|
|
The story of the third foal this summer was incredible. To begin with, we bred a broodmare that we like a lot (even though we have higher evaluated mares), because she’s such a talented riding horse, and she throws babies with such super temperament and also talented, they are so easy to train and we just love them. It is our Dúkka from Sauðárkróki, an evaluated mare. We bred her to IS2001135613 – Glymur frá Innri-Skeljabrekku, a silver dapple stallion, with 8.38 in main score. Actually Glymur is the stallion that has gotten the highest scores for talents for 4 year old stallions in the world (!), 8.67 for talents as a 4 year old. And then the foal is born, a mare (horay), silver dapple (YES), with blaze (the color my husband likes the most, he loves blazes). The perfect foal… exept that it was very ill, very sick. It was born with diarreah, and there was something very wrong with the nervous system, it couldn’t stand up and it couldn’t stand really even if it was raised up, and it couldn’t nurse it’s mum. It was the dream foal, and it was dying. We called the vet, and he came with fluids and intravenous solutions and penicillin, and then we just had to wait. We stayed with the foal all day and into the evening, the vet came again, the foal got stronger and started standing in the middle of the day but was again a cripple by the time the vet came again the evening with more solutions. All the time we fed it with a bottle with milk from the mum. All night I stayed with them, was in the car by the pasture, to go and feed the foal every two hours, and again the day after that. The foal was now standing on it’s own and walking a little, but wasn’t nursing on it’s own. The little thing and mum nickered a welcome each time I came, the mum was helpless to feed her foal, the foal didn’t get the idea that the milk tank was on her mum, and struggled against us when we tried repeatedly to encourage it gently or push it to the teat. In the end the foal looked quite frisky but was not nursing. And then we had to take some stronger measures and forse the mouth to the teat and milk into the foal’s mouth… after an hour’s struggle the foal nursed by force for maybe half a minute, we were holding the head up and the foal’s body was flat on the ground when nursing and we were rather discouraged and felt helpless.
The next time we came the foal had to be forced to drink in the same way but it wasn’t hard, just took 5 minutes and it drank more. The next time we came the foal actually, with help, nursed while standing on it’s feet, and… there it got the idea : ) After that it nursed on it’s own. And nursed and nursed and nursed, I´ve never seen a foal drink so frequently. Always from the same side of the mare though. That night I was awake again, checking that the foal drank, checking that it was alive, all the time. And the day after we taught the foal that it could drink from the other side too.
Now the foal is healthy and energetic and a beautiful little thing : ) We will definitely always own it, it is our little gem, our little foster baby, so beautiful, such a little hero 
    
Elísa from Langhúsum is an evaluated mare we added to our herd of broodmares last summer. She’s evaluated (and can do more than she did at the evaluations), a very fun riding horse, has nice footlift and carries herself proudly, with super temperament and easy gaits. And she’s beautifully flaxen (with golden mane) too : ) She was bred to IS2004186921 Eyjólfur frá Feti, a 1. prize stallion with excellent pedigree and 9 for tolt and trot And Elísa had her first baby… totally without any complications, and was a good mum from the start : ) And, the baby was… bay pinto, with beautiful markings, and a girl : ) Now that was a perfect start : ) The movements and conformation are nice, we are totally happy
The first foal of the year was a fun addition to our herd : ) We have a broodmare, Feykivinda from Syðstu-Grund, which is in our herd for fun, as we simply like her. She is not evaluated or from evaluated parents, but we now many of her relatives and like them. And, she is a fun riding horse, with good temperament, with a nice riding horse conformation, and she’s blue dun and silver dapple : ) So, a fun mare to breed colorful and nice riding horses from.
She was the first one to foal this year, and it was a very nice silver dapple colt. He’s now a silvery-greyish color but will become dark brown with white mane and tail. His father is a young stallion, Kompás frá Skagaströnd, of super blodlines and has good movements, with a blup of 117, so I look forward to when he’s evaluated
The colt is very attractive, with a raised neck and speedy tolt and trot, very proud. I haven’t found a name yet, I always have to think for months to find the best name in the world *smile*, but he’s having fun in our herd meanwhile
Now Fljóta-Táta, our Icelandic sheep dog female, has been health examined in regard to breeding. She has A regarding hip-displacia (that is, no signs), and she has clean eyes (no signs of any eye disease). That is great, now we just wait for her to go into heat and hope for puppies… and we love puppies I have also updated her web page, and her mother’s webpage (look under the link Icelandic sheep dog).
I own a share in the stallion Tígull from Gýgjarhóli. This spring I had booked breedings for all my broodmares when I found out this was a summer where I had the right to breed a mare to Tígull. So, I am offering the stud fee for a low price, 50.000 isk (318 EUR, 380 us$). Also, if you buy one of my mares, you can breed her to Tígull. The stallion is evaluated with 8,65 for conformation, 8,56 for talents, is 4-gaited with 9.5 for tolt and 9.5 for trot. He is one of the highest evaluated 4-gaited stallions in the world. You can see a video of Tígull at
Tígull from Gýgjarhóli (at hofapressan.is)
I’ve been trying out new programs and looks for the web site. I am in cooperation with a very helpful programmer, Hans Rúnar Snorrason ( hansrunar@gmail.com ), and must give him a good recommendations, he’s been very helpful and really knows what he’s doing. There are of course several new things to learn for me, but overall the website is simply easier and more fun to update. And that is super
The summer does not come in the same way here as in warmer countries. We still have snow drifts in the mountains in the background, and the fields are full of dead grass, but the green grass is also sticking up it’s nose everywhere. There are Easter lilies and more flowers blossoming in the garden, the kids are outdoors all day long, the lambs are being born, the sun doesn’t set untill at midnight. The bunnies are indoors in the wintertime but we put them in the outdoor fence yesterday, and the sheep that have to be stabled in the wintertime are loving to take a sunbath with the babies. One of the sheep on the pictures has a “bag” under the tail, it’s because it’s starting to give birth. Drifa, the roan mare (color changer), that is chestnut in the wintertime, is white with a chestnut head now. And the dog and the kids love hanging around the sheep, and take care of the mothers and babies. These pictures were taken yesterday.
We had Gudmundur Hallgrimsson here the other day, to clip and trim the hooves (cloves) of the cows. They are put in a special box, and then lifted up, and trimmed with a machine. A veeeeery interesting sight to see.
Our pregnant broodmares. See the bellies, full of hopes, dreams, and good future. Such a good feeling to watch them.
The saleslist has been updated, check on news on horses for sale at Langhus farm. Also, we are offering a “package” price now, if you are looking for 2 or more horses.
The exchange rate has never been better, prices of horses in Euros and USD are only 50% of what they were 3 years ago. So now is a great time to look for horses in Iceland.
1. May:
The spring flowers/nodes are blooming, and the migrating birds and other birds are singing erotic songs and dancing tango everywhere.
1. May:
Am reading a very good criminal book by Sjövall & Wahlöö (written in 1965). But it is strange how nordic crime stories and american country songs are alike. The persons are depressed, the mate is annoying (or not there), life is hard and unfair and there’s too much work, and the dog hates them. Still strangely gripping stories : )
26. April:
Tthe first lamb of the spring is born
26. April:
A cool musical parade video on Icelandic horses here in Skagafjordur, on Saturday : )
23. April.
Me and Láki took two 1 year old mares today, put a halter on them for the first time in their life, and longed them and led them.They splashed mud on us, but the training went well and they were quick to learn. Promising mares
23. Apríl.
I’m going out to dine with good friends this evening, I look so much forward to giggling with my girlfriends 22. April.
I went on a very fun school trip yesterday, with the primary school at Solgardar (where I teach) and the oldest class in kindergarten (so the kids were 5-12 years old). We had a lot of fun, went scating, to a mall, bowling, swimming, and to eat pizza. The kids were so fun and positive, and it was a wonderful day. Thank you, everybody : )
18. April.
Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has its stages of drudgery and triumph; a beginning, a struggle and a victory.” Ghandi
17. April.
I made a cow happy today.She has been so restless for a few days, doesn’t stand still and beats head and tail non stop. Then I realized she ithced.I scratched her everywhere with a brush untill I found the itching spot, and the cow literally shook with pleasure.Then she looked at me for the rest of the milking time, as …surpriced and happy as a cow can look. It’s simple things like this that give life it’s meaning
|
