We were to have 2 more foals in 2011 but on February 3, 2011 our old farmstead type barn (nearly  a hundred years old) caught on fire and we lost two bred mares, DOMINO and SAMMIE.  Both buckskin mares were carrying buckskin foals out of our buckskin stallion, SUNDANCE (who survived the fire though he was in the pen connected to it).  Domino was carrying a buckskin Tobiano filly, and Sammie was carrying a homozygous Tobiano buckskin colt.  Fortunately, earlier that day one of our neighbors had cleared the 21 inches of snow out of our driveway, too much for our smaller tractors, which allowed the Calhoun Fire Department to reach us and protect the rest of the buildings, fences, trailers, etc from being lost too.  Our Donkey, JULIE, had savely removed all of the sheep and goats that were in the lean-tos away from the burning barn by the time I made it out of the house.

Chiefs Scamper Domino, aka, DOMINO was my first horse.  She was given to me as a Christmas present as a weanling in December 2002 by Martin, my husband.  She had the most willing spirit I have ever seen in a horse, as long as "I" was the one asking.  She tried anything I asked of her, if I told her it was okay and not to be spooked she accepted it.  We had an awesome bond and relationship. If I lost my confidence because I was working on a younger green horse, Domino was my go to horse, she gave me back my confidence.  With Domino, I felt like I could do anything there was to do on horseback, and we were all the time trying out different things together.  We had hit the trails; rode in parades, carried flags; ponied foals, goats and calves; moved cattle;  went swimming together; raced down the gravel roads; travelled the streets of towns, ran through the woods and jumped of downed trees across the pathway' along with amultitude of other things together.  She gave me three nice foals, one of which is Pebbles, that I still own, and was pregnant with her 4th foal when she died in the barn fire.  The only consulation in losing her in the fire is that, after her death, I discovered that the foal she was carrying, just 10 days from due date, was positioned wrong and I would have lost her during foaling.  The foal's back feet were in the birth canal, and its back was down toward the  belly.  It would have to have been rolled over to even be pulled, but more than likely a C-section would have had to been performed IF it was caught soon enough.  I honestly believe that GOD knows what we can handle, and that he knew that I could handle the death of her in the fire easier than losing her in delivery.  Domino died from smoke inhalation,  unlike SAMMIE who died from the smoke and burning while still alive.

Domino was my personal riding horse.  She is enrolled in the Ride America program with the American Paint Horse Association.  She had enough hours to be considered a performance horse.  She had been used as a parade horse, flag carrier in a parade, Rodeo Security  Horse, and Search and Rescue horse.  She was tolerate kids on her back, etc., but expected me to BE HER rider!