So Many Exciting Things Happening at SSF!

It would probably make more sense to split this journal entry into multiple postings rather than one long post, but we all know how much difficulty I seem to have finding the time to write in the first place, so I’m just going to go for it, and see how much I can cram into one entry.

It has been an absolutely insane summer and fall. Due to COVID, Gaudi’s popularity over the previous two breeding seasons, and fewer foals due this year, I was expecting a fairly quiet season. That’s not how it played out. We’ve sold all of our 2020 foals (except for Princess’s Vivino colt who was born dysmature due to her developing Cushings during her pregnancy. Patronus SSF (Vivaldi x Contango) is adorable–just don’t know how big he will mature, so I haven’t seriously tried to sell him.), two 2021 foals, two 2022 foals, and all of our yearlings, except for the For Ferrero filly in Holland. (Oserenia SSF, the For Ferrero filly is developing really well, so that may be a blessing in disguise for our program.), and  Gaudi has bred 160 mares, with new breedings still coming all the way through October. We’ve bred nine of our own mares and close to a dozen outside mares. Bought a new stallion. We’ve begun the excavating and designing for a new training complex. On top of this, I’ve been driving 45 minutes each way to ride Mazey four or five days/week most of the summer/fall and trying to get to the gym almost every day now that Planet Fitness has reopened. Most importantly, we had a WEDDING!!

Mr. and Mrs. Keagan Tolman

Congratulations to Keagan and Lisa! It was a beautiful weekend of celebration, shared families, and love. I’m so proud that the two of them refused to be daunted by all the COVID restrictions and setbacks. What better time than the middle of a pandemic to have a celebration of life and love? Of course, we had to make accommodations in the number of guests, rehearsal dinner plans, after-party plans, etc., but it was a wonderful weekend and a beautiful wedding. It was a perfect send off for a love and adventure-filled life together.

Breedings for 2021 and the Start of 2022

Knock on wood, we had a good breeding season. I’ve seen on social media that many people have had trouble getting mares in foal. I bred all of our mares, plus about 10 outside mares. One didn’t get pregnant. Two lost their pregnancies. I had a 100% conception rate with frozen semen on seven breedings. This is the horse business, so I’m always waiting for the other shoe to drop. We’ll probably have terrible luck next year. Knock on wood that that doesn’t come to pass…

Here’s what we have coming:

Jovian x Totilas x Jazz (not for sale)

Gaudi x Donatelli x Jazz (sold)

D’Avie x Bon Bravour x Santano (not for sale)

Gaudi x Freestyle x Jazz (sold)

Gaudi x Atleet x Manno

Fynch Hatton x Charmeur x Santano

Fynch Hatton x Franklin x Santano

Gaudi x Sir Sinclair x Jazz (filly not for sale)

Jaleet x Michigan’s Heir to the Throne

Plus, as I mentioned above, it looks as if we have two 2022 babies sold already, as well.

Jaleet x Bon Bravour x Santano

Gaudi x Freestyle x Jazz or Gaudi x Sir Sinclair x Jazz

It’s a little too early for me to commit to my breeding picks for next year, but I’m willing to talk to you about potential crosses–if your needs and my picks jive, we can figure something out. As always, happy to create a payment plan that works for you.

Gaudi SSF Most Popular Warmblood Stallion in NA Again

Angela Gell Stanaway’s Gaudi SSF x Sinatra Song

It is with heartfelt gratitude that we send out huge thanks to those of you who have received Gaudi’s arrival in North America so warmly. My goodness. We are delighted with the balanced, athletic, modern foals he is producing, and looks as if a lot of you agree. There’s currently a thread on the Dressage Breeder’s Group on FB with a ton of Gaudi babies. It’s like a virtual keuring! Michaela also does a great job of keeping our farm Instagram (@ssfwarmbloods) updated, as well as the Gaudi SSF Offspring link on the website. 

We are running our December Special on Gaudi breedings until the end of the year:  $500 down, $500 before the first collection. And, of course, it comes with our Unconditional Live Foal Guarantee.  

Gaudi’s stud fee remains at $1500. I wanted to raise it for next year, but my wife and daughter talked me out of it.

Jaleet SSF!!!

I love this horse, and I’m thrilled that he’s ours. When I heard he might be for sale, I made an offer within hours. Within 24 hours, we had closed the deal. Jaleet is a dynamic mover, a happy athlete with a great brain, and a super producer. I have yet to update our website with all of his information, but I will get to it. Bill Duffy just asked me to write a piece on the reasons we purchased Jaleet and my thoughts on crossing the Dutch Harness Horse for dressage for the DHH Newsletter. He said he needed between 800 and 1700 words…I was only halfway done when I hit 1700 words, so they’ve agreed to publish my piece in two installments. The first should be in the next Newsletter. Once it’s published, I’ll post the whole thing on our site, as well.

New Training Facility

I’m not going to lie; I’m a little nervous about this project. It’s exciting as hell, but it’s a huge and expensive undertaking. It’s my goal for SSF to be a regional hub for education, keurings, clinics, and sales. We are planning on having an on-site trainer who can take in young horses to start and sell, as well as working with our horses. The goal is to have it done in time for the 2021 keuring tour, but it’s not looking good since I haven’t even settled on a contractor yet. For those of you who have been to our place, the new driveway comes in from the other side of our property, off Old Swanzey Road, not Stone’s Mill. One of our requests from the excavator is that the driveway is big enough and wide enough for a tractor trailer truck. I can’t tell you how many late-night transfers to shippers we’ve done in the Walmart parking lot or in the cul-de-sac a mile and a half from our farm. Of course, once snow comes, my plow job is going to about quadruple…but, on a positive note, I’m out of room for more perennials around the farm–now I’m going to have a half-mile driveway and a whole new facility to landscape!

Nadal SSF (Just Wimphof x Charmeur x Santano)

It figures that the first year we have a stallion going through the selection process in Holland, there’s no KWPN Stallion Show. So bummed! Oh, well. What are you going to do?

Nadal developed pneumonia during the early part of the summer and almost died. He spent an expensive vacation in the hospital. It has set him back a bit in his development and training, but I think he’s starting to look really good. He could be a little bigger, yet, at the same time, I don’t like to see stallions looking over-developed at two and a half, and horses from this line tend to mature late. Plus, Just Wimphof isn’t that big. We’ll see. He’s got the KWPN’s most highly-predicated and sport-proven mareline behind him,  the pedigree, type, and movement, his dam was top five at the NMK, and it’s the first crop of stallions from Just Wimphof to go through the selection process. The only thing he has going against him is that he’s a little small right now. Fingers crossed.

On Top SSF (For Romance I x Totilas x Jazz)

I continue to be really excited about this boy. He’s smart, beautiful, easy, and a phenomenal mover. He’s currently my favorite horse on the farm. Just love him. He’ll have his radiographs in April, then we’ll decide if he stays in the US to go through the approval process, or if he moves to Holland. I’m getting pretty attached…I may not be able to let him go anywhere.

Horse Sales and Searches

Even though we don’t have many horses for sale at the moment, more people than ever have been contacting me for help finding a horse or for advice about the horses they’ve found on their own. I have lots of contacts in Europe and North America. Happy to help you look for a horse. I’m thinking of adding a link/page on our site with videos of horses for sale from contacts, friends, and fellow breeders. Until I get to that, feel free to shoot me a text, email, or FB message.

So, I began writing this entry September 5th. Today is November 5th. Hopefully, this isn’t my last entry for 2021, although, not being one to wish away time, I’m ready to move on to a new year, a new president, and a new vaccine. Stay safe. Stay well. Feel free to reach out to me if you want to chat about horses.