So far our fall season is challenging! We’ve had way more rain than usual, and more mud than I’d imagined possible! Last year we hardly had any mud, but this year is very different. I’ve even slipped and fallen in the mud, exacerbating my old hip injury. The ponies don’t seem to mind at all, and I can hope that practicing their sliding and balancing skills is good for them. We will get mud-free footing for them eventually, but that needs to be in permanent locations and I’m not ready to define those locations yet. On top of the mud, my mom has experienced a series of incomprehensible health disasters, and I’ve been spending a lot of time driving to Seattle to be with her in the hospital. She’s starting to show improvement, but it will be a long road to recovery.
With all the mud and our family’s medical challenges, the animals have just been getting basic needs met. Our lovely, pregnant Arabella was listed for sale until recently. We had several inquiries, and people loved the video of her, but nobody made it out to see her in person. We have now pulled her off the market. She has gone to be a gentle lesson pony for a few months, and will come home to have her foal. I’d prefer to keep her after that. She’s my special girl. George would prefer to sell her since we have her two sisters. We will see what happens. In the meantime, I’m thrilled that she’s introducing more people to the Dales Pony breed. She’s getting rave reviews so far!
Arabella’s sister Duchess is also out on lease, at Windstone Farm, a dressage lesson barn. She’s gotten great reviews too! This is quite touching, because Duchess had very basic driving and riding training, and then was used as a broodmare and pasture ornament before we got her (no offense, Barbara!). We got her a year ago, and George would take her for walks in the woods and we’d occasionally ride her on the trails. She’s a sweet and gentle pony. The fact that she was able to transition smoothly from her previous life to that of a dressage lesson pony speaks volumes!
Our 2019 filly Cascadiadales Anamnesis (Neesie) will leave towards the end of this month for her new home at Dark Horse Ranch in Illinios. Her gorgeous half brother Cascadiadales Andrew is still available!
I am grateful to be able to have these ponies in my life. Grateful that my mother’s condition is improving. Grateful to have the health and physical strength that I still have. Life is fleeting. Opportunities are fleeting. And the critically endangered breeds we’re raising could be fleeting too, but we’ll try to fight that.
Carpe diem.