The Barnmates Edition #1

I've been asked by several people now, if I will be starting any blog on the progress of the other babies, or with Chance or the other show horses.  The answer is, probably no... I have attempted at starting several blogs in the past few years, and always do a shoddy job of keeping up with them.  This is the first one that I've managed to keep up with on a fairly regular basis (so far).  So while Durango is the "star" of this blog, I will also include occasional updates on his siblings and barnmates, rather than start multiple blogs!

So with that, I give you the first "Barnmates Edition" post.  The weather has been BEAUTIFUL in Florida the past week, and by beautiful I mean, couldn't possibly be any more perfect.  This has resulted in almost no time spent out in the house, and plenty of time spent outside working with, photographing, and video taping the horses!  We got at least half the horses here photographed, and will be working on more.

Perhaps the most relevant "barnmate" of Durango's is his sister, Denver.  Denver is my other personal favorite baby of the year.  She has a personality very similar to Durango's, and has always been brave, curious, and friendly.  Interestingly, she is Durango's newfound buddy in the pasture and the two have paired up... although she still wears the pants (poor Durango).  She is also sired by A Chance For Romance, and is out of one of my favorite Quarter Horse mares, ML Zippos Venture, "Lucy", who is by the great Zippo Jack Bar and out of Leaguers Big Venture, a multiple Congress Champion producing mare.  Denver is big, gorgeous, typy, and the list goes on.  She was my second candidate to be brought in and learn all the basics, which I decided this was the week!

Romantic Venture a.k.a. Denver

I thought this was an interesting side note.  This is Chance pictured as a yearling, not much older than Denver.  The physical resemblance is absolutely uncanny!

So, we brought Denver to the round pen to get some video of her moving and start her schooling.  Just absolutely amazing.  Durango has some competition as far as smart and quiet goes.  Little (big) Denver, after not being seperated from her buddies for months, never being in the round pen before, etc, did not even let out a peep.  Not one.single.peep.  She took it all in stride and was just incredible!  She is also a member of the "Lazy Club" founded by her sire and supported by Durango and now Denver.  I managed to get some video of her, but there was almost no canter.  Just huge trots that didn't break into the canter, and if you stopped pushing her, she would do a little western pleasure jog or shut down altogether.  We had to really get after her to get her to break into the canter... but it was mostly some scooting around and then shutting back down.  I'm sure we'll get some better, more well-rounded video as she progresses, but for her first time ever in the round pen, she was spectacular.  These Chance babies are SO easy!

Video, she definitely got her sire's award winning trot!:

Next subject of the day was Southern Rock Star, a.k.a "Clash".  Clash is a three year old AQHA/APHA stallion by The Ultimate Fancy, and out of my very favorite all time mare, Southern Sensations, "Sendy".  I have owned Sendy since she was a weanling - she is now 15.  Sendy is also the dam of Romantic Sensation, Durango's half brother and nemesis.  Clash was born late in the year, so is just now being started as a three year old.  I don't like pushing late born babies as two year olds, and Clash is really now maturing and coming into his own.  He is an awesome, flat mover, and just a sweet and gorgeous guy.  The plan was WP futurities for him.  Well, I still might do that (it would be a shame not to with his moves), but I have decided my real focus will be to try reining with him!  His dam is reining bred, a granddaughter of One Gun (sire of Katie Gun who is the dam of Gunner, Spooks Gotta Gun, Dun Gotta Gun, etc).  She has always crossed wondefully on WP sires, and Clash is no exception, but he has this look and athletism that screams reining to me.  I have always wanted a serious reining contender and have been in the market, until one day I looked at Clash, and, Eureka!  I could very well have on sitting in my own pasture.  So, first we begin with starting under saddle, and we will go from there and see what happens!

Photos of the very photogenic guy:



Next is the three year old western pleasure stallion, Twenty Four Karat Chip, "Tator".  I know, a lot of stallions here, but I consider it to be a well rounded line-up. :-)  We have english, western pleasure, reining, QH, paint, Appaloosa, Palomino... choose your flavor! Anyway, my hope is that Tator will become our western equivalent of Chance.  He had a very successful longe line career winning every major national futurity as well as Palomino World Champion, and NSBA High Point Open Longe Line Horse.  He had his two year old year mostly off to just get started, and is now ready to get down to business as a three year old.  The plan is WP, and then eventually adding western riding, trail, and performance halter.  He had his first collection today actually, and everything came out great.  We look forward to breeding his first batch of mares this year.

Video:

To add to the plethora of pictures (hey, people love scanning through photos most, right?), we snapped some shots of some of "Chance's Girls".  They are ML Zippos Venture "Lucy", the dam of the Chance filly Denver, Skys Castle Magic "Shirley" dam of the Chance filly Aurora, Golden In The Dark "Hannah", future dam of my 2011 buckskin filly by Chance ( ;-) ) due in April, and of course, Lady Serengeti, "Sara", dam of the man himself, Durango, and back in foal for his full brother or sister due in May!

Hannah, in foal to Chance for April 2011

Lucy, dam of Denver, being bred back to Tator in 2011

Shirley, dam of Aurora

Lucy

Shirley

Lucy

Hannah

Sara, Durango's momma and back in foal to Chance!

Of course, the blog wouldn't be complete without some of our little man's antics.  This is what I found when I went to the pasture to bring him in for dinner the other day.  I have no idea.



Motion Picture Blog

That's right, we have Durango VIDEO today!  Choppy as it may be, as about three minutes of our 20 minute round pen session was actually spent MOVING... at least it's something!  Durango is every ounce as lazy as his sire.  Today was his very first round pen session!  I had my helper again, Mark, so that I could video.  We have a wood fence round pen, which is barely sufficient as a round pen... working on building a new, heavier duty one, but this is what we have for now.  I don't like it, because I've had babies panic in there and try to jump or successfully go through the fence.

So, with a warning to Mark to not get after him too bad, to keep him relaxed and quiet so that he doesn't panic and try to go through the fence like all the babies seem to try at one point... we let him loose.

Well.

That was a waste of my breath, because the darn colt wouldn't budge, and when we DID get him to budge... it was barely budging.  Like I said, I had the video camera in my hands for about 20 minutes... and got about three minutes (total, not consecutive!) of the good stuff.  If there is an opposite to panic, that was Durango today.

Aside from the workout he gave Mark, he was a VERY good boy.  He even broke a sweat today, and stood nicely for a bath after.  Slowly but surely... we are molding into a future show horse!

Enjoy the photos and short video. :)

cute faced studs :)

Once you get him in on the concrete, you can see how big he is.  Mark is 6'4!

scrub scrub scrub... wash that dirty white butt!

so fresh and so clean...

and of course... the video, click on the link!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JTiZfDLsf4

 

Baby Steps

WOOSAH... baby steps...  just remember, baby steps... WOOSAH...  the key mindset to training a baby horse!  :-)  Even for our little prodigy Durango, patience is a virtue.  The little guy is so smart and easy, it is easy for one to forget that he is, in fact, still a baby horse.  Still, I must give credit where credit is due.  Today was Durango's first lesson on the longe line, in our arena that is a decent hike from the barn and surrounded by scary horse-eating machinery, ghosties, plant monsters, ferocious chihuahuas, enough to give even adult horses pause.  Durango handled it like a champ, not a spook to be found, not a single peep at his buddies left behind in the distance.  He is a rare baby, indeed.  He was a VERY good boy.  That said, just because our freckled friend is in possession of an above average equine IQ, doesn't mean he came out of the womb knowing this stuff.  I was grateful to have an assistant today, Mark, as no matter how quiet the baby, it's always unnerving and not even necessarily wise to be handling an extremely green (and big) youngster with no one around.

Personal space is an issue.  Our spoiled little guy is very attached to his people, and likes to use them as a safe house from anything that could possibly be scary.  Even though it is very rare to get a spook out of him, it's still not a safe thing for a baby, especially a baby of his size, to always want to walk on top of you and jump in your pocket and hide.  Personal space, a.k.a., "Get OFF me!" was a key element in the lesson today.  A lot of shooing him away and letting him know with our body language that he is not welcome to take a piggy-back ride on his human companion.  We use a soft wrapped longe line chain for extra leverage but thickly padded to avoid any discomfort on his nose, even if we get into tug-of-wars, as it is my personal opinion that it is unfair to use a bare chain on a baby who doesn't know any better than to pull.  Once we were able to get a little more respect for our personal bubble, we took him on laps of handwalks, letting him get used to the concept of walking with a couple feet between horse and human, giving him the confidence that he CAN walk by himself.  This was an important lesson for him, as before we could get him to walk independantly on the longe line in a circle around us, he had to learn that we aren't his safety crutch.  Lots of walk, whoa, walk, whoa, teaching verbal commands that will be useful on the line as well as the rest of his life... especially the ever important "whoa".

End of the session had Durango finally walking around in a circle around Mark, albeit small, it was still very much progress from the beginning of the session when detaching himself from a human long enough to brave the vast wasteland of scary arena alone, was not an option that had entered Durango's brain.  Lots and lots of praise for the little man (since he really seems to thrive and respond to praise from his favorite species... people), after he took his first steps out into the unknown of five feet away from Mark, all by himself.  He's a big kid now!

Such will be our daily routine for awhile... eventually we may double the circumference of the circle, and perhaps even change direction.  Maybe one day, not too far far away, we'll accomplish a trot.  We have a long way to go before the fuzzy, confused, but quick-minded baby colt shapes into a hopeful champion contender, but patience is a virtue and it will all be worth it in the end.

Baby steps.

Surveying the surroundings.

Working on "WHOA!"

This is a frown if I've ever seen one!  I believe this was a moment of "Get off of me!" "No, I don't wanna!". 

It didn't take long for him to grasp the concept and settle into a relaxed walk leading next to his human, not on top of!

Mark and Durango enjoying the aftermath of a successful training session.  Walking circles on the line might not sound too exciting, but any positive progress is great progress with a baby Durango's age!

Unexpected adventure... for everyone except Durango.

Well, this is a not a pre-planned or expected blog, but it was too juicy not to share.  My fiance, Mark, and I, were just headed back to the barn, where we are building a new house on the premises.  We wanted to scope out the leveling they had done so far.  Well, we are riding back on the golf cart, and notice a commotion.  A horse is running loose.  Get closer.  THREE horses are running loose.  Get closer, three BABIES, without halters, are running loose.  Who are they?  None other than Durango's three brothers and sisters/comrades/rivals.  Get closer, begin panic on A.  How in the WORLD are we going to round up these babies, and B.  Where is Durango?

Approach other side of barn and front of the pasture the babies are usually in.  There is the gate, wide open as it can be.  Turns out our barn help deposited the big alfalfa hay bale in the pasture with the tractor, and forgot to latch the gate behind him?  And, there is Durango, still in the pasture, "just chillin'".  Horses are galloping all over the property, chaos and panic ensuing everywhere, pasture gate wide open, and there is Durango, casually meandering up to the big alfalfa block in the pasture, without a care in the world.  That was just too good not to blog about.

We approach his pasture gate first and close it... not that he was going anywhere.  Thankfully, we have perimeter fencing, so while an escape isn't an event of disastrous magnitude, it's still dangerous, as strange horses will fight through the fence, some might go over it, or through it, etc.  Today was a more dangerous day in particular, with all the construction equipment out for the house, and the huge pit they dug.  We problem solve, and herd the loose babies into an area that is just a driveway with two fences running alongside.  We park the golf cart and four wheeler at the end as a barrier.  There is a gate leading into one of the pastures on the fenceline, and the objective is to herd them in that gate.  There is a grumpy old pregnant TB mare in that pasture, Maui, who I proceed to walk in and remove so that she doesn't beat up the babies if we get them in.  Well, the babies start following Maui on the fenceline.  Mark suggests we bring her out and see if they will follow her, and follow her on into the gate.

We bring her out, but they don't follow her, instead they run away, remembering all the times she's pinned her ears at them through the fence.  So we try the opposite approach.. we lead Maui behind the babies, and use her to help chase the babies into the gate.  Mission success, it was actually quite easy with these reasonable babies.

It could have been a whole lot worse, and more difficult, but our plan was successful and we got the babies back in their pasture within 15 minutes.  And of course, they trot right over to poor Durango and chase him away from the hay bale.  He got his 15 minutes of all-you-can-eat-with-no-harrassment, though, and his antics, or lack there of, turned what would have been an aggravation inducing incident into laughter and amusement that I couldn't wait to get back in here and share.  You could literally see the look on his face, like, "screw those guys, now I can eat all by myself!".  I wish I had been able to get video of all the galloping horses and chaos, gate wide open and freedom calling, pasture mates loose and gone, and our little freckled friend standing right in the middle of it, munching away, not a care in the world.  Unfortunately I did not come equipped with a video camera, or even my camera phone... as it wasn't exactly an expected event!

I'm glad I decided to blog about this kid... he sure is something.

It's all in the family...

It's no wonder Durango is such a prodigy.  Seriously, every, single day that I work with Durango, I'm waiting for the typical baby explosion.  I watch him out of the corner of my eye, every step, waiting for the wrong one.  As someone that was hospitalized with broken ribs and internal damage years ago from handling a weanling that had one of these random explosive baby fits, I'm MUCH more cautious and a bit nervous any when I work around these babies.  Even if they are quiet for the most part, they are still babies, unsure of what they are doing, and if it all comes down to it and something scares or riles them up, they just flat don't know better than to jump on you.  This might not be such a big deal for a taller, stronger, tougher person, but I'm 5'3" on a tall day and a petite woman.  If they want to jump on me they can... I can't push them off or block them.  Fortunately I have a good grasp on the knowledge of handling the babies so for the most part, I am able to train them and keep them contained nicely, and prevent or address any temper tantrums.  But, there is that occasion, where a big spook will happen while I'm leading and they will jump in my lap, or whirl away and take off bucking and kicking, or they have a playful moment where they decide I can take the kind of beatings they inflict on their horse buddies.

So yes, every day, I wait on pins and needles for Durango to have a bad day, a temper tantrum day, a spooky day, what have you.  Hasn't happened (knock on a ton of wood!).  His ONLY flaw that makes him less than 100% perfect is the feet planting when he doesn't want to go somewhere.  He has a pretty firm grasp of leading and the routine now, so I'm sure the feet planting is now more stubbornness than an actual confusion of what I'm asking him to do.  All in all, I'll take it, as the feet planting sessions take less time every day, and he always, ALWAYS, decides that he's going to make me pull and struggle for a little while... almost like it amuses him, and then on his own random accord, will just meander into his stall on his own without hesitation, like he hadn't even thought of pausing.  I'm starting to think its a daily amusement game for him more than anything.  He will always come running to the pasture gate at feeding time now, so I KNOW he knows what's in store for him, and actually WANTS to come in and eat.  So the little tug of war game in front of the stall... I'm pretty sure is just that.  But, the personality is part of why I love the little guy so much.

For the most part, after years and years of either raising babies from birth or buying them young, he is by FAR the easiest.  He just shocks and surprises everyone who meets him, with his laid back, ho-hum demeanor.  I know this comes honestly from his sire.  Chance inherited that awesome, famous Rugged Lark mind.  Lazy as the dickens, and just a quiet and sweet, friendly people-lover.  No one can ever believe Chance is a stud, much less an already breeding stud.  He stalls at the shows with perfect manners, not a peep.  To meet Chance is to love him.  He is also extremely intelligent, willing, and a fast learner.  He literally went from green under saddle, to a Congress Champion in the hunter hack, Reserve Congress Champion in the pleasure driving, 6x Top Ten in HUS, working hunter, and performance halter, Reserve Congress All-Around Horse, 3x World Show Top Five and 2x Top Ten, 60 something open AQHA points, lots of Major Circuit Champions, Gold Coast All-Around Horse, multiple AQHA year end high point awards... etc etc, the list goes on... all in less than one year of training... in FIVE events.  If he were a human, he'd be in Mensa.

So naturally, we know some of Durango's prowess comes from his daddy.  All of Chance's foals display similar traits, so Chance is stamping his mind.  HOWEVER, we can't discount the importance of the dam in this equation.  Durango exhibits an intelligence that equals or possibly exceeds his sire.  Not only is he quick to learn, and quiet headed, but he is inquisitive, a problem solver.  He figures things out so fast, you wonder if he was born knowing.  His first leading session?  A tad of lack for personal space, but that was it.  That was it.  No pulling, no tugging, no refusing.  No going backwards, no rearing up, no trying to flip over.  No panicking.  None of the typical baby stuff that happens the first time they feel the pressure of that halter on their face.  First time bathing?  An initial snort at the hose, nothing major.  Sticks his face in the water, realizes that this is the good stuff that he drinks, and even plays in the sprinklers on a hot day.  Starts trying to drink it and play with it, and is immediately settled down, and lets me hose him all over his body.  I think this is when it really sank in what I have here.  I have never, EVER encountered a baby's first bath that isn't a chore.  Some are more reasonable than others, of course.  Some will adapt with time and coaxing and a gentle, slow approach, and eventually you can get the legs, or maybe even half or all of the body if you take enough time, and deal with the spooking/rushing/backing up they do when the water hits somewhere that they don't approve.  Others are totally unreasonable and the sweat they will work themselves into counteracts the washing.  Charging, snorting, rearing, panicking, crashing into walls/humans/etc.  I've encountered both types regularly.  I hope all of Chance's intelligent seeming babies will be on the easier side... but Durango, this guy is just a freak.

I think I figured out why yesterday.  Yes, we all know the sire contribution.  But the dam?  Let's see.  She was never broke to ride in her past, for whatever reason, even though she's sound.  Owner's lack of time, desirability as a broodmare, I'll never know, and I'll never know what she could have been.  I never put much thought into her mental contributions.  I won't breed a BAD minded mare, there have been many mares I've owned that I got rid of before even bothering to breed, since I didn't want that mind passed on to the foal.  So, I knew that she was acceptable minded, had color, clean legs and an uphill build with a nice hip and long neck.  That said, while I wanted to try a color breed mare on Chance, I put her on the for sale list as while she was a fun experiment, she wasn't necessarily one I really needed.  I had no, NO idea what she was going to end up producing for me, which in the end, gave me a greater appreciation for the mare herself.  After all, Durango wouldn't exist if it weren't for both sides of the genetic equation.

Her contribution to Durango's "prodigy" was confirmed in my mind yesterday.  Sara, as she's known, always establishes her way to the top of the pecking order in the herd.  When we turned her back out with four other broodmares... for a few days she was picked on and banished, food stolen.  Within a week... she was the first in line at the first feed bucket, and not another mare dared to venture near.  Hannah, the mare who was the prior herd boss, was obviously confused and offended for a few days... she's now grudgingly accepted the beta position in the herd, and makes sure the other two poor mares in the herd know it.  For some reason, Sara's first in line feed bucket, ALWAYS likes to find itself on the ground somewhere, knocked off it's post.  They are in an electric rope pen with a STRONG zapper.  I hate having to climb in and retrieve that darn bucket, I've gotten my share of zapping.  A few days ago, the bucket was JUST out of arm's reach, laying on it's side.  I hated to climb in there when it was so close.  I said to Sara, jokingly, "Why don't you just tip that bucket over towards me?"  Lo and behold, she immediately sticks her nose in the bucket and tips it over towards me.  Huh.  That was cute.  The next two days, exact same situation, and I asked her every day to tip it over towards me.  By the third day of doing this, I decided that she was just a smart sucker that realized that I couldn't pour feed in the bucket if it was upside down.

Last night, though, was in a whole 'nother league.  The bucket this time, was over by a tree, not even remotely close to my reach.  Ugh.  I was going to have to go in.  I say to Sara, very much joking, "How about you go get it for me now?"  Initiate jaw dropping event.  She literally walks over to the bucket.  Pushes it all the way over to me with her nose.  It's still upside down.  I say, "Are you gonna turn it over"?  Nose pushes the bucket and turns it over.  My jaw is on the ground.  GOOD girl!  And that was the moment, that I realized Durango comes by it honestly from both parents.  I wish I had that event on camera.  Now I'm wondering, if I might actually be able to work with her on this trick... put the bucket out farther and farther every day, until it's somewhere in the middle of her five acre pasture, and see if I can actually get her to retrieve it and bring it to the fence.  Then I can video her doing so, put it on YouTube, and we can become internet celebrities.  Then Sara can live in a padded stall and have golden buckets hand delivered to her multiple times a day.  She would deserve it!

One thing is for sure... Sara's in utero foal and full sibling to Durango will be the most anxiously awaited this year.  Not due until May... that's one I wish I had a fast forward button for!

Sara enjoying her dinner after a successful bucket retrieval.

Even daily turnout is an amusing event...

...when it comes to the little spotted butt!  Every day has been the same... he leads out like a little angel, but when he sees where we are going, the feet plant and refuse to move!  "No mommy, don't make me go in there... those kids are bullies!"  Finally, he's coaxed in, and I drive away with him hanging over the gate wondering why I've abandoned him.. and I feel as guilty as a mother must feel leaving their young child at daycare/school every day with kids that pick on him or her!

Eventually, he hesitantly meanders out to wherever the other kids are hanging out.  The usual butt biting and lap chasing ensues, although those sessions get shorter day by day.  Today, in particular, I see signs of him actually forming a relationship with who I think is going to be his new girlfriend!  Denver the filly, one of my other favorite personalities from last years foal crop, has taken an interest (I wouldn't go as far as LIKING just yet) to our favorite spotted fire-breather.  They are spending more and more time together, and today the four yearlings even sectioned off into pairs briefly - Denver joined Durango in his usually lonely side of the pasture!  Of course, she still is very much letting him know she wears the pants in the relationship...

...the usual feet planting at the gate... "No I don't wanna go!"

"Can't we just go back?  Please??"

"Wait!!  Come back!!"

Denver the filly seems to take a liking to our little man...

Durango's chubby pregnant "real" Momma watches from the distance...

...could this be??  Yes, I think it is!  Shedding hairs!  Hallelujah, there seems to be light at the end of the winter tunnel... can't wait to see what the little fuzzball looks like when he's unwrapped!

Durango Meets His Brother and Sisters!

This is kind of old news but I snapped some cute pictures and it was a good point to start with.  Since Durango was separated alone with his momma while he was a baby (he was a late foal with a protective mom so we decided for his safety against the bigger, older, stronger foals and momma's we'd have to keep them separated), he was never able to meet his brothers or sisters and get social interaction with other young horses.  After he became bigger and stronger, quite quickly considering his age actually, he is almost as mature as the other foals, I decided to give him some social interaction and let him out with the other guys.  I felt bad that he was always alone, with no one to play with.

Well, his brother and sisters (all by Chance), in all their completely solid bay glory, did NOT know what to make of this spotted butt mutant!  It was comical at first, with Durango chomping his teeth in the baby language for "I'm young and innocent!  Please have mercy!", while the other yearlings stared at him like he was an alien from Mars.  I snapped some pretty cute pictures during this period that illustrate the story very well!  After their initial spook, they decided that he wasn't so tough, and they took turns chasing and bullying the poor guy. :-(  Eventually, they settled down, and Durango settled into one side of the pasture and the rest onto the other.

The next day, however, proved to be quite vicious.  Parker, his brother and only other colt in the herd, decided he wanted to protect HIS girlfriends from this intruding spotted beast.  He started rearing, mounting, striking, biting Durango's belly and legs, and chasing him in lap after lap around the pasture.  They did not settle down, and Durango only got more terrified, and he came running up to me at the gate like "Mommy, HELP!"  I decided enough was enough, this was not a playful situation but an increasingly dangerous one, and I swiped him out of there.  Poor guy was covered in sweat but shivering - terrified!  I felt horrible, and went to put him in his stall, but he wanted nothing of his stall.  You could tell he was still worked up, and he didn't get his day outside, only 15 minutes, so he was like, "why are we going back in here already?!  I don't understand!".  So, I decided to pony him with the golf cart, just at a leisurely walking pace, all over the property.  He settled down and relaxed, and enjoying walking through the woods and around all the other horse's pastures, and seeing all the sites.

When I got him back inside, since his thick winter coat was caked with sweat and dust, I decided now was as good of a time as ever to introduce him to his first bath.  I turned on the hose, and after a few initial snorts and backing up, he stuck his nose in the stream and realized that this is the good stuff that he drinks (and plays in!).  After that realization, he had NO problem with it at all.  He even played with the hose, and let me hose him down all over his body!  Prodigy, I tell you.  It was by FAR the easiest baby's first bath I have ever dealt with.

The next couple times I put Durango out, I put him out alone, and all he did was pace back and forth and whinny at the other yearlings in the distance.  Despite how awful they were to him, I supposed he decided being lonely was worse.  I decided the next day that I would try ONE more time to introduce him to the other yearlings.  Even though it had been what he wanted, when we got to the gate, and the other bay faces were waiting in a row with ears pricked, he decided to change his mind!  He planted his feet and would not go in the gate.  It took some coaxing but I got him in... teeth chomping and pleading immediately ensued... followed quickly by ear pinning and charging!  Poor guy got the usual laps around... but this time, they didn't seem QUITE so vicious.  Dominance asserting, yes, but not deathly.  I kept watch and they eventually settled down into opposite sides of the pasture again.  After a over a week of daily turnouts with his siblings, the first part of which they would do the usual chasing and then dividing... I am happy to report that today, I saw them all hanging out together in a close group!  There were still a few ear-pinnings and butt-bitings, but it's progress, right?  Durango now leads out to the pasture in the morning like a little angel, enjoys his day out with other horses (for the most part), and then comes back in for dinner like a little angel. :-)

Here are the photos of his first escapade with his siblings!

Okay guys, watch out, I've heard of this... it's a rare baby fire-breathing-spotted-butt!

Durango - "See guys?  No fire is coming out!"

Denver the filly - "Don't trust him!"  Durango - "OMG RUN!!"

I wish I could say this was a cute game of follow the leader...

...but really it was chase the leader!

Durango with his brotha-from-anotha-motha and nemesis, Parker.

Introduction to "Durango"

In one of those creative spurts, I decided it would be a fun idea to document the life/training/career/accomplishments/bad days, etc etc, of my now yearling Appaloosa stud colt, "Romance The Ladies, a.k.a. "Durango".  He has some half siblings, by the same sire, who are sure to make some cameos as well in their similar endeavors.  However, Durango seems to be the most intriguing to the masses, not to mention he has some extra trials and tribulations to endure as we try to fufill our goal with making him a future stallion candidate.  It worked with his daddy - now it is his turn!


What makes a potential stallion candidate?


This is all objective, and my humble opinions and experience thus far.  In Durango's case, unlike the rest of my horses, who are all Quarter Horses, he is an Appaloosa.  What is an Appaloosa?  As per the ever reliable Wikipedia -

"...The Appaloosa is a horse breed best known for its colorful leopard-spotted coat pattern and other related characteristics. There is a wide range of body types within the breed, stemming from the influence of multiple breeds of horses throughout its history. Each horse's color pattern is genetically the result of various spotting patterns overlaid on top of one of several recognized base coat colors..."  "...While domesticated horses with leopard spotting patterns have been depicted in art as far back as Ancient Greece, the Nez Perce people of the United States Pacific Northwest developed the original American breed. Appaloosas were once referred to by white settlers as the "Palouse horse," possibly after the Palouse River, which ran through the heart of Nez Perce country. Gradually, the name evolved into "Appaloosa." The Nez Perce lost most of their horses following the Nez Perce War in 1877 and the breed fell into decline for several decades. However, a small number of dedicated breeders preserved the Appaloosa as a distinct breed until the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) was formed as the breed registry in 1938. The modern breed maintains bloodlines tracing to the foundation bloodstock of the registry, but also has a partially open stud book that allows addition of some Thoroughbred, American Quarter Horse and Arabian blood. The registry has endured a number of controversies over the years, including disputes over color registration and use of certain drugs in competition..."  "...Today the Appaloosa is one of the most popular breeds in the United States, and it was named the official state horse of Idaho in 1975. It is best known as a stock horse used in a number of western riding disciplines, but is also a versatile breed with representatives seen in many other types of equestrian activity. Appaloosas have appeared in many movies and one is a mascot for the Florida State Seminoles. The Appaloosa has influenced many other horse breeds, including the Pony of the Americas, the Nez Perce Horse and several gaited horse breeds..."


We are focusing on the stock type Appaloosa in this blog, since that's what I have. :-)  I'm not a newcomer to the stock breeds in general, however this is my first experience with the Appaloosa association itself.  In the past, I have heard all sorts of controversy regarding their allowing of solids to compete and show with the coloreds.  Some are for this, as it makes the solid Appaloosas, which make up close to half of the association (coat patterns are not always passed along to the offspring), still hold their value alongside the coloreds.  This means that breeders and owners of solid Appaloosas do not have to worry about their foals being "worthless".  Others complain that there is a "too much white" bias in the show pen, even in a breed that is SUPPOSED to have white.  There are complaints that the solid, Quarter Horse looking Appaloosas routinely beat the colorful Appaloosas, regardless of quality on either side.  What "side" do I take?  Well, I take the former side.  As a mostly QH breeder that wanted to experiment on the "colored" side, especially when using my solid QH stallion as the sire, meaning he would have no coat pattern to contribute on his side.. I chose the breed association that would better ensure the value of my foal if it did not end up acquiring a coat pattern.  Between ApHC and the paint association, APHA, I chose ApHC for my colored endeavor as I felt I would not have to worry about ending up with a "worthless", solid foal.  In the APHA, you routinely see their solids being given away for nothing - even out of World Champion stock, because they hold little competitive value as they are not allowed to compete against the coloreds, and the solid horse classes are diminutive with little incentives for the exhibitor.  This is another debate for another time, however, as we are focusing on the Apps here.  This is just what, as an outside breeder looking to experiment with a color association, attracted me to the ApHC.


Back to the original topic of why Durango is a stallion prospect.  Appaloosas appear to be having a comeback, probably partially due to the controversy going on with the paints and their solids.  Also, this is probably also partially due to the years of infusing modern quarter horse and thoroughbred blood into the Appaloosa.  Slowly phasing out is the Appaloosa of old - the short, stout, rat-tailed, roman nosed horses that many still think of when they recall an Appaloosa.  I remember growing up, I never liked Appaloosas, as they always fit this description when I saw them, and I thought they were ugly critters.  Now, they are more specialized, and looking more like a modern QH with the striking coat pattern of Appaloosas.  The modern App is able to compete in events like western pleasure and hunter under saddle with all the talent of the modern QH.  So, an uprising in popularity is being graced on the App association as people rediscover this remodeled breed, seeing that they can compete in all the events that they know and love from the QH association, with a bonus of striking coloring.  Because Appaloosas are increasing in popularity and demand, there will surely be an increase in breeders seeking a well bred, talented, Appaloosa stallion as a match for their mare.  So far, Durango fits that description.

Durango is sired by my AQHA bay stallion, A Chance For Romance.  Chance is a Congress Champion, Reserve Congress Champion, Reserve Congress All-Around Horse, 6x Congress Top Ten, 3x AQHA World Show Top Five, 2x AQHA World Show Top Ten, multiple major Circuit Champion at shows such as Gold Coast and Big A, multiple AQHA year end award winner such as High Point Green Working Hunter Stallion, High Point Pleasure Driving Stallion, High Point Hunter Hack Stallion, and appx 70 AQHA points.  His earnings are appx $6000, and this was all accomplished as a four year old.  He is by World/Congress Champion Luke At Me, and out of Miss Patricia Lark, a World/Congress Champion producing daughter of the great Superhorse Rugged Lark, and is full sister to World Champion Regal Lark.  Whew!  Chance has been successful in events such as Hunter Under Saddle, Working Hunter, Hunter Hack, Pleasure Driving, Performance Halter, and Open Halter, and is also starting on Western Riding and Trail for the western side of things.  Needless to say, Durango has the sire power and so far is looking like he is going to be an exact carbon copy of his daddy, with spots!  

His dam is Lady Serengeti.  She had limited showing herself, but picked up some hunter in hand points.  She is a red dun snowflake ApHC mare, with a pedigree of ApHC royality.  Her sire is The Upper Hand, who is a World Champion, Silver Medallion earner, Superior Halter, Superior Western Pleasure, and is a multiple World and National Champion sire.  Her dam, Lady Goer, was a direct daughter of Goer, and was a World Champion/producer and bronze medal earner.  Could this guy be bred any more royally on both sides?

Durango's Grandsire, The Upper Hand

Durango's Dam Lady Serengeti (w/Durango)

Durango inherited all the best parts from both parents as well as this stunning color.  Who would have thought this color would have came out of my solid bay QH stallion and a very lightly frosted, minimal colored red dun mare.  It was a pleasant surprise!


Durango was born late, a May 29th 2010 foal.  We got his dam late in the year (end of June) and we really did not want to wait a whole year to breed her.  Chance was home the breeding farm, and most breeding farms near us had closed their season for the spring.  Lo and behold, the mare came into heat immediately, and we frantically searched for a place to collect her before we missed the heat.  Well, we couldn't find a place in time, so it was live cover or nothing!  Chance, being the good boy like he is, handled it like a gentleman.  This was before he started showing - the live cover did not impair his ability to show and behave himself like it does many stallions.  People have a hard time believing he's a stallion, much less a stallion that has completed two breeding seasons... much less a stallion that has been live covered!  The result of our efforts was little Durango, and I sure am glad we decided to go for the live cover or this phenomenal creature wouldn't exist today.  So, on May 29, 2010, "Durango" was born.

Fresh Out

12 Hours Old

Because he was born almost two months after the other babies, and we were dealing with some pretty protective mares, we decided to put little Durango and his momma out in a pasture by themselves.  Fortunately, this worked for the better, since he was able to be spoiled and handled on a daily basis.  We'd always hear about people who would drive by and admire the gorgeous app baby from the road.  He was the favorite of everyone who came to the farm, so he was actually TOO spoiled.  Everyone wanted to pet the adorable little app foal and he hammed it up and became almost obnoxiously pushy!  Folks around the farm had determined that come weaning time, he would probably be the biggest pain in the butt to handle and start training because he was so spoiled.  Fearless, but spoiled, and while being fearless is a good thing usually, not necessarily when the baby is so spoiled and unafraid that he knows no respect!  Well, the smart little sucker sure threw us for a loop.  He was brought in about a month ago... and he has been the EASIEST to deal with and train baby to ever grace this farm.  Go figure, I guess you can't judge a colt by his spots. :-)

This blog is almost a diary of sorts, to document the progress of our spotted little prodigy through any trials and tribulations, and, with any luck, his transition into a show horse and mature stallion.  We invite you to join us on our journey... through the good and through the bad... hopefully mostly good!