Owen and Sundance experience
By Owen Daly

   As relatively new stallion owners we are learning the ropes. We are very proud of our approved Swedish Warmblood stallion, L.A. BALTIC SUNDANCE.  Suzin, who got into this as a way to have an excellent horse to ride that could possibly pay some of his own way, has done her homework. She attended the Equine Breeding course at the local State University. She has worked out an agreement to allow us to collect our stallions at the Equine Reproductive Unit at the University.  I, on the other hand, have only glanced through her course material and listened to her descriptions of her adventures. I also have learned to handle 'the boys' around the farm. As you will see, I was not fully prepared for my first breeding adventure...

PART ONE:

   On Thursday we 'collected' our stallion SUNDANCE and shipped the results to our customer, a mare owner, in San Diego. She called on Saturday afternoon to say that they had received the shipment and the vet had done his thing on Friday and Saturday, but the mare was not quite 'ready' and they were pretty sure that this insemination would not take. BUT, The mare was almost ready, so if we could collect SUNDANCE again and express ship the results on Sunday, then all would be goodness.  Suzin and I had a protracted discussion about customer satisfaction vs. the rules as laid down in Sundance’s breeding contract. The special shipment as requested was totally outside the rules as signed to by both parties. There is pre-payment of collection and shipping expenses, which would not be possible. Rules specifying one week and 24 hour notice and one shipment per mare heat cycle would also be bent. Also, we were not sure that we could get all the pieces together for this fire drill.
Since our culture dictates that 'customer satisfaction' is the guiding light of the new millennium, and the fuel that keeps the financial wheels turning, we opted to go with the request.  We called the NC State Equine Reproductive Unit manager, Justine, and requested her assistance. She graciously agreed and we made an appointment to meet her at the Unit at 10:00 AM Sunday morning. We called Delta Airlines and arranged for a 'Delta DASH' airfreight shipment to leave RDU, the Raleigh Airport, on a passenger flight at 2:05 PM to arrive in San Diego at 5:37 PM. Since Suzin had lessons scheduled for Sunday morning, it would be up to me to transport the horse, assist with collection, and get the shipment to the airport.  Now I have heard detailed descriptions, and had participated in many of the aspects of this "Stud Farming" adventure, but I had not yet actually witnessed the 'collection' process in the flesh. It promised to be a new adventure.

   First thing Sunday morning we loaded SUNDANCE and I took off for the Equine version of a bordello. I arrived to find the manager, Justine, and her assistant preparing the collection instrument. (Don't ask. I could describe it to you, but you either already know about 'AV's or you wouldn't believe me.)
I asked what my job would be. Since I was clearly the least experienced of the three people present, I was told that my job would simply be to 'hold the mare'.  Have you ever seen a bullfight? Do you remember those sturdy wooden panels distributed around the edge of the bullring, which the matador may hide behind in times of stress? Yes? Hold that thought.

   Now a horse is not interested in dirty pictures and does not watch movies or TV. In order to get him 'in the mood', especially early in his breeding career, he needs the real thing, a mare.
But, allowing him full access to the mare would defeat the purpose of our little endeavor. Hence the sturdy wooden panel. In the breeding shed, the drill is to hold a mare in view of the good old boy, but discretely separated and protected by a sturdy wooden panel located just in front of the breeding dummy (AKA: 'phantom mare') the stallion is expected to mount.  The mare selected for me to hold was chosen because she was the only mare in the barn at the time. The others were turned out in the pastures. She was in the barn as a 'baby sitter' with two four-month-old foals, and was herself an innocent two year old. I should note, that while innocent at two years old, she was almost fully-grown. She weighed about 1000 pounds and is many times stronger than me. At the appointed time I led the mare into the breeding shed and behind the panel.  As SUNDANCE, the stallion, was led into the shed he was immediately aware of the mare's presence. He correctly proceeded to do his part mounting the phantom. Unfortunately, his close proximity unnerved the mare and she rapidly backed away. This movement brought her out from behind the sturdy wooden panel and into the open space in the shed. All that was protecting her from getting all the way out and loose was my rope burned hands holding her lead rope.   I suddenly understood that the simple job of 'hold the mare' was more difficult than I expected. Visions of an unplanned breeding of a heretofore-innocent mare splashed up in my head and I held on.   But these visions were not to be. It seems that SUNDANCE is a gentleman. When he saw that the mare was not only unwilling, but also afraid, he dismounted the phantom and lost interest in the whole scenario. He backed away and was led out of the shed.   I recovered the mare and led her back to her stall where she could resume her assignment baby-sitting the two foals. I trust that she will not be emotionally scared by these events.

PART TWO:

   Since we had not completed our initial assignment, we hastily developed a plan 'B'. Another mare would be needed. Justine and I tramped out to the pasture.   Justine had decided that she would use one of the older most experienced mares this time. The one she picked turned out to be way out in the pasture, about 300 yards away from the gate. When Justine called to her, she quietly turned and began slowly walking even further away. I cannot help but think she knew the job we had assigned to her.   I trotted out along the fence line and came around on the far side of the mare to keep her from wandering further off. Justine came up and put on the halter and lead rope and she followed, walking slowly, with resignation I thought, back to the barn. She knew she was just a relief pitcher being brought in to finish the inning.   We reset the stage in the breeding shed and were ready for the actors. I led the older mare to her place behind the panel. SUNDANCE was led in, surveyed the surroundings, and finding them acceptable mounted and with great effort and sweat, produced what was expected. He performed his part admirably. Exhausted, he was led from the shed.

   I led the mare, totally unphased by this activity, back out to her pasture. Justine examined the collection under a microscope and prepared it for shipment. We placed it in a specially designed cooler called an 'Equitainer' which looks like a blue plastic picnic cooler designed to hold just one large can of 'Fosters' beer.   Leaving SUNDANCE to recover in a nice spacious stall, I drove the Equitainer out to the airport and put it into the hands of 'Delta DASH' and paid them about $60.00 to get it out to San Diego on the very next flight.   I returned to the Equine Reproductive Unit, hooked up the trailer, and went to get SUNDANCE. I walked him out to the trailer and, though he was somewhat reluctant to leave, he walked aboard.   It was a 45-minute drive back to our farm, fortunately an uneventful trip. We called the mare owner in San Diego and reported our success, reminded her to return the Equitainer from Thursday's shipment and to enclose a check for this day's activities. She was quite happy to hear the collection was successfully completed and made plans to be at the airport when the new Equitainer arrived about 6:00 PM.

PART 3:

   The phone rang at about 9:00 PM, which is, by the way, 6:00 PM in San Diego. The Equitainer had not arrived. After much discussion and the exchange of shipping numbers, the Delta DASH shipping agent determined that the flight from RDU to Cincinnati, the first leg of the Equitainer route, was late and the Equitainer missed it's connection to Flight 1661 to San Diego. The next flight would arrive in four more hours and would hopefully bring the Equitainer.   Now timing in these things is critical, and getting the mare, the mare's vet, and Sundance’s contribution all together at the propitious moment is difficult. Apparently Delta DASH treats these packages like luggage, and like luggage, they routinely lose them. Delta DASH had thrown a serious four-hour monkey wrench into the works.

We now wait to see how this all comes out. Did the shipment arrive on the next flight?
(No)
Could the mare owner get back to the airport to pick it up then?
(Yes, but it did not arrive.)

Could she get the vet to come to her farm at 11:00 PM or so? Was 11:00 too late for the mare?
(Delta DASH couriered the Equitainer to the farm at 3:00 AM. The vet comes out first thing that morning. He pronounced the mare 'ready' and the timing propitious. We will see in 14 days.)

Was this whole exercise, all this effort, to be successful or a waste?

For me, the answer is in. I got to participate in the central activity in this long distance breeding process. If the mare 'takes' and produces a wonderful foal so much the better. If not, well, we can collect and ship again. I have earned my wings and have the rope burned hands to prove it.

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