Wikke after a month of training
Cori’s 2nd foal Wikke (father Heinse 354) went off to training last month and yesterday we visited him.
Wikke (owned by Sara Andrew) is still a very young fellow having just turned 3years old two months before this video. Training is going slowly but well as he adjusts and gets balance. He is a lovely, willing boy.
Wikke is at Dragstra Stables in NC for training. Once a horse is fit, used to a bit, etc., the Dragstras generally like to start a horse in harness to build strength. Wikke seems to be having some pain in his hip (started before training in fact), so the Dragstras are going very slowly with him and started him under saddle instead. In the video he is just starting to get fit and hasn’t even been shod yet since he is in light work. We hope harness training can begin next week after the chiropractor comes. Nothing strengthens and helps balance a horse like harness training.
Wikke will go to the keuring October 4 2010 in Lexington, VA.
Today I saw the foal’s heart beating on the sonogram
The vet came today to do a 30 day check on Cori’s pregnancy (again, she is bred to Beart 411 via frozen semen). The fetus was a little blob with two arm-like vestiges on each side of the blob. The “arms” appeared segmented. In fact, this was the backbone and the segments were vertebrae. In the middle of the blob we could see a teeny heart beating. I have to say, this made me grin from ear to ear. A pregnancy is not considered “settled” until Day 75, but so far this looks pretty good. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
We did a heat check on Dahlia. She is not yet in heat. I want to try her one more time with the frozen semen from Onne 376. But it looks like that will be later this month. Possibly even in early August.
I had almost given up on breeding Tara. After all, I want to use a US stallion for her and most stallion owners do not ship after July 31. The vet checked Tara and she registered at 44cm. Her mom has been ovulating at 46 which could mean this mare might ovulate in a day or two – and I still had not even chosen a stallion! I frantically sat and tried to decide what to do. After all, money is getting really tight now with all this breeding. I decided to go for it and rang up one of my favorite stallion farms – Iron Springs in PA. They have a few stallions (all good). Maybe they would have some left over semen from today’s collection. Megan, the stallion manager luckily had some semen from Meinse 439 that was available. That was kinda a miracle and I already knew he was a great match for Tara and on my list of possible choices for her. Long story short, the container is now with Fed Ex and we’ll breed tomorrow. Wow!
By the way, I am rather embarrassed and ashamed of myself for calling a stallion manager on a Monday afternoon asking for semen (they generally collect Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings). This is horribly unfair and disrespectful to the managers. It gives them no time to plan, and it is quite likely they cannot help you. In other words, my lack of planning was causing Iron Springs staff to jump through hoops. Not a nice thing to do. The stallion managers have a tough job and they are greatly under appreciated. Megan, if you are listening out there is cyberland, thank you for being willing and able to help me. Iron Springs is very lucky to have you.
Breeding with Frozen Semen – Update
|
|
I have taken my mares Dahlia and Cori to Va Tech twice now for inseminations. Once in late May. At that time neither became pregnant. I took them again in early June and got test results yesterday. Dahlia (being crossed with Onne 376) still did not catch. But Cori (crossed with Beart 411) is now pregnant at 16 days! I’ll keep checking her since it is not considered “completely successful” until day 75, but so far it is looking very good. Even the vet said yesterday that the embryo was really looking nicely formed.
Cori (daughter of Wander, damsire Lute) was born right here on the farm and has been lovingly raised by us. She has been an outstanding horse. 1st premie ster at her keuring, excellent breeder (this is her 4th foal), great mother, totally easy to handle, and smart/easy to train. And you know, she is also just damned pretty. She is now 10 years old and I am planning on putting her up for sale this summer since I wish to keep her last year’s baby Freya by Heinse 354. Cori will be a diamond for anyone’s breeding program. And with a Beart baby on the way, it is basically 2 for the price of 1.
Meanwhile, I have 2 more doses of Onne semen and plan to try once more with Dahlia. The semen is not very good but who knows – maybe the third time will be the charm!
Also, if I can get the heat cycle right, I will try one breeding with my 4 year old Tara. The season is over at the end of July, so there is not much time left. That one will be fresh semen and I am *still* settling on a stallion for her.
I will know a lot more about everything in a month’s time. What a crazy July awaits us at Tanbark Acres!
Two mares inseminated with frozen semen. Now we wait.
Quick update: Cori and Dahlia came home from Va Tech Equine hospital on Tuesday. They were there 8 days as they went through their cycle and were inseminated with frozen semen by the experts there. Cori ovulated much earlier than anyone forecasted. The vets did a post ovulation insemination but I feel certain it was too late and the opportunity passed by on this go ’round. I was trying to breed her to Beart 411. The semen quality was very good (for Friesian frozen) at 50% motility. But I think it was just too late.
Dahlia is being inseminated with semen from Onne 376. Although the semen quaility for that batch was not very great (20-25% motility), the vets had the timing almost spot on. So this one is a little more hopeful.
The pregnancy check for both is June 7. If one or either is not pregnant, I have enough frozen to give one more try.
Now, for Tara…. I still have not selected a stallion. Mostly because (a) she is not showing heat so I am unsure of when she is cycling, and (b) I am using all my funds for the other two right now. So, although I want Tara bred, she may have to wait a little longer. Possibly – though not desired – until next year.
People wonder why Friesian foals are expensive. They have no idea how difficult and expensive it is to get a Friesian mare – even the very good broodmares like I have – pregnant. It is a very tough thing.
More updates later…..
Ficus at one year
Here is a video from last week with him out in the pasture with Hiltje (no relation). She got tried of him quickly so we later put Ficus back out with the 2 year old stud Beau. They spend all day picking on each other.
