and I didn't even get to blog his for sale notice on here. It's very rewarding as a breeder, especially one breeding during tough economic times to be able to sell my foals so easily. However I know that there are no guarantees that this will continue so am still going to be very careful about how many I breed - quality not quantity here every time! Ronan will be off to his lovely new home as soon as he is weaned (at around five months).
Maddy is being bred at present (foal heat) to Brennan so we are crossing our fingers and toes for a successful conception (50-60% on foal heat but Cindy obliged earlier in the season so I am hoping Maddy will do so as well). Watch this space! Maddy's foal will be for sale so, if you think you might be interested do let us know! I have already had to disappoint a few people by selling foals that they were interested in before they could make a decision so, if you want to avoid disappointment, consider an in utero contract.
We are still waiting for our hay to be cut. The weather has been horrible here this summer. It has rained and rained and rained and the grass has grown and grown and grown. We have a bumper crop and the red clover content is particularly impressive but none of this is going to be a lot of use to us if it doesn't stop raining long enough for it to be cut and dried! C'mon summer, sort yourself out!!! If the worst comes to the worst we should be able to get medium squares of baleage made but hay is ideally what we want/need.
I am writing this blog as I sit and wait for Victoria to arrive so that we can scan a couple of mares (Tinks has been irrigated as had some fluid post service - she also short cycled BIGtime so we want to help her pharmaceutically and in any way possible to conceive for her owner) and possibly collect and AI Bernie who I am not sure is a great live service candidate due to her size and her breeding status (maiden mare) - Finger's crossed for smooth sailing there!
One thing is becoming apparent now and that is that I really need to get Nick to build a phantom mare for Brennan so I am collecting and collating plans at present and hopefully we will have something in place if not soon, at least by the beginning of next season. If you can help in anyway - please let me know!
Postscript: Victoria has been and Tinks scanned clean of fluid. Bernie had a 50mm follicle so we collected Brennan off Maddy (who is still in season) and used what was collected to AI both Bernie and Maddy. Everything ran super smoothly and now we just have to cross our fingers that all three mares are in foal! I have decided that if Hooty has not taken again I am going to get Vic out and we will collect and AI her - I have a suspicion that her size is making it harder for Brennan to quite make the target so we will take a little of the effort out for him. Hopefully he will have got her last time around - we will scan her on Wednesday to check (finger's and toes firmly crossed!).
Some photos taken this morning below:
Random sunflower
Ailbhe
Mmm clover, delicious!
Mother and Daughter
Enya, Paddy, Maude and Snorkel
Paddy
Maude and Paddy
Portia
Maddy and Ronan
Ronan
