Crickhollow Farm

MN Horse Expo Post

Finally I have been able to get my photos off my camera and go through them a bit.  I didn't take a whole lot, and many of those I did take didn't turn out very well (my camera is best outdoors, I find).  I'll post a few for flavour, though.

I got to watch most of Jane Savoie's first talk, which was great.  She is an excellent speaker.  Each of her talks was on a different topic, so one could go to each one and get quite the class out of it -- if one had the time.

I got my hay tested at the Nutrena booth this year.  It was only so-so quality, but the bales I had to sample from were all from first-cutting last year, so I didn't have super high expectations for it.

After a ridiculously expensive hotdog lunch, Bonni and I watched the Cavallo Arts performance in the Coliseum.  I tried taking photos, but it's always hell trying to photograph from the seats in there, even with better equipment than my wee camera.  It was fun -- the guys were very athletic and knew how to play to the crowd!

Here are a few of the better photos I got of that performance before I gave up and just watched:

Free Horses

I know I should not be dwelling on this, but yesterday I went to the free horses listing at the Horse.com and saw this listing for 18 registered Arabians, mostly mares.  Problem is a) they're in Georgia, b) they need to be gone by the end of the month.  You got it, there's one week left to find them homes.  The listing was only posted on 12/21.

I went and looked at the photos on the website the listing directs you to at http://dbruce.homestead.com/Index.html, and there are some lovely horses there (sport Arabs!).  It makes me sad because there are a couple of mares I would jump at the chance to have, but I can't get to them.  Even if I could get someone down there to pick one or two up for me, I have doubts as to whether they'd have current Coggins tests, without which they could not legally be transported accross state lines.   The Coggins usually takes a little over a week to get back, though one can get it rushed.

I hope they can find good homes.  I'm going to be driving myself nuts this week, wishing there were a way I could bring one or two back to Crickhollow.

Sleight of Hand

I got my  copy of the Welsh Review (2011 vol. 3) today & there's an article in it about Morgana's (paternal) grandsire, *Slight of Hand.  Haven't had a chance to read the whole thing yet, but it will definitely be going in the folder with her papers.

 

ETA:  After I finished reading the article and started really going through the issue, I discovered a full-page ad that not only offered several half-sibs of Morgana's for sale, but her daddy, as well!  Colour me surprised.  It's definitely going in Morgana's folder now.

Updates to links

I updated the links page with links to various farms (some that I have a connection with, others that just have horses I like).  Have fun browsing! 

Brise

I made my bi-annual pilgrimage to look at Tanzbrise on the Tannenwald Trakenher website and, unless I'm very much mistaken, her price has gone down!  She's still not affordable for me, but I can dream.  I still love her.  They have a super cute pic of her waaay overjumping a little oxer on their index page that makes me want her all the more.

If I were a rich woman...

This is the next horse I'd buy: Tanzbrise

She's a 2004 daughter of Windfall, the black Trakehner stallion who went (team) bronze in Eventing at the 2004 Olympics and Gold at the Pan American games (2003) and Rolex (2004).  I discovered her not long after I bought Merry & have been keeping an eye on her ever since. 

I adore this mare.  She's super cute and just beautifully put together and, from her pictures, packed with attitude.  Very much the light, Araby style of Trakehner that I like.  I'm rather amazed that she's still available for sale.  I mean, I know she's quite expensive and that the economy has been terrible, but there are monied horse people out there, & you'd think someone would want to snatch her up as their next eventing prospect.

They don't list her height on her page, but they suggest her as a mount for a smaller rider.  Is she maybe too small for the tastes of most in this bigger-the-warmblood-the-better climate that's settled on the horse world these days, but too big to be a mount for a talented younger rider?  I like little horses.  I'll take her!

Of course, her breeders (not surprisingly) have always indicated that they would like to see her shown by her buyer.  They probably wouldn't consider it a good sale to sell her to me (even if I managed to scrape together her purchase price - most likely by doing something inadvisable like taking out a second mortgage on my home), because I don't have the time (never mind the money) to show her.  All that talent and excellent breeding to become a pleasure horse & eventual broodmare.  It does seem rather a waste.  I'd love her very much, though.

 

Horses Saved

52 Thoroughbreds Find Homes

 

Here's a follow up on those horses I posted about yesterday.  They all found homes!

Horses in need

An old college friend of mine sent me this info this morning.  She got it from a law school friend of hers who thinks it's legit, as best she can tell.

52 Thoroughbreds need new homes , gentleman died and his son wants nothing to do with them. Will go to Sugarcreek this sat to be slaughtered. Mostly broodmares, most are broke and in foal weaning, yearlings 2 to 3yrs old most are gelded. FREE and papered.
440-463-4288 or 440-463-4288 Barnsville, Ohio

 

No matter how much I want to, I can't rescue any myself right now for a number of reasons, but mostly because I'm snowed in in Minnesota and there's a Saturday deadline.  I'm hoping someone out there can, though.

Rocky Ride

Today I went down to Mankato & rode Bonni's pony Rocky for her lesson for the week.  Tried him out in a full cheek snaffle rather than the kimberwicke that came with him and he did well in it.  He had some naughty moments, but we worked through them & hopefully I was able to give Bonni enough insight into how to deal with his evasions that she'll have an easier time of it next time she rides him. 

I have ridden my own horse a couple times since my last post & he's been good.  I got him a new rhinestone browband for his black dressage bridle recently (super clearance at Dressage Extensions -- it was only about $10) and had to try it out on my last ride.  Very handsome, though I don't have any pictures, I'm afraid.  I will have to try to get someone out with a camera next time.

Since I'm uploading anyway

I thought I'd stick a couple of old pics of Bunny and myself up.

 

DSC00865

 

 

DSC00873

 

Bunny (registered name: Utilla*) is the Premium Oldenburg mare that my friend Michelle owns and is the one I'm planning on breeding to BlacklordFalkhann (hopefully next spring, if everything works out).  She's a whopping 17 hh.  Super sweet, though.  I love her dearly.

Here's a link to ISR / Oldenburg N.A. for those interested in learning more about the breed.