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Balsam Hall, Kingston and Encore Equestrian

1/17/2017

 

Yesterday was a busy day.  I had been hoping to visit my trainer and good friend Morag O'Hanlon at Balsam Hall for weeks.  Unfortunately that visit was put off until after the New Year. 

It was a great day for John and I to go for a road trip.  The weather was perfect and the highway was dry.  First stop Balsam Hall.  I was very excited to get there with my latest creation.  Anyone who knows Morag or Selena knows that besides loving horses they love their Jack Russells.  Three in particular, Rupert and Bizzy both offspring from Bruce Davidson's Irish Jack Russell Terriers.  And the mop of fuzz Maisey, Anne-Marie Duarte's little dog.

I the last few months I have been working on my designs for jump fillers.  I like the idea of having items that can be used to fancy up ordinary schooling jumps for shows or just to bring a different layer difficulty into schooling at home.

The first design was based on a hound panel I had designed for the Ottawa Valley Hunt a number of years ago.  I made three different running hounds that can be attached to a plain pole, plank, gate, hedge.  To go along with the running hounds I also added a running fox.
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That brings us to the Balsam Hall inspired Jump Fillers.  A number of people who saw my hounds and foxes asked if I also did Jack Russells.  I then started thinking about Bizzy, Rupert and Maisey and let their inspiration be my muse.  I also wanted to do something special for Morag O'Hanlon.  She has been my trainer for about 10 years now.  She has helped me with all three of my horses as well as pushed me to be the best rider I can be.  She has kept me healthy and safe in a sport I love so needless to say making three little Jack Russell jump fillers based on three of the wee dogs of Balsam Hall was the least I could do.  So welcome my version of Bizzy, Maisey and Rupert.  Can't wait to see the horses of Balsam Hall flying over these wee doggies.
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Then John and I set off to pick up a painting on Princess Street.  I have become addicted to the webpage Maxsold.com, it is a site that handles estate sales, inventory downsizing and fundraisers.  I follow it looking for art and other items.  I had been watching a particular painting for a couple of weeks.  An Oil by a local artist John Benn.  I was lucky enough to be the highest bidder and needed to pick it up yesterday in Kingston.  It needs a frame but I do love this little work of art.

Then it was a quick stop at Bridle Path Tack Shop on Princess Street.  There were great sales I was able to get a new pair of winter jumps, new breeches and barn boots.  All for incredible prices.  Then on to Le Chien Bistro for a very late lunch before dropping off a set of running hounds and fox jump filler for Adrienne Schmitke at Encore Equestrian.  Adrienne had purchased one of my Buckingham Foxes a few years ago and wanted the hounds and fox to go with the standards.  They are like the photos at the top of this blog post.  It is an honour to have repeat customers.  

After a day like to day I have to remember how very lucky I am to have such good friends, and hobbies that introduce me to so many more people.

January is underway

1/4/2017

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January is one of those months when you just can't plan for the weather.  In the last 24 hours we've had rain, freezing rain and then a blizzard.  The ice and heavy snow have been hard on trees and hydro lines but so far the only loss of electricity at the farm was a short flicker.

The horses stayed in their stalls yesterday during the rain and ice.  Their paddock behind the barn wasn't icy, thankfully there was a good base of snow so they would have been fine to turn out but I didn't want to deal with the wet blankets at the end of the day so I opted to keep them in.  I opened the barn doors so they had lots to look at, it was mild enough to rain afterall, and kept them in hay all day long.  Sometime in the night the rain changed to snow and heavy snow at that.  I had a large deep path to shovel at the back of the barn to access the paddock.  Did I mention the snow was deep?  I wanted to make sure I had a good clear safe path as sometimes the boys can be a bit fresh when I lead them out in the morning.  Well this morning after 24 hours in they were beyond fresh.

Rolo, the old man who's now 20, actually cantered on the spot as I took him out of the stall.  There was a lot of "HERE NOW" and "HEY PAY ATTENTION TO ME" before I got him outside and unhooked the lead shank.  Derby was another story.  I tryed to hold him but with Rolo now racing around the paddock it was, well impossible.  So out when Derby lead shank and all with me smashed up against the wall.  After much swearing, and picking myself up off the floor I then had to try and catch little darling as he trotted around the paddock with Rolo dragging his lead shank between his legs.  Then came Floyd.  He by this time knew I was not in a very good mood, so he at least contained himself long enough for me to get him out of the barn and let him in with the other hooligans.  The paddock is attached to the back of the barn, I'm so glad I got it finished this summer as it means I don't have to lead the horses across the laneway to the front paddock.  Now if they do get away from me as Derby did this morning I don't have to worry about anyone getting out on the road.  Phew.

The rest of the day I worked on painting.  I finished two more dogs.  I can't post a picture as they are a gift and I don't want to spoil the surprise.  I will post photos after the recipient opens their present.  I then worked on drawings for some other commissions.  I'm pleased with how work is going.  I'm getting into a routine now and it's good to have projects on to keep you occupied in the winter.

Now back to the barn to see if the boys are ready to come in for their supper.  They often stand at the back door, watching while I put their food in their bins.  Then when it's time to come in, forget it.  What I need is a pony with an appetite like mine to lead the others in.  The down side of Thoroughbreds, they are not ruled by their stomachs, or at least my three aren't.

Wish me luck.
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January 02nd, 2017

1/2/2017

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Clean Start to 2017

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Christmas holidays are over and the New Year was brought celebrated in fine form.  Now it's time for some reflextion on 2016 and to set some goals for the new year.  Last year a lot happened.  

John and I had a lovely holiday in Spain last March.  It was just the right break we both needed to say goodbye to the winter.  It also helped pass the time as I was desperate to get a chance to use my new sand ring.

In April I set some goals for the horses.  I decided I wanted to make sure Floyd was in regular work.  Derby is a grown up boy now and for the most part behaves himself but Floyd had lots of things he needed to do learn to do.  

May I finally got to start using the sand ring.  Derby as usual came along fairly quickly but Floyd took longer to get used to the idea of leaving his friends in the barn and to work alone.  I was at the point when I thought he was never going to settle down and bingo he got the idea.

June I started making short trailering trips with Floyd over to Edge of Lanark Farm, Ron and Judy have always been kind to let me bring Derby and Floyd over to get used to short trailering trips.  That went fairly well so I decided in July I'd start trailering down to Balsam Hall and take some lessons from Morag O'Hanlon.

Floyd and I trailered back and for to Kingston July and August.  We had brilliant weeks and weeks with a few setbacks.  At the end of August Floyd we had a particularly not great session.  Selena came to the rescue and Morag suggested Floyd stay at Balsam Hall for a few days for a mini boot camp with the A-team riders.  

The rides Selena, Anne-Marie and Tori put in on Floyd paid off and in September I was actually able to take Floyd to two jumping clinics at Sunset Farms.  It was a blast, Floyd was brillant as far as I was concerned and I felt well maybe my work this summer and the many long trailer rides had paid off.

October brought some new challenges for the family as my sister Wendy suffered a stroke on Thanksgiving weekend.  Thankfully her recovery is coming along, with much thanks to the staff at the Perth Hospital.  I can't say enough about the great work the nursing staff, physio and occupational therapists, cleaning and lunch workers as well as the doctors have done to help my sister through her recovery.

November I felt the need to be creative.  I had worked on a design in the fall for jump fillers.  Wooden shapes that you could attach to jumps using velcro and elastic so they could dress up poles, panels, hedge boxes and standards.  The design worked using mass produced shapes. so in November I started making my own designs and cutting out my own shapes.  It was a lot of fun and I received a number of commissions that kept me busy until Christmas.

December saw the end to my big black truck.  I had been hoping he would stay around with me for a couple more years.  It was the coldest in December about a week before Christmas.  I was driving into Carleton Place when the light came on in the truck and it said "FAIL SAFE ENGINE".  The truck was very close to the March Ford dealership and I managed to coast the Black truck into the service lot.  The news wasn't great and so after one sleepless night I came to the decision to replace the truck.  I now own a 2016 silver F150 that is very nice and ready to pull the freshly painted horse trailer in the new year.

Then Christmas and New Years with many celebrations with family and friend that included lots of endulgence and excess.  Oh why do I do this to myself every year.  

So that was my reflection of 2016.  Now what I'm looking forward to in 2017.

I've decided to join the Ottawa Valley Hunt.  I think it will force me to keep both Derby and Floyd into steady regular work.  It will mean lots of trailering and hacking out and I look forward to spending the year in the 3rd field.

I also am looking forward to inviting myself along for lots of sledding this winter.  I have a very good friend with a lovely team of horses.  The best way to get through a Canadian winter is to get out and enjoy it...I'm just very lucky to have friends who let me tag along.

More trips to Balsam Hall.  Some of the folks that took part in Morag O'Hanlon's clinic at Sunset Farm last year expressed interest in taking more clinics from Morag this year.  We have also talked about taking our horses down for a couple of adult horse boot cames at Balsam Hall next year.  

The big goals for me are the same as always, do more, eat better and not take things for granted.  Be kind and supportive, try not to be impatient, critical or negative.
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    Elizabeth Hay

    I've been a journalist and producer with CBC Radio for over 27 years.  I now focus my time on my horses, my art, my fitness and my garden.

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