Hot Days

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Exechorseluver

1111111111111syn 111111sun Lauren left for Malaysia in the early hours of July 27th to spend some time with her friend Mia and her family. This has left 100 year-old Cindy at the farm pretty much on her own as the dog days of summer continue in earnest. It has been brutally hot and humid for the last week and for this week except the day before Lauren left where it was just a balmy, humid 84.

Due to Ally still recovering from a stitched up hand, Alex being on vacation and other changes, I have been on my own at the farm most of the time. Fortunately, Ally was released to return to work on Friday and I welcomed her back gratefully. My neighbors are in Singapore so it is super quiet around the farm. Everyone choosing now as the optimum time for their southeast Asia vacation. Like who does that? Vacations in SE Asia? Anyway—

While working my day job and coming home to do the night chores of getting horses in, hosing them all down (they are covered in sweat), feeding, distributing hay, turning out the night horses along with feeding dogs and assorted cats has been a little overwhelming, but nothing prepared me for the weekend.

I wanted to get a ride in on Diva before Jordyn came out Friday night. I was in the saddle before 5 pm while the temperature was still hovering close to 100. Nothing wears out a horse like the hot sun and wet sand (from our previous day’s shower). My little ride made Diva the perfect saint for Jordyn when at 6 pm she climbed on-board and I moved on to taking a dressage lesson with Nancy Lindsey.

Taking a dressage lesson with Nancy is an arduous task on a cool, winter day. Under the blazing sun of summer it is a little like torture. You certainly want a buddy in the ring to divert her sharp eye from you and your horse. Thankfully, Jo Ann and Mickey were there to suffer along with me. To make the lesson a little more adventuresome, I was riding Feather in Lauren’s absence.

Feather needed to keep up her workload and I needed the lesson. Perfect idea in theory. But the things Lauren does with this mare (and they seem simply to happen) were not quite as easy when I tried. First, Feather was bored, bored, bored with Granny on board! What in the world was she doing away from her fan in the hot summer sun? And with this old, silly amateur on-board, it was really quite ridiculous. The horse Olympian Bernie Traurig said had been born in a perfect frame, was not framing up for me!

Feather in a frame, where she is round and working off her hind end.

Look-she can even do it without a rider.

Feather in a frame, where she is round and working off her hind end. She can even do it on her own-but not for me!

Okay, so we worked on that. And we sweated. And worked some more. Just to make this super fun, occasionally Feather likes to bolt. As in two years ago she bolted and Lauren broke her arm. Or four years ago, she bolted and Jordyn almost broke her back. Yea, that kind of bolting-jumping out from under you at a dead run kind of bolting. We think it is a stifle issue. The vet will check Feather out when Lauren returns. But back to my story-around we go in relatively respectable posting trot, with Feather in somewhat of a frame, when out of the left corner we come like we have been shot out of a cannon! A few seconds that felt like a lifetime flew by and I was settled back in the saddle again with Feather quietly standing there like she had never moved an inch.

cannonball

This could have been me flying from the cannon. My old cowboy hang tough muscle memory saved me!

The good news about this event was it further confirmed our thoughts on the stifle issue (that is a part of a horse’s leg for those of you not up on horse anatomy issues). I did not fall off or break anything! And Nancy Lindsey gave me some great tips on how not let it happen again (I was thinking never ride the horse to the left or never get back on the horse again) but she had some more constructive ideas like put a breast collar on the horse so I have something to hold on to. She also told me something that I have long thought but could not support.

She told me I handled the ordeal better than Lauren does. Now, make no mistakes, Lauren is a WAY better rider than me. I cannot do the things she does but in terms of handling young, spooky, crazy or difficult horses, I have more experience and more confidence. Lauren won’t like this but it made my day!

So, that was Friday. We got in the house about 7:30 and Jordyn asked me about dinner. Was she kidding? I was supposed to feed her? Not a chance. I was exhausted. I don’t remember what she ate but am pretty sure she found something. I was chugging Gatorade.

Saturday was a lovely 100 degree day filled with many opportunities to meet my FitBit goals (which I almost doubled). First, I did some mowing-like with a push mower, a power push mower but still. I got back in the house during the worst heat of the day to catch up on the all those chores. Somehow, Lauren goes out-of-town and does not clean the house prior to her departure. She did manage to use every towel she owned which were now in the laundry room and leave her bedding for me to wash. It was just a few loads.

I was back out in the sun with my migrant worker outfit on (old tattered shorts, a ragged tee-shirt and an old cowboy that looks like it has been run over) by 2:30. The horses needed to get out of the sun as well. Each of them deserved a hosing off before sending them to the shade and blowing fans in their stalls.

Quickly it was time to put dinner on the table (or in the trough as the case might be) for the horses, dogs and cats. That is a total of 21 animals. Yes, I am crazy. Ask anyone.

I had made it through Saturday and was on to Sunday! At some misguided moment, I had agreed to do everything (morning to night) at the farm on Sunday. I neglected to remember that I had not done all the chores myself for several months (after I broke my ribs) and the whole heat factor sent this way off the chart into totally stupid idea time.

Thinking I was going to get to sleep in a little (what would that be like?) I fed the horses, dogs and cats about 5 am. Then while they rested in the relative cool of dawn, I went back to bed. I got up at 8, put on another one of my top-notch outfits, filled my water jug and headed to the barn. I got all the horses including super baby Sims to their respective pastures and actually got the main barn cleaned in record time. I took a break. I was dying. The heat was nuts.

I got going again on the remaining seven stalls. I did two of them. I stopped and laid down in the shade. Drank some water. I was ridiculous. How does anyone do this? Then I started thinking of all the other people I knew-none of them were doing anything this dumb, or hard, or hot. Geez.

My late start (brilliant as it was) did not take into account the heat rising as day went on. I was on stall number eight or nine and it was past 11:30. Of course, I had not eaten. I started getting muscle cramps. I hoped for a heart attack-hospitals are air-conditioned. It just went on.

By the time I had made the dinner and breakfast feed for all the horses and several hay bags for the night horses, I was so far past my tolerance point I was into delirium. I got into the house about 1:30, showered and tried to imagine going back out to get the horses in, feeding and doing turn-out. Wasn’t happening. My one day of showing I could be Lauren or Ally was a failure!

I stumbled out to get the horses, in yet another of my migrant farmer looks, (if you are considering this look for Halloween, let me know, I have many versions) to find my friend Jo Ann there. I begged her to help me to feed and hay so I could go back in the house and lay down. Thankfully she agreed.

I was an absolute zombie. I fell asleep by 7 pm. But I was chipper and off to work on Monday just a little sore for all my fun. Man, I admire all you barn, farm and event managers/workers. Actually anyone working outside in the summer heat. My name is Cindy and I couldn’t do it!

maui sleep

I even wore out the youngest of the dogs, Maui. Totally asleep on Sunday afternoon.

Thanks for riding along! Stay cool and safe!

What’s Under the Mask?

Posted on July 22, 2016 by Exechorseluver

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Baby Sims has been hiding out under a fly mask.

Baby Sims will be two months next week. He has changed a lot. We did not know what to think of his red coat as the odds were quite low (under 13%) that he would be a red. And that includes being a red that turns gray.

I have certainly never seen anything like this. You can see his baby coat is molting away. Betty Sue did that and I was panicked she was going to be a bay. I have no idea what Sims is going for-maybe some new Punk rock thing or a unique color combo we have not seen before. So far, his under-coat looks to be a darker red. But his ears, mane and tail are coming in BLACK! His legs have lightened in color like a dark palomino. I am perplexed.

Everyone from my vet to successful horse breeders tell me a different tale. So, take a look at the many pictures and give me your vote. I was told he would be a chestnut with a black mane and tail. I found out that does happen, rarely, but the black is not a true black. Mama Fargo does have some dilute genes that might be causing a little havoc here.

Sims is loosing all his baby hair around his face and coming in less red. It is like he is molting.

Meanwhile while he is certainly a well put together young man, more than just his face is changing.

His legs are turning lighter, almost his mother’s Palomino color But wait for his mane and tail.

Look like a bad ombre’ job.

At least an inch on new mane growth is black.

I have never seen a horse born red that turns anything but grey. He looks like one of the teenager’s talked him into some weird Ombre look. And you don’t go black first and then onto grey. Even his ears are almost all black now.

The tail still looks red but is black underneath.

sims tail 0717

I am holding back the top layer-black wouldn’t you say?

There is only one other idea I have (and I can’t wait to hear yours!) could he be turning smoky black? Fargo has the genes for that. Look at this picture I took of Fargo. Looks perfect Palomino, but check out the black deep in her tail. Hum…

Fargo’s blond and black tail. So the black gene is there.

Anyway, here are some more pictures from today-it did start raining so you will get some spotted Sims but rest assured those are rain drops.

A melting changing face. Look at how dark his ears and forelock are. Pretty homely ‘lil face. We will still love him no matter what color he is!

Hard to even know what this is- it is the top of Sims Head. That’s his dark ear on your right looking down his black and red mane. Pretty black, huh?

legs1

Here you can see his new light, light legs. A dun skin?

Let me know what color you think Sims will be. I want all the theories. Maybe someone came by and dyed his little mane and tail, well and his ears and his legs.

Anyway, thanks for riding along.

Always something new on the horizon here. Cross your fingers, we are hoping a baby is being made as we speak! It should be a good (or even a great one)!

Let Time Go Lightly

Posted on July 13, 2016 by Exechorseluver

Taking a dressage lesson on Diva.

As the morning sun made its way across the Houston sky this morning, I was introspective and subdued. So many things in the world weigh heavily on me from the acts of shooting down policemen to watching our President speak at their funerals. At no time when you contemplate your funeral do you want to have the President speak at it. That is no doubt a big flag that your death was untimely and wrong.

Last night I watched a documentary on the White House. (I know, who does that?) Anyway, did you know that days after Abraham Lincoln took up residence in the White House he could see Confederate soldiers camping along the Potomac? If the Union army had not arrived, our White House could have been destroyed. Sorry, I know this seems a little random. My point is there has always been ups and downs in turmoil and struggle in this country and beyond.

Last night’s program made me reflect on the hard times we have faced as a nation and as individuals. LBJ was never a favorite president in my house. After the glitter and promise of the Kennedy days, LBJ days were dark with assignations and the Viet Nam war. Still, I never thought about President Johnson having two son-in-laws in Viet Nam and facing protesters daily chanting, “L.B.J.-how many boys have you killed today?”. What if he had to tell his daughters that their husbands were the ones that had died over there? No easy times. Those were hard times-for eveyone. No wonder people took drugs! (Being flippant here-don’t take drugs.)

I suspect our country is headed for more tough times. And we have seen our share. I guess that is why when I suddenly had an opportunity (friends coming for dinner Sunday cancelled) I did the first thing on my list of “want to-dos”, which was get on a horse. Let time go lightly when you can.

My horse Nova has had hoof problems stemming from our excessively wet spring to our brutally hot, dry summer. She has not been doing well keeping her shoes on. I swear she spots a lesson scheduled on her carrot phone calendar and yanks off her shoe just prior to lessons each week.

Anyway, with Nova steadfastly avoiding lessons, I decided to spend some time getting to know Jordyn’s new Quarter horse Diva. I like the little quarter horse. I like Quarter horses as a rule and this mare reminds me why. She is inquisitive, but quiet and interested in everything. She had gotten ridden by several of the girls at camp but I had not been on her and not been able to really assess what we had bought.

Letting time go lightly with Diva

Sunday night while I was all alone at the barn, I tacked up Diva and enjoyed a very uncomplicated, easy, no fuss ride on the back of this new five year-old. Most of the time, I am working a young horse like Betty Sue that can go wacky on me fast. Or even on my horse Nova, we have had so many stops and starts in her training that we are always starting over again. It was pleasant to do uncomplicated.

Celebrating our new Monday closed status (everyone needs a day off, right?) I was back up on Diva seeking out some more Zen on the back of a horse time. I started asking her some serious questions about what she knew and she answered fairly well.

Last night, we took our first Dressage lesson together. I was rusty from many weeks of missing lessons (thanks, Nova!). Diva is hard to convince it is time to get going, but once she does, she does well. Both trainer Nancy and I were enthusiatic over Diva.

In addition, to my horse back times, I have been working hard on my garden, moving trees, planning out a new garden for Luke and Ally, planting replacements, and relentlessly nurturing and watering the plants through the hot summer days. I do a lot of nurturing. Plants, dogs, cats, horse, kids, adults, Cindy tries to help and let growth begin or continue.

So, today’s topic? There is so much going on, in the world and with each of us. I do not know anyone that is not way past full on their obligation schedule. I know I am. It is important to take time for ourselves and those we love freeing up the usual restrictions and letting time go lightly. It could be the best summer gift you can give. Let time go lightly!

I let time go lightly when I’m here with you,
I let time go lightly when the day is through.
I keep a watch on time when I’ve got work to do,
but I let time go lightly with you

Harry Chapin-

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Thanks for riding along!

Oh, also on my things to do list last night was to save this baby deer that had gotten stuck behind our fence line. As usual, Lauren was not going to touch it and it was up to Jo Ann and I to save the day (or the deer).

I had this happen before and this time I knew what to do. Here is the story of the first time- https://exechorseluver.com/2014/06/24/what-story-can-i-tell-you-tonight/

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I am going to have an update on Sims for the next post. You will never believe what colors he is turning. Actually, I have no idea where he is going with his current look. Maybe punk rocker. But I can tell you he continues to grow. Over 300 pounds and almost 13 hands at 6 weeks.

What’s happening under the mask? Stay tuned!

Ride On.

Fourteen Days

Posted on July 1, 2016 by Exechorseluver

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Fourteen days of camp have come and gone. Actually, for Mia and Isabel it has been 21 days of camp. That is lot of time. Honestly, I don’t think camp would have even been a thought if Mia had not moved to Malaysia over 18 months ago. We needed a reason for her to come back and stay with us for a while and making up a working student camp was as good as any.

Last summer Mia came and we had a week long mini-camp. But this summer things got bigger. I had mentioned the camp one day in the Oklahoma office of my work, and the next thing I knew I had a colleague eager to send her daughter, Makenna. My granddaughter Jordyn is almost nine. She was ready for overnight camp. She came as well.

By June we had three overnight campers and two day campers, Isabel and Allyson. Isabel and Mia had some idea what they were getting into but not the others. Lauren runs this camp. It is her idea of teaching kids that there is a lot of work to do behind the scenes at any horse barn. And she did not go gently. I am very proud of the program Lauren put together. I am very proud of the girls that made it through two weeks in the brutal Texas heat and I hope they are proud of the work they did and what they learned.

Here are the highlights (or low points depending on your perspective)-

The first day all the girls emptied the big arena of all the jumps and poles. I counted over 30 poles (wooden) and at least 14 sets of wooden standards. Day One-over 100 degree heat index, the arena was painstakingly emptied. I don’t think the girls were prepared for the weight, the heat or amount of time in the sun. It was a little much.
From there guest speakers came and went sharing their time and knowledge with the girls. Elizabeth, a student at Texas A&M, shared the stories of her semester in Kentucky working at the thoroughbred foaling farms. She also gave practical information about college, what was needed to get there and what it was like.
Dr. Criner came next doing an insightful series on equine dentistry. I dare say the girls learned more than they ever wanted to know about horse’s teeth!

All along the girls were assigned specific horses which they were responsible to feed, groom and care for each day. The first day the feed room was a mad house, but then the girls learned to rotate through, mixing up the specific feed and supplements for the horses they were caring for. Many of the girls had never mixed feed before or had any idea about horse nutrition. They do now!

Probably one of the favorite field trips was to Lone Star Sporthorses. The girls got to take in the one of the grandest new barns in the area. Fitted with beautiful wood, matted paver tiles and the best of all features. They learned a lot about European horse breeding with hands on a gorgeous stallion, imported mares and outstanding babies. Look at this one-

LadyKilla LS (Bubalu VDL x Nabab de Reve x Narcos II) At three months

The girls also learned from Leeanna to get baby Sims a ball to play with. It was so fun to watch him. He had a ball! Get it?

Saturday morning found the girls saddled up western style for some traditional Texas riding. They were spending the morning with Sarah, a barrel racer, trainer and outstanding horse woman. She took the English girls through a little background and they all gained knowledge of sport and I suspect a little respect for the ladies that participate in it. It was all made more special because all the horses in the ring (including Libby on Cody who riding but not doing the clinic) came originally from Sarah.

Barrel and Pole clinic with Sarah!

In between the great speakers and field trips, painting had begun on all the jumps; poles and standards. That was a lot of work-scraping off old paint. Getting new paint on neatly and maintaining clean lines. There was a lot of paint used, and I found it everywhere from the jumps it belonged on, to brand new wash cloths, clothing and my car’s seat. Oh, well. For the good of many a few may suffer.

Tuesday, it was 90 by 9:00 am. We were headed to Wharton to get hay. Lauren, pulling our horse trailer, had part of the troupe with her and Ally was pulling the small trailer with the rest of us.

Heat didn’t seem to matter as the group created an assembly line to load 50 bales of hay. Both trailers were quickly to the max. Kendyll wanted to ride a barrel horse ( she also wants to jump Grand Prix double with Trapp so why was I surprised?) Kallyn and Becky our hosts, quickly saddled Hope and Kendyll got her wish.

All the girls plus Kallyn and Becky surrounding their outstanding two year-old Whatson.

Lauren had purchased a 25 foot wide plastic sheet. So why a plastic sheet? I couldn’t figure out what it was for. New advanced Slip-n-Slide. Goodness that was a big time from the littlest girls to the oldest ones, everyone dove and played in cool water.

water

The girls also perfected their skills riding a variety of horses a variety of ways. And remember we were also doing junior camp for the five and under set a couple days a week.

from L- Micenzie, Kendyll, Madison

Lil’ Madison on Diva

I would come in the house in the evening to see the girls playing board games. A little bit of a lost skill when everything seems electronic in nature. We had the new copies of the old stand-bys, like Life, Monopoly, Parcheesi and card games. The tv was seldom on and while the girls had their phones, more often than not, the were being used to settle an argument about a horse breed or riding question.

Another clear highlight of the week, was the trip to the Zena Mechanical Horse. On this Mechanical horse that you ride as you are assessed as much for your internal health as your riding ability, was a life changing experience for most everyone in the group. Jan, works with a lot of vets with PTSD, and is used to working with some pretty tough stuff. She had an absolutely uncanny ability to see right through the facades the girls thought they had in place. There were a lot of “aha” moments and even more tears. Jan saw right through Mia’s cocky resolve of toughness and asked if it did not hurt to miss her friends with all the moves the family had made. Lots of tears on that one for sure. But Mia came away more relaxed and assured in her riding after leaving the armor behind.
Jordyn has had more than her share of bad falls. As a riding family she has had more than her share of ultimatums born from our frustration that she was not progressing as fast as we thought she should, boy were we told to leave her alone and let her learn to LOVE to ride again.
Here Jan is telling Jordyn she knows she is afraid. She works through her fear. Had Lauren in tears.

Amazing stuff they are doing out there. Let me know if you want more information.

The girls got the jumps done and the arena looks fresh and new. They did a great job. It kind of looks like Easter out there with lilac, spring green and yellow jumps. But I can live with that.

Last night Mia and Mickey along with Allyson and Snow headed to Pine Hill for an eventing lesson. It like jumping objects as you travel across open country. Mick and Snow had not done much of this but were happy to try. Great job, ladies. And thanks to Holly for coaching them.

Everyone Learned a lot and grew a great deal at this camp. From my daughter Lauren at 23 down to my granddaughter Jordan at nine, new skills were acquired, new trials were accepted and new things were heroically overcome.

I am super proud to have been part of this team. No matter how hot it was or how tired they were they worked, they worked together and they got the job done. It’s been a great two weeks.
Thanks for riding along!

I’m looking forward

Clinic, Camp and the Colt

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Exechorseluver

IMG_9511 (2) Fast times at the Farm with everything happening at once. Last week Mia rejoined us from Malaysia as she did last summer. She will be here for several weeks as a working student (Lauren’s slave) and Lauren will return to Malaysia with Mia and the tables will turn.

We got things off to a big start with the surprise 16th Birthday for our boarder Isabel. Pink twinkling lights, pink streamers, pink balloons and pink cake helped herald the event. I think it was even a true surprise.

The first week of camp went off grandly culminating this weekend in Olympian Bernie Traurig’s riding clinic. I have gone on and on about Bernie before so you can search for that story but it was great to have an audience with a United States Equestrian Federation Team member who has represented all three disciplines in the Olympics, Dressage, Eventing and the Grand Prix Jumpers.

All three girls, Lauren, Isabel and Mia had some concerns on the first day. Isabel was riding a converted barrel horse she got from my great friend Sarah Sumrall. Sarah’s horses are top-notch in the manners department but usually originally suited to more a western saddle than English. This would be the first time for Isabel to take Dex anywhere nearing the importance of this event. This horse just started dressage and jumping a few short months ago.

Well, Dex got in a little trouble with Bernie. He was tossing his head and not getting down the jump lines properly. So Olympian Bernie just hopped on! What a thrill.

The last time this horse had been in this particular arena he had been running barrels, now he was being tutored by an Olympian. Sarah has provided a lot of great project horses for many of us. Oh Sarah, the places your horses go-

Mickey Davis to USEF Zone Finals

Cody Poulin to AQHA World Jumping Champion

And now, Dex Johnson ridden by Olympian Bernie

I could write a series of children’s books about Sarah’s horse and the adventures they have.

Anyway, back at the clinic…

Mia was on Mickey for the first time ever to participate in this jumping clinic-talk about jumping in with both feet. We have been bringing Mickey along from his lameness issues and with new shoes and lots of support he was ready to go. Actually, he was a perfect gentleman. I had put on the form for Bernie that Mia would need to work on Mickey rushing to the jump. Never happened. Not once. He went around with perfect striding and super cute jumping. He looked like a hunter/dressage horse. Amazing what happens when a horse has some time off and is not in pain. Once Mia settled in, she and Mickey had a great clinic. Bernie told her she was a natural horsewoman with innate talent. Now, that is pretty sweet.

Lauren and Feather were in a ring away from home for one of the first times since January. It showed as they struggled a little to find their striding and control their speed. But again by the end of the clinic, Bernie told Lauren there are two types of riders, those that ride well at home and fall apart in a show. And those that walk in the show ring and everything becomes magical. When Bernie told the group it was now a full course and they were being judged, the pair turned on the magic, hit all their correct strides and looked great. I would rather have the show magic horse than the home magic horse, at least for Lauren.

Kenna (two Ns, as opposed to my dog, Kena, one N) joined us from Oklahoma on Sunday evening along with my granddaughter Jordyn. This week Allyson and Isabel are day camping and Kenna, Jordyn and Mia are over-nighting it with us for a couple of weeks. WOW. Not a dull moment here.

Micenzie was nothing but smiles!

Isabel teaching Madison and Micenzie how to brush the horse.

The big girls teaching the little girls.

Mia spending some time with Zie.

Today was teach the next generation day. These older girls helped three young riders, a five year old and two-three year-olds, take their first lessons. The young riders will come twice a week for the next few weeks as well. They were super excited and super cute.

Finally, my Sims colt is one month old today. Hard to believe! He got some special time out (Or I did) to play in the paddock. What a doll!

Baby Sims at one month. He has a number 1 on his head-Harry Potter Fans.

Meeting his aunt Nova and showing off his number 1 mark on his head.

Baby’s Got a Brand New Name

Posted on June 17, 2016 by Exechorseluver

Sims scampering across the pasture.

A new baby horse changes things. It guarantees that no day is a bad day because there is always that foal waiting to be petted, to try to bite you with his two tiny teeth, to try to kick you with his wee little hooves (which still leave a mark!) and always has new antics to show you. I waited for this baby in my life for a long time. He is all I ever dreamed about.

I promise this is the last time I will complain that another Flagmount baby stole our name. We wanted and expected to use the name Flagmount’s Reflection (it made perfect sense for us with the father being Flagmount and my mare being Blonder Reflection). But a baby born weeks before us grabbed that name and it is gone.

Horse names maybe approved in many ways. One is by the breed registry. The Jockey Club approves all the Thoroughbred horse names. The American Quarter Horse Association, the quarter horses, and so on. But there are also show registries that do not allow for any duplications of names. So, common horse names are probably not available as a choice.

We register and compete in the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). One measure of the success of a sire is how many of his progeny are competing at top levels. Most of these horses shown below are from the sire we used, Flagmount’s Freedom, unless they were from Flagmount’s King, who is Flagmount’s Freedom sire, or the grand-sire of most of this group.

This is what is out in the USEF registry today.

Horse Name in USEF	Sire as shown
FLAGMOUNT’S AMAZING GRACE	Flagmount’s Freedom
FLAGMOUNT’S ANNABELLE	Flagmount’s King
FLAGMOUNT’S COOL CUSTOMER	Flagmount’s Freedom
FLAGMOUNT’S DEVIOUS DIVA	not shown
FLAGMOUNT’S FREEDOM	Flagmount’s King
FLAGMOUNT’S FRINGE BENEFIT	Flagmount’s Freedom
FLAGMOUNT’S HARMONY	Flagmount’s Freedom
FLAGMOUNT’S HEARTBREAKER	Flagmount’s Freedom
FLAGMOUNT’S IRISH FREEDOM	Flagmount’s Freedom
FLAGMOUNT’S IRISH RIVERSTONE	Flagmount’s Freedom
FLAGMOUNT’S LIBERTY	not shown
FLAGMOUNT’S NIGHTCAP	Flagmount’s Freedom
FLAGMOUNT’S REFLECTION	Flagmount’s Freedom
FLAGMOUNT’S SEMPER FI	Flagmount’s Freedom
FLAGMOUNT’S SPARTAN	Flagmount’s Freedom
FLAGMOUNT’S STERLING PRINCE	Flagmount’s Freedom
FLAGMOUNT’S TEMPTRESS	Flagmount’s Freedom
FLAGMOUNT’S TOY IMAGE	Flagmount’s King
FLAGMOUNT’S TRADEMARK	Prite of Gloster
FLAGMOUNT’S UPTOWN LUCK	Flagmount’s Freedom

We reviewed this list for inspiration. We took name suggestions from readers. We looked up lists of synonyms for Reflection. We even came up with a name based upon my three year-old granddaughter’s response to a Fire Ball cinnamon jaw breaker I talked her into trying (it was not pretty) and really thought we would go with the red colt and Flagmount’s Fire Ball. We even ordered a stall name plate. But I did not go register the name on USEF. I still thought something else was out there.

I almost hate to admit this but when I have had some downtime (like hip replacements, shoulder surgeries, broken ribs) I have come to enjoy the TV show NCIS. The main character is a retired marine. Ally’s father-in-law was a Marine-a Vietnam Vet. Our trainer was a Marine, although all of them would tell you that once a Marine, always a Marine. My long time best friend has two sons that are active duty in the Marines. The Marine’s motto is Semper Fi- from the Latin Semper Fidelis-Always Faithful.

semp

After checking that it would not be disrespectful on any front to name a horse after the Marine Corp motto, we decided this big colt could be a lot of things but we would always be faithful to do the best for him, and hopefully he would be faithful to Lauren to turn in his best performance every time. We could ask little more from him.

Plus, his barn name Sims, although spelled differently in respect to Sherre Sims, it does fit the “Sem” part of Semper Fi. At three weeks of age, this colorful, buoyant, tender and terrible (watch those teeth!) colt is already nearly 12 hands high. Seriously. He has gained 25 pounds a week for the last two weeks to bring him to just short of 180 pounds. Just think of what is in mare’s milk to let these babies grow like this! It is amazing and endearing.

Welcome-Flagmount’s Semper Fi!! I cannot wait to hear that name over the loud speakers as he enters the arena.

Thank you to all of you that have ridden along and supported us in this dream.

River Rises and Falls-the Colt Grows

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Exechorseluver

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We jokingly talked about a life preserver for baby Sims (this is not him!) but it really wasn’t funny.

Throughout a desperate week we were threatened by the Bravos River flooding and expanding onto our farm. Coupled with that were days and days of rain forecasted with daily amounts of rainfall in multiple inches. Friends all around us were abandoning their properties and evacuating their horses to higher, dryer ground.

As close as our neighbor, two properties away, the river rolled up to his door flooding his home and heading for our street. We talked with our friend Caroline almost directly across the river from us. She had talked to the Emergency Management folks and made a decision as early as the first Saturday (the 28th) to evacuate her horses. Lauren then became best friends with the Emergency Management team. Calling sometimes several times a day, Lauren kept up with rise of the river. I am pretty sure they knew her by name.

But they did a good job and they gave us accurate information. The roads closed more and more each day. Finally, I just stayed home from work for fear I could not get back across the river to the farm. It was super stressful as we watched the river rise-seeing the river from our window was a little daunting. And yet we were so lucky. So many lost everything. Animals drowned. Homes were destroyed.

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The Bravos River at Highway 90A coming up almost to the bridge

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Our neighbor’s property as the River proceeds to the road

We rode out the flood and all stayed dried. I enjoyed the time I had to get to know the new colt, Sims, as he grew and changed each day. We caught up on some family time, seeing Ally and the girls, talking with Amber almost daily. As crazy as it seems, our arena stayed fairly dry. Jordyn got rides in on her new horse, Diva, while I got back in the saddle on Nova.

But mostly after counting our blessings and trying not to lose our minds with worry, we just hung out with the baby. Nothing like a new foal to keep your mind on happy! In these first two weeks he has gained 25 pounds (and I thought only I could do that!) and has grown several inches. Here is his cuteness—he is so friendly and adorable!

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Like momma like baby-look at his reach with those legs!

Legs?

Thank you to all the family and friends that continued to check on us and pray for us!!

We appreciate it so much. Continue riding along for more shots of baby Sims!

The Big, Red Colt

Posted on May 27, 2016 by Exechorseluver

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Long legs, huge hip, solid shoulders and big ears make up my big, red, colt-baby Sims.

I ran the color genetics for Fargo (a palomino) and Flag (a gray). Of course, I did. Gray is dominant and the chance of the baby being gray was over 60% according to the University of California-Davis. But Gray horses, are not born. It is a color that horses turn. A horse can be any color at birth and become gray. And UC-Davis factored that in as well. So, I hoped for my favorite, a buckskin. I hoped for a smoky black colt. I longed for some white legs and Fargo’s trademark blaze (that she passed along to Betty Sue). But never in my daydreams of this baby, did a red colt come to my mind.

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Here is the actual color calculation. Gray is shown as the final color of the coat along with the color in parenthesis that the horse will be born.

The chance of Sims staying my big, red horse are only 6.25%. I am not aware of any Flag horse that is a chestnut (horse word for red). So, Lauren will probably get her longed for gray Flag horse to match Feather. Clearly, I did not get my 9.38% of a chance at a buckskin.

But that is all okay. Sims is finally here!! Sneaking in to be born as Lauren watched Grey’s Anatomy and I was at work. (Someone suggested calling him Flagmount’s Grey’s Anatomy, but Lauren vetoed that!) He is healthy, straight legged, big and super friendly.

A word about his barn name. Sherre Sims befriended us during the Wharton years. She was diagnosed with cancer. She fought bravely and hard. But cancer won. She was one of the best people I ever knew. So this is our tribute to her.

We are still arguing about his show name. It will be Flagmount’s something just like Feather is Flagmount’s Irish Freedom. I will update you on that. Feel free to add suggestions, please!

Here are some more pictures. Thank you for all you that have followed this boy from conception to life. It is pretty awe inspiring.

Mama Fargs saying”this huge thing came out of me?”

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At least he sleeps sometimes!

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We had some issues with Fargo being under the weather right after the baby came. I cannot tell you how proud I was of my two daughters, Ally and Lauren, as they tirelessly took care of the baby, hour by hour, as the antibiotics took hold and mama Fargs got better. I know if Amber had been here, I would have seen a truly top notch team as she is my certified International Lactation Consultant daughter and she would have known just what to do to help Sims keep eating to stay alive.

There was never any whining or complaining even as they tired and wanted to quit. They were both already madly in love with this big red colt and nothing was stopping them.

We are so grateful to welcome Sims to Six Meadow Farm. Expect big things from him! We are.

Thanks for riding along.

All I Ever Wanted

Posted on May 24, 2016 by Exechorseluver

****This post was written yesterday!! Fargo’s baby has since been born!!

If you are lucky, and I feel I am, you, from time to time, you are able toassess where you are in your life. Most of the time we just meander along without giving our life on a whole a lot of thought.

I certainly have tottered along. No stranger to ups and downs. Many things have changed over the years. I had not given a lot of quality thought around what is my life about-where am I in my goals for what I wanted from life.

Takes me back to when I was little. From the day I was born there were horses in my life. Although I was born in Denver, even way back then, they had boarding barns and my dad owned a bay Quarter horse named Sugar Pop that he kept at the local stable. My sister and I loved to go to the barn with my dad. I loved horses from Day 1. And dogs and cats.

It started to formulate what I wanted from life. Summers we got to spend at the ranch, quintessentially holding everything that was dear in my life, my family, my dear friends and the animals. The Rockies played a big part in that but in life you can’t have exactly what you wanted.

Education was a big part of the expectations for my sister and I. There was never a question of if we would go to college or have job. It was an assumption.

So, looking around the farm the other day it suddenly hit me that indeed, right here, landlocked in little city of Richmond was my farm, my ranch, if you will.

I started to think back to what I had wanted all those years ago. And you know what? I have all I could have ever wanted.

This farm with its horses, dogs loping around freely, cats sleepily hanging from the beams in barn, kids laughing and friends talking is what I would have conjured up as kid if I would have had the ability to see the future.

I have a great job that the education my parents insisted upon helped build. I would have never thought Texas would have been where I landed or this little parcel of land above river the place I call home, but it is. I wish I had a partner in this life, a companion, but that is not how it worked out for me and my girls and their families are my truest blessing.

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The very first day the horses arrived at the farm, beautiful Bruno and determined little Snow.

One day, maybe even today, I will cross another goal off my list, with the birth of a baby horse, right in my own backyard (or Fargo might just explode into outer space from being stretched so big).

Each of these moments, makes me realize I need to do a better job of living now. If I have all I ever wanted then I should step up and enjoy it a little more graciously.

How special is this moment caught at the barn yesterday as Kendyll just hung out with Snowboy?

Life is now. Life is here in grand proportions. I just need to stop sometimes as I worry away, whittling down each problem in my head to minute dimensions. I have been obsessed with worry lately and in the end all is well-or as well as it is supposed to be.

Stop and enjoy your life. You might find it is all you ever wanted.

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Updates-

NO baby for Fargo yet—-just kidding!!

Baby Sims at 11 hands and 124 pounds was born this afternoon!

A baby for Nova to cure her ails?

And Feather is deemed A-OK by Texas A&M

Stay tuned and thanks for riding along.

Sounds like Life

Posted on May 13, 2016 by Exechorseluver

Capture Sounds like life to me it ain’t no fantasy
It’s just a common case of everyday reality
Man I know it’s tough but you gotta suck it up
To hear you talk you’re caught up in some tragedy
It sounds like life to me

Sounds like life to me plain old destiny
Yeah the only thing for certain is uncertainty
You gotta hold on tight just enjoy the ride

Get used to all this unpredictability
Sounds like life

Darryl Worley

Wise woods for me as I get banged around the pin ball crazily careening through the machine bouncing off the flippers, a marble gone crazy.

My beautiful new from Kentucky, Foxhound suffered an accident Monday leaving her paralyzed. By Friday with none of drugs giving her relief, Lauren and I stood by her as we put her to sleep. So, what was the point of bringing that beautiful dog with such a dear soul to me for a month to tear our hearts out as she passed? I don’t get it.

In the meantime pregnant and due to deliver Fargo just keeps holding on to the baby one more day. I have chosen to sleep out on the concrete by her stall. This is bucket list stuff and I dearly want to be there when the baby comes. So far just rain and back aches have come from my all night camping trips at the barn.

Fargo is 331 days pregnant. Full time is approximately 340 +/-

Last night as the storms moved on and the moon showed up in the sky I took about 200 pictures. Not sleeping. Pretty bored. No baby. All the other horses laid down at least for a while but Fargo just kept munching hay. Good times.

To make the week more chaotic my horse Nova colicked badly with a serious impaction in her gut. We were lucky after a rough 36 hours or so to see Nova was going to make it. Feather super “drunk” so could get some good x-rays.

Then Feather went to the top of the prayer list as X-ray showed a serious mass in her facial bones. Some top Texas surgeons were betting on a real bad end to Feather’s life but continued diagnostics have us thinking we might be looking at a completely different, and treatable problem. Fingers crossed.

Finally our boarder Kendrick caught this great shot of Feather, Nova and Betty Sue on the beach in my back pasture catching some rays. I love it!
I will keep sleeping again with my mare on the off chance I catch her giving birth. I am off to Oklahoma Monday for a few days so no doubt that is when the baby will come. I guess that’s life.

Sounds like life to me plain old destiny

Yeah the only thing for certain is uncertainty

You gotta hold on tight just enjoy the ride

Get used to all this unpredictability

Sounds like life