August 2008
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Wow what a weekend the 9th & 10th of August has been !!
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We're now safely home from the Annual Haflinger Breed Show down at The College Equestrian Centre, Keysoe, Bedfordshire. After an eventful 11 hour journey down to England thanks to a tyre a blow out just north of Manchester, Chino, Ash and Santana (first time on the lorry but took everything in her stride) have done Otztaler proud.
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It was the first time in the show ring for Santana and she came a credible 2nd in her Yearling filly class and also had a great time in the Potential RDA class with Gareth winning a 6th place.
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Ash and Kathryn have had an amazing weekend which started with them taking part in the Junior and Young Rider display on the Friday night. Competitively they ended up winning the Restricted Elementary Dressage, winning their Novice Ridden class, winning the Pairs Ridden class with Chino, 4th in the Dressage to Music, 7th in the Open Ridden Gelding and their crowning achievement - Reserve Young Rider Champion.
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Chino was back with avengence having not competed at the Breed Show since 2005. He partnered Danielle Cannon in the Junior and Young Rider display on the Friday night and then went on to win his Veteran Ridden class, win the Ridden Pairs class with Ash, win the Pairs Baton relay jumping class with his partner Oxnead Schamrock and rider Jane Evers-Swindell (that's 3 times they've done this over the years and they remain unbeaten !!), 2nd in the Dressage to Music, 2nd in his In Hand Veteran class, 3rd in Western Pleasure, 9th in Western Trail (he got scared of a gate !!!) and his crowing achievement - Veteran Ridden Champion.
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Here's some photos
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April 2008
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We took the boys to the sea near Troon a few weeks ago and had a great time riding all the way up to Irvine on the sand. Sadly no brakes and Kathryn nearly ended up in the sea as Ash was afraid of the waves to start with. Chino not at all bothered - in fact had to stop him trying to swim over to the Isle of Arran across the Firth of Clyde !!!
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We've been flying the Haffy flag and done a few rides recently. We've been to Selkirk and also down to Ullswater (took the boys back to England for the first time since we moved as we went into the Lakes !!). Ride was in blizzard, so sure the scenery is fab but we couldn't see a thing.
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We've also been doing a bit of showing. at Ingliston which is a very posh Equestrian
Centre between Glasgow and Greenock on the banks of the River Clyde. We entered Veteran, Coloured and Foreign Breeds.
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We're dead proud of the boys as the trip to Ingliston marked the end of a horrible couple
of months where we had a load of our tack stolen (targetted sadly according to the police which is bit nasty) including our saddles, bridles, leather headcollars etc and also 3 weeks of Chino on box rest thanks to abcesses in both back feet. The day we went to Ingliston was the day after Chino had shoes back on for the first time in a month and was the first time he'd had the new saddle on at all. Think you'll agree they've done us proud.
Next couple of weeks keep us out and about with us going South to Stranraer to ride on
the beach, up North to Aberfeldy in Tayside for another ride and then back south again
and back to the lakes to do a ride around Kielder Forest which should be stunning.
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We've dispatched a couple of the girls back down to Helen and the guys at Silvretta. Saffron is visiting Bernhard (who else !!) and Savannah's paying a visit to Oxnead Windsor. Kira gets bigger by the minute (as does Santana, but thankfully not for the same reason !!), so keeping everything crossed for the next month or so and hoping they
all behave wherever they are !!
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Chino Ash
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January 2008
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So finally after over 12 months of being in Scotland we've been snowed in - very exciting !! Not so sure the haffies were as impressed with lots of white stuff and no grass - but Chino tried eating it anyway and then ended up sticking his tongue out at us !!.
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January 2008
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So we've welcomed 2008 in style and have backed the girls !!. Both have been fantastic over the last few weeks, but have got a bit bored with lunging so we added a saddle, went walking the 1/2 mile up the drive a few times and then done some lunging in the saddle. Neither have been phased at all so within 20 minutes we were on board and riding round the arena - you really can't beat the Haffie temperament.
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December 2007
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Things are going well in Scotland even though we are back to paddling in mud - joy !!.
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Both Chino and Ash have been out and about educating our new neighbours on the versatility and talents of the Haflinger.
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We've turned our hooves to Endurance and completed pleasure rides near Peebles (where unfotunately we did the first 10 miles in just under 1/2 hour so had to walk the remainder of the course to avoid beng disqualified !!) and also near Dumfries.
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We've joined the local Riding Club and have been having a go at some unaffiated Dressage. Surprisingly Chino has actually been enjoying it and has been placed at each outing. Even more surprisingly our instructor is insisting he enters both Elementary and Medium tests !! We're not quite sure but will let you know !! Ashman is also coming on in leaps and bounds and has been placed at both Prelim and Novice competitons recently.
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The girls (well Saff and Savannah) are now in basic training. Both are taking to lunging really well, even if a little energetically at times !!. Kira is getting larger after her time with Oxnead Windsor so fingers crossed for next year. She's a bit fed up she can't go andplay in the arena along with Saff & Savannah !!