WARNING!!     THIS POST IS A RANT!!

We have now been to two Welsh Pony Shows, one in the States & one at Olds.( I just found out my 2000 km trek points don’t count towards championships in Canada).  Illusion had very poor placings on the line.  He is not the type of Welsh Pony currently in style.  What was especially disappointing was that he didn’t place in Sportpony in Walla Walla.  I was asked by a senior Canadian Judge, who was there spectating if “there even was a definition of a sport pony”.  I told him to go to North American Sportponies site and read “breed type & standard”, nevermind the various European registries of “Riding Ponies”.

When Greg was showing hunters, I used to console him by saying, “when you are showing in a subjective class, you are paying for a judges opinion; sometimes you like it and sometimes you don’t”.  After Walla Walla we decided we wouldn’t show in Sportpony anymore, as Illusion doesn’t have to prove to anybody he is a sportpony; he holds a First Premium North American Sportpony Stallion License”

Then came Wild Rose Welsh Show.  There were three horses entered in “Stallions 3 & over”.  Two of them were entires (never having bred a mare).  They were badly behaved; calling out, rearing, fidgeting, hanging out and generally being bad.  Illusion, a breeding stallion in breeding season, handled the ring with dignity and good behaviour….  We placed third.  He doesn’t have the chunky neck typical of Welsh Section B stallions or the heavier, almost cobby bone structure (that’s why I like him) that is the flavour of the week right now.  I was told he was close to 150 pounds underweight for the halter ring.  Well, he is a bit underweight, because he is breeding and showing, but it is nowhere near 150 pounds….and he is performance fit with a Body Condition Score a high 4.   There was one mare who placed first in a class that I swear had a founder crest….NO THANK YOU, I’LL TAKE UNDERWEIGHT!!

I was so glad we didn’t enter Sportpony, as the judging was all over the map.  It was double judged and the judges weren’t even using the same entries.  A student, of a trainer friend of mine, asked one of the judges how the sportponies were judged.  She received the answer that they were similar to hunters on the line but with snappier, higher knee action.  OH MY!!!

Line classes that are double judged are twice the price to enter.  It is very expensive to get someone else’s opinion.  As our stallion isn’t in fashion right now (with apologies to Corb Lund, as I plagarize and paraphrase “Horse Soldier”) It is with a rear guard action we retreat and(not so) silently take our leave from showing on the line. 

The Welsh Pony practise of receiving championships on the line and retiring to stud doesn’t sit well with us.  We come from the equestrian and race horse scene, where a stallion stands based on his performance.  Warmblood registries also require licensing and approvals based on confirmation, temperament, free jumping (5 categories), and performance with their own rider as well as test rider.We will continue to support Welsh Pony Shows, but only in equestrian performance disciplines.  Our time, energy and money will be better spent promoting sportponies in Alberta, as well as entry fees for shows where Illusion can participate (DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON EQUINE CANADA’S RIDICULOUS RULING OF ADULT AMATEURS ONLY BEING ABLE TO RIDE LARGE PONIES  ALONG WITH JUNIORS NOT BEING ABLE TO RIDE STALLIONS).

On a brighter note, Illusion’s driving was fantastic.  He was the only pony entered  (although I received several critiques about my rig ; to those people, my response is “MEET ME IN THE RING!”).  I knew he was fabulous, but both judges commented he would have placed high in a large entry.

Our next show was the Amberlea Meadows Novice Rider/Horse Development Show.  Here I ran smack into Equine Canada’s rulings about adults riding ponies, and juniors being unable to ride stallions.   With their new “pay as you play” policy whereby every rider needs a bronze sport license to participate, almost all the shows of any merit are Equine Canada Bronze rated.  Since there were several nonrated classes, I thought Illusion could show in the nonrated hunter divisions.  He has been schooling hunter courses at 2′, 2′3″.  But no, the ruling applies to all classes at a rated show.  So we “ponied up” and did jumpers at 2′6″.

Many thanks to Jamie St. Hillaire, the very capable young lady who rode him perfectly.  Not only did Illusion have to go up in height, he had to tackle some very formidable oxers and combinations, which he had never encountered before.  He was also a little overwhelmed at first by how many jumping efforts are required on a jumper course over a hunter course.  He was 16 seconds over time allowed his first round, but it was beautiful.  By the second day, second course, he came in within allowed time.  He is so careful, he only had one rail the entire three days and that because he was arguing with Jamie about how to come into the combination. 

On Sunday, he placed first in the Jr/Am class.  He was quite funny, as she had to convince him to get on with his immediate jump off; he thought he was done.  When asked to put the pedal down for the first time, he was a little ragged, but overall a very nice trip.  He placed second in the Open division, a full 6 seconds behind the winner, but a picture perfect round, showing us he learns everytime he goes out.  We are pleased as punch with our little dude.

Show photos to follow and check his page for more, as soon as we get them from the show photographers.  Until then go to Linda Finstad on www.facebook.com and scroll down to photo montages.  Linda is A Sharper Image Photography, website www.imagineitsold.com  She has made up an awesome montage of Jamie and Illusion.

After several months of emails and pictures we finally got to meet Josiane, our working student for the summer.  One could not ask for a nicer girl and family.  We are just settling down into a routine whereby we balance horses and work, after the first hectic week. 

Josiane arrived while we were away at the Wild Rose Welsh Show.  Her Aunt Lynne had a ball showing her West Edmonton Mall and other Edmonton attractions.  Unfortunately, the long plane ride and her “exuberant” farewell caused her to get sick almost immediately.  Then she was off to Wainwright and her Aunt Chantal and Uncle Robin and young cousins.  There she took in the Wainwright Stampede.  She arrived at Marsh Haven a week ago Wednesday.  Since then we have made two trips to Calgary with horses and had Illusion in a show at Amberlea.

Having never had a daughter, I have to admit I spoiled her horribly the first few days.  She now has a full range of both E nglish and Western clothing; the chaps she bought herself.  But it’s so hard not to.  She looks awesome in everything she puts on.  I now know what a size 1/2 looks like; I always thought it was a ploy of designers to make the rest of the world feel fat.

…And she is a good rider and great worker.  She is doing amazingly well on my green horses.  Amy is the big surprise, having only been ridden a handful of times, had a wreck during harness training and then joining the broodmare band, goes like a broke horse for her.  We’ve even been on a 9km trail ride.

Her English is progressing a much faster rate than my resurrected high school and cereal box French, but I am trying.  The summer is going to go by all too fast.

We’ll snap some photos to accompany this post with some pictures of her and some of her mounts.

Well, we made the long trip to Walla Walla and met some great people.  But it is way to far to drive by oneself.  Illusion was the only one in the 4year old stallions, so we brought home American Blue.  But that’s as far as we went on the line.  My cart and harness was thrown together last minute and looked it; a little embarassing with all the glitz of the Californial crowd.  I’ve never driven in a pleasure class with 8 entries.  For not having driven since March, Illusion was amazing.  He just kept getting better. We ended up with a 3rd place ribbon in the pleasure stake.  It was a very long trip home; I wasn’t feeling well, so it was 2 1/2 days.  Lucky, I’m into ponies, as Illusion stable beautifully on the trailer, even lying down. 

Next week is the Wild Rose Show and I hope I don’t have my usual windblown look.  Josiane, our working student from Quebec also arrives next weekend.  We tore the two trailer bedrooms apart months ago to make a bigger room; we are now frantically trying to make that bedroom.  We still haven’t got our spring cleaning finished…. so life is as usual on the run. 

It looks like the Sportpony Inspection is going to happen with at least 15 ponies (7 are mine).  We have shifted the venue to Pferde Traum Farm in Breton, as Dallas Grubbenmann has several to inspect as well.  If we can borrow a trailer we can still make the Parkland Welsh Show for Friday.

We did the Heartland Horse Expo in Stettler last weekend.  A disappointing crowd, but an event with tremendous potential.  We’ll look forward to next year.  I finally got to see Cheryl LaRue in action.  I”ve know for a while her passion for mounted shooting: she is the reigning ladies world champion.  What an exciting sport to watch.  This particular pattern had 3 serpentines down the line with 5 balloon targets, before turning around the barrel, reholstering the six gun, taking out the other and galloping home straight up the line shooting at 5 more balloons. 

I’m in the process of setting up a Facebook page and I will try to blog the Innovative Horsekeeper stuff on there and keep this one for farm news.  We finally got the decals on our trailer and it looks great, so some things are getting done.

We took pictures yesterday for the pony inspections, I will be sending them to the webmaster for inclusion under baby pictures, so have a look after the weekend.

Late Saturday night we had a new arrival on the farm.  I checked Wynona at about 9:00 and thought she’s going to foal tonight, but it was so cold, I thought she’d put it off a few hours until the temperature rose.  I was wrong.  Sunday morning, two horses greeted me in the paddock.  The filly was so strong and completely dry, so she was foaled not long after my last check.  I took one look at her and named her “Fiona” because she was born in the mud and is a princess.  She is the spitting image of her mommy with her daddy’s head.  I think she is the nicest we’ve had from Wynona, except maybe Gidget, who is getting a very “breedy” look to her as a yearling.

This is the first foal we’ve had not pasture born.  In a paddock, and I missed it.  I still can’t believe how wet the stall was; there are definite advantages to pasture birth.  Mommy is getting a little stir crazy and we’ll move her to a bigger paddock when I leave with Illusion for the States on Thursday.  I know she wants to be in the pasture, but Fiona needs to be a little older as she is the only foal this year.  Wynona has such a protective instinct, she isolates herself for the last three months of pregnancy, but once baby is on the ground, she is the alpha, even displacing Sunny.  She’s starting to pin her ears at us, allow she is far good natured to get really mean.  She just needs more space.

Presenting: “Marsh Haven Fiona”, to be registered 1/2 Welsh and North American Sport Pony

On a completely different note, I can’t believe how hard it is to take two horses to the States, one returning, one not.  I’ve been through 6 inches of paperwork in the last three days.  I’m lucky I found out on Friday when I could still get it done instead of arriving at the border with my health cert, Coggins, and travel permits in hand.  There is DOT number, Service Carrier Alpha Code, ACE E-manifest, brokerage and US Federal Vet check.  All of this adds up to over $100 per horse.  Yet, slaughter horses coming into Canada only have to have a health certificate and Coggins.  This doesn’t seem right in the context of NAFTA.

I’ve just had a long opinion piece published in The Western Producer and am getting quite a few calls of congratulations from readers.  The trouble is I’ve written so many letters on slaughter and our culture of rescue, I can’t remember which letters I’ve written to whom.  In any case keep your eye out for a PDF file containing a letter to your MP to get support for the producers and primary users in the horse industry.  NAFTA enforcement would be good for the industry on both sides of the line.

I’ve just arrived home from Just Horsin Around 2010 and inaugural horse expo put on by volunteers in Nanaimo, BC to raise funds for SPCA horse rescue efforts.  This show grew from ideas tossed around last February when 27 horses were seized and rescued from near Vernon, BC.  At the time I was working with Cathy Cross on the sale of a horse and she convinced me I should make the trek.   Now on the otherside of the trip…oh, mama… that’s a long way to go.  I was gone a full week and am on day 2 of the recovery phase.

I had an amazing time and met some wonderful people, starting with overnighting with Cheri & Joe at Barriere (I found them from their ads on Kijiji and really appreciated their hospitality).   It was a chance to show some of our products to Islander’s that never make it to the Mane Event.  Starting with the ferry over, I met Glen from G&H Horse Transport, who works parttime as a deckhand on BC Ferries.  I’m looking forward to some reciprocal business with him.  It was late when I finally arrived at Ferris’ (Ferris Fencing).  I had brought with me a mini/shetland cross pony I found Ferris’ purchased for their granddaughter.  So Thursday we put the little guy through his paces.  I also drove Goldmine, as he was supposed to give a demo at the gala on Saturday night and has only been in the shafts twice previously.  If you know me, …, you know about my good intentions and how I’m always scrambling to keep up. 

Friday, I was late moving into the show, as I had used the day to drive again and clean my truck/trailer.  A stop in Nanaimo for groceries and last minute copying saw me move in about 8:00.  There I finally met show organizers Jacque, Shannon and Pat, along with Kevan Garecki from W4 Horse Transport.  I was cooked and elected to set up in the morning.

That was a mistake, as our product line and display has become way more than a 1 person job.  Shortly before show opening I was seriously threatening to pack someone in the Bale Buster Hay Steamer and bury them in my composter when I got home.  However, although I didn’t see much, the show was amazing and all done by volunteer instructors, clinicians, saddlefitters, nutritionists, etc.  If anything they had too much going on with a lecture center, 5 round pens and two instructional arenas.  They raised over $8500 for BC SPCA Horse Rescue.

I had taken Goldmine and Joey with me to showcase the Caspian Breed at the Gala, Saturday evening.  I didn’t have a clue how weather dependent the venue at Beban Park was, but despite some light showers and cooling temperatures a large crowd remained.  I got Goldmine out way too early and he was upset about leaving Joey at this point.  So, and I know I am the only person crazy enough to do this; I got Joey and ponied him from the cart until it was time to go in.  I basically just gave the history of Caspians while trying to drive Goldmine and used Joey as an exemplar of the breed.  I couldn’t have been happier with Goldmine.  He drove coming down into the bridle, negotiated serpentines around cones, did hard turns both left and right, backed up and worked into a canter; not bad for a very greeny, his first time in an arena.  I got some very positive feedback on Sunday about our demo.

Sunday was a nightmare after the show.  I had truck trouble.  I had tons to pack.  I ran over two stacked tables driving out of the arena.  I took the ponies for grass and Joey got away and after trying to outsmart him for 2 hours left him out overnight.  On Monday, I drove right past Duke Point to Ladysmith trying to catch the ferry.  But I met a great guy on the ferry, a trucker for CFB Comox and he taught me a lot about our new truck and how to maintain it for longer life.   I stopped at Milner Downs to meet Natasha, a contact Cathie had set up for me.  Then I tried to make another call on a client and got hopelessly lost on the backroads between Ft. Langley and Abottsford.  I think its definitely time I invested in a GPS.  The Coke was wet and slippery, but we made it.  I had a place to overnight in Clearwater, but cratered at Kamploops and overnighted the ponies on board at the Husky station.  That sucks because you’re awake when they are.   Tuesday was jusst long and I got home around 9. 

So this weekend, I run the place while Glen goes to Fami Camp.  Next Wednesday, we leave for overnight in Cochrane, a business call, a pick up for Kathleen Rawls of Mr. Dragon Stud in Oregon and we’re off to Walla Walla, Wa for the Western National Welsh Show.