LICENCED AND APPROVED!!!

Well, the trip to Okotokes for the RPSI inspection at Bri-Mel Farm this September turned out to be a little wetter and a whole lot whiter than we'd anticipated with the area getting over 30 cm of SNOW dumped on them on the inspection date! 

Fortunately the foals were quite easy to load with their moms, once we figured out our game plan.  Renate purchased herself a lovely 4-horse rig and we christened it with taking both broodmares and their foals all the way down to Okotokes for inspection.  They travelled well and Ali, Ritchie and I followed a couple of hours later.  The drive down was quite good, a little wet with drizzle, but nothing exciting.  The horses all settled in well and we were treated to a delicious dinner with top-notch company (thanks Deb!) before heading over to my favourite adopted family's home for the night. 

Up and at 'em early in the morning and the snow had already started!  Heavy, wet snow!  The colts and dams were not happy and were shivering when we got to the farm, but got into the hay well in the shelter once we arrived.  Ritchie's sheet had soaked through so we changed him and fed him up.  They were all a little better with a belly full.  We got registration done in a cold barn as the power had been knocked out at Bri-Mel.  Poor Brian was working his tail off trying to get things in serviceable order with a generator for the registration office.  The hospitality there, as always, was top notch! 

All in all, the horses did well.  Ritchie came in and seemed relieved to be out of the weather for a bit.  He was cold and honestly didn't give me as much movement as he can, but he still did very well.  He went through the jump chute and gave us a glimpse of a brilliant bascule at 3'9".  He scored an 8 for his canter and an overall 7. For a 4-year-old colt in the COLD AND WET, I'm very pleased with that. 

The colts came in and each scored 7.2 for silver premiums.  For half-Arab colts, I'm ecstatic with those results! 

Ali and I ended up staying over another night in Okotokes due to the snow while Renate went home with the mares and colts.  She kept saying something about taking her new horse out cross country schooling... what people do to jump their horses over solid objects...  I will never understand.  But they all went safely, she got to the cross country, bought herself a new mare and today won a championship derby on her.  So all in all, she's golden!

I am interested in having Ritchie approved with a Canadian registry now, but haven't committed to either yet.  I think it will depend on what mares come in next.  In the mean time, I have x-rays and a phenomenal vet report.  I've actually never heard of a horse flexing 100% sound and having flawless x-rays, but Ritchie does! 

I'm off to ride now, happy horseing!