Xafaire had a an amazing ride this morning. After all these months of struggling he finally got it together and actually half-halted! I almost fell off in amazement! and when he gets it together he is such an awesome ride.  Phew, lets hope he keeps this up.
Miss Arwen was awesome this morning as well, she is really making progress, she cantered on the left lead really well and even managed to go all the way down the long side without losing balance. Her right rein is still tougher, she managed a couple of 20m circles and a even a few steps in the straight line but then she lost her balance. However she let me sit and push her a bit which is good, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

We’re off the Horse Center to day to get the stalls set up for the sale. The two fillies won’t go down until tomorrow, but I want to see the lie of the land and get set today.  I feel a bit as if I sending them off to a new land! Which in a way I am.  I hope nice people buy them, who will care for them and will be patient and kind.

And at alst real rain, now maybe my grass will grow and we can stop feeding hay!

MW

Donna Rubina our most expensive and champion brood mare has decided that mother hood is not for her! At least not yet.  Several rounds of breeding and no pregnancy, so since I am allergic to horses who stand around doing nothing, we brought her up and have started bringing her back into work.  She seems to be sound and after a week or so of lunging and long reining April hopped up. Her comment; “WOW what a lovely horse”,  she’s a huge mare, way too big for either April or myself, but she is so soft, sensitive and well balanced that she is easy to to ride. April has had a blast riding her in the indoor.

BUT as many of you know I am also allergic to horses who can’t go on trail rides, and it is so much healthier for them mentally and physically if they can go for at least trail walks. So Donna R. went on her first trail walk to day.  Xavoy was happy to be her gentleman companion and protect her for all the big scary monsters out there, and we walked up the drive to the house and around the big field and then home. Donna R. was very sensible and calm, she got worried a few times but having Xavoy there reassured her and she walked easily beside him.

We had a very pleasant uneventful trail walk, hopefully the first of many, it’s going to be a long road back to fitness for Donna R. since she has not been ridden for 2 years, but the trails are the best way to do it. and she seemed to enjoy it.

Maybe with time she will decide to reconsider the motherhood thing and I will probably look into the costs of Embryo Transfer for her for next year.

But she has made a big step in her new life!

MW

Tomorrow (Weds) we are supposed to be getting record temps, (up in the high 90′s  to 100) which with the high humidity will put us at a heat index of over 100. So be careful guys. Make sure all animals have plenty of water, shade if possible.

Increase the amount of electrolytes you feed as long as this weather lasts.

AS I ride each morning, (earlier and earlier) I am so grateful for our covered arena. with the windows open  along the west side, and the open East side we get a pretty good cross breeze.  Watering to keep the dust down and it is pleasant and quite reasonable in there.

Each morning I work 3 horses, so by the time I finish the temps are beginning to climb. April ois made fo sterner stuff, she goes and works about 4 more than me and even goes out side and works in the round pen and the outside arena. I’m, too much of a wimp to do that! But tomorrow, Weds, I will head out for a trail ride, and do a little hill work, nothing like walking and trotting up those hills to help condition the horses.

The grass is brown and crispy and slippery, and the ground is hard so we can’t go too fast, but with out hills we can do quite a few trot sets up the slopes.

It’s so good for our young horses to get out and trail ride, it teaches them to balance and to be agile and on their feet.  So despite the horrible heat we are having a pretty good summer.

Hope you all are having a good time and are handling this heat.

Yours

MW

Saturday June 26th at CCS. Entries and info via the VA Horse Trials Website

Fun for all.

It’s gonna be hot, we will have water, ice and freezie pops!

MW

While we love having all these nice young horses here, there comes a time when some have to leave the nest, to make room in the barn for the next crop.

So we have entered (consigned) Lolita and River to the Sport Horse Sale at Dressage at Lexington. Both of these fabulous mares are really really nice, we enjoy working with them but there are 5 2 yr olds out in the pasture who need to come in next fall, and so we have to let them go to good homes.

Here are some shots of these lovely mares plus there are videos on You Tube. We hope that you will watch the videos and come to Lexington on July 17th to bid on these two mares. We are happy to show to anyone and let people try them prior to the sale. If you are interested please call us on 540-294-3003 or email me at Melyni@ntelos.net to arrange to come by and see them or try them.

River Dance is a 3 yr old filly by Romantic Star out of Hannah. Hannah was Champion brood mare at the Upperville show earlier this month. River was a premium foal at her ISR  and at her AWS inspections.  She is a lovely filly a really superb mover and show incredible talent (free) jumping.

River Dance 3 yr old filly.

River trail rides quietly and can walk, trot and canter. She is doing her first ever dressage test this weekend at CCS and will be at the House Mountain Show June29/30 to get show experience. She is a fabulous filly and could excel at either dressage or hunters or both.

River at canter

River’s video can be sen at :   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4np4TO3JuZM

We are also offering Lolita.

A 5 yr old Oldenburg mare by Libero Star out of Pik Abou, Lolita is a drop dead gorgeous dark bay mare with 3 socks. She is superb on the flat and over fences, she trail rides quietly and is a suitable ride for an amateur.   Lolita was bred as a 3 yr old and spent her 4 th year raising a lovely colt foal CCS Boromir.  Lolita has been shown at a licensed dressage show, she scored 65 and 69% at Training level first time out. She is easy to handle at shows. She will also be attending the House Mountain Show to do the hunters. She is a very talented jumper and easy to ride over fences.

Her video can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWEs_T4oYQU

Lolita (it's an old picture sorry)

Call us if you would like to see or try either mare, hope to see you at the sale.

Contact for a sale catalogue is info@professionalauction.com

We are hosting a dressage schooling show on behalf of VADA-CH on Saturday June 12th.

All levels of test will be available.

Our judge is Jessie Ginsburg (L ).  Entry form and waiver are at:   http://www.vadach.org/

If you want to enter the show it isn’t too late.

Please contact me (Melyni) by phone (540-294-3003) or FAX (540-337-5453) or Email (Melyni@ntelos.net).  Let me know your name, your horses name and what tests you wish to ride.

I can accept entries up to Thursday pm. When you arrive Saturday I will need a waiver filled out and an entry form (downloadable from the VADA-CH website; http://www.vadach.org/, click on Spring events and download the PDF.) , a copy of your horses coggins and your money.

Lunch and other refreshments will be available by RWP.

Stalls are available. $35.00 day

There will be free schooling X-C and show jumping if you want it.

Hope to see you there.

MW

October 24th- Student Horse Show-  at RWP  9am to 1pm

For more info on the activities of RWP, to volunteer to help please contact Debbie Winters  <Dwintersw@aol.com>

August 15- Leadership Workshop- Louis Woods.

July 25th- Open Horse Show– at CCS

For more info on the activities of RWP, to volunteer to help please contact Debbie Winters  <Dwintersw@aol.com>

June 20-  Special Olympics Area 5 Equestrian Competition
At RWP 9am to 1pm

For more info on the activities of RWP, to volunteer to help please contact Debbie Winters  <Dwintersw@aol.com>