Welcome to Fern Valley

Here in central Alberta prime farm country,my husband Martin and I work together raising beef cattle and Appaloosa horses. Fern valley appaloosas have long been known for their quality of temperament conformation and color.I have recently rediscovered a love of writing and have published 2 collections of poetry. "Telling Tails" and Tails Trails and Campfire stories" . I look forward to a future spreading my wings as an author and as a horse woman .

Friday 28 June 2013

flitting hither and yon

Feeling  a  little  like  this  little  guy  these  days! 


Zip, in  grab a  snack , zip on out and  back to  whatever  was on my list !
Mom is doing better, but still not totally out of  the woods, we had a  scary  call on Tuesday  followed by a couple  tense conversations   with interns. I am  not saying I or  we  no  more than the  doctors, but  we  have been caring  for mom and her  health issues for a  lot of  years  as a  family, and she is our priority, we  know  what is  normal for her  and  what is  not. I truly  believe the  doctors are  meaning to help, and  they  do, but well, there is  no  room  for  ego in health  care, I will leave it at  that.

Beyond  that I spend  a few  minutes  every  day  well really  twice or 4 times  a  day  marveling  at my  beautiful  babies and  checking on the  mare that is left  to foal. to the  contest  winners, I am sorry, I will get your  prizes out to you soon! 
But  for now  here  are  some updated pics 










Stay safe  friends!

Sunday 23 June 2013

Shall we dance ?


First note, we have a  fairly  graphic picture  ahead, but a  good  one, not  often  are we witness to a miracle  in the afternoon.
Secondly Nieghgirl, email me please  you are  the  winner of the  3rd  foaling  contest, you  nailed it  all but the  base color!
 A  bit  of  excitement  here  today. A  bright  beautiful  day started early  with  me  needing to  go  check  my  mares ,  spent a  little time with  little Miss  Casey, who is  such a  friendly  girl ! then  checked  Jazz (Fern  Valleys  Jazz ) thinking  she  was  getting  very close, but  still nothing so I carried  on  with my  morning. We  sorted and  tagged some  cull cows and Martin  headed out  with them , leaving me  to  move out t the  bull. Well Bully  was  being a  little  reluctant (clearly  not  understanding  where I wanted him  to be), so  since I was on my own I went out and  brought t he  cows in  closer, sure  enough  as  soon as  he heard the  cows, he  was  headed out and on the run!
Was  just  closing a  gate and  wandering  though  the  young mares  pen when I looked  down and  saw  Jazz  flat out on  her  side, I called to her and she  lifted her  head looked  right at  me and  whinnied, LOUD ! Well I may  have  a limp, and I may  be  round  , but  this  gal  can  still run when I need to . whipped  back out of  the pen to the  quad, then  had  to force  myself  to go  slowly  up to her  pen. walked (as  badly as I wanted to run, when my  girls  call  for  help , I help!) As  soon  as I  got in  with  her I saw that she  had the front feet of some  pretty big  legs out, looked OK  but slightly  uneven, but  no  nose , on  closer inspection I saw  where  things  were  going  awry, those long legs and  big  shoulders  had worked  thing in such a  way that his  legs  crossed and his  nose  had  dropped  down,  poor  kid  was  trying to be  born  forehead  first . gently  rearranged  things and  popped his  chin  back up and  gave a  little  tug, and that  was all it  took, mom got  back to business and she had  his  head out in  no  time at all, after  that I stood by  to  watch  my  little (LARGE ) miracle  come to life.
and  took  pictures  of  course . in  25  years or  more of  raising  horses I have  been  blessed  enough  to witness only 2  foaling with  positive outcome. And  have  seriously  come to feel  that although  I check  and  check  often , I prefer to just  find  the  foal up  and  sucking  which is  as it  should  be . Most often  mares  need no  assistance , and when  they  do they  usually  require  veterinary  intervention, but this one? I could handle .



 those legs  go  on  forever! 
 and  they  tangled up  a few  times 
But  eventually he  got them  all working for him , and hasn't  stopped  moving since!  
Struggling a  little  so  far  with  the  name, in  part, following a  musical  theme (Jazz) I am  settling on Tango, a  play on  words  (sounds  like tangle ) and I met a  colt a few  years  ago whose name I suggested  who  had a   bit of  a  rough  start  who also  has  that  name , so Tango it is , but as  for the rest??? give me  some time .
I am a  bit  late and out there  in posting  but  with this wonderful  distraction, I also  have a less  wonderful  one, if  you are of a mind  to, please pray   with me for  my mom, she is  back in  hospital again, not  just sure  what is up this time, but she  has had such a  rough  time,I think  all prayers  will be  welcome, and  look at  what  wonderful things payer has  done in the past,  for  her  for  me  for all !
Safe safe 

Friday 21 June 2013

Wanna make a bet?? we have a winner

I am  betting on  this  little lady!!!
Welcome 
FV  Casino  Quest!!
"Casey"
2013  Filly out of my  wonderful "Richie mare" Get Rich Quick and  by Windwalker Cactus 
Winner of  the  "eagle  eye"  contest is my  own sister Heather!who  was  first to see  baby! As for  the  blog contest winner it is  Prairie  Ridge  Performance horses! pretty  sure I have your  email, but  just in  case, please email me  here .


 her  name, a  spin on  the  gambling theme  "Get  Rich  Quick" who's  race record  speaks  for her , and  For  Cactus  descended of "Top Quest " a little  nod to her  heritage .




Mamma  and baby are  doing  well and Richie  even at 19 years  young looks  fresh as a  daisy, and  practically  ready to hit the  track where she  made her name  so many  years  ago. 
This  will very likely  be  the  last time I  breed  this  good  mare, she  has  more than  done  here  time,and  owes me nothing,and I would  rather  watch her  grow  old and be a  granny to the  foals of  the up and  comers than  push my  luck.  Besides with Fern Valley's  Phoenix (son  of  Chips and Richie ) and  this little  lady I have  these  genetics  pretty  much  locked down. and yes, that is  what it  sounds  like,little Miss  Casey ,  will be  staying  here,to  join  the  ranks of other  Fern Valley lifers! 

Also  again  on this  beautiful  sunny  day that I have  been so  blessed , please  if  you will  join us all in our  prayers  for those  who are  affected by the  flooding here in Alberta , and BC, and all those  affected  by  disaster. natural  and  otherwise  in  our  world.
And as  always my  friends,  stay safe 

Thursday 20 June 2013

while we are waiting ...

for  the rains  to  stop, for flooding in  southern Alberta to ease, for  news of  friends and  family who may be affected  by Mother  Natures "dark side"
And  for the  foals to come (which I am  okay with waiting till there is  warmer drier  weather  for I read  the forecast to Richie and suggested Saturday)
I thought I would  snap a  couple pics  of last years  little guy .Harley has  come a  long  way from



To now , still a  cute fellow , but  certainly growing  up! 


 "Holy Hair  Harley"


Anyhow  that is  all  for  today . Prayers  for all affected  by the storms and  flooding , and to all , stay safe!

Tuesday 18 June 2013

Foaling contest 4???

Just  a  reminder  to  stop by Never too Old to  enter  the  foaling  contest there, and if you haven't entered in 1&3  here  they are all linked on the contest page .
Nothing new  with the  mares , Maks is doing  well, though I think  he  needs  water wings! we  have had so much  rain !
Just  wanted to pop on and  say hello, and  show  you a  few pics from around  here  the last  few  days

 Skeeter  is  not a  fan of  thunder storms 
 "the  guardian of the  dumpster"
 rain  makes  for  good  pastures 
 Nice  to  have  a helper  at the gate! Thanks  Deb
As I looked up  at the  cows , that old  song "cows  with  guns " popped into my mind LOL 

"Advertised" this crew on FB as  Reusable  Mousetraps! some  maintenance  required!

hoping   for  some new  baby pics , of maybe  even a new  baby soon! 
meanwhile  stay safe 

Saturday 15 June 2013

The way we have started , thinking the 2014 Fern Valley unforgettable spots calender is going to be ,well Unforgettable!

Still only  the one  foal on the  ground, and we have  3  yet to go, not  sure  the camera will survive!  It  wont be  a case on  no pics to chose  from on the calender  this  year,(not that it  ever was I do  like to take  pics) It will be  how  many  can I put on per page! babies alone I am going to fill it up! 
Just  a  reminder here too, to enter your guesses on the foaling  contests .Deb of  http://greymareschiroc.blogspot.ca/ will be  running a  contest too , I will link it  to the contest page as  soon as it is  up, but  remember to stop by her  blog to check it out .
For  now her is a picture laden post of my new favorite  subject!
 "where`s Maks?"
 `Yes???
 "let  me just  get these  legs sorted out"

 "There  we  go "
 I am up! 
 And I am gorgeous! 

Proud Papa, Cactus  looking  on
 "Are you laffing at my kid???"
 Who me?
 "why  do  all the horses  go to you lady?
" Are you nice"" 
 "Oh  you are nice , you  scratch  my  little  chin! "
See you  soon folks! 
Stay  safe!