SPRING HILL FARM ARABIANS
SPRING HILL FARM ARABIANS
This is part of the view from the front of our home. How wonderful it is, to look out and see our horses running and playing, or just grazing.
I'm 5'8", so you can see that BUKRA wasn't a "little" girl, at 1 yr. 7 mo.
A tall, blue-grey filly born Feb. 27, 1997, she's by RAHSIL ROYEL-T (Smokey), a LE ENCORE son, and out of AL KAMAALA (Amy), a lovely chestnut mare with a calm, sweet disposition.
If you're familiar with Blue Star Arabians, you already know why I'm excited about owning one, and you'll be happy to know that there is now one more person in the preservation ranks. If you're curious about Blue Stars, click over to Susan Whitman's Bedouin Source web site and you'll get in-depth information about these horses, along with photos and links to other Blue Star breeders.
I've always loved horses, but had Quarter Horses mostly until I was about 33. As a matter of fact, my husband then, Bob, raised cutting horses, and he was appalled when I bought a young Arabian stallion as a favor to a lady who was terminally ill and couldn't care for the horse. He was 3 years old and in bad shape. The people who were supposedly taking care of him for her had starved him and never wormed him.
That starved, stunted horse turned my attention away from other breeds forever. We got his health turned around, and he began to fill out and grow. Besides his fast recovery, what amazed me about this little Arabian was how easy he was to train and saddle break as a four-year-old. He never bucked, never lost his cool on the trail, even his first few times out ... and he was just getting his second wind on long trail rides in the Colorado mountains when my husband's Quarter Horse was done in. And he followed me around in the pasture like a puppy dog.
That was 18 years ago in Colorado. My husband, Kenny (different husband...we've been married 9 years), and I have been in Hickory, North Carolina for 7 years and I've had just one horse for the past 4 years ... a sweet old Arabian gelding, Naji, who went blind 2 years ago, but is doing well otherwise, and is now just a pet.
I had mentioned this past spring to Audrey Chilton, owner of Smokey and Amy, that I was looking for a riding horse. Audrey told me she had a yearling Blue Star filly, one of Smokey's daughters, that I should look at. Blue what?
I had no idea what she was talking about and I did not want a yearling. I wanted something I could ride right now. Especially since I was boarding Naji. Boarding two horses I couldn't ride was out of the question. Still, I went to look at Bukra anyway, just out of curiosity. She was lovely, but I was still reluctant.
Audrey started explaining about Blue Star Arabians -- how special and rare they are, and how strain breeding these horses (as the desert bedouins did) has consistenly produced the same quality every time...with balanced, athletic conformations and wonderful, willing temperments. Then, she proved it by showing me 4 of Bukra's siblings - - 3 full sisters and one brother. The similarities in all of them were striking, and all of them have the characteristics I just mentioned.
I also knew Smokey's temperment from trail riding with Audrey a number of times when she was riding him. We frequently passed other riders on those narrow mountain trails, and a couple times a rider on a mare in heat would have to squeeze past Smokey, who barely batted an eye at her ... we only knew the mare was in heat because of the way she started carrying on around Smokey. The mare's rider was flabbergasted to learn that Smokey was a stallion. What a beautiful temperment he has! And he passes it on to all his offspring.
Not only did I agree to take Bukra, but I decided to learn as much as possible about BLUE STAR Arabians and get involved in the preservation program. These horses are too special to lose, and I want to be part of preserving these bloodlines.
Kenny and I found, and moved to a new horse property within 45 minutes of Hickory. Now that we are nearly settled, we have brought in a Blue Star stallion and leased a BLUE STAR filly to breed to him. MD HATTUS ROMANCE is a 3 year old, and is half brother to BUKRA's sire. The filly is BINT BINT HALLELUJAH, a tail female *MUHAIRA filly. ROMANCE is tail female to *TURFA. We also leased NS FA DURFA, a full sister to BUKRA, already in foal to LE ENCORE. In April, "CC" produced Spring Hill Farm's first BLUE STAR foal; a colt we call "Banjo"!
Fortunately for me and anyone else who wants to start a Blue Star preservation program of their own, there are a number of knowledgeable people around for guidance in choosing the mares and stallions best suited for each other. And a novice will do the preservation program the most good by educating themselves and then getting advice from those who have been working so hard to save these bloodlines ... people like Susan Whitman. There are also a number of books full of valuable information, which are mentioned on the Bedouin Source web site.
For those interested in seeing more photos of Bukra, her siblings, her sire and her dam, I'll be adding them periodically. Will also add photos and info on any other Blue Star Arabians I'm fortunate enough to acquire.
My e-mail address is [email protected] and I'd love to hear from you and see photos of your horses.
P.S. In case you're wondering, I'm so happy with the way Bukra is developing that I walk around with a big grin all day after I've worked with her. I feel privileged to own her. Be sure to look at the new pictures of BUKRA, and see how she is turning out..
Meanwhile, follow this link to learn more about BLUE STARS
Bedouin Source Preservation & Research Center, Inc.
You can see BUKRA's Grandsire, LE ENCORE, at Morning Dove Farm.
Please
come back and visit us!