Photo taken by John Shirreffs
Hello Everyone!
It sounds like all of you are off to a busy 2011! Mine has started out wonderfully.
Dottie has been telling me about all of the questions you have. We will do our best to address as many of them as possible often in the Diary. We’ll start with these:
1) YES, Mario does know I’m playing in the MUD…and he is so happy for me. He knows I’ve wanted to roll in the mud for quite sometime. NOW I CAN REALLY GET PLAYFUL OUTSIDE! Very cute! Also, thanks for letting me know Mario has his own Facebook page now. I can’t wait to tell him! SURPRISE!
2) Steve is fine. He is working away at the barn and all is A-OK with him. Obviously, he misses me a whole bunch…as does Mario and the rest of Barn 55…but they are so happy for me. John does his best to keep them posted on my activities. All videos and photos are shared with them constantly!
3) John’s watch…is the IPOD Nano. It is a great tool and also a fun new ‘toy’ for John. Lucky guy, I can still be with him 24/7!
4) My future breeding plans. The Moss’ will announce them soon. Many different things will go into this decision. Everything will be finalized sometime in January. With the holiday, many people have been out of town. It is also fun for ME to ponder who my first date will be. Gotta’ love it!
5) Other breeding questions will be addressed when breeding season begins. The breeding sheds in KY do not open until mid-February. I probably will not be bred until late February. Believe me, I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED!
6) A Jockey question was asked…what does ‘throwing a cross mean’? Dottie has called my guy, MIKE SMITH, for this answer. Mike’s quotes will be used for this answer. They are touching base later today. FYI…Many have asked…and Mike is doing very well. Dottie and John saw him last night at dinner. He is planning a trip to come see me soon. Can’t wait!
7) Video of an interview…John did an interview with Susan Ashbrook of Equine Vip. She granted permission for Dottie to mention it in the Diary. You may find this interview by going to www.equinevip.com. It is the first interview that comes up. My JOHN will be standing there with Susan. (He says so many fabulous things about me and my heritage. He also notes how amazing the entire thoroughbred breed is and his love for the HORSE.) Very special! Please enjoy!
8) Rhonda pointed out that I was recognized as the #1 Female Race Horse of All Time…in a recent Sports Illustrated Article. You may find this piece by: 1) going to my web-page 2) clicking on the Facebook symbol in the right corner 3) that will take you directly to the page you need 4) scroll down the left hand column until you see the term LINKS 5) approximately 3 down is the story TOP FEMALE RACE HORSES OF ALL TIME. 6) Click on this title and YIPPEE…there I am with my owners! What an honor! There are some really amazing historical horses being honored in this piece….and they recognized me with the distinction of being #1! I can’t tell you how PROUD this makes me feel!
9) P.Q…many have asked about her breeding plans and things relating to her. From the beginning, I did ask permission to discuss her name in the Diary. Her owners were so gracious and said of course! Any other additional information, I will need to be polite and ask if I can discuss it. As she is not owned by my owners, we must respect her privacy at this time.
P.Q. and I are great friends…and we do get along beautifully. We have BONDED nicely!
Oh, I’m getting a phone call! Someone in my family is calling to TANGO with me! (Gotta’ get ready for my close-up!) Sending BIG HUGS!
With Love,
Z
Jane C
You look beautiful Z. I love this photo. Also really love the photo John took of Lane’s End. Looks very cozy and serene. Looking forward to finding out who your first date will be too. I’m thinking he will have to be very tall!! (wink)
RDV
I hope you get to go on a date with GIACOMO!!!
Karen Schmiede
Hi, Zen, Thanks for all the info and updates. I really enjoy reading them. (Thanks Dottie}
Ensign
@ Lizzy,
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Regarding the breeding process, I’m sure Dottie will go into some detail, but it will be the ‘niced down’ version for the masses (nothing wrong with that really). I’ll give you the more complete process (still PG friendly) from the majority of Ky farms.
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Most mares are either vanned to the breeding shed (if they live on another farm) or simply walked to the one at their own farm, if they’re boarded where they’re to be bred.
All mares are booked to an apt. time as many mares are bred every day of the breeding season. At the height of it, some stallions will breed 3 different mares a day (morning, noon & night).
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Most all maiden mares (mares never bred before) will be brought to the breeding shed and introduced to a teaser stallion (one who doesn’t get to breed valuable TB mares) over a wall or another setup. He’ll flirt, nuzzle, etc to see what state of ‘acceptance’ she’s in.
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All maiden mares must also be jumped by a teaser. Some mares have that done at home, some when they get to the breeding shed. Most maidens will have been given some tranquilizer to keep them calmer. The teaser will jump the mare as if she were being bred (he’ll likely wear an apron over the appropriate parts so there’s no accidental breedings) to see how she reacts. If she kicks, bucks, runs forward, he’s the one who’ll take it, not the actual stud who will breed the mare.
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For the actual breeding process, the mare will have her tail wrapped to keep hair out of the way & she’ll have her lady bits washed. She’ll usually be placed head 1st up against a padded wall to keep her from travelling forward. Most mares have a twitch placed on their upper lip (a loop of rope or chain attached to a long wooden pole.) The twitch is twisted and tightened on their upper lip to distract them and keep control. They will have a normal lead & chain over their nose. Some farms outfit a mares hind feet with padded boots in case they kick out at the stallion, others employ a ‘leg twitch’ setup whereby a front leg is help up with a leather strap until the stallion mounts the mare. Hard to kick with a front leg off the ground ;-)
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Once mares are washed in behind they’re placed up against the wall. They do not meet the stallion face to face. The stallion is brought into the shed when the mare is ready. Once he ‘drops’ (his ‘gear’) he is also washed. When he’s ready (most arrive at the shed hollering & ready) he’s led up to the back of the mare, mounts and does his job. There could be as many as 6 people in attendance. Several to restrain & calm the mare, one to lead the stallion, one to ‘place’ him, etc.
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When the stallion is done (not more than 30 seconds for some lol), he dismounts, is led away and usually a ‘dismount sample’ is collected from him. Sometimes that’s inserted back into the mare and is considered a ‘reinforced’ breeding of sorts.
Mare gets her restraints taken off and is led back to her waiting horse trailer, or back to her barn.
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Farms make it as least stressful as they can for mares, but they’ve certainly got the worse end of the deal vs the stallions. They get no say and are restrained to be bred. It can be scary for maiden mares as many stallions do arrive at the shed hollering and rearing in excitement (though that varies from stallion to stallion of course).
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Hope that answers some questions on the actual process for some without trying to be overly graphic…
Chris B.
My wife and I were at your send-off at Hollywood Park. We enjoyed watching you race so much that it’s very hard to not wait for your next race. We think you should race one more year, after all you started late and have probably only just hit your stride. One more year would probably give you 25 or 26 wins and then there would be NO arguements about who is the greatest. Our vote as fans is to let you do what it is you love the most………..RUN! If not, we wish you all the best in your breeding and know you will throw amazing kids. Thank you for your greatness!
sue w
Regarding breeding …take no offense but I’ll wait for Zenny and Dottie to speak. ;-)
I’m still in awe that THEY choose to say so much to us.
Linda B
Ensign if you want to discuss the breeding process I am sure there are sites you can show your expertise. I for one would rather have my grandchild read Zen’s words and NOT YOURS. I am sure you are getting some perverse pleasure in your posts but you are NOT FOOLING ME.
Gloria Jeanne
Poor Zenny! I feel bad for her, the whole process kinda of stinks.
Linda / Maryland
Thanks for your updates Zen.
You are the “Horse of the Year” and horse of the decade!! Not in receint times has a horse even come close to your accomplishments!! I am sure it will be many a day before any will in the future, if ever~!!
Love you Zenyatta~!!!!
Ensign
LOL Sue, I’m afraid you’ll be waiting a while if you’re waiting for Zenny to speak (or type).
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I’m not sure what you don’t believe or perhaps think I’m making up. What I described is the basic process for most commercial Ky farms (all would have some slight differences in how they do things of course). I don’t post here to write fiction.
Linda B
ensign post some place else
Ensign
@ Linda B,
Thanks a lot. That’s rather insulting & I don’t appreciate it one bit.
I work in the business & described as politely as I could what goes on every single day from Feb until June. It’s a business & job for some of us, not a porn factory as you seem to think.
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If your grandchild thinks horses are writing journal entries perhaps he/she is not old enough to be reading this blog.
Ensign
And perhaps you’re not mature enough either Linda…….
Rosanne Glynn
Question FOR DOTTIE:
I am confused who is in KY and who is in CA? Mike, & Mario are in CA? John & Dottie are in KY? and where are Jerry & Ann? Or are the owners not there with Zen and when you mention “tango” that’s how they communicate with Zen then on the phone? You lost me….lol…also is Mario’s page legit by him or did someone else start it? Please answer only if you have time Dottie! Thanks so much!
Gloria Jeanne
This is not the place to be fighting… this is Zen’s Diary and I’m sure if this keeps up Dottie and Team can block this site so that no one may post but her. And I for enjoy reading what others have to say for the MOST part. Perhaps somewhat graphic descriptions should not be posted here, regardless of the business process of breeding.
Thanks
Yvonne and Maurice Kirby
Hi Zenyatta. You look so beautiful grazing in the snow. So awesome. I can’t wait to hear who your first date will be, I am thinking AP Indy. BUT, I have always loved Ghostzapper!!! Can you imagine having a first date with Rock Hard Ten? Wow. I know Team Zenyatta will do the best for this “big girl”. Love you so. I will not have access to a computer for the next couple of days and will miss you terribly, but will be talking to you as soon as I can. Love you!!!
Jenna
I just watched the interview with John on equinevip.com. What a great guy he is, thoughtful and kind. He is the type of person that drew me to racing and Zenyatta. The way he trains and how he feels about Z as an animal. How sweet. I hope to meet both Z and John someday.
Nighty night, Z. Sleep tight.
Thank you, Dottie.
Jenna
In response to Ensign’s comments: This is why I’ve been so upset about all of this shed talk. I’d rather not know specifics. Being a nonracing person, I think Z is too good for this. This description is too much to take. Poor baby. :(
Ensign
Gloria Jeanne,
I simply posted what goes on becuase one or more people outright ASKED what the process was.
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It’s a fine line trying to answer a question FACTUALLY without offending people with delicate sensibilities. Considering the subject matter perhaps it best that people not ask? There are grownups on here though with legitimate questions & those of us with answers are usually happy to help answer questions until Dottie or someone else can get to them. Offence isn’t intentional in any answers.
Linda B
Dottie ,
Thank you for bringing Zen to life here. It helped myself and my grand children understand so much about horses and the life they have. I am hoping you will consider doing a book for the children you have a real talent. I am sorry there are always some people who have to spoil things with their own illness. I work with in the mental health field and see it too often. Again thank you for being so kind to us and bringing Zenyatta to her fans. She came into my life when I needed a way to connect with a child I had been away from. For this I will always be grateful. To the Team Z thank you for nurturing, training and bringing a gift to the world. I am sure she will continue the champion line and produce a heir that will show her qualities, and you all will be proud of. I will miss posting but feel it is the mature thing to do. Thanks Zen God Bless.
Ensign
@ Jenna,
Perhaps if people want to know those things, they could ask for a personal email or such to contact any of us who do post here and also do this for a living? It might keep more people happy : )
Jenna
I think if it were any other mare, the details would be fine…it’s because she is so special to so many people…she isn’t every other horse.
Ensign
@ Linda B,
Some people asked a question and I gave an answer. Sorry you feel that’s ‘spoiling’ something for you. I DON’T take kindly to the insults and insinuations of ‘mental illness’ because I happen to work with horses.
Elena Erdman
Ensign! This is Zenyatta’s site and Dollie does the writing. Please refrain from giving any more inforamtion. Many of us have been to breeding sheds and know what those farms do and how they do it. You may work in the business but you need to have some class and refrain from trying to out do Dottie. If we need info on Zenyatta, I am sure Dottie will give it to us. This is a loving site and for people to enjoy and not get a description of what others do. I am offended. This is not a blog for that, recognize we are true lovers of Queen Z and all her connections. I know your intent was to be informative, but we are talking about Zenyatta, please understand that.
As for Robbie and the information. We really don’t care about female, girl, woman, filly or mare. We are here for Zenyatta and all that talk muddles the whole intent of this website, so please if you have all this information go to another site and post it.
You two need to lay off. Enough is enough. Queen Z will speak and we will listen. We want to think what we want when we want. So please go bye bye.
Stella Bagwell
Dear Queen Z, so glad to hear that you’re getting to roll in the mud like a regular horse and do all those fun things that horses love to do. After all your dedicated training, you deserve to relax! I know the Moss’s are going to choose the absolute best suitor for your first date. Nothing but the best for you Queen—guess that means he’ll have to be a King!:) You must be very excited to hear that Mike is coming for a visit. I’m sure you’ll have all sorts of exciting news to tell him. And of course, us fans will want to hear them, too.
God Bless You!
Love and kisses,
Stel
LouAnn Cingel of Union, Missouri
Such an interesting diary entry today. And just love the pic of you Zenyatta that John took. Am so looking forward to hearing who your first date will be and bet it will be exciting for you. Love coming here for all the wonderful updates, it is great that we all still get to be connected to you.
Take care and have fun!
Love & Blessings
JO
Thats not a leg wrap in the photo Z has beautiful white hind legs that Lanes End keeps very white and protected from things like chapped heels and such. When she comes in Im sure they get them clean and dry. Hey Dottie there is a beautiful estate for sale right around the corner from the farm on Versailles Rd. You could walk to Lanes End. Just in case you know. Seattle Slews connections I believe moved here at one time
Jennifer Adelman
Dear Zenyatta, Have to add that I ordered your commemorative issue of Blood Horse and can’t wait to see it. I will cherish it forever.
Hugs!
Jane D
Questions:
1) When will you be allowed to have a visit and can we take photos? Hopefully, May or June I can drive down.
2) Did Mike & Chantal get married yet? Will you be at the wedding? That would be great!!!
Love you Z
Jane
Louise Bland
Zenyatta, sweetheart, are you gaining weight? — I remember in your last race, you didn’t have a tummy but a smooth contor
now you must be eating too much…you think?