Cloud

Thanks to Dorne for sending a couple of photos of Cloud, taken at Christmas; at the water trough with Maybellene, then leading Laddie through the trees.

The 3rd one was taken by Terry at Easter, showing a broadening maternal girth!

Timely Master Dentist

Two super pieces of timing!!
Contacted Horse dentist Joe Raines to check whether he was in the country to Tee up teeth checks for Harry and Victor before sending them off to work.
He's in the country till this weekend, then heading Overseas, and is coming back down the New England Highway, past myplace, the next day (Today!)
Next: It starts rainiing overnight and showers and gale-force winds are forecast all day. I head off to work in pouring rain and ...pray! By late morning the clouds have lifted and I arrive home at midday to find horses racing around the paddocks in a raging wind, enjoying a break in the rain.
I separate the horses; the wind dies off; the horses stop running; Joe drives in the front gate; the rain clears out!!

Next question: how familiar are these guys with a dentist?

Couldn't ask for a better outcome! Victor first, assuming at 10 years old he's more experienced. Very trusting of both me and Joe. No problem with sedative needle. Probably hasn't had any experience of rotary buzz rasps in his mouth, but Joe takes his time acclimatising him to all his gear..and removes 2 wolf teeth and takes edges off all round to 'balance the mouth."
Then we leave Victor quietly recovering from the effects of the sedative whilst we bring youngster, Harry, 'up to the plate' alongside.
Again accepts the sedative needle without hassle and trusts Joe with all his machinations. He has a not-yet-5-year old mouth, with a couple of budding wolf teeth yet to erupt, but he, like Victor, copes with the buzzing, grating and rasping with widening eyes rolling for reassurance.

What more could one ask! Well mannered Saddlebreds with beautiful teeth!
And I'm now assured they can go back into work with Jeremy with no teeth issues which might affect their work on the bit.

It's always great to catch up with Joe. As a master dentist, he loves his work, and horses, and spends 3 months each year overseas, updating his qualifications and teaching and learning, initially on the East coast of the US, and more recently in Holland. He's met many breeds of horses and has worked with many Saddlebreds in the States, where the Dentist is usually called in to work alongside a Horse Veterinarian, so he has some fascinating experiences to share!
I first met him when he was taking care of Rocco's teeth, so he has a good memory of teeth and character similarities with my more recent Rocco (and Paeon) relatives.

Jumping lines

Great to see another Saddlebred making an entree on the eventing scene.
And from predictable jumping lines!!
Spotted at Canberra ODE: Leigh Nelson with Logan, (registered Wildmoor's Pre-ordained) in the Newcomers A class, coming in clear cross-country and S-J.
He has Peppermint Valley Commander and Goldmount Challenger predominant in his breeding.
By Canyonleigh Hail to Glory ...by Pep V.C. x Sutton's Grand Glory(fr.Penny West)
out of Wildmoor's Moonlight Invasion...by S.Moonshine x S.Centennial Destiny
(Kal.Penny..G.CHallengerxPenny West)

That jumping "eye" is strongly heritable through the Pep/Challenger/KalaramaPenny/Penny West influence.
Notable jumpers:Goldmount Challenger,
son Sutton's Spirit of '76
daughter Kalarama Penny out of Penny West
her son Bloomsbury's Top Cat by Canyonleigh Jubilation
by Pep V.c.
her daughter's son ; Canyonleigh Sirecho by C. Echo Comm
by Pep V.C.
Canyonleigh Paeon, (Pep/Penny West bloodlines)
and now "Logan".

Best wishes to another potential "addict" on the eventing scene!

Scene One: Oops!!

Harry has a good snort;
and looks for his mate;
has a little chat to young Galahad;
Laddie makes a move..and slips in the mud.
"Nothing happened! Honestly!You saw NOTHING!!"

Medallion Eventer

Photos courtesy of Franz Venhaus/Equestrian Australia.

Pictured is Heath Ryan on "Mystery Whisper" by Richmeed Medallion, on the 3Star Cross-country course at SIEC last year.
(Medallion is also sire to my own Bloomsbury Mai Ssandro and Bloomsbury Maybellene).

"Mystery Whisper" (aka "Moses")has won the Sydney 3Star twice, (2008 & 2010, pictured above) and they came in 6th this year.
He and Heath are on the short list for selection for the London Olympics, 2013.

World Cup up close!

I travelled down to Sydney International Equestrian Centre (SIEC) at Horsley Park today to help out officiating as a Marshall for the Preliminary and 1 Star show-jumping legs of the world cup eventing competitions.
Then I had the opportunity to see the final of the World Cup Show Jumping Competition.
BIG!! Eleven jumps with 14 jumping efforts (including a double and a treble!) all about Maximum height of 1.5metres! It was a pretty tight track, being indoors, which disadvantaged a few of the bigger, faster horses, but 7 jumped clear and made the jump-off. I wasn't able to stay for the jump-off as I had to drive home (3 hours) to feed up, so will have to look up final results during the week.
Olivia Hamood (who trained Sandro!) was into the jump-off on her grey, Nemo. (Shown above)
Julia Hargraves was riding a beautiful bay who she's taking overseas to campaign later this year. She had won the last two World Cup events on him, but had a rail today.

Not good snaps, but they give a sense of the size of the course and the exertion of the mounts!! Awesome!
(I'll have to edit the horse's names in, when I check the results.)

Boyz Sport!

Four weeks after their arrival and the new boys have really settled in. The 3 boys have been paddocked together for a week now. They've endured a thoroughly wet week and have donned their winter rugs. And the young blokes are up for a rumble!!
I haven't seen 2 year old Laddie play like this until now!
He's chased the older girls, and Paeon, in short bursts, but has been perfectly happy to back down to his elders.
On Sunday, as the rain kept away,Laddy (2)and Harry (5) decided to get stuck into some serious play!! Some niceties at the beginning, ducking and weaving to try to upend each other, rearing and pushing, then some serious chasing, racing, snorting..and finally..drinks!! at the water trough.
Laddie showed some "cow" tendencies, rounding Harry up, getting his head in front and leaning across in front of him to turn him, but Harry could stop on the spot, wheel and dash off ahead, pulling out some serious acceleration when needed.
I think Harry's presence is teaching Laddie some manouverability he might not have developed without this play!
Great to watch!
And throughout the 15 minute game, Victor held his ground and continued to eat, completely uninterested in such adolescent behaviour!!