Random bits and pieces - more catching up

Spot is now gelded, but Beauty managed to let him into the mares' paddock. She's now confirmed in foal to Spot My Dream for 2011. Hopefully this foal will be as wonderful as Pebbles. We hope to actually be able to choose Beauty's next foal's father next year: she and her new foal will be in the round pen (jail) to make sure.

Shawn was gelded at the same time as Spot, and when he was weaned, he was traded to Christine Allard of Forever Green Stables for a cute pony mare named Jasmine. Jasmine is a medium pony.

Lori showed Cool Blue Dream (Spook) at Paint O Rama again this year. He won his 3 year old Stallion class and placed in the Overo class. He also won the High Point Stallion trophy for the Eastern Ontario Paint Horse Club again this year, and added the High Point Overo trophy.

Toro is back - he's bigger than he was last year!

Aggie and Lunch in the shed.

The paddock beside the barn is now fenced and has a new electric fence charger. The cows are in there with Toro the bull. Toro fathered two bull calves this year: Aggie has Lunch, and Cooba has T-Bone. Both are now steers - the elastrator made sure of that. Next year we hope to have two more calves - and more beef for the freezer.

Mom bought a harness for Spot at Lachute. He hitches beautifully, and now that he's fully healed from being gelded, seems to have found his brain. He's a very sensible pony now and can often be found mowing the grass on the dog tie behind the house.

Forever Porto is now my horse. Christine Allard of Forever Green Stables found sponsors to buy him for me. Many thanks to Jacques and Serge Buy, and Larry Rivet for their kind gift! It was such a surprise - and many tears of joy were shed that day. Porto now lives at Dreamscape Acres - and now that this year's show season is over, his shoes are coming off so he can relax.

Porto and I went to Les Jeux Equestre du Quebec in Bromont. Mom came along for moral support and took a few pictures. We didn't do as well as we hoped, but it was an experience to ride in the Olympic Horse Park.

The team from Forever Green Stables did well - Fancy Pants showed in Dressage and Cross Country as well as in the Kur. We were very proud of Mariepier and Fancy Pants!

I rode in the AERSO shows this summer at Forever Green and St. Lazare (Equetrans) in Training and First Level dressage with Forever Porto, and won the gold medal in Training level, as well as the trophy for High Average Dressage Score. Both trophies were presented at the banquet in Dollard des Ormeaux. Thank you, Christine, for all the encouragement and coaching - and for ensuring that Porto became my horse. Without you, none of this would have happened.

Pebbles and Anabelle went to Elisha's place to be weaned in September. Pebbles will be going to the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto in November, so Elisha is working with him so that he'll behave appropriately at the show. We'll trailer down with other horses on Friday, stay the weekend and show Pebbles in his class on Sunday morning.

Peanut went to his new home last Sunday. He'll be living in Mountain with Julie and her boys.

We took Sneakers with us, along with the cart, and had a great afternoon driving around Julie’s farm and giving her boys a ride or two.

Candy (Donna's foal) will also be leaving for her new home soon - Susan B traded her to Christine for lessons.

Susan B bought a new horse. He's a Canadian and his name is Twist. He has a bent ear (he had a hematoma in it a long time ago).

Patricia C. bought another Canadian. His name is Crooked Pete. He'll be used for hippo-therapy for the kids once he's trained. He had an injury to his right front leg as a young horse and it's crooked, but it doesn't slow him down at all

Both Twist and Pete have made themselves quite at home!

Sad news: Reba (My Jet Star) died on Sunday, October 11, 2010. She had congestive heart failure. She was 38 years old - a good age for a Paint. She'll be missed, especially by Serge. Reba was definitely Serge's horse - she loved him and he loved her. She'll be forever in our hearts. Rest in peace, Reba.

I'm sure I've missed something, but when I remember, I'll add it to the next post.

After the fire

From the back porch, this morning - about 5 am. The fire fighters brought seven fire trucks and did their best to save what they could.


The fire fighters saved the tack room and the hitching post.



The backhoe came from Casselman Cement. It was used to dig through the wreckage so the fire fighters could thoroughly soak any hot spots.




The hay is ruined. It didn't all burn, but it's soaked and smoky. Some of it is still smouldering.

Serge's hitching post survived - the fire fighters tried to pull it out by hand and then with the backhoe, but it's still here.




The pile of ruined hay. We had 800 bales of good horse hay in the loft at the end of September. Some of it had been fed, but there were still 650-700 bales up there.

The tack room, hitching post and the dog run that we used for the chickens all survived. The shingles on the tack room are scorched and melted, as is the solar panel on the side of the tack room (Christmas lights inside the tack room).

You can see the melted and scorched shingles - but the roof is intact and we saved all the stuff that was inside the tack room.

As it grew dark again this evening, the lights in the tack room came on. Despite the heat and damage, the solar panel is still powering the lights.

Thank you

Thank you to all the generous friends, neighbours and strangers who have offered places for the horses and ponies to stay while we clean up, and to those who have donated cash, blankets, halters and lead ropes, and to all those who have offered labour when we can rebuild. You've all made this bleak day much brighter!

Serenity, Firecracker and Breezy are now at Forest Lane in North Gower with Celine, Soul will be going to Jen Pretty's place, and Classy will go to Forever Green this week. Lori has the healthy surviving chickens in her coop. I still have three chickens here in intensive care.

Thank you, too, to Serge at the Embrun Rona - Co-op for finding a couple of fence chargers for me at a very reasonable price - and for the "fire sale" discount on the rest of my purchases today. We're trying to stretch every penny right now and put aside what we can to put towards the rebuilding fund.

Catching up, again. :)

The Spook-Tacular Fun Show was a success!

We had prizes and ribbons, with championship ribbons made by Mom. Mom also donated a lot of the prize items. Thanks, Mom!

Mom made a delicious cake and decorated it for the fun show.

Despite a miserable Friday and Saturday of rain, Sunday dawned chilly, but clear. The riding ring was too wet to be safe (or fun), so we made a new ring out in the big paddock in the race track. A haywagon provided a seat for spectators and the judge.

Hot food and coffee were in good supply to keep everyone warm and well-fed.

The Walk Division had the largest number of competitors: Jen G. and Ash, Sue and Spook, Kathrine and Breezy (Mom didn't get a picture of them), Earl on Leo with Jen S. leading, Serge riding Reba, Emilie with Sweetapple Scrunchions and Jake with Mr. Maple with Celine helping.

Miella and Sneakers and Serge and Reba competed in the Walk/Trot division and Celine rode Mr. Maple.

Jen S. was our lone competitor in the Walk/Trot/Canter division, as Abby's horse wasn't feeling well and she had to scratch. Abby did come to watch part of the show, though, and make a donation. (Thanks, Abby!)

Mom was supposed to ride Otis in the Walk division, but ended up too busy in the house to get ready and ride. The chili sure was good, but Granny and Grandpa were disappointed that they didn't get to see Mom ride.

Jen and Ash competed in the Walk division.

Sue took Spook in the Walk division, too.



Serge rode Reba and Miella rode Sneakers.




Emilie showed Sweetapple Scrunchions. Sweetapple Scrunchions and Mr. Maple are Newfoundland ponies that live at Forest Lane Horse Farm in North Gower. Sweetapple Scrunchions is for sale - if you're interested, please contact Celine at Forest Lane Horse Farm.



Jake showed Mr. Maple. Since Mr. Maple is a stallion, Celine stayed close to make sure that everything was under control.

Christine Allard of Forever Green Stables graciously volunteered to be our judge. Thank you, Christine! You were a wonderful judge!

Earl won the Walk division on Leo. Although Jen led Leo, she did it with such a long line, we knew she was just there to give her dad confidence.

Jen rode Leo in the Walk/Trot/Canter version of the obstacle course and won the divison.

Jake and Mr. Maple dressed as gangstas. Dan stood by for safety reasons. Note the fancy chain around Mr. Maple's neck and flashy "bling" stencilled on his shoulders and haunches! Good job, Jake!

Emilie and Sweetapple Scrunchions were fairies; both had beautiful wings!

Sneakers and Miella dressed as a cat (Sneakers) and a witch (Miella). Every witch needs a black(ish) cat!

Jen dressed Leo as a spider, and came as Miss Muffett eating her curds and whey. Earl posed with her for this picture.

Jen G. was a princess with Ash as a unicorn.


Emilie took home the trophy and prize basket for High Point Gremlin, and Jen S. won the High Point Old Nag plate and prize basket.

Everyone feasted on homemade chili, rolls, coffee, cake, handmade chocolates, rice crispy squares and Granny's chocolate cupcakes. Generous donations accumulated in the jar for the horse rescue, and everyone seemed to really enjoy the day.

We're already planning for a bigger and better show next year!

Adoptions and new horses on the farm

We have two new horses on the farm: Donna and Rosie. They both came from the Thanksgiving auction at Galetta. Sue bought them, but has since sold Donna to us.

Donna is pregnant, and Sue will keep the foal. Donna is Reba's great granddaughter, according to her papers, and looks a lot like her. Serge is absolutely in love.

Rosie is an older mare that's been there and done that. At the auction, they referred to her as the school bus, and put three kids on her back. She is slowly gaining weight and loves all the attention that she gets from Sue.

Sue has also adopted Otis.

Rudy, the Treeing Walker Coon Hound that we were fostering for Friendly Giants Dog Rescue was adopted by a lady in Limoges.

Jen G. moved Ash to Stubbe Horse Farm in North Gower so that she could go out and see him more often. Since she lives in Kanata, that makes a lot of sense. We wish them well and hope to hear good news about Ash's progress regularly.

EastWind Pony Club news

EastWind PC needs new members! Are you interested in horses? Want to be part of a club that offers education and fun with horses? Thinking about owning a horse sometime, or want to compete?

Pony Club is the right place for you!

You don't need to own a horse to participate, but if you do, that's great too. If you're between 6 and 21 and live somewhere around the Casselman/Embrun area, we'd love to hear from you.

More Dreamscape Acres news!

Spook, also known as Cool Blue Dream, won the Eastern Ontario Paint Horse Club (EOPHC) High Point Halter Stallion trophy at the banquet on October 23, 2009.

We were thrilled!

Cool Blue Dream will stand at stud in 2010, AI only, for a limited number of mares.

I was elected to be the Public Relations chair for the EOPHC, so watch for more information here on what's coming up next year.

More updates on Simon

The vet in Ste Hyacinthe says Simon can go to his new home today. Yes, that's right: Simon has been adopted!!

His last culture was clear and his digestive system is functioning normally. He'll be on antibiotics for a couple of weeks, and he needs a diet high in fibre (lots of hay) and unlimited water, but the vet says that he seems to be fully recovered.

Simon's former owner dropped off the signed owner surrender sheet along with his vet and farrier records, as well as a 2009 Coggins. We'll pass that information along to his new owner, Jeanine, so that she can add it to her records.

Jeanine plans to pick Simon up in Ste Hyacinthe, pay the remainder of his vet bill, and take him home to her farm this evening. We wish them both all the best and look forward to updates on his progress.

Many thanks to Christine Allard of Forever Green Stables in Glen Robertson, Ontario, for helping us find the perfect home for Simon so quickly!