Not to Forget Our Other Residents...

Big Harry (Imaged) is doing very well . He is currently in the stable after a slight mishap with another horse, however, he has been overseeing the weanlings and keeping them company... what a champion!!

Bob (Centenn) arrived late last week from the Gold Coast stables and after a short stint in a small yard, is just as loveable as he always was. What a gentleman he is!

Young Rover (who I call Kenny Kinjite) is doing really well in the fat boy's paddock with Jimmy and Storm. He is a really nice horse and very much like his dad.

Moony (Moonlight Mile) has certainly come a long way since we sorted out his feet issues. As you can see, he is now nicely rounded and has been enjoying rolling in the mud!

Young Storm really has done well in the fat boy's paddock (with Jimmy and Kenny Kinjite). He is off tomorrow to Trevor Wheeler's for a month's work which will do him a world of good.

Joie Cam

Joie is such a sweetie that she let me take a bird's eye view over her head. Joie and Dirty Girl have become fast friends, with poor old Maddie on the outer.

Dirty has really taken to being in a large paddock and goes down with Joie after their breakkie to the large dam and has a swim.

It's nice to see the girls happy, especially after weaning time.

Helen.

Little Jack wins "Shining Star" Award

It was time on the weekend to start pre working the young Conatus boys as they are being weaned next weekend - and this meant a session in the crush.

Jack certainly wins the "Shining Star" award and just took everything in his stride.

Harryconniejr. was a little more to handle - two different temperaments but two lovely boys.

Do you like the name?

Helen.

Miss Trixi - Star Pupil

Problem Child Comes Good

Im happy to report that our problem child, Daisy, has overcome her stubborness and is now leading freely.

Patience and understanding on both sides has bridged the gap.

Evan has a very special gift with the youngsters and it is indeed wonderful to watch a very stubborn and difficult young lady now wanting to learn and to give. Its still early days, but the signs are very positive.

Learning to Lead 101

Unfortunately weanling fillies and colts dont come with in built instructions that they have to wear a halter and they have to be led by a lead attached to the halter. It all takes time and patience. Its a time of give and take with the educator.

Twice a day, every day, both fillies are having a leading lesson, where they learn all the basics to get them through the rest of their lives.

Trixie has been a real gem and is going great guns as you can see from above.

Daisy has been a little bit more of a challenge and she too now is confidently leading as well.

Next week sees the weaning of the boys, Harry and Jack. More fun and games!

Helen.

Stubborn.

Stubborn .... [stuhb-ern]

1. unreasonably obstinate; obstinately unmoving: a stubborn child.
2. fixed or set in purpose or opinion; resolute: a stubborn opponent of foreign aid.
3. obstinately maintained, as a course of action: a stubborn resistance.
4. difficult to manage or suppress: a stubborn horse; a stubborn pain.
5. hard, tough, or stiff, as stone or wood; difficult to shape or work.

Weaning a foal is always a little bit like a lucky dip. Sometimes you put your hand in and pick out a real gem, a foal that while missing mum a bit, is willing to get over that and start to look forward to the next stage of their life. They want to learn to be handled and they enjoy the human touch.

Sometimes you put your hand in the bag and pull out the booby prize. And while Iam not saying that Daisy is the booby prize from this year's foals, I am saying that she is a real difficult girl. Stubborn, resistant to change and not wanting to accept that her life is now changing.

Over the Easter weekend we decided to wean Daisy as Trixie was a gem and very quickly accepted life without mum.

How different can two girls be?

I have been thinking about Daisy and her entrance into the world was not an easy one, in fact, she arrived too early (about 2-3 weeks). She arrived the morning after a heavy storm and was born in the middle of the slushy paddock. Unable to stand and support herself, Evan and I had to lift her along with leading Maddie up into the stable.

Because of her being so premmie, we called Monika and she had to have all sorts of needles and had an ongoing course of antibiotics as there was an issue with her lungs. We had to milk mum and syringe the colustrum into her and feed her every hour. All very invasive and not a good start into the world.

Then we had to spend time with her to make sure that she could stand and support herself and get to mum's milk.

So, her introduction into the world was not a good one.... and it seems has inprinted itself into her personality.

Today is Day 4 of Daisy's education. I can see the look in her eyes..... "Im not going to do this ... Im not going to do this ..."

Evan is being very paitent with her and all reports indicate that she is starting to relax and accept her education. Starting.

However, unfortunately for Evan its taken its physical toll after losing his footing and taking a tumble and receiving bruising up and down the left side of his body and badly bruising his left thumb.

We still have the 2 Conatus boys to wean, however, we have put them back a week or so.

I wonder what we will pick out of the lucky dip with them?

Helen.

Little girl Trixie, growing up nicely.

Welcome Back Bob!

Bob (aka Centenn) is back to Massie Lodge this week for a a well earned rest after a long preparation which resulted in a win at the Gold Coast, a second placing at the Sunshine Coast, and a trial win.

This boy is a real sweetie and just a joy to have around. Welcome back to Massie Lodge Bob!

Flick It Off!

We decided last night to settle in on the couch, flick (pardon the pun) around the channels (all 64 of them) and find a nice movie to watch.

As is the case mostly at the moment there wasnt much on however there was the 2006 remake of Mary O Hara's great novel, "My Friend Flicker" . We thougt that this might be nice and settled in to watch the feel good movie.

What we didnt envisage was that the movie was going to be a dog. It was horrible!

There were so many inconsistencies throughout the movie, poor old Flicka (the wild mustang mare - not stallion) was left in the Mc Loughlin's round yard for most of the movie, without water, feed and unbelievably even though she was "as wild as wild can be" was able to be caught with a green apple and bridled within 5 mins by the female actor, Alison Lohman, and ridden. What a miracle! If only it was like that in real life?!!!!

Sadly the movie falls in a heap - not even Flicka surviving a fatal attack from a mountain lion could keep my interest piqued and I fell asleep with my head on Evan's shoulder!

It makes you wonder why movie makers bother to make such movies....

Helen.

Happy Easter!

Evan and I would like to wish everyone a very happy and safe Easter break.

May it be filled with friends, family, lots of winners and of course, lots of CHOCOLATE!! (It has to be my favourite time of the year!). Naturally, if you have too much and dont know what to do with it... send it on :)

Swan Lake?

No, Massie Lodge number 1 dam! What a fascinating bird - and to think it was in my own back yard!!!

Weaning Miss Trixie PII

What a difference a day makes in the life of a weanling. Evan will continue to handle her twice a day getting her used to the halter, to leading and teaching her to yield.. He will get her used to lifting her legs and being touched all over while being held on a lead.

Daisy and Maddie are still with Trix and in the next couple of days we will wean Daisy from Maddie and then the two girls will be on their own.

Trix has made a friend of Harry (Imaged) who is keeping the young girls company during this trying time. "Ill look after you kid"

Weaning Miss Trixie

This would have to be the hardest part of having foals ... separating them fom their mums. Some mum's and their foals are not close, and some are a tight unit. While Joie and Trix were seemingly not close, there was a lot of calling out yesterday between the two - with the exception of meal times, lol.

Ok, I'm Addicted...

How could you not be addicted to the wonderful show that Mother Nature puts on at the start and the finish of each day??

You wouldnt be dead for quids would you?

Helen

I have No Excuses.

.. and I dont. And its not like I dont want to post on the blog, its a case of there being so many other things that I have to do with such a limited amount of free time.

.. And its not just a time issue ... its the ongoing technical issues ... the old baling twine and IXL Jam Jar are just not cutting it these days and it takes forever to do even the simplest task on my computer. Ok, so my computer is not the newest model, in fact it's 5 years old but when you can only operate the internet on 33kps (on a good day) and 28 kps (on an average day) I get very frustrated and grab my camera, holla for the canines and go outside into the fresh air.

.. And its not only the technical issues ... sometimes you have to focus on the things that are important, i.e. family and when one member is sick - nothing else matters.

Ok, ok ... I have just given you a few excuses why (and Im sure that I must sound like a whinger) I have been most remiss with my posting.

*sigh*

Life is just busy. However, in saying that. I did manage to sit still long enough to capture the gorgeous sunset that closed Sunday afternoon down into Sunday night. I sat there as a captivated audience of one and was mesmerised with Mother Nature's light show. I only wish that I had a you-beaut camera to capture it perfectly.... although I hope you get the gist of just how exhilerating it was.

So what's new with us. We are now in the GREEN zone. Wooohooo! What a long road it has been to get to here and in one piece. We are very thankful that we made it through the myre and know of many people who didnt.

I do have a secret. I have started a new blog that will run along side with "The Life and Times of Massie Lodge" called, (wait for it..) .. Massie Lodge - Dog City.

Stop laughing and I know you are! People who know both Evan and I know how important our canines are to us and I felt that I wanted to dedicate a blog to them ... to have a place where I can post all my dog photos and recall all my favourite stories.

If you would like to have a little look, you can click on the above URL or, if you look on the right hand side of this blog up the top, there is a direct link to the blog. I have to admit that taking photos of them has become a passion for me and hopefully they are getting better!

One of the things that I have really grown to enjoy in my "off" time, is to grab my camera, get the dogs and take them down to one of the back dams and just take a seat and watch them. What a joy!

What do they say? It's the simple things in life that are often the best.

And they are right.

Helen.

Baby Shorts Grows Up!

I think that I have mentioned before what joy it brings Evan and I to follow the careers of the horses that stay with us - even more so when we have been privy to their birth and showed them their first shaky steps into the world.

Shorts (pictured above) falls into this category. Born around 7am late in November 2004, baby Shorts soon knew how to stand on her wobbly legs and get the good drink from mum, Turkish Trousers. Sadly after weaning, Trousers passed away after a very good life which included 12 or 13 babies, however, time passes by, and baby Shorts quietly grew up and before we knew it, she went away to Paul Moody's to be broken in.

Back to Massie Lodge for a holiday, Shorts (now known as Irish Chic) was soon to start her adventure with Phil Quinnell down at Ballina. In fact, Shorts left Massie Lodge the day before EI broke out - how's that for timing?!

Last Sunday at Ballina, young Shorts had her very first experience as a racehorse.

Starting from Barrier 14, all that was expected from Shorts was to jump well and to learn from the experience. And she did.

Both Evan and I both had our hearts in our hands as we watched her race ... and somehow, we both felt that just maybe, a little bit of what we did got her to her maiden start at Ballina.

Go Shorts! May your racing career be bright!

(Big) Harry "Imaged" ... a real smoocher
Young Jack (by Conatus) who is so even tempered and a delight to handle. He and Harry are the best of mates and can often be seen away from their mums in a huddle over some grass.

Gossips (Local News) who is in foal to Hidden Dragon

Jack and his mum, Gossips

The Three Amigos... never a dull time in this paddock with these three boys - Storm, Jimmy and Rover.
Miss Trixie - growing up very quickly and will be second in line to be weaned after Easter.

We're Still Wild About Harry!

To say that both Evan and I are delighted with Harry's progress to date would be an understatement. Not that its all Harry's doing. His mum, Pip, (Epiphany) has alot to do with it as she has been a great mum and is still giving the young lad plenty to drink when he wants it.

Harry, by Conatus - who has already had a winner at the Gold Coast and a second placing in town, still has a while to go to be weaned and will be last of the babies to leave his mum.

In the meantime, we are just enjoying his company and watching him grow up.