HOW IT ALL BEGAN
My first experiences with horses came later in life. I was 37 when I learned to ride.
My second ride on a horse was into the hills and should have been enough to send me screaming into hiding. Tama, (a heavy built Skewbald gelding) took control and took off at a gallop at Karapoti in Akatarawa.
Reins wrapped around the hands and frantic pleas to “Whoa” were to no avail. After checking out the “falling off on purpose” options I resolved to hang on and hope I was in one piece when the gallop came to an end. I survived and stayed on, but the muscles in my arms began to spasm at about midnight that night and continued for hours.
I limped back to the riding school in the morning and declared I was way too stiff and sore to ride. No nonsense Rhona said “You’ll get on that horse. It will be the best thing for you and will loosen you up”
So I did, and she was right and for whatever reason that was my beginning with horses!!
My second ride on a horse was into the hills and should have been enough to send me screaming into hiding. Tama, (a heavy built Skewbald gelding) took control and took off at a gallop at Karapoti in Akatarawa.
Reins wrapped around the hands and frantic pleas to “Whoa” were to no avail. After checking out the “falling off on purpose” options I resolved to hang on and hope I was in one piece when the gallop came to an end. I survived and stayed on, but the muscles in my arms began to spasm at about midnight that night and continued for hours.
I limped back to the riding school in the morning and declared I was way too stiff and sore to ride. No nonsense Rhona said “You’ll get on that horse. It will be the best thing for you and will loosen you up”
So I did, and she was right and for whatever reason that was my beginning with horses!!
THE FIRST PONY
I got my own 14.2hh buckskin pony from Ohariu Riding School and began to dabble in Competitive trail riding.
I did well training the pony but my debut ride saw me lost and riding more like 80kms rather than 40km, and still I carried on. My daughter rode my pony successfully at both games and competitive trail.
I knew I had the capability to get a horse fit, I just needed a better sense of direction and a few more years of experience.
I did well training the pony but my debut ride saw me lost and riding more like 80kms rather than 40km, and still I carried on. My daughter rode my pony successfully at both games and competitive trail.
I knew I had the capability to get a horse fit, I just needed a better sense of direction and a few more years of experience.
IN THE US OF A !!
At the end of 1988 I travelled to Virginia, USA and lived there for nearly 13 years. After a horseless first year, I decided it was time to get my own horse again. I determined I’d need a 6-7 year old, non Arab gelding and preferably a Bay. I’d sat on my daughter’s Arabian mare in NZ and it felt like I was sitting on a time bomb or an imminent explosion. My first pony was 6yrs when I got him, so I figured that was a good age. The soil in VA was red so as far as I was concerned Grey was not a good choice for horse colour.
Fiona was already an Arabian convert so we’d gone to check out a horse for her. She rode the docile Rosie first and said she did not “feel” like an Arab so maybe I should try her. Fiona then rode the explosive Mosbi and felt he was more her style and then the seller offered us a “twofer” deal. The result, I had my first Arabian, 3 years old, 30 days under saddle, a mare but a beautiful red/bay colour that would tone nicely with the red Virginia soil.
Green together, Rosie and I became involved in Judged Trail riding and loved it. It’s only just getting off the ground here and is also known as Le Trec. Rosie and I eventually gained Grand Champion status on a ride with 100 plus horse and riders. We were one of only two at that time that showed that Arabians could compete successfully in this discipline and more people began to compete their Arabians successfully in the Sport.
Fiona was already an Arabian convert so we’d gone to check out a horse for her. She rode the docile Rosie first and said she did not “feel” like an Arab so maybe I should try her. Fiona then rode the explosive Mosbi and felt he was more her style and then the seller offered us a “twofer” deal. The result, I had my first Arabian, 3 years old, 30 days under saddle, a mare but a beautiful red/bay colour that would tone nicely with the red Virginia soil.
Green together, Rosie and I became involved in Judged Trail riding and loved it. It’s only just getting off the ground here and is also known as Le Trec. Rosie and I eventually gained Grand Champion status on a ride with 100 plus horse and riders. We were one of only two at that time that showed that Arabians could compete successfully in this discipline and more people began to compete their Arabians successfully in the Sport.
HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN, JIGGITY JOG
In 2000 I headed home to NZ with Rosie, her daughter Dannii and a black stallion named Logan. And so the beginning of FoothillsFarmstead
SO YOU WANT A BLACK HORSE?
PREDICTIONS FOR FOAL COLOUR
You can determine your chances of a black foal if you breed your mare to Logan
Please note when using the interactive link that Logan is Homozygous
You can click on the chart below to use an interactive Coat Colour Calculator
Please note when using the interactive link that Logan is Homozygous
You can click on the chart below to use an interactive Coat Colour Calculator
HOW BLACK IS BLACK
Please note that if you breed a mare to Logan you will get a foal that either carries or expresses the Black Gene
Logan has been DNA tested in USA and is Homozygous black. This means he carries 2 Black genes and your foal will get at least one copy of the Black gene from Logan.
Logan’s sire who was also Homozygous black sired 29 Black foals from a total of 51 foals. Better than 50% !!!