Just a little story of mine I thought I would share. So I have this cowbred gelding I trained and have ridden for the last 5 years. He's won and placed at prorodeos against the toughest teams going as a heel horse, also a nice head horse and is a pretty decent barrel horse who most recently won a jackpot against respectable competition in our area. 

He will also babysit my 4 year old daughter. Big plus.

I tracked down his breeder a year or so ago because I figured he would enjoy hearing about this good all around horse he bred. Also to see if he had any more colts for sale bred similar. I sent videos and photos a list of his accomplishments. I guess I was a little dissapointed when he didn't seem super impressed. Rather, he just wanted to know if we did any team penning/sorting on him.  Maybe roping/barrels aren't his thing??  LOL

Different strokes for different folks.

I'm sorry you got that reaction. I'm the opposite. I LOVE hearing horses I raised or trained are still out there sound, doing their job and are appreciated by their owners.  That's the kind of thing that keeps me going.  For instance, in 2008 I got an email from someone whose daughter age 9 was riding a gelding I raised and trained. He was 19 and was still running 19 second pole runs. I sold him when he was 6.  That was a thrill for me.  Another mare that I raised and trained, sold at 6 years old was 21 and still packing a little girl around the speed events in 2017. They loved her. 

Well they are just a party pooper then. 

We also LOVE hearing from people that have our horses and their success stories---it recharges our batteries and lets us know why we do this crazy breeding thing.

A few years back I lost one of my Sun Frost daughters WAY before her time and sure shouldn't have. I was beyond distraught and on the verge of hanging it all up. Little while later I got a call from a customer saying how much they loved their colt and it pretty much saved the whole deal---I was ready to hang it up.

As a breeder, I love hearing about the horses I raised no matter what it is they're exceling in. Of course I would hope they make it as barrel horses, but if that horse goes on to fulfill it's purpose for someone, that's pretty exciting.

I got a call last week that a colt I sold by Chasin Firewater out of a DTF daughter completed a mounted patrol course last week and as a 5 yo did better than most of the aged horses there. I thought that was pretty cool! He is also a 2D/3D barrel horse, so it's cool he's not a 1 trick pony.

Back when I sold those two horses there was no facebook.  Now I try to stalk the people who have babies from my program.  LOL  Just saw pictures from last weekend of one that is by my JOH stud and o/o a daughter of my best ever barrel mare.  I LOVE the people who post pics and allow me to stalk them. 

Now.

When she was a baby.

The filly she's photobombing is a 3/4 sister who is also a granddaughter of my best barrel mare ever.

I sure love hearing about my babies. I have one who should be a barn burner who is learning to do pleasure. Not in a peanut pusher level but more like ranch stuff pleasure. Plain tack, more natural carriage. But he's with a wonderful young girl and a good trainer so I'm thrilled that he found a good home and life. He's the one I had to do an emergency episiotomy on his momma with one foot coming out of both exits during birth. 

Another I got a sad call. My first orphan got a cut on his leg and after surgery was doing good, but it had retained just enough of something to cause an infection and he could not go through a second surgery. So they had to put him down. This wasn't fun news, but the worst is that Spiderman brough his human forward in so many ways. She was a special needs young lady and he and she were a terror on the trails and in speed events in NJ for many years. 

I want to know, good or bad. Not knowing is no fun. 

I guess some people just dont care asmuch as others. My older horse's breeder and i are friends on fb and so she sees how hes doing. Even before fb came out i would send her a christmas card with a picture of him. They enjoyed getting one. Hes 23 this year and still running strong. I wish i knew who my other geldings breeder is but unfortunately never got papers. And my babys breeder is a fb friend so she sees everything as well.

Obviously you are doing something right for them to still be going and working out so well for the little ones. That is super cool! 

Agree :)

Oh my! Sorry that you lost her, but happy you got that phone call at the right time!

That is very cool!! I think it shows also that horses with those lines arent just "crazy barrel horses". I have the same outlook as you. I would be proud of any horse who did well for someone. Whether it be a horse that takes care of a kid, or one that ended up in the bucking string for a stock contractor (as long as they were good at it. :)

Good looking babies! What part of the world are they in now?

We don't really breed but ride and sell several a year and I absolutley love to hear how they are doing. 

The filly in the barrel pic is in western Washington.  100ish miles north of me. The other is in Idaho.  I think the young lady that bought her from my buyer is now married with a child and they turned her into a broodmare.  I shoot for horses that at the very least they are a sound, smart, quiet horse that anyone can love, ride and do most any job on.  That way if they don't succeed at speed events, they still have a good home with someone who will love them. 

The guy’s probably just not a good communicator. I’m sure he was thrilled to hear how well you’ve done with a horse he bred!

I was thinking that probably is a lot of it. He is an older fella, doesn't use facebook too much, and from what I can tell maybe just isn't a man of many words. I still send him updates anyway. I hope it brings a little joy to him.