Big update...

So it's a very sad day here on the farm. We said goodbye to one of our most special horses - Lily (aka Achtung Again WF). She was born in June 1991 and like all the Again and Again offspring was a pure delight from Day 1 as a riding horse. She trained up the levels easily and campaigned through 4th Level test 3. Lily was a used as a lesson horse (easiest to sit trot and most comfortable canter EVER) and then retired to the breeding shed in her mid-teens.

In 2006 she had her first foal - Waterlily WF by Waldaire who is pictured above (chestnut). Like a typical Waldaire foal - Millie is very, very similar to her mother. So in having her - we do have a bit of Lily to keep her memory alive. :)

In 2007 she produced her second filly - Daylily WF by Dressage Royal (black). Stella is an interesting blend of her mother and DR...we are bringing her along slowly and she should be showing by mid summer.

In the spring of 2008 Lily had a terrible dystocia while trying to deliver another Dressage Royal foal. Sadly, we opted to let the black colt go and through the heroic efforts of Dr. Sarah Sprague, her husband and a few of our neighbors - we saved Lily. She recovered steadily and rejoined our riding horses after a year and a half. Last fall she went to Madeira School in McLean, VA and was a barn favorite for several months. Over the winter, she began to decline and returned home to us. So with heavy hearts we said good bye to our friend Lily earlier today.

Day in and day out - Lily was sweet natured, kind and forgiving of her riders. She was one of the rare horses that does everything she possibly can to please her rider. We look forward to bringing her daughters (and someday), their offspring along undersaddle.
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Proofs are up from Plantation's Dressage - http://conklinphotographic.com/p513036914

Have a look through and let us know which one(s) are your favorites!

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Speaking of favorites...here's a chance to help Ellie win a Photo contest on FaceBook!

From the KER page - Kentucky Equine Research
Share your foal photos for a chance to win a prize! Post your favorite foal picture by Thursday at noon (Eastern U.S.). Then get your friends to come vote before Friday at 4 p.m. The photo with the most votes will win a great prize!

So check out the foal albums HERE and email Ellie@watermark-farm.net and let her know what your favorite is! The most liked photo will be the one that is submitted to the KER Contest! If you don't do FaceBook - just browse through the farm website and let Ellie know...99.9999% of the photos are hers! :)

Thank you all so much!