10 years old, 14.2 hands Color genetics: nT, EE, Aa
Kerin came to live with us on May 18, 2006. We were lucky enough to have her spend her mare CEM quarantine in a facility about 40 minutes from our house. Every chance we got, we'd visit. On the very first visit, we were only allowed to visit over the fence - they had not set up the overalls and boots required to enter the paddock. We fawned and pet and fed carrots to her. As we walked back to our car, Kerin whinnied after us. Debby and I looked at each other and said, "That does it, she'll be with us forever!"
Here are a few photos of Kerin at the Quarantine facility:
A few days after her arrival, I received a phone call from the quarantine facility's vet. She said, "I hope this is okay with you, but your mare is pregnant and could foal in 6 weeks." WHAT???!!! We had bought her open (so we thought) with a breeding back to the stallion of our choice of Desert Jewel's stallions. When I told Debby .... we looked around to make sure no one was watching .... and then we both did the "Happy Dance"! Kerin foaled the most beautiful colt, Alaria Moss Odyssey (Dess) on July 22, 2006.
Kerin the Wonder Horse
Kerin does it all.When we bought her we were told that she had been owned by the 8 year old daughter of a horse trainer/equestrian facility owner. The little girl had ridden Kerin to the hounds in Ireland. Unfortunately, the family fell on hard times and had to sell their facility and their horses. Kerin was bought by Brian Cash (Clononeen Farm) and imported by Desert Jewel/Whispering Wind Farm. We bought her before she was shipped over, so she came straight to us.
Since then, we have shown her successfully in hand - she won Small Draft Supreme Champion at the Virginia Draft Horse and Mule Association Show in 2007.
She has also been shown in the first Kentucky Gypsy and Drum Horse Classic in English Pleasure, Western Pleasure, Dressage (Training Level), Trail Obstacle Classes, and Bareback Pleasure.
She won the Nokesville Horse Society's Single Horse Driving Champion for 2009.
And she has participated in numerous parades and in the First Annual Susan G. Komen Ride for the Cure. Kerin and Bobbi raised over $1800 and were in the top ten fundraisers for the event.
We have also asked Kerin to be a lesson horse for our neighbor's 8 year old girl, be the "Pony Ride" horse when horse-deprived friends come to visit and be a demonstration horse for the local 4-H club.
Kerin's Foals
Kerin has had two foals for us. The first is Alaria Moss Odyssey (Dess), born on July 22, 2006. He came with her in utero when we imported her from Ireland. We don't know his father, but we were told by Clononeen Farm that it was likely Martin McCarthy's "Good Black Stallion". We gelded and kept him as a riding horse for Debby. Here are a few of Dess' early photos. To learn more about him, please visit his own page.
The second foal was another colt - Alaria Moss Shenandoah (Noah), born on May 1, 2008. He is by Desert Jewel Flash of Gold. We also gelded him and he is now proudly and lovingly owned by our good friend, Judy Brewster. Here are a few photos of Noah.
Kerin will be left open for the time being and we may never breed her again. She is very valuable to us as our "go to" horse for all things and for now we want to keep it that way.