HAPPY NEW YEAR’S EVE TO EVERYONE!
Today is a FUN DAY! I usually go out to the paddock at about 7 in the morning. Now the ground is a bit snowy…and even a bit muddy in spots. When I first get turned out, I really play and run hard. It is fun to stretch my legs and all after a night’s rest. I have started to do this new thing…for me…and that is roll on my back on the ground. I did it in the snow the other day. Dottie teased me that I was making Zenyatta Snow Angels. Then yesterday…it was a bit muddy and I was able to roll in the mud! I have NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE that I can remember. It was GREAT FUN!
Sarah is going to try and get to Lane’s End early to get some footage of me doing this for you. It will be on FACEBOOK. Janie, you do not have to be a FACEBOOK member to go to ‘my’ FACEBOOK page. On the opening page of my Zenyatta.com site, there is a FACEBOOK SYMBOL in the upper right hand portion. Just hit this…and it will take you to my page…and my page only. Then hit WALL…and there you are! We put this here especially for people who are not on Facebook. This way, everyone can still follow my escapades and keep in touch!
Last night, I got to TANGO with John and Dottie right before I went to sleep. This morning, BARN 55 is going to TANGO with me right after training. I can’t wait to visit with all of them again! Ann and Jerry will call later in the morning as well. I LOVE THIS! I CAN PERSONALLY WISH ALL OF MY CA FAMILY…HAPPY NEW YEAR’S EVE and HAPPY 2011! WHAT FUN!
I have so much to be grateful for at this time…and reflecting on 2010…I do realize what a fortunate horse I am.
I totally appreciate ALL who have cared for me and loved me…EVERY STEP OF MY JOURNEY. It was not always easy…even though my TEAM made it look that way. I love each and every one of YOU…and deeply appreciate the time, love, care and respect you have shown me every single moment of my life.
As for my wonderful, wonderful FANS, what can I say? I have been blessed. I have tried very hard to do my best and add honor, dignity and LOTS of FUN to my sport! You have cheered me on, supported me, and wished me well. I have had fun meeting you and watching you have a great time. It was wonderful to see people from all over the country fly in to meet me. I also loved the fact that so many of YOU have made friends with each other…and are now bonding, going to different racing venues together, and sharing the beauty of THIS SPORT.
IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE HONOR TO SHARE MY LIFE, MY CAREER AND MY ADVENTURES WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!
Some of you have asked how I’m spending New Year’s Eve. Well, my girlfriends and I will be outside playing for a bit…then come in and have a great dinner…toast with a bit of Guinness…and visit. Usually about 7 in the evening, we are all ready to relax and have ‘lights out’.
After all, we really need our BEAUTY SLEEP tonight. January 1st is our ‘joint’ birthday! Each of us will turn a year older tomorrow morning. I’ll be ‘technically’ 7! Good thing I exercise and keep in shape!
May we all be blessed to have a wonderful NEW YEAR ahead of us…filled with lots of GOOD HEALTH, HAPPINESS, AND NEW ADVENTURES!
I know in 2011, I will definitely have many ‘new things’ going on! I’m so excited! I hope to be able to share all of them with YOU!
One more thing…PLEASE BE SAFE tonight and always!
With Love,
Hugs to all~
Z
Emily Shields
Happy Birthday Beloved Zenyatta!
Leslie
Love to you Z in this New Year. Thanks for writing….
Happy Harriet
Dear Miss Z: Happy New Year and Happy Birthday. And deep appreciation to Ann who is the best living example of LOVE FOR A HORSE, Dottie who so carefully reflects you in the diary, and the boys – Jerry, Mario, Mike, John and the new team member, Charles, as well as all the other supporting players we may not know on a first name basis. Will any of your devoted fans be able to sleep tonight or will we stay awake with great anticipation thinking about a video of The Queen making mud pies and snow angels?
Robin
Happy New Years to Zenny & Team Z!! Thank you for all you do for us, the fans, that just can’t get enough of you! I look forward to seeing you make your Angels in the snow!! Stay safe and warm pretty girl, I love you so much!! MUAH!! XOXO
Margo Johnson
Really? to be barefoot and pregnant the rest of your life? Without the screaming, adorning fans on the race track where you can show off your gorgeous moves? and prenancies that risk your life, or having to be pregnanted by males not of your choice? the connections “talk’ for you and I know they love you, but! you make them money. I am more concerned about your mental health and spirit. I am not fooled by the posts on your website, I am concerned about your wellbeing.
Judy Sims
The radio interview with Charles discussing his “2010 Hottest Horseman of the Year Best in Show” award was so cute and very enlightening. He has a British accent! How fitting since the Brits are used to dealing with “Royalty;” so he is the perfect fellow to oversee your care, “Queen Z!” He certainly had some very nice comments about you and was so gracious.
HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and your new stablemates, especially P.Q. Hope you enjoyed your Guinness & peppermints last evening.
Anxious to see you snow & mud rolling.Hope Donna got there this morning to record your antics for your anxiously awaiting fans.
Hugs & nose kisses.
Judy 8-)
Judy Sims
Oh, I forgot to wish you and all your contemporaries a “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” 8-)
suew
Morning, Zenyatta! How special …your official birthday is this day. We jsut happen to share April 1st. as our actual calendar b-days so you can be sure I wil be sending you a present. Take an extra roll in the mud for me, OK? Thank God you retired safe and sound and are now able to be a horse in every sense of the word. We knew you couldn’t race forever and having an opportunity to share this part of your life is so very special.
Let’s toast to a 2011 that brings more joy, happiness and perhaps a new foal.
Carol
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ZENYATTA, ALL OF TEAM Z AND BARN 55, AND THE CREW AT LANE’S END! WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST FOR 2011 AND FOREVER. ZENYATTA, I’LL BE WATCHING ALL OF YOUR ESCAPADES IN YOUR NEW LIFE.
Amanda Gilliland
Happy New Year!!! My Sweet Lady Z! I am so glad to hear you had a wonderful New Year’s Eve and I know that 2011 will be an outstanding year for you as well. I love to hear about you running in the snow.
What fun! Especially to hear about you just being a horse and rolling in the snow and mud. I bet that felt good too!You & Charles make a good-looking team together. Love the picture of you two!
I wish and pray that you & all Your Team Z in Ca. & Ky. have a Wonderful, Blessed, Especially Healthy, Happy & Fun Filled New Year! I love you so much, Zenyatta!Sending Hugs & Kisses to you Zenyatta from Alabama, love, Amanda
Jan Mitchell
Happy New Year to Zenyatta, Team Z, and Lane’s End! Looking forward to all the wonderful things that will continue to unfold for the lady Z. Thanks Team Z for sharing her with us in this special way.
Cheers!
Linda M
Love seeing you play in your new home. Would live streaming video of your paddock, like they have at Wild Earth , be too intrusive/expensive? We could watch you play to our heart’s content. Happy New Year Zen & family!
Diana
Happy New Year to you, Queen Z and all of your team both at Barn 55 and Lanes End. Much love!
Linda / NJ
Hi Zenny: Happy New Year and Happy Birthday to you!!! To Barbara Sanders: thanks so much for sharing the CNN news blurb of Zenyatta being The Best in Sports. Very exciting!!!!! Congratulations, Zenyatta!! We all knew that all along!!! I am getting very excited to hear the announcement on the HOTY award.
Barbara Wood
Happy “Thoroughbred” Birthday, precious Z. And officially Happy New Year now. I bet you’ll get lots of special treats today. Can’t wait to follow your adventures through 2011. I’m facing 2 knee replacements this year, so at least I’ll have your daily posts to keep me going. Thank you all so much.
Dottie and Ann–thank you both so much. You have been so lucky to carry that “little girl” love that so many of us had for horses throughout your lives and share it with us. Lucky us!
Joan Walls
Happy Birthday Z!! I know that this will be a great year for you. As you said, many new things are in the offering. You are definitely having a lot of fun. I love the comments that you write. Thanks! You are very witty!
MaryMcQuire
My day is complete.
Liz Mahoney
Happy Birthday and Happy New Year Zenyatta!
There’s nothing better than reading your posts while having my morning coffee!
It makes my heart smile when thinking of you enjoying your freedom in your paddock and scratching your back while rolling on the earth!
Still awaiting the news on who your 1st baby daddy will be. Don’t know who Ensign is but loved to hear that he/she thinks you will go with AP Indy, I’m so hoping for that. Secretariat (my most favorite next to you) and Seattle Slew (another who gave me great teenage memories) will bring a great lineage to your baby.
Looking forward to more video of you playing outside! hope hope!
Joan Walls
Happy Birthday Z!!! You are lucky. Not too many people get to have two birthdays! As you said, this New Year is going to bring many new adventures! I love the fact that you are keeping your fans up-to-date on what is happening in your life. Just think – a snow angel. That must have been so much fun! and you rolled in the mud – fun, but what a mess! I love your comments. You are very witty. This will be another great year for you.
MaryMcQuire
Would love to hear the interview with Charles. Can anyone post the link?
Astrid
Happy TB birthday, Zenny and all the others! I am sure your day will be great as always, filled with love, a Guiness, some mints and hugs and of course a roll in the mud (a favourite past time of our German Shepherd too:) Have fun day sweet Zenny!
If any of you watch the Rose Parade (Pasadena) there is a float to Saving America’s Mustangs. The float, Mustang Monument, is in honor of Madeleine Pickens’ proposed plan to save thousands of mustangs.
Happy New Year Zenny, Team Z, Lane’s End and to all her fans!
Shari Voltz
Dear Zenyatta Happy New Year and TB Birthday. I will send something on the day of your real birth(April 1). I have not written because of family things. My mother is in a nursing home and I have been going over more than I normally do. It is hard. I don’t think I will ever get used to it. Your posts help me because it is like I am talking to and reading from a dear friend. Also the other fans that write to you lift me up. It is like another family for me. Yesterday I met my BF for tea at Tim Hortons, I brought your picture that I had framed. She is learning about you through me. She made me laugh. Mario is in the picture and she thought he was the Jockey. Tell Mario that I think he is Super Special because he took such good care of you. I could learn a lot from him. Well sweet girl enjoy your day with PQ. I love you lots and will check in later. Hugs and kissess from Shari in Ohio.
Ensign
@ Emmy (Hi Emmy : )
Yup, most barren and maiden mares are kept under lights to get them cyclinig well for an early cover. Most start that up in December. I don’t work at Lane’s End so not sure of their schedule, but it’s certainley the norm : )
@ Nancy,
You’re most welcome. Barbaro’s accident really was an accident & compared to many stallions, Dynaformer really is a solid stallion : )
The REAL reason he doesn’t breed maidens has nothing to do with his temperment. I’m sure children read this board… it’s because of how well endowed he is (to put it politely). Plain and simple. Maiden mare + very largely endowed stallion = possible trouble & lots of possibility of damage.
@ Mary Johnson,
NO mares get a choice in who they’re bred to in Kentucky & the TB industry. Most will never even meet the stallion face to face. Hate to tell you, but most (particularly the 1st time) are slightly sedated & well restrained (lip twitch, leg restraints, etc). Stallion & mare do not meet face to face. Many breeding sheds mares face a padded wall to keep them from moving forwards. Stallions only meet the back end of the mare. When they’re done, each horse goes their seperate way. NOTHING romantic about it.
Barefoot & pregnant is the life & the norm for most retired mares for most of their retired life.
Lori K
ZENNY, HAPPY NEW YEAR & HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! YOU AND CHARLES LOOK SO CUTE TOGETHER. I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE VIDEO OF YOU ROLLING IN THE SNOW MAKING ZENYATTA ANGELS. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR LIFE, CAREER, AND ADVENTURES IT IS AMAZING. DOTTIE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE POSTS. IT IS WONDERFUL. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF TEAM ZENYATTA, JOHN & DOTTIE, JERRY & ANN MOSS, MARIO & CARMEN BARN 55 AND MIKE SMITH. YOU ARE ALL TRULY FIRST CLASS ALL THE WAY!!! I LOVE YOU Z. LOVE LORI XOXO…
Peggy Wahlberg
Happy New Year to ALL!! Zenyatta, you have forever captured my heart! Please tell me, and all of us, when will we be able to come to visit you at Lane’s End farm? I am from CT and have never had the opportunity to see you race. Now, you are in KY…so near…
Rosanne Glynn
Zen, you have stole my heart. I love horses but you I deeply admire. You are one of a kind. I hope to see your video of you rolling in the snow/mud. I know it will bring tears to my eyes. I am so happy that you are happy. God created such a beautiful creature.I am not fond of flying but I am going to come visit you from New JERSEY IN THE SPRING. You might be pregnate by then. Have a birthday celebration even though you’re real BD is April 1st. I love you more than you will ever know. Enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, love you!!!
Nancy
@Ensign
Thanks again about information on Dynaformer. Definitely
makes sense. The breeding process is definately
a risky one and for something untoward to happen to such a quality
expensive mare would not be a good thing. I read somewher that
Dynaformer wears a muzzel when breeding. But I from what you said
the process is controlled for both mare and stallion. I like the idea of
sedation. Not sure they can use Versed on horses, but it takes the memory of experiences away. It is a business and the mares life is at risk, but it is life and horses in the wild do it all the time.
Stella Bagwell
Queen Z,
I hope you and your team have a wonderful New Year filled with love, hope and joy! God Bless you and all your caring connections!
Love and kisses,
Stel
Nancy Kleck
When a horse can run around, buck and fart whenever she pleases, roll on the ground to scratch that itch, shake her bootie, that is a good life. Can’t wait to see more video of her enjoying this good life.
Sue
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR ZENYATTA!!! You seem to become MORE BEAUTIFUL every day, every year…if that is even possible!! And your entire ‘essence’ has made such an enormous impact on so many…what a PERFECTLY WONDERFUL gift you have given all of us to begin a new year.
Hopefully, may this new year will offer you countless joyous moments; creating a trough of lovely new memories. You are dearly loved. A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR XXXOOO Sue