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Post by idahomustanger on Jun 9, 2008 8:59:04 GMT -5
Hi all! You haven't "seen" me in a while....life has been happening! Jerry and I have recently made some extremely tough decisions and I wanted to share them with you. We have decided that since we aren't getting any younger  and with the hay prices and the horse market being the way they are, that we are getting out of the business. We will still have our horses to ride, because that's what we love the most... but we are going to have to sell some horses and... (this was the hardest decision) we have decided that we will be gelding Idaho's Running Shadow.  He is so much a part of our lives that we cannot sell him to someone else, so we made the decision that he will always be with us, just not in the capacity that he is now. He is so much fun to ride and there are so many restrictions on where we can ride him as a stallion, so this was the solution for us. This has been such a hard decision, but both Jerry and I know it is the right one. I will be posting the horses that will be for sale at a later time. Nancy in Idaho |
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Post by DianneC on Jun 9, 2008 9:36:40 GMT -5
I can certainly understand Nancy. Have you considered having him collected and frozen? Its a way to keep his genes available.
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Post by idahomustanger on Jun 9, 2008 11:43:28 GMT -5
Hi Dianne
We hadn't even thought about semen collection!!! BUT we're not going to have Shad's semen collected and frozen. We haven't exactly had people beating down our doors to breed to Shadow, and we've got a 2 yr old gelding and a 3 year old filly of Shad's that we are keeping for ourselves. With the over population of horses, I don't think I want to add anymore. We've had fun raising a few babies and selling a few babies. We're keeping Jerry's older QH gelding Jake-(16) and then Shad - (9), Lady Gwynn - (8), Classic Shadow - (3) and Kaniksu Shadow - (2). We've got some relatively young horses that will get us to our "twilight riding" years! And there are so many nice Kiger Stallions available, that if I get the "baby" bug again, I know I can have either one of our mares bred.
It's been a fun ride and other than dealing with ONE dishonest person and the unexpected loss of my gelding Chance last year, we've had nothing but positive experiences in all of our years of having horses (which between the two of us is close to a 100 years ) Whew -- guess I'm dating myself there!! We will continue to do what we love and I don't see us ever being with out horses until we are too old to care for them. I'll still be popping in to check on what's happening in the Kiger world!!
Nancy
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Post by fantasykiger on Jun 9, 2008 12:32:47 GMT -5
I completely understand your decision Nancy while I do not stand a stud I do have some nice broodmares I have bred in the past to differant studs and raised babies that way. This past year when I had to retire my best broodmare early I decided not to purchase another. I am breeding only for what I want for myself and that is all at this point. I have some young horses for sale but if they don't sell they will just stay that is OK too. I am happy to hear that your boy shadow gets to retire as a happy gelding with his family and herd, I don't think he could ask for a better life.
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Post by idahomustanger on Jun 10, 2008 10:54:00 GMT -5
LOL! Yeah - Tiffany -- That's how we had up to 13 one time... I kept thinking I needed another one for myself!! Hahahaha! But what happened is that we had too many and NO ONE got the attention/riding that they needed. We've got to get the numbers down so the horses we ride become our "do everything" horses. I also love the "unknown" when you breed a mare and a stallion to see what disposition, color, etc. the foal will have! It's been a serious addiction for me! But...the fact that I'm keeping one of Shadow's fillies, at least I know that I could raise another one with some of his gene pool if I wanted! He's been the best!! And his kids seem to have that same disposition.... even though they've been from all different types of mares! Mustangs in general have been the addiction for us.... there are just soooooo many to choose from... any color, conformation, height, etc. Lloyd Mulholland, who was the Wild Horse Specialist at the Burns BLM corrals before he retired, told us that we were like kids in a candy store!!! And he was right!!! I think we have adopted 8 mustangs total and have had a ball doing it. We also stop at the corrals any time we head in that direction -- just to look to see what's there!! (WE NEVER TAKE A TRAILER ANYMORE THOUGH!) LOL!
Nancy
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Post by fantasykiger on Jun 10, 2008 11:52:41 GMT -5
LOL ;D Nancy ...oh it is against the rules for me to go anywhere near the BLM corrals in Burns with a trailer. I am really trying to stick to my horses here and the only reason I have as many horses as I do now is beacause well I can't seem decide which breed I like best. So I needed a Clyde for the draft, I got me a mini, I just love having an Appy, everyone needs a hard working Morgan, of course my Mustang and a Kiger Mustang. Now I am making a mule to take care of me on some trail rides in the future. Like you though I have come to the realization I only have one butt to ride with and only so much time to devote to everyone. Several of my horses are in their senior years and soon will just pasture pals, I will have time for the younger crowd and my mule to come. I myself have lots of years of riding yet.
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Post by idahomustanger on Jun 10, 2008 13:38:30 GMT -5
Tiffany - I'm the same way -- one of my "dreams" was to find a nice little black Morgan mare (old style morgan) with Shadow -- I'd love a little grulla Morgan Kiger Cross!!! I just may have to look for a black morgan stallion someday in the future and cross him with Classy! LOL... .My mind just never shuts down!!! ARRRGGGHHH! I've got to quit!!! LOL!! I used to ride with a little 78 old lady in a Sheriff's Posse years ago and I decided then I was going to ride as long as I could get my butt in the saddle.... I'm ONLY (lol) 53 and plan on riding for at least 30 more years. My dad didn't quit riding until he was 85....so I have a couple good examples!!!
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Post by JoanMRK on Jun 10, 2008 16:44:26 GMT -5
Hi Nancy!
It was a very hard decision to geld Sunnie when we did, but I want to assure you that it was the best decision. Though, I cannot say that I don't think of what we might have produced in the future. But I really don't regret it because of the abundance of unwanted horses and the time that I do not have. But, Sunnie has become the best horse (was a wonderful stallion, now an even better gelding), and it is such a relief to know that I don't have to worry about the liability that comes with stallion ownership. I also am happy to say that he is very gelding-like now; calm, very well mannered, steady, and loving. He was always those things as a stallion, but they have become better with his new set of brains. ;D So, I know you will enjoy Shad as his "new" self. I also understand not wanting to part with him, those are the same feelings I had for Sunnie. He's my buddy.
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Post by idahomustanger on Jun 11, 2008 8:07:09 GMT -5
Hi Joan...
I remember when you made the decision to geld Sunnie! Thanks for your positive encouragement. We're not going to geld Shad until fall, but we know it's the right thing to do. It will be so much fun to take Shadow and ride where ever we want! And like you said, not having to worry about the liability. He's still a magnificent animal with so much presence....But we also think he will turn into our "do everything' gelding. He will help fill the hole left by Chance's unexpected death.
We're just moving into a different chapter of our life and so are our ponies!!!
I appreciate all the positive and understanding comments that everyone has made.
Nancy
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and with the hay prices and the horse market being the way they are, that we are getting out of the business. We will still have our horses to ride, because that's what we love the most... but we are going to have to sell some horses and... (this was the hardest decision) we have decided that we will be gelding Idaho's Running Shadow. 
He is so much a part of our lives that we cannot sell him to someone else, so we made the decision that he will always be with us, just not in the capacity that he is now. He is so much fun to ride and there are so many restrictions on where we can ride him as a stallion, so this was the solution for us. This has been such a hard decision, but both Jerry and I know it is the right one. I will be posting the horses that will be for sale at a later time. 
