Just found my first mini

[Nathan Luszcz]

Hello everyone! One of my friends over at Equichat suggested I pop over here for questions/discussion about our little friends. So I figured I'd do that with an introduction. Unfortinately I forgot my password to the account I registered several years ago, so I had to choose an unrelated name. Anyways, my name is Nathan (I've always said if I'm not comfortable posting my own name, I shouldn't be posting) and I'm finishing my MS in Equine Reproductive Physiology at Colorado State University. I own two stallions, My Country Charly, a 6yo Appendix, and Deacon's Light, my new little boy, a 11yo 38" black/white pinto stallion. Both are unbelievably well mannered. Charlie knows he's a boy, Deacon doesn't even realize it. Both have foals on the ground doing very well. This is Charlie:

and this is Deacon

.

I bought Deacon just a few weeks ago as a semi sorta-kinda rescue. His previous owner had just bought him from the woman who had bred and raised him (as "Houston's Comet"; I renamed him). She owned him for two or three months. Unfortinately she fell off her horse and seriously hurt herself, which removed the ability to work with him for several months. So to make a long story short, someone talked to someone who mentioned him to someone whom I mentioned to few months ago that I eventually wanted a little mini stud. Sooooo, I ended up meeting him, falling for him, and taking him home a week later. I couldn't have been more lucky.. he's unbelievably mannered (once I reminded him he can't walk all over me), learns fast, and is built just the way I like them

I'm not a fan of the mini's that are as tall as they are wide, but Deacon looks exactly like a horse, just miniaturized. I was told he was well broke to ride, and once he remembered what a bit was he's doing great learning to long-line. Hopefully he'll be moving to live with Charlie so I can work with him every day, and in a month or two progress up to hitching. Yay!

 

[EquineLover]

I really like Deacons color,he's really pretty,and looks like a shetland I used to have,even though he's a mini.

:

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Thank you! He might have shetland blood... I don't know his parentage. What are their charactoristics?

 

[EquineLover]

You can look around on this forum to see pictures of shetlands,or go to shetlandminiature.com to read about them,the breed standards,and see pictures.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

What are my plans? Charlie is the grandson of Secretariat and was bred for racing; we are going to be eventing. He has picked up dressage so fast its unreal. Far faster than I pick it up

We're jumping and hopefully will do our first two-phase in a few months. Deacon is going to be my little toy to hang out with and just enjoy. He's learning to drive, already knows how to ride (although I'm a little big for him ), and is just a fun boy to have around. He has nothing really going for him breeding-wise other than his attitude and color. He's built well, but I don't see him ever breeding commercially. Why did I get him, him being a stud? Well, I just love stallions

Their attitudes and personalities are just so much more interesting and fun than your average gelding. I'm not a fan of mares in general. Charlie I bought with the intention of bringing up as breeding stock, Deacon just kinda fell in my lap and is my pal.

What is my degree in? I did my BS at UNH in Animal Science: Equine Science before moving to Colorado to work at CSU. My master's specialty is stallion reproduction (surprise?). I spend my days (when not doing my mandatory research) collecting stallions, running diagnostic tests on infertility issues, making fresh and cooled doses, and doing commercial semen freezing. We also stand several TB stallions, so earlier in the year we also did a number of live covers. We've seen a whole one miniature stallion in the past year here

Unfortinately they don't do much assisted reproduction, so we don't see them often. When not working with stallions I move mares around, breed them, vaccinate the herds (like today), etc. My goal is to work at Select Breeders in Maryland doing the same as a Stallion Tech.

Since both Charlie and Deacon are stallions they probably won't be living together. The goal is for them to become friends so they can trailer together back to the east coast, but PROBABLY they won't be living in the same pasture. I've heard more success stories than I have horror stories as far as mini's and full sized horses living together, all the ones I know do just fine with it (although that's a whole three minis that I know).

 

[tracerace]

Hi Nathan! Welcome! I am a notorious lurker here, but I wanted to comment on your boys. The pinto is adorable - built very well for my taste

. Charlie is lovely too. I also have a Secretariat grandson and he's slated for dressage also (he's been in a loooong come down off the track). As a side note - Secretariat wasn't known for producing quality offspring for racing though :bgrin . If he is off the track, there is a wonderful and informative board just for exracers...www.exracers.com. They may get a little peeved at ya for keeping him a stallion though (too many TB's in this world as it is and all)...but they are as informative about ottb's and dressage/eventing/jumping, as this board is about mini's! I realize he's an apx, but nobody there will care

. It's an extremely friendly board. Even if he isn't OT just jump on in...there are a few people who don't have exracers that just like the board so they hang out with us.

So welcome! I love looking at your little boy...what a cutie-patootey he is!

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

hehe thanks! When I said racer I should have clarified... he's a QH racer; Secretariat crossed with a racing (barrel) mare. He never made it to the track, and I don't have any intentions of bringing him there. I got the best combination with him... the TB build and the QH mind

Secretariat isn't known for throwing good racers, but they are well known for throwing great broodmares. But that's still kinda besides the point, I'm not going to be racing him, hehe.

Thanks for the comments on Deacon! I'm very pleased with him as well. I look forward to reading posts on this board for a long time to come!

 

[tracerace]

Nathan, I just read your website - I am very impressed! You are articulate, professional and it is obvious you know your stuff! Heck, I want to breed somebody to Charly after reading your site (excellent marketing!).

I wish you the very best with your plans. Your sincerity really shows through in your text...wonderful job!

Tracy

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Why thank you! That's probably the nicest thing someone has said about my site (and me). Its actually under revision, when my friend and I get around to finishing the details. The site as it stands was made on MS Word in an afternoon; the new one will contain the same information but be far cleaner and more fluid, with new professional pictures and everything! And, of course, with its own dedicated page for Deacon

He's not on my site yet... Thank you very much for the compliment