Breeding My Gypsy Mare

Last year I saw an ad on FB about a Gypsy stallion that was in Spokane, Washington, only 400 miles/6 hours away. I inquired about his breeding fee but it was $2,000, a lot for a stallion that hadn't done anything; he's not broke to ride or drive, hasn't been shown.

This year, about 2 months ago, the owner again listed him as a stud but has it priced at $1,000 so I immediately got in touch with her again and began making arrangements. I had to get the Ok from my husband, even though he wouldn't ever tell me no to anything I ask (unless its more goats) but we had to have a plan. So I saved up enough money for fuel and travel and since my hubby was going to be in Spokane for 2 weeks for work anyway, it was a perfect time to take Amble over. 

On August 21, 2026 I loaded her up at 6am and headed out but I first took her to a vet located in Newton Lake, just north of Spokane. There they palped her and found that she had ovulated 12-48 hours earlier so we we're just past the breeding window. The vet gave me a syringe that the breeder would give her 5 days later on August 26, then she should come into heat 5 days later on August 31 but she was receptive on August 30th. The breeder said she was receptive till September 5th, a good week. 

I'll be bringing Ambler home this next weekend and I'll HAVE to get a preg check at about 19 days ish.

I DO NOT want twins, they are not a blessing.

RETIREMENT

Can't come soon enough. 

Successful Breeding

Black Orchid Ambleside

was successfully bred today 

and her due date will be about August 5, 2027

to 

Wisteria Farms Birthday Boy

These are the possible colors a foal might end up with the chances but I'm sure it will be a Piebald

Bay Tobiano

9 in 32

Black Tobiano

3 in 32

Chestnut Tobiano

1 in 8

Buckskin Tobiano

9 in 32

Palomino Tobiano

1 in 8

Smokey Black Tobiano

3 in 32

 

Stallion + Mare = ?

Amble is in Spokane, Washington, meeting her new mate.

His barn name is Bubba, his real/registered name is Wisteria Farms Birthday Boy.

I took Amble to the vet office in Newman Lake and they examined her, said she had ovulated 12-24 hours earlier.

She had to have a double dose of tranq to get her to relax.

The vet gave me a shot that will be administered to her today, then in another 4-5 days she should be in heat and Bubba will live cover her. Then the vet visits to see if she is in foal & if she is, I will drive back to Spokane/Chewella to bring her home and hope we get a baby in 340 days, Thursday, August 5, 2027.

The stallion owners are Kirk and Brandy Preston and they're sort of scamming. I asked specifically about mare care and she said it was free but once I got there he insisted I had to pay & wanted $45 DAILY. Fuck that, asshole, I agreed to $20 fucking daily but not a penny more. So if Amble is there for 21 days, minimum, then thats another $420 that I'll need to pay them, at least. But if thats an issue, I can find another place that will be cheaper and better care. If I were to pay $45 that equals $945 and I could take her to a damn nice boarding facility for half that.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Wifi has never been a single horse living alone, ever before in her life and shes lonely.

 

Stupid Supervisor

There is a supervisor at work that NO ONE likes and he scared the shit out of me the other day. If I ever have to work with him again I'll avoid him like the plague. I'm also writing a formal complaint which I will send to my regular supervisor, the union and HR.  NO ONE should be allowed to bully other people but especially not people with power. He is also the 'president' of the supervisors union. 

Overtime At Work Pays Off

 I've spent so much of MY time working that now its finally paying off. Over 60 hours overtime in June, then 40 in July, now I've already gotten 10 in August. Summer is the time of plenty but in winter its a time of drought and us on-calls will struggle to get hours. The state requires we get 40 hours each week but they don't do it until we beg for it.

I got a nice check again today and I'll be putting a significant amount into the safe for hay and our fall trip to Pioche. I've already got an envelope overflowing with cash & think I need to get another way to hold it all.

We're heading to Pioche September 25th till October 3rd. 

There are many ways to get there and we try to go a different route each time.

This is the most direct & fastest (16 hours drive time) route and the one we'll probably take this trip due to only 1 week off.

But look at all the options, we could go thru Vegas but we hate Vegas.

We could go thru central oregon which is beautiful but seems like such a long drive.

Thru California to Tahoe & then over...

We only have a week so it'll be the direct route.

And we HAVE to have a plan on exactly what we're going to do while there. I'd LOVE to put in another window, get rid of the old one with the built in A/C unit that Lan broke on our last visit. We can take another unit, that's not an issue, but I'd like to get a window in.

We also need to prep for next spring when we're going to rent an excavator for a full week and remove the back two rooms and the old bathroom and then we have to make new outside walls. Or something, not sure on that yet. We WILL need a lot of wood, nails, screws, saw blades, etc, etc. We might need to take more than 2 weeks for next springs trip.

And we HAVE to have a plan in place for a roof over it.

I LOVE planning trip and things to do on the house while we're there.

Horse News:

Ambleside now has a properly fitted saddle and its XXXX Wide!  That girl needs to lose weight.

Saddle Fitter Sarah found:

 an older Wintec for $330.30

Gullet system $140

3rd saddle fit $50

And me riding alone for the first time in the new to us saddle

Two days later this became available, a Gypsy Gold 'Appleby' saddle for $1,200.

I'm supposed to haul Amble over to The Riding Place on the other side of town tomorrow to check it out. I do have the cash for it but then I'm stuck with the wintec too. Oh well, I might never get another chance to purchase a saddle like this while I have money to buy it.

This would be a great saddle for Amble if I can get her down in weight, right now she's a tank.

Oh yeah, I took her to a show last week & she got 2nd in Halter

Camping Fun

 We borrowed Terrys RV and took Soren camping at Spillman Campground, at Tahuya OHV state forest. He's 14 now, knows everything, still a kid at heart. 

We took the sxs and the guys took it out a few times and got good & dirty.

I stayed in camp, did a lot of cross stitching and relaxing.

BUT.

And there's always a BUT.

The neighbors were tweakers and on Thursday night they were screaming at each other for a while at about 10pm, on Friday they yelled a few times during the day and raked the forest floor...  We no longer felt safe with them there and more were showing up, plus their dog barked and barked and barked.

So we came home early.

And that was OK, since Soren had had his fill of camping, he missed his electronics and his girlfriend.

Fun was had, good food was cooked over the campfire, Soren had his Taki's and I hardly limited his eating. He also got to chop as much wood as he wanted and kept the fire stoked all day.