OUR BELOVED MYSTIC ROYAL CHARM

On a trip to Vermont in June of 1992, I was privileged to meet Mystic Royal Charm (Dyberry Royalton x High Pastures Vanessa). She had this darling little chestnut colt by her side that was one month old. She was leary of people, but that day she chose me as her mom. She came over to me in the field, put her head over my shoulder and said, "I love you". I blew in her nose and whispered, "I love you too". It was the beginning of a bond that was unbreakable. She was 14.2-3 hands, a lovely chocolate brown chestnut and I immediately went back to my motel room and called her owner to purchase her. The deal done, I called back on the colt at her side, Betsy Curler sold him to me. I was to come back in August and pick Charm and her colt up with my trailer.

On the way home, I thought of nothing else but those two. That beautiful mare and my own darling little stallion. We stopped in Canajoharie, New York for lunch and it hit me, what an awesome name for a stallion, Cana-jo-har-ie, the perfect stallion name and unforgetable. And so it was to be, Ashmoro Canajoharie and Mystic Royal Charm came back with me to Wisconsin, her final home for life. I unloaded her from the trailer in August, and kissed her gently on the face whispering, "We're home, Charm", my husband took this precious photo of us. Little did I realize our time together was going to be so short.

She was bred to Ashmoro Mountaineer, Joey's sire, when I picked her up, but by the time we got home, she was open and coming into heat. We missed breeding again that year. I bred her in 1993 and 1994, but by the fifth month she was always open and had absorbed. She was a very nervous mare so I didn't think much of it. Going in and out of the barn, she panted like a steam engine, never breaking away while I talked to her, but very upset. Finally she started settling in and I could lead her without a halter. My favorite way of going, in and out with a lead line around their neck. She was really getting trustful, she would always come to me and stand there forever to pet. She couldn't get enough of it, she loved to be near me. I couldn't get enough of her either, I always felt so good hugging her, like it was the best thing in the world, it was so precious. She and I had a genuine love for each other, I kissed her every morning and night.

I love to watch her move. She had great park action el-natural - barefoot. She really lifted those front and back legs, and gave me goosebumps. Charm settled in nicely and became very comfortable with living on this farm. She was so relaxed, nothing bothered her anymore. I gave her shots, wormed her, trimmed her feet, all with a line around her neck, she was no longer afraid of life. Boy, I wanted another foal from her, a filly would be nice. This is such an asset to the Lippitt world.

Finally in 1995, I turned her out with my young stallion, Wood Run Alexanders Major and she was bred. I left her in with him until she was past the five months gestation. Sure enough, we were going to have a foal in May of 1996. Boy a long wait indeed. I purchased the Major for Charm, the absolute perfect cross in my mind. Both very old bloodlines. Charm was a rare Lippitt Red Mint granddaughter x Lippitt Red Moro & Lippitt Spearmint. I have almost solid Lippitt breeding prefixes on her papers. I had Ashbrook 7079, Ne Komia 04489, Trilby 02532, Ethan Eldon 8447, & Moro 7467 on her last line of her papers, oh boy. Matched with the Major and his Allens Major and Moro this was really exciting.

The last month before she foaled, I took video of them all, Leah bred to Joey, Charms son, and Charm in foal with the Majors baby. It was going to be a great year. Both were due within a day of each other. I was hoping they wouldn't foal the same day. Sure enough on May 9th, we came down to the barn to find a cute little chestnut baby boy. He was dainty and looked like a deer. Beautiful little short head, big dish, nice eye. He was a doll, very laid back. I had my neighbor over to see him, she said what a beautiful mare, such a nice temperament. I beamed with joy.

That night, we moved Leah into the foaling stall with video camera. I have the TV in my bedroom so I can just turn it on, check and turn it off if it isn't time. I checked at midnight, nothing, but by 2am this looks like the time is right. I checked her at 3 and again at 4. Now I am watching full time, we are going to have a baby soon. We got up, got the camera and the video, waited for her to go down and ran for the barn at 6:30 am. We walked in slowly and quietly, Leah is down, and I walked over to see Charm and check on her and Moro. She was sweating really bad and shaking. I called to my daughter Kelly, hurry come and get her out and walk her while I call the vet. She is colicing. I called the vet, and had Kelly walk her in the barn while I ran to the house. I came right back and walked Charm myself before the vet came, but something was seriously wrong. The entire barn was going crazy, Charm was calling and I could barely keep her up and walking. I told Kelly to get Joey, her son, out of the barn, he was standing in his stall on his hind legs crying. The Major was also standing on his high legs crying. She got them both out, and one mare before the vet came. I was really scared now, I told Kelly I am going to lose her, she is dying. He couldn't find anything wrong, he finally said get your trailer, we have to get her to the clinic immediately.

I ran all the way - sobbing, I knew this was it, she is not going to make it. I am going to lose my mare. Sure enough when I got back down, which was only a couple minutes with the trailer, Kelly met me in tears. Charm had gone down and was on death's door. The vet was coming with the last shot Charm would receive, to put her down. I kissed her goodbye and hugged her, breathing in that last warmth of her soft fur and saving her scent in my mind. I whispered in her ear, I love you and she was gone. I stood up in shock and looked at my mare at my feet. A hemmorage had taken her life from me. Kelly said she gave a final call and the entire barn answered her including baby Moro.
Something we will never forget.

The rest is a blurr. Kelly drove to a neighbor who had lost a mare and had an extra bag of powdered milk. We couldn't get Moro to eat, he had lost a great deal of strengh without food for hours. Charm was completely dried up. He was weak and cold. We bundled him in the back of the van in blankets and drove to a neighbor with a nursing mare. He drained her dry, his little tail wagging like a puppy. It saved my foal and we brought him home and got him on a bottle. He was a doll, so little, so sweet, we called him Peanut. We even took him in the house for days to get him started because it was so cold and Leah refused to foal with us in the barn every two hours.

This is our darling little 'peanut' a few days old giving Kelly a kiss. He is still this sweet today and thinks of both of us as his 'mom'.

Leah held off another week until the 16th and gave us a beautiful filly, Rosewater Julie Ann J, born on my birthday and named for me. It was the best present after this horrible loss. Leah was not herself though, she was nervous, totally unlike her, she is so calm and settled all the time. Leah wasn't really good until I put Moro in the field with her and she mothered the two babies until I weaned them. Leah took her mission serious and took care of baby Moro for Charm, which is what we felt Charmed asked in her final call. "Please watch my baby". Leah guarded him from the others at the gate, babies first, you all stay back until I am out with my babies. She was a good mother to both.

This is Joey at age 2 years and Moro at one week. I never really paid any attention before but look at the two photos. They are almost step for step the same. Half brothers yet so close to identical. Joey literally cried the day Charm died, he had actual tears running from both eyes. He broke my heart, we cried together. Joey has feelings like no other stallion I have ever met. He has always been my boy, but after losing his dam, he is also my personal body guard when strangers come. He will get inbetween me and the visitor if he suspects something is wrong.

Moro (left)& Julie (right) at age 2 1/2 years, both 14.2 Hands, 750 pounds. Kelly had a jar of bubbles and was playing with them. Moro has very flaxen feet & legs like his dad Major. He looks like he has four white feet. Hard to tell them apart except for Moro's legs. My ultimate cross.

Here is the most recent photo of our darling Moro, at age four, 2000. This is his first horse show, and he did a fine job. Moro isn't really a 'horse'. He is still a puppy at 14.3 H+ and is more people orientated than any other Morgan I have ever met. He believes Kelly and me to be "mom" and still comes running when we call. He looks for me in the ring and finds me immediately at the rail. He loves Kelly dearly and recognizes her voice in a crowd. He will always be our Peanut and will be Kelly's horse. We can't sell him, for he would never make the change. He is at Kelly's farm and she is riding him, he is an excellent trail horse.

Charm & I will meet again over the Rainbow Bridge, I know she is waiting for me. She was the horse of my heart, we were bonded for life. I will always miss her. I am very lonesome without her and I would give anything to have her back.

My thanks to Mrs. Horton and Betsy Curler for calling me during one of my farm stops, asking me to come and look at this mare. This is how Charm & I met in 1992, and I am forever grateful. Thenk you daughter Kelly for being there for me. You had a pair of big shoulders when I didn't.

I had no idea when I wrote this that so many people would read it and share my sadness. I am blessed to have so many wonderful friends, including my lovely daughter Kelly. Kelly and I lived though this nightmare and will always be left with an empty feeling and fresh tears for this adoring mare. Her loss left a giant hole in the Lippitt Gene Pool which gets smaller every day.

My Artist friend, Jeannie Talarico made a beautiful painting for me of Charm, with Joey & Moro on it. When I opened the package I cried, for she was so life like, I thought she was going to breathe. I will put a photo of it on one of these days. Thank You, Jeannie, for this wonderful present. I love your work, and thank you for capturing my precious mare on canvas.
She will live forever in my heart and in your masterpiece.

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