Bon Voyage

It seems like it was just yesterday, this little girl was born. It was a hot summer day in the afternoon. Her mom, DB Khrushah, a first time mom, hadn't read the rule book that foals are born during the night.

(left, DB Najem Huda, the sire)

(below, Empress and her mom, Khrushah)

So there she was, a spindly black filly - a mini me of her mom. Or is it her dad (DB Najem Huda) that she looks like? She was named DB Empress - a very regal name for a very regal filly. But then she is so sweet, you want to treat her just like a princess :).

That was just a few short years ago. At a young age, she was handled extensivly and imprinted. So much so, that she was always the first to greet someone coming into her pen or pasture. But maybe that's just her personality. Her mom, DB Khrushah, is just like that too. The pictures on the postings below are me trying to get one of Empress - very difficult!

She was taught how to stand nice for the farrier, and that its OK to have a halter on her head. When she got big enough, she had a saddle put on her, and then was taught how to carry a rider. She handled it all with grace and enthusiasm. She was ridden alone and with others, in an arena and on trails, around cows and tractors and dogs.

(left, Empress, 2008)

That time flew by so fast, and now here she is all grown up and making a big journey today. She's graduated from Desert Bred Academy and off to the big scary world beyond our fences. But its a happy and excited farewell, because we know she's going on to achieve great things with her new owner and to be yet another exceptional Desert Bred ambassador in the south - joining Kay's Runner and Sheytana, and Lisa's Genesis and DB Mayyadah and many others.

Take Care Empress and be sure to write! We'll miss you!

Can I Eat Your Camera?

Monday I was out at the farm and decided to take some pics of one of the young mares in her paddock. She lives in a small group with a few other 3 and 4 yr old girls.

But you can't possibly be in their pen without the welcome wagon in your face, begging for head rubs and their own share of attention, lol. Or were they trying to see if my camera was edible? It's anyone's guess :)

You Should've Seen It!

Another day in the low 30's and it felt like spring compared to the single digits last week.

The horses must have thought it was spring too. Went riding up the road that goes by the pasture where this year's foals live. Normally I'm never lucky enough to see them in action. They're usually peacefully grazing off in the distance. But today they were full of themselves.
First they ran down to the corner of their pasture to greet me and my horse. Then they ran off as a group. looping around their pasture, doing figure eights, moving as one group, like a migrating flock of birds. They all looped around their pen, then back out into the pasture again, with one or two showing off with little happy bucks.

And where are my pictures of this? Of course my camera was back at home, sitting on my desk :(.

You should have seen it though - it was SPECTACULAR! :)

A Big Freeze

Not much riding going on today. We got hit by the big freeze that covered the midwest. Fortunately we didn't have the snow that covered some of the states up north.

But two days of single digit weather and below, makes a 40 degree today feel like a carribean breeze :). The ground was rock hard and too hard to ride on, so hopefully in a day or two it will thaw into the winter mud we've come to love, lol.

The horses sure enjoyed the sunshine - at top is a picture of a group of young desertbred mares, butts to the wind, sunbathing in our January heat wave.

But spring isn't too far away - and soon we'll be back on our trails spooking the deer out of their hiding places. From last fall, at top is one who paused long enough for me to take her photo, before scampering off.

The Desert Horse in the Midwest

Welcome to the Blog for the Desert Bred Arabians of Illinois! Don't know what all we'll talk about here, but look forward to news about our horses, trainers, students and events.

We're having a cold cold week this week, so looking at some pictures from last summer to warm up by.

At top right are two of the foals that were born last summer. At right is a beautiful arabian filly out of a great young mare, DB Faimah. Faimah is a real sweetheart and her filly inherited her personality. The bay on the left is a half arab/half TB out of a great TB mare, Rising Agenda. He is just a real lovebug and he is going to be a tremendous horse for someone in the future.

Top left is a picture of the colt making sure he gets his share of attention, lol.

New to this blogger thing, need to find out how to move pictures around, wasn't placed where I want. Lots to learn!

More later - stay warm!