Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Sept 18, 2010 22:03:14 GMT 1
I turned Merlyn out this morning with Bron, but needed to do a bit in the Bird Garden and get some plants in the ground that my mother gave me yesterday. However, by 1pm the old devil was at the gate hammering hell out of it to come back in. It's almost impossible for me to be around on the yard or gardening next to the field once he and Bron have finished their haylage. Both are like tanks at the moment, although changing their coats, so not looking at their best. Bron had hundreds of burrs matted into her tail and when Merlyn was allowed back into his stable, we got Bron in and Colin and I spent ages removing all the burrs. Bet she'll be as bad as ever tomorrow, as she likes to roll where they grow, and I will really need some help to get those darned things dealt with! I really must invest in a petrol strimmer for the fields before next year, or resort to using something like Roundup on the problem areas.
I went with Colin and Jill today to check on their cob, Dan, and yearling filly, Beauty, who are turned out on a nearby farm. Both detached themselves from the others and came up to us, as if they knew which people were theirs and wanted whatever treats they'd brought for them.
As some know, I'm looking for another riding horse for myself, either on loan or to buy. Nothing special, just a nice natured, sensible sort of mare, who is forward going and that can walk out well, to help me tone my back and get some fresh air and execise etc. I have been offered quite a few lately, but mostly ones I know would not be suitable - i.e. geldings - which Merlyn dislikes! A 16.2hh ex-event mare - who is lovely but far too tall for em to be able to mount and dismount. Youngsters with lots of potential - which would be wasted on an old fogey like me who simply wants to do some gentle hacking. Some that really do not have the conformation that inspires me to want to ride them - i.e. thickset, short necks, upright shoulders and large heads that look as if they'd hang heavily into one's hands and would need a lot of seat action on my part to get raised off the ground!
A friend has offered me a chance to buy one of his older brood mares, whom we've nicknamed 'Doris' and she and her foal are also turned out at the same place as Jill and Colin's Dan & Beauty - and it is about 100 acres! Luckily they were with the others and I got a chance to have a good look at Doris. She's probably only about 14.3hh, so slightly smaller than Merlyn. Her foal is a big lad, and rather nice, too, even though I am not often attracted to a chestnut. He was showing off and trying to jump on his dam. Got the feeling that she will be glad to see the back of him soon. She's obviously done him well, and it's showing on her a bit now, and has lost a bit of ground and a fair bit of muscle tone, too, after having been used as a brood mare for quite a few years. She's a little long in the back, but has a good length of rein, and appears to be a nice natured mare, although shows a little white around one eye, which gives her a slighty odd look.
She is no oil painting, and her blaze is off-centre and runs down into one nostril and one side of her muzzle. She also has three white socks, but they are not too long, thank goodness. Her feet certainly need some attention - and they are quite large!
I have a slight reservation about her being up to my weight, especially in her present condition, and lacking muscle tone on her back/topline, and with her typically sagging 'brood mare belly'. However, I think that a couple of months without the foal pulling on her, some attention to her feet, supplimentary feeding, and with me doing some ground work with long-reins and possibly asking a lighter friend to ride her out to begin with, she could well suit me fine for my purpose. She doesn't look like a full Welsh cob, more a part bred. There's a bit of quality in her somewhere - possibly quarter TB or a bit less, although she does have plenty of bone.
It wouldn't be a quick job to get her back to working under saddle, though. I didn't get much opportunity to see her moving, even in walk, and to do that justice, she really needs some attention to her feet first. Her conformation is such that she's not likely to be as bouncy a ride as Merlyn, though, or to be as strong and powerful behind the saddle, due to him being so short backed and compact.
IF I do have her, I'd feel happier if I could lose at least a couple of stones - and she'd probaly be happier about that, too!
Anyway, her foal is being weaned in a fortnight, so I'll know more then. Will keep you all posted.
I went with Colin and Jill today to check on their cob, Dan, and yearling filly, Beauty, who are turned out on a nearby farm. Both detached themselves from the others and came up to us, as if they knew which people were theirs and wanted whatever treats they'd brought for them.
As some know, I'm looking for another riding horse for myself, either on loan or to buy. Nothing special, just a nice natured, sensible sort of mare, who is forward going and that can walk out well, to help me tone my back and get some fresh air and execise etc. I have been offered quite a few lately, but mostly ones I know would not be suitable - i.e. geldings - which Merlyn dislikes! A 16.2hh ex-event mare - who is lovely but far too tall for em to be able to mount and dismount. Youngsters with lots of potential - which would be wasted on an old fogey like me who simply wants to do some gentle hacking. Some that really do not have the conformation that inspires me to want to ride them - i.e. thickset, short necks, upright shoulders and large heads that look as if they'd hang heavily into one's hands and would need a lot of seat action on my part to get raised off the ground!
A friend has offered me a chance to buy one of his older brood mares, whom we've nicknamed 'Doris' and she and her foal are also turned out at the same place as Jill and Colin's Dan & Beauty - and it is about 100 acres! Luckily they were with the others and I got a chance to have a good look at Doris. She's probably only about 14.3hh, so slightly smaller than Merlyn. Her foal is a big lad, and rather nice, too, even though I am not often attracted to a chestnut. He was showing off and trying to jump on his dam. Got the feeling that she will be glad to see the back of him soon. She's obviously done him well, and it's showing on her a bit now, and has lost a bit of ground and a fair bit of muscle tone, too, after having been used as a brood mare for quite a few years. She's a little long in the back, but has a good length of rein, and appears to be a nice natured mare, although shows a little white around one eye, which gives her a slighty odd look.
She is no oil painting, and her blaze is off-centre and runs down into one nostril and one side of her muzzle. She also has three white socks, but they are not too long, thank goodness. Her feet certainly need some attention - and they are quite large!
I have a slight reservation about her being up to my weight, especially in her present condition, and lacking muscle tone on her back/topline, and with her typically sagging 'brood mare belly'. However, I think that a couple of months without the foal pulling on her, some attention to her feet, supplimentary feeding, and with me doing some ground work with long-reins and possibly asking a lighter friend to ride her out to begin with, she could well suit me fine for my purpose. She doesn't look like a full Welsh cob, more a part bred. There's a bit of quality in her somewhere - possibly quarter TB or a bit less, although she does have plenty of bone.
It wouldn't be a quick job to get her back to working under saddle, though. I didn't get much opportunity to see her moving, even in walk, and to do that justice, she really needs some attention to her feet first. Her conformation is such that she's not likely to be as bouncy a ride as Merlyn, though, or to be as strong and powerful behind the saddle, due to him being so short backed and compact.
IF I do have her, I'd feel happier if I could lose at least a couple of stones - and she'd probaly be happier about that, too!
Anyway, her foal is being weaned in a fortnight, so I'll know more then. Will keep you all posted.