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For The Love Of Horses |
Tap The Mint It started back in the 60's when I first became involved with Thoroughbreds. I was intrigued with the number of really great horses that were from the *Mahmoud line. I started studying pedigrees and always came back to that particular line of horses that were either great runners or spectacular jumpers and steeplechasers. As it turned out I was able to breed to one of the last living sons of *Mahmoud and so was born my breeding stallion Our Last Bill, by Billings by *Mahmoud. He sired many wonderful sport horses and jumpers and passed on his incredible disposition with the talent. He was foaled in 1973 and was standing at stud until he died in 1992. At that time his son, Diamond Bill took over breeding duties here along with Our Bluebill, another son of Our Last Bill. Back in 1986 I went on a trip to Lexington, Ky and went to several of the major breeding farms there to visit and meet the stallions in person. Of course, I got to see Secretariat and was very impressed with him. Most of all though, I got to see *Grey Dawn II, a big white favorite of mine that stood at Domino Stud Farm. His fee at that time was $75,000 and he was already well into his twenties. He was such a lovely horse and I was of course, in awe of him, as he was a 'grandson' of *Mahmoud. I had my picture taken with him and will always treasure the memory I have of him standing quietly alongside me. Never did I dream that I would someday have one of his sons to treasure for my very own. It was later, in 1987 that someone told me about a stallion for sale that was a son of my old favorite, *Grey Dawn II. I even went so far as to get a printout of his pedigree and race record. He was just off the track and had earned a little over $50,000. Well, I really couldn't afford him at the time and besides I already had three stallions which was about all I had facilities for. I put the paperwork in a drawer and tried to forget about him. Years went by and I didn't think of him any more. In 1998 we lost Bluebill to a twisted intestine after 3 surgeries and I now had an empty stallion stall. While talking to someone on the Internet about Bluebill she told me she had a stallion she'd like to sell. Well, as it turned out the grey Thoroughbred stallion that she was telling me about was non other than Tap The Mint, the son of Grey Dawn that I had heard about years before. She was breeding Quarter Horses and he really didn't fit into her program being almost 17 hands and a big, lanky sort. I went to look at him and immediately knew I had to have this horse. He was in poor health, and had a leg wound that needed attention and definitely needed considerable medical treatment. Two weeks after we got him he colicked and had to have surgery. He recovered from that only to go back a couple of months later for a tumor on a testicle. We took him back for surgery and they removed the tumor and one testicle. Then he seemed to 'bloom'. Oh my, he was such a beautiful horse with his snow white mane and tail and the biggest, softest eyes. His personality was so kind and even when he got very strong and stallion like, he never, ever gave anyone the slightest threat. We only bred a few mares that season as he was still recovering from his surgery but he did get them all in foal. He spent the winter gaining weight and getting stronger. As the following Spring arrived he was breeding well and seemed to be blooming. His foals were spectacular and big and beautiful, many of them being grey like himself. As the next winter approached he was fine and healthy and we were really becoming bonded. The Spring breeding season arrived and he seemed to be losing his appetite and fretting more than usual. Finally, I decided to take him up to the clinic to see what was wrong. They gave him I.V. fluids, did blood work and palpated him to find he had a tumor the size of a basketball in his abdomen. They told us it was in-operable and to just take him home and let him breed mares if he felt up to it and as long as he is comfortable let him be. As I am writing this a little over a month has gone by and he is going downhill rapidly. He stopped eating completely no matter what we offer him. He has been able to breed a few mares although we don't know if they are pregnant yet. His attitude has remained good and not once has he gotten even the least bit 'crabby'. He's always the same sweet horse and we are just trying to keep him comfortable. Today, Father's Day 2001, we built him his own grass paddock on a field full of grass and clover. We used portable corral panels and set them up in a very big circle. He does seem to like to eat the grass so he is now out in knee deep grass with shade, water, and feed available. He seems very happy even though his body is failing him. He is swelling with edema from his hind legs to his chest and I'm sure he won't last much longer so I felt the need to write this as my heart is breaking. I do have the consolation in knowing that such a great old horse is spending his last years and last days being treated with dignity and love, so I take comfort in knowing that. When he looks at me with those big soft eyes and says he is tired of trying to continue I will make the call and have him mercifully taken, but perhaps he will be able to just lay down peacefully and do it on his own. Either way, I will feel a great loss to my heart, my breeding program, and the Thoroughbred breed in general. Lois 6-17-01 -- Lois Aichholz Oakwood Farm New Haven, MO 63068 <http://www.oakwoodfarmtb.com/> |
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STOLEN HORSE INTERNATIONAL |
