Thee, Thou, Thine

Recently, I started a small scale endeavor to find out more about Jackson's ancestory. First, let me start off letting you know that I have an amazing horse. I know this. No piece of paper and whatever it had to tell me would change that fact. And if Jackson had come with no papers, that would be alright too. I am a backyard horse owner who just wanted a good horse to have a fun, loving bond with, possibly (OK, OK, HOPEFULLY) show, and to help me meet new friends with a common bond. It seems I have gotten all of that and more! I set out by contacting his breeder Connie, but after not getting her usual reply (and I must admit I was worried, because I ALWAYS hear back from her quickly!) I contacted MiKael over at RisingRainbow who raises Arabians to see what she might know about his lineage.

Why now? Well, Jackson's Birthday is coming up, and many of you may not know this, but I am adopted. So, bloodlines and family histories hold a special fascination for me. (And YES, I have attempted to find the biological parentals, with no luck...). So...I figured I would try to find out all I could about my horse! No matter what, ultimately, it did not matter to me. If I found out his bloodlines were, well, not good, I just wouldn't care all that much. But it appears that this is far from the truth! Below I will post various e-mails between MiKael and I, and then the one I got from his breeder about two days ago! Now, the information I have so far is strictly regarding the Arabian side of his lineage--his papa's line. The Arabian Horse Assoc. only shows his mother's name (The Thorougbred line), but she is Jockey Club registered. Next, I will need to contact or join the Jockey Club, and then find someone who knows MUCH about TB's. Anyone willing to join in the fun, let me know! Below, you find a sad rendering of his papers, but the big names (if you are an Arab fan, may pop out at you), just click on the certificate if you want to actually read the names. They meant nothing to me, so I was happy for the help from MiKael and Connie!

Reply from MiKael--
Does this horse have a big trot? Looks like maybe he should. Seems to me The Fireman was either a high powered park horse or a high powered english pleasure horse. The very top of his sire line looks very well bred. I don't remember the specifics on Negatiw but you can't go wrong there. Then that Bask. Bask was an import from Poland.

The Lamara part looks maybe egyptian to me. Disaan, Rusaan, I think are actually related to one of my broodmares. I'd have to double check but Bey Aana's dam was Rusaana and I believe she was by Rusaan. I been told that part of my mare's pedigree is egyptian.

Looks to me like he's very well bred on his top side. No slouches in the pedigree that I can see. Although I don't know all the horses, the ones around those I don't know are so well bred, I suspect the unknowns are well bred too. It is just the lower female line I know nothing about.

Hope that helps. Am curious about the trot. Not all Bask bred horses trot but it's curious to see which ones do and which don't.
MiKael
Rising Rainbow Arabians

My reply back asked her what exactly she meant by a BIG trot! Not being an Arabian expert, I had questions about that... I sent it from my phone while half awake, and can't access it, but that was what I asked. I did call my trainer Alison, who knows A LOT! She thought MiKael was talking about that big show trot that is used in the VERY Arabian classes. She has no doubt he can do it, but emphasized that in dressage and jumping, that is NOT what we are looking to get.

And MiKael's reply to me:
For me a big trot would be a natural thing that could be cultivated into the big show trot the saddle seat horses do on the Arabian circuit if that's what was wanted. While how a horse is shod can affect that, those horses usually have it naturally. Some that have it can't maintain with a rider on their backs.

Bask was a park horse (the biggest most animated gaits of all saddle seat horses) and as I already told you I thought The Fireman was either park or english pleasure (english would be down a notch from park. The horses from those lines are known for that.

I would think maybe being crossed with a TB would tone down the natural trot some and add more length to the gait. That longer gait would be more suitable for dressage that's for sure.

Now let's see if I can define "big trot" for you. I guess the big trotters pick their knees up high, sometimes with knees even chest level or above, rolling their feet underneath and then out in an animated dramatic motion. From behind you get animated hock action as well (height as well as extension). The horses drive underneath themselves deeply enough their front ends lift off the ground giving them more "room" for that big rolling talk in the front end making them look like they are travelling uphill somewhat. The bigger the trot the more uphill the movement. I'm sure those who are experts with big trotting horses would have more to say but that's what comes to mind for me.

The horses who have this big trot will usually do it loose when they are excited. Most of my horses here can trot level when animated. There is lots of park in my pedigrees. However, that's not what we train for either. And even if we did, most of my horses probably wouldn't qualify for park or english but a handful might be country english. Dressage would be right up their alley as that's more the type of movement I am breeding for.
I'm glad I could be helpful with your horse's pedigree. That's not always the case. There are lots of pedigrees I know very little about.
Good luck in your search with the jockey club. Is your horse Sweepstakes Nominated? If so, there are sport horse and dressage classes on the Arabian circuit that are payback classes that might interest you at some time.
MiKael

Me:
Jackson definitely does not do this that I have ever seen. Not even while out trotting about riderless. Could it be cultivated? Maybe. My trainer thinks so. But as I said, I am not going in that direction. I will now be scrutinizing Jackson's trot at liberty to see if I see those movements, but I am pretty sure I have not! So, I guess the TB in him chased it away, perhaps! :) Oh. And I will now REALLY sound dumb. Sweepstakes Nominated? I have heard of this of course, but I don't think Jackson is. But if it's something you would apply for, then he wouldn't be, because he has not been on the show circuit! Those of you who may know, please send me information on this if you have it, I don't want to bug MiKael with my dumb questions anymore! :O)

And then... YAY! I finally got a reply from Connie which was great, because I was a bit worried! I forgot I had her phone number, or I would have just called!!!

Connie's (Jackson's breeder's) reply:
Sorry, I haven't been on line in a while because of the income tax deadline for the business. It's so good to hear from you! Buzzy was foaled 1-13-82, bred by James or Bette Batchelor in Olympia, Washington. By the way, he really likes apples but mostly gets carrots. He's pure Polish. Bask, and the Buzmen were highly popular and expensive imports from Poland. Some of his owners were: Jane Short from Katy Tx purchased him 6-1-84 to breed the half arabian pinto as he is a registered pinto sire; Sylvia Whitmore from Prineville, Oregon purchased him 9-20-82; Deanna Harville from Alvin, Tx purchased him 12-2-88; Jim Hendrickson from Silver Oaks Ranch, Flatonia, Tx purchased him 7-23-95, then we bought him 10-23-95. He has been a very important part of our family ever since and we have about 30 babies or so; 2 we still have and the rest sold. He's still doing great!
Connie

And now...never before posted picture of....Jackson's Daddy! Lamaras Firebusz a.k.a. Buzzy...
Wow! Look at his conformation! He was 28 this past year, and still a FIREBALL! He is now retired at Connie's ranch, and it is past time for me to go and spend some time with her!

 
 

And Jackson and his mama.... This picture has my heart!  Thanks for these Connie, they mean so much!!!
 
Registered names: IB Jackson and IB Jacks (mama). Not sure what the IB stands for....Gotta find out about mama's side to find out I think!!! Jockey Club here I come!! But bottom line, it looks like my Jackson man is 1/2 Polish Arabian, although MiKael's comments about the Egyptian parts are noted too.... and TB!

This has been a  fun thing to find out about Jackson, and family histories are cool as! I don't have my own, but I am finding my horse's! It would be interesting to find out if there is a service out there that does the family tree lookups for horses, like you can have done on human family names! Hmmm. If not, maybe I can start a business!!! If anyone out there has advice, opinions, or knowledge, don't hesitate to comment!

Late entry: Thanks to one of my fellow bloggers (and Connie)! for finding and sending Jackson's mama's pedigree for me! Equineline.com will give you the info. regarding your registered TB for those of you who may want to do your own research! I now know through more research, that he has a pretty amazing bottom side as well! Champions in his background include: Mahmoud, Alibhai, Bull Dog, Nasrullah, Royal Charger, Princequillo, My Babu, Migoli, Majideh, and Gallant Man! I have been reading a work of fiction titled 'Horse Heaven' by Jane Smiley about TB racing, and wouldn't you know, so far THREE of the above horses have been mentioned! Quite a little thrill went through me when I found them in print in a (wonderfully entertaining BTW) work of fiction! As soon as I saw each name, I would be like, "Is that?" and run to take a gander at J's momma's pedigree. Then I would do a little dance when my memory did serve me correctly, for no reason other than that is just SO COOL!