mares

A question for New Zealand followers .......does any one want a thoroughbred mare. My neighbours up the road have four mares that are due to have their foals weaned. They are all nice mares having just had their first foals. The stallion the foals are by are all nice horses and well bred. They are the reason the neighbour wanted the mares.....he just wants the foals. The mares are now free to good homes as far as I know. I'm going to go check them out and see what they are like up close. They are all well bred mares so would be a good addition to anyone wanting to bred them to nice horses themselves. I know they all foaled just fine first time round.
It just breaks my heart to hear that soon they are unwanted and possibly heading to the hunt yard. I will take one myself maybe ......can hear my husband groaning already at the thought.I will try to get photos too.
On a bright note the sun was shining today and while I didn't get to ride the girls and I put the Xmas tree up and added the decorations. On the not so bright wee note the *^$%#** kitten thinks the tree is there for his benefit only. If its standing in the morning it will be a miracle!!!!!

jumping

Well Trix got a bit of a jumping spree. A friend came and put her through her paces to see how she would go over the jumps at a bit higher than I do. She was an absolute doll and even not worked for some time (due to the rian) ...a bit unfit and not been jumped for a while she went just super. Stacey thought she was terrific and ended up putting my jumps to the highest they would go and cleared 1m 8cm. The few knock downs she did do were because I had a few turns a bit tight due the road fence being brought in a few metres. I was just thrilled to see her go so nicely and willing. I didn't get to ride today because the rain came again. I'm looking forward to getting school reports all finished then I have school holidays. I cant wait!!!!!!. A week and a half to go then freedom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

rain rain rain

OK its the first few days of summer and its done nothing but rain. Stacey didn't get to come and jump Trix....you guessed it......RAIN. The ground is saturated and may take a few days to dry out. I have so much grass that I'm not sure what to do. Its days like right now that I need a whole field of horses.

So we will try the jumping thing later in the week. Ella had a fun time competing in the Stratford show. A good friend of mine is a western pleasure rider. She has a new horse called Dazzle. He is only 3 but is so well behaved that we decided to enter Ella in the lead rein classes. First up she did a trail course then the next class was a walk and jog class. In an English ridden class she would be on a small pony but in this section of riding as a way of promoting quater horses and western riding they do a kids section on big horses. Ella had to have a few lessons prior so she know how to turn Dazzle, back him up and make him go and stop. All the time he was held by Jude to help her along. She had a wonderful time and got two second placings. I then went and watched Stacey jump kenya in the 1.15m class. She did so well and made the jump off which went to 1.20m. I think she got second or third. We watched a few other riders jump then went back to the western area to see Jude ride Dazzle in the open classes. She is up against all the big shot riders and did well. Dazzle is going to be a super star with a few more years under his belt.

My last ride on Trix before all the rain was around the farm.....just her and me.lovely!!!

mud mud mud

To all my amazing followers that wonder if my horse ever gets dirty .....trust me she is dirty on a regular basis. For all you owners with horses with black tails please celebrate because I dont think you truely realise how dirty a horses tail gets. I have never owned a horse with a white tail before and I was never into washing them all the time ........and oh boy - now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. I keep the horse shampoo company in business. Next time I let her roll in the dirt uncovered I will try to get pictures. Happy days everyone

friends

I spent tonight washing Trix. I thought I better keep her sparkling white. She suffers many bathing episodes in the name of staying clean. Every now and then I let her discover mud and yesterday was one of those days. So today was the time to rid her of muddy bits. We then worked in the paddock doing lots of transitions and a bit of jumping. On Monday I have a friends sister coming to jump her so I can get some idea of just how good she is at higher levels. With me we dont get very high....I'm just tooooooo chicken!!!!. Stacy is show jumping this weekend at 1m15 so she is the ideal person to have a play.

the photos are from my ride on Saturday. I went with a friend and it was incredibly misty which made it wonderful fun to ride through. We clip clopped down a gravel road passing a paddock of quarter horses who all came to say hi. We got a bit wet but it was fun

for sale

Gosh I 'm in a tough spot ......I have listed my mare for sale. We are having battles and I'm starting to feel like giving up . Lots has happened and I haven't written about it. I cant explain how I feel about Trix. I think I've been kidding myself that her and I are a team. While we have enjoyed some great success I am struggling to develop that fantastic bond that you get with some horses and for me I need that strong relationship. I've owned some beautiful horses. The best was a thoroughbred called Louie. He was getting on when I bought him , but I hunted him for two fabulous years before he suddenly died in the paddock. He was a soul mate on four legs and a true friend. I dont want perfection..... I dont mind the age .....the colour ,make or model. I just want to feel happy riding. I have explored all avenues relating to my issues and I think we simply dont create a good team. I have talked at length with people who I have ridden with for years and they are so supportive and tend to agree. So we will see what happens.
Meanwhile the kitten continues to thrash the house. My pot plants may never recover....but boy he is cute!!!!!

Gosh it seems ages since I have even turned the computer on and it seems strange to be staring at the screen tonight. So much has been happening that I'm not sure what pictures to add and what to write. Work has been crazy and I have end of year reports to write soon which always takes forever. I feel like I haven't had much riding and what I have done hasn't felt like enough . While I'm writing this the latest addition to the family is roaring around the lounge ......he is small fury and intent on trashing the lounge room. One small grey and white tabby kitten has wormed its way into our lives. When he gets big he is meant to catch rabbits and mice!!!!!

Trix is on a diet of not much grass and plenty of hay. The lush green grass I have growing everywhere is just too much for her. We have been doing the odd hack out with friends , schooling and I've continued to be brave and jump her. We are done with shows for a while. I'm too busy with work to worry about the stress of that. I have 3 lined up in the new year so in the meantime I have lots of fun rides to do with friends.

Next week the road next to our house is being made wider so all our road frontage is being ripped down. I lose pasture but we get our front fence redone in post and rails.So the horses will go to a friends house further up the road as I'm not brave enough to rely on them staying behind an electric tape until the new fence is built.

I thought I would add a photo of the girls on my friends quarter horse .....dont they look cute