Tattersalls December Sales - My First Experience with Mares and Foals

I've been at the Tattersalls December sales for the last couple of weeks and I must say now, just how much I enjoyed it!

First was the foal sales - I've never really had any contact with foals before, except when I was a really young child and the mare we were looking after was pregnant and had her foal, Choco, while being stabled at ours. He wasn't like these foals though as was absolutely spoilt and was probably over handled and basically thought he was a dog! I was about 8 years old or younger and don't really remember it (that's probably due to falling off a lot when I was a kid).

So when I arrived at 6.30 on Tuesday I basically wasn't sure what to expect or what I had to do! Luckily I had some really lovely people show me, and for that I am incredibly grateful. They didn't shout at me and really beared with me while I learnt what I needed to do. As expected for little baby horses they're rather jumpy, need lot's of reassurance and everything done a lot more slowly and quietly.

I learned how to groom them, handle them and even show them off for the sales, although probably best I didn't actually show them as it would have been rather embarrassing if I'd messed up!

But I can say I now know how to bridle a baby foal, and how to handle one. I've also been very lucky that a lot of them were very cuddly and sleepy so I got lot's of cuddles and interaction with them.

I must also note that, and i'm not sure if this is because they're still quite young but the colts were actually a lot better behaved than the filly's. And I have to be honest, I wasn't expecting that at all..

The colts were the absolute stars, allowing anything to be done to them and happy to be taken out, brushed and groomed, and fine with you walking in their stables to top of hay and water while laying down.

The fillies on the other hand were so sassy! I nearly got bitten by a filly who did not want to be groomed, lucky I move quickly aye! They were also a bit anxious about being tacked up and walked out too but I suppose they all have different personalities. Maybe these quirky fillies will make excellent racehorses because of how they are? Or perhaps they'll grow out of it.. I'll never know, sadly!

Any way, here are lot's of photos that I took over the past two days and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Bloodstock Sales - 

A couple of days off after the foals sales I was back on my feet again on Saturday and Sunday for Tweenhills gaining some more experience and helping out on the yard and learning to show.

With the base being at the Terrace House yard and every single box being full it was was pretty full on. 

I awoke to a chilly Saturday to arrive at 6am to spin out and get learning. 

I walked about a couple of really nice fillies, Glass House and Bear Cheek who were very well behaved and gave me confidence.

The rest of the day was spent learning and getting ready for a busy Sunday.

To which it was extremely busy! Non stop basically, from 6am til 4.30pm.. 

I also like to keep busy and not sit around while I could be working so I regularly checked the horses for hay and water, fluffed beds and swept the yard. 

I also had the most amazing experience that, when grooming a very pregnant made, I put my hand in her belly and her foal must have felt it as it kicked and kicked away and being really active. It was really magical actually as I've felt a baby in my sisters womb, but never a baby horse growing in it's mums womb. It absolutely made my day!

I then had another couple of free days before I was back on Wednesay and Thursday for Eclipse Bloodstock  

It's been a really good experience handling and getting to know different types mares with different personalities. Some being sharper than others, while a couple just couldn't give two hoots.

I've also got to be more hands on with grooming and showing which has done me good for my confidence and my skills. 

How to properly show horses at Tatts Sales is different to normal show ring showing, where you'd stand your horse square at the front but have the offside hind stepping slightly in front so the judge can access. While at the sales you show by standing the horse with it's near side fore and the offside hind slightly in front of the other legs so the potential purchaser can see all of their legs from one side. 

The mares and fillies have all been so well behaved and I'm pleased with how I did. I even got to take two of the mares through the ring. The first being the gorgeous mare Go Glamorous which is in foal to Stimulator and second was Cypress Point who is in foal to Mazameer. It was a wonderful, if not slightly nerve wracking experience as I've so used to viewing the ring from the outside rather than the inside and you're very aware of all eyes are on you, the horse you're leading and what you're doing. 

I wanted to make sure I smiled while walking through rather than just being so focuses on what I was doing that I looked deadly serious. It also looks much nicer to smile! 

I must say thank you to Red at Eclipse Bloodstock for giving me the opportunity, to all the Eclipse staff who helped me and taught me what I needed to do, and to the new friends I've made.

Until next time,

Soph x

Wayland Show - A Case of The 2nds

After not showing for weeks Georgie and I spending Saturday afternoon bathing, trimming and overall making Beanie look like a shiny fluff-ball.

Legs being whitened with Smart Grooming Leg and Body Whitener

We hadn't been showing since Hickstead and that weekend of Hickstead was so disastrous it didn't even warrant a blog post. First Beanie banged his hip mysteriously in the field and took a lump of hair off, then got there to find our ring was has hard as concrete and rutty as a field that it was thoroughly under whelming (well it was to be anyway, not sure how Georgie felt).

So 7 am came, and after plaiting up and packing the car, we headed off to Wayland Show in Norfolk. We'd been last year and really enjoyed it and found it to be a nice atmosphered country show.
We arrived to Beanie being very on his toes, perhaps he thought he'd become a happy hacker after doing not very much for the last 3 weeks but he was full of energy!
Lisa and I went off to the show secretary to get Georgie's number and find out an estimated start time for the ROR Challenge class. Well thinking it would start about 10 am couldn't have been more wrong as there was only 1 entry in the working hunter pony so all hands on deck to get B and Georgie ready in time.

He must have picked up on the rushed vibes because even after Georgie had got on he was very spritely! 
Now, when Beanie get excited from jumping he bucks on landing, and after a couple of jumps did an almighty buck and unseated Georgie just before she was about to go into the ring!
"Wonderful" I thought sarcastically, this is setting the tone for the day!

Upon entering the ring he was both on his toes and had his eyes on stalks, all of us having no idea how he'd get on. The vast majority of horses had been stopping at fence 2 that we prayed he wouldn't follow suit. It wasn't a particularly horrible fence in itself but the landing was basically dead into a corner and you had to turn on a 90 degree angle and a stride later was fence 3. 
He got in there and after a big jump over fence 1 I thought "maybe he'd be so exuberant he wouldn't even look at the fence or landed and just fly over it", but I was wrong.
He stopped and oggled it thoroughly digging in his heels but Georgie kicked on and refused to be defeated and got him over it. 
Now over what I thought was the 'bogie' fence I thought she'd be fine, although not being very focused and looking all over the place he was jumping ok. Georgie has finished the course and made her way to the first of two bonus fences when, at the very last moment, Beanie put in a naughty run out. Georgie turned and represented but he was having absolutely none of it. After presenting him at it a final time and riding positively he stopped a third time and was subsequently eliminated.

Not going to lie, I was really hacked off. I'm not a morning person as it is so for Beanie to a completely birk in his first class of the day wasn't exactly the best of a 5am day start.
We got back to the box for Georgie to exclaim "im entering him in his riding horse class, he can be punished by poncing!". 
Beanie is a very good all-rounder and enjoys his jumping, so Georgie competes him in the challenge classes so he doesn't get bored of showing. So for him to misbehave in a class that was supposed to be some fun for him, she was one unimpressed owner!
Fortunately the class wasn't too long away so we could have some refreshments and change his bridle and saddle over. He was re-turned out beautifully (if I do say so myself) and off we went to the ring.

He's a quirky one that horse cause after a break he was in a totally different mindset.
he was chilled, responsive and happy. Shortly after the call for competitors we're asked to make their way into the ring for the class to start.
It was like watching a totally different horse. He was floating around the ring, being responsive to Georgies aids and carrying himself beautifully and light in Georgie's hands.
He really did look a picture.

All of us were watching on longingly and were pleased to be pulled into seconds place for the judging.
To be fair to B he gave the judge a beautiful ride, but just as she was riding him the motorcross display started. I actually love motorcross but the sound of a 4 stroke scrambler just as the judge was riding was the last thing I wanted to hear.
Sadly just as the judge asked for canter a bike revved while doing a huge flip and he jumped but other than that the judges ride was spotless.
The display got louder and louder with the commentator practically shouting something inaudible over the commentary system he was so excited and more and more bikes took to the air for very cool tricks, but frustratingly Beanie could hear it but not see it.
He did trot up smoothly for the conformation judge, if not a bit on his toes.
We were all pleased to see Beanie had held his place in second and come away with a rosette and some prize money.
That's better than being disqualified! Our minds were now focused on the Retraining of Racehorses and Tattersalls Open Show horse class after lunch.

In much better spirits than before we had a lunch sitting in the sun chatting, while Beanie munched away at his hay net while sunning his back.
He was really very shiny! Perhaps he thought he was done for the day?

Everyone feeling much better after some food and drink we tacked B up for a third time and prayed he hadn't had enough for the day. It was getting increasingly hot as the sun beamed down so just prayed it stayed cool. I don't think any horse likes showing in boiling hot weather!

The ROR class was big, with approximately 18 horses in it and they all looking spectacularly turned out. This would be a tough class!
At the last minute there was a judge change which through some people but the original judge was replaced with a charming older gentleman who, as we found out, was a kind gentle rider which just what we like.
After a nice go around, to which B didn't disappoint, he was pulled into third place.

Photo by Diss Event Photography

Much like before, Beanie gave the judge a lovely round, and with no displays this time he was faultless - He really did go lovely. He had beautiful self carriage and nice even paces, lengthening nicely when the judge asked for a bit more in the canter as well as bringing him back beautifully in working canter. Georgie and I grinned, feeling so proud of this big ginger horse who was bit of a silly sausage earlier in the day. Honestly, It was like watching a different horse!

Watching on anxiously after the conformation judging we were really pleased to be pulled into second and qualifying for next years ROR final at Hickstead! It was like a repeat of last years class at Wayland where Georgie was second too!
B had redeemed himself then and was no longer in Georgie's bad books!

          Photo by Diss Event Photography
 
After the riding horse class Georgie was approached by a well known producer and asked to ride one of his horses in the ridden championship. They had 2 horses qualify and only one rider! Obviously this is a big compliment to be asked to ride, to which she accepted, so a quick rush outside the ring, jumped on and rode having never sat on it before.
She evidently gave it a nice ride as it was pulled in reserve ridden champion!
It was a lovely horse!

It was now 5 oclock in the evening, so after packing up quick sharpe we head off home in the car with lots of chat about the day and how it all went!
After a really crappy start it ended really well! See you in June Hickstead!
We currently aren't sure what our next show is as Mum and Dad move house, Beanie and Millie move to a new yard and Georgie goes on holiday!
Fingers crossed it Gransden!

Sophie x