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We started our little herd off
9 years ago. We began with the acquisition of
Paddington Bear (who answers
simply to Bear) and his lifelong companion Suzie Q
(whom we call Suzy.) They're both 18 years old and at the upper limit
of A.M.H.A. standards, being 34" high at the withers.
At the same time, we got our little herd Stallion ... MoonDancer. He was
less than a year old, jet black with extremely long mane and tail, and cute
as a button and extremely playful. In fact ... he was so playful that I felt
sorry for him ... no companion .... since Bear & Suzy were usually together
... so I suggested to Carolyn that we might want to get him a companion.
Imagine my surprise when, several weeks later, a horse trailer arrived
with
a 3 month old tri-color filly (Mandy). It had been a suggestion ... not a
request to go out and spend a bunch of "spare change." They were a great
match, though, even with the slight difference in ages. Moondancer was a perfectly
conformed 27" fellow and little Mandy was a darling little 19" girl.
The poor little thing was terrified when she got to us, though, imagine
taking a 3 month old filly to the auction!
We thought out little herd would also see an expansion the following
spring as Suzie Q was supposed to be pregnant when we bought her .... but no
such luck ... not then or since. She seems to get pregnant just fine, but
doesn't carry to term. Of course, I can understand that - gestation for a
horse is a LONGGGG 11 months!
Soon after we finally confirmed that Suzy was not carrying ... we had to
start treating Mandy for diarrhea and assorted other problems. That went on
for quite a few months over the winter ... we had the vet out a few time ...
and the problems culminated on April 6th of 2000 when Mandy gave us a real
surprise - "Mandy's Surprise" ...
the poor little thing had been pregnant
and we'd been treating her for assorted other "imaginary" ailments. Surprise
now thinks he's also a stallion and is a real pest ... but ... being so cute
means he had Carolyn wrapped around his hoof ... we finally had to separate
him from the herd, like we did his daddy, and give him his own pasture to
lord over. Because he was wearing out the ground at the fence line, pacing
back and forth, we moved Suzy from the main herd and he's happy as a pig in
mud now.
Moondancer - after being the life of the party for the first years ...
decided one summer (2001) that he was the herd stallion and had to show
everyone ... to the extent that he never let up on poor Bear
at all (like a
gelding cares who's the boss anyway) ... so we had to finally put him in a
pasture by himself ... where he stares at the rest of the gang and likely
wishes his hormones hadn't gotten the upper hand ... errr ... hoof. But ...
he did his studly duty that year, though ... at least with Mandy ... Suzy
still seems to have a problem carrying ...
After waiting with bated breath from June of 2001 for a new addition ...
getting the vet out, anxiously watching the unconcerned little mare ...
Mandy finally decided she'd had enough of being compared to the Goodyear
Blimp and delivered the little four footed bundle at 8AM on Monday the 17th
of September. It took us a while to decide on a name - Carolyn seems to
think they're important - but we finally decided to keep her daddy's
name going. The little filly became WindDancer. I'm not sure how long we can
string the 'Dancer' line out, but we should be good for awhile yet.
