Bailieborough Show

It's an early start on show days, and yesterday, at Bailieborough, was our first show of the season. Shows are a great opportunity to showcase our stock and compare them to others, and of course if a rosette is forthcoming it's another string in our bow when it comes to promoting and selling our animals.
We are showing Derrynagarra Celeste today who is a 5 year old Registered Irish Draught mare in foal to Crystal Crest (RID), and since we're only showing the one, Helen is off by herself while I go to the bog to save turf! Click here to read last years post on Turf.

There is quite a lot to do to get a horse ready for showing. There is no point bringing her if she doesn't look her best, and so by  7am Helen has Celeste shampooed and washed and ready for plaiting!

Starting with tail....

...and finishing the plait by stitching it into place.

Onto the forelock....

....and then onto the mane.

The reason Helen goes to all that trouble is that with the mane neatly held up out of the way, the judges can see the shape of the neck much better, and it makes it much easier to get an overall view of the horse from a judging prospective.

Derrynagarra Celeste plaited up....

...and off to Bailieborough. She's looking well, now it's up to the judges.

All the work paid off and Celeste won her class!

The red rosette in it's prominent position!!

 Home again and with the plaits out.....

...it's back to the field with the others.

The Farrier

The farrier has just left having trimmed the hooves on 3 Irish Draughts of various ages and re shoeing Clorin, who had a loose front shoe. Four years as an apprentice and a lot of practice makes it look very easy!
The farrier would come about every six weeks depending on how fast the hooves grow. It's particularly important for young stock that their hooves are trimmed regularly.

First of all the old shoe is removed.

Then excess hoof growth is taken off.

We had a query following our post about clipping Clorin, wondering how she stayed warm without her hair. In this photo you can see her in her outdoor rug which is wind proof, water proof and insulated, so no need to worry.

And then smoothed off with a file.

Still holding the hoof between his legs, the new shoe is beaten into shape.....

..... and nailed on. This is why they serve a 4 year apprenticeship!

He then curls over the end of the nail and crimps it down so that it won't come out.

All that's left then is to tidy up the front of the hoof....

.... and Bob's your Uncle!

Clipping Clorin

We had the first decent frost last night with the temperature dropping to -0.4ºC. The first picture which has nothing to do with clipping, was taken this morning just before sunrise and Christopher thought it was worth including!

So...over to Helen, and Clorin, and clipping:

Early morning mist over Bishop's Lough with Knock Eyon in the backround.

As autumn progresses the horses all change their summer coats for something more substantial to see them through the winter.

Clorin was starting to get too hot for comfort when we were out, so here she is clean and fully coated ready for a change.

Starting to clip.

The clippers are electric and not too noisy, but some horses are not keen on the whole operation. Clorin, true to her Irish Draught pedigree was calm throughout.

Nearly finished.

Clorin, cool and composed ready for off.

Derrynagarra Clorin

After eight Irish Draught foals, and about ten years since she was broken, Derrynagarra Clorin is back under saddle. It's early days yet, but we are both really enjoying it.

I don't remember it being such a long way down from 17 hands, or indeed up for that matter! And so we have ordered a mounting block, and Christopher has made a start putting riding latchs on some of the gates as you will see later.

We decided not to put either of the mares back in foal this year as the market is so flat, so Clorin and I thought it would be a good chance to get fitter!

not as graceful as I might be!

'Super Clorin' surveying the surroundings

Off up the drive

Checking the lambs as we go

the new gate latch makes exit much easier

A blustery saturday afternoon, but we are very happy to be out and about again.

Irish Draught Horse Breeders Association National Show

Where to start! We had the most fantastic day out, as you can probably guess by the sash sported by Derrynagarra Dash. He was 4th in the mixed two year old colt and gelding class. It is always difficult for a gelding to compete against the colts so we were happy with his placing in a class of 10 animals.

We then took part in the 2 & 3 year old gelding championship.

Derrynagarra Dash Champion Irish Draught Gelding being presented with his sash and cup !

Our yearling filly Derrynagarra Bliss awaiting her turn to trot up in front of the judges.

Trotting away. The yearling filly class had 13 competitors. We finished 4th in the class and were very pleased with that. For anyone who is interested the full results are available on the Association's website www.idhba.ie

The end of the day!

Longford Show

Derrynagarra Patience surveying the scene, before getting out of the trailer.

Patience and Helen waiting for their class.

The small agricultural shows need all the support from exhibitors that they can muster. If the breeders don't attend the classes will be lost, and young horses won't have the chance to get the experience they need.

We had a lovely day out, met lots of people we knew and were home in time for tea!

Trip to Wicklow

Borrowed a Sat Nav and headed off to Ashford with Derrynagarra Dash in tow, last Sunday.

Derrynagarra Dash

Helen & Dash concentrating like mad!

He is a two year old Irish Draught gelding, and he qualified for the gelding championship that is to take place at the national Irish Draught Show in Mullingar on the 31st July.

Bailieborough Show

We won our Class at Bailieborough Show yesterday with our yearling filly Derrynagarra Bliss.

Washed, brushed and plaited-up ready for her class.

This was her first show and she took all the new things in her stride - the loudspeakers, the ridden horses, the cattle, the very blustery day.

The judges considering their verdict

Bliss in every sense of the word! Helen and Bliss with their first prize rosette.

Spring at last & a new arrival!

The first of two foals due this year has landed safely.

So introducing to you Clorin's purebred filly foal. She is by the RID stallion Sir Rivie, and was born on the 11th March at 2.30 in the morning. We watched the whole event on the foaling camera from the comfort of our bed without disturbing the mare. (that's our excuse!)

No name yet, but this always takes some time.

We are not due to start lambing for another fortnight, but another sign of spring is that the hens are now laying like mad, so we are baking and making lemon curd and doing all the things we can think of that involve egg consumption.

Smidgen & Iota enjoying the Spring sunshine.