I'm not real certain how to title this blog, as it is kind of a sad, and happy one for me. 

I've been riding a super nice 3 year old ZZD filly out of a No Drift daughter, and I just love her!  She's been kind, willing and a super quick learner. 

We bought her mother - "Nellie", site unseen, because she was an incredible producer and really wanted to breed her to ZZD.  Well, when she arrived, she was pretty much bones with skin stretched around them -  and that skin had rain rot and fungus terribly bad.  She looked horrible.  Did I mention she was so foundered that she could hardly walk??  Yeah, thanks for that honest disclosure.  We got here to us, and started feeding her like I know she had never been fed. 

A couple weeks after we had her, with minimal improvements, I began to be worried that she was bred.  I knew there was no way we would be able to breed her that year (2003).  Decided maybe I should have my vet check her, and oh yes...  There was a bun in the oven.  I thought I would fall out!   So she foaled a sorrel tobiano filly in June.  She got so crippled with founder that she actually laid down and the filly learned to nurse with her laying down.  It was very hard to watch.  Our #1 goal was to get the filly to 3 months, wean her and do everything in our power to get her mother up an moving.  During the period right after she foaled, she gave her poor filly rain rot, and the filly lost ALL of her hair. 

Oh my, it was a mess.  I was convinced I could give her a comfortable life, and refused to give up hope on her.  We got that filly stronger and over her skin issues and safely to 3 months and weaned her.  We gave that filly to a good friend who just wanted to watch her out in the pasture grazing.  I thought it was a perfect fit because the filly was very small, and to this day is only pony sized from the fact she had such poor care when her mother was pregnant.

With baby weaned, we really went to work on Nellie.  She actually came around really quick.  With farrier visits every couple weeks and special shoes with wedges, pads, natural balance, screws, etc., I was actually able to see her walk and bend her knees.  It was amazing!  When 2004 rolled around and Nellie looked so good, we decided it was OK to try to breed her.  We did not rush and though we could wait a little later in the year and have sunlight on our side when we did decide to breed her.  To our excitement, Nellie concieved and actually carried without any problems.  In 2005, she foaled this beautiful all brown ZZD filly without a bit of white on her.  We named her Driftin Ta Fame - AKA Gracie.  And we have all loved her ever since. 

Last summer, Gracie was broke and started by Pete Oen in OK.  She came to us in January of 2008 for me to ride and do some hauling with.  I was in love with her from the 1st ride.  She reminded me so much of Cruzin Ta Fame & Infamous Fire that I was just thrilled with her. 

I am sure at this point, you are wondering where this is going.  Well, on Monday, I had turned her out in the roundpen to work.  She was out there for a short period of time when I came out to find her dragging her front right leg.  I was shocked and still cannot figure out what happened.  I got her to the vet 1st thing Tuesday morning.  She looked her over and thought she had damaged a nerve.  She took a pile of X-rays, and there was nothing.  She finally decided on 1 last x-ray to see if she could get a certain shoulder X-ray, and she did.  It showed Gracie's humerus (sp) bone broke in half just before the should joint.  I felt like I had been hit in the stomach.  I could not talk, or move.  I just stood there looking, in shock! 

I was given 2 option...  1-put her down on the spot.  That one did not sit very well with me.  2-Give her 60 days in confiment to see if the bone with heal enough on its own so she could possibly carry a foal.  Riding her again is not an option, ever.  I decided on option #2.  I just could not bring myself to put this filly down.  I love her and think she is wonderful.  If she will never be able to carry a foal, I still want her to comfortably get around.  After 60 days, I have to take her back for another set of X-rays to see if there has been sufficient healing to justify not putting her down.  If after 60 days there is no improvement, or she gets worse, I may have to consider putting her down.

This is the one and only foal Nellie has ever given us - and she still lives on our place.  I see Nellie every day at feeding and with everything we have been through with that old mare (who is 22 this year) I could not give up on her filly that quickly. 

So after all of this, I am hopeful.  I have prayed a good bit asking her to mend as best she can.  Considering the break, Gracie has been very brave, stoic and tough.  She will bear weight on the leg (which is an improvement from Monday) and does her best to get around.  We will keep her confined and do our very best to minimize her movement to give that bone time to heal.  The happiness of this blog comes from the hope that she will improve.  That things will get better for her.  Having just been around her for the last 2 months has been so enjoyable and made me look forward to riding her. 

Goodness, I've written a book...  Thank you for letting me share.  I will keep my blog better updated with Gracie's progress.

Andre'
SynergyStables.com

My goodness.  It has been a long time since I updated my blog.  The Augusta Futurity is in town so I have plenty of free time on my hands tonight with Ryan at the event.  I have been home ill most of the week. 

I'll start by letting everyone know how Z's filly did at the AQHA World Championship show in November.  Catherine Zevi Jones ended up finishing 8th overall in Jr. Horse Pole Bending!  She was the only 3 year old that made the finals.  You can watch her finals run, a 21.0, on our Web site:  www.SynergyStables.com.  There is also video of Catherine working barrels on our site.

Moving on to Infamous Fire.  Anyone who knows us is aware of the stiffle injury we have nursed with Fire since September of 2006.  Well, when Lance (Graves) arrived to do our NBHA World Show party demo, he asked if Fire had been doing well, and I said yes.  So he decided to tack him up and ride him.  Fire rode like a dream so we decided that he would be the demo horse that night.  And work his tail off he did!  He smoked a pattern and received a standing ovation!  It was great fun and he stayed sound!!  That was even better.

When Lance came for the Southern Rebel Futurity the end of December, we grabbed Fire and took him along.  He ended up clocking a respectable 2D time with several bobbles.  We are all excited as this was his 1st competition RUN!  Ever.

Last weekend, we went to Jacksonville, FL for the Fortune 5 Barrel Racing.  We took Infamous Fire, Cruzin Ta Fame (my #1 guy), Bartenders Playgirl (Ryan's ride), and Smokey (Dylan's pony).    Ryan fell in the cracks on his 1st 2 runs and tipped the 3rd barrel on his last run.  Dylan finished 4th in the youth 4D and was all excited (and yes, he was our big money winner).  I rode in the open arena on Thursday night with Cruz and let him breaze through a set and he took an odd stumble at the 1st barrel.  When I tacked him on Friday, I noticed his back right hock was swollen, warm and he did not want me to touch it!  Darn...  I ended up not running him until Sunday, and we ended up 23rd out of 340+ entries, with a 1D clock!  I was so excited.  And to say he was wild would be an understatement!  He'd been in his stall with just an hour of hand walking. 

While that Cruz's run was fun, our real fun came watching Fire make his runs.  On Friday, he smoked the 1st and 2nd barrels and seemed to lose his wind running to the 3rd.  Lance was forced to pick him up and he did not finish like he should have and still clocked a 2D time!  His run on Saturday was only more exciting.  He smoked the first barrel and was hauling across the arena and got by his 2nd barrel and went hauling to the 3rd and snapped around it and came running home.  He ended up in the top 30 of that race in the 1D!  We had many people tell us that he was the funnest horse to watch run that weekend, not to mention the prettiest!!!  We have a couple videos of Fire working barrels online at:  www.SynergyStables.com - Visit Fire's Stallion page to view the video.  After Fire's impressive couple showings, we have decided to give him his futurity year.  We are planning on his being sent to Lance's to hit as many 5 year old events as possible.  His '08 breeding season will be shortened to allow this, but we feel it will only add value to him and his offspring in the future. 

OK... But our good weekend was not over though in Jacksonville.  The Zippy Zevi Dahser 4 year old filly, Zip Zippin Wonder ridden by Sabra O'Quinn made an impressive run and finished 18th on Friday out of 340+ entries and drew a 2D check.  She was entered also in the Fortune 5 Slot race on Saturday night.  Tipped barrels kept her from drawing a check in the race!  She is an exceptional filly and certainly only the tip of the iceberg on Z's siring ability.  Also running that weekend was Moneys Dash Ta Fame-a 4 year old son of Z ridden by Boo Flournoy.  He made serveral consistent and smooth runs just placing out of the 3D!  You can watch videos of both these horses work online at:  www.SynergyStables.com - visit Zippy Zevi Dasher's Stallion page.

I just received word this evening that the Zip Zippin Wonder filly worked well at the EBFA Futurity in Murfreesboro, TN that is going on this weekend.  I don't have any specifics, but once I do, I will be sure to update them! 

I believe I have written a book, and thank you for stopping by to let me share!

HTTY,
Andre' Dohrn
SynergyStables.com