2024 has been no less than eventful for us. We lost our first mare we acquired for our program, Eurespeciale. Even though I had been involved with horses since 1992, Destiny was my husband's first introduction to horses. She was an amazing first horse and an awesome ambassador to the breed. Unfortunately we learned that getting her in foal might be tricky, especially with her old age. So I went looking for a daughter of hers, which we found in Eeesprada. The added excitement for me was that Eeesparada was sired by Ecaho, one of my favorite stallions when I was a kid. So Destiny spent the rest of her years being loved on and petted on by adults and kids alike.
Prada, as we call her, is a lot like Destiny in some ways, in other ways not so much. Although I don't blame her. She has a bit of unmanaged anxiety because she's never been taught how to manage it, or channel it to tell someone there's an issue. This has lead to her kicking out at me, because I push boundaries... also not her fault. This summer I will personally be working with her in an effort to teach her how to handle these things. Because when she's not dealing with these issues, she is almost identical to her dam.
2024 is the year of big moves for me in the program. I'm equally excited and scared for the things I'm doing this year. I am going to breed a mare with artificial insemination this year. I've always done live cover for the mares and we've always had success with that, but there are lines I really want in my program that I just can't get unless I buy and ship long distances. So starting this year I am going to breed one mare to an outside stallion, and the other mares to McGraw SC. I'm really excited for this journey.
McGraw SC's paperwork for the sweepstakes nomination is filled out and waiting for my first check to be sent in. Unfortunately due to injuries and illness we've had to put it off but not this year. He now has two colts Khing of Spades Amb and Amarillo Amb. Nicole Tomlinson purchased Khing of Spades Amb and also bred her mare GVV Behy Renegade to McGraw S. She's due around the 4th of July. Then, hopefully with successful pregnancies, McGraw will breed the three mares here bringing his total foal count upto six. Oh and then he's getting tested for shipping this year and set up. Depending on how the breeding a mare with AI goes will depend if we offer him shipping this year.
It's a big year. I'm looking forward to the next eight months!
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