News

March 2008

Well I haven't updated for a while. Willie is going well under saddle and behaved beautifully at his first show, the Royal Hobart Summer Horse Show in February 2008.  He's also learnt to pull a small harrow so he can harrow the arena.

You can't stop at just one

When I bought Wilem I was warned "you can't stop at just one Friesian". Yeah right! I thought. Well I was proved wrong, and in late 2005 leased a mare and bred her to a Friesian stallion. You can find out about the resulting filly Sansia by visiting her page.

Equitana Melbourne 4-8 November 2005

I always enjoy browsing the exhibition for new products and bargains. The most interesting find was a new mineral supplement derived from ancient forest deposits making this a totally organic product. In my opinion organic minerals should be absorbed by the horse more easily than inorganic minerals. There were two different companies marketing this product, LifeSPRINGS (they were lovely) and International Animal Health Products with their version Down to Earth. Another super product was an attractive safety stirrup called the Safestyle. The Animal Company had a super range of bucas rugs, which were extremely well designed and superb quality, though a little out of my price range unfortunately. Their fly-sheet and trucking boots are exceptionally good, and don't forget their NAF brand water-based hoof cream. The Andalusian stall had a range of beautiful traditional saddlery, the saddles looked comfy and the gullets are quite flexibly apparently and mould to the horse. They are available from O'Dea's Saddlery in Shepparton, Victoria.

The Friesian stall was great, I got to meet lots of people and see the Friesian mare Ulrika again, who has spent some time in Tasmania (where I got to ride her) and was now back in Victoria. I also met the Friesian stallion Age B, who just lapped up the attention and loved scritchies. Here's a photo of me with Age. The best part of Equitana that made it different from the last ones was meeting up with people (mostly Friesian people LOL), a lot of them for the first time after years of email communication. This was fabulous. I spent most of my money at the Australian Friesian Horse Society display, coming home with a t-shirt, mug, calendar, shopping bag and a Freddy the Friesian (I think there are some left over if you'd like to contact the AFHS) but also found some videos at Saddleworld and a saddle pad with sparkles on from Funky Pony (with matching halter!).

On the last day of Equitana we ducked into the city where I had to forcibly restrain Nadeen from entering two bookshops (we had a time limit) on our way to Champions Racing Museum in Federation Square where they had a display of stunning photography by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. As well of horses by themselves, the horses are often photographed with their owners, and in some fascinating ones you can see the surrounds beyond Yann's portable backdrop. You can see them on his website where I also got the image below, taken in Dakar, to show you. Its one of my favourites (its impossible to have just one). He also has a book. This exhibition runs till 31 January 2005 so you can catch it if you hurry.

After seeing the exhibition Nadeen, Lee and I went to visit Carina and Ann at Black Minx Stud. Of course this is where Othello lives, so finally got to meet the old boy. There were masses of horses there, mostly Friesian and horses I had heard of but not met.
There was also a two-day old filly, Saeske, here is a pic, copyright Nadeen Davis. Unfortunately it rained the whole time we were there (which is why Saeske is looking a bit damp) but it was great to catch up and meet the horses. It was a bit freaky to see so many Friesians in one place, they are such a rare breed!

May 2005

Finally got around to starting Willie properly under saddle at Easter. Things got delayed cause I had the flu for 6 weeks. :-( Things are going very well, he has been very well behaved. I've had about 6 rides and we're trotting nicely. And look at the cake I made for the guys at work on The Cancer Council's 'Biggest Morning tea day'. Yes I know its sad, but its also very very funny.

September 2004

Hey, I finally got on my horse! Yep, just sat on his back, that's all. I was pretty happy I can tell you.

April 2004

Well, what a lot of catching up to do. I have been so busy at work lately I have not been in the mood for looking at computers again when I get home. Anyway, this is what's been happening: Willie drove me nuts last Winter because he decided he could either climb out of his paddock or take his rug off every couple of days. (rolls eyes). So he is in the escape-proof paddock now and also seems to have decided that he can keep his rug on. So then he decided to rub his lovely long mane out, its lovely and short now. Friesians seem to be itchy horses. With Spring came the Launceston stallion parade, to which Lee and Nadeen took the imported purebred Friesian mare Ulrika (on lease from Black Minx stud). This was in the nature of a breed display, there being no Friesian stallions here in Tassie. This incredibly beutiful mare got a huge response, feedback saying she "stole the show". With spring also comes foals, and on a trip to Lee and Nadeen's Wallbrook stud to see the foals, as a very very special favour they kindly let me ride Ulrika. Yes!!!!!!!! I have acutally ridden a Friesian now. So that was pretty exciting. Here's proof.

And while I was on board my mobile rang so I was talking via "Friesian phone" ha ha. Unfortunately I had to leave to go home for work the next day, so missed out on seeing one of the foals born by about 4 hours. :-( Now what next? ummm, oh yeah, Willie. Willie has started doing long reining now (off the halter). He goes very well in them as if he'd done it all his life. His father was trained as a harness horse so perhaps its in the blood. I found the two long reins hard to handle at first, especially at the start when Willie wanted to spin around in them and come back to mommy. We are also at the start of introducing a new trick - lie down. We have grasped the opportunity that Willie had offered, as when on the arena if he gets sweaty he wants to get down and roll. I've also been working on getting him to lunge on voice commands. Just to make it really easy when he is started (broken in).