Talisman Farm

Wednesday, 5 May 2010

My 2010 South Island Adventure!

I am back from my South Island adventure and had such a great time! I flew to Christchurch where I was picked up by my friend Chris and we spent a couple of days and nights here visiting Irish horse breeders and saddleries. What a treat! We got up close and personal with many beautiful Irish Sport Horses but the highlight for me was meeting four purebreds, including NZ's only resident purebred Irish Draught stallion, Coalmans Touch. Meeting Matty was something I have wanted to do for ages so it was wonderful to be able to give the boy a cuddle and a wither scratch (which he nearly turned himself inside out over).

Thornfield and Eyreleigh Sport Horse studs had many lovely young Irish horses to ooo and aahhh over, including two of NZ's five purebred mares and one purebred gelding at Eyreleigh. These horses are just magnificent in the flesh. Incredible bone and substance but still light and athletic and very personable - I would have loved to have brought them all home with me! I am now even more determined to breed a purebred for myself.

Day three we headed further south to Oamaru where we visited Robbie in his new home with Sheree and Chris. It was lovely to see my boy so settled and happy with his two ladies. For some reason known only to myself, I neglected to take ANY photos. I guess I will just have to go back! Robbie demolished 3kg of monster carrots in record time and, last seen, was hoovering up the 'crumbs'.

I then spent 3 days and 3 nights with Chris and her family on their Southland farm. During this time we took her lovely young Irish Sport Horse filly by Coalmans Touch to the RDA where we were able to ride her out of the inclement weather. Chris also has a yearling gelding by Coalmans Touch out of her Zabalu mare. He's one to be watched I'll wager - A classy saddle hunter of the future (and for sale, if anyone is interested...).

Anyway, enough of my waffle and now for some photos:

Connie - Eyreleigh Tullamore RID

Eyreleigh Finnoula RID and Eyreleigh Scarteen RID

Eyreleigh Scarteen RID - Thady

Eyreleigh Shilalegh - ISH gelding out of Connie

Noula - Eyreleigh Finnoula RID

Thornfield Richie Mac Finn ISH

Noula

Thornfield Rhyan ISH

Coalmans Touch RID

Thornfield Mackin

Coalmans Touch RID

Eyreleigh Shilalegh ISH

Glenluce Abbey ISH

Glenluce Quinn ISH

Glenluce Quinn

Sunday, 25 April 2010

Miss Megan

My first proper goal with Meg is to attend the Solway Dressage Group's winter series and stage one of preparations for meeting this goal started this week. It was a week of firsts. Our first ride in my old and Meg's new saddle (we're going to be using my flat seat jumping saddle as neither my dressage or GP saddles fit her properly), our first lesson and we cantered our first 20 metre circles (although, to be honest, I think they were probably more like 30m squares but it's a start!). I emailed off my entry last night. Should provide entertainment for all! We're just doing Training 0.1 and 0.3 but that's more than enough for my little three year old clompety and me!

Meg's such great fun. As my friend and trainer says, she really 'gets her clydie on' when under saddle and just loves to get down and boogie. I was in a really dark mood before I rode yesterday and Meg just caterpaulted me right out of it and back into the light again - LOVE my girl.

We have LOTS to work on so should keep us both very busy and give Meg plenty to think about. At this stage I will only be riding her 4 days a week with one ride being a lesson, one being schooling and two rides being 'fun'/fitness rides (so hacking out over hills and around the roads here). D-day is 16 May and I have a week in the SI next week so I calculate that gives us ... 11 rides or approximately 5 hours to practise. I probably should not have worked that out coz now I am panicking! LOL!

Nick was kind enough to take some photos of me riding yesterday. They're not pretty (well Meg is but I look like some sort of a roly poly pumpkin - bleurgh!) but my mastery of photoshop is non existent so, for now, I can't get me out of the photos!

A nice sedate walk

Trotting a corner

More walk

Trotting a corner

Obliging girl

Letting out the rein

Go Meg GO!

Look up Lou!

Wheeeeee!

Goig so fast we're just a blur, haha!

Tuesday, 20 April 2010

Bye bye Rory

Yesterday another baby flew the nest and now I am sad. Rory (TF Rory O'Moore) is by Coalmans Touch and out of my lovely Laughtons Legend mare, Hooty (Wynyard Night Owl) and he was SUPPOSED to be a dark bay filly (so I could retain her for the Irish breeding program) but instead we got a bright red colt! Rory has a wonderful personality and has always been a friendly and gregarious boy, afraid of nothing and into everything. Yesterday as I prepared him for his road trip with a brush and a yummy feed he decided to check out the inside of the tack shed/shipping container. Nothing phases this boy, I tell you! The truck arrived to take him away and I had to hold him back as he was ready to get on before we were ready to let him! There was a silly kicking, screaming TB in the compartment behind him but he could care less. On he marched and away he went off on his new adventure, leaving me standing at the bottom of the driveway in a puddle of tears.

Bon voyage Rorror, I know I can't keep them all but you truly are one right out of the box and I will miss you very, very much. Be a good boy now and please keep in touch xoxox

So what do you think you might find in here Rory?