May

May flew in, and finally the weather started to feel like it did in Florida (those first 3 weeks in New Hampshire which really was just like 'normal Irish' weather nearly killed me!!) May was my favourite month so far from a work point of view as I got to get back in the jumping saddle! (Ended up jumping in the older dressage saddle we use, but I have since found a general purpose one that does the trick!) 

Herself with Reagan

Meet Reagan - a 6 year old mare, with not a whole lot done, and was coming in from a long winter off,came to Pam's for some fine tuning in dressage, with the hopes of being sold. However as it turned out, jumping and entering the hunter-jumper world was more what this mare was cut out for, as confirmation wise - she was more of a jumper then a dressage horse. With the basic flatwork constantly being worked on, Reagan got jumped for the first time. The video will follow - one of the first days we jumped and Reagan was still figuring out weather she liked all this picking up her feet business, so you'll hear Pam shouting! Even with never having jumped before this mare showed so much potential and caught up pretty fast, she really started to love her new job as a jumping horse - and didn't mind just doing flatwork some days - added bonus!  I loved riding her as it was a change of pace and was a great test for me and my riding. Going from shoulder-in, passage and collected canter, to up out of the seat, dog legs and jumping over bales of shavings. A great way for me to keep testing out my adapt-a-bility!! Reagan has since gone on to a jumping barn where she is excelling and loving every minute of it, and I am still jumping! More on that in the next post!!! 

Reagan chilling in the roundpen

The strangest of sights - jumps in the dressage arena

A random adventure we took one evening after work was to a local dairy farm. We were given a private tour of the farm - compliments of Jill Dumont a fantastic co-worker at Foster Meadow's! 

Ali making friends

The little babies in their igloo! 

Me attempting to make friends

A sleepy Ginger on one of the first hot days in May! 

Cody chilling in the flowerbed - as you do

After much deliberation it was decided that the sheep was going to be taped onto my hat and taken for a spin on the wonderful Peanut ( a regular on the blog, a danish trakenher - one of the fastest movers and spookers I have EVER been on, you can never rest or try take a break on this one - as Pam says they are quick. Peanut is nothing short of a master when it comes to working your core and perfecting your seat, trot work, passage, half passes you name it - once you think you've got it he'll test you out time and time again!!) Hope you enjoy the little snippet of Maaaaaaa-rian cam, she had to dismount shortly after due to motion sickness. I am sorry if the quality isn't great - working off an iPhone but I hope you can see it!! 

MAAAAAA-RIAN CAM

Another visitor to the farm for some fine tuning were the lovely Kat and Paulis, you have to check out what this duo does - AMAZING! From doing quadrille's in the past with the Connemaras, I can appreciate how much time and effort goes into a performance but the detail and the costumes of this team is mind blowing! Here is her facebook page to have a look at them all dressed up! 


http://www.facebook.com/pages/Katherine-Dow/337236029663344 


Personally speaking I am not the biggest fan of Frisians, but Paulis can move and is saint like to deal with.

Meet Paulis, Maaaaa-rian favourite type of horse, a Frisian

An unbelievable find on top of the horse box, which we relocated to the bluebells

A chick I befriended at the feed store

On our way for a (rare) night out!! 

The newest corgi at the farm - Kipling

A TREASURE found in the hayloft

A view from of some of the farm on a glorious day

Another not so successful episode of Maaaaaa-rian came was recorded on Dancer, but due to technical difficulties and the sheep falling off in the long grass -  production had to come to a halt!

What was supposed to be a 'safe' place for herself to sit!! 

Dancer and Maaaaaa-rian - who came to Foster Meadow's to learn how to do one tempi changes

Taking a Saturday stroll through the long grass in  the hay field 

Knee deep in grass with herself! 

Another day brought another adventure - this time it was to celebrate Sarah-Jane's birthday. We hit Manchester, another city - with more of a student vibe to it then Concord!! Cocktails, dancing and banter with the Foster Meadow crew was had, and then back to work for 6.30am the next morning!! 

Herself and her cocktails

Me and the birthday girl

Myself and herself on the way out

So that's a wrap for May, I am working on June at the moment and fingers crossed it''ll be up by the end of the weekend  then I'll be on the ball and we can continue with July, which is proving to be a HECTIC month!! 

PEACE, LOVE AND HOOFOIL!!