The reason I got involved with Paso Finos to begin with,
back in 1987 was because I was riding mules
and had a preference for gaited mules
(I had some Tennessee Walking Horse experience).
I had a few mules, some were of gaited breeding.
Dixie and Alexander the Great were both from TWH mares.
Neither were really *naturally* gaited,
though both were absolutely fine mules other than that.

I decided to look into other gaited breeds
of horse to investigate where I
could possibly breed my future *naturally* gaited mule from.
I responded to a few Peruvian Paso ads.
One farm had a few Paso Finos too.
I hadn't really heard of Paso Finos before then.
I ended up buying a young filly from this farm
in S.E.  British Columbia.
"Camarada" was that first filly, she was just so natural in her gait,
I couldn't believe it!
I was hooked on Paso Finos!
See Camarada here:
 Camarada's page

So, I had finally found a source for my ideal mule...
after buying the filly and looking into the breed more,
I became intrigued and decided to shelve
the mule plan for awhile and pursue Paso Finos!
I moved to the USA, where I worked in many different places-
both farms and states.
Some of the high lights of my Paso Fino involvement include:

-apprenticing for a year with Alvaro Iriarte,
of Startown Stables in Newton, N.C.;

-going twice to Europe in dealing with the Paso Finos;

-selling my Paso Fino gelding "Desvelo la Estrella"
to Gitta Poebing of  Germany in '91, when I was living in Illinois;
see Desvelo's page here:
 Desvelo

-importing several finely bred Paso Finos
from the USA to Canada as breeding stock;

-selling the very first Paso Fino
to leave the North American continent from Canada.
She now lives in Ireland
where she is an ambassador of her breed.
see Brigida's page here:
 Brigida
*********
All this time I was away from mules,
but I hadn't forgotten about them.  I was
still thinking about one day getting
that special mule from a Paso Fino mare...

I looked at a Jack in my area in '93,
he was nice, but not what I had pictured
as the sire of my future mule...

Then I joined the Canadian Donkey and Mule Association
again in early '98 to find the right Jack for this job...
I had decided that THIS was the year
I was finally going to do it!!

I quickly found out that the famous old  championMammoth Jack,
Black Bart,
was standing at stud in Alberta.
Black Bart is owned by Don and Irma Mode of Oregon state.
__________________________________________________________

Black Bart
Multi-Champion American Mammoth Jack
__________________________________________________________

I made the arrangements with Sybil Sewell of Windy Ridge Farm,
(Black Bart's agent)
to breed one of my mares.
I selected Promesa la Manana for this honour,
based on her awesome attitude,
outstanding reproductive qualities,
excellent temperment and comformation.

Promesa la Manana
Mule Mom to-be!

*********
___________________________________________________________

On July 1st, 1998, Promesa's vet,
Dr. Gary Debruin,  A.I.'ed her.
Then onJuly 13th he came back out to ultrasound
Promesa to determine if she was actually pregnant...

... and SHE WAS!!

Here is the proof!

That little dark spot between the two X's is my mule!

Baby mule should be born inJune, 1999.

*********

According to a CDMA representative,
this baby mule is the very first Paso Fino mule
on record in Canada!
This is a relatively common animal in
Colombia and other South American countries.

*********

***UPDATE!***

Flor de Maya has arrived!
She is Promesa's  mule foal, born on
May 26th, 1999!

She is showing everything
I could have possibly hoped for,
including elegance, natural gait,
superb conformation and charming personality!

...ahhhhh... Life is Good!

Come take a look at Maya's own page and pictures....

 Flor de Maya
 

Flor de Maya having a rest -  6 hours old!
 

 Go to Promesa's page

 Back to Main Index Page

___________________________________________________________________
email me
*********
Carol Merz Todd
RR3,  Nazko Rd.,
Quesnel, BC
Canada
V2J 3H7