Article and Photography by ALICE MARY HERDEN
Brooksville, Fla.– Six weeks ago, a gentle and adorable little filly was born. Kym Rouse and John Holzwart named her Gravedigger’s Buried Treasure. The name is fitting during these hard times.
Treasure is something of personal value. It could be a family heirloom, a memory, friendship, or even a “time.” Before this coronavirus outbreak, the world had been so busy. So busy that not many people had the time to really stop and see what was around them.
Kym Rouse Holzwart, a Senior Environmental Scientist with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is currently in that mindset after her fieldwork and programs were canceled and she was directed to work from home.
“I’ve gotten to the point when things started happening I was really obsessed, but now I don’t even want to turn the tv on. It’s peaceful and quiet,” Kym said.
This foal is a new addition to Holzwart’s ranch until she moves on to her forever home. Holzwart is reminded of how fortunate she is to be able to use this time to slow down and appreciate the things she and her husband had built and worked hard to maintain.
This four-legged bundle of spunk and cuteness all rolled up in one has brought some lightheartedness not only to her, but into her family as well. Staying home and not putting fear first has let her take this time to see things from a different perspective.
“It makes you appreciate the simple things. It makes you slow down and realize what’s important now,” Kym said.
The Spotted Saddle Horses
Kym and her husband, John, have bred Spotted Saddle Horses for the past six years. The mares Kym and John currently stable have world champion stallions as well as world champion show horses in their bloodline. Each new filly that comes along inherits a strong bloodline.
“All of our mares are registered Spotted Saddle Horses, which is a breed that came out of East Tennessee,” Kym said. “You get the calm and friendly personality, the beautiful color, and the smooth gait.”
Treasure is the fourth tobiano/spotted filly Kym and John bred from The Gravedigger, a world-famous, multi-world champion, speed racing horse. This filly will continue his bloodline, and currently there are talks about breeding another mare shortly.
“It’s so much fun to raise them because you know them, you know everything about them and they bond with you,” Kym said. “I think that is one thing we pride ourselves on, because we have one baby a year and give it a really good foundation.”
