#BOE Solvei

[brokenonyxestate]

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING BLUE, SOMETHING NEW

Two new horses has arrived at Black Onyx Equestrian today! First one is our new boarder, which coincidently also is a woman from our staff, Nicolette Anderson. The new horse is her own private horse, recently bought from Patchwork Rescue Farm before it closed down. Her name is Solvei, and she is an Iceland Horse.

As the horse already know some of our other boarders (Old Man and PRF Patches) I predict it to be easy to make her a part of the boarding herd.

The other horse that has arrived is a still young gelding with the name of BOE Kismet's Keener. He is an offspring of ours from years ago. As Luna BlueLake couldn't keep him anymore due to downsizing - and she has been his owner since he was a foal - we accepted to take him back to our stable.

Sunny was the first one to meet him. She is also the gelding's mother. As they met they seemed to kinda recognize each other. I am looking forward to let our other Shetlandspony, Kaki Golden, into the pasture too. But even if he is the sire of Keener, he is so very spicy, and not easy to introduce to new pasture mates, so that will be a job for later.

FEATURING: BOE Sunny Day, BOE Kismet's Keener, BOE Solvei & Nicolette Anderson

[stallnorheim]

OFFSPRING - SIGYN FRÁ UPKEEP PART 2

When I asked @rosakajo if she had any horses for sale (which she hadn't so she offered me an offspring, as I love Icelandic Horses and not many has them), she asked me the same (which I hadn't either) and offered her the same in return. And so the idea of Sigyn frá Upkeep was created.

She wanted a baby after my Raudur frá Upkeep x BOE Solvei, and that's what she got. Raudur turned out to be carrying silver, and so a baby girl with Silver was created - a Silver Bay mare. She has minimal markings like her mother, and the mind of both, though mostly her redhead dad/sire.

She is energetic, tons of boundless energy that she likes to spend in trot or canter/galop, she hasn't yet mastered Tölt, even if both of her parents' tölt very well, so I am sure her future rider just have to find the right buttons, even if it doesn't come natural to the mare.

Being a blonde born after a redhead she has a temper, and is definitely more hostile than docile. Even then she is also a very social horse, and loves spending time in the pasture with likeminded horses as well as with the human/humans in her life. Her expressive brown eyes, like her mothers', tells you stories about how she feel and also what she wants - which she sometimes underlines with a headtoss.

If you want to teach her anything, you have to play it into her. She does not take kindly to punishment, and will definitely buck you off, when you are to hostile towards her (which is funny as she herself is quite hostile). So make it a game to teach her new things, and she will learn quicker than most horses!

[stallnorheim]

OFFSPRING - SIGYN FRÁ UPKEEP PART 1

SOFFÍA'S POV

This morning Upkeep's first Icelandic Horse baby has been born. She was bought by @rosakajo, even before she was born, Rosa was even the one choosing who to be the sire of BOE Solvei's baby. We were just happy that she gave birth to a baby girl in a lovely colour. We did not know that Raudur (frá Upkeep) carried Silver, but now we don't have to get him tested I guess xD

Anyways, she was born very early this morning, though not so early that I wasn't in the barn. I have been watching her closely over the last few days, even had a video camera put up in her foaling stall, so I wouldn't miss the birth of Solvei's first baby.

The only one watching the mare more closely than me was Nikolette Anderson, Solvei's owner, who allowed us to breed her mare with our stallion by Rosa's request.

So when I was walking around in the barn, I heard noise from Solvei's stall in the other end of this big barn. I checked the video camera that I had connected to both mine and Nikolette's phones, and saw that Solvei had laid down, and was panting heavily.

While running towards the stall (and this barn was the biggest of all of our barns of course) I speed dialed Niko, and yelled to her:

"SHE IS FOALING!"

"SHE IS?!" was Niko's reply, as a lot of noise from the background, probably Niko putting on her boots and stuff, was heard.

"YEAH! Come on, you don't wanna miss this!" I told her, as I reached the stall, then I hung up.

I opened the stall door as slowly and quietly as I could. Solvei was laying on her side panting, but nothing seemed out of the normal. She was clearly pushing, and wasn't that out of breath, so I wasn't worried.

"Hey Sol," I murmured to the mare, as I slowly moved closer as to not spook her.

She lifted her head and looked at me, then let it fall to the ground again, clearly pushing hard! Then Niko showed up. She too was panting, almost more than Solvei, and clearly struggled with not exclaiming anything too loudly to spook the foaling mare.

"Am I too late?" she panted in a whisper to me, and looked towards the mare as she entered the stall too.

"No, no, I think it will be soon though." She nodded to me, and sat down on the stall's shavings. I sat down beside her, letting her stroke the mare's head, as she told her how good she was.

"You are so good, Sol. You got this!" she told the mare, and scratched her forehead.

The mare just panted and pushed real' big this time. A wet, loud noise was heard, and she pushed more. A muzzle peaked out of the bottom of the mare.

"That's it, my girl. A few more pushes!"

"You can do this, Sol!" I cheered her on, but let Niko be the one touching her, even if I really wanted to. This was big for Niko. This was Solvei's very first baby while she had been Niko's.

A few more pushes, and I moved to the back of the mare, touching the fine layer of film over the foal.

"One more push, and she will be out!" I told Niko, still in a whisper though slightly louder.

"Push, girl, push! One more time!" Niko encouraged the mare, and with another wet sound and a plop, the little baby came out.

I let Solvei open the film, and with bathered breaths (both Niko and I), we listened and then heard the baby take it's first breath. It was amazing, and then we could finally breathe again, as the baby whined, as the mother was cleaning her thoroughly.

It was a little girl.

Soon after the baby girl got onto her legs to stand, mama Sol still cleaning her coat from any residue. Seeing the baby stand was possibly one of the most wonderful experiences in my life. Probably of Niko's life too. It will definitely be hard to see her go, but she has been promised to Rosa, and we can't keep every horse we have bred after all ^^'

A few days later the baby had been named, and had gotten her first halter. Niko had bought it herself with her own money, I couldn't have hindered her, even if I wanted to.

Already here on day three she escaped the stall while I was mucking out the stall (which it really needed by the way). Solvei looked worried after her, as she couldn't follow her the wheel barrel was in the way. And because the baby hadn't been lead by her halter yet, or even by a rope in the halter, I decided that letting Solvei out too would be better.

As soon as I did so the mama lead her baby back to the stall, by grabbing the halter with her teeth. It was fun to watch.

Oh, and she has been named Sigyn. Sigyn frá Upkeep.

[stallnorheim]

S-SHOW FEBRUARY 2024

Hofna frá Upkeep ridden by Nikolette Anderson at Gæðingakeppni doing Pace

BOE Solvei ridden by Nikolette Anderson at Gæðingakeppni doing Tölt

[stallnorheim]

TWO DOWN, THREE MORE TO GO! (OR)

Nikolette's POV

Well, technically only two foals was born today. The last baby was born yesterday when we were fortunate to not have snow, so this is not three snow pictures in a row sadly d:

Anyways, first baby up (showed by my love Soffía) is the only tobiano and the probably only dun of the total bunch. His name is Fákur frá Upkeep, and he is after Floki fra Ísdalur and Upkeep's own Kolubleik frá Upkeep! He is Grulla Tobiano (Ee aa Dd nT) and a colt.

He is a spunky little fellow, most energetic and not that gentle. He is not a big pack animal, and prefers to be alone, though he has bravery enough for three fluffy foals!

Next one is Reginn frá Upkeep. He is after Raudur frá Upkeep and Blágrána frá Upkeep. He is a guarantied grey as his dam is a Grey GG mare, and we will be very sad to see that lovely Liver Chestnut (ee AA Gg) coat grey, but well... what is Upkeep Tölter's next generation without a foal that is greying with time?

And then there is the only girl as of yet. Please welcome Sibba frá Upkeep (owned by me personally) with her mother BOE Solvei (also owned by me). Her sire is Apall frá Upkeep that I was lucky enough to be allowed to use as stud for Solvei's second and last foal.

She is such a little star, but knowing her father I know that she will grow into a grey coat by the time she is an adult, which kinda sucks as she is the spitting image of her mother right now. But we will see, we will surely love her anyway! Oh the joys of using a Grey GG stallion! xD

Being Solvei's baby she is of course mostly calm and collected and very friendly. She is also very outgoing and loves being amongst the other horses and foals.

And then a single picture - with a pretty rainbow! - of Reginn being annoying, Sibba being annoyed and Fákur being his usual curious self, late to the party as always xD

[stallnorheim]

WHAT ARE WE?

Nikolette's POV

It's slowly getting colder and colder, that much is clear. We haven't had snow yet, but it's only a matter of time. I love being beside my love, but had to talk to Rossi before going on a hack with her and my daughter.

"Rossi?" I asked, watching him train his horse in the arena. It was clear that it would soon be time for Dynamix to wear a blanket, as his coat wasn't exactly thick enough for the weather yet, and he has only just arrived from a much warmer country.

"Yeah, Niko, what's up?" He rode towards the gate, stopping his grey gelding just in front of me, so we could talk.

"Not to meddle or anything, but maybe you should think about clipping Dynamix and giving him a blanket? It's getting quite cold, and they are talking about snow very soon," I threaded carefully, knowing that I didn't exactly know Rossi that well yet, and had to approach a topic like this with a gentle, caring tone of voice.

"Ah, you are right. I hadn't exactly realized that it had gotten this cold yet," I sighed in relief that he didn't take my words the wrong way, then he added, "By the way... you and Soffía... are you? Together?"

"I guess, you could say that. We aren't official as such only exclusive, but I know that I love her," I confessed, a hand over my heart, feeling it beating hard at the thought of Soffía.

"Ah, gotcha! Just wanted to... understand you and the other staff better," he scratched his neck kinda awkwardly, and patted Dynamix' neck.

"Yeah..." I replied, smiling just as awkwardly before adding, "Well, I'll go on a hack soon. I'll see you later?"

"Sure!" He waved at me, before continuing his training.

Going on the hack with my love and my daughter was nice. Normally I am not the one to ride Kolubleik, it's mostly Peyton, my daughter, who rides her, but I wanted to do a ladies' ride, so onto Kolubleik's back I went.

Soffía and I paced silently in front for a while, not one word was spoken. It was nice to just enjoy the nature around us and the horses beneath us, but I wanted to ask Soffía something.

I didn't get time for that before Peyton passed us in a fast canter on her/our private horse Solvei.

"See you at the top!" Peyton laughed as she passed us.

I slowed Kolubleik down into a tölt, and Soffía did the same with Hofna. Tölting for a while, feeling completely safe with Peyton disappearing in the distance, as she knew the way home by heart, I then began speaking.

"Soffía?" I said, barely over a whisper, but realized she couldn't hear me, so I spoke a little louder: "Soffía?"

"What is it, Niko?" she replied, turning her head towards me with a smile, which made me blush deeply.

"It's just... what are we?" I spoke the words slowly and carefully, trying to rule out every misunderstanding.

"What we are?" She looked puzzled for a second, and then laughed nervously, "We are... what you want us to be?" It sounded more like a question than an answer.

"And if I want us to be partners? In a romantic manner I mean?" I asked, chewing at my bottom lip.

She reached over, touching my cheek.

"Then is that what we are?" I struggled a little, asking again.

"That's what I want, and if that's what you want too, then that's what we are," she smiled sweetly at me, stroking my cheek, as we both brought our horses into a halt.

"It's what I want," I replied with a big smile, and she leaned over to kiss my lips. This was definitely a good day, even if we got snow tomorrow.

[stallnorheim]

STALL NORHEIM GENERAL INFORMATION

STAFF

COMING UP!

HORSES

Icelandic Horse

Gyllír frá Norheim, Floki fra Ísdalur, Vopni frá Teitur, Fákur frá Norheim, Reginn frá Norheim, Haléggur frá Norheim, Drangur frá Norheim, Gullver frá Norheim, Hofna frá Norheim, Kolubleik frá Norheim, Sibba frá Norheim, Hamradis frá Norheim, Visla frá Norheim, EMS Bleikja, Muska frá Teitur, Hátign fra Ísdalur

[stallnorheim]

THE LADIES

[stallnorheim]

SAY HELLO TO NIKOLETTE AND PEYTON!

Please welcome two new staff members: Peyton and Nikolette Anderson. They are mother and daughter, and has boarded their horse BOE Solvei at our facility.

While Nikolette is new to Icelandic Horses, Peyton (the daughter) is a little bit more experienced with those, since she has ridden quite a few of them back in Denmark at a place near her father's house.

Nikolette, or Niko, was born and raised in Australia, and hasn't had much contact with the breed before she moved to Denmark, and fell in love with the small black mare Solvei and had to own her. So she is still learning, but eagerly so!

Today I tested Peyton's basic riding abilities, with her mother Niko overlooking the situation. She gave her daughter some basic instructions once in a while, but otherwise Peyton was doing it by herself.

She is clearly an experienced young rider, and a very good addition to our small staff team!