I realized this morning it has been ages since my last blog promoting drinking and driving. The 12 year old scotch did the trick once again in early May. Monster Pony, the 'gator and I traveled to Tryon to the Carolina Carriage Club HDT. New location, and lots of new location issues, but a really fun show with clever and challenging courses. Dressage was by far the MOST challenging, with warm up on a hillside, and a half mile hack down the road to a stone dust dressage ring carved out of the woods. It was level. It was dusty. It was deep. Not our best score, although I was quite pleased with how Bryn went. Cones was challenging and showed really good use of the terrain. We had a silly ball down at 18, two from home. I was just thinking. . . YES! double clear is within my grasp!! That will teach me to think! Marathon was a blast, with some wide open hazards that allowed us to really put the pedal down. Scoring took forever, and we finally packed up and headed home without knowing results. Thirty mintutes from home I got the phone call from Alicia Henderson, the organizer, telling me we had won our first recognized driving competition!!
Bryn has had a light summer, and we are just now getting stuck into work for our fall competition schedule. I have just two on the calendar - love both events and am looking forward to both of them!
The new face in the paddock is Fred. Fred is a five year old welsh gelding, and I am having a lot of fun starting him from scratch (with lots of help from trainer and friend Craig Kellogg). We have progressed over the last four months from being halter broken (Fred led a sheltered life until he moved to Raeford) to dragging a tire around in the woods. Fred has had several name changes - migrating from Feral Fred to Friendly Fred. Fred meets carriage in September and I am really looking forward to working with and competing this flashy guy.
Another new face at the farm is JR's Boy. Boy is a nine year old dark brindle greyhound and the track record holder at Derby Lane in St. Petersburg, Florida. We weren't really on the look out for a second greyhound, but I have always had a soft spot for the seniors, particularly after having Pops spend the end of his days with us. I mention Pops because he is the reason Boy had to come to us. Pops was JR's Proud, racer extraordinaire with a fantastic stakes winning record and 91 recorded get to his credit. Pops sired many top racers - and one of his best was Boy. When I saw Boy's name listed on the up for adoption roster at Senior Sanctuary I knew he had to come to us. He is funny, LOUD, boisterous, and larger than life. We hold regular conversations at five in the morning, I am usually in the bathroom and he is intently doing the staredown, playbowing and demanding snappy comebacks. I don't do snappy at five am. It's a challenge.
The big horse is in the house for awhile. . . or at least in the neighborhood. He is enjoying a protracted visit with the Queen of Darkness, whose name shall be changing to Annie Sullivan The Miracle Worker shortly. Thanks to Lynn Doki and Dr. Megan Ross Bo has got the beat. Three that is. Shaken, not stirred. Can flying changes be just around the corner? Our goal is to bring that charming Australian an easier horse to ride on the flat, and hopefully in the end reunite Bo with the guy he brought to the dance to start with.
I have lots more to blog about - but will save Diemer International for next week. In closing, the lovely photographs were done by our good friend Meri Hyoky. She is in town for a short while longer before returning to her new home in Lesotho and is available for photo shoots. Great eye and great to work with! Two thumbs up!
