Posted: Fri, 7 Jun 2013 13:39
Think the weather's turned from Winter to Summer and we've missed Spring, but with "Spring like thoughts in the air…" as one may say… so arrived Dougal. Or Glencarrig Dolphin to use his correct title. Dougal, our newest recruit, is a very handsome 14hh steel grey Connemara colt. Not only are we busy with holiday cottages, renovations and cows, we also have a secret obsession with horses!
We have quite a few equines but daren't tally the numbers. We have four beautiful but ageing broodmares who have all been top class athletes in their own right in past years. Now they have a more relaxed (and unlike humans I think it is more relaxed for equines!) life; having babies! Each mare has produced some outstanding foals with some very exciting and world famous stallions over the years and these horses have combined to give us quite a sizeable herd!
Managing them is a huge commitment. Sense, finances, leisure and pleasure have given way to idiocy, hardship, sheer hard graft and still the ridiculous, can't work it out pleasure we get from caring and breeding our own horses. The herd is at maximum numbers. Selling is heart-breaking but completely necessary. Our first two homebreds are now sold and doing well, 'Carden Costa Rica' (born the night Costa Rica were playing in the World Cup!) has been sold to Italian young rider Philippo Gregorini and hopes to earn his place on an Italian Young Riders Squad; and 'Carden Earl Grey' (born two weeks later but name went well with Costa!) is also proving his metal after being purchased by JP Sheffield, a professional event rider.
As the herd expanded so the gorgeous 'cute' little foals grew. One of our current youngsters in particular – 'Carden Moon Shadow' stands at over 17.2hh and at four years old looks like he's escaped from the zoo! He is enormous. He is gentle and kind but ginormous and still growing! He can hardly fit in the horsebox!
Hence the introduction of dashing Dougal. At three years old, he's young and very virile and at 14hh he's also tiny and what we're hoping for is a husband for our more mature broodmares. An equine that can easily get our ageing mares pregnant but that will also produce smaller, neater, more compact offspring. Beasts that we girls can manage and enjoy easily. Well that's the theory anyway!
Here follows a lovely photo of young Dougal when Spring was in the air. A Carden Sport Horse website is to follow soon!
On the cottage front, the two Cumbrian cottages, Church Gates, Cumwhitton and Church House, Eskdale, have both been awarded 5 stars Gold by Visit England. Their highest possible grade, only possible with an across the board rating value of 91% and above. So we're quite proud of that fact too!
Enjoying the lovely weather.
Didy
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