A friend was talking about the time she was losing not getting her horse to a show she really wanted to show in. Her horse is no where near retirement. There is no reason she can't show in that particular show next year. I thought to myself, my gosh, it's been 6 years, 6 YEARS! to get Ritchie down centreline for the very first time in Training/First level! That's no where near our eventual goal of Grand Prix! How many more years will that be??!!! It's not the time, it's the JOURNEY that keeps us going.
Anyways, for Ritchie's birthday, we gave him his broodmares. Promise did not carry through :( but she's a maiden mare so we will try her one more time. My Gervantus II filly, Lilyana, is also in with him, she's 4 as well so this will be her first time being bred.
He had been standing by the gate for 3 days in his paddock, not playing with the geldings anymore, not very happy. So we took the geldings out and I went in and took him behind his shelter while my mom and husband brought in the mares. He perked right up, soooo excited, he knew what was happening, we do this the same way every year. Once they had the halters off the mares, I unclipped Ritchie's lead rope and he ran over to the girls! Happy boy! Promise did not like how forward he was in his introduction and spent the next 2 hours keeping him no less than 20 feet away from her and Lana at any given time. His expression changed to a big-boy POUT!!! "You guys aren't supposed to be mean to me!!!"
By the end of the day, Promise came around and has been following the big boy around like a love-sick teenager. Lana's still not quite sure what's going on. I'm not totally sure when she's due to come into heat yet, but I don't think it will be for at least 10 days.
Ritchie's much more relaxed and happy now having his female company.
Happy Birthday fella!
