Sunday, May 17, 2009

Let's Hear it for the Gurlz!

How 'bout that Rachel Alexandra rockin' the Preakness?
Girl Power — YEAH!

Mike and I are hosting two of Heather's 3-year old fillies for a short time. We need a bit of light mowing — waste not, want not. They need the weight and some spoiling. My horses need neither, so they remain at Heather's, where they are getting what they need: dry stall (Jaz), rationed hay, limited grazing, and constant handling (Poco).
Heather and Nita both say Poco is being a very good boy. Jaz, of course, is always a good boy.

Amber (Cristal Lynx -- pedigree here) and
The Horse Formerly Known as Oops
(Rohrschach's Spots x Pelees Ashes)

Ash, a grey TB mare, was Heather's first horse. The Horse Formerly Known as Oops (THFKAO) will be the aging Ash's replacement as her riding horse. The shortest version of how the little girl got to be known as Oops: the breeding was planned, but Ash tested positive for a uterine infection. She was flushed and exposed to the stallion again, but the infection recurred, and the mare was flushed twice more. Months later she was exposed to Spot again, but showed no signs of being in heat. She was palpated and found to be in foal.

Ash and THFKAO
Gotta love watching Appy foals literally change their spots.

What they didn't know was that THFKAO was from the first breeding. THFKAO survived three flushes. She was born while Ash was still in the pen with Spot, who stood in a corner, a respectful distance from mother and baby.


I love her pouty mouth and mottled skin. Check out the eyeliner. She's much too lovely a young filly to be called Oops. THFKAO's registered name is Veneratio Memorium Vera (In Memory of Vera), Heather's grandmother. I issued a proclamation that since possession is 9/10ths of the law, and since I do, in fact, have her in my possession, from this day hence, she will be called Vera. Fortunately, I amuse my friends, and they are kind enough to humor me. But even if they continue to call her the name they gave her, I know in my heart that she's a Vera, not an Oops. Some things you just know.

Love the mottled girl parts.
She needs some weight, but leave it to Aunt Leah.

And they're still eating.


Amber's color reminds me of marshmallow circus peanuts.


I leave you with the above two shots taken this morning. As you can see, our rain is gone — for the moment — and today promises to be one of the nicest days we've seen in awhile. I'm headed to the barn to see the Boyz, leaving the Gurlz to graze another day or so. I'll start handling them a little this week. I have grain and Source for them. We'll fill them out in no time.

6 comments:

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

Rachel is an amazing filly. I was really rooting for Mine That Bird though. I didn't think he had a chance when the race started, but when that little horse makes his move, he is deadly fast. Watching the slow mo replay though, he would have beat Rachel if those other jockeys had not moved horses into him. He may not have broke stride, but it cost him the two extra strides he needed to beat the big girl. I know technically the jockeys didn't do anything wrong, but it was so obvious their intent was to hinder Mine That Bird and they were successful. Still, The Bird has been a phenominal investment for his owners.

And on those yearlings...this is a tough time of year for growing horses. It's tough to keep their weight up, but I bet we won't even recognize them in a week. All that lush grass is going to pack the pounds on them for sure and having room to roam is so good for them. That's really awesome that you can trade out space with your friends. Both of you and your horses are really going to benefit from this arrangement.

That's quite the interesting story on "Vera". She's a tough cookie! And beautiful too!!

Esther Garvi said...

I know a lot of horses in Niger who'd love to come and pay you a visit! What a story little Vera lives to tell, I'm amazed!

Leah Fry said...

BECG, the Gurlz are coming 3, and are still in that phase of growth where you feed them, and they start to fill out, then shoot UP some more. Plus, we had a hard, hard winter with the drought.

Some of the ganglier yearlings could benefit from being here, but our place isn't child proof. One of my critiera for visiting horses: they must have some common sense and "street smarts". That was one of the main reasons Heather picked Amber & Vera.

Yes, I think I will learn a lot from this. They are SO different from my own horses! So young and full of themselves - think Paris & Nicole in their heyday.

Right now, I don't know any horse that wouldn't think they went to horsey heaven here. Eat & poop til they can't aeat and poop anymore. So far Amber & Vera have shown they can do a LOT of both!

Anonymous said...

I love Docs Lynx breeding. My former trainer had a horse that died of some weird cancer that is buried on his place. We weren't allowed to use that horse's bridle, but sometimes he would use the bridle on his next favorite horse.

Pony Girl said...

I was excited the filly won, it's the only one I would have wanted to beat Mine That Bird. I was really rooting him on at the end (Paint Girl and I were watching it together.) I think he would have caught her if they'd had a few more yards....
Glad you could swap out horses and get these two some grass. I sure like the spotted one, I guess I'm biased! ;)

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

lol! My kids and I just cleaned out an entire bag of marshmallow circus peanuts yesterday! Yummo! They are addictive.
My grandfather used to share them with me when I was just a little'un.....yrs and yrs ago. hehe!

Both gurlz are sure pretty. It'll be great to see them fill out a bit over the coming weeks. :)

I bet you miss your boyz, but it's always fun to have gurlz around, too. Will you be having any pajama parties?

:D

~Lisa

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