The days are shorter. The nights get colder, so what has kept me so busy…….
Oh yes now I remember.
TROUBLE with the water bowls.
Bathing a puppy every night until it actually freezes.She loves the mud! I think I should change her name from Zoey to Mud Puppy.
Burrrrrr it’s a cold December night, ice rain and wind, I wonder what surprises are in store for tomorrow.
At first glass… Yes your right they all look the same. But spend a little time around them and they will each shine their own light.
Meet Wietske # 1
She has a beautifully chiseled face, a truly feminine mare.
Now meet Wietske #2
She is a bigger, bolder mare with a definite Friesian look to her.
Now meet Dieuwke
At only 3, she is as sweet as pie, and has the face of an angel.
So you see they are all individuals. They just look the same, but only from a distance.
We all have differences, big ones, small ones, languages, appearances. The main thing is that we all learn to get along.
Crimson (the Belgian show girl) age 3 meets Simon (retired show jumper) age 20.’Yes there is a bit of a size difference, 2 1/2 hands and about 1200 lbs. but then that is just a guess, it could be more of a weight difference, but definitely not less.
Now inseparable. Pasture Buddies!
Good morning Marko and Mollie.
Some mornings I am not sure if it is me they are happy see, or the pail in my hand.
Who am I kidding it’s the grain in the bucket.
The 90th edition of the Royal Winter Fair is over. The shoes are pulled and the first barefoot turn out has occurred. The first day of freedom, at the end of the show season is always a spectacle.
Here is Camelot Crimson Summit (the 2012 Royal reserve grand champion mare) on her first day out. Still a few Beautiful Belgian mares tucked in the odd corners on the farm!
I have to say, this past weekend was my favourite kind of weekend. It was HORSE, HORSE and more Horse. Starting with the Royal Winter Fair. An early beginning to the weekend, with the Belgian girls winning there classes Friday morning.
Then on to a driving clinic. Never miss an opportunity to learn!!!
What an opportunity it was, with one of the best drivers in Europe. A man of patience and grace.
I was fortunate to have the chance to drive one of Jack’s horses that day. He was so responsive and light, I felt bad for the horse having to deal with my unsteady hands.
Once again, as happens often in the horse world, I met some wonderful people, the Freeman’s. Good luck at the Royal this week.
I hope we can do it again next year, but next year I will be better prepared, and hopefully drive my own mare.
Now on to Sunday. Once again we saddled up Wietske and rode her in the pasture. Dani came over and got to ride a Friesian for th first time. Dani has had lots if experience in the show rings showing jumpers.
So…… you can see why it was a great weekend.
As a few of you may know, I also raise some very large beautiful sorrel mares.
The Belgians are what got me into the business of showing horses. At around 2000 lbs. the shear size of these girls is enough to make you step back in ah. They have an amazing disposition.
And so, today for what I think is my last time to show Belgians at the Royal, we ended with a bang.
My 3 year old mare (Crimson) won her class and went on to become Senior Champion and then on to be reserve Grand Champion mare, to the 2 year old mare (Elusive) that I also raised and sold in the spring. She was the Grand Champion mare of the 2012 Royal Winter Fair.
But that wasn’t the hole story, another mare that I raised and sold a few years ago, Taboo was reserve Senior Champion to my 3 year old mare.
So I must say! What a great feeling to see three home raised mares, all in the same show ring all vying for the championship.
It has been a great ride.
It had been a few months since Wietske and Dieuwke have seen each other. Old friends from the Witteveen farm. It was wonderful to witness the reaction of the 2 mares. No matter what any one says, these two mares definitely recognized each other and had missed each other. They curled around each other reminiscent of a hug. It was so calming to see the familiarity between these mares. OLD FRIENDS………
Meet Zoey….
Zoey is a 7 month old golden doodle. She is a normal, curious puppy with a very high energy level. Zoey spent most of the day running with her buddy Wilson, a Portuguese Water Dog. They ran thru the leaves and rolled and tumbled non stop until it was time to head back into the house.
Thank goodness we are out on the farm where the dogs can run free and well…… just be dogs.
Life in the country, it really is the best.
As promised earlier today, here is the first glimpse of Dieuwke and her first full day at her new home. As you can see a Friesian mare evokes many emotions. They are mysterious, and elegant.
They are intriguing and gentle. They are a horse that can draw on your heart strings and make you fall in love with them.
Friesians of Camelot 