I am going to attempt to explain what our goals are regarding the stallions and youngstock produced by our breeding program. I am an amateur rider who learned to ride on a horse named Iago. Iago is the founding horse of the Just Dreamin' line of horses. Prior to finding Iago, I had attempted to learn how to ride on several gaited horses with the final result being approximately 10 falls (usually while the horse was spooking or bucking). Iago became my babysitter, even though he was only green-broke himself. Iago is extremely intelligent, athletic, and good-natured. He's also very stubborn and tends to be one person oriented, but that is not the point I am trying to make here. Iago has taught me to ride and has only lost his rider (me) less than a handful of times. He usually manages to rebalance me when I cannot quite balance myself. When I first found Iago, I had decided that if I couldn't learn how to ride on this horse...I was finished with horses. I know, seems like I was trying to fail by purchasing a green-broke 7 yr old gelding; but as my friend and trainer (Suzanne) has stated many times "God was looking out for me that day." I was going through a severe depression around the time a friend (Rebecca Cleveland) told me about the 3/4 brother of her horse, Face Value. Iago was that horse. Spending time with Iago, with him helping me to achieve a lifelong dream, made a difference in my life...so, when I was choosing a show name for him, I chose the most appropriate name I could think of: Alternative Medicine. After a couple of years with my boy, I kept thinking about the fact that I had found my "once-in-a-lifetime" horse and how rare that was for most riders. I began to dream of producing a line of these incredible horses ... someone else's dream horse. Iago had been used as a stallion for a couple of years and stood to only 6 mares during that time ( 2 fillies and 4 colts were the result). I spoke to Iago's breeder about his daughters to find out that only one was still available...Saga. But Saga's price was way out of my price range at that time. A year later, I got a phone call that the breeder was down-sizing her herd and that Saga was available for a much lower price due to injury. Saga came home with me and was bred later that year to Thijs van der Lange Akker (a Friesian stallion). Shaman is her first foal and the first foal in the Just Dreamin' line of horses. He is exactly what I had dreamed of. Shaman is quiet enough under saddle after only 4 months that a child could ride him. I am planning to show him myself in November. We bred Shaman to two mares as a 2 yr old, the first of those foals is appr 5 months old now. Shaman's Genesis has his sire's gentle, friendly nature and ease of training. Every one of these foals: Shaman, his sister Flirtation, his son Genesis have been ridiculously easy to work with.
My dream was to produce a line of sane, intelligent, and athletic horses for the amateur owner/rider/trainer. These horses were bred with people in mind that might not know everything, but still want to train their own horse. I am seeing my dream come true. Please meet my babies, I think you will find that "We've already bred the horse of your dreams", too.
Crystal Martin