Getting Ready for Another Foal

More Painted Acre Horses Posts >

We can only hope. Since Jewels produces such fantastic fillies (2 out of 2), Kristel wants another one (hopefully she’ll start selling them and making some money LOL). Anyway, Poor Rubicon is in his barn. Do you know why? Because his face is so sunburnt! So PINK. Poor guy. So he needs to hang out in the shade until Kristel can bring home some UV protection (I think she’s going to try Desitin Cream (i.e. zinc oxide).

A few days before this short (38 seconds) video, Jewels wanted nothing to do with Rubicon. But now? She is starting to warm up to him. Spoiler alert: By the time you watch the video on Photo Friday (since I scheduled it for the blog, but those who subscribed to my YouTube channel already saw it), Jewels will have accepted Rubicon and will be well on her way to producing another foal next summer (June).

Scroll down to see a 15 second video showing you what Kristel is up against (not on YouTube). It has done nothing but dump rain in north-central Texas . . . and 8″ of mud is not the best plan for trying to breed two 1,000 + pound horses.

Note: the “screaming” is perfectly normal and does not mean anybody hates anybody else. It’s just . . . . their way. Enjoy!

BREEDING DAY . . . or not?

Fifteen seconds is about all I can take of this muddy pen and forlorn-looking stallion. But after getting everybody as ready as she could, Kristel oversaw a successful breeding (not shown here, of course. Only the muddy pens). Jewels was bred twice: once on Tuesday in muddy conditions, and once on Wednesday (2 days ago), in absolutely horrifying muddy conditions. Perhaps you are wondering why she doesn’t move both horses to high ground so it’s not such a miserable experience for all.

The answer is . . . safety. Safety mostly for Kristel, and for Kristi (who keeps Jewels standing still with a lead rope and a crop). Both Ks stay outside the pen with long lead lines.

Safety also for Rubicon. He is a gentle soul, and if Jewels suddenly got mad, she could kick him and really injure him. Outside the pen, this would be a disaster since then they would break away and probably run all over the ranch, tearing things up and wreaking havoc. The foals and Maggie are in the other horse pasture, which is just as muddy and nasty as the stallion’s paddock (and breeding pen).

Keeping both the mare and the stallion behind a sturdy fence lets everbody know that this match will take place when Kristel (with her own crop and a stud chain) says so, and not before. (Yes, Rubicon breeds with permission and on command, believe it or not.) This is for the protection of all involved. It’s risky even in dry, perfect conditions.