Foals

Today was the first day of sunshine we've had in weeks.  We took advantage of it and after picking up my brother, we went out to see the horses.  Jimmy was ridden for the first time in weeks and was perfect.  Artemis kept running around, bucking and begging the adults to race her.  She cuts corners and seems to rub it in the adults faces by neighing at the top of her lungs when she passes them.  She was also tied up for the first time today.  It wasn't an issue.  I wasn't comfortable tying her up until she understood pressure and release, and it's working out well so far.  

There was a new foal born at the stable early this morning.  He's a cute little black colt with a big star and one sock.  He'll probably turn grey, like his father.  Our BO and her daughter came down just as we were looking at him so we talked to them for awhile.  I will try to be as non-judgemental as I can, I don't know the owner of the mare and foal, so I have nothing against her.  It's just this general attitude that confuses me.

She is planning on breeding the mare again for next year and keeping the colt that was born this year.  She doesn't come out very often because she doesn't have time and isn't planning on/isn't capable of halter-breaking the foals.  The mare is in the back pasture and once the foal is a little older, the two of them are going back out there with the old mares.  I don't know anything about this woman or her life, so I'm not judging her.  They're her horses and she can do what she wishes with them.

Mostly, it got me thinking about people who pay a stud fee, wait eleven long months for a foal, and then don't have a plan for it.  It's very strange to me.  I don't think that I've said this before, but Artemis wasn't planned.  She was definitly an oops baby.  My dad went to the Maritimes to visit his family, and while he was gone, our landlords put their young, ungelded colt in with our mares.  We had no idea.  Neither Sadie nor Socks really showed signs.  I didn't see Sadie much, but Socks gained some weight.  We thought it was just a hay belly since she was on better hay.  Nobody thought she was pregnant.  And well, obviously she was and that's how Artemis came to be.  I'm still not happy it happened.  I love Artemis, but I'm still mad that they would do something like that.  Our BO's joke around all the time about Socks not looking pregnant.  And especially when it was Artemis that came out, none of us can figure out how that monster baby was inside of Socks' tiny belly.

However, back to my point, even though she was an oops baby, I still have a plan for Artemis.  Just like my dad and sister have a plan for Hades, the other oops baby.  They won't be spending their lives in the same field.  It's very strange to me to think of people putting the time and money into getting a foal, and then not wanting to do anything with it.  I am a strong believer that every foal should be born with a purpose.  I've seen plenty of grade weanlings at the auction going for meat (we bought two of them, Sev and Jimmy) and I don't think people should contribute to that. 

On another note, Artemis is beginning to lose her baby coat now.  She's shedding out on the nose and around her eyes.  And her legs are beginning to get black now.  She's going to look like her mom I think.