Making Dreams Come True

"This is one BIG baby!"

March 17 2022: After nearly a week of watching Ruby from the barn video cameras (culminating in a solid 3 days where my amazing barn owner and I tried to rally each other to stay awake for 24h surveillance (shout out to her husband who also picked up shifts so we could catch some z's!)) we had entered the "any moment now" window of Ruby stamping her feet, dripping milk, stretching, and flank-checking. 

We ate dinner, checked Ruby's milk pH, loaded her stall with straw, and hunkered down to wait. 

And wait.

And wait.

March 18 2022: The sun peeked above the horizon. A full moon (in Virgo) hung overheard, obscured by thick red and grey clouds. A flash of lighting, a clap of thunder, and a sudden torrential downpour of rain. It was right around 6:30am.

This was when Ruby decided to go into labor.

The barn owner came to me and simply said "it's happening."

I had never felt such an overwhelming mix of fear and excitement in my entire life: this was it, my baby was coming. I thought of all the scenarios that had been covered in my CSU foaling class- would the baby be positioned correctly? Would I be able to identify a dystocia? Did we have the equipment needed to re-position? What if the foal got stuck in the birth canal? What if there was a red bag?

All sources say that when the mare's water breaks, you should leave her alone and let her figure out what to do. We stayed back and watched Ruby pace as her water broke. She seemed uncertain, worried. I went to her.

I will never forget the way she nicker/huffed and came straight to me. 

I was her person.

I was her rock.

I was going to be with her through this no matter what.

The foaling process went smoothly for the first part, but the foal got elbow-locked and was stuck. I said words of encouragement to Ruby while the barn owner (thank God for her) helped pull with each contraction. With a few good pulls, out slid a baby.

"It's a girl!!!!"

At 7:04am, I had a baby on the ground. 

We let Ruby and her filly get to know each other with supervision (Ruby was having a hard time with after-birth contractions). We cleaned them up, we cleaned the stall, we checked the placenta to make sure it was intact. 

All was settled, and all went well. The vet was on the way to check mom and baby. 

I had spent hours researching horse coat color DNA to make spreadsheets with the possible foal coat color outcomes (black, smoky black, bay, buckskin) based on Ruby and Hero's color DNA. I made statistical charts to predict the probability of each color outcome; for each color outcome per gender. My best friend and I worked on vision boards, where I had put together a collage of foal photos showing what I had hoped for.

I wanted a black filly so bad-- and there she was: my black filly, from my beloved mare. 

When everything was done, I remember turning to my barn owner and simply saying "can I freak out now?" She laughed, I think she absolutely knew what I meant.

I cried. Tears of happiness, relief, and probably some extreme fatigue. 

I followed my heart, and it led me here. 

One Pinch of Beauty, One Pinch of Kindness

 "Well, I guess this is happening then."

I took a few years letting Ruby enjoy her retired life and catch riding the horses that I could find around town /taking lessons in the area. For a while that was "enough;" working on confidence, keeping my skills honed, keeping my body fit. 

I knew I needed another.

Looking back, some of my best memories with Ruby revolved around the "baby steps" and the "firsts" we shared together. As an Adult Ammy with a full-time engineering job, I had been warned by peers and friends that maybe a young or green horse was not the best fit for where I was in my life. 

Did I listen? Ha, please. 

For months I scoured Facebook, reaching out to breeders. I researched breeds and registries. I looked up parentage and traits for the types of horses I thought I wanted (GRP, connemara, appendix qh, welsh/x, etc.). I toured breeding barns and seriously looked at foals who met my list of requirements. None of them felt "right:" I noticed that most breeders focused on the great accolades of the stallion and his traits and his show records and his breeding. But what about the mare? The mare raises the foal and is half the DNA, shouldn't she be important too?

I couldn't let go of the idea that I already had the cutest little mare who adored me (I mean, that goes both ways obviously). Ruby had good confirmation, was an exceptional hunter, sweet personality, and put up with all sorts of crap from me in our early years when I was still trying to learn how to ride. 

Instead of looking for foals, I started looking at stallions. 

I whittled down my sire options to Thoroughbred or Trakehner. The ATA keeps a list of active stallions, with biographies and lineages. More research, contacted stallion owners. 

My final selection:  Heroic Measures, OSB-A-S438.

The foal contract was signed, the stud fee sent, and I told my vet: "we only have one shot at this. If she doesn't take the first time, I am not going to keep trying; if she does, then we go forward."

Ruby was confirmed pregnant at her first follow up. 

The End of an Era

 "She is telling me she is done."

Quick update on what has happened over the past couple years, between my last post and now: Ruby tore her suspensory in September of 2018; we did extensive rehab, stall rest, hand-walking, and slow progression back into work. Ruby was cleared to full work the following February; I opted to do dressage only to reduce the risk of re-tearing. 

We trained, we were working first and second level movements...and her heart was not in it. She was resistant, she was not having fun anymore, and she was trying to tell me she was done.

In October of 2019, I hopped on her bareback; we had a very enjoyable ride together, I stopped her in the middle of the ring, and I cried. I knew, in my heart, that this would be our last ride.

After 12 years of competition spanning the hunter ring (HUS and equitation), dressage, and eventing, she had earned her retirement. 

Ruby lives the life of luxury where has everyone wrapped around her little hooves and where I can still see her a few days per week. 

The Celtic-Russian Tattoo

"she got me a booking for TOMORROW!"

I am one of those people who has always had an appreciation for art, including body art. When I got Ruby all those years ago, I saw many other horse girls get tattoos as a nod to their horse riding passion- usually a flower with their horse's name, or a horse running, or horseshoe. But none of those seemed to fit "me," and I began to brainstorm...what WOULD I want?

First things first: find an artist you like! I saved pins on Pinterest, snooped pages on Facebook, and followed on Instagram- trying to find an artist that had a style that spoke to me.

Enter: Miryam Lumpini "the Witchdoctor."

I stumbled on her page a few years ago while browsing artists on Instagram. First, her name struck me as interesting as I have always loved "occult" type things like Buffy, Charmed, Lost Girl, Practical Magic and other influences which have also led to me support products like Witch Baby Soap and Ghoulish Delights. I mean, why not? Second, her talent is beyond incredible, and she had the color I wanted with the blend of illustration and art nouveau that I was looking for.

I waited.

and waited.

and waited.

After about 3 years of following Miryam, her books opened. Her studio is in LA but she had a guest spot in Atlanta for a weekend. Let me tell you, I have never clicked to respond so fast in my life! I submitted a booking application with what I thought I wanted, where I wanted it, and which day I wanted to come. Miryam is a very much desired artist, so I didn't really think anything would happen. A day later, I received a message from her booking agent.

Can you guess her booking agent's name?

Rubie.

Also, my birthday was only 2 days away.

I explained to Rubie that I wanted my tattoo to have 2 things: 1. a symbol for my Russian ancestry (I chose a snowy owl as I love owls and the snowy is indigenous to Russia and 2. symbols for my horse Ruby. Ruby was sold to me as a Connemara cross. After tons of research on ancient religions, I discovered that the gemstone Ruby was associated with the Celtic goddess of horses, Epona. How perfect is that? Epona was gifted with wreaths of roses, apples and apple blossoms, and pine cones; worshippers left these items at her altar. She carried a staff called a thyrsus (topped with a pine cone), the key to the underworld, and in some writings, ash leaves. Another great tie in- ash is my Celtic zodiac.

So, quite a list of items to fit in one piece of art! Miryam somehow found a way to tie everything together, and topped the staff with a Ruby gem (instead of a pinecone) so it was more obvious that Ruby was the inspiration for the piece. She also added the moon and stars, since I was working on SLS through Boeing/NASA at the time. 18 months later, and I still love my piece <3

It took about 10 hours of active tattooing, but we got it done in one session.

Here is a picture right after it was finished (screenshot from Miryam's IG post)





















This post was triggered by my last one with the engagement photos where I saw my tat and realized I had not mentioned it here yet! Here is the photo with a healed tattoo.

Getting a tattoo is a very serious decision and they are not for everyone. I drafted ideas for nearly 10 years and took my time finding an artist I wanted. You get what you pay for, and I knew that I was not going to go with any other artist, or skimp on cost. So glad I waited - I get to show off art from an artist I adore.

Here's to forever, Ruby, and may my body age well and keep this piece in tact (haha).

Welcome to the Family, Dan

"well of course Ruby has to be in our engagement photos"

I've been away from blogging for a while mostly due to life (engagement, marriage, honeymoon, work travel) and maybe a bit because (if we are being totally honest), blogging can be annoying and I'm too lazy to keep up with it. Plus, asking people for pictures of you and your horse so you have so fun things to look at gets real old real fast!

Dan and I got engaged spring 2017 and Ruby HAD to be a part of it. Photos by Leigh Joy Photography

Wedding happened November 4, 2017 in Charleston, SC

Honeymoon through Gate1 Travel in Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia
Check out the phots on my photography site: http://stingrayimages.zenfolio.com/f430454767

Walnut Trace Schooling Show

"whoa there turbo!'

After taking it slow this year, Ruby and I decided to get out to a Walnut Trace schooling show (a jumper show with fence heights tailored to the eventing community). We signed up for 2 rounds of the Pre-Novice class (2'7").
















I just want to say: I REMEMBERED MY COURSE! Wooo!

Not gonna lie, we went into this show a bit unprepared- we have not been jumping much since the hock injections (too busy feeling that hind end in dressage!). Ruby was a little strong over the fences, but went right where she was pointed. Go pony!

No current plans, but training and looking forward to the fall season!

Add a Spring to Your Step

"So this is what is it supposed to feel like?'

After putting it off for a couple of years now, I finally caved and got the pony some hock injections (thanks to Dr. Mike at Tennessee Equine). In the winter, she has always gotten a bit stiff, but works out of it eventually. Wanting to move up the levels, which of course includes an inevitable dressage advancement, we went for it.

What a difference! At first I actually though she felt a bit off (as in lame off). Debi laughed and told me that she looked amazing- it is probably the hind end hip action I was not used to feeling. The next logical step: throw your best friend up there and see for myself!

She's so pretty <3!
Thanks Caitlin!