Oh the woes of pregnancy...and starting an equine rescue!

I have been neglecting my blog I swore I would put more time and effort into, now that I have the time. Not so sure about the effort anymore!!

I have been pregnant for almost eight LONG months and am ready to be done. The last few weeks have been bad, with trips in and out of the hospital for contractions and the flu with major dehydration. I have been put on countless restrictions to keep me pregnant as long as possible, including NO horses!! So you can see where that leaves the blogging about the horses. Like there was much going on before that anyways!!

It is hunting season, and the horses are locked up for fifteen days to avoid any "accidents." I stopped out at Ron's the day I got out of the hospital to go take a peek. Everyone looks good. A little dirty, a little more hair, but good condition to go into winter. Got a little loving from Chubby, who is the first to the fence even before Okauchee now, and a whinnied greeting from Rain. She's really growing up to be something. I think she will be the next one to go in the spring when Chubby goes back. Speaking of, I e-mailed an old prof (and also riding instructor when I was in college) about her schedule. I am going to try to get right back in the saddle after I pop this kid out!! Ivy is doing well out in the herd without mom. I didn't have really any worries that it would go otherwise. Although she has found a spot where she can sneak under the fence and go gallivanting around the empty field. So far she has always found her way back in when she is done moseying.

Remme and Riot are fat and sassy out at Joey's. Always excited to see me when I stop by to check on them. They love their scratches, and, of course, Remme always feels the need to show off. He tries to push Riot around, who stands and clacks his teeth at him, and gets the scolding from Mom to be nice. They are both filling out nicely. I may try putting Remme with something with a nicer hip this spring, just to see what comes out. Need to know if he deserves to keep his jewels! :D

I have been putting my time into learning the ropes and laws of 501c3 non-profit entities. I have officially (and looks like on my own) started the wheels for a Spanish Mustang rescue. I think it is imperative that our community has a place for temporarily displaced SMs and ones that need help in general. Right now I am at the beginning, looking for others interested in helping out with the incorporation. It is a lot of paperwork and hard work, but I think that we can do it!! I have already put feelers out for a transportation train and for foster homes. This way we can get started helping horses in need immediately, versus having to wait until the rescue is up and running as that might take awhile. Anyone interested in knowing more or helping out feel free to contact me!! I am always looking for people to brainstorm and bounce ideas off of!!

One day soon I also hope to figure out if this blog site does anything more interesting then just letting me write!! I also would like to try and get some decent photos for it and for a website update. Oh LUCY!!!

Becky

Part One of The Dream!

Here it is...the new, permanent home of Northern Dream Spanish Mustangs! Ok, I know that none of you want to see the house...it's all the land and the barn that matters, right? There is one of those and almost twelve acres to go with it. I will be posting pics of that stuff when there is actually something to look at. Right now the barn is an empty shell, soon to be full of hay, and my paddock area is an alfalfa field. Across the drive is going to be where my arena will go. I hope to be able to attach three stalls with run-ins and hopefully an office/tack room to it. We will see how the plans work out and whether or not there is enough room for it! I have been very busy lately moving and trying to get settled. I also am down to one job and hope to maybe get a "fun" job at Tractor Supply or something like that, working with other livestock/farming/horsey people. This bar stuff is for the birds!

Currently Lily is doing well in training. As with all range bred and reared older horses, she is taking a little extra time and repetition to get things down. I believe that she trusts Crystal now, and that is helping immensely with things. I am aspiring for her to make it to the show ring someday, but, with only one job now, I really can't be spending a ton of money getting someone else's horse trained. She is going to take some time to become a sound riding mount, and I guess that is better than nothing. I decided that she is not going to be bred this year as the circumstances surrounding the actual AI are harder in the area then I thought. I just didn't want to start trying so late in the season and possibly waste a bunch of money. Also, with only one job now, the market being so crappy, and me being at my limit, it just seemed smarter to wait. Thank you to Sharon Sluss at Rainbow's End for taking the time to speak with me about our options, and I hope to do business with you again in the future!

There is a new addition at NDSM, a nine year old cremello mare named Bright Spot. She is an own daughter of Duke of Earl and out of Sunspot. Sorry, I don't have SMR numbers right now, but Earl is a perlino and Sunspot is a palomino from the Horsehead Ranch. This cross has made many beautful babies, and Bright Spot is already showing she is one of the best conformed and easy to train out of the lot! Ok, so apparently my crappy internet connection isn't allowing me to attach any more pics. Hopefully I can get to it soon! Chubby, as we are calling her, is at Spot Collection Appaloosas with Lily. She has been there only for a few short weeks, and Crystal is already riding her. This mare should be a show stopper on the English circuit! She is such a beautiful mover with a natural presence that is sure to get her noticed!!

Keep watching for updates!!

Ok, Ok! I know...been to long!

I swore that once I got the internet at home I would write more. I guess I am not much of a blogger! But exciting things are happening here at Northern Dream Spanish Mustangs, and I finally feel like I have something to write about!

This past weekend I spent down at my mother's place, so I missed the big visit from Kim. I was offered a pasture to use for the summer and fall. Sixty acres of wonderful rolling grass. Adella and her new baby, Ivy (apparently Remme and Adella got frisky through the fence last year!), Ransom, and a mare from Kim (Sweetwater Crocus, who is by Booker T. Mustang out of Sweetwater Lily) were turned out this weekend while I was gone. Okauchee, Rain, and Ella were turned out the beginning of last month. So far so good! I called the guy who owns the place, and he told me that he hasn't seen any problems yet. I will go out and check on them myself tomorrow. That just leaves Remme and Riot at home. It'll be good to only have to feed two for a couple months!

Another mare from Kim, a full sister to Crocus named Mustang Lily, is at Crystal's (Spot Collection Appaloosas in Fisher, MN) to be trained and AI'd to Wayward Wind by frozen semen. We are still working out the details, so hopefully it all comes together and we get a baby out of the deal! Crystal is going to do the teasing and train at the same time. I am excited to have another riding horse when I can actually ride again!

Which I guess leads me to why I can't ride...I am going to have another baby! Due December 17th. I am very excited!

Keep watching for more info....there is another exciting thing brewing for us here!! :)

It's like summer!!

The weather finally broke last week. It has been in the 20's now for a few days, and I'm loving it!! It's like a heat wave out there.

The horses are all fat and sassy. Seems that the little bit of oats and alfalfa pellets they are getting are doing them some good. I will have to order some more Total Equine Supplement (good stuff, BTW) when I get all the bills paid for this month.

I am going with my friend to pick up her horse from the trainer next Sunday. I think we are going to haul Okauchee with and go for a ride at her trainer's place. It may be my first outdoor winter ride EVER. I don't remember a time when I have been out and about on horseback during the cold season. It'll be interesting to see how Okauchee does. Will have to report back after the ride. I don't know if he's been outside of the arena before!

Otherwise it's winter, not a lot going on. I have a few things in the works, but will not report on them until they materialize.

Becky

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year everyone!! :)

Turns out January is going to be busier then I thought. I think the goings on of this month will most likely make or break the tone for the entire year. There is a lot of important stuff to be determined in the next few weeks. Pray everything goes well!!

The weather is still holding its own at below zero temperatures with a nasty wind chill and more SNOW! Woke up today to another beautiful dusting. Can't see any of the windows of my car sitting in the drive. It's this time of year that I begin dreaming of living somewhere tropical. Only a few months left to go! Maybe it'll be an early spring, maybe....LOL!

All the horses are fat and sassy. Well everyone except for Rain, she could use some weight. I would like to get Riot weaned. Would've liked to get him weaned two months ago. Such is life. Rain is going back on her full blown 'I'm to skinny' diet. I will have to go to the elevator and pick up some more complete feed and some more rice bran. Everyone else is on a mixture of alfalfa pellets and grain, very little of each. Basically it's for extra heat in the below zero temps. They are doing well on their free choice hay. They really seem to like the mixture they are getting.

Finished my sales page ads for the SMR sales page yesterday. Hopefully they turned out well and make sense to those reading. I'd really like to get a few more horses sold. Need to concentrate on training and showing my breeding stock. I also checked out the website for the facility in Georgetown, MN that Dr. D told me about. The one that can AI Adella. They have a very nice place, and it's not far from here at all. I have to call for a price list, but hopefully it's not to expensive. Dean said he'd pay for it for my Christmas present!! So it looks like Adella's pairing with Wayward Wind will go on as planned. I am so pumped!! I was pretty disappointed when Dr. D said they wouldn't be able to do it due to no space at the U. Leslie and I also talked about going to the SMR meeting again. I'd like to attend and haul Okauchee down there to ride some. I also need the trailer, just in case Pluma ends up coming home with me!

Gotta run. Time to get ready for another wonderful night at work!

Becky

Oh, the weather outside is frightful....

Holy moly are the holidays busy!! Work, work, work....spend, spend, spend....drive, drive, drive. I can't wait until after the first of the year, when everything calms down!! Then I can settle back into my work routine, pay bills, feed horses, keep the dream alive. This time of the year gets tough on me. Out at three a.m., in the cold, hauling water buckets cause the hose is froze really makes you remember why you do it. Rolled into bed at five this morning. Work wasn't to bad, and thank gosh it was decently warm out to feed. No jail breaks yet this winter, knock on wood. Let's hope it stays that way. Well, I guess Riot keeps escaping. But I wouldn't necessarily call that a jail break. There is a little spot between a permanent fence and a building that he somehow keeps managing to squeeze through. He has pooped up enough of the lawn for me to clean up in the spring though!

The results of the AHHA top 25 came back. Remme made it, but just barely. He scored in at #25. I thought he'd do better. They also said that only 34 were entered. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I also thought that they were only doing breeding stock, but apparently not. There were a few horses on the list that I know are geldings. Oh well, Remme will keep his cahones for another day.

Becky

Okauchee is a rock star!!!

YAY for Okauchee being a rock star!! I went to Crystal's last night for my "lesson" on him before he comes home Sunday, and he was AMAZING!! Very quiet, willing, and eager to please. A little lazy with no power steering, but hey, you can't ask for a lot from a green broke horse. It felt so good to be on a horse again after such a long hiatus, and a Spanish Mustang to boot! :) He is very light on the bit, moves off your leg like a dream, will go over tarps and the bridge, and really concentrates on his work when he is alone. He does still have some herd issues. He likes to be in it, constantly. I guess it's something we will have to work on.

On a side note, my trainer, who is also a friend from college, really enjoyed working with him. She said he was a challenge and that she really took to heart what I had told her when she got him and actually RESEARCHED the breed before she started. She had had one BLM mustang in for training when Maggie was still there that had issues up the wazoo. She said that she knew these guys had a different mind, but wanted to know as much as she could before she started. She said he is a bit stubborn, but that he will make a great riding horse and partner for someone!! Another good thing, is that she is willing and eager to take more of my horses in the future. I am so excited!! Mainly for the fact that she does mostly QH and breeds Appys (in this area that is the norm and mustangs are looked down upon, mostly due to ignorance) and will get the word out about how wonderful of an experience it was to work with him.

Anyways, I am going to ride him again Sunday. In the indoor, then outside, and then again when we get back home. We did get pics, but they're not very good. Jess, my photographer, was sick and couldn't come. Dean, my boyfriend, took most of them. The arena was dusty so most of the pics are spotty. Oh well, you get the jist of what's going on. I'll see if I can get Lucy to post some on the website until we can get some better ones.

Becky

P.S. The big guy is still for sale and is going to make one heck of a riding horse!!

Crappy Weather!!

So it's raining, and I am waiting on Kim to come do feet for the third day in a row. Not to mention the last time he canceled on me. I'm getting slightly irritated to say the least. Kiah is with me today. Wonder how long she's gonna last out at the farm? I can bet it's not going to be very long, and to think, I actually had a babysitter yesterday for when he was supposed to be here. I have a headache already and think it's only gonna get worse. Not enough sleep and to much STRESS!! I think we got home from feeding this morning at five a.m. The bar got crazy last night because they got shut down for beets cause it started raining again. My floor went from clean to trashed in a matter of minutes. Didn't get out of there until almost three. I think I need a new job! I can't wait until I get moved out of my tiny ass apartment, into the farm house, fences up, and my therapeutic riding certificate started/finished. How life will be different then. More on that later...

Check out the site. Lucy is doing more improvements to it every day!!

Becky

YAY for something broke!!

I'm loving this whole internet at home thing. I bought myself a pretty new blue copier/scanner/printer thing at Best Buy yesterday. I'm so pumped to be able to do WHATEVER I want, whenever I want. I have to figure out how to hook the thing up still. But after that, it's on!

Anyways, I got a text from Crystal, my trainer, today. She said that she's been riding Okauchee since this weekend and that he's doing awesome. She said that he doesn't mind anyone being on his back or leg pressure. She is going to start trotting him tomorrow and work up to a lope in the next couple of days or so. I can't wait until he comes back. I'm finally going to have something to ride after to many years of doing nothing but feeding and ground work! Anyone else excited?? I'm planning on going over there to try my new saddle and watch her work him one of these days. Hopefully the weather holds out a little longer so that I can actually get some rides in on him before winter.

Contacted Josie at the Cayuse and a few other people about possibly getting another filly/mare. I will need something to replace Ella when she sells. I don't necessarily want her to go, but it doesn't seem economical to keep something around that I won't be able to breed to Remme in the distant future. We will see what pans out, if anything does.

Ooh ooh. Check out the website!! Lucy just re-did it, and it looks awesome! Let me know what you think!!

Becky

I'm Back!!

YAY for finally getting the internet at my place!! :) Alltel had a deal I couldn't pass up, so I got myself a nice little internet card and away I go!! I'll actually have time to keep up with this thing now, instead of having to wait until I can get online somewhere to post.

Here's the jist. Remme's AHHA registration and evaluation is pending again now that I got his recent photos sent in. They prefer horses that are over the age of three for the top 25, so it'll be pushing it for him to make it up against all the mature horses that entered. I never did get anything else submitted. It's gotten so cold and muddy that everyone is hairy and dirty, plus Adella and Rain are the only other ones that come close to the three mark anyways. Oh well, I am pulling for Remme to make it and will congratulate those who do make it. He's really growing into a handsome boy!! Very spanishy in my eyes. His AIHR and HOA paperwork is ready to go out also, just have to get the money orders and mail everything.

Rain and Riot are doing great. One of these nights I will sit down and figure out how to add pictures to this thing so that I can post one of the little guy. He's such a little sweetie. Getting so big and looking more like momma every day. He had another haltering session the other day when I dewormed him. He wasn't to keen on having anything around his head again, but once he got done trying to drag me around his paddock he seemed okay with it. Just stood there and looked at me while I petted him and touched him all over. He is so funny, not a ticklish bone in his body. He just stands there and lets you touch him wherever you want. I can't wait until he grows older. He's gonna make a great companion for someone! Weaning is imminent. Will report back on how that goes.

Ransom just returned from the trainer's and is cuter then when he left. Crystal, my friend from college who owns a boarding and training place not far from me, did a wonderful job with him. He is ready to be backed and ridden. I can't wait! Okauchee is at her place right now. She sent me pics of him and said he is doing well. Looks like she got on him a few days ago and walked him around. He will be there for thirty days, and I'll get to ride him when he comes home! Finally!! I am pumped about the whole thing. Then hopefully someone will buy the two so I can cut my numbers down and really concentrate on the training and campaigning of my breeding stock.

Ella and Adella (really? did I need to choose their names so close?) are just hanging out, as usual. I put Ella up for sale just to see if I got any bites on her. I can't breed her to Remme, and I don't want to sell her, but I figured that maybe someone else would love her as much as I do. We will see, if I sell some geldings or Riot I may just keep her and breed her to some other stallion eventually. Speaking of breeding, Adella is going to the University this spring to get bred to Wayward Wind via frozen semen. I am excited about the prospect of having one of his babies to campaign!!

Kim is coming to do feet (finally!) Tuesday and Wednesday. I really need to find a farrier in my area!

Becky