We Could Make Soup But....

I want to make sure that there are great soup ingredients around for the future. No! I am not talking about eating horses. I am talking about our breeding program. Vicke Ives program at Karma Farms, and indeed the running free on the range model that was used at the Cayuse Ranch by the Brislawn family, are the proof that crossing various strains of Colonial Spanish Horses can produce spectacular animals. Tom Norush's program of the East/West cross (Banker and Western Mustang strain crosses) has shown the same thing.

I am a bit envious. I know that a cross between El Rosio (Bacca) and Swimmer (Banker) could produce the horse of one's dreams. Of course, I can breed my stallions to outside mares ad infinitum without hurting the Corolla program. It is the few,the rare, the nearly extinct, mares that I must breed to stallions in the Corolla preservation program.

At least for now. One day we will have enough of these horses preserved so that we will no longer have to be concerned about extinction. We will be able to freely cross the Corollas with other strains and modern horses.

I have seen the result of crossings with other breeds and I am delighted. In fact, the real service that the Corolla offsite breeding program has to offer is not a future of a Corolla in every back yard, it is of being able to offer magic as an ingredient in the breeding mix of other horses.

Want a great hunter jumper who is calm, has fewer digestive problems, great bone, and is smart, warm and affectionate--a Corolla/Thoroughbred could fit the bill. What about a trail horse with great balance and endurance, who is also smart, warm and affectionate--a Corolla/Quarter horse could fit that bill. And think about a spectacularly colored horse that actually looks like something the Nez Perce would have ridden, who is also smart, warm and affectionate--a Corolla/Appaloosa could fit that bill. or what every family needs, a calm, easy handling trial horse with unstoppable endurance, who is warm, smart and affectionate--a Corolla/Arabian could fit that bill.

But we are a long way from being there yet (though I do offer free on site breeding to my stallions to outside mares). I want to see that soup happen.

The men in my family who do not smoke or drink live incredibly long lives. I just might make another fifty years.

If I do, I will see that soup happen.