A Long Shot, but I thought I’d try… Can anyone out there help me find AVIATA BRIO?

Click for THE DAILY DONK (FB link)

Since I was so lucky to find my former horse, Unfaithful (Ava), I was hoping maybe if I spread the net a bit wider, I might be able to find Aviata Brio. (Tug Hill Celebrity x HVK Noble Heiress)

Aviata Brio was born on April 23rd, 2000 to Mama Tess. In that year, it was Easter morning… I remember racing to the foaling stall and watching the delivery. The birthing process fascinated (and terrified) me. Luckily, both Mama and baby were fine!

I called her, Stella (because of her red hair) and I was delighted to have another baby on the same birthdate as Tess’ very first foal, Gwendolyn.

Stella was the most athletic of all of MT’s babies – and the last filly. She could climb ANYTHING. We had to put up extra tall fencing with the rails too far apart for her to climb. If I let her loose around the ranch, she would literally climb the bales in the hayloft – scared the bejeezus out of me! We padlocked the hay room after that stunt.

Stella was affectionate and funny and powerful. She had a huge rolling trot and a big engine. When I had her in training, she was working towards the Pleasure Division.

I sold her to a client of David Young Morgan Horses before Stella had her first show.

After that, I lost touch. I do not believe she was ever shown. I know she had at least one baby while at David Young’s farm.

The last time I heard about her, my memory makes me think I saw an ad promoting her – she was in Canada. That was 2 years ago. I was not able to find that ad again, however.

IF YOU KNOW THIS HORSE, OR WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS HORSE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

She left me and then grew a ton. So, the only grown-up photos I have of her where what I could find on the Internet… Not much.

Chestnut Morgan Mare, born 4/23/2000. She is a gorgeous liver chestnut color. Her only white marking is a blaze and a snip. Her barn name is “Bree”.

She has a face just like Mama Tess – she even has the same snip… I can really see her Mom in her. Her blaze looks like a stingray with a very long tail.

Here she is, looking very plump. This was taken when she was at David Young Stables.

THIS IS A VIDEO of her baby (I don’t know the sire or what happened to the baby)… I think she was still at David Young’s Training here. Click to watch the video.

Here is part of her pedigree.

This was the latest ad I could find on her. I think this was in 2011.

I found this but I have no idea what it is. I think it is simply a registry. But, I cannot figure out how to mine it to find out who posted this.

HAS ANYONE SEEN THIS MARE? PLEASE PASS AROUND! Thank you.

JEWELRY THAT BENEFITS THE BUCKET FUND HORSES! Every sale counts! Click image to see the new pieces!

Click here for webpage, click here for Facebook!

ALL PROCEEDS GO TO OUR JANUARY BUCKET FUND HORSES!

AFRICAN Turquoise and Antique, handmade Sterling beads… Reversible with handmade Sterling charm ring! $68. Click image!

JANUARY BUCKET FUND – 20+ HORSES STARVED AND LIVING IN HORRENDOUS CONDITIONS! CLICK HERE TO READ THE STORY AND HELP!

Your purchase with Riding Warehouse through this link helps the Bucket Fund!

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth... if you like this, please pass it around!

A HAPPY STORY FOR THIS FRIDAY – at least happy for ME, personally…

Click for THE DAILY DONK (FB link)

We are all probably a little guilty of looking up an old high school friend or grade school nemesis or maybe a past significant other … on the Web.

Well, for me, I sometimes search for the horses I’ve bred, trained and sold.

(My heart goes thunk every time I say that… ‘sold’.)

Actually, that was one of the (many) reasons I got out of the breeding and showing business… I couldn’t keep them all and I couldn’t control what happened to them after they left my purview.

Anyway, yesterday, while temporarily avoiding something I should have been doing, I hunted on the Web for my horse, Unfaithful. She was Mama Tess’ 2nd foal – born in 1999. I bred her, was there when she arrived, loved her, wiped her runny nose…, took her swimming, picked her trainer and sent her off to her career. And, after she performed very well, I did what a breeder does… I sold her.

Gulp. No matter how often or for whatever reasons or to whichever perfect person… it always hurt me to sell them.

So, I find myself hunting for them – hoping I find good news.

I had looked for Unfaithful (Ava) previously, but had lost touch after her third owner…

But on this day, I got lucky!

This is Ava at two weeks old, following her dam, Mama Tess.

Ava … MT in the background.

Ava had hurt herself badly as a young filly… But luckily she recovered well. She was always very kissy.

Ava loved to show! We went to the Morgan Grand Nationals and she won her division…

And I did what breeders are supposed to do after their horse wins big… I sold her. I wouldn’t say I regretted it, but I am sad when I think of losing touch with her.

SHE WAS WITH A TRAINER IN NORTH CAROLINA!

I found Ava in North Carolina – with a Morgan trainer.

So, I looked up their website and contacted him.

To my large surprise, he wrote back almost immediately!

This is what he said:

Dawn
“Ava” is one of the lucky ones. I bought her 5 years ago and she has become my favorite horse. I hop on her and ride bareback with a halter and she’s a perfect gem. We give 60 lessons a week and a 10 year old fell in love with her so I sold them 1/2 interest. Ava is the love of her life. She takes lessons on her 3 times a week and the two of them have taken many blues in equitation and pleasure at class A shows this past year.

The 10 Yr Old researched her and showed me pics of her dam and pics of Ava as a foal. At the Southern States Regional show last May, she rode Ava and gave a speech about baking Ava her favorite cookies and ended up Youth of the Year!

I’m so pleased you contacted me, I can’t tell you how much joy she has brought to all of us, and all because you had the forsight to create her.

Cudos!

I will see the young girl this evening for a lesson , could I give her your email address? she would be thrilled to hear about Ava in the beginning and to know about her dam.

If you have any pics of her dam I would appreciate seeing them as well. I will find a recent pic of Ava and forward.

Best
Jim Paden

THE LITTLE GIRL…

And today, I received 7 emails from the little 10 year-old girl who is riding Ava. I was so happy my heart was singing! Yes! My girl had landed very well. Read this very cute email!

Dear Ms. Diovera,
Hello! This is the incredibly happy half owner of Ava who couldn’t imagine a better horse EVER!) Jim told us yesterday at my lesson, that you had contacted him. He also showed me the pictures on your blog (most of which I have already seen while stalking my horse on the Internet :D) and asked me to write to you! So, here I am! These are some pictures that I have found, where I don’t look like a total dork (this type of picture is very rare).

They look great together!

Ava was always a very happy show horse… she is still very happy! A really nice rider suitability here!

Very Nice… (and is that a proud Papa in the background??)

OH HAPPY DAY!!

My heart was singing!!

This little girl wrote to me 7 times today and I wrote back 7 times! She asked me all about Mama Tess and all of her babies. She asked about Ava’s father (DFM KEEP THE FAITH) and Ava’s full brother (Bellorazzo).

She then asked to see pics of all of Ava’s brothers and sisters. So, I sent as many as I could. I also told her about Ava’s baby and sent a pic of her, too, because Ava’s third owner (Copper Beech) had sent it to me.

And then she told me how much she loved Wrigley’s photos.

I told her that Wrigley was very special and very talented. She told me that she thought he was really cute and loved him – again.

I told her that if she worked really hard at horsemanship and all that that means… and if she was excited about the Park division, and all that that means…. and if the stars aligned… well, you just never know…

I will sleep tonight with a smile on my face.

Our January Bucket Fund horses rescued from horrendous conditions!! Please read their story here!