Thoughts on a Young Horse

Not just a young horse but, specifically, a young stallion...

By now you know who LaBamba SE (Ritchie) is.  My yearling Zweibrucker stallion, my dream, the nicest horse I've ever owned, possibly ever laid hands on, my boy. 

So why keep him a stallion, Amanda?  That's a darn good question.  I really don't NEED a stallion and, with the increasing access to high-quality studs internationally, why on earth should I try to raise a warmblood stallion myself?  I'm not a professional trainer/rider.  I don't have aspirations to show Grand Prix dressage internationally (I do have aspirations to show it, just not internationally), I have no desires to have a big broodmare band and breeding farm.  So what on earth is in my head?

Well, here's what is in my brain:

He's not my first stallion.  Surprisingly my first stud colt came about about 7 years ago.  A lovely pinto arab named Bacardi Breezer LA (Beau).  He introduced me to the MIND of a stallion.  I learned more from that little horse than I ever would've expected from the beginning.  He was beautiful (2 x national champion stallion), he was willing to learn although I had to learn how to teach him.  He definitely had a different mind than other horses I'd worked with.  He taught me to be a strong and clear leader and that things needed to be so consistent, he needed to always be very clear about what I wanted and where he was safe.  Unfortunately I had him before we had the farm and I couldn't afford to keep him at a facility that would give him a life as a stallion.  And so I sold him, he bred once and was gelded. 

The next year came a yearling Pintabian stallion, BG Northstar.  He too took home a National Champion Stallion title as a yearling, reserve as a 2 year old.  Northstar helped me really reinforce my understsanding of stallion brain.  Unfortunately Northstar also educated me that not all stallions (no matter how much consistency and training they get as a young horse) make happy mature stallions.  Northstar was gelded as a 3 year old and is now affectionately Norton <3  A wonderful gelding and becoming a talented trick horse as well as dressage athlete. 

During the time I had Northstar as a young stallion, I bought a purebred Arab colt named Pyralis.  A sporty and lovely purebred colt, Pyralis, he had the MIND to stay a stallion.  He was lovely, willing, calm, obediant, social, etc.  What he was not was exceptional.  He was athletic certainly.  There was nothing wrong with him but he was not special enough to stay a stallion.  He did sire one offspring, a lovely buckskin arab x QH filly we named Pyrotecnix.  Pyralis taught me another lesson.  He taught me that, once in a while, there's a curve ball and a horse has a better mind as a stallion than a gelding.  Nothing is ever guaranteed! 

So with all that, when Ritchie came out a lovely colt with 4 even socks and a star and a snip, level as the day is long and MOVEMENT, I thought it wouldn't hurt to give him a chance.  If he has the mind to keep all his parts intact, then I have a good chance of having a super-stellar partner, a little bit MORE than as a gelding.  Nevermind his powerhouse breeding, he, himself, is exceptional enough (in my opinion) to give it a shot. 

So with the mystery resolved, now what?  Well, that's why I'm so glad for the lessons I've gotten with the three previous young stallions.  I've definitely learned that they get a much better chance by having a lot of regular handling and starting training (not necessarily under saddle now) early and keeping it really consistent.  That is his future.  This summer Ritchie will continue in training and will start learning some tricks in addition to working on a lunge line, tacking, accepting the bit, etc, etc.  He needs to accept early that humans will ask him to do things, push him around, change things, and it's ok. 

I sure hope he gets the best of the boys before him.  I'll continue to do the best I am able to for him until he tells me he wants things otherwise. 

By the way, all the pics of the stallions were taken when they were 2 years old, except Ritchie.  He's still just a yearling. 

Impending Move...

When I married my husband, I naievely thought we'd live on the farm in Alberta forever, maybe a 1-year hiatus at some point.  Well, silly Amanda, that is goin gto change next year!

We are expecting to be transferred to another base in 2012.  Possibilities are Suffield, Wainwright (neither is too bad as we'll still be in Alberta) but there is another possibility - Gagetown, NB!  Yep, all the way across this biddy country to a place I've never laid eyes on (except on a map).  I guess there's no time like the present for an adventure!

Orders should come down between February and May to tell us where we're going and when we're going to be there.  We shouldn't be leaving until summer sometime. 

AMANDA, AMANDA WHAT ABOUT THE HORSES?!?!  Yeah, I've been mulling that one over myself.  Well, come spring BG Khorina will brush up on her tricks and go back on the market and her full sister AK Sheeba will go and have a date with the Exotic ES California Dreamin and then be offered for sale in foal.  Depending on how far we go, we will take Buck, maybe Norton and I think Ritchie for sure.  If we're going all the way across the country, the only horse I'll take is Ritchie but I'm going to need to locate a good barn who is willing to take a young stallion where I can afford him to be and also allow him to have a life! 

That also means that I'm going to be downsizing the tack room come spring too!

Anyways, in the mean time, this is what Norton and I have been doing:

Four-letter "S" word - SNOW!!! >:(

Ooooh boy, it's that time of year again... that time when you HAVE to have the studded snow and ice tires on the rear-wheel-drive truck, and the shovel in the back - just in case.  Extra bags of beet pulp and oats sit above the rear tires for extra traction and suddenly you need an extra 20 - 30 minutes to get anywhere.  Yes, winter is here. 

As much of a damper as the snow and cold is, there is some good to it.  It has to happen before we get spring and show season again, so it's got to start before it can end right?  Being rural and running off a well, the snow means a higher water table meaning crops will grow better and we won't have to worry about water running low and needing to conserve and not wash clothes or shower so the horses will be able to drink their fill.  That would just be bad for all parties involved. Plus hay prices are much more reasonable when we don't have drought!

Snow and winter mean Christmas and my birthday, then Al's birthday.  We're not a Christian family, but we feel the holidays are still an important time for family.  I enjoy the music and getting together with my sister's family and our parents.  In a couple more years I'll be enjoying Al's first Christmas concert and, like my mom, I will be watching through blurry eyes I'm sure! 

There is something beautiful about a snow fall though.  Today, while Al was napping, it was so blissfully quiet!  The heavy snow fall dampens sound so that everything becomes just peaceful and beautiful.  And the horses look so beautiful covered in snow and frost.  They all have such thick coats now and a good layer of fat that they are quite comfortable. 

As beautiful as it is, it can hurry up and go away already!  I want to get back out and SHOW!!!  ;-)

Tricks!!

I have had the pleasure of working (off and of for the last 4 years) with a very talented pinto colt.  As a yearling, this little guy went national pinto champion, reserve as a 2 year old.  Now he's 5 and we're working together in dressage.  I have enjoyed him immeasurably since I've had him.  Norton told me one day that he was a little tired of just going to the arena and working on riding and circles and rail work and silly, boring things like that.  So, like my last very special boy Sam, I thought it would be time for Norton to learn some tricks.  He has really enjoyed this new stuff!!  We do our tricks in the arena before we tack up for our ride.  On the first day, we learned how to wave (he paws with his left forefoot when I wave and click to him) and lay down!  He was so so very willing to try for me, didn't fight it at all!  He is the first horse I've taught to lay down.  Now, about 3 weeks later, he has mastered that wave and often offers it for free, lays down pretty well, lays down flat and is working towards a sit (we've had it twice!)  He now also does a deep bow and we're still trying to masture the concept of a smile.  I have even had him lay down, then I sat on him, and he stood up with me on him!  OMG I was sooo nervous but it was super cool and he was perfect about it.  I even had an audience for that one (I know at least one person was there just to make sure I didn't die!) 

Isn't it amazing what a horse will do for a cookie and a pat?

Good Feelings :)

I'm not sure whyyy but today I woke up (with some help from a 2-and-a-half-year-old girly) with a really good feeling!  I'm not expecting anything special - going to judge a fun show tomorrow at Spoons Arabians, and then have my favorite equine girly friends over for a spagetti supper (how fun!) but nothing really big enough to warrant the feeling of glee I have in me right now.  I'll take it though.  It's sure a much better feeling than the worry that normally comes with raising a child and horses. 


Speaking of Bucky McOldpants (as my husband now calls him).  My 22-year-old anglo-arab gelding is now gently back into training. (Thanks very much to Jaime for sending him back to me when a move caused her to be unable to keep him any longer.)  He will be my husband's mount and take me around sidesaddle on occasion as well.  It's been just a blast getting him back into training as he is soooo schooled!  I hope Anthony has as much fun with him as I have through the years. 

Ah the old days... <3

Fall Classic Sale Overview

Well if I ever needed a weekend out, it was last weekend and boooy did I ever have a good time of it! 
I'm very fortunate to have some very good friends (some of whom live in very convenient locations, with very convenient hot tubs, and some of whom have very fuel-efficient little cars that make travel very inexpensive!)  My dear friend Renate and I decided to head down to Olds for the Fall Classic Canadian Warmblood Breeder's Sale.  (I think they need to cut that name down a little...)  We went down early on Saturday and watched some free jumping, had some visiting with the fantastic Michelle who was kind enough to put us up for the night, and then went back for the "Gala Event" Saturday evening.  It was a very good time including a small combined driving competition (the hackney and halflinger were AWESOME!!) and a 3-bar high jump competition.  I have to say I was a little petrified to watch the lady on her 17+ hh gelding who somehow managed to make it over the 5 ft 3" verticle to a second place finish.  The first place horse was a darling chestnut, the smallest of the bunch, who had all the try in the world to make it over a jump bigger than himself.  He certainly deserved the prize money, so did his rider!  Kudos also to the birthday boy Lyle who retired his horse appropriately.  A bottle of wine and a hot tub were a very fitting end to a great day!

The sale on Sunday brought much more visiting with old friends and quite a bit of excitement from my own little three-some.  Michelle has been considering a new mount as her mare is getting up there in years.  We found the IDEAL little gelding for her, lot 56, Castiel.  We thought he had the ideal temperment, confirmation, height, movement, for Michelle (and she agreed!!)  We were pretty excited when she went to bid on him but unfortunately her bank just wasn't quite deep enough to bring him home.  He sold to Victoria, BC, and I do hope his new home enjoys him as much as the 3 of us would have! 

Isn't he lovely??  His personality reminded me a lot of my Sam.  Made me miss him just a little bit more...

Anyways, prices were really all over the board and horses I expected to go for a good doller were taken back home because there was no action on them.  High selling horse went for $24,000. 

Next year we crazy sidesaddle riders would like to do a sidesaddle demo for the Gala evening.  I hope they're interested in having us :)

I'm so far behind I don't know if I lost my horse or found a rope...

My appologies for the delay!!
The RHPSI inspection went very very well! Ritchie (LaBamba SE) is officially fully registered Zweibrucker and will be recieving his German registration papers in the spring. For some reason the RHPSI's branding irons were not permitted across the border, customs decided they were "dangerous", so he will be recieving his branding next year.
The trip went quite well. Ritchie rode all the way down to Okotokes like a champ. We stopped for water and fuel in Red Deer and then went right along. Poor fella had to ride alone through Calgary in rush-hour all alone! I was so proud of him.

On arrival at Bri-Mel Farm, Brian (owner) showed us to our grass paddock (lovely!) and gave us the low-down on the detals for the following day's events. Can't say enough good things about Brian and Michelle (and their clients) at Bri-Mel Farm. They were so welcoming, helpful and friendly! I highly recommend them to anyone on the south side of Calgary.
The inspection went quite well. Ritchie was the only yearling there, the rest were broodmares with foals at their side. Some LOVELY foals there. Ritchie recieved very good comments from the inspector Otto. I am so proud of him!!!

On our way home we stopped in Ponoka to pick up an old friend of mine. My old FEI Anglo-Arab gelding Celebrity Ruler (Buck) was given back to me by the lady I'd sold him to years ago. She and her family were moving to a small property that was not set up for horses. Buck is 22 years young this year so she was concerned primarily for a good home for him. I'm so glad to have him back. He's fat and happy and has gone for a couple of nice rides with me since coming home (yep, even sidesaddle!)

All in all it's been a great month - a wonderful end to the summer.&nbsp; I hope it keeps going like this!!

Since Ritchie has to be branded next year (back to the inspection we go) we are looking at having an inspection/branding in the NORTHERN part of Alberta.  The RHPSI is all for adding another date to their inspection tour for us, all we need is a minimum of 10 horses to inspect.  If you are interested in having your horses inspected, registered and branded with a German Verband, please contact me at shimmere@live.ca