Saturday, September 23, 2006

What a Wonderful Time of the Year it is!


not because the flies are starting to reappear and all the slimy reptiles have decided that its warm enough to make an appearance from hibernation ... What Iam talking about is breeding time!!! You know when all the little foals who have been hibernating and growing in mum's tummy for 11 months finally make an appearance into the world.

There is nothing nicer than taking the long way into Warwick down Lyndhurst Lane and watching all the mum's with their babies and also watching the Clydey mum's who sometimes have 2 babies with them! Its just beautiful and makes me realise just how lucky we are to be a party to this! (Pictured above is "baby" Shorts ... who was born here at Massie Lodge 2 years ago... I do remember her first wobbly steps when she was born... but my, hasnt she grown into a beauty!)

Um, maybe not so happy knowing that Sweetie is one of the mum's to be ... lol ... Sweetie would have to be a real no-nonesense type of mother... no fussing, with just enough caring to make sure that bubs is looked after and is kept fed. By the time weaning is due, Sweetie has had it and is over motherhood for that year.

Libby on the other hand is completely at the other end of the scale... over protective and wont let bubs out of her sight and is pretty careful and selective which humans she lets near bubs. They are a funny pair those two mares, although I have to say that Sweetie definitely was a fate mare for us.

I found Sweetie on a Racenet add, about 5-6 years ago... Evan and I were busy making plans about moving in together and moving up to Queensland and one day innocently browsing through different websites, I saw that Sweetie was for sale.

She was agisting out near Penrith and we organised to go and see her and brought the vet along to give her the once over for breeding purposes. Andrew, the vet at the time in NSW, gave her an examination and said, "nope, no good confirmation wise for breeding and that we would never get her in foal". Well, we went along with his expert opinion and let Sweetie go.

Evan and I sold up in NSW and moved up here to Warwick and we started with a couple of fillys. Some time moved on and Evan and I ended up going to the races one Saturday at the Gold Coast to catch up with some friends and Iam sitting there watching the races at Newcastleon the monitor and there she was running in a Class 1. To say that I nearly fell off my seat was an understatement because I had always regretted not buying her at the time but because of what the vet said and the fact that we were in turmoil moving etc. we decided to let her go.

She rang second last on this occasion and I was bitterly disappointed because I wanted her to do well and then I would at least know that she was ok.

After arriving home from the Gold Coast that evening, after feeding the dogs etc. once again I got on the computer and was browsing the websites. I jumped into the MM site and there she was - top listing and for sale at a price that was most affordable.

I screamed and yelled and told Evan (who didnt stand a chance to say no!) that I wasnt going to let her get away again. The rest is, as they say history.

Sweetie has been very good to us since becoming a mum (I really shouldnt put her down as I do!) and has produced 2 very fine boys (Lenny and Jimmy) - now we are ready for Sweetie to have a filly.

LOLOLOL Sorry, but for those who know Sweetie ... can you imagine another Sweetie? Is Warwick big enough for Sweetie and a filly? hahah I dont think so.

I guess at the end of the day, I really dont care what she has as long is she is healthy!

Helen





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