Standing at Stud

Arawa Romeo will once again be standing at stud for the 2010 season.
AI only as we donot want to interfere with his training/competition schedule.
$800.00 plus GST. LFG. For particulars email apjhfarm@ihug.co.nz

Jen Hamilton clinic.

So long since an update. I have been having issues with our new computer not allowing me to post on my blog but thanks to a German HelpXer we had visiting the problem is now fixed.

This weekend Magic and Erin attended the Jen Hamilton clinic. Jen is a well known and respected Hunter and Jumper coach from Canada. She comes yearly and I used to train with her when I was jumping. It was a great opportunity for Erin and Magic to get in some practise before the show season starts.
Magic is progressing really well. Some times I have to remind myself that hes not been broken in that long. He is so easy to train and soaks up new experiences like a sponge. Hes going to be a true allrounder. Not only is he stunning enough to show as a Park Hack but he has the paces and attitude to make a lovely dressage horse and the ability and talent to make a lovely showhunter as well. He is certainly a versatile boy.

Pictures of Erin and Magic at the Jen Clinic.

The Magic Pony has arrived.

My new horse Stonedale Magician arrived yesterday while I was away at Nadines clinic.
Today was first day of school including beautification. He has not had a lot of handling in the past 14 months so I just did some groundwork and then gave him a bath, trim, worm and covered him. Poor boy must wonder what has struck him.
Tomorrow we will start on the lungeing again and hopefully it won't be too long before he can be backed.

Nadine Francois Clinic

I have just completed a 4 day clinic on Henry with Belgian dressage rider Nadine Francois. Nadine trained for a decade with the late Portuguse maestro, Nuno Oliveira, regarded by many as the best dressage rider of the 20th century. Nadine's approach can best be described as classical, and closely mirrors Oliveira's methods, including the in-hand work. Her approach is softness of the horse.
Without a doubt this was the best clinic I have ever attended. It really opened my eyes to how bad I have been riding of late. By the end of the 4 days Henry was so unbeleivably soft and forward it made me feel so bad for how badly I had been riding
Finn and Pumpkin. Now I just have to keep up the work and hope I don't ruin it until Nadine comes back again in October. In the meantime I need to change my trainer back to the one I was using 4 years ago. I had stopped using her only because another trainer was more convenient. Its something I now regret. No pics sorry.

I have a new Horse!!

Welcome to Stonedale Magician a 5 yr old unbroken Welsh CobX by Millcreek Valiant out of TB mare Cautious Leigh. 15.2 ish.
He was started about 14 months ago but then his owner and her husband took over a farm management job up North where there was lots of work and no time for horses. No flat land either so not conjucive to finishing a youngster. So Magic got left.
So I have a bit of a job on my hands to get him back to where he was and then finish him off. Hes been hardly handled in the last year so there will be a bit to do.
But I am looking forward to this new project. Hes going to be a lovely horse and will be my fun horse for the times where its not practical to be taking out a stallion.
Hes not coming for 2 weeks as he is being delivered in a truck so until then I have to wait!

Unfortunately I have issues with this new computer accepting photos so until I get it sorted here are his pics.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=162573&id=767997968

Henrys Big Day Out at Bethells

Today Henry went for a big adventure to Bethells Beach. Thanks to Anna/Ru and Jenny/Cruise for being his babysitters. We started out up the dunes following the stream and back up the dune up to the Lake. Wow what a view. The Lake was so clear and glassy the reflection did not look like water at all. It looked like just a big canyon of grass and hill. Absolutely awesome. Back we went up the dunes and headed for the beach. A canter up the dunes and by this time Henry was breathing a bit hard. Hard work in the deep sand. And so onto the beach via the stream and a great paddle up to his belly. We walked to the end splashing in the tide and then headed back. This time going for a canter. At first he was a bit unsure and we lost our steering and brakes but when he was beside Ru he was happy to canter alongside. We finished up back at the stream on the beach where Ru and Cruise wallowed up to their bellys. This time it was i nWe had got up to our belly on the way up but of course Henrys belly was a lot lower than Ru and Cruise so we did not go back in the deep end on the way back and waited till we could be back in the lower end again.
We then went back and unsaddled, took them for a roll and then went and ordered coffee at the cafe. What a fantastic Day. Henry was such a star. I was so proud of him as for a first day to the beach and only the second day in the company of strange horses he was pretty well behaved.

Amaethon Vanquish aka Shelby goes to the Kumeu A & P Show.

Shelby had his first big show. His mother went to hold his hand but even so he yelled out alot.
He had his first washing exercise the day before and was a bit concerned about the rain that was coming out of a curly thing.

He did very well in his classes taking out.
1st place in the Partbred Welsh Section and then in the Sporthorse ring 3rd Youngstock 3 yrs and under,2nd colt suitable for breeding and 3rd for Suitability to be a show hack. Congrats to Shelby and Carolyn