Experiences on a small Cleveland Bay stud        

103
26th July
No news to give of Vision or Chaplady. It's getting quite late in the year now and we did think that we would have all early foals this year. We like the foals to be able to get on to fresh grass after a month of being on the mum but by now the grazing is getting rather stale. One week on from fertilizing the grass is now growing well and if this warm weather keeps on then we will be very pleased. We had visitors from Australia on Sunday who breed CBs to the north of Perth. We met a couple of years ago when we went to the Perth Royal Show and they are touring around for a few weeks. We had a lovely day with them looking around the horses and talking CB most of the time. The forecast is promising so we cut the two small two acre fields that we now rent from our neighbours farm. Again they are not heavy crops but they will be very welcome to help us through the winter. Whist the mower was on the tractor I took the advantage to top the meadow opposite the house which has stale grass and many thistles about to flower. It has tidied it up considerably and will encourage fresh re-growth. Lovely pink sunset tonight so that us promising.

102
20th July
At last the rain has arrived and should help considerably with the regrowth of the haylage fields. I managed yesterday to get a ton of 25 5 5 fertilizer on two fields totalling 9 acres so this rain is very welcome as it dissolves into the roots. Vision keeps us guessing as she has still not foaled and Chaplady is also getting huge. This cool, wet weather suits the horses as it keep the flies at bay. The rain has also given us the opportunity to be inside to get the accounts done as the accountant has been nattering us for them. Just a shame that this week it is The Royal Welsh Show which takes place not far up the road from us and the rain is making a mess of the site. Tomorrow is the famous Welsh Cob Stallion class which last year because of the rain was held in dreadful ground conditions of deep mud, so it looks like it will be a repeat of the mud. It is so disappointing as people come from all over the world to see this spectacle of explosive energy as up to 40 stallions enter the ring and just run! We will be watching it on the Welsh TV as it such a magnificent occasion and the fitness of the handlers and the runners is amazing - as are the Cobs. Very sad news from Australia where the recently imported mare has lost her life today and her foal is struggling for surival. After such ambition for the Breed and considerable expense this is so distressing. Certainly these Cleveland Bays are proving to becoming more difficult to breed. Brenda Boaden who is a really comitted breeder deserves better luck than this.

101
17th July
We are still waiting Vision to foal. It was looking like it could have been last night as many of the signs were there. Today Vision is moochy as though she is uncomfortable and things are beginning to happen. Her udder is really tight and her back end is lose and floppy. It could be a long night for us - and her. Have been poo picking today clearing the fields but it is a slow job especially where there are eight horses in the large group. We have been looking at what equipment is available to make the job easier especially in the long grass. Thistles are almost ready to flower so we have also been topping them. We were helped by the Corgis but Griff disappeared and had to be searched for. I came back empty handed but on driving into the yard Griff was back waiting for me. Dogs! The rain has helped considerably with the re-growth of the haylage meadows. I ordered some fertiliser to help spark it up a bit. What an expense it is at £249 a ton. I expect that they will not have quoted VAT so that will be additional.

Mares, Stallion and filly foal yesterday


Spirit with her dad       

100
14th July 10
Gunner has been ridden out down the road and into the forestry a couple of times now. He went very well and kept calm as a couple of cars passed him. Sian comments how 'big' a ride he is although he is only 16hh. He has a lovely long stride with nice elevation. He comes from a good moving sire line going back to Osberton David. All bales are now stacked so that is pleasing to have finished for the moment. Tuesday was the CB day at the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate. We travelled up Monday evening staying in Harrogate close to the showground for an early entry. It was amazing how many people were there at 8am. CB classes were from 10am with judging of the pure breds first and then part breds following. It was a nice, cool day with good conditions for showing but for photography sunshine would have been better. Vision and Chaplady have still not foaled. Maybe Vision tonight!

99
11th July 10
On Friday I had the honour and great pleasure to judge the CB classes at the new Royal Festival of the Horse, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire. This show follows on from the disbanded Royal Agricultural Society Show. Entries were not as good as for the original show and had also be reduced to just two classes for 'In-hand' horses and one class for ridden pure and part breds. Results are on the Royal Festival website. We watched a wonderful class of Dressage to Music at the Festival which included the Part bred CB Spring Pascal ridden by Samantha Thurnham-Baker. It was a lovely sight and we felt quite emotional thinking about our contribution to the horses breeding so many years ago and what our efforts had eventually led to now. This is a photo from yesterday. Samantha at 17 was by far the youngest competitor and was really up against very well established and experienced opposition but she made a wonderful impression and had a great cheer from the packed grandstands. Well done Samantha.

Our trailer tyre has been repaired so we will now be able to continue with the bale hauling. Rain has not come yet so our second hay crop is at a standstill as the ground is so dry. The longer this keeps on then the later will be the second cutting which could now be in September. We still need many more bales to get us through the winter so we may have to keep animals off more fields than we planned. The two mares, Vision and Chaplady, have still not foaled so it is early morning viewing to check on them. Vision is the more advanced and we really could do with her getting on with it before the foal gets too big which was her problem last year. They are all now in the field that we can see from the bedroom window so that makes observation easier on the humans instead of having to walk up to the field at first light. Lambs have been growing well up to now but they are at a standstill as they need fresh grass to build up bulk. We may have to wean them earlier that planned using the better grasses just for them as the ewe's milk is less important to them after 10 weeks.

98
6th July 10
We had a lovely day on Saturday when we went to Glanusk Park near Crickhowell to watch Hot Tregoyd Chocolate (not a CB) compete in British Eventing Novice BE100. It was a super site and course and the event took place in the Estate's Parkland around ancient oaks and on the flood plain of the River Usk. Pictures on the News Page. He was quite lively but was really impressive on the cross country phase which he obviously enjoyed. Rhiannon was brilliant handling this energetic and large horse in the dressage and showjumping. It was not perhaps his best day but there were really positive signs that he is settling into a competitive frame of mind. He likes the challenges. Result was 25th out of 30. Tregoyd Sportsman (PBCB) on Sunday with Rhiannon had a good dressge result which is pleasing as this is his least stong phase. Visitors on Sunday were a pleasure to have at Tregoyd and we welcome Vichy as a new CB owner from South Wales. Vichy has a young colt which she intends to keep entire and will also be setting up a website to help promote CBs in Wales. At last we have got around to moving and stacking the big, round bales of haylage. We managed three loads on Monday and two today before Margaret discovered a flat tyre on the hay trailer. A call out to the tyre repair company ensured that he will be here in the morning so we may have a chance to do more later tomorrow. It's an old tyre and the sort that was used on small aircraft. It could be an expensive item if it needs a new one - that is if one can be located. They are getting rarer. Sian came this morning to work Gunner who has a lady interested in him as a riding horse. He will have his back shoes put on next Thursday. Hope that he stands as well for his back feet as he was with his front ones. More dock cutting today before the seed fall trying to improve the fields as we both dislike docks in the haylage and as do also the horses. The first hay field looks much better now and its quite satisfying seeing it cleared.

97
2nd July 10
Amazing how quickly the first half of the year has gone by. Where has it gone? We have been taking it easy these last couple of days and just keeping things ticking over. Mark the farrier came yesterday to re-shoe Justinian and Shadow and also to do Gunner for the first time. His abscess had cleared up and he was judged sound enough to have a go at putting his shoes on. It's always a tense time shoeing a horse for the first time but he was a good as gold and all the hard work preparing him for the last couple of years paid off. He stood quietly eating whilst Mark worked away at the job. Mark comes again next week to do his hind shoes so we hope that he is equally good next time. The mares group have been taking shelter from the heat and flies in the barn for a few days now during the day and going back to the field during the evening and night. We brought them all down to the stables this evening and gave them a feed and for some handling of the yearling filly who has not had much attention recently since the new foals arrived. Suki is making a really nice horse and will make someone a great Cleveland Bay mare.

96
29th June 10
Been on the haylage again these last three, hot days. Cut on Sunday, turned on Monday, rowed up this morning and the contractor came with his combination baler wrapper at 12.30pm and it is all done and before the rain arrives possibly tomorrow. This gives us 70 big round bales for next winter. We still have 20 left from last year so that takes us to 90 in total. We still need about another 45 to get us through the winter with a little to spare as we start feeding them in November and feed through to about the end of April. We shall go for a second crop about the beginning of September on 4 acres but the field will need more fertiliser to achieve what we need. Our neighbours have also offered us 3 acres for haylage so we should make our target - weather permitting. This afternoon was one of our least favourite jobs of cutting docks and disposing of them before the seeds drop. They do say the seeds can survive for one hundred years waiting for the opportunity to geminate arises. Horses with their big feet disturb the soil and the docks take the opportunity to grow so dock clearing is an annual task from years of accumulated seeds. Corgi dogs with their long coats have not enjoyed this weather but the half Corgi, Griff with his short coat, loves it and still runs everywhere seeking the elusive rabbits and pheasants.