Long time no see!!!! An update and some pictures!!

Vickijay

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Hi there!!

It has been a long time since I have been in the forum so you might not remember me, I used to come on loads but not so much any more, but I just had a quick look so thought I would do a post!

I am probably most memorable for having a spotty horse. I still have her and she is slowly climbing the levels of dressage. When I gave up on wanting to event her (old injury messed with my head even if it didn’t mess with her leg!) I decided to have a crack at learning proper dressage. Now she is at advanced medium level and working higher stuff too. She has always struggled with the changes, but is rocking the rest of it and having bred her it has been a wonderful journey. I hope one day in the not to distant future we will do an advanced and get to wear tails.

Here are some pictures of her now...




In the autumn of last year I decided to look for a new horse to either produce or keep for myself and after riding my friends wonderful Andalusian horse I was fairly sold on the breed. So based on a 2 minute video I bought a PRE stallion from sunny Spain! I wanted a modern type with reach that wasn’t too spanish so it took me a while to find him, but in the end I did.

Spain pics




It was an exciting few weeks waiting for him to arrive, but from the moment he stepped off the truck he has been absolutely perfect and within a month I was on him.

First time off the lunge.



Since then he has just been absolutely amazing. By far the easiest and quietest horse to have on the yard. There is no way you would know he was a stallion unless you looked and his behaviour and temperament are both faultless. I did plan to castrate him as we came into the spring, but to be honest there has been no need. He has a happy life out in the field, socialises with other horses, sleeps and eats! He has an 81 year old sharer who sadly lost her horse so loved brininging him in and brushing him etc and tbh she could probably even ride him!!! I even do ride and lead and lead him from my mare!!!

He is such a wonderful mix of being a complete dope to handle and around the yard, plus most of the time he looks like a massive hobo with his big hair with tons of shavings in it!! Then I tack him up to ride and he is a smart competition horse, who is the most trainable and rideable I have ever sat on.

We didn’t know what to call him but settled on Ferdi, after Ferdinand the bull, from the story of the spanish fighting bull who didn’t like violence and preferred to smell the flowers rather than fight the matador, because everyone expected this rampant stallion of doom to come off the truck and what came off was the kindest horse I might have ever met.

Here are some pictures of him

(It helps I dress him in such a manly fashion!)




Hair down



And here is the new version of him. There are exactly 6 months to the day between the pictures.



So that’s us, back on HHO!!!
 
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Noble

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Welcome back, what stunning horses you have. I particularly love Ferdi in the snow!!! He can really pull off the pink look, and what a transformation he is looking a chunk now.
 

DabDab

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Hi VJ! Great update, dotty is looking amazing. Shame about never getting back to the xc but seems like she is excelling herself anyway, and is nice seeing a knab partbred doing well at dressage as I have a baby one vaguely intended for that job when she's all growed up :p

PRE is very smart - how tall is he? Love him in the burgundy
 

Vickijay

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Welcome back, what stunning horses you have. I particularly love Ferdi in the snow!!! He can really pull off the pink look, and what a transformation he is looking a chunk now.

He is absolutely perfect and definitely looking chunkier. It cost me a lot of money in food!!!
 

Vickijay

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Hi VJ! Great update, dotty is looking amazing. Shame about never getting back to the xc but seems like she is excelling herself anyway, and is nice seeing a knab partbred doing well at dressage as I have a baby one vaguely intended for that job when she's all growed up :p

PRE is very smart - how tall is he? Love him in the burgundy

She has been great and because she’s so buzzy she has he energy for the higher work, perhaps too much energy mostly!!

Ferds is a smidge over 15.2 at the moment, hopefully he might grow a bit more!!
 

Sussexbythesea

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I used to love your reports so lovely to see you back. Dotty is as gorgeous as ever and Ferdi is just lovely.

I’m always amazed and fascinated how young gangly horses can be transformed into hunks of loveliness. I’ve always thought that you seem very talented at getting the best out of the horses you ride - hope that doesn’t sound too vomit inducing!
 

DabDab

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She has been great and because she’s so buzzy she has he energy for the higher work, perhaps too much energy mostly!!

Ferds is a smidge over 15.2 at the moment, hopefully he might grow a bit more!!

Yeah, mines quite a busy little creature - spends her life either on a mission or flat out asleep. I bought her for that proactive brain, to go along with my steady Eddie gelding I wanted something more naturally forward.

Nice size... Those legs make him look deceptively tall!
 

Pinkvboots

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Great to see you back I used to look forward to looking at your pictures both horses are looking great ferdi has gone through an amazing transformation in 6 months well done:)
 

Bernster

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I remember the spotty mare with the impressive matchy wardrobe. Glad to see the new boy is also a smart dresser. They both look fab. Ferdi’s transformation is amazing. Welcome back.
 

Beezer

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Genuine question as I haven't been able to ride for a long while and aren't up to date, but I was always taught that spurs should be pointed downwards and not upwards. I don't want to derail the thread (and seriously gorgeous horses by the way!) but could any kind folk bring me up to speed on this?
 

milliepops

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Swan neck spurs curve upwards from the heel and then downwards at the tip to enable long legged riders on smaller barrelled horses to touch the horse with the spur without drawing the leg up. I use them too :)
 

milliepops

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25384.c.zoom.jpg
 

Beezer

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Ah, thank you Milliepops - really appreciate that, especially as with hindsight it was probably an incredibly dense question to ask on a competition forum! (For anyone worried, no equine will be subjected to my ineptitude in the near future - I just seemed to spend a lot of time wandering around Bramham's trade stands wailing "does nobody do cavessons anymore?!" and realised what a dinosaur I'd suddenly become.

OP - sorry for the temporary hijack. Those are two awesome looking horses and the change in Verdi's musculature is amazing!
 
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