Paint Chex (Kachina)

   1999 Mare (4-17-99)      

15.1 hands    

homozygous for black gene

Reiki Healer

Kachina is one of our most popular horses.  When she was young, she stole the foals of other mares.  In 2001 when Snickers was weaned from Lady, Snickers didn't see herself as one of the "babies." We had to take her mom to another farm and let Snickers be in the pasture with the mares. Kachina adopted her and helped her transition to adulthood. When Lady died suddenly at age 5, Snickers was VERY sad. Kachina and Lucky sort of became her parents and supported her through her time of loss.

Kachina seemed to want a foal so bad, I promised her one as soon as she was old enough.  She had her first foal when she was 4 years old with AQHA stallion, IM Magic.  It was due late February.  I had her stall all prepared to be as warm as possible for her new arrival.  Her stall had a camera so I could assist her when the time came and help keep her foal warm.  That camera probably saved her life and that of her foal.  She had trouble delivering, and I had to pull her colt.  As is was, her colt was born lifeless and his tongue was purple.  I didn't know what to do except rub him all over.  That was enough to bring him to life and he grew to be a beautiful horse. 

Reiki as he was later named by his person turned out to be all black.  This is a breeding stock Paint when the horse has one parent who is a Paint and the resulting foal is a solid color. Paint is a breed coming from Quarter Horse stock.  Pinto is a color.  therefore colored Paints are both Paint and pinto.  The fact that her colt was all black shows she is not homozygous for "tobiano," which is a Paint color pattern.  However, she is homozygous for the color black.  That means her foals will be black or black and white.

In 2008, Kachina had a second foal with Magic later named Reba.  Unfortunately, Reba was born prematurely and couldn't stand. Because I wasn't expecting the birth at that time, Reba was born in the pasture, which is fine. I just didn't see there was trouble.  When I found Reba, she couldn't stand and nurse.  I had to take her out of the pasture in the bucket of my skid loader.  Kachina patiently followed along.  Many new moms would put up a fuss or become violent under such circumstances.  I had to load Kachina and Reba in the trailer and take her to the University Veterinary Hospital in Madison.  She had less than a 50% chance of surviving.  However, she had a healing mother who stood quietly by.  Hospital staff commented at how quiet Kachina was and how unusual it was that as a new mom she was so easy to work with.  

After many days in the hospital, Reba came home.  It seemed her troubles were over and life was good.   Then about 10 days later, she had a terrible accident.  The herd of moms and babies were in a pasture next to the road.  My guess is that someone went by in an ATV and spooked them.  They all attempted to run through the gate at the same time and Reba got caught in the crush.  The pin holding the gate onto the post ripped Reba's hip out one layer away from the intestinal wall.  No one noticed from her walk if you didn't see that side.  We didn't see it until that night when all the moms and babies came to their stalls.  When Reba turned the corner and we saw her right side, there was this huge hole.  At the time we couldn't imagine what caused such an injury!  More tense days and lots of care later, Reba is all healed up with only a big scar to show for all the trouble she went through.  

Kachina continues to be a horse I use often for young children and people who have experienced trauma.  She seems to have a sense of those who are vulnerable.  She is very sweet and patient and takes good care of her riders.  Her best friend is Voodoo.  Snickers still likes being around her, and Lucky is a good friend too.  Magic especially likes her.  He too experienced her healing when another mare from another place kicked Magic in his "stallionhood."  He lost his confidence and would not "perform" with other mares . . . until Kachina!  That's how she got her first foal.