Pony presentation 1. Swinghill's Paulette and her foals Thorin Ax and Eowyn Ax

Our webpage is quite simple now and haven't had time to translate all pages to English so thought I write presentations of our ponies here in the blog to link then to the webpage. So let see: now we have three mares Swinghill's Paulette, who is also driven/ridden and two other mares Skattens Sissy and Jenniefer which I have bought as broodmares and what is what they have been doing also before they came to us. Beside the foals of these three mares we have two geldings and one colt not related to them and the stallion Verano of course. I'll start today by presenting Swinghill's Paulette and her offspring.

Paulette is kind of a Cinderella-story. My friend Päivi called that there had been some issues at a breeder and the vetenerian had ordered all the ponies to be sold by auction on Monday (to make a long story short). At that time we only had our first Shetland pony Okana and Päivi guessed right that I might be interested to buy another mare to keep company to Okana who was too tuff for a small one to be kept with my standardbred trotters and she was feeling a bit lonely. So, the owner had permission to sell the ponies even before the actual auction and so Päivi drove to the stables at Saturday to take a look. Then she called me and told about Paulette and her dam Dalia and asked which one I would like and I answered that she can choose as she is there and sees the ponies and I take what is left. She chose Dalia amongst some other ponies and so Paulette came to us. She was not in as bad shape as some other ponies but still needed some caretaking and half a year later she had severe colic because of sand in the stomach, she had of course been eating what ever could be found and so also sand had gathered in her stomach. After we got rid of the sand she really started to change and became the most lovely working pony.

 

Paulette and her best friend Okana, our first Shetland, who made this all start and who sadly passed away in foaling

Paulette has a top pedigree with the Swedish Elite stallion Plutus v. Dorpzicht as dad and as told, Dalia, as mom. Grand sire is Elit Wessel v.d. Amstelhof and her 2nd, 3rd and 4th mom's are all Elit - no pressures Paulette! From this maternal line comes stallions like Dior and Diezel in Sweden.

So she showed quite soon to be a quality mare and shortly one can summon her Breed Show results as several Golds, Classwinner and Champion titels and three times she has been Best In Show III! At the official breeding evaluation she also got the best award in Finland, I (Gold). A list of show results and pedigree can be found at the Sukuposti database (where you by the way find thousands of Shetland ponies, too with photos) Swinghill's Paulette in Sukuposti

 

A judge said once that Paulette is exactly what a Shetland pony should be like: robust, even a bit old fashioned compared what is expected today, and in the show ring she as judge saw all the time that Paulette was doing exactly what I asked for. That's Paulette for sure!

 

As that wouldn't be enough for a rescue pony she is also one of the ponies we have used in our pony clubs as riding and driving pony, in pony agility and horse assisted activities for children with disabilities. I have driven her in Performance classes both long reins and in pair and she has been Performance Champion also! Last winter we trained hard with Ivanhoe av Friheten and so in April we drove 500 km to Ypäjä Equine College to compete in easy level regional combine driving class. In dressage we placed second and also totally second and that was one of the highlights of my Shetland pony career :D

 

"Lettu" as we call her at combine driving training winter 2015

 At combine driving competition in Ypäjä, dressage 68%,
Ivanhoe av Friheten on right from the whip, Paulette on left

Then to her foals which she as two of... In 2011 I bought a stallion, Verano Lee v.d. Zandkamp from Denmark. So Paulette got her first foal and our first Shetland offspring ever 17.5.2012. It was a black colt and got the name Thorin Ax. Before foaling I was very stressed and sad because we had dramatically lost Okana in foaling just a month earlier and I was very afraid of loosing Paulette too. How ever the foaling went fast probably much due to Thorin who was a small rat! I remember thinking I have never seen such a weakling foal! Though he was a tiny one he developed very well and got I (gold) at the official foal evaluation as yearling and also the best points any yearling Shetland colt got in Finland that year, though only II (silver) at Breed Shows. As 2 yrs old he got officially again I  and was, again, best in Finland of two year old colts and then he got also splendid results at Breed Show, Gold, Classwinner, Best Colt winning over the amazing Usvaniityn Jesse who won everything else in 2014 and went on to be Reserve Champion titel - by a UK judge! In 2015 we showed him again at Breed Show in February and again he got all the titels up to Best In Show II! As you see in the photo, mom Swinghill's Paulette was Best In Show III. One of the top momenst at Breed Shows for us. Thorin is now driven a few times with gig and will soon start light work in order to be an add to our driving ponies. He is a very friendly pony who rely on you totally.

  

Paulette and Thorin, mother and son Best In Show III & II

 Thorin Ax as 2 yrs old

Paulette's second foal is Eowyn Ax is a dream come true filly born 23.5.2013, she got her dad Verano's dun color and a star and was named after the Rohan princess Eowyn in Tolkien's stories. If possible, she was even smaller when born than Thorin! Still now apprx. 101-102 cm. She has got Gold and Classwinner titel at Breed Shows and as a yearling  I (gold) at official foal evaluation with 9 points of trot which is very very rare! She is such a beautiful filly of TNT and love her to bits, can imagine that Paulette has been just like her when she was filly. Emma is driven long reins a few times and will in time also be broken to drive.

Eowyn Ax as 2 yr old

So that was our Paulette and her two foals so far. Now she is again covered and has not shown heat yet so fingers crossed we have a new beautiful addition on the way to this family :)

Next I'll write about Jenniefer and her offspring!

I'm here again!

Oh it has been a while AGAIN since last text but have been busy and un-inspired to write :D Well since last time, of course, a lot has happened. We got two soooo lovely foals they couldn't be cuter! Look:

May I present:

Caradhras Ax and Nenya Ax

You find their pedigree etc. at our website.


Then of course we finally have built the marathon obsticles we got the material from Svarvars Trävaruhandel but have not been able to test them yet.

And then we went on a Match Show for all breeds and Eowyn Ax won the foal class and was chosen Best In Show II

  

After that we got a package from Sweden from my sponsors Mias Ridsport and Fällfors frisergård! Mias Ridsport makes saddle pads for driving harness in all sizes and colors, will take better photo of them later but here one:

 

And I also bought an anatomic breastplate from Fällfors frisergård (www.selar.se where you also can buy Mias pads). The breastplate is made by Ideal harness and is the first one I found in leather. I had Zilco which I was very pleased with otherwise but did not like the material, I'm too oldfashioned and prefer leather... This one is more curved and a bit wider than Zilco and the attachment to traces is lower. First impression after a few drives: positive. It has quick release/quick hitch to the traces as the harness has in tugs so I can tell you, hitching to carrige couldn't be faster!

Yesterday our stable was checked by the Finnish Equestrian Federation, so our stable Stall Ax continues as a "Hobbystable" (Harrastetalli) accepted by their qualifications and also as a special feature: as Quality-stable (Laatutalli) of which there is only 18 other stables in Finland of, of their 350 member stables. To be a Quality stable some special things is expected related to safety, horse care and custom service.

That was what has been happening!

Marathon obsticles

This spring we realized finally (!!! :D ) that it would not be too much trouble to build some marathon obsticles at our farm, we have a few nice spots for them here, too. In the mare herds winter paddock there is a nice area with trees, which is suitable for one obsticle, so I raked the whole area and we cleaned some stumps and branches to make a safe ground to drive on. We got old tires from a car repair shop, GTE here in Lohtaja village. The tires we will pile up around poles to make an obsticle and to soften it up a bit.

I have been sending e-mails to several companies to get material to a few obsticles more and I was so happy recieving e-mail yesterday from Svarvar trävaruhandel, a timber/wood/pywood company, who gives us material to four "barrel like" constructions! These we can make portable and use at our farm but also if needed transport them elsewhere. We also buy material for one obsticle part, so totally we get five barrels. To make a good and safe obsticle we consulted Ben Simonsen for advice and this is what they will be looking like:

Besides five barrel constructions we build a few fences and plan is to use one more birch forest area and build a simple and low bridge there which can also be avoided. That would make three obsticle areas. We have one more forest area that could be used and I also thought of having a water obsticle with just poles and simple fence construction but that would definitely need a sponsor to afford all the groundwork needed for the water with pool making and gravel needed. I really hope to get a few sponsors more to help us! But with what we got already it is possible to train obsticle driving properly and hopefully we have an training event later this summer! Will take more photos of the areas soon as we get them ready. We will probably go to Svarvars at Saturday to get the material so maybe at Sunday possible to start building! :)

Not always as planned, but always for the ponies best!

Well, I knew already before Kiuruvesi training camp and Ypäjä competition that it will be tuffer for Paulette, who has only competed in breed show performance classes and has not travelled so long distances so far, than for Ivanhoe. I think she did very well in Ypäjä and was not tired of the competition itself but the 8 hour drive back home at Sunday made her muscles stiff. So she, as well as Ivanhoe, has had a vacation week 24/7 in their flock/herd and only a few short drives driven. I also massaged Paulette which she enjoyed very much and which she really needed. The she was pampered with the warmth of Back On Track backwarmerer. So summa summarum, it would definitely be too soon to again drive the same 8 hours to Loimaa training camp and competition for Paulette next week, and so we decided to skip the competition with pair. Of course I could have taken Ivanhoe and compete single - but then again, he has done the same trips and competitons and trainings as Paulette though he, as a former trotting pony, is more experienced of travelling. So the ponies stay at home and now we plan a family vacation instead as my friend anyway could stay at our home and take care of the ponies :) Always keep your ponies first, and not the need of participating in competitions at any price. There will be new competitions to take part in. I just wish all the combine driving competitions would not be at least 450 km from us :(

I got two photos from the photographer Leena Kahisaari of our pair at marathon at the Ypäjä competition and these makes me very happy! My combine driving ponies :D

Ivanhoe at right hand viewed from the whip and Paulette on the left

Inspired of the competition we have now started to build our own marathon course. We already have a good place for one obsticle around trees in one of the ponies inclosures/paddocks. We also got old tires which we can use. I was brave enough to write two companies with suitable materials for donations but lets see if it works :P Our riding club would also need a donation of ca 500 euros to be able to buy precision cones, hopefully I'll find a sponsor for them, too.

We also have a breeding stallion, chestnut dun Verano Lee v.d. Zandkamp, and this year we also take a few mares to him. The first customer arrived at Monday, a big beautiful grey mare, so now the breeding season started. We broke him to drive but he has mostly been used to breeding. Here an winterphoto of him, isn't he wonderful <3 Verano has very good action so can't wait to get his foals broken to drive. Thorin Ax, our first homebred Shetland who is now 3 yrs is now driven a few times and does it very well, he will hopefully be a perfect pair for Ivanhoe in pair as his gaits will suit better with Ivanhoe than his dam's Paulettes gaits does. We then have a 2 yr old filly Eowyn by Verano and Paulette and two yearling colts Gwaihir (dam Skattens Sissy) and Mithrim (dam Haganäs Marilyn Monroe), both of course also by Verano. This summer we expect two foals by Verano and by the mares Skattens Sissy and Jenniefer. Jenniefer has had three foals so she will not be covered now, Skattens Sissy will probably be covered, Paulette I have not decided of yet, she is going to the International Shetland Pony show in Ypäjä and the rules did not accept covered mares participating (normally in Finland one is allowed to compete in any sport with a covered mare until 4 month "pregnant").

 Verano Lee v.d. Zandkamp, our breeding stallion

First competition with pair done!

24-26.4 we were competing at Ypäjä Equine Collage in Southern Finland. Caravan car, trailer and a second car with trailer headed South and we drove ca 450 km to Loimaa and Loimihaka riding&driving centre where we had hired boxes for the ponies Ivanhoe and Paulette. For Ivanhoe it was a familiar place as we competed there last autumn with him.

It was very windy when we arrived to Loimaa!

Of course we had had a pit stop at Seinäjoki and Hööks horse equipment store where I bought some nice leather head collars for yearling foals to have on shows and all Shetland and Pony sized head collars of a model I know suits very well in Shetland heads :) Ponies also got new boots to cover front hoves at marathon, sadly the only color I could live with was red, no green or brown or even black available.

Competing ponies :) Doesn't they look great!

The competition was shortened to a two day challenge so at Saturday we first drove the dressage. I thought to give the ponies a easier day and spare the hard training outside the competition paddock so I drove very calmly and not too demanding. Of course we then got comments that the pace could have been better but after all placed second with 68%/51points which I was so proud of, good work my little ponies!

I just had to buy a few photos a photographer had taken of us in dressage...

The class we competed in was a novice class, so any part of the team can be a newbie, the pony/horse, one of the ponies/horses in pair/team or the driver - in our case we had permission to participate because of Paulette who has not competed in driving before. One can participate in novice class until one has won once the whole three part competition or until one has two placements in total in any parts (dressage, cones or marathon).

 

A very happy driver and handsome ponies after dressage

Directly after dressage we drove the cones. That was challenging as in the beginning of the course there was a few very very thight turns but we managed to turn in time, then again in the end of the course there where long ways from cones to next ones and there I couldn't have them trotting as fast as one would wish as Paulette likes to gallop and it is a thin line to balance on to keep her trotting. In easy classes in combine driving in Finland it is not allowed to gallop. Still we drove a clear round though it was just the third time ever I drove cones with pair!

We then packed the ponies and harness&carriage in transport and drove them back to Loimaa headquarters (ca 18 km), had lunch and relaxed a bit before driving back to Ypäjä for checking the marathon course. Three of the four obsticles where fine but one started with such a tight turns that I really thought we would crash in the competition :D

 At Loimihaka they have a minipig called Mikko, Ivanhoe has seen him and took it quite calmly but Paulette did not know what to think, to be terrified or curious??!

So Sunday came after rain all night and the competition arena started to look a bit heavy for small ponies, but off we went on marathon which in this easy class is only the B part with obsticles (no A part in the beginning). First obsticles was in a birch forest driving around birches and I can tell you that after the first gate I had now idea of between which two birches the next gate was not to talk about the rest :D of course I knew approximately where to drive but somehow I just saw a loooot of birches. Thank God I was driving a pair and had Marko as groom so he had easier to give directions than me looking around with two ponies of which the other one was again all the time trying to gallop which again made me concentrate of keeping her in trot! After all we made it and continued to number two which was the hard one...

I really had to take walk, as it was so tight but we made it through without any parts dropping either as there where small balls on the obsticle. Number three was again birhces but also with a wooden carriage and some other wooden constructions so I think that one we cleared quite nicely. The last one was poles and a small building to drive through, I was a bit concerned if the ponies would go inside the building but they didn't even question it and again nicely cleared this last obsticle. In the end we had nicely time to walk to the Finish line and ponies seemed to recover very well though the course in the end was already very slippery, wet and muddy due to rain. What an amazing feeling to have one dream come true, driving a pair in combine driving competition! In marathon we placed third as well as we had in cones and with the second place from dressage we placed totally 2. with 6 other competitiors, which where all big horses and ponies - and only singles against us! I am so proud of my little driving ponies and they worked so well the whole weekend! I just love them <3 Next I'll try to write what happens after a competition when you get home...