In February of 2003 we walked into the barn, the barn of a horse trader.  It was dark, damp and the stalls were filled with mud.  There she stood in the corner of the stall, mud up to her knees, no water, no hay and very little light.  She looked with a weary glance.  Her eyes had a story of 20 years long.  With no intentions of purchasing a horse that day, the ride home was silent.  We decided, with just a few words spoken, to go get her.  Not knowing what we were getting ourselves into we loaded her up; we were told she was in foal.  Once in the sunlight we saw just what a project we had in front of us.  Ribs showing, hooves in desperate need of work, sunken in haunches, our hearts went out to her.  Looking at her papers on the way home they said she was a Missouri Fox Trotter.  "What is a Missouri Fox Trotter?" was our first question to each other.

 

Her name was Kala’s Lou M. and her poor condition was our first priority.  She was vet checked and then hooves taken care of.  She was given ample feed, plenty of water and lots of good hay.  Not sure if the baby would survive we were just glad we got Kala out of there.  We had never raised a foal before and we did everything we knew to do, along with our vet’s help, to ensure she had a healthy foal. 

 

After doing some research, we found just what a treasure we had, old foundation bloodlines.  Not real sure when her foal date was our anticipation was unbearable; when we felt the foal kick.  How excited we both were!  On May 4, 2003, Kala gave us the most beautiful little filly we could have ever hoped for and for that matter she was healthy.  Four hooves, two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, four long lanky legs, a tail, and this little tiny body; she was all there and complete. 

 

Okay, what do we do now?  Our adventure begins, imprinting, first haltering, teaching to lead, NO BITE, walk, WHOA youngin’.  How fun it has been!  Our filly is now a yearling, and what a sweet, kind, gentle creature she has become. 

 

What a treasure of a breed; their calm disposition, their trusting manner, their eagerness to learn and their love of being with us humans.  Sometimes I ask myself, "Who’s teaching whom?"  We have learned so much through this experience and have met such wonderful people associated with the breed we are ready to do it again, another breeding this year.

 

We have no more doubts about our decision that day back in February of 2003, Kala and Zoey are doing great and we look forward to sharing our lives with such a magnificent breed of horses.