Tarmas' Blog - Ladies Day!

So, Spring is in the air and the ladies are on my mind! It seems that our clients are thinking the same thing, with more females moving this week than in the rest of the year put together! My beautiful black Macarena has found her new mummy along with others - I will miss her so much!



With several mares going off to stud in the next few weeks and two mares staying at home to foal shortly, we decided that it was time to start getting them spruced up after a very long winter!



After nearly being mobbed in the field (as always!), we decided our first victim would be the lovely Magdalena and brought her up to the stables for some tlc and a bit of a trim and tidy!

Lynette, who has been working with us for just a few months now was astounded at how this two year old filly, who has hardly been handled and never been on her own in her life, let us take her away from all of her friends (who were not at all happy that she was going to the salon before anyone else!!) without a sound. She then walked about half a mile down the road, past cars, cyclists, joggers and did not put a foot out of place until a very scarey little Welsh stallion who was hiding in the hedge until she was right next to him ran off like a lunatic bucking and kicking (I hope he didnt think she was for him!!!).

However, even at this, she merely showed us half a dozen very impressive passage steps and then proceeded to walk the rest of the way home and into her stable (where, I have to add, she looked like she had been all of her life!).

Today, she looked very happy with herself, munching contendly on her hay and looking enviously at her neighbours' lovely stable rug! She will be bathed, trimmed and tidied tomorrow ready to return in her glory to her field companions from whom we will select the next "victim". However, I am concerned that she wont want to go back!!

All this talk is making me think of a lovely Spa weekend for myself, I really need some pampering and beautifying!

I feel this is hihgly unlikely however - so maybe I'll just have to get Sharron to get the hose and the clippers out.........

Tarma's Blog - Friday! A glorious day in the Sunshine!!!

I am sat here with a well-deserved glass of wine and a scrummy milk chocolate Lindt bunny (courtesy of Sharron!!) recalling the days events.

What better way to start the day than with a class on the fabulous advanced schoolmaster Rossi, practising our pirhouettes and tempi changes amongst other things.

The highlight of the lesson however had to be when ever-generous and glorious "Ross Man" saw fit to give me pretty much as many one-time changes as he could fit in along the diagonal and even stepped in when I got it wrong - how humble do I feel!!!



Then I rode the new boy in who has not been sat until since August of last year and arrived with me a couple of days ago. Even though he has a super morpholgical CV and has been trained to an advanced level, his owners time requirements have not allowed her to work him for a very long time so he has come to us to be sold.

Again, a humbling experience. After approximately two and a half minutes on the lunge, I mounted and he was as good as gold, as if he had not had a day off, let alone several months - what a star!! Please keep an eye on the website for details of this chap - we think he will make someone a very happy person!

These glorious animals never cease to amaze me and I am happy to say that, even after all these years, I am still ever so slightly in awe of them. Horses like this should never be taken for granted!

Which brings me to my next point. A big congratulations to Sue Harcombe and her super boy Faisan who she purchased from us last year. This stunning couple have just won their first rosette in their maiden outing - we are sure it will be the first of many!!!

Also to Sarah and Kate Newell who own the gorgeous mare Deseada. We received a lovely email from them yesterday saying that she is giving them both so much fun and pleasure and is really coming on. She is either ridden, schooled or lunged everyday and they are amazed how much time they spend at the yard and their social life and housework are really suffering, but know what they would rather be doing anyday!

Sarah is taking part in dressage etc and Kate has joined Offas Dyke Endurance UK Group. Yesterday they completed their first endurance ride of 26K and Deseada was brilliant! Sarah has also taken her hunting and she looked as if she had been doing it all her life!



Do keep us updated everyone - it is so lovely to get feedback!

Please do keep reading to see how our new boy gets on and to hear about the arrival of Botinero next week as he is rather stunning aswell! Also, we will be bringing Chilena in to be backed very soon so that should make for some light entertainment!!!

Now, I shall leave you all and get back to my bunny, who is in danger of melting.

Take care everyone, one of us will be back to you soon!!

Tarmas' blog - two days away!

Just back from two days of teaching in Surrey where my girls were all flying! Verity is producing her young Spanish man beautifully, preparing him for the pirhouettes and getting some fabulous trot work and Emily is teaching her lovely boy Toby, (who had pretty much been a riding school plod up until two years ago!) to passage at the grand old age of 19!!

Last night I met up with a breeder friend of mine for dinner who I havent seen for ages and it was so lovely to catch up with her and meet all of her boys and girls! She has the most adorable little dun filly for sale and some lovely part breds aswell, a dun colt and two fillies , in my opinion there are some real bargains to be had there so please do check out the site!





I also saw her dun stallion who is such a striking colour and will be standing at stud next year!

I am looking forward to tomorrow though when I get to "practice what I preach" - am having a session with MY trainer on Rossi and the little Armas boy and then I get to be the boss again, as Caroline will be having a session on her Centuri before she goes off next week.

Not long now until the new boys come home either, we are all keen to meet them......

Sharrons Blog - Wednesday

Taking advantage of yesterdays sunshine the horses all enjoyed lovely, long hacks.
All i can say is roll on spring, though it usually flatters to decieve, i am ever the
optimist!

As Tarma (poor Tarma who it appears i work too hard, boo hoo) is away teaching,
i am lucky enough to be spending time with her two young ladies!
Horses and children have got to be a sure fix for getting a good nights sleep!

I think it is safe to say that Centuri's new mum enjoyed the time she spent with him
today very much, she was beaming when i left the yard and can not wait to get him
home!

A tired Sharron is signing off now, night all!