Time to learn Dressage Minke

This week Minke is getting fitted in a new pair of heels ;) (shoes) And then its time for a bit of a reality check for the miss. I've decided im going to get stuck into her dressage over the next wee while and shes actually going to learn..A) softness B)Slowing doowwnnn C)working through the contact etc etc.. Our jumping doesnt need any work its comes very easy to her.

So watch this space. Im going to be keep track of our day to day progress!

Oscar with his new mum Kristina and Ellie and Sarah Riding!

Bert - hes so wise :)

"Me so sleepy!"

SARAH and her lovley horse BERT :)

HMMM Sarah - there's your horse, but...where are you???? OHHHH there you are ;)

KRISTINA AN OSCAR (showing that he an stand without be held :P)

ELLIE AND SPYKE

Meet Sharkia

Sharkia is our yearling half arab filly that we have had since birth. We purhased her mother Queenie infoal last year. Sharkia was born on the 16th of September 07 - she is very cute and will be mums future mount! here are a few pics taken yesturday :)

Minke has a bath!

"Does my butt look big?"

Ahh-HUH! It was an Abcess after all!

Turns out I was right! Oscar DID have an abcess! A few days after my last post a big Abcess burst open on his heel - OUCH! But it is a relief, because now It means that I can stop worrying about what it is making him so lame! He will be getting shoes on this week.. Two weeks after the abcess has poped, and then he will come back into work - YAY.

Minke's winter turn out is now over as of last week and she is sooo full of herself...But I kinda like it its fun! (not that I should be encouraging that behaviour!) She seems to still be a fit as she was when I turned her out -That is probably from the laps at gallop she seems to do twice daily in the paddock..no wonder she is always pulling shoes!! Im really excited about what the season is going to bring for us. Im really going to concentrate hard on her and I and getting us out there and competing. I know that I really need to work on her dressage this season, so I am going to really concentrate on that and hopefully we may be able to do a decent Prelim test?!?!?!

Will probably ride this avo if the rain holds off, so will get some pic's and put them up tonight!

SO sick of the MUD!

Just a quick update tonight - Not much is going on around here, Oscar is lame with Seedy toe and It has been to wet to do anything with Minke.

Oscar is being Stabled, just to keep him out of the bog and I think he enjoys all the fuss really ;-)

...And it's raining AGAIN!

Well after two days sunshine, the rain is back and as i look out the window i see all my plans of riding today being washed away !

Ollie was sold last Thursday, to a very lovely lady called Angela of South Auckland - she came and had a ride on him and said she wanted him on the spot, So he will be going next weekend - I dont like to think about it as i am very attached to him - he is such a dude, but alas he is going to fantastic home where he will be her one and only, and give him tons of attention :-)

Oscar has been sore over the last few days, i thought it was an abcesse brewing but the farrier came and had a look yesturday and it appears he has seedy toe - poor pony! Can't wait untill he is sound and he can come into work - hope to compete him and Minke next season..

Minke is still having a wee break, i bought her in to ride her but she has lost two shoes, and the farrier did not have time yesturday to whip them back on so she will be done next week then will come back into work! She is obiviously very full of her self however, as she has been hooning around the paddock playing Sily buggers with mums filly Sharkia.

That's all for now -
I hope everyone and there GG's are well and warm in this horrible weather :-S

xx

Michelle rides Oscar...

After Ollie's photo shoot Michelle has a we play on the very green yet eager Oscar! - Exciting!!!!

Here is my fav pic :)

Ollie has a "photo shoot"

Thanks to Michelle (http://www.kiwisporthorses.co.nz/) I now has some lovley photo's of the big 'ginga'!
He is now on TradeMe to, for a STEAL of a price - Someone is defiently getting a bargain at this price.. http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=168767617 <--- Pics on his advert :)

A few pics of me on Mooch, Gina's horse at Taupo

:) Man i WANT this horse!!

Finally managed a decent ride!

Yes believe it or not it did not rain here yesturday, we even had sun!!

....Ollie and Oscar went down to the arena and i had a play on them.

So here are some piccies from yesturday.

I only had a little play on Oscar (wee walk around) so he can take it all in he is much more greener the Ollie so will be taking things nice and slowly with him.

Ollie is just such a DUDE i love riding and schooling him, he picks up on everything super fast it's just fantastic and he has a LOVELY canter.

OHHH and i went to Taupo to help out at the Vaughn Clinic with Gina and Michelle. Had a blast - they have lovely horses and i even managed to steal a ride in the clinic on Moocha and on Friday i had a ride on the lovley Tree-Oh.

Also nice to me Fiona *waves* and her lovely big horsey!

Haven't been posting for a few days, as i have had no motivation with all this rain and mud espically when it takes me an hour to get all the mud off and have my horse looking presentable only to hop on for 5mins then it pour with rain - makes it most hard!

All the horses are well, except i think new boy (Oscar) is getting or has a abcess so i have been soaking his hoof daily, total bummer as i really want to have a ride and play on him!

Ollie has been going down to the arena, he is SUCH a dude, i actually ride him on the roads now too. He is great with traffic which is a blessing around here as we often have huge trucks passing with speed - ARGHH!!

Minke has been chilling, but with Crystal being sold - YAY she will become priority too.

Really excited about this weekend, going away with Michelle to be a helper/groom at the Vaughn clinic at NEC. Should be a fun weekend, lets hope the weather holds.

Picks of "no name" playing in the paddock

Oh and a picture of my Kitty cat that i took coz hes cute :-P

"he" arrives!

AND he does nto have a name - poor boy! So i need idea's...Hmmmmm

He is loovveelllyyy a big sook! Found out he was hand reared so is SUPER friendly, although not to in your face thank god.
I had a ride on him at the track, rather nerve wrecking LOL but he was gentle as a lamb to ride, and happily "popped" over a few poles too! He is not as schooled as Ollie, nor is he as quiet (i think Ollie is an exception to all TB's though!!!) I think he will come along well, the hard thing will be choosing which one out of him and Ollie i will keep, but that decision wont be getting made till atleast next season, and after both have had some outings :)

Oh took Ollie to the arena for a ride yesturday, he is such a dude i even rode him on the road there with big trucks and all that going past oh and the rain drizzling he could not have cared less, except one little look when the sneaky dobermans ran at the gate and lept up barking as we rode past. Ollie has a big bascule jump and it is lovely to ride, very happy with his progress!

Another NEW horsey comming today

Got a Phone call yesturday about a thoroughbred gelding that's owner has passed away and the the trainers have to find him a home. She said she had a really nice boy for me and would i be intrested - I said yes defiently so she sent me some pics and i was like "WOW" I did not think he would be THAT nice!

He is by Columbia, rising 5, bay three white socks and stripe (very cute) Never raced, been trained but taken slowly as he was a slow to mature. (body wise) She said he is FULL of character too, so i am very eager to go and meet him and pick him up today! :-)

Have added the pics to have a nosey at..

Enjoy!

Hav not had much motivation to ride over the last few days, so the horsey's have had a wee break :-) Plus it has been farrrr to freezing!!!

Just thought i would post a few pics of Crystal...I've had her for a while, but shes been chilling in the paddock, and occasionally comming in for a fussing and short ride...Here are some pic's of her in all her winter glory! (Her clip is growing out!)

Crystal is 15.2hh Cldey arab tb, 12years old done horse trials etc..Quite a "hot mare".. LOVELY movment, soft mouth etc...Needs a capable rider however..She is
tentatively on the market at the moment, and im looking for a experinced loving home for her. I am wanting under $1k for her Email for more details..Yes she is cheap, but the market is quiet at the moment, and all i am wanting is a good home... taupakiperformanceequines@hotmail.com.

Well Minke behaved ALOT better then i suspected!!

Well it was a day of firsts on Sunday for me and Minke, my first time the float without mum (my second time towing ever) and Minke's first Ridden show - (she did one inhand show when she was a three year old.

Towing went well, despite me being very nervous it was an un-eventful journey, and as per usual Minke stood like a rock in the float.

We got there at about 8:45 (coz of my nana driving!) And my class (80cm) was starting at 9 so i quickly tacked up and got on, hwever they were running late and it did not start untill at least 9:30.

Minke was such a good wee horsie, she had never been in a situation with so many horses, but it didnt bother her she kept her attention on me the whole time and listned to everything i asked her.

We didnt get any placings but that is not what i went there for, i wanted her to have a reaxig enjoying non stessfull first event, which is what we had...

So YAY!

Here are a few pics....

CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO ENLARGE THEM!

Minke has her first ridden show tomorow!

Very excited as tomorow (sunday 6th july) Minke and i will be competing at WHS, SH and SJ'ing!! Well we will just be doing the morning clases of SJ'ing, as i dont know the SH rules or anything, and im guessing it may not be a tidy round. I'm taking Inkie too, he needs some competiong work seeing as i am selling him..

Going to be a very exciting day!

Steph
xx

Ollie goes to the arena!

Ollie also went to the arena on Thursday, just for a wee play and to see how he reats in a new enviroment.

Well for an OTT Thoroughbred i dont think i could have asked for better! He is a real dude, and i think we will have lots of fun! I'm really looking forward to producing my first OTT TB and although my hopes may be high, i would really love to do horse trials/eventing with him ! So i hope we can do that.
Anyway, enough blubbering, Ollie was a real good boy walked troted even managed a canter, and a play over some trot poles..Boy can he bounce! LOL

Will hopefully get him to the Arena again this weekend, Although my chances may be slim, as i have people comming to see the wee horse im selling on behalf on Saturday, then competing Inky (the horse im selling on behalf) on Sunday at WHS.

Should be a busy weekend!

Ciao for now,
Steph
xxx

Minke Goes to the Arena!

Well they all got new shoes on, on Wednesday, so i took Minke down to the Arena on Thursday (yesturday) We did some more flat work, - man this horse has the lovliest canter- Still got to work on the trot though! So after about 15mins of flat work, i decided to pop her over a few jumps someone had set up a small grid/course, the last jump was a big, about 1.05m and i though ill do the others, then skip around the last one and go over the first one again. Well it didnt turn out like that LOL

We flew around the first 4 jumps, minkes little ears were pricked forward, she adjusted her stride, and "pop" we flew over the last big jump! It was a very cool moment for me, she is just such a honest darling of a mare. A lady and her dog had stopped and watched, and were clapping after the last jump! Was quiet cool!!!

I really wish i could be a really brave jumper, so i could compete her in SJ or the likes, as i think that is her "forte`" But you never know what the future holds..After my fall last season (well when my horse fell down with me, it has knocked a wee bit of my confidence!) Hopefully ill regain my confidence, and me Minke will go out there next season and knock everyone's socks off! Hehe! I'd also love to take her to HOY!

Rode Ollie again on Monday!

Well i bought Ollie in with matches yesturday, seeing as matches was heading back down to Palmy that morning, while i was waiting for the truck to come i though i may aswell hope on the big ginga and potter up and down the drive way so i did!

He is such a neat horse, love his strides, they are big relaxed and bouncy! Will be taking him down to the arena sometime this weekend, if i get a chance. Really looking forward to it, as i will have a chance to really have a "play" with him...

Here are the pics i took yesturday!