This message is from: Mary Thurman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
--- Bushnell's <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This message is from: "Bushnell's" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > We appreciated your posting about Rusten, Jennie. I agree with Ruthie and Jennie. When we first bought Line and brought her down from Canada we were hard pressed to find a good stallion to breed her to. There were only two - or three, if you count a young stallion of questionable ancestry that a young man up on the Penninsula north of us was trying his best to get us to breed to or buy - in our "area". "In our area" is stretching things a bit, as there was only one stallion 50 miles away and then there was Rusten, about a ten or twelve hour drive away(depending on road conditions). After looking at our prospects it was very obvious that Rusten would be the "stallion of choice". We were never sorry for our choice, and continued to breed Line to Rusten until she was too old for foaling. Rusten and Chip sort of came as a "pair", for which we were extremely grateful! We knew nothing about Fjords, plus we were in an out of the way location. Chip was nice enough to come and pick up our mares for breeding - he even brough Rusten out here one spring when there were a few other mares scattered around a couple of counties for Rusten to be bred to. We have even been known to meet in the parking lot of the truck stop in Ellensburg and transfer mares from one trailer to the other for the trip "home" or "out" - depending on which ones were coming or going! Believe me, that is a busy place with BIG rigs coming and going (very noisey). The truckers were always a little amused - and amazed - that the horses calmly went from one trailer to the other amidst all the noise and confusion. We have found Rusten's foals to be just what we wanted. Line is a little light in the rear end and too straight in the hocks. Rusten is very correct in those areas, plus has more wither than she has. The foals seemed to inherit the "best of both". Plus, because both parents have good heads, we never had a problem with what we call "Belgian heads". Rusten's kind, willing, friendly attitude came through with his foals - plus his energy, in some cases! I now own a four-year-old gelding that is a grandson of Rusten. He is the "spitting image" of Rusten - right down to the wavy forelock, huge wavy tail, and tendency to "circle" his pen (or stall). This gelding is very friendly - would never think of nipping or hurting us, but he is "mouthy" and loves to lick hands(which comes from Line, I guess). This is one farm that is deeply indebted to both Rusten and Chip for the well-built, good-minded horses we have produced/still own. Rusten is one of those stallions who consistently produces "good" - and may I add "useful" - offspring. Remember: A pretty horse is no good if it's personality renders it useless. Mary ===== Mary Thurman Raintree Farms [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com
