Wordless Wednesday #4

Actually, a few words... I'm on blog break until July 31st.  See you in August.

...back to the drawing board

Sadly, it looks like Smudge, the Connemara pony from my previous postings might not be coming home with us after all.   The vet sad her coffin bone was tender and I found out she had foundered three years ago.   The good news is she hasn't ever been lame and she is ridden everyday. So, I am giving this some thought and possibly order a digital x-ray.  I am also checking out a few other horses in the mean time.  One in particular is a nine year old Paint gelding, 15 hands tall that I will visit early August.

"Your Sunday Best"

This beautiful Morgan so desperately wanted to be free... can't you feel it?  This is for "Your Sunday Best".  There is a giveaway Nature Study painting if you click on the link - as well as other talented photographers.  

Smudge - a photo and YouTube Videos

Smudge.  She is a Connemara Pony and I rode her on a rocky mountain trail in the western saddle.  We both rode her english.  Below are a few videos of her at the Mountain Top Ranch.  The first one is from a year ago.

Smudge "In Training"

And here is one of her a bit later...

Smudge "more training".. a trail ride and lunch

and...

Smudge Jumping

and Smudge and friends on her first hunt...

Smudge Hunting

and he second one:

Smudge 2nd Hunt

And a short one I think is cute:

Smudge jumping in the snow

Hope you enjoyed our new pony.  We will pick he up the first of August!

Introducing... Smudge, our new Connemara Pony

We looked high and low in the state of Virginia and finally found our pony at the top of a mountain!  I can't describe the beauty and had NO time to really photograph what we were driving by as we were on a mission to see a number of horses and ride them in 90+ heat.  It was a lot of driving and tiring, but rewarding in the end.  

I am back in North Carolina and will pick Smudge up the beginning of August.  So, this is a teaser... come back tomorrow to see the unveiling!  The photo below is for "The Creative Exchange".

The first photo below is for "Perceptive Perspectives" - theme "Your Choice".  This gorgeous stallion below is a Gypsy Vanner (or Gypsy Cob).  I ran into him in the Appalachian Mountains and HAD to photograph this handsome horse.  These grand horses were bred in Romani to pull wagons (vardos).  They are a recently recognized breed.  The first registered horses were imported to North America in 1996.   

Sunday Stills - The letter "F"

The theme for this week's "Sunday Stills" is the letter F.  I interpreted it as Fences.  Everywhere I look at Fiore Farms there are fences!

Falling in Love... Each Time!

This buckskin gelding is 4 years old and green.  Gentle as a lamb but could barely get him out of a slow walk.  My daughter picked up all four feet and hosed him down.  The owner rode him with dull  spurs and she needed to use them to make him "go".   I always thought it was easy to speed a horse up, but hard to slow one down.

He is a pretty boy.  I personally think he would ride better western - I rode him and his slow trot was very comfortable.  I couldn't get him to canter, but she did with her dull spurs.  If I were to go back I would bring a friend who knows how to look at a horses moves - make sure his conformation is good.  I would also have a vet check, of course.

So, this is the first horse we looked at.  I am driving up into VA to look at about 7 other horses.  I have one I'm looking at Sunday (Molly - the rescue Palomino QH mare) and I have 2 I might look at in SC.  I do have a favorite from the videos and dreamhorse.com, but I am keeping an open mind.  I want a horse that suits me and one my girls can grow into for pony club.

This is Maddox (that's his name).  Two horse people (who love dressage) did not like how he moved in a video ... I saw nothing wrong... but that is why I would never buy one on my own - I don't know what to look for.   I thought he had a very nice slow "western" trot.  And a very, very sweet personality.

Update on the pony... I believe we will be buying the little paint pony Cavy.  We need to have a vet out and finish up four more lessons.

"Do You Think I'm Sexy?"

Whenever I see this photo, the lyrics to Rod Stewart's song "Do You Think I'm Sexy" go 'round and 'round in my head...

They need a horse...

I am still looking for a horse for myself and a pony for my girls.  We will be taking lessons on the pony, Caviar over the next few weeks.  I will be taking a closer look at Molly (the Palomino I photographed a few days ago) sometime this week, I believe.  Patience is the key here as there are a lot of horses out there and this is a long-term decision.

Below is a "Horse Portrait" of one of the horses at the stable I hope to board my horse(s) at:

Wordless Wednesday #3

Have a "Swishy" Fourth of July!

Swish, swish!  

Sunday Stills - Fourth of July

Happy Fourth of July!  This is for "Sunday Stills", obviously the theme is July 4th, America's Independance Day.  Next week's theme is the Letter F.  Anything we can think ...

Caviar & Molly

This is my "portrait" of Caviar, the Paint pony we hope to buy.  Her personality is more "horse-like" and I believe she is enjoying us almost as much as we are enjoying her.

This mare's name is Molly and she is a "rescue" horse due to her owners sudden death.  "Red Dog Farm" is one of those places I have driven by many times and didn't know much about.   They Rescue dogs, cats, donkeys, I think goats... and more.  I visited Molly and am impressed with her demeanor.  She hasn't been worked with much, but her steadiness on the halter even though I knew she had energy to burn really impressed me.  I will be taking a closer look at her next week.  She is a 14' hand Palomino QH and I love her size and intelligent eye.

Red Dog Farm has another horse, Marley who is being leased this summer.  She will be available at the end of the summer.  The "link" above will take you to their website.  I would like to volunteer there.  

Sunday Stills - Birds and the Bees

We are getting to know the pony, Caviar, as we are thinking about buying her.  We have spent time brushing her, walking her, and doing ground work with her.  My girls will take lessons riding her starting next week with James Cooler of Cooler Horsemanship.

She heard the horses neighing from the barn and pastures and she looked their way (above) but she did not show any signs of being barn sour.  She had her tail and head up and ears alert - I think she enjoyed herself as much as we did.

The above is one of many bugs we encountered on the trail.  This isn't the sharpest photo of a dragonfly, but I'll take it... The buggers really skit around quickly!  This is for "Sunday Stills" theme: The Birds & the Bees (we were told any insect would do).  My second photo is something that drives horses nuts all summer long:   I just found out that this is an old theme... This week's theme is the 4th of July.  Go figure!  LOL...  I need to scrounge up something for that tomorrow I guess...

Natural Beauty

This is the farm we are hoping to purchase a pony from and pasture board at.  Everywhere I look on this property, I feel relaxed... and it's just minutes from our home.