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Sun and Snow 444851

Chestnut roan mare foaled June 15, 1989
Bred by Larry D. Gourley, Grants Pass, Oregon

This chestnut roan mare did not just happen. She was carefully planned.

Some years ago Janice Siders saw the aged chestnut stallion Zari at Cal Poly, Pomona, California, after he had been returned there from University of Michigan, which had owned him since his youth. Janice saw the excellence of this fine horse and wanted to breed a mare to hm. However, before this could be done Zari died.

Janice then searched the stud books for Zari daughters, contacted several owners, and discovered two for sale. The closest one was in Grants Pass, Oregon, so Janice and Carol Mulder went to see her. The mare was Basketta, bred by the University of Michigan. This fine mare definitely met Janice's type and quality standards, and seemed a worthy daughter of her sire. Not only that, but also Basketta's 2nd dam was the Crabbet-bred *Silfretta, a most desirable mare. Janice bought Basketta on time payments from her owner, Larry Gourley.

Janice had just finished paying for Basketta when the mare died, leaving her without a foal from Basketta. Mr. Gourley, feeling sorry for Janice, very kindly offered to loan her his Basketta daughter, Rytham Mariah, a chestnut roan, so Janice could breed a foal from her. Besides her interesting roan, Rytham Mariah was also interesting because she was double Zari; she was the result of the Zari daughter Basketta going to a Zari grandson, Desert Rytham, bred by University of Michigan. Desert Rytham's sire was the new Egyptian Shaikh Al Badi, a double Nazeer grandson.

Janice chose to breed Rytham Mariah to the chestnut roan stallion Schar, bred by the McKinstrys in Colorado. Janice and Carol Mulder had seen Schar a few years before in Oregon and had liked him. He was a well built, well balanced horse, with good bone and substance. He also had a very superior trot and was extremely well bred. Both of his parents, Ramly and Scharifa, were outstanding individuals. Schar's sire, his dam, and his 2nd dam were all Gulastra on their top lines. Schar's grandsires were Rabiyas (grandson of Gulastra) and Abu Farwa (son of Rabiyas), while his four great-grandsires were Rahas (son of Gulastra), *Ferdin, Rabiyas, and Gulastra. Schar's sire was the Kellogg-bred Ramly, an outstanding horse that had been purchased by the McKinstrys to found their stud. Ramly's dam was Ferdana, considered one of the best and most beautiful mares ever at the old Kellogg Ranch. Schar's dam, Scharifa, was considered one of the most beautiful Abu Farwa daughters, while her dam, Schilastra, was said to be one of Gulastra's best daughters. Schar's 3rd dam was Schilan, widely credited with being one of the most beautiful daughters of Antez.

It is interesting to mention that at some time in his life, after leaving the McKinstry's in Colorado, Schar had been abused and his tongue nearly severed by misuse of a severe bit. His tongue appeared to be cut in half the short way, although both halves were attached to the bottom of his mouth. He somehow managed to eat with this handicap and keep himself in good condition.

The result of the mating of Rytham Mariah to Schar was Sun and Snow.

While Rytham Mariah was nursing Sun and Snow, in the same small pasture there was another mare with a younger foal. Both mares were first-time mothers and the other mare did not seem normally concerned about her colt which had been foaled early and unexpectedly (on a different farm) in a steep hillside pasture where it slid under the fence and fell down an embankment of about 6 feet into a paddock full of Thoroughbred geldings. Luckily they did not hurt the vulnerable newborn, but his dam, never having had a foal before and not able to tend hers or even find him, eventually wandered away. Later, when rejoined with her baby, she was never mean to him and would watch over him when he was near, and sometimes would let him nurse, but he was not getting enough milk from her. With his survivial instincts, this little colt soon discovered that Rytham Mariah was a better mother than his own so he quietly adopted himself to her - with his own dam present and accepting of this situation. He began following Rytham Mariah and Sun and Sunow, and nursed from Rytham Mariah who willingly gave him all he wanted and needed. Thus, Rytham Mariah found herself with a 3 month old filly of her own and an unexpected little 1 month foster colt. The two mares were friends and got along well. Both babies and both mares were comfortable with this unusual situaltion. (Incidentally, the other mare was an excellent mother for all of her subsequent foals - but in the cases of all of them she was able to bond with them immediately as nature intended. This first colt of hers grew up to be a very handsome riding gelding.)

Sun and Snow has many good features. She is well made with particularly good hindquarters, good loins, and smooth coupling. She has bood bone, and good joints. She has a beautiful Arabian tail carriage. She is an attractive and eye-catching mare. She is also gentle and good tempered; she is a true people loving Arabian and all her life she has particularly liked children.

With two Sun and Snow daughters in her breeding program (Starspangled Glory and the leased Wartime Romance), Janice sold Sun and Snow to Angela Lewis of Saddleback Arabians, Doyle, California. Because of Sun and Snow's roan coloring, Angela hopes to breed "color" from her.

Pedigree for Sun and Snow

Sire line: Barq
Family: Dajania

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Janice Siders (925) 275-1955

Diablo Vista Arabians

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