Dandelion Farm is set in the Bitterroot Valley in western Montana, between the Bitterroot and Sapphire Mountains.
At Dandelion Farm, our aim is to breed purebred Irish Draught horses who possess the wonderful, essential qualities of the breed.
Dandelion Atlantic Crossing is in foal to Bell Tower Banrions Hero! So excited! Many thanks to Tabs Farrar for being an awe inspiring stallion owner. And to Dr Gleason of Tammany Veterinary Hospital. So grateful to both of these wonderful individuals.
All of you Irish Draught and Irish Draught Sport Horse people in Montana, Idaho, and beyond, if you are interested in getting your horse(s) inspected, it is very possible that there will be an inspection in western Montana this year. Send in your paid application by May 1 to make that possibility a reality! Follow this link to the inspection application:
Percy doesn’t know it, yet, but the time of just hanging out, eating grass( what there is of it), rolling in the mud, and keeping an eye on the other horses is coming to an end. His studly duties are about to begin with a trip to the clinic on Monday. Time to get ready to service mares. Bring on spring!
Nellie aborted her fetus on Jan 27 due to umbilical torsion. The badly twisted cord did not allow blood supply to get to the fetus. Nellie was in her seventh month of pregnancy, which is when these events are most likely to happen due to fetal activity and space within the uterus to move around. Nellie is 100% ok. Breeding can be so very hard. We will try again this spring, but sometimes it feels like a Sisyphean task.
Dandelion Percival, feeling saucy on a blustery fall day.
Percy, aka Dandelion Percival, by Silver Granite and out of Dandelion Ella Enchanted (Happy Ending), enjoying a cool, rainy day after a long hot, dry stretch.
Dandelion Nellie Bly by KEC Double Diamond and out of Dandelion Moxie (Grey Macha x O***m Poppy) is confirmed in foal to Dandelion Percival by Silver Granite and out of Dandelion Ella Enchanted ( Happy Ending x Ballyhehan Beauty). We waited until this 25 day check to announce her pregnancy, because at her 16 day check she was pregnant with TRIPLETS! Luckily, two vesicles were in one horn of the uterus and the third in the other horn. The veterinarian was able to successfully reduce the pregnancy to a singleton. Knock wood.
This is our only mare in foal this year as we had some bad luck and I got a late start on getting the ball rolling. One mare came up with twins that were side by side on the first cycle. The vet attempted to pinch one vesicle, but they were so close that the other got damaged, too. The next cycle she didn’t take. The third mare was a frozen semen breeding, and due to my late start, we only got one shot at it, and she didn’t take.
Nellie is due late May or early June. I am very grateful to Tammany Veterinary Hospital and Taylor Equine Veterinary Services.
Sentinels. The quail was in the morning light. The Great Horned Owl photo was taken shortly after 9 pm.
Early morning collection for Percy (Dandelion Percival).This is his second collection this week. Well done, Percy! Many thanks to all at Tammany Veterinary Hospital for the wonderful service. It is much appreciated.
Dandelion Percival, aka Percy, C1, ID stallion is back in town. He has been learning to collect and getting semen frozen at Pioneer Equine in Oakdale, CA. Many thanks to Kathryn at the stallion center for doing such a great job with him. And thank you to Peaks and Prairies Equine for taking him to and from California. I highly recommend both Pioneer and Peaks and Prairies for anyone needing those services.
Dandelion Atlantic Crossing (Dandelion Transatlantic x Ballyhehan Beauty) and Dandelion Penny Lane (Heathercombe Calico x Dandelion Moxie), enjoying a beautiful spring day after a night of rain.
We have had a bit of a slow start to getting Dandelion Percival, aka Percy, ready for shipping semen this spring, but he is ready!! He has been tested, injected, inspected and is all set to go. He is standing at Pioneer Equine in California.
He was started under saddle last year by Dustin Craig. He is still a green bean, but here is a short clip from last fall:
The boy is back in town! Dandelion Percival is back at Dandelion Farm after his adventures in Virginia. Many thanks to Dustin Craig of Westwind Farm in Upperville for starting Percy under saddle and getting him prepared for inspection. He arrived Sunday afternoon and has settled in well, despite the snow.
Thank you, Gillian O’Doherty for these photos of Dandelion Percival at his inspection.
Dandelion Percival (Silver Granite x Dandelion Ella Enchanted) is a Class 1 Irish Draught stallion.
Dandelion Percival achieved Class 1 at his inspection on Tuesday in Virginia! He also received some wonderful comments about his temperament, his movement, and his overall type. My favorite comment was “we could use more like him.” I could not be more pleased. It seems a long time since we planned this breeding 6 years ago to his birth, to deciding to run him on as a stallion, to sending him off for training this spring, to finally seeing him at his inspection. Thank you so much to Dustin Craig for doing such a great job with him! We are so happy the the inspectors saw what we saw in him all these years.
Headed to Virginia for Dandelion Percival’s (Silver Granite x Dandelion Ella Enchanted) inspection. Excited to see him! Photo from his departure to Virginia in April.
Mother and daughter. Dandelion Moxie, the grey, is 22 years old. She is by Grey Macha and out of O***m Poppy. The chestnut, Dandelion Penny Lane, is 3 year old daughter by Heathercombe Calico.
The hay is in! Great crop this year. The cool weather in May and June, plus rain and irrigation, promoted terrific growth. Then, a spate of good haying weather and, wonder of wonders, it is up. Now to tarp it.
Congratulations to Addie and Dandelion Gryphon on their first place finish in the Junior Novice division at the Otter Creek Horse trial. They finished on their dressage score of 30.3. Well done! Thank you to Amber Rinehart for giving us updates about Addie and Gryphon. Photo credit belongs to Xpress Foto.
Klearys Big Dreaming, aka Ziggy, went to his very first outing this week at the Spokane Horse Trials. and came home a champion! Congratulations to his owner, Katie Ann, and his breeder Kleary Field. Ziggy earned a 77.1 score and was yearling champion. Ziggy is by Klearys M & M and out of Dandelion Atlantic Crossing, who was leased to Kleary Field for this breeding. Ziggy demonstrated his wonderful brain and all of the good preparation that Katie has done to get him to this point. Photos courtesy of his owner, Katie Ann.
Percy’s Big Adventure. Yesterday Chris and I trailered Percy to Gillette, Wyoming to catch a ride with Dustin Craig of West Wind Farms in Upperville, Viriginia. Percy will begin his formal education and get ready for inspections. Dustin rode Tim for us for several years and trained Dandelion Gryphon. We are excited that Percy will have the opportunity to be started by Dustin.
https://vimeo.com/654542107
Dandelion Percival on a blustery November day. He is by Silver Granite and out of Dandelion Ella Enchanted, 4 year old Irish Draught stallion.
This is "Percy 11-2021" by Lucy Stevenson on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
Percy, enjoying a scratch.
Dandelion Gryphon and his young rider, Addie, at a clinic with Dominic Schramm. They went on the next day to win their division, finishing on their dressage score. Thank you to Amber Rinehart for the video.
It’s not Pop Art, it’s P**p Art. You know you have a stallion when p**p becomes a precious commodity to be distributed wisely. Percy’s installations tend towards straight lines that are parallel to a fence or wall.
Dandelion Rather Enchanting, aka Fey. Fey is by eventing TB, Rather Well, and out of Dandelion Ella Enchanted. Love this mare!
A beautiful day in the neighborhood. Cooler temps than lately and cooler than normal for August, plus any clear (smoke free) day in August is a good day.
Sterling left today for his new home in Virginia. We will miss this sweet boy. But he is on to a new and exciting life. Wishing all the best for him and his new owner, Jill Marshall, who drove all the way out here to get him.
The hay is in and tarped! Huge effort by Chris to get the stack peaked and then tarped. Minor adjustments to come when he recovers.
Close encounter. I was sure that he was going to land in the back pasture, which has 3 mares in it, but at the last moment, the ballon skirted the tops of the trees and landed on the other side of the creek. Phew
Stevensville, MT
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Dandelion Percival, feeling saucy on a blustery fall day.
The boy is back in town! Dandelion Percival is back at Dandelion Farm after his adventures in Virginia. Many thanks to Dustin Craig of Westwind Farm in Upperville for starting Percy under saddle and getting him prepared for inspection. He arrived Sunday afternoon and has settled in well, despite the snow.
Percy, enjoying a scratch.
Gus, trying to lick Percy’s nose. Gus has been doing this since Percy was a foal.
Dandelion Pendragon, aka Arthur, is weaned and getting ready to go to his new home. He is such a smart and calm colt.
Chris and I were trying to get video of Pixie, but Atalanta was obstructing the view much of the time. So, I am posting the video of her.
Gus has a thing about licking Percy and Sterling’s noses. He has done it since they were first born. They seem to enjoy it, even if they have made the game a little more challenging. Here is Gus with Percy.
Percy, coming in at the end of the day when called, even though his lady friends are trying to distract him. He may not be moving very fast, but he is moving. I am always astounded that both Sterling and Percy come when called to go in for the night. What good boys!
Dandelion As You Wish, aka Buttercup, and Dandelion Nellie Bly, having some while I was feeding them this morning. I missed some of the better airs above ground, but they were sure being silly. Buttercup is by King’s Ransom RIDSH and out of Dandelion Ella Enchanted ID. Nellie is by KEC Double Diamond and out of Dandelion Moxie. Buttercup is a rising 3 year old, and Nellie is rising 2.
Dandelion Sterling has a super canter. This exceptional colt is available. He is a couple days shy of his six month old birthday in this clip.
Dandelion Sterling by Silver Granite and out of Dandelion Moxie. Approx 7 weeks old. This colt has an incredible reach and stride.
Bitterroot Goldens/Helmuth Goldens
Juniper Way
Freedom Friends German Shepherds
Folly Lane
Little Flower Springer Spaniels
El Capitan Loop
