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The dream was conceived in 1996 when the two of us first met as internet friends and started sharing ideas online about raising Miniatures Farm. It was during our first in person meeting on May 3, 2004 when we decided to become partners in business. Our meeting was short and we both returned to our respective lives and established internet friendship.
We reunited in person in October of 2004 for further discussion about the partnership. It was becoming apparent at that time we had even more in common than we ever imagined. Noel proposed marriage. I accepted.
Noel moved me from Grand Island, Nebraska to Glenmore, Pennsylvania in February, 2005.
We were married at the old historic court house in Elkton, Maryland on April 11, 2005. Our lives together had begun!
Noel brought with him 2 very special mares, Valentine and Moon Flower (daughter of Valentine) who had both been shown in Florida's regional and state shows. Each earned very high scores and one placing Florida State Champion. Both mares are the perfect size for driving and have excellent conformation. I brought with me 8 years of experience owning and driving a miniature horse and a dream of breeding miniatures to create our own line of special little driving horses.
Soon we found a beautiful, tiny chestnut tobiano pinto stallion named Jack that would fit the requirement for the perfect herd sire. Moon Flower took to Jack well and the following spring of 2007, she produced the first Slywynk foal, a bay colored colt named Chaska. (Chaska means "First Born Son" in Lakota Sioux).
In August of 2007 we relocated to a farm in Hamilton, VA. It sits on 11 quiet, secluded acres with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west and vineyards to the north. My dream had come true, with sunsets over the mountains every night!
The home was originally designed as a "barnhouse" for a farm manager. It is a quaint 1 bedroom country cottage attached directly to the barn by way of the tack room, attached to the kitchen. As soon as zoning will permit we plan to expand the cottage into a more family sized home. There are 3 separate pastures and about 2 acres for the yard surrounding the house. An absolutely perfect home for Slywynk Miniatures!
Moon Flower was bred again to Jack and on August 14, 2008, almost 6 weeks early, Slywynk's 2nd foal arrived by great surprise. A colt but this one was born a solid blue-gray with a white tail dipped in black! We called him White Feather. Moon Flower produced our 3rd foal, a filly, born on June 29, 2010, and she was called Chloe's Cricket. We wanted to take a year off from breeding to give Moon Flower a break, so it was quite mysterious when she began to look as if she was pregnant again. Low and behold, on July 31, 2011 Moon Flower produced Slywynk's 4th foal as a total surprise! Another filly, this time a tiny but robust tri colored tobiano pinto like her sire! She is called "Slywynk's Jewel of July", or Jewel. In addition to our Miniatures Farm, Slywynk Farms also has 3 dogs and a cat. We have 2 very nice saddle horses, a lovely American Paint Horse, Ashkatah and a retired Thoroughbred racehorse, Junior. I work with my photography and web design while Noel does his Energy Commissioning Engineering from home. Thanks for stopping by!
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