Well one thing is for sure, we’re not in Barnsville anymore where Jack & I spent the first three years of our lives!! At Harmony Farm we were turned out in a big pasture with a bunch of other youngsters. Other than someone coming to check on us and feed us some grain daily; it was pretty quiet. Well Stone Gate Farm is much different. Since I last reported in May (can you believe it’s been that long?) there have been all sorts of stuff going on like hunter paces, clinics, mini trials, camps you name it. On top of that all sorts of horses have been coming and going; horses in training, horses for sale, visitors etc. I’ll try to give you a quick recap, but I really don’t know what all this stuff is all about but I hear that in 'all good time' I will understand better.
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| Blaze & Kevin / Laura & Witchit at the Hunter Pace |
First of all Kyle has been busy training a bunch of three year olds like me for other people but since they are guys they have been in separate pastures so I haven’t had much contact with them but I hear that Blaze went in the Hunter Pace with Kevin and Laura on Witchit (who was sold to Gabbie Van Scoy) and they won first place!! I'm not sure what a hunter pace is but it sounds like a nice long trail ride and I like those so Jack & I are looking forward to doing the hunter pace in Oct. Oh yeah, since my last post I have been started under saddle as they call it. But before that Kyle worked me in long lines, I think that’s what they’re called. Anyway he spent a few weeks long lining me all over the farm. I even did a dressage test, cross country course and show jump course in long reins. I don’t know what the big deal was it was very easy and the jumps were so small I don't know how they can even call them jumps, I just walk over them.
Now that I’m being ridden I can do all that stuff with a rider on my back instead of Kyle running behind me. I’m not so good at the dressage; I still really don’t like the bit in my mouth, but the other stuff is interesting and I even got to do “real” cross country jumps the other day. They were making such a big fuss over me for going up and down a bank and in and out of the water. I don’t understand what’s the big deal; Kyle asked me to do something and I did it. They keep saying what a brave girl I am. I just didn’t get it until I went out for a ride with Jack. Jackie rode me for the first time (I think she really enjoyed me) and I was following Jack and he was being such a “weinerschnitzel” (that’s what Jackie and Kyle called him) because he had to take a second look at everything and was wiggling all over the place. I’ll have to have a talk with that boy when I get a chance.
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| Monroe |
I have some “big news” to report; I’m going to be a mother!! I know, I know I’m just a baby myself but I will be four years old by the time the little one comes along. I really don't know how all this happened but I heard that they were going to breed Margee and that’s when I heard Jackie saying "ya know it's better to have two foals instead of just one; what about breeding Jill?". Then she said something to Kyle that if I’m going to be as good as they think I am (well why wouldn’t I be?) he won’t want to take the time later to breed me. The next thing I knew I was on my way to Cool Springs Farm to meet Blue Ridge Monroe a handsome Connemara stallion. He may be a small dude, but he moves big, has good bone and is very even tempered... all good things to cross with a TB mare. They must be talking about Margee; I already have all of those traits!
Unfortunately Margee wasn’t very nice to Monroe the week before I arrived and the last thing Monroe wanted to see was another TB mare. So that’s when they decided to get the “man in the can” to get the job done. Don’t ask... it’s rather personal.
Anyway the training is going to continue as usual though the fall and I might get to do a Mini Trial if I can get better in the dressage. Then, from what I hear, I can be ridden all winter and into the spring and that they will concentrate on dressage. There they go again, talking about that pesky dressage. I’m not so sure about that …
Well that's it for now. I hope they'll give me more alfalfa today, I really like that and after all I'm eating for two now.
Jill
Jack here. With all Jill's news I think I'll wait until next time for a report but I am getting braver on the trail rides.
Jack
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