Out of the mares that were bred, I've tested 10, so far 5 are pregnant.  Two more will be tested later on in the year once they are 4 months along.  So we have Dream, Ladybug, Buffy, Fly,  and Nellie confirmed pregnant.
Penny aborted a pinto colt at 4 months,  this is the first time I have ever lost a foal and it was a upsetting day for me.
Taylor has been gelded and I have cart trained him for a few months now.  He is doing so amazingly well that I am going to be showing him next year in the novices classes at MHANS shows.  The new stallion is Huybers Doctor Pepper.  I bought him from a friend.  He has awesome bloodlines and is going to be a very small boy.  At 13 months old, he is only 28.5 inches tall.  I don't expect him to go over 30 inches.  He has some pawprints so I am hoping he is homozygous for pinto. Here is a scruffy picture of my new boy.

Dream continues to do therapy work with the special needs clients in Enfield.  Her foal has begun to kick and everyone at CCOA cannot wait until she foals that little filly.

Summer hay is all put away in the loft for the winter, we are just putting in our wood this week and then we will be all ready to hunker down and watch the mommas grow pudgier each day.  I love the slow pace of winter, too bad it has to be so cold.

Dream has a huge day!!

First off we were invited to come visit the special needs clients of CCOA in Enfield, so I packed dream in the trailer and away we went. 

She did amazingly, never moved a muscle, never pulled when they led her around.  I'm so proud of her I could burst.

Got home and did a preg test on her and wow.  Dream is almost 4 months pregnant.  Maybe her and baby will do a therapy horse duo before you know it.  She obviously was born for this work.  There were some amazing smiles seen today from everyone.  Dream almost fell asleep with the combing and patting.

Taylor is being gelded in 2 days, seems appriate to get this news today.  Congrats Taylor, this will be one very special little one indeed. 

First mare tested is not pregnant

Tested Marcella today, and the result was a definite negative.  So, Dream will be next to be tested in a months time.  Dream certainly appears to be pregnant, but she is such a tiny girl (less than 32 inches) it doesn't take much food to make her pudge out.  Will update on her results at that time. 

With Taylor being gelded, I'm on the war path to find my future stallion.  Have my eyes on a little 1 year old pinto boy.  Just have to talk my hubby into the idea that I need a new stallion.   Hopefully will be able to post picks of the new boy before you know it.

Another long awaited update

Well, I see the last update was when Jack was born.  So a few days after Jack arrived, his brother Peanut (Huybers Utopia Lauras Horizon) was born out of Nellie.  No complications with the delivery, I was there at 1am when the little one arrived and quickly figured out the whole standing and nursing thing.  Peanut is going to stay small, I'd say around 32 inches tall, but is very correct for a little guy.

He will be for sale when he is weaned in late July (very soon). 

I saw an ad on Kijiji for a little pinto mare that I have had my eye on for about 3 years now, she was priced to sell and I decided it was finally time to bring her home.  And about time too, she is on the thin side and needed some hoof trimming immediately.  I've got her on 24/7 outdoors because she has heaves and for this reason she is also getting 3 large carrots a day.  Carrots contain a camphor like chemical that helps open up airways in the lungs.  Hopefully this will help her.  She seems to be doing well and is fitting in well with the rest of the herd.  Here is Pearl Creeks Courtney.

All mares have been bred this year and Taylor is to be gelded on July 31st.  There will be many little ones next year to pick a new stallion from, or I may buy a new stallion.  NOt sure on that one yet.  Hoping to train Taylor to be a future driving show horse as he has a nice trot and lovely conformation. 

Hay is in for the year, and that feels fantastic.  It is amazing hay too, nice and green and fine and smells like heaven to this old horse woman.  The logo on my trailer says I'm one horse shy of a crazy horse lady, but my daughter says Courtney was that one horse and now I'm officially the crazy horse lady.  My hubby would fully agree with that.  But I look out at my herd with all their colours and personalities and I count my blessings every single day, all 16 of them :)  I can't imagine what I would do with my time without these lovely personalities to share my time with. 

For those that follow Dream's progress.  She is doing absolutely wonderful.  I was so afraid as I drove home with her in the van that she would have to be put down.  But I saw in her eyes that she had the will to see this whole thing through and that is what she is doing.  She is pudgy, happy and shows no signs of lameness from her neglected foot trimming in her past.  She brightens my day every time I see her and her personality is second to none.  She's gentle and pleasant at all times.  She has been bred to taylor for a 2014 baby and I just can't wait to see that little one be born.  It's gonna be one special little filly (I hope).  Might even have to be a keeper. 

In a week's time I will be testing the first mare bred for next year, so will likely update again then if I get a positive result. 

Till then, enjoy your summer everyone.  It's gonna be over before we know it!

2013 Foal #2

This is my stallion's second foal, he seems to have what it takes to make nice babies.

Introducing Ladybug's foal - Huybers Utopia Jumping Jack Flash!!  Born April 17th, 2013. 

Hoof trim #2 for Dream

She's walking with ease, hard to believe how well she is doing considering where her feet were on tuesday. 

Took off another 1/2 inch on both back feet.  I do believe we can bring at least one of these feet around to a normal angle someday.

Another visit to the barn

I have had a sick stomache and a raging headache since I picked up Dream.  Knowing that my friend was in such a horrible situation and her horses needed so much help was killing me.  So a deal has been struck and I will take home her horses one or two at a time and rehabilitate them where needed and then sell them for her.  Alll money goes back to my friend.  Doing this helps me feel I'm helping out and eases my pain about the whole thing. 

So here is the second mare I brought home from my friends barn:

Gold Nugget

Her hooves are getting done today, Not sure what can be done about the poop crusted fur as it is too cold and damp to give her a bath, but after her trim shes' going into the paddock and I'm hoping she'll decide to roll and get nice and damp and then I can comb some of it off her. 

Nugget is for sale, if anyone is interested, drop me an email at ahuybers@ns.sympatico.ca

She has foaled out at least 3 foals that I know of and foals easily without assistance.