The Attack of the Killer Gynorhina Tibicen

I bet you are wondering what the heck that is. Well suffice to say that they are back at Massie Lodge and causing chaos - again. Not just one family this time, oh no, two families have moved back in and the males are out and about and causing grievious bodily harm to anyone who comes near them. Just ask Evan, he was attacked today and had drawn blood from his head from the attack from the family located near Lenny and Jake.

Let me just say to you guys ... Matilda and Bess have your measure and will be out to get you (and Im sure Lancey will chase too, although he wont know why he is chasing) - so be warned!!!

Ah yes, another night of wonderful Mare Watch here at Massie Lodge. It's 12.25am and Iam quite literally stuffed after working all day up in Toowoomba. Iam going to have to wake Evan at around 1am as Iam going to have to get some sleep if Iam to function at all tomorrow... today... whatever. Neither Maddie or Nanna have shown any indication of letting go of their babies.... you have to wonder just how far over can they go?

Chris is coming over tomorrow to give Trousers a once over and to give her a flush out... probably a good idea considering what she has been through.... Trousers is a bit of a lost girl at the moment with Nanna not so happy to be spending time with her now because of her change in circumstances. Still, we want Trousers up here with us at this point in time so that we can give her some TLC, so Nanna will just have to put up with it.

I had a chat with my good friend Katrina Partridge (Athlone & Associates) this last day and we both decided that this industry is a very hard industry to keep faith in...it was amazing within our small circle how much bad luck had been making the rounds of late. It seems everyone has been thrown a spanner in the works with their horses. Still, I guess the idea of better days ahead keeps us all plodding along, waiting for the wheel of fortune to turn and turn again - and it must, musnt it?

I sit here and raise my glass (in fact its a cup of warmish tea?) to the idea that tomorrow is a brand new day full of endless possibilities... maybe Maddie or Nan will have their foals? Maybe a full night of sleep is not far away? Maybe tomorrow at Telstra no loonies will cross the threshold into the office and drive me crazy?

Ok, lets not get too ahead of ourselves...lets have some realistic expectations!!! Hahaha

With that thought in mind, its time for my last trip down to see the ladies tonight..and not far away is some sleep...how wonderful a thought is that? Heaven!

As for the Gynorhina Tibicen, watch out!

I write tonight's post with a very heavy heart indeed. Our dear friend Trousers lost her foal this morning. Even though all discharge had stopped and she was good in herself; Mother Nature deemed it necessaary for her bubsie not to be of this world.

I know what you're thinking. It's only a horse. No it isnt. Trousers is part of our family here at Massie Lodge, as have her owners become our friends ... both Evan and I were very saddened over their loss. I have only just come in from checking on the mares, and Trousers is still grieving the loss of her bairn.

Whoever said horses dont show emotion, obviously hasn't seen a grief stricken mare after her dead foal has been taken away from her. She doesnt understand why; she only knows that for approximately 9 months she has been pregnant and then suddenly after giving birth the baby has disappeared.

It's sad, isnt it?

However, tomorrow is another day.

Rest in peace sweet little one...

Helen.

The Lovely and Fat...

Miss Maddie, continues to be the subject of our sleepless nights... however, if she continues on for much longer she will be joined by our Nanna who is due on the 1st October. Then they come in a rush of Sweetie and Libby, followed by the lovely Mac Trousers due at the end of November.

You will be pleased to know that I have gotten over my lack of domestic ability ( my feeling of inadequacy lasted for well over 10 minutes last night after writing the last post). I just have to face the fact, that Martha Stewart Iam not.


Mac Trousers is doing well since Chris came last week and I have been keeping a keen eye on her to make sure that there is no further discharge - which there hasnt been. I brought her into the crush yesterday to give her bot-bot a hose down and she didnt need it. Having her in the crush gave me an ample opportunity to feel right under her stomach, near her udder (where bubs is hiding). It put a smile on my face to feel little one moving around and doing all the bubby things. Trousers has come on since coming up to the house paddocks (she does really well up here - gives her something else to think of apart from the rail?). Her winter coat has all but gone and has been replaced with a shiny dappled coat, so she is doing well in herself. I also think that she enjoys being up here with Nanna, who is not an aggressive bitch, like Sweetie.

Trousers has finished her course of antibiotics for the moment and will have a 3 week break to see how she goes and then Chris will contemplate another course for her. The swabs that Chris took did not grown any nasties, so that is a positive as well. I do have a soft spot for the old duck... can you tell? lol

I don't know what Mother Nature has in store for Trousers' baby... I guess the best we can do is just take it one day at a time.

Both Evan and I are abit like the walking dead at the moment. I remember back to my errant youth (which really wasn't that long ago you know?). I would work all day, go out with friends from work at night then go on to another club and get home at 3 ish, have a few hours sleep, get up go to work, go out after work and this would go on for a week or so at a time and then by the weekend crash in a big heap and not surface till late Saturday afternoon so that you could go out late Saturday night.... Hmmm... I am exhausted just thinking about it!

Oh! I did forget to mention that we had 6mls of rain last night.... (luckily not on my shift!), which I think might be followed by some more if today is any indication.... its very humid and sticky and the clouds are starting to gather.... cross your fingers that we might get another 6mls!

Well good people, I have a headache and Iam going to go and make myself a cuppa and plonk myself on the lounge until its time to feed the massess...

So, will it be tonight? I have absolutely no idea... lol

Helen.

I'm Tired.....

no, not anything else, but just tired. LOL...

It's 12.30am and I'm sitting in the study with the usual suspects, Bessie Merle and Lancey (who I might add wont leave BM's side at the moment, possibly due to the fact that she is in season?). Millie has long since gone to bed, actually she went to bed after her dinner; Matilda flaked out on the lounge and Evan went to bed at 8.00pm in anticipation of his shift starting at 2.30 ish. And me? Iam on Foal Watch. Last night I handed the baton (or rather the torch, lol) over to Evan at 2.15am and immediately fell into bed and into a sleep that even the dead would be envious of - not to mention that this morning I woke up at 8.30am to breakfast in bed.

I have a sneaking suspicion that tomorrow I will be asked to do the second shift as Evan has an online Poker Tournament (actually the jargon is, "Tourny") tomorrow night, not sure how that is supposed to work with me working on Wednesday? I'm sure I'll find out soon enough.

As we have been really hectic with this foal or mare watching business, all thoughts of any practical domesticity have left the property temporarily with all washing piling up on the couch in the kitchen (yikes! my mother would have a pink fit). So, if you happen to visit Massie Lodge in the next coming couple of months, please turn a blind eye to these small shortcomings. Anyone want a job folding some washing? AAAArgh... domesticity, I hate it.

We were most surprised to day when an old friend of Evan's from Sydney turned up on the off chance that we would be home..... Of course I panicked. As mentioned earlier, tidiness has been low on the priority list this last week and of course no shopping had been done for something yummy to eat with a cuppa. I stood there at the front door, the music from Pyscho ringing in my ears loudly.... the bathroom.... what nasties had been left on the counter and forgotten? In what state was the current handtowel? The toilet lid - up or down? The lounge room and the kitchen all looking like a bomb had hit it. Not to forget the case of the vanishing couch underneath all the washing in the kitchen.... AAAArgh!!

Luckily I had listened to my mother's advice on one or two occasions (but if only I had listened some more!) ... I had stashed some Macadamia cookies away in the cupboard which would present a hundred times better than SAO’s with cheese. I had some Lavazza coffee in the refrigerator… ok, that was covered and, some Lemonade in the bar fridge. Phew… Don’t get me wrong, it was nice to see our visitors, but considering iam normally domestically challenged on a good day, all I could do was hope that our visitors took pity on us and turned a blind eye to our current state of chaos.

I think there are two morals to this story. 1. Please give me a little notice so that I can make sure that at least I can find the couch in the kitchen under all the washing and make sure I have something else for morning tea other than SAOs. 2. In our current climate with mare watching, you just have to take pot luck!

Anyone know of a good lady that does washing, folding of same, ironing, the floors etc etc etc…….!!!

It’s now 12.50am and I can hear Evan shouting at Lance in the bedroom…. Hmmm not a good sign considering that he is supposed to be sleeping until about 2.30am. It has taken me this long to write all of this. Do you believe that I have tried to post to the blogger at least 2 times and have lost this post twice previously? Maybe I should just give it up as a bad joke tonight!

**Yawn** Im tired.

It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.
--John Steinbeck

Helen.

Bessie Merle - THE HUNTER with a very rare species of "blue striped socks" that she hunted down and killed. 

Not a very good picture, however, it shows the "figure 8 trees" that Evan works the youngsters around. 

Evan working Jakey ... lifting his feet and getting him used to people touching them. 

*Yawn* It's Officially The Start of the ...

breeding season for us here at Massie Lodge with Maddie keeping us up half the night thinking to herself, ... "Oh I might have the foal now.... or maybe i wont... maybe I might have a roll and set the foal alarm off... and get the people running... hmmm, maybe they will give me some hay when they come out and take pity on a poor fat mum-to-be".

Sorry, but buggar that for a joke!

Anyway, tonight we will be a bit more organised with me doing the 7pm till 1.30am shift and Evan taking over after that.

*Yawn* Im tired just thinking about it.

Trousers thinks that its Christmas time at the moment. By that I mean she thinks that its a never ending dinner time with us visiting the preggie mums in their yards and in anticipation, she starts calling for "Room Service........" when she sees one of us come out the side door during the night on "mare watch". Doesn't matter what time of the night, as soon as she sees us, she lets go of the rail that she has been carefully sharing with Caramel the yearling and promptly calls for "something"? She has been in for a rude shock, when there has been no home delivery, however, it doesnt seem to stop her trying?? You gotta love the Mac Trousers.

In the dead of night Iam sure that Leo, our next door neighbour thinks that something untoward is happening over at our place. Talk about that horse having a 24x7 hunger. Hmmm that applies to all of them I suspect? No?

Susie (Star Ferry) who is now in the day yard next to Maddie, trots up to the fence that divides them and has to be a sticky beak when we go out for our midnight walks to see what Maddie is up to. I think that Susie misses the stable life and routine a little bit... as she has no time for the young girlies on the other side of her and has befriended Maddie as a last resort.

Sweetie and Libby have now been moved up to the paddock behind the house and are not happy about it... as they have moved away from their beloved dam. However, it means that we can keep a better eye on them as they are due not far behind our Nanna.

So as you can see it is a hive of activity here at Massie Lodge - especially during the wee small hours of the morning!

AAAArgh!

Don't you just *yawn* love this time of year? *yawn*

*Yawn*

Helen.

Friday, just isnt Friday without.......

Being contacted by an outbound telemarketer!

Have you ever been contacted by phone at night by a telemarketer? They will promise you the world, they will say that every single living soul can have broadband whether they can get it or not just to get a sale or to get someone to change carrier. Unless you want to be harassed, take a tip from me, just hang up on them!

\vdcxg < ( that was a word from Bessie Merle on the subject of Telemarketers care of her nose.)
Thankyou for your input Bess!

Evan's Friday was every bit as good as mine with a visit from Adam the Farrier who had just got over Chicken Pox. Susie and Sunny were very good gals. Queenie and Southern were monsters. Nanna was too fat to cause any problems. Maddie looks like she has come along a bit and since tomorrow is due day.... she cant be too far away now. It seems that Bessie Merle is just about the come into season... (lucky us, dont you think?). Lancey has discovered his love for Bessie Merle only this morning and will not give her a moment's peace. In fact its pretty much over the top as Bess lies down and waits for Lancey to preen her and clean her. I know that this behaviour is not quite sending around a limo and a driver and taking her out for dinner and dancing, but Iam impressed with Lancey's chivalry so far. It's still early days and the fun and games will not begin for another 5-8 days. We have actually decided to let them... um, er... you know... do the deed. I have two fears about this... 1) Is that Lancey will not be ready to face this leap into Manhood (um, er perhaps it should be called, Doghood?). Secondly, (please insert dramatic music here) is if Leo's dogs next door get her scent and start hanging around. Dog Breeders are very fussy about their mating pair and believe it or not, Lancelot has the cream of Australian Champions all the way through his pedigree.

Bessie Merle, is in fact of English descent and has the cream of English aristocracy through her and a Black Type pedigree that would make even the fussiest thoroughbred breeder drool. I dont actual care about that, what I care about as a Breeder is that both dogs are correct, that there are no genetic defects in their gene pools and that both dog and bitch have a good temperament.

And of that you can be most assured!

So, as you can imagine, fun and games is assured here at Massie Lodge over the next few weeks... 5 mares about to drop their babies and Bessie Merle and Lancey playing out "Romeo and Juliet".

I cant wait.

(Scotty, beam me up?)


Helen.

CONGRATULATIONS...

Must go to Paul Nipperess and "After Graham" who won his race at the Sunshine Coast today. AG, who is by Lochrae, was ridden by Brad Pengelly in Race 5 over 2200m. WELL DONE BOTH PAUL AND DARCY!!

See, every horse is a star, given a chance... and it doesn't matter whether it is a maiden at Euchuca or The Melbourne Cup itself. It's good to see Paul with another knotch on the board since moving up to Toowoomba.

I received an email today asking me in my opinion, how can you get a horse (and by that I mean a young horse), to mature - quickly. Do you keep on keeping on... and basically just keep them on racing until they finally "get it?" We have learned so much from Susie gal in that respect. Susie is by Red Anchor out of a Seventh Hussar mare - with her breeding you would think that she would get a distance. That maybe so, however, Red Anchor progeny dont make 2 or 3 year olds, it actually takes them until Year 4 to get their heads together, and we have seen this with Susie who finally in her last preparation with Paul, before her accident, showed that she understood what it means to be a racehorse and still be sweet about it.

I guess that is the key with all of them, no matter how young or old, the trick is to keep them sweet in mind to keep racing and doing their best.

In my response to my friend I answered one word, "time". You just can't rush something like this and there is no short answer (I bet she wished she never asked the question in the first place!) and with every horse different in nature, there is no set time for them to obtain "maturity". I will be interested to see what they do with their youngster who hasnt been having much luck of late. Hmmm.

It's funny, I can look at all the yearlings that are at Massie Lodge and I can possibly see only one or maybe two that at a stretch has a glimmer of "maturity" - but that's ok, they're only expected to be babies at this point in time. Nothing more, nothing less.

Tomorrow.

Hmm. Back to work and it is a very short week (thank goodness I reckon). Evan and I have been talking about doing a bit of a reshuffle with the girlys and it will be a big day for him, including a visit from Adam to take off Susie and Sunny's shoes.

Iam actually sitting outside in the lounge room composing this post at Evan's computer while he has his feet up on the lounge munching on some dinner and having a few beers - the four dogs (including Millie) have made themselves very comfortable on the lounges with Evan, watching a Mickey Rooney movie on TCM. I have one more check on the mums-to-be before settling down with my family to watch some tv. Life is good, isnt it?

Helen.

The News Is.....

GOOD!!! As you breath a sigh of relief and know that today's posting is going to be positive!

Today, Chris the vet came out and scanned Susie's leg to see what was going on. All the time I am thinking while Chris is attending to the scan "Bowed Tendon, Bowed Tendon...." Apparently the girl has some fluid around the "digital sheath" and was ordered 6 weeks r&r in a controlled environment. Which is fine... I must say that both Evan and I are much happier after today. Perhaps the new colours (yes, the new set of colours has arrived and they look pretty schmick too!) will get an airing in the next few months. While Chris was out we also had him take a look at Trousers, who seems to have a bacterial infection.

Have you ever tried giving a horse antibiotics by mouth??? Near impossible to do it, however, iam most open to any suggestions on how to achieve this. Although in saying that, Trousers does eat with much gusto and enthusiasm so hopefully it wont be too hard. She had her first lot tonight mixed in some barley soaked with honey... I laughed when she stuck her mouth into it.. it was like, "What the hell is this? Oh, maybe its ok??" "Ok, I'll eat it.. but iam not liking it."

Please excuse my lack of posting as we have had Sue Black and grandkids over for a few days, enjoying themselves and helping both Evan and I with the horses.

Tomorrow sees me going to work (boo, hiss, boo) ... and on Friday Adam is coming over to take the shoes off Susie and Sunny and do Lenny's feet ... if its at all possible. That boy, definitely needs to lose his um, er... testicles (ouch!).

Charlie has gone off to Paul's to be broken in (he left on Sunday) and Gracie has come back to Massie Lodge for a month or so before having to go back to Paul's for further work. Its amazing how much they grow in their time away. Evan admits he misses Charlie, although it doesnt seem quite final just yet.

As the sun sets, I am looking out my window past the monitor of my computer and can see Sunny and Gracie munching away at some pick in Rosie's Paddock.. I know that its a bloody hard life, but would you want to be anywhere else?


Faith is the very first thing you should pack in a hope chest.

--Sarah Ban Breathnach Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach


Helen.

Young Shorpants (By Irish Royal out of TT) having a "workout" with Evan. We suspect that the 3 young girlys were in season as they were all quite fractious to work :) 

Turkish Trousers cleaning out the back of the Ute after having a wash, perm and blowdry (not to mention a straight fringe!) 

It must be love!!! Young Ceceilia Black with Sunny  

Gracie (Tanamett Lass) with Tahnika Black 

Another Southern getting a wash and groom before being shown to prospective buyers 

Scanning taking place in the "Hospital Paddock" 

Susie (Star Ferry) being scanned 

The Life and Times of Massie Lodge...

I have been sitting here for quite a while trying to think of the best heading for what Iam about to write about and for the life of me, I cant quite find anything that will encapsulate it. So, Im sorry, you will just have to put up with what you got!

I have simmered down since my last post thank goodness ... and would like to say a lot of thank you's to the good people that sent emails and telephoned in response to our bad news about Susie-gal. It really did give me a warm and fuzzy feeling to know that there are people out there that care enough to write an email or pick up the phone. Thank you guys and gals, it was really appreciated.

COMINGS AND GOINGS....

Welcome Back to...

Gracie (Tamarett Lass) who has come back from Paul Moody (the breaker). She certainly has grown in her time away and Paul has said that he would like to have her for a few more weeks after a holiday as he felt she was a little immature in the head.

Hoorooo to....

Charlie (Time Legend) who went away with Paul to be broken in.

Paul certianly does a good job with the babies and he will certainly be getting Lily and Lenny when it is their time. One of the things that I like about Paul is that he sends the babies home with a report card, so you know exactly what they have been doing and how they responded.

Not Long until the Stork for ....

Nanna (Splendid Feeling) will be brought up to the house yards as she is starting to bag up. Maddie is still plodding away with her huge load.


Life is good you know. So get out there and ENJOY it!!


Helen.

It's Late....

and I really should be in bed, yet I feel compelled to write at the moment.

Susie was meant to start on Saturday in the perfect race - good barrier, jock and the company was quite weak really... Susie will not be starting in this race as she has done something to her tendon. Paul noticed it this afternoon and got the vet out... not much more to say other than Susie will be coming home to Massie Lodge on the next truck. The final diagnosis being left for Chris the Vet who will come and scan her tendon to see what's going on.

Iam not holding out much hope, in fact I would say that that is the end of Susie's racing career.

I can understand how this industry breaks people's hearts and why they want to get right away from it - the disappointment can be overwhelming and all encompassing.

Where to now? I dont know ... but watch this space.

Helen.

WELCOME BACK...

to our globetrotting mare, Havachat, after her week and a half holiday at Kenilworth up on the Sunshine Coast. Hope you had a wonderful holiday, lots of food and drink and a good trip home. Sorry that there was no romance for you girlfriend, however, we are now looking at a local boy who should be right up your alley! Would love to see your photos Hava, maybe another time? (How come the horse gets to have a holiday and we don't? - Something severely wrong here.).

Do you ever have those days that you think are never going to end? We had one of those days today here at Massie Lodge and we are both extremely weary after it. *yawn*

It started this morning when Charlie's registration came through and we needed to take some photos for his new owner. Then it was time to work Lenny and Jake.... then a quick reshuffle of the paddocks as Hava is coming home today... Lunchtime! Time to do the lunchtime feeds, check out the preggie mares and I have to say that I laughed when I went down the back paddock to see them as they were all, (yes, all of them... Nanna, Sweetie, Trousers and Libby) up to their stomachs in the dam! A quick roll after their swim and a kind of pregnant shuffle / waddle up to get some lunch!

A quick bite to eat for both of us humans and then it was back outside... Hava arrived and quickly sorted out her paddock. Clean out the water bowls, refill and then its time for afternoon feeds. Im tired just thinking of it. Not to mention that there was a quick trip over to the hayshed to get some wood in case it gets chilly tonight.

On to something that certainly has raised some interest in the industry and certainly caught my eye today...


On a much brighter note, you will be pleased to know that Dubai Excellence has been found on a stud farm in the Ukraine. Can you believe it? He went from a nice green paddock with Samood to the Ukraine. Surely there is more to this than meets the eye? You have to wonder how the hell it happened. Now to find photos of the stallions... they must be identical twins? No?

Susie...

Has been nominated for a 1300m maiden at the Gold Coast... I guess we have to wait and see what happens huh?

Onwards and Upwards !!

Behind every successful woman...is a substantial amount of coffee.

--Stephanie Piro


Helen.

Maddie (Madely Miss) who is due on the 24th of this month. 

Jakey (by Private Agenda out of Miss Independence) with Evan this morning... still with plenty of hair (that came out in handfuls when we started brushing him). He is half brother to the lovely Sunny. 

Libby (Miss Independence) who is due mid October  

Charlie with his mum, Kay (Kwila's Ambition) aged 1 month. :-) 

He will always be Charliefarley to us.... 

Charlie (sorry, Time Legend) with Evan... this horse is a sook and is devoted to Evan. 

I Thought...

That I would do something completely different and shut up.

No, lol, sorry you cant be that lucky!! What I thought that I would do is have a look at some of the yearlings a year on, in particular, Lily, Lenny and Shorts and just see where they have come in that time. I guess its not very fair for poor little Shorts because she is not quite 1 yet (she turns 1 in December), so its fair to say that the other 2 have a few months of life on her. Still, in saying that she has grown quite a lot in that time.

As per our theory on 2yos, we figure that the first year of the babies' life is the most important and its important that their bones are not stressed into growing and them being 16hh at the age of 1. We let Mother Nature play a huge part with the yearlings... after all their legs have to last them a lifetime and hopefully through their racing career. We dont feed hormones or a lot of grain to the babies, just a good mixture to help them along - and the Breed Performer seems to work well with the yearlings.

Sit back, grab a cuppa and enjoy some photos!!!

Helen.

Baby shorts born in early December. 

Shortie having a groom with Lily about to nip Evan in the back... nothing goes on in that paddock without Lily sticking her 2c worth in! 

Leading Practice 101. 

Here she is with Evan (who I might add will not get rid of that bloody flanny shirt with the rip in it!!). Not quite 1 yet, but showing a lot of potential :-) 

Young Miss Shorts (or Shortcake as Evan calls her) with Evan after having some leading practice today. She's a sweetie. 

Baby Lenny at day 3 with his mother Sweetie who is very much in denial about having had a baby! Lenny was a rude shock to Sweetie and it was more of a case of, "Oh my God, what is that???" However, Sweetie has turned out to be a good mum. 

People turn their noses up when you say he is by Kinjite..obviously they have no idea do they???? :-)