1st August-Happy Birthday Ponies.

Mousie on his birthday. As you can see he is CRAZY, not!! lol.

I have been trying to weight him up and I think it is slowly working. I am trying to work him as little as possible but keeping up his fitness at the same time, not that he is/needs to be super fit, but still have jumping and dressage clinics coming up.

The funny clip is because my clippers died half way through clipping him, so had to get a friend to finish him off, was going to do an irish clip on him but he didn't like his belly been done, so that is what he ended up with. Has worked out quiet well as he mostly sweats on his neck.

I was very disapointed to see that Ozzie has lost weight after I compared photos of him in June, and I have decided to turn him out for a couple of months to weight up, so I am bringing in Mousie's full sister Nancy and break her in and take her out to the outings that I was going to take Ozz to.

Had another great day handling the young ones, Tess is super friendly now and I even patted Polly THREE times today, which is a break through, she is very warey but was happy to patted, I am really pleased that she is coming along as she is the only one that I dont smooch.

Cold old day

The girls out eating in the wind.

Mousie and Ozzie cleaning up there lucerne hay in the wind today.

Well today was a miserable day and Greg, Georgia and I are all fighting with a cold of some sort. Did manage to head out and see young ones, I sat on Nancy again for the second time, she couldn't have cared less again, which is great.

Penny's leg has filled out due to the bandage coming off but the wound is crusting over, again is great.

I measured my girl Testament, and she is 155cm already, she is going to be a lovely big girl, doesn't have the longest length of rein but is a well put together wee girl. I can't wait to break her in and get her going, won't be doing that until she is 3.

Donny and Dag both worked very strong today and things are looking good for the next race season, which starts tomorrow. lol.

Windy Day

Was a very windy day here today, all the horses were on their toes with the wind wipping up under their tails.

Went out and socialised with the young ones straight after working the horses, and Penny, who has had serveral surgeries on her near hind leg after trying to jump the fence. First happened in October and was boxed for 3 months, which I hated, I had her out in a wee yard during the day just to get some sunlight.

After the injury healed up we turned her out with the others, but then after a month a hole appeared, something burst out, so back in she came, was handy as we are breaking in a 2 year old Yamanin Vital filly so she was paddocked with her.

I had some fanstastic spray to put on it, got it healed up again, turned her out with the others again, but alas another hole burst out, so I phoned the Vet and he came and xrayed the leg, and there were heaps of splinters on the bone. So after another surgery, in which I nearly passed out on the vet, things were looking good. It has been bandaged for what seems like forever, Greg and I were changing it as little as possible as per the vets instructions.

Today I noticed that she was chewing the bandage, so Greg and I grabbed a lead rope and the sicssors (sp) and I took it off in the middle of the paddock. WOW, it looks so good, wound is so small and very clean. The leg was itchy around it so thats got to be a good thing, I gave it a good rub and Penny just loved it. I will just keep an eye on it, they are out on the young grass so not muddy, but I don't want it to go backwards. That is how she got her name Pretty Penny as she has cost Greg a few pretty pennys. lol.


Can't help but feel very sorry for the poor people up the country fearing with the dreadful weather. Hopefully all ends well.

29th July 2008

Well a busyish day today running round doing all sorts of different things. Firstly after working the horses, I had to go to the police station to give a statement on an accident that I witnessed and helped out, couldn't believe that it took over an hour.

I had a great morning with the young ones, Tess is getting much more friendlier by the day, which is fantastic as six months ago you couldn't pat her at all. Today she had big smoocheys and even backed in to get a bum rub, which was a bit of a worry, don't like been at the back end of a yearling that is only just coming round to getting friendly. lol.

Greg very kindly cleaned out Ozzies box, so he had a fresh bed to go into tonight. Greg is still complaining about my show/event horses been inside, but I very nicely explained to him that I am mucking out all his horses boxes, so two more isn't a big a deal. lol.

I harrowed another paddock today, and zoomed round the track with it which worked well picking up all the clumps.

Then a lovley afternoon in the garden, Donny was looking over the fence the whole time watching, he is such a dude.

28th July 2008

Pretty Penny (penny) left; Polly Pock (polly) behind; Testament (tess) right, happily grazing.

One of the finished paddocks.

Well I've had a great time today harrowing the paddocks that the young ones were in. Saw a great idea online, of using a gate, so I hooked it up to the bike and away I went. I did the new arena paddock on Thursday and the big paddocks today. They are the only ones that aren't too wet to do, we have had alot of rain and have a bit of surface water on the paddocks around the stables.

Mousie and Ozzie keeping an eye on things.

The young ones next door didn't bat an eyelid but Mousie (Ice Pack) and Oz (Preview/Power Pack) didn't like it at all, both grew about 2 hands and didn't eat until I had finished. I am really happy with how the paddocks came up, Will be great after I have had some sheep in and some line on later in the spring.

Peep Purr's absess has blown out on her cornet band finally. Aparently abcesses have been very frequent lately, so atleast I'm not the only one in the country dealing with them.

Greg has finished nightshift this morning, so has slept all day and is going to work the horses today, as Georgia got home from her weekend with her father and has been skiing so she is very tired.

Welcome

Donny, Peter Porter at home after his first ride after a winter holiday.
Donny "helping" Georgia with her Kindy project.

Winning form at Gore, May 2008. Jockey Catherine Tetzlaff.

Donny winning his first race at Kurow Jan 2008. Greg and I were stoked and very sunburnt!!

Well I'm finally giving the blogging a go.

I'm not very computer savvy and Greg is worse so than me, so bear with us while we get the idea.

Firstly I will introduce ourselves, my name is Emma and my partner Greg and I train thoroughbred racehorses, we do everything ourselves, from breeding to breaking to racing (apart from the jockey). Our breed has been going for over 3o years and goes back to Carron Howe who was the founding mare. She had a checkered past until she was given to Greg mother Pauline, who showjumped her to A Grade (think that is now Grand Prix), her first foal was to Gate Keeper which was a filly which was named Polly Porter, Polly went on to be a group one winning filly, winning the brooklands filly of the year. Pauline and Polly had a big following and were well liked in the racing world. Pauline was one of the first women trainers and the most sucessful in Southland. Polly's Career was marred by injury and end the end was turned out to be a broodmare. Carron Howe's other foals were Fleetwood Mac, who won the listed Invercargill Gold Cup and other winter cups around the country, Valerli was another gelding out of Carron Howe who went on to win listed races and then carried on to be a top jumps horse.
All of our horses that decend from Polly Porter, have P P in their names eg. Peter Porter, Penny Parker, Pool Play etc.

Phew well that is the history of our breed. It is very senitmental to us and Greg's mother Pauline died very young, leaving Alister, with Greg and Stephanie Jane to bring up. Pauline's last words to Greg where to make sure that the horses were nominated for the races. So Greg has carried on the tradition from Alister, who after Paulines death took out his training license.

Our current horses are:
Peter Porter; 5 year old gelding who won 6 races from Jan 2008 to May 2008. Just coming back into work after a winter break. Building up to cup week at Riccarton. Our stable star and a lovely horse, with an amazing temperament.

Penny Parker; 5 year old mare, having last race prep before heading off to stud, she will be served by King Maker.

Peep Purr; 4 year old mare who is currently maturing out in the paddock and will start her winter campagin again in the Autumn.

Power Pack; 3 year old gelding, currently spelling from racing until he is 5, but will be doing some showing and eventing in the mean time.

Peach Pie; Broodmare, on her way to stud to see Keeper.

Picka Peach; Broodmare, on her way to stud to see Volksraad.

Ice Pack; 5 year old gelding, by Yamanin Vital retired from racing and is now going to be my show and event horse.

Zamboni; 2 year old filly full sister to Ice Pack, currently in the process of getting broken in.

Testiment; yearling filly, 1/2 sister to Zamboni and Ice Pack

Polly Pocket; yearling filly, 1/2 sister to Penny Parker

Pretty Penny; yearling filly, half sister to Peter Porter.

Glen Tui; by Volksraad, Tui was a winning 2 year old and hasn't done anything since. She is owned by Greg and my mother Julie. Heading to stud to Painted Black.

Phew and I think that is all of them.