Dressage Rotorua Competition Day 15th November 09.

Training 0.1 = 1st 77%

Training 0.3 = 2nd 74%
Comment on test sheet "Must keep horse moving at all times regardless" as he decided to take a dump in this test and I just couldn't get him to move, seriously!!! Mr Whippy couldn't even persuade him! Sometime to work on :)

Once again awesome comments by the judges.

Not a lot happening now in regards to dressage so will spend some time over x-mas and up his work load and training so we can register prelim and head out in the new season.
Will do some treks and stuff on him in the meantime also.

Crew Update:

Luigi - Is still away being started. The weather has just been crap and his work has been erratic so things are taking a little longer. Can only be a good thing though:)


Boxer - Hope to do the All Breeds In Hand Show with Boxer in January in Hamilton. He is looking fab and would be good for him to have a little life experience. Unfortunately I was going to do inhand with him at Rotorua A&P but they have canned all their inhand classes due to non-support. Bugger.


Viva - Is hanging out with Lucy - Lucy is hanging out with Viva.

Update on the crew....................

Well need to start blogging more so I can keep an eye on my own progress.

Annie: Has gone out on lease this season and will be back next year.

Sonic: Has gone to her new home. I just happened to be talking to a friend one night and we were discussing what Sonics future would be. Pretty sure she is going to be a pony so really no use to me. She has gone to a wonderful family with two young girls to eventually be their pony star. She settled in well and is running with 2 other yearlings so has some company of her own size.

Luigi: Is currently away being started. Have had excellent reports back so far so I am very excited to see how he is under saddle. I have someone very interested in him once and if he comes back, would love to see him eventing but this would be purely a dressage home. There seem to be quite a few professional dressage riders with Littorio's in their stables so fingers xd that I can sell him to someone that will do well with him.

Boxer: Is chilling out getting bigger by the day. He is officially 2 now (26 Dec 07 foaling date) and would be close to 16.1hh at the rear and 15.3hh in the front. Hopefully he will not get any bigger than 17hh. I wish he was 4 now but then that would make me 2 years older so will just have to wait and be patient;)

Tara: Has gone to the SI to be bred to Corofino II. At this stage she is on lease so may come back. They are extremely happy with her so will wait and see.

Lucy: Is hanging out with Viva.

Viva: Is hanging out with Lucy. She is 4 this year and may look at starting her very soon. Can only but try and see if she stands up to the work or not. Her full brother is doing extremely well in both S/J and was placed in the YEH in Taupo earlier this year.

Devon: Well Dev!! Has recovered from his shoulder injury and is back under saddle. He has come back very fresh and full of life, sometimes too much life! He had some work done on him last week including acupuncture as he is not using his back end very well (except for the bucking) so hopefully we are on the right path and we can get him stretching over his back better and using those muscles. He works really well when he is not getting distracted, something we are working on, no point in taking him out if he can't walk, trot and canter around a dressage arena.
Next show here isn't until November so will take him down to some club days in the meantime for some outings.

So down to 4 ponies in the paddocks, makes life a hell of a lot easier actually and better on the pocket. I was thinking of joining an addiction group but think I can do it alone and just have to say NO when I am tempted:)

Boxer pictures from friends & fun photos on webshots

Boxer pictures from friends & fun photos on webshots

Annie pictures from horses photos on webshots

Annie pictures from horses photos on webshots

The Big Fat Hairy Ginga............

What's Happening.............

Well Dev went back over to Matamata for his 6 week follow up and I am stoked to say he is on the mend. The fracture is healing extremely well, knitting back together nicely and vets were very impressed. YAY YAY YAY. He is still in confinement for another 6 weeks just to help the healing process but is allowed to do in hand walks for 20 minutes a day. (Haven't started that yet as by the time I get to the paddocks at night it's nearly dark). It's not overly important at the mo but will be in the next month as I look to slowly bring him in for the season ahead.

Have a dressage rider currently interested in Luigi, she has the dvd and likes what she has seen so far so fingers xd!

Boxer

Dev's paddock buddy Lucy

Annie and Sonic enjoying the sun

Update on the gang......................

So Devon is in confinement for another 5 weeks and has Lucy along side to keep him company, they are best buddies actually so works out well. Tis a big job having two in confinement for so long but it has to be done.

Next Annie and Sonic, Annie will be going back over to Cambridge this breeding season to be served to Bowie. Sonic will be marketed, just so hard when I have no idea of how big/small she is going to be. Sire 17hh, dam 16.1hh, I just really have no idea?!?!? I'm thinking a pony possibly a park hack, hopefully she stays a pony.

Next Luigi, have had him advertised for sometime now with no real enquiry so he will hang out here over winter and look to have him started at the beginning of the season, have been told by many that he will be easier to sell broken in. He is actually very nice and have questioned myself many a time if I am doing the right thing with selling him but I can't keep them all.

Next Boxer, well what can I say, just wish he was rising 4 and not 2. I am really excited about him, he has the best temperament and is just so cool to hang out with.

And then there is Viva, not sure what I am going to do with her, she has recovered well from her operation and is at an age where she could be doing something. Going to check out some options with her and see what path I take. I would love her to find a great new home also but given her conformation not sure if anyone would take her on. Fantastic breeding but not so greata legs, such a shame.

So horses for sale:

KO Picoviva ~ Pico Bello x Vivacious (Voltaire II) rising 4yr old, full sister to Bates Amaretto MVNZ ridden by Lisa Coupe in 5 yr old SJ series.

KO Luigi ~ Littorio x Mortein xx (Lord Waverly) rising 3yr old.

KO Confession aka Sonic ~ Conbrio x Annie xx (Anziyan).

Sonic sporting her new cover

An Update..................

Well haven't blogged for a while so thought I should make an entry.

So.........took Devon to our first outing on the 29th March, a closed dressage day here in Rotorua. Had a fantastic day and I couldn't have asked for more considering I hadn't ridden him much prior to the outing but wanted to see what his reaction would be like out. He did not disapoint. Confidence restored 95%.

Next was to be an open dressage day on the 5th May. Unforunately it was not to be.

I had the vet out to Devon on 31st March as was hopping lame as on 3 legs. Vet suspected nerve/muscle damage to the shoulder as this was the only place he had a slight mark, fence or kick by the looks of things.

Was told to wait 3 weeks to see if there was any improvement. Not happy at how he was getting around I booked him in at Matamata Vet Services to see what they could find.

Three lots of nerve blocks were carried out first to confirm it was not down lower. All failed and was still very lame. Time was getting on so Fauna asked if he could stay overnight so they could scan and xray.

5mins away from home I got the call, Devon's xrays had come back with a fractured scapula spine.

Headed back over on Thursay to pick him up. Looked over xrays and scans with Sam, great vet.

So back home now, he is in confinment for the next 6 weeks and then back over to Matamata to check and see if it has started to fuse.

I have been told to expect some muscle wastage as could be expected but if it suddenly looks bad I am to contact them asap.

Spoke to Sam in regards to having an operation should it not fuse, will have to wait and see on that count as a very large nerve runs over the area and they do not recommend op.

I am guttered to say the least, finally found a nice horse to enjoy and have some fun with and this kind of thing happens.

Am doing my best for him though and hope that he recovers so I can enjoy him again.

Devon sporting his new clip

Sonic and Linda having a catch up

Sonic Pics..............

Thought I should have an update with some new Sonic photos. She's going through a bit of a scruffy stage at the mo, oh and look, her sperm mark on her face is growing?!?!

We Did It...............

Well took Devon out for our first outing yesterday to our local Closed Dressage Day. Now I haven't been out and competed for over 2 years and am wrapped to say Devon looked after me very well. He didn't put a foot wrong so has boosted by confidence 10 fold!!!!!


So did two training classes and was really happy with our results. We came 4th in both tests out of 5 and 6 in the classes and got the same percentage in both classes 56%, unheard of really. He did think that the arena was a jump a couple of times so was definitely not bothered by the arenas.

Yesterday was more for me to see if I was going to be able to handle competing again and I am stoked to say I think I can.

We have to work on more impulsion mainly. The comments at the bottom of the test sheets were very encouraging which is always nice so onwards and upwards from here:) Hielke is here for the next few days so will have a couple of lessons with her and get us on the right track.

DEVON ARRIVES.............HAPPY IS SOLD

Devon arrived on Monday with Majestic, looks like he had a great trip from Wellington as he was very calm and relaxed about things on arrival.

So Devon, he is a 5yr old Chestnut gelding by Oakley, http://oakley4stud.com/index.html. I had been keeping a quiet ear out and then saw Kerri http://toffeeapples.blogspot.com/ had Devon. He is a nice hunter type which I have been looking for so after a couple of calls, I brought him.

We had our first ride last night in the howling winds and he didn't put a foot wrong:) We have to find the go-go button but least it is not the other way around.

So had Happy advertised and the first lady that phoned and came to see him brought him, well he is for her daughter Devon. Devon will now be his new partner, she is a lovely kind rider and they got on extremely well. I can tell he will be spoilt and very well looked after.
Devon is a member of the NZ Para-Equestrian team looking to qualify for the Athens Special Olympics in dressage and I wish her all the best in her goal.

Boxer and Sonic

WELCOME HOME SONIC!!!!

"Not a happy face cause I'm wet"

Annie and Sonic arrived by Majestic Transport yesterday, they have arrived home in great condition thanks to Sonics "Fairy God Mother". Both were very relaxed with the whole trucking thing so I was wrapped. Sonic handled the ramp with style considering it was quiet step, off she stepped and walked after Annie like she had been here before.
It was very wet here yesterday so gave them a while to stretch their legs and into the stable for the night. Borrowed a 3ft cover but was wayyyy to big but since they were in the stable didn't really need it anyway.

Sonic has seriously grown if you compare her to her birth photos. And yeah, still has some attitude:)

Update...........

Well Viva came through her operation with flying colours. I am wrapped with the outcome, the tumour was alot bigger than the vets had thought and had to be taken out in two pieces. Her bandaging is now off and the scarring is minimal. Huge thanks to Matamata Equine Hospital who did the operation and took care of her very well. She was so happy to see me but still had issues with going on the float. Will have to sort that out when she is 100% again which will not be too far away. She still has a little swelling but will go down over the next couple of months.

I went and saw the Super Sonic a couple of weeks ago. I am wrapped at her progress. She is just such a pretty wee girl. She has such a huge fan club alreadyLinda is now in the process of breeding Annie to Airthey Highlander so will be exciting to see the foal from that breeding. A huge thank you to Linda for all her care and love for Sonic and Annie. You are a gem Linda.