Page 24 - NMHBA Spring 2022

“I was there for all the births. She’d observe and when they (mares) got ready to foal, she’d call me. I attended every one of those for probably a year or more until she caught on.” – Dr. Leonard Blach
Dr. Leonard Blach
“I didn’t know anything when I bought this place and he taught me everything,” says Susan. “He took me from ground zero and had endless patience with me. I had seen three babies (horses) born in my entire life and all I did was stand back and watch.”
Susan and Dr. Blach agree the learning curve was a steep one. But the good doctor was there every time she had a question, anytime there was a tough delivery.
“He was my Google, my encyclopedia, my go-to person. He was my everything,” says Susan.
He was the cheese to her macaroni.
There was that time late one night when one of the mares went into labor and Susan was sure the baby was coming out back end first. She called Dr. Blach at 2 a.m. and he rushed over.
“I told him I thought the baby was coming out back feet first,” says Susan. “Well, it wasn’t. I now know that. They’re in there on their back during gestation and in the last stages of labor, a lot of times they rotate, and their front feet will show. That’s very common. It was endless stuff like that that he had to go through with me. And never did he ever lose patience.”
Mark Allen, the longtime horse racing partner of Dr. Blach, helped out with the breaking and training of the horses born at HunterCreek. Allen and Blach teamed up to stage one of the biggest upsets in Kentucky
Derby history with Mine That Bird in 2009. “We had this little triangle kind of thing,”
said Susan. “Leonard did the breeding; I did the foaling and Mark did the training. We had a little co-op going that was awesome.”
For Susan, the hardest part of the journey was learning the breeding end of the business after Dr. Blach retired.
“I didn’t start breeding until Leonard stopped breeding,” said Susan. “It was harder because I didn’t have him here on a daily basis.”
“She was a good student,” said Dr. Blach. “She has come full circle with that farm and done really well. She’s expanded that thing, improved it and taken good care of her horses. I’m really proud of her. She’s been good for the (horse racing) industry in New Mexico.”
Dr. Blach said when he, Mark Allen and Susan were working together, they were foaling out from 100 to 200 mares a year. “When the horse business was good, she was probably foaling out 200 mares,” said Dr. Blach.
The number of foals born at the farm has declined in recent years to between 50 and 75. Most are New Mexico breds and included are some foals that will be barrel racers. The farm also provides a home for orphaned foals.
“I’ve done five donkeys and five minis,”
said Susan. “Whoever is having a baby and they don’t want to do it, we’ll take it.”
Dr. Blach and Mark Allen with Mine That Bird.
Stardust Lady with groom Eddie Alvardo.
Right Rigger
22 New Mexico Horse Breeder
Dr. Leonard Blach with his son,
Dr. Kevin Blach, who is now one of the regular vets at HunterCreek Farms.
© Susan Hunter
Photo Provided
Photo Provided