Sunday 23 November 2008

Victor and a flying Ziggy



Victor had his first trip Show Jumping and what a star he was 4th in his first jumping class and was so good all day. Ziggy took some flyer's but was also good boy but had a pole down which we where pleased with i have only had him 3 weeks so he still getting used to us and us to him but all good so far bless him. Victor is off doing dressage next week and he will then be affiliated show jumping and will be up for sale soon. Will make someone a super all rounder as just such an easy horse just dead straight forward to ride bless him. Watch this space.

Tuesday 18 November 2008

Dowhills Snow Belle


I found this pic of my lovely Belle. Oh cant wait to show her.

Flying Fred





Fred and William went show jumping this weekend. It was Fred s first time so and only the second time indoors but he went clear then had a pole in the jump off (over keen jockey i think Lizzy!!!) but we got these pictures of him. Unfortunately William landed on a stone in the warm up school and went very lame but seems to be recovering.

Our gorgeous Jack Russell puppy Podge is growing in all directions (being an only puppy!) she has opened her eyes and is so sweet bless her.

Ziggy is getting fitter and so am i. We have nick named him Giggy Ziggy as he never walked the first few times out but has now decided its best to up our steep hills.

Thursday 6 November 2008

Meet Ziggy


Ziggy is my new stead who i am really looking forward to having out and about (picture is of him winning the Royal) He is a lovely 16.2hh Hunter type Part bred Cleveland Bay and a lovely sort of horse. Unfortunately we lost Bertie last week (RIP) and i will miss him very much he was a very naughty but dear old sole and we are hoping he goes on hunting forever!!!!!
William and Fred are off to Dressage this weekend. William has grown up a lot since returning from boarding school with Mathew. Fred is going great guns we are so pleased with this little horse he is just getting better and better.
Vic the thick, William's half brother is back in work after being cut and is going very nicely after doing some fitting work we hope to get him jumping again.
The reports on Storm who is being broken by Mathew are good and it seems he has retained his laid back approach to life bless him!! So excited about seeing him out under saddle next year.
And we have a birth in the house Chip the Jack Russell has given birth to 1 baby girl seeming she had 7 last time this is going to be spoilt puppy!!! soooooo cute. Will post pictures when i have them.

Monday 20 October 2008

Cool Fred is off again



We now have Fred up and in full time work after a brief break. Yesterday he cruised round XC at Stockland Lovell which has been his 1st real ask and he rose to the occasion storming around to a super clear that 3 times 3 clears What a star. We think this little horse has bags of ability and are really keen now to get him doing some show jumping and dressage so he is ready to event next year. Also just clipped him first time he has been done jumped when the clippers started but not to bad at all! The picture is him yesterday in warm up mode.
William has returned from Mathew Lawrence and Mark Northam and seems to be a whole lot better now just got to beat the jockey into shape (Come on Liz!!) She just has to learn to get really bossy with him. So watch this space.
Storm has now gone off to take Williams place so he will continue with his education until sold. Bless him.
As for the farm we now have all the foals weaned and some will be ready for their new homes soon. We have been lucky in having so many filly's but poor Echo the only boy gets bullied so think he may have to go with the yearlings for the winter will have to see what happens. I will post some pictures soon.
Also now going to start work on Vic Williams half brother by Phantom he has now been gelded and had a few weeks off. I will probably get the job of getting him fit then he is going up for sale.
The other picture is a new addition welcome Tinker, Stinker or Mini Me (called cause he looks just like the other cat Scooby and follows him everywhere) he is sooo cute and really really mad so he fits in well here. This shot is of him in my office chair perhaps he would like to take over the paper work!!

Monday 13 October 2008

Mad Mad Couple of weeks

Well what fun. I have had 2 hectic days at HOYS watching Tim s (Mastermind) wonderful stock What a boy he is to have 3 of his off spring through to the 14.2hh Show pony class as well as a lovely brood mare in the Cuddy and 2 Intermediates. Bless him. Talking of Tim he is now on his winter holidays and covered in hair and mud as fat as a pig and happy with his nephew Irresistible (Midge) he will stay where he is until January when he comes in.
Poor Fred knocked his leg and has been off for a couple of weeks but now very bored and back in work.
William has been with Mathew Laurence for a few weeks and we are off to pick him up on Friday and drop Storm off to be broken. We are really excited about Storm and cant wait to see him out under saddle next year.
Liz and i took little Nevaeh and my old boy Bertie on a hunt ride on Sunday we managed to do the 10 miles!! Bertie forgot his 21 years and was a old beast!!!!! to start think he thought he was going hunting. Cant tell these old boys!! Nev has now gone out for a break and will come back after Christmas. She is just sooo sweet and will one day make a really super pony as just so willing to learn and does anything asked of her.
Harvey left for his new home in Scotland and so far i think they are very pleased with him and he has been good. I will watch him as i think he is going to be a very smart SHP. I hope to be watching him at HOYS in a few years.
Chip our Jack Russell is now well in pup and is expanding daily. She is due to Teddy so we look forward to some lovely babies.
We also have a new addition to our family in the form of Tinker (or Stinker or Mini Me) he is a little Tabby kitten who is soooo sweet we have all taken to him and he to us. He is the splitting image of our other cat Scooby so hence his nic name Mini Me. Will post some pictures when i have some.

Sunday 28 September 2008

Firefly (Fred)





Here is Fred. This is a before and after! The last picture is when Lizzy tried him the second was taken today at his 2 nd Hunter Trial and boy what a star he was with another super clear. Liz has spent the last 2 weeks getting him to go forward in a nice outline. He did have a high head carriage and the underside of his neck was strong with no top line he is now working lower and lengthening his stride correcting the neck and making him a far nicer horse to ride.
We are hoping he will go on this winter and do some dressage and show jumping fingers crossed. He is now proving to be a brave little horse and taking on anything and should make a super little eventer!!

Sunday 21 September 2008

Busy Weekend!!


Dowhills Mr Harvey


Its been a very busy weekend. William went off to the New Vision Horse Show at the David Broome Centre we where on the go from 3.30AM and the fog on the motorway was horrendous!! but we made it. William was a bit naughty (!!!) in the colours and tried to buck the judge off!! but we found out after poor boy had been stung but we where thrilled with his conformation marks and he was top in that section ahead of horses qualified for HOYS he also had the same in the Lost and Found Hunter Class and as i have said we can work on performance but cant correct conformation. The comments through out the day where really lovely and all the judges thought him a classy horse but just needs to mature. So he has now finished showing and is off to Mathew Lawrence for 4 weeks before he comes home to hunt and do dressage over the winter.
Firefly (Fred at home) is our new purchase he is a 15.2hh 5 yr old bay Anglo Arab gelding by Daws Firebird a nice little horse that after only a week with us has changed so much. He has been to his first hunter Trail ever today and was clear and ended up 3rd (beating William into 4th) Lizzy was thrilled with him as we have a hairy few moments with him this week but have managed to sort them.

On Friday our 2 yearling colts Harvey and Max where cut. I still feel for them even though we have several done each year. This pic is taken of Harvey today (top right). He still looks well!! but don't know how long before he forgives me!!!
The other picture i found is of Dowhills Snow Patrol as a baby and thought it so sweet. Snow Belle is his full sister and is a much larger girl all round!!!

Tuesday 9 September 2008

Silent Wisper and Fred Too



The picture of the bay is Dowhills Fred Too. He is a nice sort to make 14.2hh he is out of a TB mare by Sedgelands High Society he is 2 years old and a very nice mover.
The other picture i love is of Silent Wisper and just thought it a lovely pic showing her very pretty head and lovely front.Bless her.

Sunday 7 September 2008

Our Little TB Filly Nevaeh and Harvey





These are our new purchase Nevaeh and our 15hh Show Hunter Pony Yearling Dowhills Mr Harvey. He is by the TB stallion we had here for 2 years Western Chief (Carleon) out of Harroway Rainbow (by Chiddock Fankino) he is a super mover and we are looking forward to showing him next year if he is not sold!! This photo does not do him justice as he has a lovely long front and very strong shoulder.

Friday 5 September 2008

And it goes on and on!!!!

I just cant believe the weather. It feels like winter and i look out the window to see poring rain high winds and wear my wellies full time and its only September what is going on!!!!! Richard is pulling his hair out with still loads of corn to combine and its all sprouting. The driers are on full time on the stuff that is in. Its all a complete mess.
My mind is now on weaning some of the foals i have decided to take them off mums a little early this year to allow them to pick up a bit before winter sets in!! but all so far looking very well. William we hope to have out doing a few days hunting and some indoor dressage and show jumping.
We have just bought a very tiny (14.2hh) 3 year old TB mare just out of racing she is looking very sorry for herself and very underweight but she is eating well and we hope she will improve quickly i will keep you posted on how she is doing.
Hope you all survive!!

Saturday 30 August 2008

Dowhills Echo


Dowhills Echo. This photo was taken on the only sunny afternoon of this year i think!!! I think this colt foal is going to make a very smart 14hh hunter pony. He is by my dear friend Cindy Sims wonderful coloured stallion Harroway Mr Harlequin (www.harroway.co.uk) We have today put him on Horsequest. He really is a super mover!! and very hen pecked by 3 filly foals that really boss him about ahahah

Thursday 28 August 2008

Dowhills Storm Burst

Dowhills Storm Burst taken at home. Thanks to Jess for her hard work grooming him. We think this 3 year old will be a star under saddle. We are backing him now. watch this space


Some of our resent results

Dunster Show:- Thunderstruck (William) is finally returning some of the hard work by Lizzy (and the many times he bucked her off!!!) over the last 18 months and was a star winning Ridden Hunter and Ridden coloured. Which has given us immense hope and excitement for next year. He is now off to do Stressage and show Jump and hunt over the winter.
This was also the show that we retired Strinesdale Mastermind(Tim) from the show ring. We felt at 17 it was time to let his children do the talking. Its been a great honour to have this wonderful boy with us here and we all love him to bits. A huge THANKS goes to Danda and Jim Richardson for letting us have him.

Wincanton:- Tim won Part Bred Arab and went champion. It must have been the wonderful groom i had that day my dear friend Catherine Grey.

North Devon:- I grabbed poor Storm (Dowhills Storm Burst) out of the field where he has been since being shown last year and to our great surprise and delight he won a very very strong small Hunter class (even though i don't consider him to be one!!!) I must say i do love this 3 year old and think he will have a great future under saddle.

Hello All



We have set up this blog to keep the world updated with whats going on down here on the farm.
I would love to keep in touch with everyone and feel free to ask questions on any of the pictures you see.
Today i took some snap shots of our lovely babies and here they are (some are still for sale!!)
The Coloured girl is my lovely Snow Belle we are over the moon with this filly and you should see it move WOW!
The other filly is Silent Wisper a stunning girl by Strinesdale Mastermind