Karorado Suzie Q (KWB Maya x Calvero Esclavo FM x KWB Emsè x KWB Lusanthric) one of our long yearling B appendix foals just showing her human loving Nooitie Spirit. This filly is a sure favourite and from a breeding point of view, bred in the blue. In 3 years time she’ll join the broodmare band having her first foal from Dwasdouw Vlam. Suzie just loves her bum scratches! Thanx Jo for obliging. So before we have the whole this is dangerous behaviour brigade on us. Our foals are all handled from very young and we need them to be safe around their hind quarters as we raise horses extensively and might need to treat or assist in the veld without restraints available. Suzie can take a needle without being haltered out in the veld, a useful skill if you need to work with her and only have one set of hands available. #karoradosuzieq #karoradonooitgedachtstud #karoradoiberianprojectf2
Dusk with the Karorado herd. It was hot today and most already have their winter woolies on. Licks were put out yesterday in anticipation of the impending heat, to make sure they drink enough.
Season is turning quickly now . Trompie (Basotho) and Tambotie (75% Nooitgedacht x 25% Andalusian) playing in the cooler weather.
Weekend of enjoying my handywork for the past decade. Thank you to my right hand woman, Jo and my friends and follower. These quiet times with my horses surpasses any gratification I could ever get winning ribbons. This is what my 13yo self dreamed about.
Stallions are different to raise in some respects. Especially considering the potential danger they can get themselves and others in. Not to mention we don’t leave them out in the herd year round so we have to provide the basic things that makes their life interesting and relaxing so they can thrive. It is always the stallion’s fault even if others around him has instigated the situation. Thus a stallion at Karorado Stud must work and show, and to do that they have to be prepared properly. Now most horse people will look at those poles/cavaletti and think its about the cavaletti. But after halter training and box training foals, they had proper preperation for what we do next. When they get to 3.5yo we start prepping for backing at 4. Now Embuia here is a young 3.5yo stallion that has just had his first proper covering season. (I’ll explain the reasoning behind breeding early at another stage.) So he has had plenty of handeling around very in-season mares and then the focus was on being safe around us humans and the mares. Not always easy to train while the mare is being a total slut. Working slowly and calmly even when things could get hairy is key here. Now the breeding season is done, the next phase ensues and now we start to work on ques and control without having ropes or anything. Look we did basic line work when they were small so remember we didn’t skip a step we just have to focus on verbal and body language now because with a stallion being handled by woman we can’t physically dominate him; we have to have a good report and he has to understand what is asked. In some sense stallions are easier to train than mares because they can be very predictable when handled right and prefer consequent handling and routine. So when he works het gets a different halter to when he covers. We create with routine with the tack that feel different. In the vid we want to be able to send him over things, around us and still have him connected so that we can instill
Update on our orphan, #karoradotrompie, has been bonded to #karoradospook . Spook makes such a great nanny, keeping the bigger colts away from his precious charge. Trompie will be retained at stud being the quality pony that he is. Unique genetics and if I may predict the future I hope he becomes a cornerstone of my breeding project. On a behavioural note it is interesting to watch the interaction and note how persistent but still low energy Spook is when guiding the foal away from what he deems to be dangerous. But also how he mirrors the exuberance of the younger to create cohesion between them.
I took a chance on this dam line because I thought they had some usefull traits. Not necessarily first or even second ponies, but man the work ethic on them are amazing. Backed as a 5yo by @lmeksteen she is now two months under saddle. Boxed to the event by herself, did her first 10km DRASA ride at a unfamiliar place and her jockey for the past month , Marike, has done such a good job. Will be seeing some great things from #karoradomulan in the next few years!
Karorado Gitana (#breivilosanna x #calveroesclavofm ) 3yo filly strutting a rhythmic cadenced correct trot. Cannot wait to get her under saddle and breed from her one day. #karoradogitana #goldengypsygirl
Karorado Mulan, SP Nooitgedacht 14hh pony, (Impendulo Midnight x KWB Lusanthric) proving her trainability, bravery and a can do attitude. Not just pretty to look at. Mulan’s spirit is what kept the Boers safe during the Anglo-Boer-war. Staring down the big five without blinking, carrying their riders to safety over rugged difficult terrain. It might be more than a 100years in the past but that fighting spirit is alive and well in the Nooitgedacht. Under the skilful training of @lmhorsemanship Mulan has blossomed. This is unfortunately the kind of pony that could have gone in a much different direction in the wrong hands. But in 10 days she looks like she is an old riding horse. We all know 10 days does not a finished horse make, but with a foundation like this the future looks bright. In a month’s time Mulan is going to Marike to put some further miles on her in preparation for DRASA season 2024/25. #karoradomulan #karoradonooitgedachtstud
Mulan is at LM horsemanship, looks like we have a riding pony in the making. Mulan is 5 years old and getting ready for ridden life. We’ll wait to until first month is done for a more indepth update. #karoradomulan
What a young stallion and inhouse bred! First testbreeding done with foal (Karorado Tambotie) on the ground. Embuia (currently 15.2hh, will get to 15.3, might get to 16hh) still has lots of growing up to do just turning 3 end of October. Super happy with his “erfdwang” not all stallions stamp their foals or add value but I feel confident to put him to other mares. One foal on the ground is not good enough to do stats on but I’ve bred the mare a few times before and bar the foal from his sire by the same mare, this is her best one yet. It helps to be able to compare stallions bred to the same mare, doing it for ten years and having raised them to maturity, one also gets to the point where you know what will work, what to take a chance on and what to avoid. Karorado stud is not in the business of producing carbon copies but rather breed suitable combinations. What should happen is that there could be a perfect fit for the buying public instead of trying to make a horse fit to all people. It also means you might not get a Karorado horse on tap or off the shelf. We have some beautiful young stock coming through in the next few years. Embuia (A-appendix Nooitgedacht stallion that passed first inspections and will be presented for merit inspections when he is fully grown) is available to approved outside mares. Only breeding from December 2023- January2023, live cover only. Mares with a good disposition, can be on the finer side, looks to be a good match, no glaring conformation or temperament flaws need apply. #karoradoembuia #karoradoiberianproject
Tambotie has legs for days and enjoying them to the full. Already super confident and brave and loving humans and other horses alike. This boy is going places and taking names!
When your wildest imagination is being revealed right in front of your eyes. Turning 3 in 4 months, the class is already there. Still very awkward phase, very few breeders will show their 2yo fuglies. But to me this boy represents what I have worked for the past 10 years. And here I have to acknowledge all my supporters but without his ( #calveroesclavofm )sire’s owner, @candice.hobday, that took a chance on a nobody like me, there would be no Iberian project at Karorado Stud. Esclavo already has his first grandchildren via his Karorado Daughters ( #karoradodonatella , #karoradoestrella , #karoradoquerida ) and hopefully soon his first by his Karorado son Embuia. I missed all the shenanigans but I can love vicariously through studmanager, Jo-marie. #karoradoiberianproject #karoradoembuia #karoradocasperakaspook
Karorado Gitana (buckskin) being desensitised by my son. #karoradonooitgedachtstud #karoradoiberianproject
Here we go. busy yard, tractors people, no closed arenas. Obviously when you teach a horse something new you try to take away any distractions or reasons to become reactive, but when you want to test your work, real life is needed to check where the holes in your approach and retraining has been. See the work is all done on a halter only. Simple reason is that he was curling away from mouth pressure a remnant of too tight side reins. So in order to set a new scene with new memories not associated with his past.
Karorado Admiraal after almost two months at @lmhorsemanship with his new owner on board. Very excited for their future together and he looks after her like he was born to do that. Not all horses have to be show ponies or competitive geniuses. Some horses just need to look after their rider’s special needs. He will be loved and cherished. Thank you Lize-marie, as per usual such a wonderful job with the youngsters.
what a fantastic ride this morning. Horses were spicey after the rains and being cooped up.
When you get updates like this, it makes your heart swell. Recently gelded, Karorado Everard, at his new home with his stallion buddy. What a bright feature lies ahead for this boy. Gotto love the fact that he has become the boss of the two man herd. #karoradoeverard
Good for the body and soul. Hour and 40min of bliss in the saddle, taking in the beautiful vistas. Icing sugar dusted on cerulean blue mountains, crisp morning air, riding over undulating hills. This is why I wanted to ride in the first place. My happy place. And yes I had to get the gunk off my boy first, feed and water 40 horses first and give meds to a foal. But getting up at the break of dawn to do those things first just makes the ride sweeter. It holds one accountable to be able to ride a sentient being, lend their body and their freedom and in return looking after them no matter what. No ribbon or rosette will ever be able to be more important than the horse, I got into horses for the love and sake of horses. Thanks Marike for sharing todays ride, always fun.
Karorado Querida (#kwbmaya x #calveroesclavofm ) with Karorado Suzie Q at foot. Looking good after her stint at the vet. She learned her lesson and only feeds her foal. Big vet bill later but for a breeding mare like this its definitely worth it. #karoradonooitgedachterstud
