Casper's Place (Berryland's Horses)
 

We cannot talk about Berryland Farm and Casper’s Place without talking about the horses. In fact if it weren’t for the horses, we probably would not be here.

When I was 50 years old, my youngest daughter and I decided to take riding lessons at a local stable.  One thing led to another and I eventually inherited a beautiful 16-year-old domestic Arabian gelding.  His name was SD Casper.  True to his name, he was white with a gorgeous long mane and tail. Although I continued to board him at the stable he was at, the search began for a new home.  I already had a name for our new farm; it was to be called Casper’s Place. 

New addition to the Berryland Family

One of the greatest joys in life is when we are offered up treasures when we least expect them. This is truly the case with our latest addition to our motley herd.

While visiting my friend Pat Platzek in Stratford, Wisconsin, I met a mare that Pat had just acquired. Pat and her husband Dick own  El Masr Arabians and have been in Arab breeding for over 30 years. I instantly fell in love with this mare. Her name is Setepenaton. (What a great name?) She came from one of Pat's dearest friends, Marianne Hacklander, who recently passed away. I asked Pat what her plans for this mare were. She said she was going to breed her to her own stud EAI Silvereen for a 2008 baby. Pat and I came to a financial arrangement and I purchased this baby before it was even in utero. This is obviously not a sound business decision but as the saying goes "better to be lucky than smart". To say I was lucky was an understatement. May 5, 2008 at around 3 am, this gorgeous filly was born to a first time mom, Setepenaton, and to a first time straight Egyptian filly owner. Her name is Nadeerah El Hadaya which means the beautiful gift and she is all of that...

Setepenaton is a daughter of El Masr's homebred champion Shahin El Masr whose deceased sire is Australian champion Anaza El Nizr.

Setepenaton, AKA Penny, was bred by Marianne Hacklander, owner of Hadaya Arabians. She was a great lady and a lover of straight Egyptian Arabians. Penny's dam is the classic Hadaya N Nefertiti. Nefertiti is a daughter of the great Nazzer son *Ramses Fayek and out of Marianne's Ansata Nile Jewel. Jewel is one of the renowned "Nile tail female lines. These exceptional lines gave us Nadeerah El Hadaya. Her strain is Dahmah Shahwaniyah.

Nadeerah will be making her debut in June at the Pyramid Society Egyptian Event. She will be trained and shown by Desert Visions LLC and Randy Shaw.  Nadeerah is for sale. Give us a call or email us for more information.

One day a friend called and told me about a rescued Arabian on the web page of Midwest Horse Welfare Foundation.  The mare had been taken off the kill truck and was in terrible shape. Her name was Kastahna and an Egyptian Arabian.  So off my friend and I went and adopted her. Luckily, my friend had a place for her and agreed to keep her until we found Casper’s Place.  So then we had two horses and we still lived in town.

About 10 days later I got a call from the Midwest Horse Welfare Foundation saying someone had found Kasthana’s son and half sister. They were about 10 months old and in deplorable state of malnutrition…was I interested? Even though we still lived in town, I said of course and the horse count went up to four.

We decided to keep the colt and his half sister went to a friend.  We named the colt Ibn Bilal Halima, aka Kermit.  He also is a register straight Egyptian Arabian and both he and his mother Kastahna belong to a sub group call Al Khamsa--meaning that their lines can be traced to the desert. 

Kermit is now 5 years old and we have had so much fun with him.  He was never intended to be a show horse, but the more he learned, the more he enjoyed, and the more we showed him. Under the expert  training and handling of Danielle & Randy Shaw of Desert Visions LTD. Kermit won his first blue ribbon at the Wisconsin Desert Horse Futurity. In June 2007, CJ Glaza, our neighbor, friend, and amateur trainer and rider took Kermit to the Pyramid Egyptian Event in Lexington, Kentucky. We wanted to show him in performance and halter, and have a good time; we had no expectations. He and CJ did a marvelous job, received ribbons in every class they entered, and were selected by the judges to receive two special trophies.  What an amazing accomplishment.

In September of 2002, we purchased Berryland Farm and moved in the summer of 2003. We finally had a place for our growing herd of horses. Tragically, the next year Casper suffered a sudden case of colic and passed away. Although it was a very sad day, he was able to spend the last days of his life in the place he inspired.

As is always true, life goes on and we purchased Keena Bert Willie, aka Dezi.  Dezi is a registered foundation quarter horse, and her color is Dun.  Like our Arabians belonging to Al Khamsa, Dezi’s foundation breeding puts her in a select group of old breeding lines.   

She is beautiful with her dorsal stripe, and her barring on her legs, and is everything a foundation quarter horse is supposed to be: short legs, wide chest, powerful hind quarter. 

She could work cows, do ranch work and have lots of energy to spare.

We bred Dezi in 2006 to a stallion with all of the same qualities.  In the wee hours of the morning on May 3, 2007, she gave birth to a beautiful Dun filly.  It was such an experience for two city folks to be watching a filly being born.  The filly’s registered name is Dezi Dun It Right…aka Madison.  She is such a treat and so entertaining to watch grow and change.  I am not sure what her future will be, but it will be fun whatever it is.  Madison is for sale, so if you have questions about her or want to inquire abut purchasing her, please give us a call.

Last, but not least, there is Apple Jack.  AJ is an 18 year old white gelding who came to us from our friends at Midwest Horse Welfare Foundation.  His owners had taken him to the rescue because he was old, had very few teeth, and had cancer; they did not want him and they did not want to have to put him down.  So, he came to our little farm to live out the remainder of his life…that was three years ago.  We are not sure what breed he is, but if he were a dog I am sure he would be a mutt.   He is quite a guy, and he is here to stay.

So, that is our story and our herd. It has been quite a journey…one that is not over. Our horses are like our children, they are all different and we love them all.  They have become of huge part of our lives.  There is an old saying about the body of a horse being good for the soul of man.  We couldn’t agree more.