Stratford Show...and wind wind and very strong wind!!!

Took Autumn out today to the show, it was actually a really nice day with the sun shining but the wind was so bad, that on the way to the show I was driving along and next thing a big tree fell on the side of the road!! was bit freaky...
Anyway the show organisiers had our dressage arenas right up next to the show hunter classes, and I was warming up thinking I so hope that jumping stops when I go as the rails were falling and making a huge noise and autumn is not used to that...anyway long story short my bell went to go into my arena and this girl crashed through a fence and autumn just exploded, so because my bell had gone I either had to just go in and try to do a ok test or just scratch, well I trotted in and did a pretty good display of passage and piaffe up the center line, and as a friend said I should have agot a great mark for that but of course no I didn't...all a bit tense and lets just say I certainly didn't win that test!!!...still don't know what the results are for the other test I did but at least it was better and there was no jumping while I was riding thank goodness!!!!!!...maybe I should start jumping autumn, anyway I am off next weekend to Dannevirke dressage champs...yippee girls weekend, but its a long haul....

Autumns inhand show...how hard was that!!!!

Today I went to the first A & P show of the year at Hawera, the Egmont Show, as per usual Hawera was blowing a gale and was really cold...takes just over an hour to get there from home and all the way I was praying the rain would stay away until I was done....Well it didn't!!!!...to start with they had put us on a sand arena, and the wind just wipped it up and I think I had that sand in every nook and cranny on my body, it was so bad...normally you get quite dolled up but i had to give up on the pretty hat as the wind was just going to take it away every time and I didn't want to wreck it as it was a good friend of mines so it went back into the box....Then add the rain and autumn hated it, kept trying to get her head out of the direction of the rain and nearly knocked me out in the process....
Anyway getting to the inhand classes, Autumn was her usual pushy self and when we had to trot she was like Yipee I can trot really fast, and in that sand trying to keep up without yanking her head off to come back and stay looking like we had control and still look pretty was quite near impossible, but when I did get a quick glimpse around Autumn wasn't the only one being dick and I have never done this before so it was a great learning/training day for both of us...
Didn't end up to bad, got a 2nd and a 1st which put me in champoion and I got reserve so hey not bad, and got a couple of really nice sashes...and I figure the sore legs I have now from so much running, has got to be good for me!!

Autumn hating the rain

Starting the work out

Standing square and actually being quite patient

Holly's new friend Tiger

My little girl has a new friend. My fatherinlaw used to race tiger he is now 12 years old and has been ther done that, in the trekking area, this year he did the great NZ horse trek which is awesome scenery and terrain, he now has come back to Davids to hopefully live out the rest of his years as a nice quite hack for myself, friends and Holly to enjoy....
Here is a photo of Holly giving tiger a drink with the hose...She loves him tells everyone he MY horse!!!

First show of the spring summer season

Well I have been a bit useless of late and not done any blogging, so much has happened especially to my horse, I have spent the last 10 weeks trying to keep her sound, first what I thought was a pulled tendon turned out to be a blow to her leg so thank goodness that healed then she hooned around the paddock and hurt something in her hind quarters, after nerve blocking and flection tests the vet was still unsure where or what she done at least ruled out anything to do with the stifle or hock, so just more rest and walking...
Anyway finally after all about 9 weeks I got to go to the first big show of the season, the Wellington Dressage champs in Foxton. Its a 4 1/2 hr drive from taranaki and we were well represented by taranaki with 2 champions one reserve and lots of placings amongst the 9 of us that took the trip down.
I managed a 5th, 6th and won an overall prize so not bad for my horse considering she had had no traiaing for that last 8 weeks before hand.

Receiveing my overall prize for back on track

Jordan Renee and I with our prizes

Winter Blues

Well I have not ridden my horse now for over a week and I am getting the gitters....Just about this last week here in Taranaki has been terrible just rain, rain thunder lightning, and more rain....and its expected to last for this whole coming week as well...I wish I was a millionaire and had lots of acres, my own full size arena and big stables but alas poor autumn has to endure this horrible weather outside, although she is all snugged up in her cover, and horses were born to be outside with no covers on, I just feel sorry for her out there standing in mud with the hail storms battering down on her...bring on summer I reakon I am over winter now!!!...

Working Autumn with Boris the pig

Took autumn out to my friends last sunday for a work out as she hadn't been out and about much since I had my miscarriage so she was feeling rather good with all the grass and no riding....and Boris my friends Kune Kune pig thought that he would just come and hang with me int he arena but he was actually a bit of a pain...he is kinda cute for a pig and considering I don't like pigs thats saying something...lucky for me Autumn actually quite likes Boris so it wasn't really a problem and to be honest he seems to have a calming effect on my horse...autumn was worried about the new mounting block that sarah has purchased well Boris just goes up and gives it a rub and autumn is like ok thats not so scarey anymore and I can trot past it now cause Boris is ok with it...funny when you trotting down longside and boris is trotting and grunting behind you!!!...


Boris even smiles for the camera



Holly loves horses but the rocking horse has to do for the moment

 Holly also loves the cat..