Collecting!

This summer, we started a new adventure at the barn: collecting semen from Moana Echo!

I first learned how to do this back in high school—I even had to give a school report on it—with a longtime friend who now boards at the barn. She went on to collect her own stallion, and I got married. Now, years later, we’re getting back into it together! Who knew that high school experience would come in handy again?

Starting again took plenty of equipment and a refresh of our knowledge. We were fortunate to work with Nadette Stang of Gladheart Morgans to get back in the groove. There’s a lot involved in preparing a collection for breeding, and having someone experienced help us work through the process made a big difference.

Echo’s former owner had already taught him to collect, and he has good-quality semen, so we had a head start in those departments. Even with that foundation, there was plenty for the humans to learn!

I’m lucky to have an amazing group of ladies at the barn who enjoy a challenge. They jumped right in to help, bringing their willingness to learn and a much-needed sense of humor. Collecting Echo, while intimidating at times, turned out to be the easier part. Counting sperm, adding extender, and keeping everything viable—that’s a whole different level! Getting a collection is one thing; knowing how to evaluate and handle it is another.

We made good progress this summer and shared plenty of laughs along the way. One of my favorite parts was working through something new with friends. It reminded me that learning doesn’t stop just because we’ve spent decades around horses. There’s always another skill to develop, another question to ask, and another reason to step outside our comfort zone.

I’m hoping for a refresher course in the spring as we keep building our skills and confidence. It’s an exciting next step for Echo and our breeding program, and I’m grateful to everyone helping us get there.

Naturally, we named our group The Semen Sisters. I might have to make shirts—although explaining them outside the barn could be an adventure of its own!