She was an equine Greta Garbo

[Grits]

At DRF, a fine story by Glenye Cain Oakford on Claiborne's turning 100. She writes about mares like the great Moccasin and Personal Ensign and stallions, Mr.Prospector, Danzig, and the immortal Secretariat.

Storytelling at its best. And a thank you to Ms.Oakford.

This would be, to me, a fine place to grow up. Really, really fine. No wonder employees remain throughout generations.


An excerpt:

Personal Ensign, who died earlier this year, is the most famous Claiborne mare in recent years. The daughter of a Broodmare of the Year − Grecian Banner − she arrived at the farm in 1988, an undefeated 4-year-old so fractious she could hardly be shod. Eight years later, she became a Broodmare of the Year herself after her daughter My Flag won her fourth Grade 1 race. In 2000, My Flag foaled a champion, Storm Flag Flying.
Koch said Personal Ensign was one of the bravest horses he has known. As a racehorse, she overcame a fractured pastern that required her to take nearly a year off before continuing her 13-race winning streak. As a broodmare, she nearly died of peritonitis. The same illness killed her dam, but Personal Ensign fought through it and survived. She was, Koch said, an equine Greta Garbo.

"She was aloof," he said. "Her whole life, she was a mare who did not want to be bothered. She wasn't a mare you could ever get very close to, but she was an exceptional mare."

Thinking back through the generations to be born and give birth in Claiborne's wooden foaling barn, Koch said: "It's families. That's what striking to me about my career at Claiborne. There are so many good families, and the families are so deep. That was the unique thing about my career out there. To be around all those families and watch their traits come out generation after generation, it was special."

[joanied]

A wonderful read...and I never get tired of stories about the broodmares...maybe if one hasn't spent time with them, they may not understand...but once you foal out a mare, her trust in you becomes incredible, and the bond you form with broodmares is completely about trust and love...and they 'let' you share their babies...what could be better than that

[Grits]

46 reads but no real interest.

Joanie, I was waiting; I knew you'd love the story. Sometimes, what one feels a great read, the next might not. And that's surely OK.

Its pretty amazing to realize, not only how many horses Claiborne has been responsible for--but too, how many families have lived and worked with them on their farm.

[Pace Cap'n]

Reckon all those families were born in the foaling barn?


"Thinking back through the generations to be born and give birth in Claiborne's wooden foaling barn, Koch said: "It's families."

[born2ride]

Originally Posted by joanied

A wonderful read...and I never get tired of stories about the broodmares...maybe if one hasn't spent time with them, they may not understand...but once you foal out a mare, her trust in you becomes incredible, and the bond you form with broodmares is completely about trust and love...and they 'let' you share their babies...what could be better than that

I was thinking the same thing. A friend of mine had a rescue horse that was in foal when she came to her farm. The mare was aloof and afraid, but once my friend helped her foal her colt she trusted my friend like she'd been with her for years. It was incredible to watch. What an amazing thing to see the personalities and traits being handed down from generation to generation. Wow.

[Linny]

Glenye is a great writer and a woman with a great appreciation for the horses and the people involved intheir breeding and raising.