Nichka 

("Nika")

Pluto Gloria II-1/Lubenka/Neesaan ++

Nika is my yearling Lipizzan/Arab filly out of my mare Lubenka by one of the highest rated Lipizzan stallions in the United States.  The entire process has been both a learning experience and a pleasure.

I first noticed Pluto Gloria II-1 ("Knight") at a Cesar Parra clinic that his wonderful owner rode him in.  He has one of the most amazing temperaments and fabulous movement.  After carefully examining his website and seeing his foals I decided to breed my Arabian mare to him.  I should mention that I knew I would only breed her one more time and I was scared  to death that something would happen.  

In June of 2001 Knight's owner picked Lubenka up and took her to her place to be bred.  Three days later she was successfully bred to Knight via AI thanks to the folks at Tahoma Vet.  Now the hard part had started- the waiting.  

Fast forward three weeks to a show on the other side of the state.  I finished my test and hurriedly found a cell phone as I knew she was being checked around noon.  "Lubenka's a... little bit pregnant" were the joyous words I heard out of Linda.  Thank goodness!!!

 At the end of September I moved Lubenka and my then yearling to my home.  She had an uneventful pregnancy complete and was moved down to Linda's farm to foal in April.  During the time that she and my then yearling were at my home I learned I would be moving to Hong Kong.  I finally had a Lubenka foal on the way, but I wouldn't get to see her grow up.  Linda graciously invited me into her home for the weekends and first part of the summer to see the foal grow up.

Around the middle of May we began Foal Watch 2002.  Linda had a foal due out of her Lipizzan mare around the same time so we were doing double duty.  The first two weekends (and a weeknight, a few false alarms, etc) I stayed in the barn- and the foal was born the second weekend!  Right after I took the sack off of her I asked Linda to check her gender.  Up until this time everyone bugged me- did I want a filly or colt???  I answered everyone with the generic answer of "It doesn't matter to me as long as the foal is healthy".  Linda answered with filly, and my exact words were "Oh Thank Goodness!".  I had always hoped and prayed for a filly out this mare, and I couldn't have been happier.

Nika was beautiful from the start, and stood in a relatively short period of time.  By the next morning it was hard to believe she was actually HERE! 

Over the next two months I spent several weekends and a few whole weeks at Linda's farm with all four of my horses.  Nika is just amazing to be around and so quiet for a young horse.