Welcome Home, Oberon!

Eleven hours in a trailer and he unloaded and was as calm as could be.

Oberon surveying his new kingdom...  (he is king of the fairies after all in Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream".

Oberon was hungry after that long ride.  

Doesn't he have a sweet face?

"Lean on Me"

"Better than a boyfriend" she says.  Dad agrees.

Welcome Home, Oberon!

Palomino Quarter Horse For Sale

Molly is seven years old and available for adoption through Red Dog Farm.  She is a rescue horse, but not due to any fault of her own.  Her owners came to a tragic end and she was left homeless.  I am sponsoring her training with James Cooler of Cooler Horsemanship, a natural horsemanship program based on the ANTRUM Method.

Molly is a horse that is very sweet and loves human companionship.  She is green and coming along quite nicely.  It has been fascinating watching James ground work her and recently he got in the saddle and walked and trotted her.  I watched a session where he was working with her backing up while mounted... she made great progress.  It is my understanding that Mary of The Galloping Mind will soon be doing a post on Molly and her training.  Click on that blog periodically (or follow it!) if you are interested in reading more about this fine mare.

Molly is a delicately framed Quarter Horse, very lady like I would say.  James is obviously a bit big for her and is riding her in a big roping saddle.  Two photos down from here, you can see her with two young girls.  I believe Molly is about 14.1 hands.

Her disposition is one to want to please her humans and I would say she is really quite smart as she seems to be learning quickly.

We often go out and brush her in the field and when we leave, she follows us to the gate.

She is currently being pasture boarded with two other mares sharing her paddocks and shed and they get along really well.

She is listed through Red Dog Farm for an adoption fee of $1,500.  That really is a steal and also consider who is training her.  Click on his website and you will be amazed at what a talented man James Cooler is with horses.  If you are interested in Molly, feel free to ask me any questions here on my blog and I will also encourage you to call Red Dog Farm directly and ask for Garland.

Oberon... arriving SOMETIME this weekend!

Arriving about the same time as Hurricane Irene hits the NC coast, Oberon should be arriving in our part of NC.  Far enough away from any damaging storm, but appreciative of any rain it might bring.  And it is about time Oberon arrives, as the rest of my photos are not the greatest.   I just love the photo above as it shows you how sweet Oberon is... my daughter's feet were flopping and dangling along with the stirrups and he is mostly leg driven.  He was really trying to listen to directions - you can tell by his ears.

The one below makes me laugh.  Poor Oberon, waiting patiently for me to get the background set in my viewfinder and my daughter to smile prettily... and we just about took his eye out with the halter.  Oh well, we will make it up to him.

AMAZING Friesian video - trained by Paul Dufresne

I absolutely LOVE the Friesian horse.  I have been drawing the Friesian horse for a while now and searching on the internet for a Friesian cross and considering to purchase one for myself someday.  I came along this video and am now following the You Tube site "TraningforCourage".  I THINK Mackenzie Meadows is the training center this trainer either owns, manages or works from.  Click HERE for a tour.  The trainer (owner?) of the horse below is Paul Dufresne and I think the farm is in BC (British Columbia?)  Now, I could have all of this wrong, but I am trying to understand the site.

The following video is almost 15 minutes long, but do yourself a favor and find the time to watch it.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.   (Gotta love his dog, too)



Here is another 15 minute video of him riding an Andalusian at the National Andalusian Horse Show in Chilliwack BC July 23rd, 2011:

A Handsome Gelding

I took this photo of this handsome gelding last year after it had rained.  Wish I had the opportunity to photograph some horses after a rain now.  It has been so dry this summer.  

Getting Antsy

This is Oberon and we are still waiting for him to be transported to NC.  He is trailering with pregnant mares going to Texas and they decided to wait and hope the heat recedes.  They didn't want to put the mares in any danger of miscarrying.  So, it looks like the plan is next Friday, the 26th.  However, I looked at the forecast and the only difference I see is HOT and thunderstorms...

I could kick myself for not taking more photos of Oberon.  The bottom one looks a little funny as he was taking a step towards me.

I think I have a used saddle already lined up to purchase.  It is a Natural Performer with horn Parelli saddle and comes with a breast color.  I am planning on purchasing their Theraflex pads.  Anyone out there have this saddle? If so, do you love it?

Wordless Wednesday #6

Yes, it is Thursday.  But it is 12:12 am and for me it is still Wednesday :)