HOLMEDOWN HIGHLANDS

Heard from the lady who bought H.Niagara Falls. Apparently she never put a foot wrong - she leads, doesnt worry about being in or out of the stable and is turned out quite happily with a young Welsh C for company and is even sporting a rug ! Wormed all the ponies. Darragh is getting friendlier and even wandered up to me in the field for a scratch.

Had a grand move round of ponies for the winter - brought H.Kansas home and she immediately palled back up with her sister who she hasn't seen for months.

Heard from the owners of Firsedge Loganberry - they have had her a year and are thrilled with her - has won lots with their daughter and won the Dartmoor Pony Society overall performance award.

The vet came today to geld the remaining colt foal, Machelty Darragh (Evita of Whitefield x Clandon Moriarti) who is now for sale as a gelding ! He will make a super ridden pony he has loads of bone and may well be up to height. He was as good as gold and I will turn him out in the field tomorrow, which I am sure he will enjoy after being in for two weeks.

Well another foal has now gone off to his new home - H.Montrose (from H.Maydew). Bless him, been weaned just under 2 weeks and he has been as good as gold in his stable, but didn't try to get a headcollar on him till yesterday - not too many problems, but he has never been led before. He came out of his stable as good as gold and went straight up the ramp of the lorry like he had done it all before ! Heard from his new owner that he travelled fine and came off with no problems into his new stable/turnout as though he had been there all his life.

The last big show of the year. We just took H.Chicago (3 yr filly) as although H.Cascade had qualified for the Champion of Champions earlier in the season, the weather forecast was not good and I did not have a spare stable to put her in after bathing. Chicago started the day by winning the youngstock M&M class in one ring, and then taking the M&M Championship. There was another ring running M&M classes, so she did the 2&3 yr old large breeds and won that too !! ... then took that ring championship - WOW !!!. We waited till the end of the day for the Champion of Champions class which included all champions (ridden/in-hand etc) from that show and earlier shows through the year, and shock horror - Chicago took the supreme with a p/b reserve supreme. A wonderful end to the season. She is now happily in foal so we look forward to showing her in a few broodmare classes next season.

Weaned the last two foals today, H.Montrose (who will shortly be off to his new home) and Macalthy Darrach who is for sale.

I recently sold my mouse dun yearling filly H.California (H.Cobweb x Burnside Ben Nevis) to Christine Radice in Wiltshire. We decided to meet at Exeter Services and she loaded up as good as gold and was quite unperturbed when I opened the ramp and there was not a horse show waiting for her ! She loaded into Christine's lorry and travelled well and arrived quite happy into her new stable and field with new friends to play with.

Well another foal has gone off to her new home - H.Sandpiper (F.Sabrina x Glenmuir Buzzard). She loaded well with the aid of a carrot into the trailer and off she went to Chagford.

Delivered H.Niagara Falls to Down St Mary, she loaded well and travelled with the yearling H.California who I am bringing home as she is being collected this week. It was great to see H.Killeen again, now two years old and grown well (picture below)

Have today sold H.Niagara Falls (H.Kansas' filly foal) to a nice family near Crediton, they also have her Kansas' sister, H.Killeen. Also the yearling, H.California is going off to Wiltshire.

Weaned the dartmoor x foal (H.Sandpiper) - foal not amused !! but give it time. Arizona is quite happy in her stable and I don't think H.Cascade has even noticed she is not in the field.

Weaned H.Arizona (Cascade's foal) today - absolutely no problems - there has never really been a strong mother/daughter bonding from the day she was born.

Went to a local show and we took H.Chicago who was placed in the youngstock M&M Class and H.Cascade who was 2nd in the Open M&M Class. We also, just for fun, put her foal Arizona in the coloured/dun/appaloosa class - where she came 2nd and qualified for the SWPA coloured championship!

I have a new arrival - Whitefield Evita, an 11 year old grey mare and her colt foal. She is also in foal to Erray Ash so looking forward to next spring.

Just got back from a super day at Holsworthy Ag Show. Due to suddenly having a lack on handlers we decided to just take the two youngsters. H.California was 1st in the yearling class and H.Chicago won the 2&3 year old large breed class. She then went on to win the M & M Championship for all the in-hand, ridden and p/bred classes. It was a really hot day and although I did put sun cream on was rather red when I got home that evening. Was also pleased with the yearling as she stayed tied up to the lorry for many hours by herself without causing any problems.

After getting a few more telephone numbers from work managed to get someone to pick up the foal's body which was a great relief due to the warm weather. He died of a heart attack which in a way was good, as it was very quick. Luath his mother has hardly any bag on her and is grazing happily with the other mares and foals.

Sad news today, Luath's foal H.Little Rock suddenly dropped dead in the field, fine one minute and not the next. We managed to bring him up to the yard on the back of the quad bike and his mother took it all very well as if she knew that there was something wrong. The problem arose of how to dispose of the body as no-one would come and collect due to the movement restrictions imposed due to the foot & mouth outbreak.

Got up early and took the ponies out for a graze before their classes today. Bit of a shock to get a telephone call from Devon saying that Foot & Mouth had broken out in Surrey, and had a text from the vet I worked with on the last outbreak to say "see you in Guildford on Monday!". Luckily no further action was needed. H.Cascade was again 2nd in the brood-mare class with Arizona being 5th in the foal class. H.Chicago was pulled in 2nd and H.California who was shown by Bob Bell was 6th. It was also nice to meet up with Christine Radice who has bought H.Cobweb's foal, H.Columbus.

Up bright and early (well early anyway) to get the ponies ready for their classes. We had a good day with H.Cascade being 2nd in the broodmare class, her foal H.Arizona also picking up a 2nd rosette. Vicky then took H.Chicago into the 2 & 3 year old class and ended up 2nd in a very strong class. Kate from the Talisker Stud then picked up a 1st with my yearling H.California, so we had a really good day. This was the first time California had ever been shown and she behaved very well. We then had a look round the showground and watched some of the ridden championships and then caught up with some friends including Karen Knock who was having a good week with the 7 ponies she took up including my Maggie May of Moulzie who she has done well with both in-hand and under saddle this year. After getting the ponies settled for the night (we moved from the temporary to the permanent stables) we had an enjoyable barbeque with Paul and Tina Dando of the Kewstoke Stud, and then went for a few beverages with Talisker Stud and caught up with Nicky who has my old stallion Johnsondene. He is looking really well and had lots of cuddles.

After lots of "shall we / shan't we" we decided to go to the NPS Championships at Malvern. The show was given the go-ahead to continue a few days earlier after all the flooding. The local road was opened a couple of days earlier so we didn't have to do a long detour to get the the Three Counties Showground. It was quite amazing to see the damage caused locally by all the rain/floodwater and really did make us think how lucky we have been in Devon. The ponies all travelled well, especially H.California who has never been to a show before. We got the ponies settled into the stables and then went to watch the evening championship performance which was very good.

Went to NPS Devon today, we just took H.Chicago as the weather was so horrendous, and also H.Katarina, a 4 year old that has been visiting the stallion. Chicago continued her winning form and won the youngstock Fell, Dales and Highland class and Katarina was 2nd in the 4 and over shown by her owner, beaten by a very nice Dales owned by Williams & Nash. . H.Chicago then went on to take the championship.

Had a great day at Royal Cornwall - took H.Cascade and her foal and we were 2nd to Torrin of Croila and then went reserve champion. Vicky had H.Chicago who followed her last year's run and won the youngstock class.

The last foal due this year ... from Blair Bheg Cranluath - a sweet colt who will be called H.Little Rock, mother loves it - and hates anyone/thing that dare go near it. Was born this afternoon and now up and feeding quite happily which is the main thing.

Had a great day out at Royal Bath & West today. Took H.Cascade with foal and H.Chicago. They both really went well and was thrilled when Chicago was pulled in 2nd to Lochlands Principal Flue (who went on to be Champion). Cascade and the foal behaved brilliantly and also got a very creditable 2nd in a good class.

Had another foal today from H.Maydew - a colt by Rob Roy of Inverdarroch who will be grey. Mother is very friendly and was quite happy for me to prod and poke the foal when it was about an hour old in the field. Photos taken at 2 days old

Went to the NPA Devon show today, having decided not to bath anything due to the torrential rain over the last couple of days, just did mane and tail and hoped for the best. Took H.Cascade and her foal, H.Arizona. Foal had not been handled at all but after having been ruby tackled in the stable to get a halter on it, she took everything in her stride. Loaded straight up the ramp into the lorry, travelled well, and came off the other end and just looked around in awe! She behaved impeccably in the ring as though she had done it all her life. H.Cascade won the M&M class and then went Champion, qualifying for the Champion of Champions to be held in October. We then went into another M&M open class and won that too ! by this time foal had decided that enough was enough, we came out of the ring and then it decided to lay down and have a snooze. Completely non-plussed by the cars, lorries, people etc walking and driving past it! We then decided to go home and again no problem, just walked straight up the ramp.

Well another of my mares has come home, Holmedown Maydew (Maymorn of Tower x McGregor of Acnacarry). She arrived at 7.45 tonight and walked off the lorry, looked round and head down to eat. She is absolutely huge as due to foal in two weeks to Rob Roy of Inverdarroch, I can't wait ! She sauntered into the field to be met by the stallion and other mares and foals (apart from Cobweb who still won't talk to anyone) and it seemed she had been there all her life, not a squeal, kick or anything. Also quick photo of two of the foals.

Well it is Devon County, so that means H.Cobweb has foaled (her mother also used to foal on this day). A chunky dark colt - mother, as usual is not to be got anywhere near but she will mellow in a couple of days - thank goodness for a zoom lens ! 2nd two pictures taken at 2 weeks old.

Heard from Karen who is producing Maggie May of Moulzie for me this year that she is coming along nicely and she will be taking her out to do some ridden shows fairly soon.

The rain we needed came this week ... and is still coming - think we have had enough now ! The grass is really starting to grow. Another visiting mare arrived today much to the delight of Buzzard the stallion.

Have now sold the part-bred foal to a very nice family near Chagford. Foal was unbelievably well behaved considering it has not been handled, stood up like it has been showing all its life and walked away and back and trotted away and back perfectly - bet it forgets everything later in the year at weaning time.

A very sad day today, I took my old mare Jayne of Meadowhead over to my old hunt about 50 miles away to have her put down. She has had melanomas for many years but they were getting worse and she was getting more arthritic. She had wintered well but didn't think it was fair to go through another year. I still have her two year old daughter H.Joliet and her last foal H.New Jersey which is now one year old went to Karen Knock to be a ridden pony of the future.

Had another foal today - from my dartmoor F.Sabrina. Lovely highland p/b filly !! it is huge and dark bay by Buzzard.

At last !! H.Cascade has foaled ... but it was worth waiting for - a big filly - her first foal, and also the first foal from Glenmuir Buzzard. As really pleased with her so really looking forward to see the other Buzzard foals that are due. Looking at the size of the mares, they should all foal within the next week hopefully.

Early start this morning as H.New Jersey went off to his new home in Dorset, he loaded as good as gold bless him as he had never even seen a trailer, let alone been asked to go in one! Also Maggie May of Moulzie has gone off to be produced under saddle by Karen Knock in Dorset.

Had a grand move round of ponies. H.Kansas and foal and H.Chicago have gone over to a friends for the summer. Brought all the other ponies back home. They are all looking well. Blair Bheg Cranluath and H.Cascade are starting to bag up, so hopefully they will foal fairly soon, together with the dartmoor, F.Sabrina; these are all in foal to Glenmuir Buzzard.

Had my first foal of the year today (that was a surprise!) a filly from H.Kansas. She did escape with the stallion, Burnside Ben Nevis, for a couple of hours last year but had her tested and it was a no. Oh well!. She has taken to being a young mother very well and foal is looking good.

Went over to see the ponies are they are all looking well - some are even looking fat. We have had a couple of nice sunny weekends so spent it hedge laying and must say it looks really good now!

Well just moved a lot of the ponies onto off grazing as grass is getting very sparse at home. They all loaded up fine and travelled well and settled in at their new home quite happily.

HOLMEDOWN HIGHLANDS	FOR SALE	FIRSEDGE DARTMOORS
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