With love and Respect Rocky

Rocky was in my life for such a short time, it makes you wonder what the deal was, why his star shone so brightly but so briefly in my life. I can not answer that but I do know that he had a huge inpact in my life, and much for the better. Taking Rocky on made me face a lot of issue's in my life that I had been ignoring for way too long. Firstly my weight and fitness level, this is a biggy. Since a child I was always very active, riding, walking, working, I even jogged two hours every day when working in the city around the Domain. Alas since having my tonsils out and discovering the taste of food, a young family, two babies and two miscarriages I pounded on the weight, I don't blame anyone but myself. Now as a 'mature lady' (hate that term) I am fat and unfit.

I know that the people in my life wanted to see me get fitter, happier and enjoy my later child free years. In the meantime I am popping anti-depressants and blood pressure tablets and sitting around on my arse eating chocolate. Feeling sorry for myself as my children move out of home and decidedly need me less. Hubby interstate with work more often than not and a very empty life here at home for me. The good part of course are my work and my friends but still something was missing, something was just not fulfilling some need I had.

Enter Rocky, this big roman nose standy took my heart the minute I saw his pic on Horse yard. What a stunning boy, big, I needed big, bold, gorgeous boy. I could not wait to meet him.

When I did finally get down to see him over Easter weekend 2010, I knew that I had to have him, was he right for me? Maybe, maybe not, here I am a raw novice rider again entering riding in my late 40's and taking on a green broken, big, bold athlete of a horse. Crazy stuff really.

But in my heart I knew that Rocky and I would get along and that he was coming home with me.

I had him for such a short 6 months, with lots of ups and downs, mostly me falling down. Hahahaha. No, I came off once, but it wasn't till I finally found Di Holden from Calmwood that I started to understand Rocky and understand how to get myself riding again and I was even becoming confident on Rocky. He was such a big goof head, loveable and cheeky. His spirit still lives with me every day and I now know why he was in my life.

It was to introduce me to some really wonderful people. He got me up off my butt, I have had to walk heaps, move, stretch, balance, sweat, be exhausted and sore, ache all over but still carry on

and all this I did happily because it wasn't a case of slogging my brains out in a gym, it wasn't doing something so boring and repetative that I wanted to shoot myself, it was a joy of a horse, an animal that was entirely dependant on me getting up off my arse and tending to his needs. I had to work to pay for the things he needed, my lessons, feed, hoof care, teeth, vet, agistment etc. So even work took on a new light. I had purpose in my life again. For this Rocky I thank you, with love and respect my beautiful boy, thankyou for being part of my life and opening a whole world of wonder and love and joy to my life. I will forever be gratefull, and till we meet again, remember you were loved by alot of people.

Sad Loss

I can not believe it but on Saturday the 2nd of October, the long weekend here in Sydney, I lost my most beautiful Rocky to a brown snake bite.

These pics are some I took the week before he died, he was happily cropping grass with JoniMac, checking out the reno on the horse float and generally being the fabulous horse he was.

I am so glad I spent the day just being around him that day, and taking photo's of them both, JoniMac was so distressed when we lost Rocky that I have sent him out to Calm wood to be cared for by Di and for him to get some lessons in being a ridden horse. I had intended to do this anyway, hence the 2 weeks work in a factory I had just done to have the money for the training. The money however, went to the vet bill, it cost me 1100.00 to put Rocky to sleep.

RIP MY BEAUTIFUL BOY I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU

Flying Horses

Wow doesnt time fly when you are playing with horses??

It has been a long time since updating all the coming and goings at Kellyville and since Huelio left I am very happy to announce that he has found a new home with Jeff and Hayley. He is doing wonderfully because he is finally at a place that has activity going on all the time and a herd of horses for him to sort out. Jeff is a standie fan like me and was interested in Rock but I beat it to the punch by putting down a deposit on Rocky before he could get out and see him.
I really think that Huelio is a perfect horse for Jeff, and Jeff agrees saying that Huelio is wonderful.

Since the last post I have had Rocky out at a riding and training centre with the amazing Di Holden. She spent a concentrated 2 weeks working with Rocky and I and teaching us how to get on and work together, for Rocky to learn how to be a riden horse and for me to gain more confidence after my fall from him.
It all worked very well and I am really keen to keep up the lesson's with Di. This is now all going to happen as planned as I have purchased a float, well one that needed some work, a new floor but as Tony is so clever he is able to replace this himself keeping the cost down to close to my original budget.

In the meantime while Rocky was out at Calmwood, I brought up another horse from Karleigh, JoniMac, aka Johnny, aka Fonzie. A lovely black/brown 11 year old standie with a good racing record to his name. JoniMac is very sensitive, gentle and smart, we absolutely love him. He has proved to be everything we were wanting in a second horse, he is a thinker, and not at all pushy so that Dad is able to handle him easily, even to the point of taking his rug off for me.
A short lunge session proved that JM has nice looks, almost thorobred like in his features, a lovely movement and easy, easy to work with. Show him once and he has it, and tries like crazy to get it right the first time. If he is going to be like this in future I think a riding career, maybe even dressage might be his thing.

So I have two very different horses. Two that suit us all very nicely and they will not be going anywhere, apart from Di's for more lessons and I hope to repeat the success I have had with Rocky with JoniMac, I can not wait to get started.

Photos to come.

Bye Huels, you will be missed by me

I love Huelio, he was not only a lovely boy, sweet as anything, bossy and opinionated but he was fun fun fun to ride, I felt really safe on him. He is just a real 'been there, done that' sort of horse. I think I could have come along very quickly in my riding ability if I had been able to keep him.

One huge and insurmountable problem for my Dad was that Huelio went visiting neighbours on a regular basis, then stood at the fence waiting to be let back in. He could get out but couldn't get back in. He liked visiting the young boys, one down the back of the property and one two doors along, all gained by safe paddocks but as he was creating a problem for Dad I had to make a decision. Take him back to Karleigh or get an electric fence.

Well with Dad, really and truly over it all, and Tony willing to buy an electric fence and repair the old fences, but so unwell that I really hated to add yet another day of yakka to his list, I reluctantly decided that the best thing was for Huels to go back to his 'herd'.

Rocky is missing him, he is seeking out more attention from his people. Will I seek out another horse? Maybe, I do have my eye on one little man atm, we will see how the land lays for the moment, not push my luck, but with fingers crossed I may be able to give another horse a home that will love him to pieces.

KISS Clinic at Bargo

We had a wonderful day out at Bargo with Pieta from Kalimbah standardbreds who demonstrated her methods of natural horsemanship to safely mount and ride a young standie off the track. Shadow is bound for a bright future and he was a lovely boy to work with, I had a little hands on work with him myself and was delighted at his calm response to flexing and finding a safe place with an on the ground one rein stop, for want of a better description.

Once the horse is comfortable in this on ground technique it is a safe place for him during a disturbing moment under saddle. By bringing his head around to his shoulder, calmly and gently, giving him a nice pat and telling him what a good boy he is, reinforces that under saddle this position, which is achieved in the same way with rein, allows him to de-stress and find some safety in your instruction. So faced with say a scarey motorcycle on a trail ride, a one rein stop, placing his head around into his shoulder reminds him that you have the matter in hand and all he need to is wait it out in his safe place for your next instruction, the worse they can do is circle around for a while but will be unable to take flight, buck or spook to any great extent.

I knew of this technique of course and have done some at times myself but have never had the total package explained to me so well before. It only makes perfect sense to reinforce the technique on ground first and I can not wait to start to work with Rock.

Apart from the Saturday being a total mess with the float being hired to me both unroadworthy and too small, an angle float when I had asked if it was a straight load. Rocky just doesn't fit in a standard angle load. He was squished in and I could not tow him for 1 1/2 hours like that.

I got my money back for the float cost, but forfeited the course fee. Never mind, it is all a learning curve, and I will be more careful next time.

Riding Huelio

These photos are taken with Tony's phone so they are not brilliant but better than nothing as I forgot the camera again.

Huelio is a gorgeous boy to ride, very willing and sure of himself, he takes everything in his

stride and is pretty laid back about it all, been there, done that sort of horse. This is perfect for me and altho I look huge on him I don't think he is concerned at all. For now, short rides around the paddock to get used to him and for him to teach me a thing or two, he responds to leg cues and is just an easy, easy horse to ride. Compared to Rocky anyway. So the plan is for me to gain confidence on Huelio and to continue to work with Rocky. I think between the three of us progress will be made. Rocky already looks to Huelio for everything so learning to be a ridden horse is just another aspect of it.