Growing Cloud

Top Girl

"Top dog (/girl)"

With Harry and Laddie happily back to work with Jeremy, Cloud has taken over the prime position at dinner time, so she can keep an eye on feeds being made up and lay claim to first to be fed.
Interesting that Victor has allowed this. Perhaps out of consideration for a pregnant lady(??). He's aligned himself with the other chestnut on the place, Gracie. Gracie herself is full of beans, now confident in running around with both hind soles healed. She even turned on a half-rear canter pirouette on the spot, yesterday! Very impressive!!
Maybellene isn't fussed about playing with the pecking order. She knows she's the "Queen bee", and has her personal feeds in Her yard...to save her from having to get cranky!

One step at a Time: Step one!

The "teenagers" have been itching for action increasingly in the last month! Laddie (3y.o.) has been becoming increasingly irked by Harry's (5y.o.) assumption of dominance and has been testing the boundaries.
The feeding pecking order of Victor first then Harry, then Lad has been 'fraying at the seams' as Laddie stands his ground for longer each day,and Harry has to exert himself more (swinging the quarters, kicking towards Lad) to maintain his Number 2 position. It's only an issue at feed time; they 'arm-wrestle' normally about twice a day, just for exercise/fun!
Victor just assumes he's Mr Tough, and Harry concurs (no argument; after all they're 'Mates'!) so it's the young uns that have an issue!

So, Today they're off to work. Cessnock Horse Transport were incredibly obliging by arriving before 7am, to allow me to get to work on time! I'd organised for colleagues to cover for me if I was late...if the boyz were not cooperative....but I needn't have worried! Loaded Laddie first, his 3rd truck ride so he's a Pro now; walked straight on...despite Col's misgivings about "dumb-bloods". My explanation of 1/4 Saddlebred was "proof of the pudding" of intelligence; mind you, his Warmblood genetics are all brains and performance!! (World Champions Mai Sheriff and Gullit)
Then I led up Harry, with no prior experience with me loading him, but a couple of trucking experiences on the trip from Canyonleigh to the Hunter. What a beauty!

Straight on the truck and the boyz were up and away within 15 minutes!! How great is that!!

I followed them to North Kaludah and Megan took Harry while I led Lad to his yard. Well-mannered at that end of the trip as well, so another 'deep breath taken'!

With youngsters, every positive experience is a 'box ticked off', giving feedback about how they cope, and their attitude to change and challenges.

Ready to go

Spring is sprung...and the Boyz are looking for action.
Laddie is very laid-back usually but he's growing bigger all the time and is beginning to test the pecking order; the daily rumbles with Harry are getting a bit more serious as the two rear and "chest" each other, then whirl and chase.
It will be good to get them back to work.
The two of them should be off to see Jeremy mid-week, all being well!

Victor can do with some mature company, too, staying at home with the ladies!

Sydney 3DE 9/11

Photo courtesy Equestrian Australia.

Spent 9/11 (my birthday!)as a volunteer show-jump marshall for the third day of the annual Sydney 3 Day Event at SIEC. It turned out to be a lovely sunny autumnal day, (great day for riding) and a lovely relaxing time catching up with friends.
I also caught up with Ssandro's owner-rider, Matthew Anderson. He wasn't riding Sandro at this event, but rode a tall Thoroughbred (?) to 8th place in the Pre-Novice class. Sandro's having a couple of months in the paddock to get over a niggling hind fetlock soreness, but Matt assures me he's been behaving himself and is a lovely character to have around.

That was bonus news on my b'day!

Maybellene deserves her break!

Over the last three weeks Maybellene has really got her head around Jeremy's plans! He's been developing her responsiveness to his leg aids over the last few months and progressing his "asks" for 'More' flexion in leg yielding, 'More' stepping across in half-pass in trot and canter, stepping 'More' under in travers and renvers, maintaining rhythm in canter in 'more' smaller circles. Initially everything was foreign to her and it was all pushing the boundaries of her physical capabilities, but the exercises have been building her flexibility and musculature and it's all becoming easy. She now really understands what Jeremy is asking of her and is looking relaxed in her work..even the hard bits! She's at a stage where she can take a break for a few weeks and then go back to work mentally refreshed without a significant drop in her level of fitness. I brought her home after today's work: the mob were so excited to check out the newcomer in the horsefloat and she called out to them from the gate as I drove in. (Wish I'd had a video running!) So she's catching up with Cloud and Gracie in one paddock while the Boys are confined to their own domain.