Thanks for the warm welcome!

NChase · 11-29-2005, 04:49 AM

Wow, you guys are great. Thanks for the warm welcome! I'm especially glad to "meet" so many other Virginia horse people. I'm not sure where to begin answering everybody's nice comments, so I guess I'll just try to take it one at a time.

joustinggirl: I'm in Buckingham, pretty much dead center of the state. Sort of near Appomatox, but mostly near a whole lot of nothing but farmland.

So, looking at your user name, do you really joust with your horses? Are you in the SCA? I used to be, for many years. In fact, it's how I met my husband.

gingerfleguel: Thanks for the compliment on my avatar. That photo was a lucky shot I managed to get of my two fillies Andromeda and Callisto on the first day they arrived at my farm.

taelesean: Hi to yet another Virginian! I know you and I at least share some of the same taste in horses, because I saw somewhere on the forum that you had posted a photo of that Virginia spotted draft cross mare for sale, "Dazzle." I had seen that ad and was seriously considering going to look at her, but someone else got there first and bought her.

What horses do you have?

version1955: Thanks for your interest in my farm! We're very proud of it, even though it still needs SO much work. Now that I've added horses to the place, I'm in the process of developing a website for my whole farm, but in the meantime you can see some photos on my sheep-specific website at http://www.inglesideicelandics.com. Just click on the "About Ingleside" button, and follow the links for "Ingleside Photos." Don't miss the photos of our views. We have the best sunsets ever!

great meeting all of you guys!

--Nancy

joustinggirl · 11-29-2005, 04:53 AM

Hey, I have been to Buckingham quite a bit. There is a jousting club there. People there have very different accents. Dropping L's and R's and drawing out A's. Very pretty over there too.

NChase · 11-29-2005, 06:26 AM

Jousting in Buckingham? Really? Where? That's very cool. I'd love to watch that sometime.

You'd probably think my accent is even more different, since I'm originally from Maine and don't talk like a Virginian at all!

stormy · 11-29-2005, 06:38 AM

Havent been on much lately with the holiday so will take time now to welcome you to the board. I will try to catch up abit on the forum so maybe today

Hope you have fun here but "Beware!" It can be addicting!

kindredspiritsia · 11-29-2005, 07:02 AM

I just checked out your website. What a wonderful place you have. So rich with history. I am in complete awe.

WYJumper · 11-29-2005, 12:17 PM

Wow, I didn't know that Virginia was so pretty! I too love your avatar, great picture.

What is the Thoka gene?

NChase · 11-29-2005, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WYJumper

Wow, I didn't know that Virginia was so pretty! I too love your avatar, great picture.

What is the Thoka gene?

Thanks!

The Thoka gene is a particular gene, found only in certain strains of Icelandic sheep, that makes them more prolific breeders. Normally Icelandic sheep give birth to twins. One copy of the Thoka gene makes them more likely to have triplets. Two copies (one inherited from each parent) makes them more likely to have quads and quints! The gene is named after the ewe in which it was first recognized.

Wow, you really read my whole website, to catch that!

appygurl · 11-29-2005, 10:11 PM

Wow! I agree w/ every one eles...what a pretty avatar!!!

comfycritter · 11-29-2005, 10:16 PM

Welcome from the Curly crew in Michigan. I love your avatar also. That is so neat!

WYJumper · 12-03-2005, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NChase

Wow, you really read my whole website, to catch that!

Yep

.

I really like genetics, my sisters and I raise Dutch Bantams ( rare in the US) so I get to do all the studying for them

.

That is really cool about the Thoka gene. I don't really like normal sheep- too foolish for me, but I would definatly take a few Icelantics.

Do your ewes that carry the leadership blood lines act different or is it just a few special individuals that happen once in a while?

What is the AI blood lines?

NChase · 12-03-2005, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WYJumper

I really like genetics, my sisters and I raise Dutch Bantams ( rare in the US) so I get to do all the studying for them

.

That is really cool about the Thoka gene. I don't really like normal sheep- too foolish for me, but I would definatly take a few Icelantics.

Do your ewes that carry the leadership blood lines act different or is it just a few special individuals that happen once in a while?

What is the AI blood lines?

AI = Artificial Insemination (more importantly, semen imported directly from the best rams in Iceland). This is important because Icelandic sheep have only been on this continent for about 20 years, with a relatively small initial gene pool The ability to do AI with imported semen is fairly new, so as you can imagine, expanding the North American gene pool with infusions of the best from Iceland results in rapid improvements in the breed.

I feel the same way as you do about "normal" sheep, but the Icelandics are very smart so I like them, even though "smart" sometimes means they can be quite a challenge.

As for leadersheep, I have one ewe and one lamb with those bloodlines. The ewe is a little more watchful and skittish than the others, but other than that doesn't seem different from the others. The lamb is the complete opposite. She'll stand forever to be skritched, and she hollers if she doesn't get what she wants. I think once she's older, she may display more leader characteristics, because she's always the first to notice something or someone new coming into the yard.

So you raise Bantams? My sister, who lives in northern Maine, has developed her own breed of Bantams, which she calls "Siberian Blue." She's selecting for solid blue-gray coloration, adaptation to the very cold northern winters, and resistance to some of the common chicken problems (sorry, I'm not a chicken person, so I forget which ones).

--Nancy

EquineAlberta · 12-06-2005, 09:33 PM

Hello, welcome to the forum!

You've been a great addition to the forum.

If you have any questions, please contact one of the moderators or administrators. Also, if you haven't gotten the chance already, please check out our forum rules at: http://www.forum.horsetopia.com/viewtopic.php?t=2969 . We're glad to have you here!

Karen2, Horsetopia Moderator

11-29-2005, 04:49 AM
NChase Long Yearling Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,114	Thanks for the warm welcome! Wow, you guys are great. Thanks for the warm welcome! I'm especially glad to "meet" so many other Virginia horse people. I'm not sure where to begin answering everybody's nice comments, so I guess I'll just try to take it one at a time. joustinggirl: I'm in Buckingham, pretty much dead center of the state. Sort of near Appomatox, but mostly near a whole lot of nothing but farmland. So, looking at your user name, do you really joust with your horses? Are you in the SCA? I used to be, for many years. In fact, it's how I met my husband. gingerfleguel: Thanks for the compliment on my avatar. That photo was a lucky shot I managed to get of my two fillies Andromeda and Callisto on the first day they arrived at my farm. taelesean: Hi to yet another Virginian! I know you and I at least share some of the same taste in horses, because I saw somewhere on the forum that you had posted a photo of that Virginia spotted draft cross mare for sale, "Dazzle." I had seen that ad and was seriously considering going to look at her, but someone else got there first and bought her. What horses do you have? version1955: Thanks for your interest in my farm! We're very proud of it, even though it still needs SO much work. Now that I've added horses to the place, I'm in the process of developing a website for my whole farm, but in the meantime you can see some photos on my sheep-specific website at http://www.inglesideicelandics.com. Just click on the "About Ingleside" button, and follow the links for "Ingleside Photos." Don't miss the photos of our views. We have the best sunsets ever! great meeting all of you guys! --Nancy

11-29-2005, 04:53 AM
joustinggirl Greenbroke Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Boones Mill, Virgina Posts: 3,389	Hey, I have been to Buckingham quite a bit. There is a jousting club there. People there have very different accents. Dropping L's and R's and drawing out A's. Very pretty over there too. __________________ Pink Tiger says \'Grrrrrr\'

11-29-2005, 06:26 AM
NChase Long Yearling Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,114	Jousting in Buckingham? Really? Where? That's very cool. I'd love to watch that sometime. You'd probably think my accent is even more different, since I'm originally from Maine and don't talk like a Virginian at all!

11-29-2005, 06:38 AM
stormy Yearling Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northwest Lower Michigan Posts: 976	Thanks for the warm welcome Havent been on much lately with the holiday so will take time now to welcome you to the board. I will try to catch up abit on the forum so maybe today Hope you have fun here but "Beware!" It can be addicting! __________________ Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

11-29-2005, 07:02 AM
kindredspiritsia Started Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Iowa Posts: 2,303	I just checked out your website. What a wonderful place you have. So rich with history. I am in complete awe.

11-29-2005, 12:17 PM
WYJumper Product Reviews & Conf. Clinic Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Least Populated State Posts: 1,342	Wow, I didn't know that Virginia was so pretty! I too love your avatar, great picture. What is the Thoka gene? __________________ Steph

11-29-2005, 10:11 PM
appygurl Coming two Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,821	Wow! I agree w/ every one eles...what a pretty avatar!!! __________________ Appaloosa--brains, looks, and temperment all in one

11-29-2005, 10:16 PM
comfycritter Halter broke Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 136	Welcome from the Curly crew in Michigan. I love your avatar also. That is so neat! __________________ Curls, Curls, and more Curls!

12-06-2005, 09:33 PM
EquineAlberta Seasoned Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 4,688	Hello, welcome to the forum! You've been a great addition to the forum. If you have any questions, please contact one of the moderators or administrators. Also, if you haven't gotten the chance already, please check out our forum rules at: http://www.forum.horsetopia.com/viewtopic.php?t=2969 . We're glad to have you here! Karen2, Horsetopia Moderator __________________ Hillside Stable, Ardrossan, AB CHT Horse Stories!