Now what?

Other than the all pervading move that is? 

I have to give it to Selena, when she decides she wants something, she goes all out to get it.  First it was the Olympics…. check! Then it was a medal… check! Now it would seem she needs an individual medal, a gold medal and a crack at Badminton.  She is nothing if not goal oriented.  At one point I worried if it would lose its glow for her when she attained her lifetime wish of representing Canada at the Olympics, now I realise she will just move the boundaries forward as she goes.

Colombo, of course, is on holiday with Peanuts in his paddock.  Peanuts is not on holiday, Watson’s Peanuts eats as a full time occupation and pretty much has to stay in work all year round to maintain acceptable proportions.  Peanuts may also be representing us at the RWF which is the most immediate show outing on the calendar.  Then really it all starts anew.  January will be here in no time and with it the packing and arranging to move as many as eight of our horses to Florida for the winter, the first big Advanced run is early in February so everyone will have to be back in work by November 10th at the latest.  The plan will be for Heron Hill’s Willhelmina to start Prelim and go Intermediate.  A First Romance (Solo) would start Intermediate and go Advanced, Song of Songs (if not sold by then) will probably do another one star early in the year since she is so young and maybe look at doing a two star in the Fall.  I doubt that we will have her that long, she is absolutely gorgeous and does it all in a happy mouth snaffle. 

Selena has a four year old mare and a three year old gelding out of her old Advanced mare, Be Bold Juliet, who was a spectacular jumper.  The three year old is by the sire ‘Rather Well’ who was ridden up to Advanced by Karl Slezak.  Normally the four year old would have been in light work this year and the three year old would have hacked at least.  As it is, the four year old is lightly broken and has hacked at least, and the three year old is backed and moved about the roundpen and that is it.  The WEGs were a huge part of the year and the whole of the Summer.  Everything really has to move around that one big outing, all else has to be worked in.  The horses we accept for other people got first consideration so our own youngsters had the summer off.  They will probably be back in work as soon as the RWF is over.

We have a nice group of young Watson horses that need to go to their new homes.  They are always fun to play with but I don’t want to be riding them through the winter.  Two a day would work great for me in the winter, with two more being reality.  Anything over four and I get cold and grumpy.  You can fit four in from ten to two and not be caught out there with no sun warming anything!  I am a hothouse flower and moan and bitch my way through January, February and March.  Only Christmas keeps me happy in December and the cusses flow freely in April if it doesn’t warm up or there is the sniff of a serious snow storm.

I am going to need an new member of staff when we move to our new digs in Kingston.  Unfortunately Pamela Nunn who has been Selena’s Olympic and WEG groom will not be moving with us.  We are very sad to lose her.  We are looking for either a qualified coach and rider with experience up to Prelim and/or a working student with some competition experience.  Duties involve the usual chores but the emphasis will be on riding and perhaps teaching depending on level of experience.  Without horse suits us best but we would consider a horse if it were the right candidate.   Live in or out. 

So now what?  Moving, The RWF, the Florida horses into full work, Christmas, horses to Florida, horses to Florida (yes…twice), then ‘Rocking Horse’ and away we go again.