Welcome 2017!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season!  The New Year can be viewed as either the end of a year or the beginning of the next.  While I take a moment to remember the year gone by, I've always thought of it as a new beginning.  Over the holidays, some friends said they always think of it as the ending of something.  Interesting how different minds look at the same thing in completely different ways.

For me, on New Year's Day, I'm always thinking back over the last year and in the past would always make resolutions and plans for the year to come.  Now, I still reflect on the past year, but don't feel the need to do the resolutions now. I'm thankful for every day that I wake up. I try to enjoy every moment that I'm here. Sure, I still have goals and dreams, but I live much more in the moment now, than I ever have. A friend calls it "life after cancer". I think it's life after ANY major life threatening event. It really changes your whole perspective and indeed, your very soul.

So on reflecting over 2016, we found forever homes for 3 of the horses.  We currently are out of stock on sale horses!  We added in 4 equines to the family.  One mini broodmare, 2 mini young stallions and one mini guard donkey!  We produced 3 lovely foals (1 mini and 2 full sized saddlebreds).  Both saddlebred babies were homozygous tobiano pinto and the mini baby was also a pinto!  It was a colorful foaling season for us!!  Our only horse out showing last year was our mini mare, Lucy.  She did well in halter and also began her driving career.  She will continue on this year in driving with the goal of making it to AMHR Nationals in September! 

Kakos Sharif's Fire in the Hole, aka Lucy.

Zinga (one of the young stallions) is also going to be starting his halter career this year.  He'll also be headed to AMHR Nationals in the futurity class.  We are excited to see what this little fellow can do in the future!  He sure loves to trot!!

DVM Grand Bazinga, aka Zinga.

2017 looks to be an exciting year for us again.  Two mini horses out showing, a 2 yr old half Arabian/half saddlebred gelding beginning his in-hand career in the Arabian Sport Horse shows, 2 mini foals due in March and in May, plus we MAY throw our hat back into the purebred Arabian breeding ring!!  We haven't produced purebred arabs for over 10 years now.  I'm feeling the itch to try for a black western pleasure show foal or two!!  We'll see how this materializes and I'll update you in the future on this endeavor!

Here's to hoping that 2017 brings you all of your heart's desires and a healthy, happy year!!  I'll check back in the beginning of February, with the next blog update.  Take care and stay warm this winter!