Everything sublime is as difficult as it is rare. Baruch Spinoza

Saturday, November 19, 2022

Bay All The Way

I took a couple of photos through the window of my eating machines. I used to say I should have named the farm Nothing But Bay because that color gene was extremely strong in my bloodlines. There is a chestnut out there somewhere, the bay gene didn't get a chance there because both parents were chestnut. And chestnut & chestnut produces chestnut. I could have also called the place Dark Horse Farm. But for a woman from St. Paul moving to the outer edge of Minneapolis it seemed like the end of the world to me.


Top photo is Bright, Scamper and Bounce. They are paternal brothers.
Far left, barely visible, is Ben, a Lippizaner cross, the chestnut, Laddy, and Topper, the now gelded sire of the three brothers. They range in age from 19-26, Tops being the eldest.
 


They are the boys, the geldings. Geldings are like ten-year-old boys, no matter how old they get. Mares quickly become stern old ladies, no nonsense. Lots of people don't care for mares, I do. They are to be admired, they are my ladies of substance.

We have a high of 16 F today, low of 9. Tomorrow it jumps up to 32 F. When there is snow on the ground and horses going out to paddocks these temperature shifts are not welcome. Freezing/melting creates havoc. I never have been able to get the weather to listen to me, no matter how I try.

So, a view of horse butts is about all I've got today. The pellet stove is still working, Mark keeps the woodbox full for the smaller fireplace and we aren't being pummeled with snow like NW New York. Sometimes, it is the immediate that I must remember to be thankful for.

10 comments:

julochka said...

I always liked mares best too. As temperamental as they could be.

Boud said...

I'm always interested in learning about your horses, especially about temperament, since I don't know anything about them. I thought bay was a pale color!

Lori Skoog said...

Thank you for showing me some photos of your horses! I love seeing them. Also have no problem with mares. We are only 50 miles from Buffalo and have been very fortunate so far. They are nearing 7 feet! Towns 15 miles from here also have a fair amount of accumulation...but nothing like Buffalo. Stay warm. We are going to be in the single digits tomorrow with the wind.

Val Ewing said...

My herd likes color coding...the bay gals stick together, the reds hang out and the grey? She seems to only have the old bay gelding as a pal.

I had a gelding mule until I didn't and then I went with what we had and that was mare mules. Siera has moods while the red heads and the grey don't seem to get moody. They sure are full of character and each one special!

Nice to see your critters!

I sure wasn't looking forward to this cold spell. I wasn't mentally prepared for it.

Sandra said...

julochka, I knew there was a reason I like you!

Sandra said...

Boud, as you now know, bay is a brown horse with a black mane and tail. The differences in the brown coloring are numerous. I very much enjoyed the genetics part of breeding.

Sandra said...

Lori, the mares aren't within my sight from the house, but the boys are easily seen. The stallion is also within sight from the house. That is a lot of snow! We are in a warm up starting today and lasting at least a week. It should be coming your way.

Sandra said...

Val, they are all unique. Some of my mares are witchy girls and some are laid back. I have two grey mares, the grey are my personal favorite.

Pixie said...

They're beautiful horses. My youngest daughter would be in heaven with so many horses.

Sandra said...

I know she would, Pixie. I had a horse as a kid and into young adulthood. My dad loved horses and enabled me to have one.