Holme Park Havana was born in 2001
he was the first colt to be born by Holme Park Krug
out of the black mare Holme
Park Holy Night. He was backed as a 3 year old at the end of the summer
2004 and sold to Margaret Mitchell and went to his new home in November 2004.
Below are some of the e-mail communications I have had from Margaret since
having Havana.
NB: Most recent e-mail at the top
e-mail 14/04/2008 Re:Monday Hello
Hi
Susan,
Have
just checked out your website and read your very sad report on poor Sante Fe.
So sorry that you lost her and the foal. I’m sure with the number of horses and
foals you’ve had over the years, you probably steel yourselves for such
occasions, but knowing how much you love them all ….. I’m sure it’s still hard.
As I
look out of my office at a blue sky-day, I’m sitting here with a quiet smile on
my face. Havana and I went to a local riding centre yesterday, and took part in
a Prelim and our first ever Novice Test. I was going just for the experience,
and to see how he would come out after the winter – not having done anything for
quite a while. He was noticeably more mature, and was an absolute gem. A
lovely friend to be out with. What a surprise then to come home with a score of
63.5% and a 3rd rosette. Still need to strengthen his topline and
get him ‘sitting’ more – but it’s all feeling much more achievable now. He’s
cheeky; adorable; and very clever. I’m hoping that we’ll work together over the
Spring/early summer and then get out there doing some affiliated Novice tests.
Exciting happy times ahead!
Hope
Legend is going well in training, and that all your 2008 off spring arrive safe
and sound.
Will
look forward to seeing the fruits of Paul’s labour in the vegetable patch. Is
this another brand name? … Holme Grown vegetables.
Happy days.
Marg
xxx
&
H
e-mail 18/02/2008 Re:Havana
Hi Susan,
Having been dormant for a while, I
thought I’d send you a quick missive just to let you know that everything is
fine with Havana.
He has changed again these past four
months. It must have been about late October last year when he seemed to
finally grow into his ears. They’ve always looked too big for him, but it
seemed to happen overnight, and he went from looking like a youngster one week,
into looking more like an adult the next.
He’s been on tickover during
January, and for the past three weeks has been trailered to a local wooded area
at the weekend, with some lovely long sandy tracks. We’ve had the most
beautiful, exhilarating rides thru there, making the most of the fabulous
weather we’ve been having – perfect cantering conditions – and he’s loved it.
All in a snaffle, and just a sheer pleasure to ride. This weekend, he actually
appeared to be standing more ‘up’ thru his neck and shoulder – his whole
presence has improved.
And with this lovely weather, I
eagerly look forward to riding him after work. I will take some pix of
him soon and send them to you. He still get’s mistaken for a mare as he’s
sooooo pretty – but there’s nothing girlie about him – he’s a real lad and has
moved up the pecking order now in the field he shares with about 5 other
geldings.
Do hope all is well with you and
your family. You’ll no doubt be starting to feel the anticipation of this
year’s impending arrivals. Hope it all goes well, and look forward to reading
about the births on the website.
Love Marg
x
e-mail 15/10/2007 Re: Hello from
Havana
Hi Susan,
Thrilling news and pix about Legend.
You all must be so pleased and proud with his achievements so far this year.
Havana has now overcome his saddle issues
and is working well again. He's been ridden since the beginning of September
and all of the problems of earlier in the year seem to have disappeared. We
went on a pleasure ride the other Sunday to get him out for the first time
since April ... and he really was exceptionally good. Apart from doing work
in hand during the summer, he'd only been out for a swift 1/2 hr hack the week
previous, so it was asking a lot. But he rose to the occasion, and was
brilliant. Very bold, as always and it was a very enjoyable day out.
Yesterday, we went along to a local venue
to do our first ever test. Unaff. Prelim 12, and he achieved 64.5%. Given
that he only started work again 5 weeks ago, I was really pleased with him.
He was focussed, and attentive. And I've seen the video and think he looks
just gorgeous.
He was given an 8 for his paces with some
lovely comments from the judge. Once he's regained his muscle strength, the
marks will improve - where he lost points was all very fixable. So I'm
thrilled to bits, and very excited about our next outing. I'm going to
continue the work with him for another four weeks, and then head out for
another 'go'. So much of the enjoyment of all this is seeing him develop and
change. He has grown up so much in himself these past 4 months, both
physically and mentally. Just looking forward now to our future together.
Hope you have continued success with all
your other off-spring. Hope to hear from you soon.
Best wishes.
Marg & a very grown-up Havana.
***
e-mail 06/03/2007 Re: Ho there
Havana
What beautiful pix of Legend doing his
uphill-canter. Looks lovely.
Had a lesson at the weekend with 'H' ... all
is very fine with him, but not so with his rider. I'm having to re-learn how
to do sitting-trot all over again.
I cannot get over just how different it is.
It's like being on a trampoline, and I haven't quite perfected the movement
yet. So horse is excelling and rider needs to catch up at the moment.
Sam, who I have lessons with, rode him for
the last 10 minutes of Saturday's session and kept praising him, saying 'what
a transformation'. He feels like he's finding a real engine now (and I'm sure
that's only part of what he's got to offer). His metronome trot (when done
rising) is a dream, and he's become really steady in the outside contact.
But like I said .... sitting trot .... well
.... I'm sure I'll get there in the end!
Thought Liz looked great on 'Pearl' - again,
lovely pix. of her.
Sunshiney-day today (thank goodness after all
the soaks we've had lately).
Good luck to Legend ..... and to Merlin.
Look forward to seeing news on the website.
e-mail 30/01/2007 Re: Hello from
Havana
Hi Susan,
Noticed from the website that the first
babes are due in two-and-a-bit months. The sands of time .....!!!!!!!
Hope everything is well with you and the
family. Things have been trucking along quietly but well with Havana. He had
some rest time leading up to Christmas (left me able to go and shop and party,
so it worked well). We're now having lessons most weeks and I can really feel
the improvements in him. It's still just as much him understanding what he's
expected to do, as the different feel he gives me as he gets stronger. He's
still got a way to go to be fully grown, so 3/4 hr. is about as much as he can
take (plus the travelling back & forth). But he's a darling, and a favourite
cuddling point on our yard.
The master plan is to keep putting the work
in, maybe (if all is well) get out and do a prelim in the late Spring (this is
my own reticence as I feel proud of my little horse and only want him seen out
when we've got our act together) ... back to Mary's again at the end of May
for another 'fix' and then who-knows-where. What's nice, is that it all feels
right, and he feels ready for it all. He's grown up a lot this last year.
Hope you are able to get some riding in
yourself. Roll on the Spring.
Love
Marg & 'H' xxxx
e-mail 30/11/2006 Re: Quick Catch up
Hi Susan,
Congratulations on the successful gradings,
and the new mare - who looks beautiful.
It was lovely to see the pix of Tanja's
wedding on the website. Everyone looked very glamorous.
And isn't Liz doing well with Blin.
Highlights all round!
Havana is fit and well. He's bulking out
at the moment and feels quite a different horse. I had a lesson on him at the
weekend and found a special 'on' button in canter which made him feel 17
hands. Amazing feeling.
He's now 16.1+ which is astonishing as it
was predicted 15.3, 16 hands max. at his vetting. But you always said he'd be
about 16.1!!! Don't you know your horses!
Havana's inclusion in the Horse & Rider 'T
for Trakehner' breed feature has been spotted by several of my friends, so
he is enjoying celebrity status locally. They used a pic from the XC training
session we did in September where he flew over some uphill rails. Great fun -
and me very proud.
Good luck for all the competitions coming
up in December. Will look forward to following everyone's exploits.
Do hope you, Paul and the family are happy
and well. It's been a brilliant year for you all at the stud, and with the
prospect of Legend achieving his stallion grading, 2007 looks set to be
another one of the same.
Speak to you soon.
Love and snorts from Me and Havana xxxxx
This is the photo published in Horse & Rider
email 18/09/2006 Re: H
Hi Susan,
Just back from my second session with
Mary. Brilliant weekend. I got one of the girls to run a bit of video of him
yesterday, and I was thrilled when I saw it. Will add that to the bits from
the previous course for you to have a peep at.
This weekend is the XC training session at
Ledbury. So he's being bombarded with a variety of experiences. It was great
to see that on his first time away from home on his own, he was impeccably
behaved. Just keen to get on with it all. Have decided that at the end of
the year he will have a month's break from everything to chill out and just
eat grass.
Hope all is well with you, Paul, Liz and
everyone down there.
Love,
Margaret xx
e-mail 4/09/2006 Re: Total
Pleasure
Hi Susan,
Quick note to let you know that Havana went
on his first pleasure ride yesterday and we came home with our first
rosette!! 12 miles of lovely off-road tracks thru the Wyre Forest. I forgot
I was on a youngster as he was just so well-behaved. Lots of cantering on
perfect going. Brilliant day.
Doing another ride next Sunday; following
weekend 2-days down with Mary again; and then a 2 hrs. XC training session at
the end of the month.
Looking forward to it all.
Hope all is well with you. Fingers crossed
for the stallion grading. Do hope Legend does the biz.
Love and happiness,
Marg xxx
e-mail 21/08/2006 Re: Monday Smiles
Hi Susan,
Hope everyone is well down there. This
cooler weather is far better for riding, but personally I was prepared to
suffer a little longer!!
Just wanted to let you know that 'H' and I
went down to Mary's for our first course at the weekend. We arrived on Friday
afternoon and squeezed in an hours hack around some lovely tracks and fields,
and then had three sessions across the two days. He was quite superb and
surpassed my hopes of how he would behave. As ever, very confident out on the
hack. Startled pheasants flying up 10 feet away from him didn't bother him.
He is just so good out and about.
I had been prepared to deal with almost
anything he might throw at me on the ridden sessions as this was his first
time away from home, in totally alien surroundings, but I shouldn't have
wasted the brain time. 'Duck' and 'Water' spring to mind. He was obviously
inquisitive about everything, and whinnied at his travelling companion a fair
bit on the first day, but other than that, he was utterly wonderful. In the
second session on Saturday, he was ridden with 1/2 dozen new horses milling
around him - totally chilled and prepared to focus. On Sunday he came out (as
did I) relaxed and prepared to do the job. I've got the video, and he is
looking fab. Mary was really pleased with how he coped, and we're looking
forward to going down again in Spring next year.
So lot's of ticks in the boxes. And I'm
wearing a huge smile every time I think about him. He is such a lovely lad.
When I have time this week I'll run off a
few snippets of the sessions on VHS for you to see how he's grown up. I hope
you'll be pleased.
So from me .... and him ... send you lots
of love.
Margaret
e-mail 20/07/2006
Hi Susan,
Looking forward to the Open Day DVD. It
was such a lovely day. I frequently get the previous ones out to have a look
at how some of the youngsters develop. It was quite a surprise to see Devaux
at the Open Day - she looked so changed and grown up. I was remembering the
other day about how coincidences work .. I'm sure I told you the curiosity
that years ago when I started dreaming about having a trakehner I phoned you
up and you sent me a video tape of your previous Open Day. My idea had been
that in 3 or 4 years time maybe life would have changed a little with work,
and I would be able to give myself a rather special birthday present. When I
watched that tape I was utterly confused by choice, and had thought that I
when the time came I would never be able to make a judgement over 'which one'
would be right for me. The only thing I had registered was that you had a
lovely mare (Holy Night) and that I loved her way of going. She was my
favourite. And guess who was tripping around her feet .... looking cute!
I find that so funny. There was
little 'H' and I didn't have a clue then that he was going to be IT, and that
my dream would materialise.
Enjoy the day!
Marg xx
e-mail 03/02/2006 Re: Pix....At
Last!
Didn't get the digital camera for Xmas
after all, but my friend took her camera out recently and attached are a few
pix of the boy himself. It was a bit early on a Sunday morning for me, so not
quite looking my best - but hey-ho, it's the boy you'll be interested
in.
All's fine with him. Hacking out alone,
and jumping the log in the spinney with great ease! I love him to bits!!!!!
Will try and take the camera to the XC
training course next time we go.
Hope all is well with you. Another six
weeks and your first foal should be on your doorstep. Exciting time of year.
With love from me and him xxxxx
e-mail 23/01/2006
Hi Susan,
Hope you enjoyed the weekend's
weather and managed to get out and do a bit of riding yourself. I know
Spring's a long way off yet, but it's so nice to get an early glimpse of it.
Havana had a new experience at the
weekend. We finally got ourselves over to Lincomb Farm (the local XC
schooling venue) to go round the roads and tracks, and get him into the
water. He was fab! So well behaved around the trailer, and on the
tracks where he happily led the way in both trot and canter. When we got to
the water it took all of a minute to get him to follow my friend's horse in,
and once in it was hard to motivate him to get out - he pawed the water, and
just played. I've ,mentioned before his insistence on smelling puddles and
that we've frequently returned from hacks with him having a muddy nose, well
this time he buried his head up to his eyes in the water. I've never seen
anything like it. I was worried he would breathe in and shock himself, so
pulled his head up a bit smartish, but he was just loving it. I let him enjoy
himself, and by the end we were happily trotting thru the water complex
without a lead.
It was so easy with him, so I took
advantage and we popped up and down some small steps; jumped a small ditch;
popped a log and a small rail. He never once gave me an 'Ooops' moment and
was so confident and happy. I'm trying to keep it all like playtime, and we
follow first and then do it on our own going towards a 'parked' lead horse. I
tell you Susan, he's amazing! So chuffed.
Don't want to overtax him as he
still feels babyish, but will try and get back to Lincomb once a month, just
to keep his hand in. Other than that, hacking everywhere, and still keeping
the schooling down to once a week at the moment.
Roll on the Spring! Have taken some
pix of him, so will send them to you later in the week.
Happy days!
Love Margaret and the water baby xx
e-mail 03/01/2006
Happy New Year! Hope you all had a
wonderful time in Cuba and have enjoyed a good Christmas break.
Havana and I had a great Christmas. We did
all the things we planned. Have been out with lots of other horses over the
break and he has displayed exemplary behaviour. Canters at the front, middle
or behind and doesn't get above himself at all. A joy to be out with.
Over the next three months the plan is to
introduce a little more schooling, start doing some pole work again and take
him out to a cross country course to introduce him to the fun of it all.
Really looking forward to this year with
him and watching him develop.
Hope you all have a very successful 2006.
Love Margaret & 'H' xxx
e-mail 13/12/2005
Hi Susan,
Got your beautiful Xmas card the
other day .... how do you get the horses to stand so well, and not
move!
Havana all ready for Christmas, and
facing a chance of going out on a 'Xmas Ride' from the yard with about twelve
other horses ... his first en masse experience ... via the local pub for a wee
dram and mince pies.
In the last couple of weeks he's
been feeling more 'grown up' somehow, and so decided to give him a bit of a
blast up the hills. We've been just doing walking/trotting and gentle short
canter, but on Sunday went on our off-piste route, up a fairly steep slope and
then (following a friend) hit canter for about 400 metres. Blimey, he
shifts! The ground was a little uneven, but he never once felt like he was
running out of steam. A little bit inconsistent in his rhythm understandably,
but SO exhilarating. Making the time on a XC course is not going to be an
issue! He's fantastic ... and he loved it.
Hope you all have a wonderful
Christmas and New Year's celebrations. I'm hoping to get a digital camera for
Christmas so I can send you some pix of this handsome chappie.
All the very best.
With love, Margaret and Havana.
e-mail 08/11/2005
Re: Havana Goes Off-piste
Hi Susan,
What a wet weekend .... seized
the opportunity tho to get Havana used to mud and having his feet in water.
Took him over the hills locally, taking in
some 'wilder' countryside and he loved it. Ears pricked; keen both up and
down the tracks, negotiating the steps along the way almost without noticing
they were there. His balance has improved so much these last couple of
months. He still needs to smell water prior to putting his feet in, so he
came back with a bit of a muddy nose - but he's happy!
Will try and get some photos of him to send
you for your rogues gallery.
Enjoy your riding.
Love to all,
Margaret
e-mail 24/10/05
Hi Susan,
How lovely to see all this coverage about
your stud in H & H. What a fantastic year.
Everything's good with Havana. This
weekend he was a bit special and grown-up, as we went out for our first Hack
on our own. He was brilliant. Did a bit of walking backwards when we got to
the gate to the lane, as unfortunately we encountered a couple of friends
returning from their ride and understandably he questioned whether I truly
knew what I was asking him to do! But once he knew that we weren't about to
turn around and go home, he strode out up the lane, thru the spinney and home
without incident. On Sunday as he'd been so good we ventured out further, and
went up a reasonably busy road onto another bridle track. Fantastic. I feel
I could take him anywhere now.
The schooling is coming along well, and I
can see a real change in him. Physically he's got deeper in the girth, and is
much more balanced. Having him is so exciting. It's like having a Christmas
present that's still in the wrapper, and whilst I'm so enjoying seeing him
grow and change, I can't wait to see what he'll be like when he's full in
himself.
Hope things are a little quieter for you
now, and that your ankle is fully recovered.
Enjoy this gorgeous Autumn.
Margaret and 'H' xxxx
e-mail 30/08/05
Hi Susan,
Re: Holiday Havana
Gorgeous weather. Hope you've all enjoyed
the Bank Holiday.
All's well with the lovely Havana. Had a
lesson with him on Saturday. He's going really well and learning to use his
body in a good way.
Hacked out Sunday and Monday and have
started letting him go distances on his own before re-joining companion
horses. He's still a little anxious and whinnies when we go off ahead, but
he's prepared to be obedient too - if not a little keener when we catch sight
of them again. I'm really pleased with his progress.
On the Hacking front we can happily
negotiate fields of sheep milling about us; we can do gates; canter up bridle
tracks; be unsurprised by things that seem to surprise my friend's
horses. Fields of cattle still make him stare in an unbelieving way (his
expression is so funny when he does this). And his party piece is trotting in
hand alongside me in the field, and we both jump logs together side by side.
Even if he breaks into canter it's all in a very soft and aware-of-me-way.
He's so gorgeous.
Tend to ride him two days then give him a
day off. Our hacks now are up to 1 hr. plus. Mainly walking up hills (of
which there are many around our yard) to strengthen him in a gentle way.
Have been really interested reading other
owner's reports on the website. It gives me a bit of a guide as to
how he will develop and whether I'm on the right track with my expectations.
Hope your ankle is now fully recovered and
that you're able to enjoy the sunshine. I'll keep you posted on our
progress.
By the way, good luck at the Show in
September. I wanted to come down and see it - particularly as Peter Storr is
riding Prokofiev - but sadly it clashes with Milton Keynes 3-day and I had
already volunteered to groom for a friend. Ho-hum.
With love
M & H xxxxx
e-mail 05/08/05
Hi Susan,
Just had to tell you this one, as it made
me smile ... last night I went for a hack with a couple of friends, along a
busy road, and then round some local lanes. Lots going on; wheelie bins,
plastic bags, traffic etc. etc. Both companion horses had a few wobbles, but
guess who didn't. He overtook the lead horse a couple of times who was
refusing to go past a couple of 'scary' things. Both friends laughed saying
it was just as well they had the calming influence of Havana around. What a
star!
Have a good weekend. Marg xx
e-mail 03/08/05
Still happily hacking, and am having a very
low-key lesson now every couple of weeks with a Mary Wanless disciple - just
walking him around an arena, and working on gaining speed control. He
responds really well, and it's something we can practice out hacking. So he's
now stepping up much more thru his shoulder ... and his little ears are
flicked back listening to my body talk. Bless him! He's so cute.
I can hardly believe how quickly this year
has gone. It's almost 12 month's ago that I checked out your website to see
what you had for sale and started getting excited at the prospect that this
dream of mine might come true. Being only an amateur I still wonder about my
ability to 'do' something with Havana, and question my expertise, but he seems
so willing and with some very good help around me, it seems possible. When I
watched your DVD of the Open Day and the lovely ridden work, I got quite
excited that one day we might be able to do something similar - in a very
modest way.
Well, I'd better get back to work ...
Keep well.
Margaret x
e-mail 25/07/05
Hi Susan,
Received the DVD on Saturday morning and
have enjoyed watching the day again at closer quarters. You must be so proud
of all your horses. Watching the ridden displays was inspiring and made me
feel excited at how much Havana will develop over the next few years. Gosh,
I'd better get fitter if I'm going to be a match for that forward power!
By the way ... Havana can now open gates.
He was so sweet at the weekend. We came back from a Hack and he didn't quite
'get' that he could walk towards the gate, and go as far as putting his chest
to it, with his head over the other side. My friends horse sidled up beside
him and showed him what I wanted, so he obliged, and then was so calm as I
flicked the metal catch over the gate and pushed it open and close, (just to
make sure it wasn't a fluke we went back thru the gate again). He was
intrigued by the whole process. He always looks like he's really studying
what's going on and then absorbs the information so that the next time he
comes across the same situation, it's a learnt process. I bet they all do
this, but I'm very proud of my clever little horse.
Hope your leg is feeling a little better
and that you're able to get around a bit easier.
Love from the Happy Hackers
M & H xxx
e-mail 20/07/05
Dear Susan,
Just to let you know ...... I love my
horse. We've been out round the local lanes, bumping into combine harvesters,
sheep, cattle slooshing thru streams, men in shorts on bikes, and much more.
He's led from the front all the way, and just needs the odd bit of
encouragement now and again from a squeeze of the leg when he's just a wee bit
uncertain.
I'm not lunging him now before riding, just
trailering him to some lovely lanes and enjoying the evening sun. He's really
bold and obviously loves all this, so we're going to keep having fun and
learning together.
Hope all went well with your editing
process and that you're pleased with the result.
All the very best.
Margaret x
e-mail 23/6/05
Hi Susan,
What weather .... fab!
Another tick in the box for Havana. Took
him out for a hack around the village for the first time on Tuesday evening.
Busy roads - but he was good.
Decided to go out again last night to enjoy
the evening and build on Tuesday's experience, but took a different route.
Out for just over an hour, passing busy pub's, loads of traffic including vans
with bits of piping etc., strapped to roofs and he didn't once do a thing
wrong. He was totally relaxed, finding what was up people's drives
interesting, and not once looking at all the wheelie bins left out for
collection. He's totally amazing. Drain covers, road signs - nothing! If
I'm being absolutely pickie he's likely to do a small banana when he passes a
parked car - but I'm talking really pickie now. My friends are so impressed
with him, so there's lots of plans now to carry on with these 'grown-up' rides
which is great for me and for him.
I'm on holiday for a week next week, so
he's going to go out in the trailer a few times. Hoping to get to a local XC
course to hack round their roads and tracks and play in their water. Then of
course it's your open day. So I'll see you there, and bring the video with
me.
Hope the preparations are going well, and
that the youngstock you were preparing for their photo shoot behaved
impeccably.
Noticed on the website that Havana's
brother has been sold. Congratulations - he does look a bit of a stunner.
Love Marg x
e-mail 15/6/05
Dear Susan,
Just a quick one - Havana fantastic at XC
course on Sunday. Stood quietly.
Horses galloping around. He was
fascinated. Lots of attention from friends who have heard about him, but not
met him yet. He has a fan club!
All good things.
See you soon -
Margaret
e-mail 6/06/2005
Dear Susan,
Hope you are all well, and enjoying this
slightly better weather.
Havana and I went to Swallowfield on
Saturday as planned, to accompany my friend's horse and to give him some
experience of life outside Belbroughton.
He loaded really easily and behaved like a
very experienced horse. We ended up parked adjacent to the car park entrance,
so had lots of cars/trailers and horseboxes driving around us, plus all the
horses, baby buggies, children, dogs and normal paraphernalia of the day. He
stood very calmly tied to the trailer, even while I put on his exercise
bandages, and I just needed to reassure him (for my sake probably than for
his) a couple of times when we first got there. He got a bit uncertain when
an umbrella with legs scurried by, as we stood in the rain (understandable),
but was the perfect gentleman around the trailer.
Jo Swain at Swallowfield kindly allowed me
to lunge him in a separate area, and he went gorgeously, so with confidence I
climbed aboard and took him into their warm up arena. For a first time out,
he was very good. There were white plastic lightweight rails around the
arena, which he was OK with, plus several horses cantering/trotting around.
In unfamiliar surroundings he took it all pretty much in his stride. A couple
of 'moments' but all in all a very pleasing first day out. Jo wanted to
know about his breeding as she thought he was wonderful, and loved his
elevated paces. She's offered to let me go over there whenever there's a
quiet dressage day on for further experience, which I'm planning to do.
With my friend warming up, and me and him
standing a little sodden in the rain, I decided to grasp the nettle, held him
by the lead rope, dropped down the back of the trailer while he stood by me,
and then led him up, where he stood on his own munching his hay, glad to be
out of the rain, and quite content to be alone.
Our next excursion is a very small local XC
course which is holding a clear round day on Sunday. He'll go along for the
ride, and then I'll hack around their bridle tracks (avoiding galloping horses
this time I think!)
Oh, and the other thing - he's slightly
over 16 hands now, and is really filling out and looking like his dad. He is
bursting with life and energy, and we all make jokes about how pink I am when
I get off him, and how he doesn't sweat .... until last Sunday, when I managed
to get him damp under his neck!
Having fun and enjoying it all. Looking
forward to seeing you and all the new babes in July.
Love, Margaret and 'H' xxxx
e-mail 25/05/2005
Hi Susan,
I am so proud of Havana. Have been
challenging him in the last couple of weeks which has reaped great results.
Have been doing varied schooling over
scattered poles on ground; doing rapid canter/trot/canter transitions on the
lunge - which he loves doing, you can see the smile on his face and he just
wants to offer this all the time! And we can now leg yield in walk.
What has prompted me to write was a
brilliant ride last night when he excelled himself.
I lunged him first for 10 minutes, then set
off with a friend on our normal small hack to the Spinney. That log I told
you about a few emails ago - well we jumped it a couple of times, then went
off and found another and popped that. (That's our first time properly off
the ground together). He feels fantastic. Having now got up a head of steam,
we then diverted from our normal route and went out on a real road for the
first time. He had cars and a camper van overtake him, and he didn't do a
thing wrong. A bit hesitatant occasionally, but I had far worse off my old
Eventer.
We then found some water to paddle through
- he has been a bit suspicious of water - but after some encouragement and him
being so gorgeous wanting to paw the water and smell it, he finally went in
and then happily followed my friends horse in and out of it.
A big beaming smile which is still with me
this morning. He is giving me so much pleasure and is so sweet natured.
Loving every minute of time with him.
I have set my goals now on being able to
trot all round the large field which I hack to, by the end of next week, with
a bit of canter thrown in too. He is going to a Dressage Event to accompany a
friend on the 4th June at Swallowfield. I saw the Lady who runs the Centre at
the weekend and asked if I could bring him along for the experience and lunge
him somewhere quiet and then if all's well get on and ride him in the warm up
arena. I'll let you know how it all goes. Generally he's going to go out in
the Trailer as often as possible to get experience of events. I'll just be
lunging him and leading him around for the first few times, but he seems to
eat up experiences. I am only now beginning to fully appreciate just how
intelligent he is.
Saw the pix of the new Arena. Wow! That
is so lovely. What a difference it will make to your work.
Love from us Both.
Margaret
e-mail 29/03/2005
Re: Half Term Report
So ..... a Havana up-date:
Can now walk, trot and canter with me ON
him. First Canter experience on Saturday - very exciting for me, and just one
of those things for him.
Lunged him over a 3' fence on Sunday.
Piece of cake. Clears it with tremendous ease. Didn't get fizzy at all.
Can't wait to do that together!!
Has acclimatised to the hosepipe for
washing down legs, neck and body. Perfectly done.
Has learned where I keep the sweet treats,
and knows how to snuffle around to find them. Bless!
He's a model pupil, and makes my riding
look good. What more could a girl ask for .....
Now the nights are lighter, am planning to
go out for a few small hacks in the evenings with friends to keep everything
varied for him. Total pleasure.
Good luck with the next foaling. Look
forward to seeing the pix on the website.
Love Margaret x
e-mail 24/03/2005
Congratulations on the new arrivals. They
look gorgeous.
Havana still fine and growing. He's now just
a tad under 16 hands. (Oh me of little faith ........!)
Enjoying riding him so much, and everyone
loves him.
Love Margaret x
e-mail 28/2/2005
This weekend, tho very chilly, found us
venturing out on a hack for the first time. My friend Beth (you met her the
first time we came down and encountered the rather playful 3 yr. olds!) took
the lead on her 'old-hand' and we did the route I took the other weekend when
we went out long-reining. This was only the second time he'd ever been out of
the yard.
Copy book performance, yet again. Thru the
woods (avoiding the fallen log, but eyeing it up for other hacks to come later
in the Spring), we followed two-thirds of the way round, and then assumed the
lead on the way back. All in walk.
Nothing seems to phase him. He is so
chilled out. In fact it was my friend's horse who played up. 'H' took no
notice and just sached along.
Yesterday, a bit more schooling, with me
feeling oh so proud, as a few other friends from the yard came round for a
look. That they tell me how beautiful he moves, with such expression, even at
this tender age, just makes the smile on my face broader.
The weather this week looks set to hamper
my schooling plans, but I'm sure a couple of quieter days will do him no harm
at all.
Hope your ankle is much better and that you
are into physio now. Hope it's not too icy by you.
***
e-mail 21/2/2005
Monday Smiles.....
Havana and I can now trot - in unison -
and rather beautifully.
As my friends said on Saturday, having
ridden him off the lunge at speed (trot!!) it's all a bit boring.
Everything happens without incident. There've been no 'exciting' bucks or
running off (thank goodness) and the spectacle a few of my mates thought
they were going to enjoy of me being tossed around a bit on top, was a
non-event. I had the biggest smile on my face, as he just feels so easy,
light and natural.
I can see it's going to be an addictive
feeling. I got up at 5.30 a.m. yesterday morning to make a coffee as I woke
up early and then started thinking about him, and decided whilst I was
waiting for the water to boil I could look at the video recording of
Saturday's 'event' and enjoy it all again. Whether I wanted a coffee first
or wanted to see the tape - well I'd have to dig deep into my soul to check
that one out.
But he is SO gorgeous. I couldn't have
hoped for more. So the little horse with the white eye, who my friends and I
had decided was most definitely the one I really shouldn't seriously
consider when I first visited you, having watched the tape of
him enthusiastically expressing himself at your open day, is everything
I've ever wanted.
I'm rationing my ridden time to three
times a week, 15 minutes. And I'll be good at keeping to that for the next
month or so, then gradually increase it.
Will be in touch with an up-dated missive
shortly.
Hope all is well with you and your team.
Will be bringing a little party of friends with me for your Open Day this
year, as everyone is smitten with him, and want to find out more about these
wonderful horses.
***
e-mail 14/2/2005
Just have to tell you .....
The weekend brought untold joys .....
Long reined Havana off the yard and down the
very quiet lane on Saturday, as a friend rode in front. She led on the way
out - up to the woods, round and thru, and WE led on the way back. Then he
stood like a darlin' at the gate, as she continued on her way, and we carried
on up the track back to the yard.
I lunged him on Sunday, and SAT ON HIM for
the first time. Only at walk, on a lunge and only for about 10 minutes. But
it was uneventful as I had expected, and he feels gorgeous. I've had the
biggest smile on my face since.
The plan is to ride him again tomorrow and
Thursday, and then off into trot (and the sunset) on Saturday.
Hope the leg is improving. Foaling time must
be almost upon you.
e-mail 9/2/2005
He's Grown...
Got the stick out on Havana at the weekend
and he stands a proud 15.3 + 1/8. He's looking leggy again, so I guess he'll
start filling out before the next upward burst.
Continued with the long reining last week.
He's starting to look big from behind, and also to show a bit of definition in
his muscles. It's great.
Sheep are not his favourite animal -
discovered during a long reining session around our fields when we encountered
a small flock in an adjacent field. He did a lovely passage!!!!!
All's well. Hoping to get on him maybe
this weekend, if not definitely the week after. Can't wait.
***
e-mail 1/12/2005
Just thought of you all down there,
and felt the urge to send you a quick missive.
Havana can now do all manner of things if
you wiggle a rope at him, Pat Parelli style.
This includes, walking backwards, going
round me in circles while I stand still in the middle. (This one gets a bit
exciting now and again, as he discovered an escape route and ran off with the
rope trailing in the mud a couple of times, but we're getting there ....). and
he can turn on his forehand and hindquarters when asked (and if
concentrating). All great fun. Lots of bonding. And the greatest pleasure
was him and the two buddies he shares the field with, cantering across
to greet me on Sunday morning.
He is settled, relaxed and munching well.
Happy days. Be in touch soon.
***
e-mail 16/11/2005
Happy, happy days! Havana is munching
quietly, and probably has much amusement at the antics of the humans around
him.
I visit him each morning to check him at
about 7.30, and have started just doing some Richard Maxwell stuff with him to
do a bit-a-bonding. He'll now follow me around on the end of a long line and
stands still when he's softly rubbed on his forehead. You said he'd learn
quickly!!!
The field he's in has a lane that runs
alongside it, and it's one of those rat-run ones, so it's great to give him
some experience of traffic.
I seemed to spend Sunday going to and from
the field to rendezvous with friends for a peep. By mid afternoon with the
last of the friends standing gooey-eyed, Havana was sitting curled up in the
field, sleeping. I didn't know horses dreamt, but he was. Rapid eye movement
and his legs were twitching as he leant his head on his nose and drifted in
the afternoon sun, resting his head against my leg. Bliss!
Lovely to get your note, and I promise I'll
keep in touch with you.
All the very best, and many thanks again.
Love Marg S
***
This is the photo published in Horse & Rider
