09/08/2024
It's the wild side eye for me 🤣
Eagle Creek Farm & Ranch
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- Eagle Creek Farm & Ranch
We raise draft cross horses built for endurance, a good mind, sp*ed, and versatility.
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05/08/2024
Let's talk horse marketing...
'Tis the season for marketing our new foals, weanlings, yearlings, and the mares that as breeders we have to make the tough decision to let go. I cannot count the amount of times I've had someone ask me for a price, I give it, and I'm ghosted. Worse, I spend time taking countless pictures and videos of a certain foal, only to be ghosted or told, "Sorry, out of budget." Or how many times people want a quality raised horse at dirt cheap prices. The horse market, along with every other market out there, has changed.
The scenarios run wild, but the common denominator stays the same - "I want a horse like yours, but I don't want to pay the price."
Let's do some cost breakdown -
Breeding - A horse breeder spends at least a year of their time getting a baby on the ground. Foaling complications do arise, but that aside, getting a mare bred, feeding it for a year, giving regumate (progesteron) if needed, and more costs a base price of $1,500 if you own your own stud. If you don't own a stud or you pick a couple mares for AI, this price goes up dramatically. Stud fees, mare care, and vet fees add up quickly.
Complications - This year I had 2 foals that needed extra plasma, a surgery, and a host of medications. One of those did not make it. Their medical bills cost me upwards of $3,000 AFTER they were born. The foal that passed away cost me his asking price as well. I took an $8,000 hit just from those 2 scenarios.
Time - My time is money. Just getting those foals here - countless sleepless nights, feedings, standing vigil, giving meds - without regard for my personal health - costs money as I also have about a million other things to do on this place.
Training - I have made it my personal mission to send my foals into the world ready for their owner. They are halter trained, trailer trained, pick up their feet for trims, receive all necessary vaccinations & dewormer, etc. I also have a paid trainer on standby.
Feed - all of my horses receive the best of hay, alfalfa, and feed. Most of my mares and foals go out on pasture during the summer along with a full round bale of alfalfa 24/7.
Registration - many want a registered horse. Registration alone costs time taking pictures and filling out forms, let alone the registration & membership prices.
The above is just a rough summary of costs to run this operation. I love it, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. However, when I have someone ask me if I'll go down $2,000 on my asking price for a foal that I know good and well has potential for far above what I'm asking in the first place - the answer is NO.
If you are wanting to buy a horse and you think the price is too high, ask yourself what the seller has put into the horse to get it there in the first place. Save that money for the good quality horses - you won't regret it. There will always be horse traders out there looking to make a quick buck, but breeders like me? We're in this for the long haul.
Pictured below is Tauriel, one of last year's fillies.
03/08/2024
Fini is growing up! He'll be covering a couple of our mares next spring, and I cannot wait to see his babies.
12/07/2024
I just love getting update pics of Beth and her adopted foal, Jasper. If you don't know, our appaloosa mare Beth lost her foal 3 weeks after he was born. Jasper lost his mama right after he was born. We matched the two, and they instantly bonded. As you can see, Jasper is growing like a w**d! You go mama Beth! 🙌🏼💪🏼
11/07/2024
Bluey and her mama Charlie ❤️
09/07/2024
Baby photo dump! They're in their "moldy" shedding stage, and I can't wait to see their first complete shed. All of them are growing so fast...I can't believe we'll be weaning in a couple months!
05/07/2024
I trust everyone had a wonderful 4th of July! We celebrated by working calves, eating ice cream, and watching fireworks.
Pictured here is Fini being worked with this morning before getting his hooves trimmed. He's a big boy already as a yearling, and it's important to me that he respects people as he grows. If he's going to be a good stud prospect, he must respect people first.
29/06/2024
I suppose I shouldn't be too mad at Josie for playing hard to catch tonight. My eyeballs were literally sweating, and I was swearing, but she did give me a beautiful picture moment. 😂
26/06/2024
These greedy bu**ers are growing fast!
24/06/2024
Evenings at the pasture ❤️
22/06/2024
This is what a 30 day gestational foal embryo looks like. Both my vet and I were laughing as she ultrasounded Alice, because this little bu**er was jumping around trying to disappear. Even so, we found the heartbeat, and I couldn't help but tear up a bit.
Breeding season is hard, especially when you have your own stud. Recognizing signs of heat in multiple mares, making sure they're covered at the right time, getting ultrasound after ultrasound just to find out all of that hard work wasn't successful....and then - finding that embryo makes it all worth it. You forget the struggle and start dreaming of the next foaling season, also forgetting how hard foaling can be.
But I can't imagine what else I'd rather be doing. So call me crazy, I can't wait for next year's foal crop to hit the ground!
22/06/2024
Miss Lorelai standing tied so nicely while we get her mama's teeth done. She's definitely a keeper!
20/06/2024
2025 is going to be an exciting year!
Josie & Charlie have both been confirmed bred to King Black Jack for spring 2025 foals.
Due to the nature of this year's breeding season, if all goes well, we will be having a spring and fall foaling season. If you are interested in any of these foals in utero, please PM me! These foals are eligible for registration with several draft cross registries.
09/06/2024
We have been on vacation for the last week, and we have a few more days to go. I'm thankful for the people who made it possible for us to get away and enjoy the time spent with family and our kiddos. ❤️
28/05/2024
I mean, Thor & Pepper look like they could be twins 😆
Why cross with mustangs? I didn't make the initial breeding decision, but when I was presented the opportunity to buy 2 mustangs in foal to a blue roan Percheron last year, I took it. Astrid & Athena weren't by any means tame, but I was able to work with their babies and over time figure out what made my mustang mares tick. I decided to keep them and breed them another year. They're strong, tough, smart, quick, and they pass all of that on to their foals. Fast forward to this year. Once again, their foals do not disappoint. So while they may not have papers to prove it, my mustangs are fantastic producers. Their foals are going places, and yes, I've decided to breed them for another year for Black Jack crosses.
24/05/2024
Beautiful Alice has been confirmed for a 2025 foal to Black Jack! He still had a couple ladies to breed of ours, then a client's, and breeding season will be wrapped up for him!
20/05/2024
Today was the perfect storm....
We were getting ready to take Shady for her pre-breeding ultrasound in Hays. I'm AI'ing her to Lazarus Purebred GypsyVanner Stallion, and she's supposed to be bred Tuesday. A thunderstorm hit this morning so in all of the muddy chaos, Moose managed to get himself in trouble. After we got him straightened out, we were feeding grain, and I noticed Queen acting strange. She was choked. So I loaded her up as well, and off to the vet we all went.
As we arrived, a tornado warning came across our phones. Sure enough, it was headed straight towards us. We hopped back in the pickup and took off, driving over an hour in a large circle to beat the storms. Arrived back at the vet with our tired cargo (us included), and managed to avoid the worst of it.
The good news: Shady is looking great. Large follicles, great edema, and good health all around. Queen got herself tubed, and we got an entire bucket of nastiness out. We're home and tired, but she and Ace are put up for the night with grain only for now. Through all of this, Moose & Ace were champs. I'm proud of everyone today, our kids included. Huge shout-out to Dr. Harris of Western Prairie Equine Service in Hays!
19/05/2024
Pic of the week right here. Our kids are an integral part of our operation, and they work hard for their age. I love when chores are done and we can spend time with all of the horses, watching the kids and foals interact. The foals all naturally take to our oldest girl, and she's usually the one who curls up right beside them. Kind of makes all those troubles just melt away...
18/05/2024
for you on this good Saturday morning! ☀️
18/05/2024
Mr. Ace is looking so much better that he's ready to join the herd tomorrow! I even got some snuggles in.
17/05/2024
And to think that Bluey was premature....she's one solid gal. All of the foals are really.
What a beautiful evening messing with the foals and thanking God they're all doing well. Foaling season isn't easy. A lot of worries, prayers, joys, emergencies, tears, happy moments wrapped into one period of time - followed by intense relief. Ace should be joining the band soon, then all of them will be going out to pasture once breeding confirmations are complete.
14/05/2024
Miss Bluey has such a princess complex 😂
10/05/2024
Miss Pepper 🌶️
She is available and will be ready to go to a new home in September. What do you get when you buy an ECR foal? A weanling with vaccinations, deworming, and first hoof trim done; halter and trailer training started and continued until pickup. Plus they are handled as much as possible by adults and kids alike.
08/05/2024
We did some trims this morning, and this 'ol dude won the prize for best horse. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was posing. Pretty amazing when you don't need to hold a horse when he's getting his hooves trimmed! Big shout-out to both of my farriers for being amazing at what they do.
07/05/2024
We love our Lazarus baby. ❤️ I highly recommend Blackshire Equestrian. They have a wide range of quality stallions at affordable stud fees and are wonderful to work with!
06/05/2024
Mr. Ace met Ziva this morning, and they were both scared of each other. 🤣
Please keep this dude in your prayers. He's happy and acting healthy, but he has patent urachus, which means he is p*eing out of his umbilicus. Usually, the hole - that allows the foal to p*e into the amniotic sack during pregnancy - closes at birth. His hasn't, and we've been able to keep infection at bay while closely monitoring him. We're hoping it heals on its own, but if the hole doesn't close soon, we're looking at surgery to fix it.
I share the good and bad, because that's ranch life. Ace is such a cutie, and he's worth doing what we can!
06/05/2024
I didn't make it through foaling season unscathed. One very protective mama kicked me in the knee just days before this filly was born. So if you need me, I'll just be right here. It's the perfect spot to rest...until she decides to step on me. 🤣
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Videos
Just a little brotherly love...🤷🏼♀️ #draftcrossprogram #foalsof2024 #DraftCross #myranch #livingthedream #funnyfoals #comedy
When your friends across the fence are ignoring you...🤷🏼♀️🤣 #draftcrossprogram #foalsof2024 #myranch #DraftCross #livingthedream
Cinnamon the calf found her way into Black Jack's pen...and couldn't have cared less. 🤣 #homeontheranch #homeontherange #calves #minidonkey #percheron #kingblackjack #studhorse
Switching pens Lorelai style. And she definitely has her own style! #gypsyvanner #suffolkpunchdraft #gypsysuffolk #draftx #DraftCross #draftcrossprogram
Bluey is such an attention hog 🤣 Thor has been so shy, but today he wanted some luvins. Bluey wasn't having it. 🤦🏼♀️ #foalsof2024 #draftcrossprogram #draftcross #horselife #myranch #ranchlife
Foal zoomies! I can't wait to put them out on pasture. 🙌🏼 #draftcrossprogram #horselife #foalsof2024 #draftcross #myranch
King BlackJack is living in his glory with all of his ladies. One confirmed baby, 4 covered, a few to go! I'm excited to see his first draft cross crop (with us) hit the ground next spring! #KingBlackJack #breedingseason #breedingprogram #draftcrossprogram #percheronstud #draftcross #myranch #futurefoals
Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas at Eagle Creek This one is a long one, featuring all 7 2024 foals plus a foal Beth adopted after losing hers. It's been a rough season, but I'm thankful to have 6 healthy foals and mamas running around today. I've learned a lot, and I'm ready for summertime! #mothersday #mothersdayontheranch #foalsof2024 #foalsofinstagram #orphanfoal #adoptedfoal #nursemare #myranch #draftcross #draftcrossfoals
I think it's safe to say Ace feels much better! 🤣 I'm sure all mothers can sympathize with Queen. She just laid down to rest when this turd thought he needed to eat. Eventually she gave in to his demands. 🤦🏼♀️ Sound about right?! 😂 #draftcrossprogram #foalsof2024 #FoalCare #draftcross #myranch #horseranch #mothersday #thanksmom #broodmares #ottb #belgiancross
Ace had his surgery this afternoon! It was quick and non-invasive, so he got to come home as soon as he was up and nursing. He won't have a belly button, but his problem is solved now. 🙌🏼 For those who don't know, he had urine coming out of his umbilicus. The hole wasn't closing on its own, so he had to have surgery to fix it. Thanks to Dr. Speer at Equine Surgery & Medicine in Wichita, Ace is on the road to recovery! #foalingseason #foalsof2024 #myranch #foalcare #veterinarymedicine #horseranch #draftcross #draftcrossprogram
Little miss loves the booty scratches too! #foalsof2024 #foalingseason2024 #draftcross #suffolkgypsy #gypsyvanner #suffolkpunch #horseranch #foaltherapy
Saying goodnight to the newest addition! You'd never know that this husband of mine started out knowing nothing about horses. Now he's one of their favorites! #draftcrossprogram #suffolkgypsy #foalsof2024 #foalingseason2024 #gypsyvanner #suffolkpunch #horseranch #myranch #draftcross #foalingseason
I will never get tired of watching those first few moments of life. Queen has been such a good first time mama to Ace. ❤️ #foalsof2024 #foalingseason2024 #belgiancross #ottb #draftcross #myranch #foalspam #eaglecreekranch
The babies have names! #foalsof2024 #foalingseason2024 #eaglecreekranch #percheroncross #ottb #draftcross #belgiancross #foalspam
Shady didn't have her baby...but someone else did! #eaglecreekranch #foalingseason2024 #foalsof2024 #myranch #draftcross #belgiancross #ottb
Let's see if we're gonna have a baby tonight! #phtesting #foalingseason2024 #foalsof2024 #broodmares #myranch #draftcross #horseranch #eaglecreekranch
Horses 🤷🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️ ***Please excuse the mess, we're under construction*** #draftcrossprogram #foalingseason2024 #eaglecreekranch #broodmares #myranch #ottb #broodmarelife #horseranch
Is Bluey double dippin'? 😂 #eaglecreekranch #foalsof2024 #foalingseason2024 #draftcross #blueroan #percheroncross #myranch #horseranch
Well Fini made it through the storm just fine last night. 😅 #blueroan #studprospect #yearling #draftcrossprogram #eaglecreekranch #myranch #horseranch #draftcross #drafthorse
Do we have a deal?! 🤣 #foalingseason2024 #broodmares #draftcross #eaglecreekranch #breedingseason2024 #myranch #horseranch #GoTime
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