Queen Elizabeth, the Sultan of Oman, and Sultanna

When this photo popped up in my Instagram feed yesterday, my thought was, "So THAT'S what the Sultan of Oman looks like!" For several years I've wondered - ever since the barn ended up with a horse named after him.

In 2014 the Sultan flew Tim to Oman so he could inspect the turf on the Sultan's golf course and advise him on pest management. (I call Tim the Canadian Cowboy but he is a highly accomplished entomologist and professor here at Purdue University.)

While Tim was overseas, Dolly, Tim's mare, surprised us all by foaling a month early.

Tim named her Sultanna in honor of his trip abroad and as a nod to the Sultan. Go here to read a little about that.

Tim has bred three foals during the ten years I've been boarding Abby with him, and he has yet to see one foaled.

He was gone when Sultanna's foal, sweet Little Feller, was born (and sadly never saw the foal before he passed away the day after birth.)

And when Snickerdoodle, Sultanna's full brother, was foaled in 2015, he was born at the stable where his dam had been bred, not with us.

Sultanna was bred again last spring. Her second breeding did not take, and we think it may not have taken again - I've witnessed her raising her tail and turning her hips and squealing at Hokey, signs of a mare in heat, not one who is in foal.

At this time, she's not telling if she is or isn't going to present us with a foal this spring. If she does, I hope Tim come up with another great name like hers. And, that he's in town and able to see the newborn foal.

Christmas Card of the Day