This is What We Do BestCaymusLeena - 2014 Mare for SaleMark and Jackie Barrett Photo Shoot is a Success!NobleEllieFirst Kiss of Summer “Bruce” 2016 Gelding for SalePrince of Pearls “Junior”Three New Foals for 2016ZeusTina - 2015 Filly for SaleWillowSparkleBrandyBandonPatienceAnother Foaling Year Complete and Another Four Fillies!StarbuckKuchiBatStarBelleAlexandraCarolinaPearlie GirlMollyShaky LadyBB KingTali - 2001 Mare for SaleRazzlePearlie QueenDazzleThe Boss UKThe Business aka The BossSir Royal ExcaliburGemmaBriellaGalways AmyetteBrigsbyBusy Year At Stillwater FarmPearlie GirlGiaLillyTiffanyJazzmineGearing Up for New FoalsSale HorsesCapriceSale HorsesER GypsyLatcho’s BannerGaya - 2013 Filly for SaleResults from The Fall Feathered ClassicDuchessStarShandarMaryShogunThe Vincent Mare’s FillyCaprice - 2001 Mare for SaleArchive VideosWe have some exciting news!KittyBacio DivinoKaeliDon KingLatcho’s CaymusV.V. ZannaHalter Gypsy Vanner vs. Performance Gypsy VannerDeja BlueLennie’s BoyAramisStep ToeToy BoyToy Boy Jr.Teddy BearTeddy2013 BabiesSpring has Sprung and we are on our Way to the Breeding ShedEmmaRoyal Blue “Roy”PipaIzzyCongratulations to Wendy and Richard on their Purchase of D’Jango Jazz and Violet!Meet Heaven’s Isabella Blue Rose “Izzy”AnnaThe First of Our 2013 Babies Has ArrivedNew Videos Posted on Our Web SiteD’ Jango JazzLylaThe Irish Blagdoon MareFlashyThe Road Sweeper UKAnnaMiss PriceLennyLenny’s BoyFred Walker’s MareD’Jango JazzThe Old Po Mare

I just reviewed the photos from our Mark and Jackie Barrett shoot from two weeks ago. It's a treat once a year for me to look at our horses in this format. It's like getting the horses ready for their own show and they literally shine. Daisy keeps our horses in shape all year long and you can see the muscle gleaming under that hair. Speaking of hair! Tasha and Cadee are the best grooms ever. But that sparkle in the horses eye, the dapples, and energy all come from within. It all starts with good breeding and knowledge of conformation and movement in horses. Stillwater Farm breeds a specific type of Gypsy Vanner. We specialize in the Performance Gypsy Vanner. Just check out the necks and throats of our horses. They can breathe! Those shoulders can move and the drive is from the rear. Our horses are balanced and can engage their hind legs. Susan Harris has written an excellent book, "Horse Gaits, Balance and Movement" that anyone interested in horses should read. It is applicable to ALL horses and Gypsy Vanners are not an exclusive breed that moves differently.

Thank you Daisy, Tasha, and Jess for all of your hard work in getting these horses ready for their glamour shots! They always look stunning. But you really turned them out for Mark and Jackie. Make sure to check out all the new pics we have for the following horses. Click on their names below to go to their new pictures.

Bruce

Foaling season always brings so much hope and excitement. This foaling season was perhaps the most difficult one we have ever experienced. Summer Rose foaled almost a month early surprising us with a beautiful colt, SWF First Kiss of Summer aka Bruce. {image_3}

{image_4} Just before her due date, Tia, was rushed to UGA showing signs of soreness on her front feet - a serious indication of something very wrong with this fabulous mare. Fortunately the great vets at UGA were able to get her pain under control and treat her for placentitis. The baby, SWF Prince of Pearls aka Junior, was born big and healthy and Tia's laminitis is under control.

{image_1}Then Briella started showing the same symptoms as Tia. We wasted no time and she was admitted to UGA. Unfortunately her outlook was not as good as Tia's. I got the dreaded call, "Do you want to save the mare or save the baby?" My answer was that I wanted to save both! UGA had to induce labor and she presented with a red bag delivery. The vets were ready and had that filly out in 20 seconds. Then the wait was on. Was the filly going to be ok? Was she without oxygen? How was Briella doing? This story has a very sad ending. I had to make the decision to let Briella go. She was in too much pain and her outlook was not good. But the baby was doing great. It was such a sad day. Briella was an incredibly talented and gorgeous mare. But, now we have an orphan filly to take care of, SWF Briella's Blue Angel aka Ellie. I am so happy to tell you that Ellie is doing great. She drinks her milk supplement out of a bucket. Tia and Junior have let her into their little family so she has horse company. They are such a cute threesome.

All the babies are doing great. The boys, Bruce and Junior are all boy and sweet Ellie is doing beautifully as well. I've decided to retire Tia and take the year off from breeding. I am thrilled with Kisses' first baby, First Kiss of Summer. Pearlie King is the sire of Prince of Pearls and once again did not disappoint. Junior is his daddy's boy for sure! Ellie's sire is Deja Blue and we all know what great offspring he produces. I'll keep you posted on how everyone is doing. Mark and Jackie Barret will be here in June and we will update the pics as soon as we can.

Four more fillies in 2015! It might be a record. But, we have had nine fillies in a row here at Stillwater Farm. And they are all so adorable. Mark Barrett will be here next week for a photo shoot and soon we will share new pictures of all the babies.

Tia x Aramis Filly - Alexandra

Pearlie Queen x Starbuck Filly - no name yet

Kitty x Deja Blue Filly - no name yet

Tessa x Deja Blue - Carolina Blue

We had an amazing foaling season this year. Five Fillies! All gorgeous and most importantly, all very healthy. We have new staff members, Arnaldo Rosario and his wife, Kathy. Daisy Fouts, our head trainer, is running a tight ship to get all those mares back in shape after foaling. We have added some new bloodlines to our program as well. Anne Crowley, of Vintage Vanners, has been kind enough to send her fabulous V. V. Tessa to us to manage. She is currently in foal to V. V. Deja Blue. Seems like full circle for Tessa and D.J.! We have expanded our dressage division to include Summer Rose, Deja Blue, Briella, and Brigsby. Continuing in Halter will be Aramis and Pearlie King in addition to all of our young stock. We are very proud to show what we have worked years to breed. We recently received a compliment from a well regarded judge that Stillwater Gypsy Vanners could easily set the phenotype for the modern Gypsy Vanner because our Gypsy Vanners are performance horses. Their conformation is such that they have beautiful head sets on balanced necks, shoulders that slope, and a powerful drive from behind. Not all Gypsy Vanners look the same. There are obviously different types within the breed. We respect that and realize that every breeder has their own favorite type of Gypsy Vanner. The performance Gypsy Vanner is Stillwater Farm's "type" and all of our offspring are stamped with that "type". We are proud of our horses and very looking forward to seeing them develop through their training.

Spring foaling time is so exciting here at Stillwater Farm. Our first baby due is by Pearlie King out of Summer's Miss Amelia, or Mia, as we call her. Next up is Summer Rose in foal to D'Jango Jazz. Then comes Lyla right behind Summer. Lyla is bred to Deja Blue. What colors, what sex, blue eyes?? As long as they are all healthy I am happy! We will keep you posted on all the new babies

Stillwater Farm was well represented at the Fall Feathered Horse Classic held this year in Perry, GA October 9-10 during the Georgia State Fair. Our clients, Richard and Wendy Dean, brought three of their horses that they purchased from us; SWF Rosed are Red Violets are Blue "Violet", SWF Traveler "Embar", and D'Jango Jazz. We took six horses also; SWF He Blue Me Kisses " Kisses", SWF Tia's Blue Diva "Diva", SWF He Blue My Mind "Bruiser", V. V. Rubaiyat "Ruby", V. V. Deja Blue "DJ", and Aramis.

All of the horses did great especially the babies. Violet took first in her class and first in the GVHS Yearling Futurity Class. She also managed to get a 5th out of the largest class of the show; Dressage Suitability in Hand. Not bad for Summer Rose's first filly! Diva took second in her class and second in the GVHS Futurity Class. Bruiser took first in his class and first in the GVHS Futurity Class. Kisses took first in the GVHS Futurity Class.

Ruby scored in the high 60's in her Dressage Tests and was absolutely fabulous in both English Pleasure WT and Westerm Pleasure WT. Not sure why the judge didn't place her higher. We thought she was dead on for both classes. Regardless of her placing I think it was two of her best performance classes.

DJ was perfect at the Vanner Fair in Canada mid September. But, at Perry DJ was not at his best and it was probably our fault. We had so many horses in the halter classes that we really did not get him warmed up properly for his Performance Classes. He took second and Amanda Muir on her "Sundance" took a well deserved First for her lovely rides in the GVHS Futurity. Congrats Amanda!

This was the first time off the farm for Aramis and we were prepared to go with the flow. He could be completely overwhelmed with all the goings on at the show and freeze or he could behave nicely or he could act like a young stud in mare heaven He chose the latter and that decided his show schedule - nada! He managed to show off. But, not in the show ring! We plan on working his big apple butt this winter and have him ready for the 2014 show season. He has such talent and incredible movement. We can't wait to show him off.

Daisy Fouts, our trainer, and Garrett Fowler, our stable hand did a great job of getting all the horses ready for the show and maintaining order once we were there! Thanks to Amanda Connerton for her help during the show.

Overall it was a well attended show. The weather was great and we got to use the "new" horse barn at the fairgrounds. Too bad we can't use the big indoor arena. Had to buy a new truck while we were there. Usually I buy horses. This time is was horses of a different kind! Love our new Tundra farm truck. The old Ford was just worn out.

Pictures are ordered from the show photographer and we will post them once we get our downloads. Thanks for all the good wishes and the support!

We think Bacio has the genetics, the conformation, and that "look at me" attitude that it takes to make a great stallion. Keep an eye on him as we bring him up as a future breed stallion. As you know with our program that is not a quick turn around. Bacio has to go through all his ground training, produce a minimum of two foal crops with distinctive "prescence" and conformation, and prove he is a talented athlete in order to stand as a stud in our breeding program. My bet is that in five years he will be one of the best stallions in the country.

I am personally so familiar with Weight Watchers that I do not even have to refer to the Points Plus book any longer. I have lost the same twenty pounds over and over and over. Now I have some of our horses on our version of horsey Weight Watchers. We have a large herd and we are constantly monitoring their weight, their work, and their show schedule. Gypsy Vanners have draft blood in them and they are supposed to look like smaller Shire type horses per the GVHS Breed Standard. However, they are not supposed to look like a moose on steriods. So what is in between? {image_2}

Here is a picture of Mia when she was showing in halter - and she is too heavy for performance work. For Stillwater Farm we evaluate each horse individually regarding their weight. If that horse is in performance training they cannot keep any extra weight on. If they are too heavy they cannot move. They need to bend and flex and be light in the front. Light moving does not mean light in weight. But, there is a happy medium that we try to achieve with the performance horses. On the other hand, our broodmares need to maintain their "heavier" weight to nurish those babies they are nursing and the babies in the oven. Regardless of their weight, they are all fit. Fit means buff, no flab. {image_1}

Doesn't it look like DJ is asking if this picture makes his butt look big? Some might think he in underweight here. DJ as a good example. DJ has shown since he was a baby and showed in halter up until he was four years old. He is now seven years and is a mature performance horse working in dressage training five days a week. He is fit and handsome and looks perfect weight wise. We thought about showing him in halter this season as well as performance. Out comes all the stallion tack. We tried it on and we could not believe that it was so big for DJ. He used it as a three and four year old and now it just hangs on his frame. What happened? He grew up and started working.

Now comes part of the management process I go through at Stillwater. Do we start putting the pounds back on DJ to show him in halter so he can compete with the big heavy stallions or do we leave him where he is. You have seen them, pushing themselves to the trot and lugging along. My decision is to leave him where he is. I want the horses to be PERFORMANCE horses, not pasture ornaments. So he might look light next to one of the heavier horses. But, he can move with fluidity and lightness on the forehand.

It is great to have the judges agree that Stillwater Gypsy Vanners have great conformation by their placements in the Halter Classes and you will see our youngsters in those classes at the shows. Dj has been there and done that. Now we will be concentrating on his performance training and loving his great babies! He has passed on conformation and movement to all of his outstanding foals. We could not be happier!

In hand and halter classes as a youngster and performance classes as a mature horse - that is Stillwater Farm's philosophy regarding our show horses.

I'm hungry, gotta go.......

It's finally Spring here in the mountains of North Carolina. On May 15th we can finally start the garden! All of the babies are doing great. Mommas are loving the new grass and the babies are loving the sunshine. Deja Blue and Pearlie King are home and will be picking up their dressage training with our new trainer, Daisy Fouts. Daisy was most recently in Chicago and now she is permanent fixture here at Stillwater Farm. Kim has p0lished up on her baby training skills and we hope to make some videos of the babies and their progress through the trust skill training and basic manner training. We love for our babies to be confident and solid in their foundation. Whether we keep them or they go to a new forever home, those skills remain with them and are built upon as they age. We will be going to some all breed shows later in the summer and I'll keep you posted on our calendar. In the meantime, if you find yourself near Cashiers or Highlands give us a call and schedule a visit. We would love for you to meet all the horses in person.

We take breeding very seriously at Stillwater Farm. The mares and stallions are carefully matched to produce the outstanding Gypsy Vanners that Stillwater Farm is known for. We are now on our fifth generation of breeding within our master plan and we could not be happier with the results. Deja Blue is a known entity and we know nicks well with our mares. Pearlie King was our unknown until this year. His first baby is Tia's amazing Pipa. With Pipa, Pearlie King has earned his place among the Stillwater Stallions. How lucky we are to have these top producing boys and our amazing herd of broodmares.

Not even a snow storm could keep Richard from leaving early this morning to head back to Virginia with D'Jango and SWF Summer's Roses are Red Violets are Blue aka "Violet". The Dean's already have one Stillwater Farm Gyspy Vanner, Traveller, {image_2} a handsome Annie Rose baby. Now they are upping the ante with the purchase of D'Jango Jazz and Summer Rose's first filly, one of my all time favorites, Violet. Stillwater Farm is committed to helping the Dean's with the start of their breeding program and we are honored that Violet is going to be one of their foundation mares. {image_1}Since Richard has already claimed D'Jango as his personal mount Wendy will have to settle for gorgeous Violet as her personal pampered one. But, I don't think Richard is going to braid all the hair???

It is always bitter sweet when we sell our horses and see them leave the farm. But, as you know I am very careful about the placement of any of our babies. I had many people interested in Violet but I just didn't feel it was either the time or place. When Wendy expressed an interest it was the perfect fit for both of them. Summer Rose is the most beautiful Gypsy Vanner mare and her awards are displayed all over my office. We are so proud of her and we are very proud of her first filly by Deja Blue. Violet has big horse shoes to fill. But, I know she will be a winner just like her dam and sire.

This little cutie is from Deja Blue x Heavenly Rose. She loves to give sugar!

Tia's Princess in Pearls was born early Sunday morning. This is her first picture on Monday out in the sun for the first time. It is extremely cold. But, we wanted to get her out for a bit in the sun. Pipa obviously has no self esteem problem. She is just full of herself running circles around Tia. When all Tia wants to do is stop by her hay bag! They are so cute to watch. She has one white ear just like her sire and she looks to be brown and white like Tia. But, we won't really know until we body clip her later in the spring. In the meantime we wait on the next one due, Heavenly Rose and Deja Blue. Keep your fingers crossed that baby is as healthy and strong as little miss Pipa!

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