As I write, Ishtar (Arabian Park Tycoon x Taralea Tamara) is in Kaikoura being started under saddle en route to her new home with Sarah Greaves in the North Island. Izzy is now six years old and it is well and truly time she was out doing things. She has matured into a magnificent looking horse, a striking liver chestnut colour, very powerful with ground covering movement. Sarah plans to endurance her in the future, and with her breeding and amazing movement Ishtar should make an awesome distance horse. My best wishes go to Sarah and Ishtar for their future together.

Otherwise things are very quiet at present, at least they are today, as Ollie (River Oak Colorado x Manton Mishaal) was put into the round yard to be weaned on Monday and today he finally lost his voice. Yesterday Pete asked if I was missing a horse as he could hear one over the road somewhere calling out. It was just Ollie who was still protesting vigorously but in half voice, so it sounded like it was coming from a distance. He is such a baby, but at six months it was time for him to grow up a bit. I spent some time giving him cuddles today, and he kept pushing his face under my arm to hide and nudging me to rub his ears. He would be the most affectionate horse I have had for a while, very snuggly - it's nice. He is growing into a very fine lad, and I am going to grow him on as a colt for a while, I think he has the makings of a beautiful stallion. He is going to be tall, with a strong body that is all curves, and a lovely easy elevated movement.

The other two lads are growing well too, Joe (Colorado x Rhiannon) is a big bold riding horse in the making, while Jack (Flowervale Meteor x Loopstone) is just stunning. Joe has grown a flaxen mane and tail and reminds me of Jaytee Giselle, a half-sister of Colorado's in Australia, all legs and length with an easy-going temperament. Jack is huge, with enormous joints and bone and a very elegant head. His movement is something special and I never get sick of watching him and Joe charging around the paddock, with Jack's huge trot keeping up easily with Joe's canter.

This year's foals aren't too far away; Rhiannon (Kandahar Ibn Kazra x Sherwood Athene) is due first to Calais in the middle of October, followed by Annie (Tycoon x Rhiannon) and Naahrah (Naaddel x Shaaltarah) both due to Calais at the end of October. Then it's Ellie (Tycoon x Gold Kanial) and Sonnett (Kazra x Tavon) due to Colorado at the end of November. Rhiannon is absolutely huge, with 8 weeks to go, so I am assuming it's another large colt, even though I told her she was about due to give me another filly - she's only had one so far out of six foals. The others are quite small, so I'm hoping for a few fillies.

Next up will be the stallion parade, in a moment of weakness I decided to take both lads, which probably means I am going to get there and wonder what the hell I'm doing. Especially as it is very early, on the 9th of September this year, so although Calais is moulting frantically, Colorado has only just started and they will both look a bit scruffy. However, I am not into full body clips at the best of times, never mind when they are just coming through with their new coats and they have to live out in the paddock, so it will be loads of conditioner and try to flatten the coats with covers. At least Arabians have finer coats than some breeds, Jack looks like a big fluffy teddy bear, I swear his coat is at least two inches long, especially the stuff coming out of his ears - he is fluffier than the Shetland pony.

It's been very busy round here the last few months - I hardly know where to start. So I'll just carry on from the end of the last update until I've caught up.

Calais at the Canterbury stallion parade. Picture: Annie Studholme

The stallion parade went very well. Calais was the perfect gentleman to take out, especially considering he hasn't been out that often, and not since the last stallion parade. He had no objections to me catching him at Sandy's place the morning of the parade and loaded quite happily onto the float (Sandy was away so wasn't able to help - a credit to Calais that he didn't mind).

He was lovely to show and I had many people comment on how well behaved he was, both in the ring and at the box. We (read Pete) were trying our best to win the marketing award again this year; Pete went into overdrive the week before producing a video of Colorado because he wasn't going, and a new stud brochure. He then stood at the door of the arena handing out brochures to everyone (probably much to the disgust of the local warmblood breeders!) and a DVD to anyone interested in Arabians.

In one way this was very successful; although we didn't win the award (we missed out by a smidgen because the DVD was of Colorado not Calais - my friend Simone who was helping is insisting that next year we take both boys and videos of them both to make sure) but the response to the DVD especially was fantastic.

As people who later booked a mare into Colorado told us, it made the difference being able to see his movement, and to be able to watch it over and over to check him out thoroughly. So now we need to do one of Calais too. Annie Studholme took her usual beautiful photos of Calais at the parade and wrote a lovely piece for Horse and Pony too, which made our month.

Calais arrived here a couple of weeks later, and settled in immediately. He is such an easy horse to have around, it feels like he's been here forever.

The mares certainly like him, I had two this year decide they didn't like Colorado and wanted the handsome grey dude instead. Not something I have ever had to deal with before!

One was Rhiannon, on her foaling heat I was going to breed her back to Colorado again as I was very pleased with the colt she had had to him, but in spite of being heavily in season, she refused to have anything to do with Colorado (this from a mare who has always been the easiest to serve - she was squealing and striking out at Colorado with force) so I gave in and bred her to Calais instead.

I was going to next year anyway, it just brought things forward a year. Who am I to argue!

The next to go to Calais was Naahrah, and after serving her we put them in together, as Sandy had said he does better when in with a mare. They get on reasonably well, just the odd argument, usually over food.

Then he served Ashira, Rhiannon's one and only daughter (by Tycoon) for her first foal, as he is a gentleman to serve with and great for a nervous maiden.

Last to go to him was Zelina, and all four mares have caught first time, so barring problems over winter the first of his babies should arrive October.

Colorado has been very busy, two of mine and a heap of outside mares of all shapes and sizes; including, for the first time, two Appaloosa mares. For years I promoted Tycoon as a potential Appy sire because of his colour (two generations free of grey) until I finally gave up, so I look forward to seeing the result.

Sonnett and Aurielle are also both in foal to him, and are currently in his paddock teaching him manners around the ladies. He had become a bit too enthusiastic and started launching himself from several feet away from the mare when serving, and this can be very hard to stop.

So one evening after serving a mare I put Sonnett and Ellie (aka "The Pitbull") in his paddock and then let him go. He was very excited and took off after them like a rocket. I stayed watching them in case of trouble, but after a few moments of Colorado chasing the girls they turned on him and showed him just why he shouldn't go charging up their backsides.

One hour later he had his head in a corner quietly grazing pretending they didn't exist ("mares - what mares? I don't see any mares"). It worked, too, the next day when we served another mare he started to do a flying leap, but he then stopped and listened to me when I said NO.

He has been very polite ever since, but I'm not sure he likes being a real stallion with a herd, he's been awfully quiet and grumpy the last week cos they are a bit mean to him. Now if he can just grow a bit of hair back over the kick marks I can get him to the South Island Champs!

We have had three out of four babies born so far.

The first was Rhiannon, to Colorado. She had a beautiful big chestnut colt, named Joe by Nicole - aka Joe Cool cos he is very, and he is just wonderful. Not quite as big as his full brother Bashir, Joe should still make a good 15.2hh and is beautifully put together with the movement. He is so laid back - he just loves anyone who pays him attention.

Joe Cool and Danielle

Zelina was next, to Zaddam, a liver chestnut going grey colt (Danielle's turn, he's called Sam).

Sam, by Zaddam

He is also going to be a reasonable height, although not knowing the bloodlines I'm not sure, and he seems to be very much like his sire. He is an elegant foal and moves very nicely like Zelina.

Number three was Molly (the TB) to Flowervale Meteor (WB), a stunning dark bay colt (Nicole's turn again - he is Jack).

Jack, by Flowervale Meteor

Rosewood Shemaali (Tilly)

Only one mare left to foal, Mishka to Colorado in about a week. This will be a full sibling to Tilly (Shemaali) who is growing into the most beautiful young horse.

She is going to the South Island Champs (first weekend in Feb) along with Colorado and Dot (Spellbound) - barring accidents between now and then - and I am looking forward to seeing how she does. She is tall, beautiful and very elegant, with the longest finest neck, and moves like a dream. Now if I can just get her to do it in front of the judge! I very enthusiastically entered wee Dot in the novice ridden classes as well as the led, but at present we are still trying to get canter on the circle, as my schooling area is not very big and it's a bit tricky. At least I'm riding her again, so if she doesn't make this show under saddle, there will be another.

She is lovely to work with, very enthusiastic and she stands at the gate calling out for me when it's time to ride. She was very upset the other night, as we were stacking hay in the shed and I ran out of time to ride; she stood there all evening yelling her head off every time she saw me. It's so nice to be wanted!