Herbert’s Horses

The 2 year olds are almost 3 and they all look spectacular.

Zan Freckles Hickory/Les Louise

What a change  from some years I’ve experienced! The weanlings are starting to grow up, and look like horses, and little George (a yearling, coming 2) is growing into himself and looking great.

Elans Playboy/RockNRoll Olena

The one bleak spot in all of this is Bingo (Caravaggio), who contracted EPM. It’s uncertain whether he will recover fully, a special sadness because he is gorgeous. If he doesn’t, he can just live in the field with Toad, the retiree.

by Nu Chex to Cash, out of a One Gun mare, the "magic cross"

This is what these 2007 horses do (among other things):

He’s a lovely colt out of the great mare Wild Sister (almost $50K in earnings) and by Heza Smart Chic. Started just 2 weeks ago, and is the quietest imaginable. Looks like he’ll be a nice one! Big, strong, pretty, talented. There are 3 other horses from this cross, and all did well showing, 2 in the futurities and 1 is a very nice youth horse. Hard to ask for more promise!ovely colt

2 year old Dot (Rock N Roll Playgirl) and Ru (Black Label Chex) looked cool today. They’re just learning the basics of maneuvers, setting the stage for long and successful careers.

The absolutely gorgeous filly RockNRoll RedPine is heading to a new home… just down the road from where she lives now. She was purchased by the owners of her sire, Brennas Red Pine Jac. Seems that Tommy Milnes and his assistant Matt Findlay were at the farm getting hair cuts (Linda has a beauty salon right in the house, which is great because there’s usually someone there to keep an eye on the horses), and, well, there’s nothing not to like about this  filly. I think they made a s mart move. I’d love to have been able to keep her but I’m sure they’ll do right by her.

From left, Yearling filly; weanling colt; yearling colt

trip to see the babies and yearlings. Happy! Left, weanling colt out of Rock N Roll Olena by Peptos I Brow; Left, weanling filly by Hickory Chic Olena and out of Fancy Smoke

Taking a look at equine news,  and finding some helpful tidbits.

This from the AAEP concerning prepurchase exam recommendations

And this update concerning travel restrictions for horses

Lots of barns hire professional photographers to present young horses just so, at the right angle, in the right light, sort of like a batch of Hollywood starlets carefully posed to look their best. It’s nice to know that the filly Rosatwo doesn’t need help! These photos were  taken by a friend with a disposable camera who knows nothing other than point, shoot, and hope you got the horse in the frame! All the credit goes to Rosatwo for looking so good that she makes his pictures look great!

filly out of Fancy Smoke by Hickory Chic Olena

I’ve been so proud of my mare Fancy Smoke. Her first foal, now 4, won the Novice Horse Open at Syracuse a week ago. Her 2nd foal, a yearling, is getting praise as an awesome prospect by his owners, Bob and Debbie LaPorta and their trainer, Wayne LaFortune.  I am looking forward to them starting him almost as much as they are! And this little girl, by Hickory Chic Olena, looks good to me. She’ll be called “Rosa Two” after the most wonderful mare that ever lived.

Fancy Smoke was always the hard luck horse. Poor  training choices, and then an injury that ended a career before it could begin. But I couldn’t really bring myself to sell this really kind mare. And now her first foal is an NRHA Champion, winning the tough Novice Horse Class at Syracuse. Last year, this filly’s owner, non pro Don Clark, showed her once or twice as a 3 year old, and a few weeks ago, professional Tommy Milnes rode her a little and liked her. He calls her his “scooter” because she feel like one, just motoring around. She’s on the road to being a very successful show horse! Congratulations, Smoke! You may not have had the opportunity to shine in the show pen, but your babies are doing you proud.  Her 2008 colt is owned by Bob Laporta and he and Wayne LaFortune are really excited about starting him. The 2009 filly is spectactular.

Fancy Smoke