been to about eight to ten in the past five years, mostly the ISR, AWR and GOV inspections. Each time I go as spectator, I pick something up about conformation, movement and presentation.

While Sinari is registered with AWR as a sport pony, and as Welsh D I wasn't completely happy with the quality of what the book was showing. So, when an opportunity presented itself to show in front of a different book, I took it.

The Hanover book is one of three German pony books (the other two are Weser- Ems and RPSI) that inspect and represent the sport pony population. Of the three, Weser- Ems and RPSI have American offices, the Hanover people... well, they have email and one inspection in the states per year. In Illinois. And when I breed, to have the foals inspected, I need to ship to Germany. Ouch.

The German books are notoriously tough, and it's been a while since I presented anything. So I was a little more than nervous. So the day before I spit polished the mare, worked on standing her up.

The inspector looked her up and down, watched her move (thankfully Sterling was handling I'm not fit to run anymore). She looked amazing for just being pulled back into work. Minus the walk, everything was above board, earning an overall score of 7.3333, .2 shy of being considered in to the premium book. Because I was tired and a bit stressed, I forgot to ask about mare performance testing, and whether or not they would allow me to go forward and do it at the GOV site next September or I would have to earn my scores.

Overall I'm pretty impressed.

Next big project is clipping.

All in the family

I've followed Sinari's family for sometime.

Her dam, Maid Marion, who is spry at 17, pushed out her newest colt earlier this year. Her full-sister Erin, is also a producing as well. Sinari's sire, Comet has long been gelded (seems to be a trend with horses I've owned). 

The line, especially the dam lines, have always been of interest to me. They are strong lines, and do well even when crossed with less-than-stellar, if sub-par stallions. I've tried to obtain the dam on a few occasions to produce another half to Sinari, but no dice.

So, when I saw a two-year-old colt by North Forks Cardi out of her half-sister, Anwylyd, it automatically piqued my interest due to the impending ET with Sinari and this stallion.

The colt, Fogerty FF, which had recently sold to Maine, was sold to an FEI rider as a dressage prospect and is expected to mature about 16 hands.

A few quick email exchanges, and then a very long, but great phone call, I got to know the family that much better.


Her half sister, Anwylyd, who stands 16 hands (whereas Sinari is 14.1), is a black, but similarly marked (two hind socks). She has the same low-tolerance of children, stupidity and shots.  She, like Sinari, is a firecracker undersaddle, good gaits and has the same stop and stare mechanism when spooked.While her under saddle career started later, she showed good talent for the sport.


From what she told me about the particular nick, it crossed incredibly well (I think it will be a repeat cross) and the sire improved everything that the damline needed improving while improving ability, and not loosing the sensitivity.Watching these horses mature into heavy-hitting performance horses only serves to bolster the proof.

With glowing recommendations like that, it's making me really impatient to do this cross.

Speaking of the pony, it's been hot and under saddle work has been regulated to outdoors, and during the evening. We've stuck to the polo field, working on sorting out a few things (namely changes) and some piaffe. This week is shaping up to be busy, work, riding, Stephen Bradley Clinic and a photo shoot with Michael Modecki. Oh yeah, we've been invited to help demo the Welsh breed at the International Equestrian Festival. Anyone know where I can find a shadbelly on the fly?

Mystery Dates

You all know I've had ambition on reproducing Sinari, the list of sires just got a little longer when they announced Power and Paint was retired to stud.

This paticular stallion was the anchor for the Dutch pony team for years on end, he taught numerous now-elite riders and was schooled essentially through all of the FEI (FEI pony tests and FEI tests are two different things).

I initially inquired about him back in 2003, was then unavailable because of training and competition. But he has since then been sold, and retired to Stable Korenbloem. A whopping 450 euro fee.

I put my inquiry in again, hopefully, things this time will pan out and I'll have my own power pony on a lucky double ovulation.

What you don't have you don't need it now

I've heard several times, that horses are like potato chips. You cannot just have one, or in my case, two.

Seriously. I have issues. It happens every year that the stallion issues in the trade magazines come out. 

I'm addicted to breeding.

Those glossy advertisements, enticing videos and dreams of putting my next super pony on the ground is really almost too much to bear. Stallion auctions are the worst too. Low-cost breedings from very classy stallions. I frequent the GOV-Oldenburg, the KWPN and New England Dressage Association's yearly ones, with the hope to someday add my own superstar to the roster.

I also live in an area that is the cradle for thoroughbred reproduction. People ship their mares from here and yond to reproduce with the top players in the game. 

To tell the truth I'm not unlike others who breed.

Breeders continuously live in the world of 'if', 'could be' and experimentation. They're part dreamers, part historian and alchemist. They devote their time, energy and most of their discretionary income on reproducing in hopes of their next star.

I've already purchased the first breeding for Sinari when she retires out. He's pictured above.

So when I see a super nice mare, or even a relative of Sinari, who I think would be an excellent riding pony and producer, it's all I can do to say no. I've stopped looking at classifieds, stopped going to auctions and listening to people who insist I buy. It's not because the individual isn't nice. Contrary, the economy has given me a steady stream of premium, proven and keur mares within budget range.

It comes down to time.

Lately, I've only had two horses to work, and one to seriously ride for the first time in a few years. It's nice. I've been able to progress twice as fast with Sinari, concentrate on Sincere, assure that the barn is in good order when I leave it and still make it home, by latest- seven in the evening. Three to three and a half hours.

I found that as you progress through the levels, the more time you spend conditioning, keeping that condition and keeping everyone mentally at ease. In addition to doing my own stunts, I do my own work. From cleaning stalls to ordering feed. I do it all. And there aren't vacations until I leave the physical area. 

On top of this, I have the pesky rule that all mares who I intend to breed must be proven via performance. I love strong damlines, I love riding good mares and it commands stallion owners that much more easily.

Creating these individuals, again, takes time.

Time is also relative to money. Currently it takes 80 hours to produce the pay that I earn. It's decent pay that gets me a lesson a week, feed, board for the lot of us and assures that there is gas in the car. But it's still 80 hours. Breaking it down out of 240 hours (five day week) total:
80 hours at work
80 hours of sleep
40 hours at the barn
3 hours in the car
10 hours eating
10 hours working on individual projects
5 hours during-the-week errands
10 hours shower/bath
2 hours for the misc. stuff I can't think of

Doesn't leave much time during the week to accomplish much of anything. 

To produce another Sinari right now is not only out of question, but unfair to another mare who deserves the attention and love that she would get. 

I made the executive decision not too long ago to concentrate on quality, not quantity. Any breeder can produce quantity year after year and eventually get results. However, the difficult task is to produce consistency, quality and results at equal pace.

Right now, to produce that, I need to produce FEI. Can't produce FEI until I ride FEI, can't ride FEI until I train to get there.

Following this vein, I've turned down my magazines, banned myself from auctions and automatically deleted emails about mares. I'm here to train. Eventually, I'll feed the repro monster. But now, credentials first.

*******************
Side note:
We're hitting stride at work, and won't be able to post consistently over this week and the following weeks due to schedule. If I do, it will be short. Sinari is doing wonderfully, Sincere is doing much better since last week. Saturday sessions will resume at Christmas.

And the small shall inherit the earth

I make no bones that I'm in dressage ponies, it's obviously the subject of this blog and what I heavily promote.

So when USEF announced its pilot Youth Pony Program headed by grand pony-queen, Lendon Gray,  I couldn't be more estatic and a tad envious as well.

If you haven't been on the scene in the last ten years, there is a definite cry for competitive pony schoolmasters for youth to learn effectively and safely on. Concurrently running on the heels of USEF's announcement the most recent issue of Dressage Today (November 09), there is an extensive blurb on how we need these mounts.

Venues such as Dressage at Devon, and upcoming ones like the National Dressage Pony Cup, have started taking up the cause. Even the CDIs and GMOs are starting to award high points for the 148cm and under variety.

Yes, we need venues, and competitive mounts. We need riders, trainers who are willing, financiers who are wanting and organizations to track bloodlines, results and reward those who have participated (my vote goes toward a Pony of the Year award with USDF). It's a huge, Atlas-like undertaking.

But there are a few problems.

First, comparatively, it's not financially lucrative to breed and raise dressage ponies versus the hunter variety. The  pony who can crack it's back over fences on the AA while packing the wee child around and the pony who can do tempi changes, piaffe and still pack the wee child around will command about 30k less than it's hunter counterpart. If it's an eventing pony, well... good luck.  If you think I'm not serious even in this economy, go look.
 
Adding to the conundrum, the same pony will most likely not be bought by parents for a child, but rather, by an Adult Amateur who is downsizing, wants manageable, has zero international ambition (because FEI rules state they cannot compete in open CDI classes) and has the cash to pay for the pony too.

So stating the obvious, hunters have perfectly created and dominated the pony market. It's made pony ownership not only attractive through specific kid-pony classes, but incredibly lucrative. It's allowed efficent, euro-styled development of a variety of pony jockeys, auction places and bloodline tracking. The sheer scope and industry impact is amazing. 


Also another thought is the venue aspect, every year there is the Pony Finals in Kentucky. This USEF-backed and directly hosted event annually happens with great amounts of patronage and time spent by all getting to it.

Even as a dressage person, I love this event. Aside from getting stuff that actually fits and is well made for the pony, it's well run and executed. It attracts the numbers year after year too. There are some top notch ponies and pony jocks. Dressage ponies don't have a governing body backed event, at least to the scope of Pony Finals, those that are in existence are privately funded and sponsored.

Secondly, by the time a person has invested not only the cash, but the time creating an FEI-capable pony, usually wants to keep it for herself. This is even after the pony has been on the market for months at a time.

Personally, I know this, not because Sinari is for sale, but because I'm going in to that situation.

Have I been made offers on Sinari? Yep. By a variety of people.

Have I considered them? Yep, I'd be very ignorant not to. But in the end, this is my pony, and of all the horses I've ridden so far, she's the one I look forward to everyday. There's not really ever going to be a price on her. Plus we're only now getting to the fun stuff.

So to say the very least, I want this program to succeed. Future plan-wise, it would mean a ton more support and business for those out there who deal in this kind of market. It would develop the dressage bloodline so it's comparative to the hunter world. It could create the venues, the riders, allow patronage and develop the community far beyond what any individual can do by themselves.

However, this is a step in the right direction and I applaud it. But, there needs to be some fundemental changes in addition to hosting clinics.

Personally, I would like to see a development of pony-only awards, young pony venues (BuCha would be awesome), development and support of pony-only riders and jocks (not just the youth variety).  I would also like to see a cross-cooperation of breeds. All too often, I see the natterings and politics working against the overall goal so that one book can one-up the other or self-stabotage itself. If these can be fudementally met and supported beyond the initial honeymoon stage, then we, as a nation, will be all that much more compeitive in the long run.

Where's the manual?

It's been well over a week since Sincere has arrived and I'm wondering, did the manual get lost in the mix and did he even bother reading it in the last 11 months?

Sincere doesn't seem typical.

Where most foals cling to mum's side for the first three weeks and regularly give hell about various things, he's already independently socializing over the fence, leading by himself, picking up his feet, enjoys his grooming sessions, has had fly masks on, lead ropes around his belly and feet, doesn't like following his mother and is seemingly much more mentally advanced and accepting than his age group.

It doesn't mean he's not without fault, the little bugger still is slightly resistant about being caught.

It also means it always so positive, while he is still impressionable, I'd rather not turn him into an over-sized dog. He is a horse, he still needs to be one. But still, he's meeting and exceeding almost every expectation. Now if the size fairy comes, and keeps him small(er)... even better.

Speaking phenotype, I still get the occasional comment about the breeding along the lines of 'why would you out cross for a half-bred when you can get a purebred?'

Long of the short is this: I want what I wanted. I took two individuals, accessed their strengths and weaknesses and what each brought to the table, put the hypothetical in a range and then put it in action. I put what I wanted out of the breeding (hey it is MY choice), did my homework and I happened to get what I wanted out of this cross, perhaps a bit more. I can go into further depth and breadth, but frankly, I don't want to and don't have to. All I can say the proof will eventually be in the pudding.

Sinari rode well today, despite being snarky in the neck to the left, we worked hard with Sharon on haunches in, half halts and little short steps. When Sinari gets tired she steam rolls. She can have large gaits, and definitely can trot for a ten, but when exaustion hits, there is no half halt there is just go. We addressed that and a bit more today, and will be playing on that more in the coming weeks.

Definitely should be primed for the Poulin clinic and the NDPC in the coming weeks.

Oh baby

We finally had enough break in the weather that we all could work consistently for three days straight and lo... life became a lot better.

Sinari is a rambunctious mess. To the point where there were no breaks. As my grandfather once put it: she really needed to blow out some carbon. So, at 50 something degrees today, I was happy to get her out and gallop hard. It was a well deserved break after Tomorrow and Sunday I have a lesson. There has been some talk of bumping the lesson schedule up to three times a week, which I'm all for at the moment.

May is doing exceptionally well keeping the herd in line with each other. One false move and the blonde children are told exactly where they belong. The old girl can still outrun most of the herd. It's entertaining to watch.

Bella began back this week with just easy ground work. I figured this would be the best way than dumping directly back into under saddle.

I've been thinking a lot about this baby. With this baby, Sinari's proposed in '11, it would make four, maybe five horses. Scary. Five to six total to handle (Bella, Sinari, May, Baby 1, Baby 2).

What worries me the most is financials.

The economy sucks. I'll admit that. I'm standing in the middle of a huge fire sale of bloodline, bloodstock and ponies that normally wouldn't be on the market at prices that I wouldn't normally be able to afford and it really makes me weep because its like being an obease person in a cake factory.

How I'm going to do this without killing myself or my long term goals (farm will be purchased in 2016, would like a new truck to haul with, and continue on showing, schooling at current schedule and open up a business) still remains to be seen. But the whole will/way thing should be kicking in.

First stop: the bank.

Back to the drawing board.

When it rains it pours

Mud season started early with rain and apparently snow and my old wellies really need a make over.

Normally, this time of year is off because the outdoor is either frozen, under water or various states of disgusting.

I wouldn't know, since I'm at an indoor facility. But the mud is horrendous. Horrendous to the point of slipping is becoming habit and the horses are becoming sore from loosing their footing. Grooming has been an interesting experience.

Sinari has become sore from slipping out in the paddock, and we're on a walk regime. It's not a bad thing, she's becoming much more forward and we can concentrate on lateral work, halts, rein backs, pirouette work.

It's also the start of breeding season. Everyone is finalising their choices for their 2010 babies. Stallion shopping is a fabulous, nerve racking experience. I'm expecting my first in late-spring 2009. I plan not re-breeding directly, but am thinking about trying an embryo transfer.

Between my hypothetical matings, I had a small reality check. A good friend, and fairly important breeder asked the following:

Why do you want to breed this mare?

Truth be told, I love her.

Alright, love is nice, but what about her makes her so special she should reproduce? Why let her reproduce instead of buying something already on the ground?

In short, Sinari one of two sisters. The other one is in Oregon being a career mum. Her dam is alongside the sister and is not being bred to the right sire to produce more. Her sire is gelded. Sinari is the only mare of her breed training and competing at the level she's at. She's highly competitive, has tested well with verbands, and is continually proving herself in and out of the arena. She will be FEI and the breed needs more proven mares and less career mothers. She's conformationally sound, easy going and I wouldn't mind having a million carbon copies of her.

She is a valuable individual, on a personal and professional basis and would only give back to her community.

At that point I think I received blessings.

My biggest fear (aside from utter failure and breeding a FHOTD feature) is I become like every other breeder out there that I end up with more horses than I'd know what to do with and I'd be cash strapped at every turn. To the point where I wouldn't be able to achieve competitive goals.

My long term goal is to create a small band of pony mares that have not only proven pedigree, but are proven themselves. I want their offspring to always be in demand and be known more for the damline than the sire line.

But mostly, I just want FEI ponies.