Oh Happy Day!

Life on the farm just got sweeter! Last night Gracie and I witnessed our first foal of the year come into the world, and what a blessing she is! I walked to the barn around 10:30 last night to check on my expecting mare, Karma. Upon arrival I noticed she was dripping in sweat and pacing. I looked at her milk bag, but no waxing or signs of milk. After watching poor Karma pace for another 5 minutes or so, I checked that milk bag again and low and behold...we were suddenly dripping milk!

I ran to the house and woke Gracie up. We anxiously awaiting the big event, and at around 11:00 pm on March 13, 2011, "Oh Happy Day" (who we will call "Hope") came into the world!

I have chosen the name "Oh Happy Day" because this filly is a granddaughter of the great Secretariat. If you remember in the movie, this great song played as he barreled down the home stretch to win the Triple Crown. It makes me tear up every single time I watch that movie! I will call her Hope, because after the past 3 agonizing years of what seemed like more bad than good, I looked at this little life last night and thought "There's always hope". How can you not feel that way when you see new life come into the world.

My affection for Secretariat comes from the partnership I had with my great jumper Kaiser Fritz. I found Fritz in someone's backyard when I was only 13 years old, and on a "gut" feeling I talked my dad into buying him for me. I found out he was a grandson of Secretariat and out of a Quarter Horse mare. Long story short, Fritz turned out to be one of the greatest jumpers I have (to this day) ever known. The horse could school a 5' course with room to spare. He would jump anything in his path. I showed Fritz at local and "A" shows til I was about 18. Fritz died of cancer on my farm in 2003. I have included a photo of us showing in 1991 in this blog.

Once Fritz passed away, I went on a hunt to find a sibling. After several years, I came across this mare, registered as "Hands on the Wagon" with the Jockey Club, and bought her sight unseen out of Texas. She and Fritz have the same sire, a Secretariat son named "Bandwagon", who is now deceased.

I am so delighted to have this gorgeous baby! I think it's amazing that I was with my friend Fritz as he was put to sleep many years ago, which was so horribly painful as it was the first horse in 26 years of owning horses that I had lost. He died of cancer, and it broke my heart. But just as I was there when Fritz left this earth, I had the privilege of being there when his niece came into the world. So amazing!

Hope's sire is my APHA stallion "Rivermont Hidengoseek", also known as "Twister". Yes, "Twister, the horse who plays ball". Twister is 3/4 Paint and 1/4 Thoroughbred. I owned his dam for years and got some incredible foals out of her that were jumping fools! Based on family tree, this filly should be very talented in the jumping department! :)

Enjoy the video of Hope coming into the world! It's not often we are able to catch this miracle on video! :)