I took Cloud to Colonial Park Stud, on Saturday, to visit Brae Galaxy. She was beautifully behaved: walked straight onto the float, travelled well and disembarked with great interest. Di and Tony Stanley asked how tall she was as she was showing her maximum Saddlebred presence as she stood tall to check out her new surrounds.
Cloud is a half sister to Lesley Inkson's stallion "Bucky", (Canyonleigh Gold Bar), also by Canyonleigh Cloud Chaser.
She was broken to saddle at 2 years old, at about 15:2hh, by Jeremy Janjic, as shown above, and then turned out to grow. At 3 yrs old and about 16:2hh, we'll see if she goes in foal to Gallo. (Gullit/Biathlon).
Di says she's not in season yet, but she's not looking averse to the boy.
Maybellene has been home for some 8 weeks and has been asking for a job for the last week or two, (coming up to me whenever I was available and wanting some 'action'), so I took her back to Christine Crawford at North Kaludah on Monday. She also walked straight on the float; couldn't wait to get going!! She went straight into a lunging session in the round yard to see where she's at...and Boy!!..is she looking good! She's grown a bit during her break, and hasn't lost any muscle! Went straight into a powerful, reaching trot, maintaining strong forward rhythm and offering a great long reaching stretch over the back and then rolled into canter. Didn't have to be pursuaded to work, but was ready and willing to get stuck back into it. Why didn't I have my camera!
The photos of her above show her first competition at 3 years old, and then some work with Jeremy as a 5 year old, in August 2010. (She had about 16 months off to foal Laddie).
Both girls are enjoying their new ventures. It's great to see them coping so well!
Went to see Maybellene in work today, Friday. Jeremy offered the unsolicited comment: " It's interesting to see that these Saddlebreds all come back to work so willingly after a break. It really seems to work well for them. Maybe it's all the thinking they're doing when they're in work and they need some down time. They're definitely thinking horses"
ReplyDeleteI've been conscious, over the years, that they always try their hardest when they're in work and get to a point where they 'feel' as if they could do with a break. (Get a bit 'flat'/'tight'/something.) With a month off, they don't lose any fitness and are getting 'bored' and looking for work at the end of that time, (just like kids on school holidays!).
They don't forget anything, but come back to work ready to pick up where they left off.
In Jeremy's opinion, this is quite different to most horses, who work better if they are kept going, continuously.