The Herd
(cross-posted with 4theluvofhorses, probably the last cross-post from me, promise.)
Images and some deeper commentary about the herd. A lot of images so a brief warning for those who are on dial-up like myself.
Chewy is 16 years old stands around 13.2hh and her full name is "Chewy Caramel." Before we purchased her my husband, Chris made me promise to let him name her. I figured it couldn't hurt, so Chewy it is. Her registered name is actually Conestee CRB. Chris found her and suggested we go look. We'd been nosing about for a horse to purchase for me to teach lessons on as neither Kash or Dakota are really good for beginners or young people. I was determined to get something short and stocky so I would also be able to ride it so we were leaning towards Fjords, Haflingers, and Welshes or perhaps a shorter, stocky horse. I tried her out, chewed on it for a bit, and decided to go for it. She had been a broodmare for six years and was pregnant and hadn't been ridden in at least six years so she was a little rusty, but solid and we ended up bringing her home.
Me on Chewy last year. She has a good walk and trot for a pony and has lovely, sweeping strides with good hock action. I rather enjoy riding her and she's definately not a dead-to-the-world lesson horse. And who can not love that broad drafty haunch! She's wider than my 15hh Arab gelding by about half.
However she is absolutely amazing with little kids and less confident riders. She things about nearly every step and if the rider is unsure she pauses mid-stride before setting her foot down where she believes her rider wants her to go.
This is my youngest student riding her. It's basically just "pony rides," but I teach him as much as he's able to understand. We actually played tag in his last lesson to keep him interested and motivated to ride. He was on Ruby, who you'll see later. As I said before, Chewy's awesome for both the little kids and my more advanced students who are trotting.
I picked up Kash for $500 when he was six years old, barely broke, and hadn't really had any descent work in over a year. Four years later (in September) I still have him and love him to pieces. He is still too smart for his own good and it seems the harder the task the easier he is to manage because it engages his full brain rather than just part of it, at which point his mind wanders. He is registered, but not in my name due to some rather unfortunate things, such as the previous owners never having signed the papers and my never being able to contact the lady on the papers and not wanting to spend a thousand dollars or more to have a court rule that I have rightful ownership to get him in my name. He's Bey Shah, Bey El Bey, and Bask on the topside, Aladdinn, Bask, Fire Chief, and Latest Edition on the bottom. In short, a good-looking mostly Polish Arab boy. He's calmed down a lot since I first got him, taking Dressage (and jumping) lessons on him has done wonders as well as getting some regular work! He's about 15hh flat and likes to chew on everything, especially his bit.
When he gets especially excited or intent on an object his ears just about touch together.
Unfortunately I don't really have any pictures of me riding him because, well, I'm usually the one with the camera and haven't taken the time to get someone to take some shots of me on him. I do have some pictures of me ground-driving him, though!
He looks really good when he's "together."
And a more recent shot. Even if it's not terribly flattering hopefully it gives an idea of how he's put together. I need to get a picture of him when he's "high on himself" and showing off as he has some awesome carriage when he's properly motivated.
Ruby should be turning seven this year, we don't know for sure as she's an unregistered Amish farm horse. At least, she was used by the Amish for her first couple of years pulling farm equipment until she was sold to Jenny and then turned over to us. She's our "Greenbroke Belgian Mare" as Chris often brags. She has an awesome, steady personality and loves people and attetnion. This mare was good enough to buy twice! We brought her home the first time and had a post-purchase exam, found a lump on her right fore pastern and had it x-rayed. It turned out to be high ringbone and we took her back to First Draft Farms. Jenny was completely apologentic and understanding, offering to drop the price and all. We chewed on it for a week and Chris was quite miserable for that week until we went back and brought her home the second time.
Driving Ruby! We weren't sure how she'd do so I walked behind her for a while before stepping up on the back and finally climbing inside. We purchased the cart at an auction back in March and have used it a couple of times, but just in the arena.
Chris and I in the cart! The cart is a little low for Ruby, but if we could figure out how to lower those loops (oh I'm so techical) that the shafts go through it'd be more level.
Truth be told, Ruby is teaching us to drive rather than the other way around! We took so long hitching up the first time she kept on looking back as if to say "are you done yet?"
Our two extremes. We used this on our Christmas card last year. Chewy and I are on the left and Chris and Ruby are on the right. As mentioned before, Chewy stands around 13.2hh, but Ruby is around 16.3hh! The funny part is that Chewy isn't all that narrower than Ruby. Chris is rather fond of his big lady.
Panda just barely turned five in May and was started under saddle in November. She is a bit of a worry-wart, but she has relaxed remarkably in the few months that we've had her, especially considering she's been ridden for less than a year! She stands an even 15hh, but she seems a bit larger than Kash mostly due to her build. Both her parents were near Ruby's size (16.3hh+), but we think she's either a genetic throw-back, or her previous owner suggested that since she was on range while she was growing up during a drought in Oklahoma she might not have gotten the feed needed to grow to her fullest potential. Just the same, I think she's quite the perfect size! We purchased her at the same auction that we got the cart at in March and weren't actually planning on coming home with a horse! Chris got in a small bidding war, determined that she wouldn't go for pennies as a pair of beautiful Percherons did earlier in the auction. We ended up winning her for $1300. Her breeding is mostly Percheron and she is registered. My trainer keeps on saying she has a fake tail to put on her when I start showing because hers is docked like Rubys, but for aesthetic purposes rather than the practical reasons that the Amish do it.
She has a big trot. It was really hard to sit her trot at first, but once she relaxed a bit it became easier, though it is still quite powerful!
She has good reach and movement and her size really lends her to being more agile than most drafts. She's a little heavy in the hands when turning, but she's definately not hanging on the forehand!
Her canter is a little ugly at the moment, but it's coming along!
It seems the faster she goes the higher her head gets!
She does have a naturally high neck carriage like the Percheron and is quite a well put-together horse.
Dakota is my mom's horse. She was originally purchased by my Grandpa when she was five or so with a foal at her side. Since then she's had another foal and got fat and foundered because nobody was riding her up in UT. We brought her down here two years ago once we had a place to put her and Mom finally got her own horse. We call Dakota the Hungry Mare because she wants to eat ALL THE TIME and gets really grumpy if she's made to work around breakfast or dinner time. She can be quite a stink and has the bad habit of trying to boss around the big draft ladies and always getting the worse end of the deal. She stands around 15.1hh and is about eleven or twelve years old. My mom loves her to death, which is the important thing even if she's not able to make it out to ride as often as Dakota needs.
Dakota in Utah, her baby, Sassy, is behind her looking irritated (not unusual).
When we first brought her down she was rather rangy looking and had this wild mustang stallion look about her because of her huge crest and tangles upon tangles of mane. She's slimmed up quite nicely and hasn't had any problems with founder since we brought her down.
... That was a lot. Do enjoy!
Images and some deeper commentary about the herd. A lot of images so a brief warning for those who are on dial-up like myself.
Chewy is 16 years old stands around 13.2hh and her full name is "Chewy Caramel." Before we purchased her my husband, Chris made me promise to let him name her. I figured it couldn't hurt, so Chewy it is. Her registered name is actually Conestee CRB. Chris found her and suggested we go look. We'd been nosing about for a horse to purchase for me to teach lessons on as neither Kash or Dakota are really good for beginners or young people. I was determined to get something short and stocky so I would also be able to ride it so we were leaning towards Fjords, Haflingers, and Welshes or perhaps a shorter, stocky horse. I tried her out, chewed on it for a bit, and decided to go for it. She had been a broodmare for six years and was pregnant and hadn't been ridden in at least six years so she was a little rusty, but solid and we ended up bringing her home.
Me on Chewy last year. She has a good walk and trot for a pony and has lovely, sweeping strides with good hock action. I rather enjoy riding her and she's definately not a dead-to-the-world lesson horse. And who can not love that broad drafty haunch! She's wider than my 15hh Arab gelding by about half.
However she is absolutely amazing with little kids and less confident riders. She things about nearly every step and if the rider is unsure she pauses mid-stride before setting her foot down where she believes her rider wants her to go.
This is my youngest student riding her. It's basically just "pony rides," but I teach him as much as he's able to understand. We actually played tag in his last lesson to keep him interested and motivated to ride. He was on Ruby, who you'll see later. As I said before, Chewy's awesome for both the little kids and my more advanced students who are trotting.
I picked up Kash for $500 when he was six years old, barely broke, and hadn't really had any descent work in over a year. Four years later (in September) I still have him and love him to pieces. He is still too smart for his own good and it seems the harder the task the easier he is to manage because it engages his full brain rather than just part of it, at which point his mind wanders. He is registered, but not in my name due to some rather unfortunate things, such as the previous owners never having signed the papers and my never being able to contact the lady on the papers and not wanting to spend a thousand dollars or more to have a court rule that I have rightful ownership to get him in my name. He's Bey Shah, Bey El Bey, and Bask on the topside, Aladdinn, Bask, Fire Chief, and Latest Edition on the bottom. In short, a good-looking mostly Polish Arab boy. He's calmed down a lot since I first got him, taking Dressage (and jumping) lessons on him has done wonders as well as getting some regular work! He's about 15hh flat and likes to chew on everything, especially his bit.
When he gets especially excited or intent on an object his ears just about touch together.
Unfortunately I don't really have any pictures of me riding him because, well, I'm usually the one with the camera and haven't taken the time to get someone to take some shots of me on him. I do have some pictures of me ground-driving him, though!
He looks really good when he's "together."
And a more recent shot. Even if it's not terribly flattering hopefully it gives an idea of how he's put together. I need to get a picture of him when he's "high on himself" and showing off as he has some awesome carriage when he's properly motivated.
Ruby should be turning seven this year, we don't know for sure as she's an unregistered Amish farm horse. At least, she was used by the Amish for her first couple of years pulling farm equipment until she was sold to Jenny and then turned over to us. She's our "Greenbroke Belgian Mare" as Chris often brags. She has an awesome, steady personality and loves people and attetnion. This mare was good enough to buy twice! We brought her home the first time and had a post-purchase exam, found a lump on her right fore pastern and had it x-rayed. It turned out to be high ringbone and we took her back to First Draft Farms. Jenny was completely apologentic and understanding, offering to drop the price and all. We chewed on it for a week and Chris was quite miserable for that week until we went back and brought her home the second time.
Driving Ruby! We weren't sure how she'd do so I walked behind her for a while before stepping up on the back and finally climbing inside. We purchased the cart at an auction back in March and have used it a couple of times, but just in the arena.
Chris and I in the cart! The cart is a little low for Ruby, but if we could figure out how to lower those loops (oh I'm so techical) that the shafts go through it'd be more level.
Truth be told, Ruby is teaching us to drive rather than the other way around! We took so long hitching up the first time she kept on looking back as if to say "are you done yet?"
Our two extremes. We used this on our Christmas card last year. Chewy and I are on the left and Chris and Ruby are on the right. As mentioned before, Chewy stands around 13.2hh, but Ruby is around 16.3hh! The funny part is that Chewy isn't all that narrower than Ruby. Chris is rather fond of his big lady.
Panda just barely turned five in May and was started under saddle in November. She is a bit of a worry-wart, but she has relaxed remarkably in the few months that we've had her, especially considering she's been ridden for less than a year! She stands an even 15hh, but she seems a bit larger than Kash mostly due to her build. Both her parents were near Ruby's size (16.3hh+), but we think she's either a genetic throw-back, or her previous owner suggested that since she was on range while she was growing up during a drought in Oklahoma she might not have gotten the feed needed to grow to her fullest potential. Just the same, I think she's quite the perfect size! We purchased her at the same auction that we got the cart at in March and weren't actually planning on coming home with a horse! Chris got in a small bidding war, determined that she wouldn't go for pennies as a pair of beautiful Percherons did earlier in the auction. We ended up winning her for $1300. Her breeding is mostly Percheron and she is registered. My trainer keeps on saying she has a fake tail to put on her when I start showing because hers is docked like Rubys, but for aesthetic purposes rather than the practical reasons that the Amish do it.
She has a big trot. It was really hard to sit her trot at first, but once she relaxed a bit it became easier, though it is still quite powerful!
She has good reach and movement and her size really lends her to being more agile than most drafts. She's a little heavy in the hands when turning, but she's definately not hanging on the forehand!
Her canter is a little ugly at the moment, but it's coming along!
It seems the faster she goes the higher her head gets!
She does have a naturally high neck carriage like the Percheron and is quite a well put-together horse.
Dakota is my mom's horse. She was originally purchased by my Grandpa when she was five or so with a foal at her side. Since then she's had another foal and got fat and foundered because nobody was riding her up in UT. We brought her down here two years ago once we had a place to put her and Mom finally got her own horse. We call Dakota the Hungry Mare because she wants to eat ALL THE TIME and gets really grumpy if she's made to work around breakfast or dinner time. She can be quite a stink and has the bad habit of trying to boss around the big draft ladies and always getting the worse end of the deal. She stands around 15.1hh and is about eleven or twelve years old. My mom loves her to death, which is the important thing even if she's not able to make it out to ride as often as Dakota needs.
Dakota in Utah, her baby, Sassy, is behind her looking irritated (not unusual).
When we first brought her down she was rather rangy looking and had this wild mustang stallion look about her because of her huge crest and tangles upon tangles of mane. She's slimmed up quite nicely and hasn't had any problems with founder since we brought her down.
... That was a lot. Do enjoy!