Sunday Photo, Chelsea

Thanks for the memories, the love and the laughter

 Run Free, and rule from above

Buddy the Masked Bandit

Meet Marks adorable Mutt

Innocent face (don't fall for it!)

For a "not full bred Stumpy" he sure has all the traits.

The Stumpy Tail (albeit cross bred) that still wags

Granny meets the goats

An innocent trip to Oakvale Farm with Master Loges was as usual with him, a learning experience, where he got lost only once, waved to me from the train going by (sheesh!) and generally tried to get into every animal enclosure available.

Apart from that it was a good day out

Mandatory Koala visit!

Aawwww how cute!

(Not local koalas, they actually come mainly, from Blackbutt Reserve  where they are in a breeding programme.) Local Koalas still run free here but this is a good way to get up close and personal. I prefer to see them in their homes.

Ducks that quack me up

I had given myself the task of naming a day. I chose

Duck Day

so I had better justify myself or be called quackers, not that I mind.

Life is just too short to be serious too often

(WARNING:The following video contains nudity)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh85R-S-dh8

Knew you couldn't help yourself!

The Boy

Okay so I have explained Dressage with the links to the technical stuff.

Now the real reason for all this is a beautiful boy with an amazing family 
affectionately known as

"The Boy"

His majesty has an extended family and fan club with numerous Facebook Aunties (and Uncles) and we love to hear of his life often.

I am yet to meet him in person

and yet I feel a bond already

This is due to his Mum. her devotion to him and the to the rest of his family

"No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle."  ~Winston Churchill

 

He loves carrots and even had a toffee apple the other day after competing in a 
dressage competition

20 years young with a personality to rival any child
He shares his home with this 22 year old stunner!

Just 2 yrs old

Looking stunning

Showing off

They are spoiled (a little)
with a wardrobe I am envious of

Including
A Lycra hood to wear to bed before competition to keep his mane flat
(and no doubt a tail  bag to match)
A hood complete with ear covers
A Fly Mask that cuts out UV rays
as well has the multitude of rugs
including new ones ready for when it is cooler and he has been clipped
Ones for Summer
Winter Coats
Spring Coats
Autumn coats

and then there are the bridles, bits, snaffles, harnesses, grooming equipment,
Hoof care products, saddles, saddle cloths and
all the other paraphernalia that comes with  horses that
would take a page on it's own to list
but
he would not need horse makeup as he is already beautiful!


He keeps his stunning good looks with his massages to keep his muscles in tip top condition



No wonder known as the "poor little rich kid in the neigh- bourhood"

Oops he has no Acubra!

The accessories for these four legged family members is immense. 

Snuggy Jams 

and Snuggy Hoods are my favourites though!

 

"Our Boy"

And where to from here?

Apart from needing an Acubra, playing with Mum,

frolicking in the paddock

and enjoying life in general?

Wherever his heart desires!

 

 

 

Where in this wide world can man find nobility without pride,
Friendship without envy,
Or beauty without vanity?
Here, where grace is served with muscle
And strength by gentleness confined
He serves without servility; he has fought without enmity.
There is nothing so powerful, nothing less violent.
There is nothing so quick, nothing more patient.
~Ronald Duncan, "The Horse," 1954

He knows when you're happy
He knows when you're comfortable
He knows when you're confident
And he always knows when you have carrots.
~Author Unknown

So may Our Boy always have carrots and the love of his extended family

and Thank you for letting us share your life

  and I will try not to get too excited when someone tells me 

that there is a huge sale at the bridle shop, 

because last time it was the 

bridal shop!

Dressage and all it entails

Mary Hanna with Limbo

I have followed such esteemed riders as the Roycrofts,
Andrew Hoy,Matt Ryan, Gillian Rolton and Brook Staples
through their Eventing

Dressage: Mary Hanna with Mosaic and then Limbo, 
Rachael Downs and Aphrodite 

and look forward to watching

Hayley Beresford with 13 year old Relampago do Retiro 

 

just to name a few. 

The Olympics, especially, leave me in awe of these 
and I am glued to the television for the duration.

just watching horse and rider as one is amazing.

I did go down to the Sydney 2000 Olympics and
I couldn't decide which events I was going down to see 

but my daughter (who must be obeyed)

decided on Beach Volleyball 

(and 3 others we never did get to) 

as we sat in front of the Sports Illustrated people and spent the rest of our time catching up with what they had seen 

and getting results and comments from their news bus.

Then a shop-a-thon at Bondi

So I missed watching Kirby Park Jester in action

and I have always loved greys!

Jester