Finally, VIDEOS!!!

Okay, go to YouTube.com and search "Dazzle Me Again" and you will several videos of Dazzle! I finally got a program that allows me to use the files on my video camera and it converts them and puts them on YouTube for me, it's awesome! I just have Dressage on there so far, gonna have to get someone who rides Western to ride for a video to show her Western Pl. I will post when that happens and let you know!

Another bit of news is that it looks like we found someone we trust to get Spotless going with a few rides and to send Britches and Mister to for a month each! So, as soon as there is decent footing consistently they will be going to the trainers! WOOOO! Then, Melissa will school them Dressage and they will each do at least one Dressage class and then be officially up for sale. If they don't sell with just the Dressage showing they will attend the Ride (not Spotless) and be sold there. If he doesn't sell, Spotless will show and get his Dressage COA which should sell him no problem. All their prices will go up with the training and showing, so if you're interested in any of them, let me know now!

Sparkles - accomplished Distance horse (no recorded miles unfortunately, but has done the Chief Joe every year since she turned 4), 15.3H, 2002 mare I think, done parades, cows, playdays, and now schooling Dressage. I believe they want $3000 and that will go up after she cleans up at the Dressage shows with her beautiful gaits!

Mister - coming 4 yr old, bay with a rump blanket gelding, about 15.2H, currently has 3 rides on him and a bunch of ground work. $2000 as is, or will go to trainer and show and do the ride and his price will probably double.

Britches - coming 4 yr old, very foundation gelding, was started showmanship and did show it once (won his class), but has sat for a couple years now. Rump blanket, about 14.2H or so and should end up stocky enough to carry a large adult. $1500 now, or will go to trainer, show Dressage and attend ride and his price will double at least.

Spotless - coming 3 yr old, normal papers, but not a lot of color right now, almost 15.2H already! Half TB and bred for Dressage and circuit showing. TONS of ground-work done, ready to start under saddle. $1800 now, or at least $2500 after he starts the show season. If he earns his COA in Dressage and is schooling First Level his price will be at least $3500 or more. LOTS of promise, VERY sensible, SUPER smart, but in a good way, and retains training like I've never seen before.

Dazzle - coming 5 yr old, rump blanket, you guys know all about her! $4000 now, or $6500 at least by the end of the summer after finishing her Dressage COA, getting solid 1st Level and completing another 100 miles by attending the Chief Joseph Ride again. She would probably sell on the ride if she goes.

Life Changes

I came to the realization the other day that I'm not going to be able to afford to send Spotless to a trainer AND support a baby. So, he is up for sale. I'm going to get him started walk/trot/canter and hopefully that will get him sold. He is a sweetheart and trains EASY easy. He's going to be an awesome show horse, at least for local level if he doesn't cut it higher. I'm currently listing him at $1800 and I'll bump it up when he's going under saddle nicely. $2000 or more depending on how he looks.

Then, the other day I started to realize that along with tightened finances I'm not going to have time and energy to ride and show like I have in the past. Which means Dazzle will not get to earn all the awards and things she has the potential to. I never keep a horse I can't bring to potential, I just can't bring myself to hold a horse back. So, I've made the difficult decision to put her up for sale also. I'm asking $4000 for her.

Dazzle did SO well this weekend at the lesson with Patricia, and then for an 11 yr old that came to see her, that if she doesn't sell before the show season starts I will finish her COA by hiring Melissa to do it and then raise her price mid-summer. List her at about $6500 or so. If Spotless hasn't sold I'll have her ride him in at least one show and depending on how well he does, bump his price up too.

Wish me luck! I don't plan to rush, I want to make sure they both find the perfect match for them.

Faith, Ashley's mare that I technically own, is also up for a new home, but I already have a list of people interested. Ashley is just too busy with school to keep up her riding and I realize I won't be able to afford more than one horse now, let alone 3. So, the plan is we find a new home for Faith, sell Spotless and Dazzle, and then buy an already shown horse that Ashley can use for 4H and I can show in the local stuff and just have fun on. Something that has already earned what they need to so I could never show and it wouldn't hurt their value and I could leave them sitting for 2 months and just get on and go. However, Dazzle still fills that bill; Melissa rode her for the first ride in 2 months last week and she was an angel. A little lazy maybe, lol. She is such an awesome horse, I will really miss her.

FINALLY some decent weather!!!

There was finally decent weather a few days so Melissa got a chance to ride Dazzle. They had their best ride ever! Then I paid for Melissa to get a lesson from Patricia on Dazzle on Saturday and it went really well. I videoed it and I'm working on getting that onto YouTube, edited of course because you can't put a 45 minute video on there.

I took Spotless out and reviewed all his training. I lunged him with a bit and side-reins and saddle and he was awesome. I had Ashley hang in the stirrups and stand on a bucket next to him. He is so ready to get going. I'm working on finding someone to start him by the hour because I don't think he'll need a whole month and I'll be able to hire Melissa to ride him.

Melissa got a ride in on Sparkles, also. They started out looking horrible and by the end of the ride looked pretty decent! I took some pictures. She is going to come along quickly if the weather stays nice enough for her to ride regularly here. Look at the difference between the first shot here and the second; that is only about 15 or 20 minutes of riding in between. Melissa is a miracle worker!!!