Many Updates

Every morning I start with a mug of coffee and go through emails from friends, neighbors, and the vet with digital copies of the Coggins tests while the print copies are on their way. I then take those digital versions and add them to the horses' farm record keeping system. I make a second mug of coffee and head out to the Somali barn where Pat has set up an office to leave me messages if needed. Every day I dread looking to see what is there. With Indio well over 30 I do not want to see a note that he has passed away.

In other news our two project stallions, both Standardbreds are improving nicely. Dolton has recovered fully and been given a "back to work" approval from the vet. With a couple of attempts to sell him in pasture condition I took him up to the show horse barn and am going to have him refreshed in ground manners. Stibb Cross is almost 100% again he's going up to the barn and going back to work too. If no one wants these nice boys they might as well earn their keep!

I've missed a few months of entering shows, someone remind me to never do that again? As I've been typing the English events for the late month shows have been texted in. Pearl, our color custom import Fjord mare, has earned her BCh with a win in the Pleasure class!

All of the custom imports on the farm have had the photographer out to see them. All that I have requested anyway, I think Siri does not have a special picture.

It is hard deciding who to sell and who to keep when you have several unproven horses of similar fitness and training. Unproven either in the ring or in the breeding barn or both. Some horses I know are just not show horses and no attempts to cajole them or coerce them will work. Those horses may or may not do well in the show ring. So as the days to fall wound down I made some last minute breedings, since the girls were in full heat. I'll add a post another day with the list of expecting pairings.

With so few of my Somalis active in the show ring and with the success of my ancestor with them in English competition I've brought Harvy out of retirement and back into training. His Dressage foundation will surely help him in the Hunter and Pleasure classes. After this month's Draft show Conqueror will be making the change too. He is just too agile to be allowed to get ring sour because he isn't as strong or flashy as the rest of the drafts out there.