[Callista17]

Awww Timer looks awesome....kind of reminds me of someone I know....hmmm.... Congratulations on a nice ride!

[amastrike]

Dr. Lignom/Gryffin is a teenage girl's Christmas present. She's thrilled .

[FlashGordon]

Dr. Lignom/Gryffin is a teenage girl's Christmas present. She's thrilled .

Oh that is FANTASTIC! I always thought he was cute, so glad he will have his own little girl to love him.

[enzobaby01]

I bought Mike's Instinct from Michelle (CornerHaven Farm) and could NOT be happier with him! He is a total sweet, sweet horse! And he is totally sound and so sensible...Feel like I hit the jackpot! His new barn name is Oliver! Love him to pieces!

Heather

[buffalo colleen]

What wonderful news about Dr. Lignom/Gryffindor and Mike's Instinct/Oliver! My heartfelt best wishes to both new owners for a long and wonderful life together.
It is always so gratifying to hear good home news about FLF horses I photographed and/or wrote up for the listings. The FLF volunteers really do bond with the horses when we see them, give them mints and carrots, observe them, and try our best to get the most flattering photos and the most enticing but accurate write ups. We are always eager to learn about how they are doing in their new homes and careers.
And speaking of more FLF horses I bonded with over camera and mints, today I visited with One Turn Eddie ( barn name now Finn) and RunthrutheWoods (barn name TBD) at their beautiful new home, Fox Run Equestrian in East Aurora NY, where they are happily settling in and very excited that the owner of one of them is the new barn manager there, and that her sister has also been able to move her latest FLF in --and hopes to soon move her other FLFs there.

[Beam Me Up]

I brought Street Cruise home yesterday from his temporary home. He was very good about the blanket and shipping boots, walked right into the trailer. He seems very sweet and friendly. He is meeting my 2 other guys across the fence until the weekend. Hopefully a group pic soon!

[Christa P]

I haven't updated in awhile since she has been just hanging out, but here are a few pictures from yesterday showing the change since last year. She has really filled out.

Chest:

http://s620.photobucket.com/albums/t...ayshore%20Gal/

Left:

http://s620.photobucket.com/albums/t...ayshore%20Gal/


Right:

http://s620.photobucket.com/albums/t...ayshore%20Gal/


Rear:

http://i620.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps29906829.jpg

Full Album with pictures starting when she came home:

http://s620.photobucket.com/albums/t...ayshore%20Gal/


Christa

[buffalo colleen]

I was able to get videos of three of my Finests last night, and I am sharing them so you can see how they are progressing.

This is Truffula in only her 11th post-track ride (we just started riding her about three weeks ago), and she had not been ridden in 4 days, but was as steady and sensible as ever, even with the wind rattling away. She is so smart, willing, balanced, talented, and learns so fast. We are using the little baby jumps/pole piles to transition into the canter and to help her strength and balance. I love the way she just naturally goes to the base, rocks back, rounds, and canters away so nicely. She is also learning to bend and accept contact and some flexion. I am just over the moon about how nice she is – when you develop a craving for a horse, it sure is great when they wind up displaying the talent and attitude that you hoped they would have. http://youtu.be/noH1nczvWZo

Here is Tilly. We are working on getting her to stay in a relaxed, even canter and go to the base of the jumps and not rush, brace, take off a whole stride ahead, and stick her head up and jump like a stag – all of which she was prone to do. I think she is making remarkable progress. As this gets better and better and her canter gets stronger, we will have an adjustable horse that can be ridden to jumps and either asked to move up, or wait, without getting all flustered. That is the aim, anyway. http://youtu.be/N1JSZJZXWYM

And here is Riser, learning to jump. We only recently started doing little courses. He still isn’t always entirely sure what to do with his body and his humongous canter stride, but his canter is getting better and more balanced and more containable all the time. http://youtu.be/1xLrOr84t50

[amastrike]

This thread was on page 5?? For shame!

Had a friend ride Princess again a couple days ago. Few pictures...
jump
jump 2
serious crossrail
trot

[Beam Me Up]

A couple pics of Street Cruise's 1st ride off the track. It was easy and uneventful.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...1&l=6d6570b37a

[amastrike]

A couple pics of Street Cruise's 1st ride off the track. It was easy and uneventful.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...1&l=6d6570b37a

Such a cutie! I'm jealous, I love a nice dark bay! He looks like a very pleasant, cooperative boy. Looking forward to more pics!

[Beam Me Up]

Thanks amastrike! I saw your pics on the eventing thread too--love your guy. I think he'll make a great eventer!

[Friskyflea]

I was able to join a XC clinic with one of our local eventers. She's got an up and coming place nearby and hosts lessons and a jumping derby (with plans to eventually hold recognized events). We hadn't done any serious jumping since the Nov hunter pace because he had a sole bruise for the Dec pace and had choked a week before the Jan one.
I was a bit worried he would not be up to it and was ready to pull him out if there was any evidence of overtaxing him. He had no problems and was one of 2 horses in our 4 horse group to do a greater variety of jumps. He's getting there bravery-wise: the only sticky obstacle was the ditch - this is the second time he has seen it. I did get him to take it but we need work so he just goes over it before examining it for alligators. Natural ditches/swales are no problem but if it is reveted then it must be hiding something, according to his way of thinking.

During the warm up we did a bit of canter passage on the approach (we were supposed to trot in into the little gymnastic grid) but I finally did use my seat (v. my hands) and got him to trot in like a gentleman. He was fine over tires, a bench and an A-frame, plus we went up and down a bank. These were all BN I believe. He had no hesitation on the up or down bank: the first pass going down I flubbed it and we jumped off the side rather than straight down. We didn't walk any of the fences before: it is 2 strides from up to down spots and the down came up fast I hadn't jumped down a bank in about 20 yrs... (yikes!) so I was pleased that we didn't part company although the first time down I wasn't what I would call coordinated and I caught him in the mouth a bit. There was one other mental flatulent moment on my part but he was unflapped and jumped fine even after my flubs.

So choke and all he was fine - I, on the other hand, was out of gas towards the end and am feeling it a bit today but I am overall happy with how he did. Oh, the other horse in our group that did the BN stuff is this really cool mare... she's green and makes mistakes, but she only makes them once. I swear she takes notes after the first go and then absolutely nails it the second time. Watching her puts a big smile on your face. And she is a
chesnut
THOROUGHBRED
mare

Wish I had video

FF

[commandercody]

Save the dates July 6 and July 7, 2013. We are hosting our first ever all TB horse show at Chemung Co. Fairgrounds. Its a great facility with nice jumps and permanent stalls. The Jockey Club incentive program is sponsoring the hunter and jumper classics, and the winners will also qualify for the $1500 classes at the Thoroughbred Celebration Horse Show finale in November. We'll have hunter and jumper divisions and also W-T classes. We of course have a division for Finger Lakes Finest only. We want to make this a really special show and an annual event, suggestions appreciated!


We are working on a clinic for Saturday as well as a showcase for TBs for sale/adoption. Can't wait!
https://www.facebook.com/SecondChanceTBs

[horsecents]

I posted this on the Eventing Forum but thought I would add it to this thread since I've posted previously about buying Tanzillion.

I took "Tanner" on our first field trip Saturday for a gymnastics clinic. He went right on the trailer, was a little up when unloaded at the farm so I tacked him up in the indoor. When he's nervous, he get's a little active with his head and neck. A friend led him into the indoor and held him while I tacked him up. I hopped on him and away we went. He was well behaved and quiet, went right to walking through the 3 different gymnastic lines. When it came to jumping, he was drawing me down to the fences and has quite good technique. JFS was the instructor and it made my day when she commented that Lucinda Green would like this one. After the clinic, he went into the barn and stood quietly in a stall as the only horse in the barn after the horse next to him had left. Loaded him by myself and went home.

Thanks buffalo colleen for all your help at the track that day! Also a big thanks to connections that knew him from the beginning and were able to fill in the blanks!

[Heliodoro]

It's been a while since an update with Brolio.

The past month was extremely stressful as Bro colicked pretty badly right before the new year He ended up being taken to the local vet clinic and stayed 2 nights to pass an impaction. He was a very good patient and the vets and techs loved him, being the only one there helped! He seems to have made a full recovery and I've been ridiculously diligent that he a.)gets electrolytes every day, b.) on wacky weather days, he gets his treat apple covered in extra electrolytes, c.) he drinks his water overnight and d.) I'm usually the one always filling the water trough to "very full" an opposed to "full."

I brought him slowly back to work and after the colic episode, his temper tantrums seem to have dissipated (*knock wood*). I've been introducing transitions leg yields, transitions within the gaits and 3 loop serpentines at the trot. Bro has even graduated to going sans running martingale for at least 1 ride/week! We had a fantastic lesson with the lovely Sandy Castle, who is finally over pulling shoes at the moment and bruising her precious feet, today. Bro might have a leeetle crush on Sandy because he just kept going through the gymnastics foot-perfect, like "See? Look how awesome I am!" Sandy struggled a little in the beginning, not quite sure where to put her feet, but she eventually sailed through without qualms. My trainer was very impressed with how quiet Bro was today and even had us canter over a cross rail after the grid! "He's looking veeery scopey!" was her comment today!

It looks as though I have a bit of a sensitive flower in comparison to my previous horse, who I dubbed the "Argentine Brumby Horse." I've got a nice sheepskin pad I ride Bro in since my wicking pad started to rub him. He's got some minor rubs on his angular hips from his seemingly fitting blankets. He's even got rubs on his neck from the reins in the martingale! I don't even want to think about xc boots... It's a good thing I already have fuzzy girths! I have to warm him up in this frigid weather in 2(!) cooler/quarter sheets and slowly peel off the layers. But he is a talented horse and impresses me everyday, so I guess it's worth it although I'm still adjusting!!!

BUT he still only has front shoes on and his hinds don't seem to be bothering him in the iced up pasture like most of the other horses! YES, I picked ANOTHER TB with good feet!!!

[Beam Me Up]

Yesterday was Street Cruise's first trip off the property, to a nearby covered arena, and he was a star. Handled the trailering, the barking dogs and galloping ponies when we arrived, beautifully. He was a little spooked by the walls of mirrors on the short sides (dressage barn) but got over it quickly. Can't believe how relaxed he was for a first outing, and probably 6-7th ride OTT.

I was worried b/c I have a bit of a winter riding catch-22--I don't have a place to ride when the ground is frozen or if it is dark, so I trailer my other guy to this arena a few times a week. I had hoped to get a few more rides on SC before taking him off the farm, but the weather wasn't cooperating, so I just took him anyway, and am so impressed by how he handled it.

[FlashGordon]

Whew January is OVER which means we are that much closer to spring....

My mare has been pretty much out of work since last July due to a string of injuries and random lameness episodes. In January I had her LH x-rayed and it seems she has some calcification of her sesamoid and it has rubbed on her suspensory (at least, that is how it was explained to me.) It is likely an old track injury that we suspect was aggravated last summer, when she and a bunch of other mares got loose from a pasture and went cavorting down the road. The vet said it is what it is... when she's lame-- rest, bute, and when she looks sound, put her back to work....

Well, she looks sound as a bell, so she is going back to work. I just put her in training with the pro at my barn, and we will see how she holds up to regular riding. I'm crossing my fingers though I'm a little nervous about how sound she will stay.

She is the sweetest mare.... I probably would have given up on any other horse at this point, as in the year that I've had her she's been lame for most of it. But she is so kind, honest and easy that I am hoping against hope she will at least stay sound for some lower level/light work.

[msj]

Flash Gordon, I've got my fingers crossed for you and for her. (((((HUGS)))))

[FlashGordon]

Ok.... well 3 weeks in and she's dead lame again. Same leg. Same cycle. She tweaks it, goes very lame, rest and bute for weeks, back to work slowly, then one mis-step and she's 3-legged lame again.

I'm so very sad. She is the sweetest, kindest, easiest horse I've had in a long, long time.

I'm afraid the writing is on the wall. I'm seriously considering retiring her and just going back to lessons or finding a 1/4 or 1/2 lease to keep on riding.

I know a lot of WNYers read this thread-- if any of you know of inexpensive pasture/retirement board, let me know. Preferably in the Buffalo area, but I'll go further if I know she'd be in good hands. I'd also be happy to free lease her to a therapeutic program or as a babysitter to the right person. She quite likes to be fussed over.

On the upside, I have been thrilled with the care and management at the barn we've been at since last summer. The trainer is phenomenal and did a beautiful job with her while she was sound.