See pictures from our Open Day.

It's the first day of spring tomorrow, and it is looking suspiciously spring like outside (20 degrees, daffodils and next doors pet lambs have squeezed under the fence again and are trying to find a free feed).

I say suspiciously because either it is going to start snowing soon - probably right when the mares are foaling - or we are really in trouble for summer. Either way, I'm just enjoying things right now and I'll worry about the rest when/if it happens. Rhiannon and Mishka are due to foal in about four weeks, and they are both so not enjoying the heat. I do feel for them and keep telling them perhaps they could foal a bit early and fix the problem. I wish.

It's been a major couple of months round here, and breeding season hasn't even started. I had to (very reluctantly) make the decision to put down both Chante and Princess a few weeks ago. Chante has been battling a nasty sarcoma above her right eye for the last 18 months and in spite of trying everything the most we could do was keep the growth in check. Over winter, while not being treated, it started to grow again and in the last month it doubled in size and seriously started to bother her. As the treatments consisted of anaesthetizing her and injecting the drugs into the growth it wasn't feasible (or fair) to continue with them indefinitely.

Princess (Whitestones Crystal Princess) had just turned 27, and had been slowly losing condition over the last year; she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer about six years previously, so had done very well to keep going as long as she had.

I miss both girls, especially Chante, it's odd not to see her in the paddock as she has been a major part of Rosewood Farm from the moment she was born. Tycoon was very quiet for a week or so after she went, she was the head horse on the place and no one argued with her except him.

Arabian Park Tycoon Photo: Annie Studholme

Tycoon is now 21 (officially, his actual birthday is not until 18th of September), and we are busy planning a 21st party for him - as you do!

I had been thinking about having an open day for a while, so this is the perfect excuse for a party. It will be on the Monday of Labour weekend (24th October) and everyone is welcome. The stud will be open from 2pm and there will be a parade of horses from 3pm.

This will include Tycoon (of course), Colorado, mares and hopefully the two babies due early October, plus youngstock - purebred and anglo - of both stallions. If you are thinking of coming, please could you give me a quick call on 03 3129 317, or drop me a line to rosewood@horsetalk.co.nz so I can make sure there is enough carrot cake for everyone. Or you could come and see us at the stallion parade in Christchurch on the 11th September. I have decided to take Tycoon this year, partly because of his age and partly because he hasn't been out for a few years now, and there will be people who haven't seen him before. Jenny is taking Ardashir and Rachel is taking her anglo Vivace as examples of his progeny, and we will be doing the same tent set up as last year. So come along and stop for a drink and something to munch.

The last couple of weeks have been quite exciting, as I was contacted by Annie Studholme, a freelance photographer and journalist for Horse and Pony magazine. She wanted to do a story on an Arabian stud and wondered if she could come and take some photos of the boys and do a piece on Rosewood Farm. I was very pleased with the idea, especially as it is due to come out in October's edition, which is perfect timing for the open day. Luckily the day Annie came out the weather was just lovely with brilliant sunshine, and she took some fantastic shots. One of them was this stunning headshot of Tycoon, which I have bought off her. The article she wrote is great, and I can't wait to see it all put together.

Dot (Spellbound) is going wonderfully, I had no idea she would turn out to be such a wee treasure. Her first outing was to Jenny's place so her big brother could baby-sit her round the plantation out the back of his paddocks. Dot's eyes were hanging out on stalks for the first 10-15 minutes, but she never did anything silly and quickly settled into enjoying herself.

Spellbound

We trotted for ages, dealt with going through a large mud puddle (eventually - at one point I thought she was going to walk backwards all the way home to avoid it!), and coped with our big brother acting the total tit and shying at lurkers-in-the-bush every five minutes.

She was very tired by the end (about 4km) and when we got back home she ate heaps and then fell asleep on her feet. The next time I schooled her in the paddock we were away, with circles at trot for as long as I wanted - look mum I can do it now!

The next outing was with Robin Marshall on her geriatric anglo Bill to go round the roads. This was going to be slow, I had been warned by Robin, as Bill wasn't up to any more than a walk. Well, she should have told Bill this as it was his turn to act the tit and pretend to be the racehorse/eventer that he used to be, trying to gallop up hills (and down!). But little Dotty decided to ignore him too (you could see her thinking - obviously these males have problems), and the traffic never fazed her. Apart from one army bloke on a motorbike who thought it better to turn off his engine and coast quietly up behind us so as not to frighten the horses. Problem was none of us realized he was there and Dot nearly wet herself when she suddenly saw him! He was trying to find his "boys" who we had seen heading off in another direction sometime previously. As he left he was shaking his head and muttering how the hell they could get lost so easily. I hope we never get invaded is all I can say.

Finally, on August 21 it was Dot's big day, at the Canterbury club's first trail ride of the season. OK, it was only 11km, and it was just around the roads, but I haven't been riding her that long. Big brother Ardashir came to babysit again (he was much better this time, taking his job a bit more seriously!), and we had the most fun. Wee Dot was a wee treasure (apart from a slight problem of not wanting to stay tied up to the float, but we got round that by not tying her to it - she didn't go anywhere) again she was goggling - at all the stuff in the paddocks and letterboxes and mad cows leaping around - but she never put a foot wrong. We even learnt to canter on a long straight stretch. She is going to be so good, she was quite happy to take the lead from Ardashir even on the home stretch when she was getting tired. Next month we'll try 20km.

Next year will see the start of a new direction for Rosewood Farm. Having bred anglos so successfully over the years I am now going to try warmbloods (not that I am going away from my purebreds of course). I won't be losing the Arabian connection, as for my first foal I am leasing an Arabian warmblood mare, Mishton Shequinaah. Dee, as she is called, is owned by Mishka's mum Penny McDrury, and she is out of Mishka by Corlando. So that makes her a Tycoon granddaughter. Dee is lovely, about 15.3hh at present she is still growing and should finish around 16hh, with beautiful movement and the most laid back nature (if I'm going to breed big they have to be nice!). She is booked in to go to Maree Millikens new colt Flowervale Meteor this season. Meteor is just stunning, dutch warmblood on one side and hanoverian on the other, beautifully put together, with movement to die for. Next time round I'll put Sonnett to him, as I think he would breed really well over anglos and tall partbreds. Dee will be at the open day, so you will be able to see her there.

That's about it for now, until the babies arrive. Fingers crossed they'll be early!

All the best,

Helen

It's that time again - it's Monday so both girls are at school all day, it's raining, and I am sick of the complaints from friends about wanting something new to read! So here I am at the computer, wishing it wasn't raining so I could be doing horse things. I'm not normally so reluctant to write, but I have some bad news that I have been trying to forget. Not that that makes it go away, but I don't like being reminded. Last month I lost Sammy (Samir - Colorado x Naahrah) in a paddock accident. I don't know how it happened but he shattered his near hind leg and had to be put to sleep. Not the best day of my life. You tend to think why is it always the good ones? He was a lovely baby with a fantastic nature; the only positive is that both parents are young and I can always repeat the breeding.

I do have four babies on the way for next season; Sonnett (Khandahar Ibn Kazra x Tavon) is in foal to Colorado for the first time, Rhiannon is back in foal for another Benny, and Aurielle is also back in foal to Colorado for another Shiloh.

The foal I am most looking forward to is from a mare I have on lease, Manton Mishaal. Mishka is owned by Penny McDrury, who has very kindly allowed me the use of her; she is an Australian imported Tycoon daughter from the mare Finvola. The Australian judges we had visiting in March knew Finvola and said she was a lovely old mare. Mishka certainly takes after her dam then, she is very placid and a joy to have around, she keeps the youngsters in line without bullying. She is a typical Tycoon, a dark bay with very little white and a good 15hh, beautifully put together and a lovely riding horse. It will be very interesting to see this baby, with Aurielle having bred so well to Colorado. Mishka and Rhiannon are due early October, Sonnett in the middle of October and Aurielle the middle of December.

Speaking of babies, Colorado's last baby for the season was from Helen Bray's Faraway Ve'era.

A bay colt (to Helen's disappointment - she was hoping for a filly) he is lovely and is going to be very tall. He is a very busy baby and loves to gallop round and round his huge paddock at full speed. The other babies from this year that I have seen are growing well, Helen's partbred filly has turned a beautiful liver chestnut, as has Robin Marshall's anglo filly. I hope I get a liver chestnut next season, it's one of my favourite colours. Also I am hoping for a filly or 3, as I have had requests from several people for purebred Colorado fillies. Fingers crossed.

The show season ended as successfully as it started, with Shiloh taking out the purebred Championship at Oxford show. He showed very well and moved out beautifully, he's definitely happier outside than in the indoor arena. He'll have to get over it for next show season, as the Nationals will be down here and if he can move like he did at Oxford we'll be in for a chance. He's now won four Champions and one Reserve from six outings and he can only get better.

I have just started Spellbound (Tycoon/Enchante) under saddle lately, she is rising four and it is time she went and did "stuff". She is coming along very nicely, especially considering she has had very little handling, just lead/tie up and feet. She was very nervous about me being on her back to start with, but we turned a corner last week and I rode her on Friday for the first time. She is lovely to work with; sensible and very clever, and although she does have her mother's lightning-quick reactions she tends to freeze and think about things. Certainly nothing else about the process has fazed her, and she now bounces up to be caught when it's time for work. I just love the arabian's attitude, they are so responsive to attention. All going well I will take Spellbound out to a trail ride or two early in the season, Jenny has offered to "baby-sit" us around with Spellbound's big brother Ardashir.

There should be a few Tycoon babies out doing distance next season; Jenny was talking to Ian Parks who has Nebula (Tycoon/Sonnett) and he just loves him. Nebula is rising five and will be out competing (quietly until he matures - apparently he has grown to a good 16hh like his brother Premonition) next season too. As a breeder it is such a great feeling to see these horses out, especially when you feel as strongly as I do that they have the potential to be very good.

It's March tomorrow. Not sure where the months have gone, but they have been full. Colorado has had two more babies born, with just one to go. Helen Bray's Esther Rose (Sky Hawk x Fluffy Duck) foaled a filly the weekend Helen had to go to the North Island endurance champs to be on the ground jury. I had Esther here for a couple of days until John, who was looking after Helen's place while she was away, could get to Helen's farm. Of course Esther just had to foal the next morning, she couldn't wait until mum got home. Thank goodness Helen lent me her foaling alarm, it saved me from a sleepless night. The filly, named Eliza Rose, is a very pretty chestnut with amazing ears; you'll never mistake her for anything but Arabian bred!

Robin Marshall's Platique (by Palatable) has also had a chestnut filly, this wee girl is Colorado's first Anglo and she is also lovely. She is elegant, but with a touch of Arabian refinement, and is very friendly. Robin was really hoping for a filly as this is probably Platique's last foal, so Indy (Indiana) is apparently a "keeper".

We have only been to one show since Canterbury, as the Arab show and the South Island champs were combined and I missed the Breeders show this year. I took Colorado, Naahrah, Samir and Shiraj to the S.I. Champs in February; Samir came home Champion purebred colt, and Shiraj came home with Champion purebred junior gelding. The judge said Samir was a beautiful foal, and that Shiraj's win was well deserved.

Unfortunately Naahrah had mud fever that swelled up her front white leg after she was washed and boxed over night, and she was quite sore the next day. However, I did want to get Sammy out to his first show, and he handled it all like a wee trouper. He happily loaded onto the float, didn't mind being washed or covered and apart from the odd bounce he showed well, trotting out beautifully to show off his lovely movement. I like showing these Colorado babies.

Naahrah and Samir

Last weekend (19th and 20th of Feb) I was at the South Island endurance champs, strapping for Jenny and Ardashir. We were at Mt Somers, a fantastic spot (especially for strappers!) with a shop, pub with the best fish and chips and a camping ground with hot showers all within a few minutes walk. It was almost luxury. Like most rides I came home seriously sleep deprived but it was a great weekend. I met lots of new people, and caught up with old friends and just generally had a ball. I was especially proud of the fact that there were three horses competing with the Rosewood prefix, all Tycoon babies. Kevin James had Tahir there (x Earlia Usiya) in the 160km ride (Sarah Hamer riding), Jenny was on Ardashir (x Rosewood Rhiannon) and Ainsley King was riding Premonition (x Rosewood Sonnett) both in the 100km ride. All three horses qualified, and Ardashir and Premonition both did really well as it was only the second open ride for both these lads. Jenny and Ainsley rode together (and crossed the finish line together) and both horses were vetting through very quickly. Apart from the end of the second loop when it was very hot (it took us four minutes extra to get the heart rates down then), both boys were walking back from the start/finish line and vetting straight through. They both looked good the next day too. I had one rider comment to me that they were going to be horses to watch in the future. I hope so!

This weekend is the Saddlehorse Champs, for which I am show secretary, but I have entered both Nicole and Danielle in the lead rein and fancy dress classes. Jenny offered to lead one of them, but now I'm wondering what the hell I've done, as I now have two costumes (fairy on a unicorn with Jamie as a MOST unlikely unicorn, and Pippi Longstockings) to sort out before Saturday. However Danielle is sooo excited about riding in her first show and she has been working really hard and can now post to the trot - no mean feat on a Shetland with 10" long legs. Watch this space for results!