Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Florida is proving to be very beneficial for the BlackFriar young horses.
IC London (Bridget) turned 4 this January and was introduced to jumping.  She is proving to be brave and honest on cross country, taking to the water at Longwood Farm like a duck and bounding over ditches and banks like a pro.  Her stadium work is greatly improving and she is starting to get her laterals on the flat.  I am very excited about this little mare.
Nightwatch II  (Andee) Also turned 4 in January.  This filly is so quiet, came off the trailer like she had done it all her life.  I am really impressed on how simple she is to ride.  Holding a natural rhythm to her gaits.  We have started her over stadium fences and she is showing her breeding with some exceptional decisions and scope.  She is proving to be a perfect amature horse on the flat with the scope over fences a professional will appreciate.
Wicked (Todd) 4 in January.  Todd is the baby of the group only being put into real work 60 days ago.  He is a barn favorite with his laid back personality.  This trip has been exceptionally good for him to expose him to new situations which previously would have made him nervous.  His quality of gait gets him noticed everywhere we go and people constantly stop me to ask about his breeding.  Cant wait to get more miles on this colt so I can see what he can really do!
Qualifier (Wally)  Wally turned 5 this year.  If I thought he had grown up last year, this year he is just blooming.  He has started schooling some Training level questions at Longwood taking on the trakehner, ditch and wall and coffin with confidence.  On the flat we are schooling Half Pass, Counter Canter and even getting our changes.  As he gets stronger the suspension he is able to hold is impressive.  This big guy might just surprise us all!