26th Dec 2010
Been busy with the snow ! Lovely when it started, but not now ! My husband Peter has an ordinary car and had to use mine to get everything for Christmas and drop the boys off to work and go to his own work, while I had to walk up to the farm. So many haynets to do, and the usual problems- tap broke and the water was running for a day until hubby managed to get me a new one and fix it for me.
Had a lovely Christmas day and went up today and our gallini was trapped within two boards upside down - I didnt see him yesterday and was like that all night,(-10) only heard him scratching this morning after calling him. Steve came up today, and we both managed to get him out, but he didnt look too good, Im hoping he will be ok - he's been with us for years and such a part of our farm. Steve came to get a bale up and he took my car (been so popular) and put the bale on ski's and dragged it up lol He was so long that I wandered down to see what he was doing, forgetting that I had only locked one bit of the barn door. Amber, Ginger and Pepper can all open the door, and as I got to Steve I had 10 horses behind me, playing, snorting and thinking they were chocolate ! I was petrified as they could easily have got onto the road, but not a problem as managed to grab Coriander and they all followed back into our farm - they all started playing and we could not get them back into the barn. It was -3 and the water had frozen which meant back and forth to my house and the little darlings broke one of my water carriers - ahhhh. I really hope that our gallini is going to be ok. To top it off JB has got mild lammi, seems like everything happening at once. Hopefully get jazz down to Bev on wednesday for her week's trial.
so came home, lit the fire and poured myself a snowball, had left-overs, bubble and squeak and was alot happier. Just hoping harry will be ok tomorrow.
So funny though when they were out, it was like playtime LOL. They are all looking lovely considering what the weather has been like.
Steve off to darts tomorrow so hope he does ok. they say that the weather is going to warm up - I hope so !
H
15th Dec 2010
Actually managed to get Saith Johnnie Bach out riding a few days this week. first day he was manic - as he was after the Royal welsh, yesterday much better, and today ambled along. Rode with Jenni (and Roxy who jenni broke in) and Jenni is a horse behaviourist - she is amazing, truely amazing. If anyone has problems email me and Ill pass her details on to you. Will be putting her up on our links page when I figure it out.
They are all looking wonderful at the moment, some new pictures on our facebook page (saithstud) and im ready for the next load of weather thats supposed to be coming in this week. Yes, ready and waiting, with me having a girlie lunch tomorrow and steve doing them ! lol It was just so nice to ride in the sunshine for the past few days and so nice for jb's head to start coming back to normal.
Jazz has now been sold and we will be taking her down to her new family on 29th, weather permitting. Lovely lovely home with Bev and Steve and she will be spoilt rotten. She needed a special person and we have definitely found that in Bev. Really dont know what Frankie is going to do now as he had attached himself to Jazz. He is just so sweet, but still so shy. Im hoping that Coriander will take him over as she will be foaling in April and getting the instincts coming though. Cant believe how time is flying again. Longest day soon and then can start looking forward to skiing hols in Val D'isere (no kids yahooo) and back to start on Hazel for the ridden - although I think Im going to look a bit big on her, its just to get her going and enjoying it.
Christmas is coming - getting excited. Just love christmas day - opening pressi's doing the horses and back for a lovely dinner and choccies and a glass of champers. Ahh luxury.
Hope everyone's shopping is going well :)
H
8th Dec 2010
The water unfroze at last, and this time I made sure that it wouldnt freeze, more layers than me and thats saying something !Its been beautiful though, and Ive got my christmas card photo so Im doing that this afternoon, as well as going up the loft to see what decorations there are, and Im doing all this because.... Steve is doing the horses today. A day off ! Seems really strange though.
Hazel broke her rug and now has Dream's rug. Dream is pretty fat so she needs to lose a bit of weight before she foals next year, or she wont be able to push it out. lol Took all the rugs off yesterday and they look great. We always like them to lose a bit over winter, so its more natural for them, as mother nature intended. Weight on in summer and burning it off during winter. Just that ours seem to be pretty good doers ! Saith Magical Delight is up for sale, if anyone is looking for a project for winter. She is a stunning filly and will be 4 in January so ready to start her education. She is clever though !
Ive been wanting to ride jb - but this weather - its just too icy and I would wonder how long my feet last without getting frost bite.lol Off for a bit of christmas shopping, doesnt seem like yesterday I was worrying about flies and now worrying about the ice.
H
1st December 2010
At last Im back on line - computer playing up and havent had the internet for nearly a week !. Only one word to say ... Gutted. After the show with Saith Magical Ginger, thought I wont take her to the Royal Welsh Winter Fayre, but as the week went on she started looking ok, and we thought, yes we will take her. Steve was playing darts but would be back on the monday night.
I had groom Saith Magical Hazel within an inch of her life because I wanted to take her to the show on saturday at Avon & Borders. She looked stunning. Just as I was finishing her Friday afternoon, the snow started. Great. By Saturday morning, there was no way we were going. Gutted no. 1. Then we had no water. The tap was frozen solid. Steve of course, was gone and on his way to Derby.
I was praying that it would unfreeze as I had to drive to and from my house with containers of water. This was not good, and how was I going to wash Ginger? My containers were only small. I would have to do a day of back and forth to firstly fill their water trough and then get enough water for ginger with her huge white socks. The more I travelled the slippier the farm lane became. I had to make a decision and it was not to go to the RW. I was gutted. After a couple of weeks umming and arring I had finally made up my mind to go and then everything was against us ! The lane was really dangerous and pulling the trailer - well it was just another factor that added up to not going.
In one way maybe it was meant to be, because my favourite boy Pepper decided to go next door on Tuesday morning. I had done the hay and was calling him, everyone was wandering down, but no pepps. He is normally the first. I called and called got a headcollar and wandered up the field thinking he had got his rug caught up somewhere in the wood. No, pepper, now I was getting worried. A distant neigh, definitely pepper, but sounded like it was on the road. Called again and then I heard him flying down to the hedge (on the wrong side!) and I couldnt believe it. How on earth did he get over there. Walked along the hedge, nothing. Anyway crawled through and if he could have climbed in my arms, he would have. Got to the gate to come out and it was padlocked. OMG here we go. Rang Steve and he said he would come up and take the gate off the hinges. Pepper and I waited patiently and as steve got to the gate we lifted the hinges and the gate fell forward. It wasnt locked at all ! oppps. I snuck under my scarf and pretended I couldnt hear what Steve was saying ! lol.
Walked Pepper back down the road and down our lane and he was brilliant, such a good boy. Might take him to a small show after christmas just to get it under the belt and out of the way !
Wont live that one down for a while ! All the way back to the farm steve was shouting, the gate might be locked heather, but just check it ! lol
Still no water, but at least the lane is a bit better now. I just wasnt expecting the weather to be this bad!
Went out to see Scrooge with friends and hubby. Tommy Steel was scrooge - he was brilliant, and had a lovely night.
Ive started on the new web page, having lots more on there, and learning loads as well. It does look better than the first edition ! Something to look forward to. :
H
21 Nov 2010
HI, well what a fun weekend
Picture of Saith Magical Ginger, she came 2nd yesterday at Stretcholt SW welsh show. Lovely place. But that wasnt the start of it. Steve was actually up the farm before me and Ginger and Pepper were stabled, Jazz and Frankie were wandering around the barn, pulled everything everywhere, so Steve had to sort all that out before I got up there. Dont know how they got out ! but I think Pepper helped undo the clips that keeps the door closed between the barn and the stables !
Noone hurt, but a huge mess, and of course Ginger was tucked. Travelled down well and booked in and waited. Got on and Ginger actually ran with me ! yes !!! Not fast and not brilliant, but we plodded around and pulled in 3rd. Then our individual and got moved up to 2nd place !! Very pleased with that. She couldnt have beaten the yearling colt, he was black and beautiful. It did bring home that Ginger is just not ready to go up to the Royal Welsh. She just didnt have the weight, and is really out of shape through a growing stage she is having. My chunky chestnut now looks lanky !
Saith Black Storm went too, and was brought in 7th in the ridden and moved up to 4th ! Lucy was really pleased as he was a bit full of himself earlier, but behaved beautifully when it mattered
We did the championship and she still ran with me. Wouldnt stand - dont know whats wrong with my cobs on that point ! - but she enjoyed herself and loaded back up nicely, travelled well home and when we got to our gates, there's Pepper looking at me !! Oh how did he get out !! So he praced all the way up the drive and I saw one of our fences was down and he popped back over the bottom rail as if to say - there you go, look at me ! So funny.
Rugged up Ginger, put her out and came out, bath, out to a friends house with pete for dinner back at 2am! So it was a lovely day. Steve strugged on his ankle quite badly, but still tried to run, to see if he could do it.
Everyone fine today, have to get johnnie up so that I can ride on nice days.
H
16 Nov 2010
Been a quiet week, well not weather wise ! It was so windy, that I thought I should bring them in, and then decided against it as I thought they might not be in the stables in the morning - wow what a night ! Everyone survived, although most of them have rugs, except Jazz and Delight who both decided to break theirs this week.
Great news from Lucy and Saith Black Storm. Storm did a dressage test on the weekend and came 2nd out of 24 won a bag of molichaff as well. Excellent comments with 9's in the scores as well. He is really working well for Lucy, she has put so much into him and now its just starting to pay off.
Off to a show on saturday at Stretcholt. Taking the red one - Ginger, even though she is still in the growth spurt stage. She looks strange at the moment, unlike Pepper who looks really good. I should be taking him, but he's all woolly whereas ginger has 2 rugs on and keeping really warm. She is still a bit woolly but not too bad. Still undecided about Royal Welsh its only a few weeks, but if she looks like this, then we wont be taking her - they wouldnt allow us in the ring LOL
Not sure if I can bath her though, I dont think it will be fair on her. Will have to wash her socks though ! I dont think she is going to like that very much. I know I wont having to wash them in the cold water.
Steve did ok in the darts and now just needs a bit of luck to start getting further up the ladder.
Will tell you all about Saturday and hopefully Ginger will trot with me this time - Ive been trying to train her but she just looks at me! Way too soft I am :)
H
R