Good Morning,
It is so hard to believe that it is already FEBRUARY. I understand…per GROUNDHOG LEGEND…this morning indicated that SPRING WILL COME SOON. That sounds great to me!
February is also a MONTH to celebrate LOVE and relationships! It is so much fun to reflect on all of the people who have been so special in my life! It is exciting to contemplate the next several weeks and the ‘new experiences’ I will have as well!
This Saturday, as you know, I’m celebrating the SECRETARIAT AWARD at Santa Anita. (Chris Crocker at the Santa Anita gift shop emailed Dottie and told her “all of my fans have had their fingers flying over their keyboards ordering the posters”.) You guys are too cute!
Later on, sometime later in February, I’ll be meeting with BERNARDINI. As you know, MY TEAM has selected him as the sire for my first foal. The exact timing of this depends on MY system….and how I’m doing with my ovulating and all of that GIRLY GIRL stuff.
Earlier this week, Darley did a wonderful video on BERNARDINI…introducing him to the fans, a view of his home, and the pedigree aspects in relation to our mating. It is on the BLOODHORSE SITE…and they really did a terrific job! From what I can see, HE is a really strong, good-looking stallion. I can’t wait to meet him!
Click here to watch a video on Bernardini!
What a LUCKY HORSE I AM! I know I have accomplished a great deal in my own life and career…but to be associated with SECRETARIAT and being shown with him in a poster entitled…RACING ROYALTY…and then to have BERNARDINI be the sire of my first foal is all very exciting to me! I have some FABULOUS HORSES in my life! What a thrill!
February…is starting out to be a month filled with LOTS OF HOPE, LOVE, and POSSIBILITIES! It is so much fun to just stand out in the paddock, look at this beautiful environment and ponder all of the great things to come!
May you be blessed with a wonderful, hopeful and loving FEBRUARY as well!
With love,
Hugs to all~
Z
Christine
Dear Zen,
Have you been able to get out with all the bad weather. I know horses like snow but it has been very bad. Does this make you unhappy?
Sharon Call
@Kary. Just go to the top of the page and click on the blue facebook icon. It’s Z’s facebook page. Go to videos and you’ll see the latest one in the top row all the way to the left. I’m going to watch it again and pay more attention to her ears.
Lisa g
This is the Beautiful Zenyatta World, please, do not forget.
Lisa g
We are her guests.
ENSIGN
Hi Karey,
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I can’t speak for all of your post, but regarding the last sentence about racing harming the viability of horses bodies inside and out, I can explain some.
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With mares in particular it’s a bit of a twofold anwer. Some mares, when very lean and racing fit will not ovulate as regularly. The same can happen in human females when the percentage of body fat goes below a certaini percent, the cycle can be disrupted. Less common in mares, but can certainly happen.
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Another thing that can effect mares are the use of some drugs that suppress their heat cycle. Some mares perform fine while in heat, some are extremely tempermental when they are and don’t perform their best at that time. Many trainers will give mares a drug like Regu-Mate for that. It takes some time after using that drug for the mare to cycle regularly again (a few months at most).
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With colts and mares there’s been the issues of steroid use, though that is being monitored and banned more now. Steroids can cause some testicular issues in some colts and the long term effects on their sperm production are up for debate.
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Hope that addresses some of the issues concerning the reproductive health of a horse coming off the track.
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A thank you as well for the kind words from a few above. I’ll try and limit MY participation in the baiting posts ;-)
Sharon Call
@Ensign. Thanks for the explanation. As usual, done in an imformative and unoffensive manner. I’ve seen what you’re talking about in regards to mares performing while in a heat cycle, although it was not on a track. My mare, Jess, was a sweety all of the time, in or out of heat. I did see some other unfortunate owners of mares that were far from being a sweety while in their cycles. There wasn’t much those owners could do with their mares other than put them back on the trailer and take them home. We humans have a tendancy to mold animals to our wants rather than having regard for the animal’s needs. Unfortunate but true.
As regards the baiting issue, since I’m a member of the old-timers league, I have a tendancy to fall back on “old” sayings about bad applies and sour grapes. Don’t let that stop you from posting to this site. I think your posts are welcomed by most of the people here and are appreciated for the excellent information they contain.
Kathy Kimber
Linda B,
Honey he is just someone who wants to look important and doesn’t know the magic of Zenyatta
Linda B
THANKS KATHY
I try to uplift this gift every time I speak of her. She is not just a horse. When I wrote of the horses saved in the barn collapse I felt many came to help out of her spirit. To be told I was wrong and it was not that barn and horses were lost broke my heart. ZENYATTA ia not just a horse she is a force.
livey
@Gary Moulton:
I rewatched the video and focused on her ears and I think I understand what you are saying. My first impression *even though she was snuggling* I sensed she was a little irritated or restless. Based on videos I’ve seen, I’ve never seen quite the ear movements as presented on the video, but not sure what it means or if it means anything.
Maybe someone can chime and share the horse knowledge–Ensign, are you there ;)
livey
^^^^^^^^^^^
@Gary Moulton
I hope you can find my post to you through all this insanity….
Sad day for true Z fans. :(
Sally (B)
Engign, Linda; please remember you are on Zenyatta’s diary post. If you want other personal discussions, do it somewhere else, such as facebook or e-mail. I just want Z to know and Dottie, that we enjoy anything and everything Z is willing to share with us. I wish not to start any responses to me; but I thought I would just state a reminder how wonderful this diary post is. Thanks
Astrid
Please, can we just have positive thoughts on this board (except regarding horses needing help and such). Zenyatta is such a sweet, loving, gracious being – I hate to see any squabbling here. Peace:)
Zenny, loved your video!! Thank you!!! I think you are possibly the sweetest and most intelligent mare on the planet!:) ♥
ENSIGN
I said I wouldn’t bite, but..
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Linda B,
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I never said you were wrong. I specifically asked ‘If you’re speaking of Lindy Farms…’ which you were not. Please don’t put words in my mouth (or my post) to continue to try and vilify me.
lizzy
@Sally (B):
Trying to stay off this thread, but wanted to clarify that Ensign has not been the instigator here. I believe based on his last post that he will no longer respond to poster who continues to attack him.
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It’s important to note, that many blog sites will occasionally be visited by trolls. Best defense is to ignore and not respond to them. Once they realize they no longer have a captive audience, they go away.
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I believe the best defense is for us Z lovers to overpower them with post sharing our love for Z and ignore the haters.
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BTW, have Z fans seen the latest video of her on facebook. Sweet.
Karey
Ensign, Thank you for the info about mares and medication for their cycle. It
has soothed my concerns, if only just a little.
Linda B
You will not see me here again I love Zen too much
BUT WHY WOULD YOU LOOK UP AND POST HERE WHERE I LIVE?
Gary Moulton
@livey – Generally speaking if both ears are pricked forward the horse is paying attention to what is ahead. If both ears are facing back the horse is paying attention to the rider. When the ears move randomly and independently that can be a sign of distraction and apprehension. These rules don’t hold true 100% of the time and many other factors can affect the way a horse moves his or her ears. Could also be discomfort or something in the ear.
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For a better explanation of a horse’s body language, a good reference book is The Body Language of Horses, by Tom Ainslie and Bonnie Ledbetter. The publisher is William Morrow & Company, Inc.
Lisa g
@Linda B: Please do not leave Zenyatta’s Dairy, I know you love her…just post to her, she wants you to.
livey
@Gary Moutlon:
Thanks for the info. :)
I think I may have misread your previous post though. I thought you were questioning, are curious to her ear movements, but it sounds like you have a good understanding of it’s meaning.
Katelynn
Bernardini looks like a great stallion, Z! Still…I can’t help but think you could have done well in dressage. My aunt and I think it would be very interesting for one of your babies to become a dressage horse, since you have such great dancing moves. Moorlands Totilas is a fabulous stallion. At the risk of the world imploding from the greatness, what if the King of Dressage and the Queen of Racing had a baby? Your babes could dominate both the racing and dressage world.
Thank you so very much, Zenny, for sharing your life with us. You are so very, very loved. You’ll be a great mama!
Hugh Hurst
You could say that Bernardini is one lucky stallion, but in all reality, we the fans are the lucky ones. Z, have a GREAT February!!!!!!!!
Theresa Buck
you two will make a great couple…woohoo Z you hit the jackpot
Paul
Zenyatta, I am surprised that you have not met Bernardini as of this post. I saw the video of him and he is a great looking horse. He is perfect for you. Any foals that you have with him will be guaranteed to turn out great. As for spring coming, you are not the only one looking forward to it. Good luck on your Secretariat award.