From My Kitchen Window: A Plan and A Purpose

As a breeder of performance horses for many years, I can tell you, most assuredly, that many of the breeds as we see them today, in the show ring and in magazines, are very different from what they were decades ago. Selective breeding, plus the import of foreign bloodlines, has largely changed the the horses from their foundation stock. Some folks say improved, but other folks say “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” Like the Foundation Quarterhorses, the Foundation Morgans and the Foundation Appaloosas, the American Foundation Arabian horses are different in substance, disposition and ability from their modern counterparts.

In the early 1990’s, I realized that the older bloodlines were vanishing. I began to research the finest performance horses of 50-60 years ago. One individual stood out from all of the rest. He was the Donoghue Texas-Bred Pulque++, a champion in a variety of disciplines many times over. I was fortunate to meet one of Pulque’s last remaining sons, Windfire, in 1994. We then obtained Windfire’s son and grandson, BT Sun Dancer and Mesqual, and founded the Pulque++ Preservation Program. Pulque++, Sunny and Mesqual are Early American Foundation Arabian horses, meaning that all of their ancestors were registered in the United States prior to 1944, some lines having been here prior to 1900. We also acquired mares descended from Pulque++ to cross with Sunny and Mesqual for optimal line breeding of the EAF bloodlines.

In the spring of 2004, Lov Que Soraquett foaled a big chestnut colt by BT Sun Dancer. He had four white stockings, a nice star, strip and snip and a flaxen mane and tail – just what we had “ordered.” We named him Irish Gillan HC and couldn’t wait for him to mature! The years have gone by, Gillan is now grown with personality plus and good looks. He embodies the American Foundation Arabian horse, making his ancestors of yesteryear very proud indeed, bringing what were fine qualities back then to current times. When Gillan’s training under saddle was complete, words cannot describe the feeling of riding him for the first time – a dream of 15 years coming to fruition. Gillan is everything for which we have hoped and planned.

In the spring of 2006, KA Golden Bubbles foaled a beautiful chestnut colt with flaxen mane and tail and four white stockings by BT Sun Dancer. We named the handsome fellow Honey Creek Austin who has competed well in the sport horse arena and taken to working cattle quite nicely.

We are bringing what was a great foundation back to today’s performance arena.

Hamburger Stroganoff

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons salad oil

1 cup chopped onion

6-ounce can mushrooms

1 can beef bouillon soup

1-1/2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon caraway seed

Dash of nutmeg

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups sour cream

Brown meat. Remove from skillet and pour off fat. Melt butter and oil in skillet and saute onions and mushrooms until onions are clear. Remove from skillet.

Add flour to skillet and brown. Add bouillon and blend. Stir in salt, pepper, caraway, nutmeg, and Worcestershire. Return meat, onions, and mushrooms to skillet.

Simmer all together for 15 minutes. Before serving stir in sour cream. Serve over noodles.

SERVES: 6

There will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:7

From our ranch to yours, we wish you many happy trails,