Sunday, February 5, 2023
Observations in coat patterns- base coat and gender
I like to try to keep up with the current research on Appaloosa coat pattern genetics and while many studies are still incomplete and ongoing I find it fascinating. Appaloosas are truly a unique and beautiful breed. I tend not to take anyone source of information as the ultimate authority. Instead I like to research a variety of sources and put more weight on the more recent information. However, one site I visited on the internet confirmed a couple of things that I was aware of from my own breeding experience. One, that there is a tendency for more male leopards or very high colored appaloosas than females. The other, that the diameter and number of the spots was often larger in black based horses as opposed to red based. John always said he attributed it to like many animal species- that the males were more colorful as to attract females. I decided to check it out to see if our experience extended beyond simply our own program. One site I visited that did seem to confirm this was https://www.horsesandus.com/complete-guide-to-leopard...
Saturday, February 4, 2023
Saturday, January 28, 2023
First time with saddle on!
First time with a saddle. Gretchen says, "He was wondering what the heck we were doing lol. He didn’t care. He liked all the people messing with him." Folks, to know him is to love him. Chipper is a people horse and a big time HAM! He truly loves to please and is so laid back, most people think he is a gelding. I credit this to his great breeding from Naomi Flowers, Tim Jackson Show Horses' incredible care, attention and love and also to Gretchen and Tim's daughter, Taylor. Thank you so much Chipper for making an old couple so happy. Thanks Taylor for the pictures!
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
LP/Lp, PATN/PATN
So....I'm often asked what is all this LP/Lp or PATN/PATN all about with Chipper? To say deciphering Appaloosa coat patterns is a challenge would be an understatement. Research is still in progress. But there are several great sites for what we know so far. The one I like is UC Davis who also performs the DNA tests for LP and PATN (1). https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/appaloosa-pattern-1
Wednesday, January 18, 2023
Naming horses! Maybe it was too much coffee...(is there such a thing?.. or more likely not enough), but today my thoughts drifted towards my annual rumination over naming foals. My dear friend and horse breeding mentor, June Danner, always had rather unique names. As the benefactor of a few of those horses, I asked her how she came up with these strange but catchy names. June explained that she loved trashy romance novels and her names often came from these. Picadilly Lily, the full sister to Investment Package and multiple World Champ producer, was a filly I bought from her. It turns out that "Picadilly Lily" was a lady of the evening in one of June's novels. 'Tricks Are Free', a lovely colored daughter of I Gotta Cool Secret, was another purchase. She explained this name was also from one of her novels. It seems the heroine was being insulted by a gentleman telling her, "You are nothing but a cheap whore!" The woman responded, "I am NOT cheap! Tricks are FREE!" Yep, it stuck in June's mind. That's my June. So in June's honor, I barn named Tricks Are Free "June". Now, I've been known to come up with some doozies...Like...I Gotta Cool Package, Sexy N Shameless, Helluva Fella, Yella Pokadot Bikini and Bare Naked (by Too Yella To Streak). However, the double entendre of "Flashn My Assets" was the pure responsibility of his breeder, Naomi Flowers. Is he flashing anatomy? or his stock portfolio? You tell me Naomi! So....in the interest of perpetuating June and Naomi's creativity, I've come up with some name suggestions for all of you that will need names for Flashn My Assets foals in the future. Here goes! Bite My Asset. Kickin Ur Asset. Smart Asset. Gotta Big Asset. Haulin Asset. Beating Ur Asset. Laffin My Asset Off. One Fine Asset. Workin My Asset. Now, you could also key off Flashn. Flashn At The Bar. Flashn My Booty. Uflash I'll Flash. I think I'm on a roll!