Toad Hill's Black Jack

On Wednesday, December 28th I finally got the grandson to help hold horses for their photos. He's not too good at standing them, so these are the best I could get at the time.  I had planned to have a friend come over and take better photos Friday, but Thursday we had 50 degree weather and a lot of rain, so by Friday the place was a mess, the horses were all looking soggy, and the weather was down to freezing again. Strange weather this year.

Apple Jack is a really darling black mini with a large star on his face who will stay under 34 inches. He is a bright, blue eyed colt. I often refer to his blue eyes as: "Piercing blue eyes" a phrase I first hear on the PBS Brit Comedy "As Time Goes By."

Apple Jack is true black and has a splash of white on his tail and with three white feet.

I will try to get better photos as time allows. Black Jack and his buddy Apple Jack are both scheduled for gelding January 19, 2011. If you want a stallion, you need to let me know quickly.

Miss Peach Meets Her New BFF

 A neighbor down the road from me had a miniature mare that needed a friend. Her owner stopped by one day and asked if I had a yearling that might be friendly, not a dominant mare, but one who was looking for a new friend.

We walked around, the mini had to be a filly or mare. If a mare, she must not be bred...the new owner was not looking to raise minis, just a companion for her current one.

Miss Peach caught her eye. She walked up and wanted all to be petted, and the decision was made.

The following week I loaded Miss Peach into the MiniVan and off we went.

There was still some feed in the pan in the minivan from my picking up Sunny (previous post), from Ole Country Roads north of Bloomington. After Miss Peach finished the last of the grain, she started to look around, "Okay, so where's the rest of the feed. I'm hungry still!!"

Lucky for Miss Peach she noticed the MacDonald's Happy Meal still in the front seat. 

"Yum, yum, now that's more like it!!"

Miss Peach made short work of the burger and fries, then wanted to know "Where's the shake?"

Opps, too late, we had arrived.

Out she went and into the barn to meet her new 

           BFF.

This this will be a great friendship and adventure for Miss Peach.

(BTW: Miss Peach is out of Toad Hill's Buttermilk whose photos are just below this post.)

Cheerios Arrive at New Home

The weekend after the H. A. M. E. (Heart of America Miniature Horse Show) in Belvidere, Il. my human was going to Chicago and decided to let me ride alone to my new home. I was a little concerned about riding in a minivan but found the hay in it to be quite tasty. My human knows I like a snack when traveling.

We rode for about an hour and a half, then my human decided it was time to get some gasoline since she was not sure how much further to the next stop.

As we pulled into the gas station, a church van with at least a dozen kids pulled in behind us. Most of them went right for the food in the gas station store, but several of the girls stood at the entrance to the store looking at the van. Finally they came over, and one of the girls asked if she could pet me. I said sure, and she got in with me.

There was flurry of girls taking photos of me and my friend.

Sorry I did not get her name, but we had a nice talk, then her chaperones said it was time to leave. We finished gassing up the van and took off to my new home.

I have to admit the ride was fun, but I was ready to get out and meet the new family. Sunny, the little colt was quite curious about me, but his mom was very protective. Guess I will have to win her over with my great personality!!

UPDATE from new home:
Pip is doing great! Bonnie (mother of Sunny) ignores her most of the time. Thinks she is going to lead her son (Sunny) astray--he was into wild women before she came. Sunny loves her. They chase each other and rub each other's necks! Irish (the other yearling filly) likes her. They are a pair, when Pip isn't running around with Sunny, but Irish is in charge of where they go and what they do! Sunny will be four months the end of July.

Toad Hill's 09 Grand Finale

Finale is a black and white filly, measuring 33 1/2 inches.
Named Finale since she was the last foal of the 2009 season.


These photos were taken August 1, 2010. I know she has a little reddish hue on her black coat, but she has been in the field all summer and the sun has taken its toll on her beautiful black coat. I know that Finale is having a "bad hair day" as we just finished taking the cockle burrs out of her mane and she did not have a bath before the photo session.

Sire: Toad Hill's Rust Spot
Dam: Toad Hill's Wind in the Willows

Toad Hill's Grand Finale - Photo taken May 20, 2012

Finale came to visit one of the stallions this spring. Here she is seen running with Rainbow, another mare.

Miss Peach

Toad Hill's Miss Peach is a buckskin pinto filly measuring as a yearling at 32 1/2 inches tall.  

She is a sweet, quiet filly with no bad habits. The spot on her shoulder is where rubbed some hair off in play with the other yearling.

Click here to see Miss Peach as a foal.

Junior Handler at CSPA

While at the CSPA (Central States Pony Assoication) show at Gordyville, I met a young lady (7 years old) who seemed really into minis.

She was showing several buckskin mares in the over class and her stalls were next to mine. We got to talking and she was quite taken with Toad Hill's Little Dove, a blue roan pinto. So I said if she wanted she could show her in color class. She showed Little Dove and won 1st place under both judges...well done!!

Below is Brianna in the multi-color class.

Brianna with Little Dove..."Darn Fly keeps nipping me on the hind leg" said Little Dove

Movies of Foals 2009

I will be the first to admit, my movies are really amateurish, but here are some of the Foals 2009. These were all taken Dec 28th. The foals are dirty from the mud that set after 3.5 inches of rain and then froze with below 22 degree weather. Each listing is a hyperlink to a YouTube video.
Foals 2009 Part 1
Foals 2009 Part 2
Foals 2009 Part 3

I tried to identify each foal in the video.
Slate is the second black/white pinto in this video. He is a little larger that Picasso and is for sale as well. Slate will be a 2 year old as of 2010 and has been shown last year. He is in Top Ten Multi-Color this year, and was one of two minis in Produce of Dam (placed 2nd Top Ten) and one of three minis in Get of Sire (placed 1st in Top Ten).

Kibbles 2009 Foal, Growing UP

How quickly these little foals grow. Here this little buckskin filly is now four months old, compare that to her first few days.

Update...this filly is now offically named: Toad Hill's Pip-Pip Cheerios

Her sire is Toad Hill's Rust Spot.

Rusty's Sire: Toad Hill's Oreo (Black pinto, 32.0" AMHR only) by WF Flashy Boy (32.00", black pinto, AMHA, AMHR). Flashy Boy is by Rainbow Ridges Starburst Cody (30.50") out of Circle S Missy (34.00")

Rusty's Dam: Toad Hill's Neon Echo (Sabino Overo, 30.0" AMHA/AMHR). Echo is by Colorworlds Neon Knight (33.0, overo) out of Mini Bucks Painted Princess (33.50", liver pinto)

Filly's dam is Toad Hill's Kibbles and Bits

Kibbles' Sire: Spragues Buckeye (AMHR/AMHA 30.25", buckskin). His sire is NFCS Yankee Clipper (AMHA-28.00", sorrel), his dam is 4GS Hemlock Brook Silver Jane (AMRA - 33.50", grey)

Kibbles' Dam: Koch's My Angel Baby (AMHR/AMHA 33.50", chestnut pinto). Her sire is Little Hoof's Midget Mite (AMHR/AMHA 29.75", bay), her dam is Koch's Little Brandy (AMHR 36.00" chestnut)

Fancy Pants and his 2009 Foals

March, 2009 - Fancy after being clipped and in better condition.

February, 2009 - Fancy with head and neck clipped. By the way, someone asked about his teeth. Judge for yourself by clicking on this link to see them.

Summer, 2008 - Fancy after shedding out, but very overweight. Still, you have admit, he is a nicely colored blue roan with black points. It's hard to believe this mini is the same one as in the next photo after this one.

Tail of the Biggest Loser:

Since coming to Toad Hill, Fancy Pants has undergone a wonderful transformation. When I first went down to photograph Fancy, it was late evening in November. He was owned by an Amish family and was in full winter coat. I was photographing him for registration papers. I was able to get Fancy registered in both AMHA and AMHR, the biggest challenge beening the photographs. These were taken at night, in a barn with generated power since the Amish do not use electricity. After taking the photos I drove back home in a driving snow storm and it took three hours to go what would usually take only 90 minutes.

Below is one of the registration photos that was taken that night.

As an Amish mini Fancy learned a trade as a driving horse. You can read about that at this link.

Fancy was bred once in 2006 while down in Arthur. I have tried to find records of any offspring prior to his time in Arthur, but have been unable in either AMHA or AMHR stud books. This little guy at least was proof that Fancy can through blue roans.

Fast forward to 2009. Fancy has two foals on the ground this year. Follow the links to see a solid, possibly roan filly and the other a really colorful colt out of T. H. Kiss Me Kate .
The request for a DNA kit has been sent into AMHA. It appears that previous owners did not bother since they did not bred Fancy. I already have put in two AMHA/AMHR mares with Fancy for the 2009 season so getting that paperwork completed is high priority.

Pilgrim's 2009 Foal - T. D. Black Jack

It nevers ceases to amaze me how fast these little foals are up and running after birth. Yesterday morning Toad Hill's Pilgrim had her foal (June 25) and today it is trying out for the Olympics in the 100 meter run. Behind him is mom, trying hard to keep up and protect the youngster.

Pilgrims foal is a little colt, he will be jet black just like mom. I am calling him Black Jack. He will be AMHA and AMHR registered.

Toad Hill's. Buttermilk's First Foal - T. D. MISS Peach

Friday, June 12th, and I thought since I had already put in 36 hours at work I would sleep in. Dream on... at 5 AM the horses were running around the yard and towards the front the house. I figured something was up, so I immediately went out to see what was happening.

There was Buttermilk, Willow and Pilgrim swarming around a new buckskin pinto foal. I picked up the baby and headed towards the barn with all three mares following. I knew immediately that Buttermilk, the only buckskin was mom, so I let her in the stall, put down the foal and made sure everyone else was locked out.

Now I had checked the mares the night before, and Buttermilk was the least likely to foal soon...fooled me.
Anyway, everyone was fine, mommy and foal settled so I fed them and them the rest of the herd. So much for sleeping in.

 Her name is officially Toad Hill's Miss Peach.

Apache Gal's Foal - T. D. Little Dove

Apache Gal had her foal today, Friday morning - May 22. Sire is Toad Hill's Paint Me Picasso. Apache Gal is 20 years and still a great mommy.

First photo, more to come.

Kibbles 2009 Foal - T. D. Pip-Pip Cheerios

On Saturday morning, Kibbles had her foal, sired by Toad Hill's Rusty. This little kid is a buckskin pinto.

Stormy Foal - T. D. Madame Butterfly

Stormy had her foal on May 15, 2009. Cute little black and white filly. More photos to come.

Sorrel Overo Colt- Apple Jack

Excalibur Typhoon Queen, a bay mare had her foal on Cinco de Mayo. When I first saw the colt, he was out in the pasture and I did not want to wake wake him.

This colts stands right up and has that attitude that says he is the one in charge. He is sorrel and has the splash overo face and white stockings. He is very similar to another foal produced by Toad Hill's Rusty. Check out T. H. Blue Water from the same sire. .

While a sure show prospect, he is for sale since I am primarily interested in pintos. His mom, Tyke, will be bred to Lucky Four Rebelchase Rebelheir for a 2010 foal. I"m hoping that the breeding should produce either a bay or black pinto.
More photos will follow of this colt. He is currently offered for $500 when he can be weaned.

Dam: Excaliber's Typhoon Queen, 33.50" AMHR.
Her Sire: Vermilyea Farms Stylish Eclipse (HOF), black was sires by AMHA: NFC Rowdys Stylish Conclusion, 31.75" out of AMHA: Silver Queen, 33.50"

Typhoon's Dam: Lear's Lighteningbolt, 34.75" bay, was sires by AMHA: FMA Cheyenne, 33.00" out of AMHA: Kidwells Rosie OGrady.





Update on photos.


Here are some yearling photos of Apple Jack taken early in the fall, 2010 out in the field just "hanging out." As soon as I get better photos I will replace these.

DQ Foal

We were working in the barn putting in a divider in one of the large horse stall. We knew that that soon some of the mares would be foaling and we wanted to make sure there would be plenty of room.

In walks DQ, lays down and starts to push. "She's going to have a foal," I said. I ushered my assistant out of the stall to let the mare have some "privacy." In less than five minutes, out comes the new arrival.
DQ was bred to Fancy Pants and although I cannot tell for sure yet, I am suspicious the new filly may be a blue roan just like daddy.

The filly is about 20 inches tall, and fine boned. Mom is a black pinto, but pop is a blue roan. This pair has been sold.
DQ's Pedigree:
Sire: HCM Navajos Bold Innovation (33.00") by Calibers LIttle Navajo (AMHA, 31.50") out of NFC Tiny Mites Delight (AMHA, 33.50")
Dam: Klavohn's D. Q. Double Delight (31.00") by Star' Sunburst (28.00") out of Sunshine Sweet & Low (28.00")

Boone's Buckeroo Fancy Pants:
Sire: Boone's Little Buckeroo Megabucks 31.5" (HOF) (Sired by Boone's Little Buckeroo 30.50"(HOF)) out of Dell Tera's Penny 28.25"
Dam: A A Fancy Girl 27.5"
Fancy Pants is shown below, ready to get to work soon.

First Foal of the Season

Hooray, and surprise. Katie was not expected to foal until next week, but she snuck one in on me. I was not home Friday night, and of course she had her foal.

Anyway, it is a rather unusual marking I think...where did the polka dots come from??

Kate is shown here:
LINK to KATE

The proud daddy is Fancy Pants. I tried to sell him but since there were few nibbles, I decided after seeing this foal to keep him.

You can see Fancy Pants on two pages of my blog:
With Sid
On his own page

Have not yet named little spots, but I am sure a name will come to me. For now this colt will have to come to spots.