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Tallauders Miniature Horses, Rafferty &
Church Park Victor

May 19th 2009. Well, this is the month that the 3 boys actually achieve their first birthday. A lot has happened to them recently, not least of which is that they have all been gelded.  They fell back a bit after their op, and poor little Dunnock had to struggle with a rather nasty infection, but they are all on the mend now and beginning to gain some weight.  They are all still hanging on to some of their foal fluff, but as it has turned cold again that is no bad thing. They are turning into very beautiful young ponies.

Rowan

Dunnock

Magnum

The boys playing in a high wind.

Sarah Weston's Book - No Fear, No Force was published in early May. It is an in depth handbook to help train the feral and semi feral foal and our 3 Musketeers feature heavily in it, which is rather fun. The boys are famous!!!

April 25th & 26th 2009   Sarah Weston Loading Course  Sarah came again and ran a course here to train our 5 New Forest ponies to load.  On each day we also had an  Animal Rescue Specialist from the Hampshire Fire Service. It was a fascinating 2 days, and by the end of it the boys were so laid back about the whole process and were wearing a poll guard and boots, wandering in and out  of the trailer in any way that they were asked to and by total strangers too. We were very proud of them.

March 17th 2009   Sarah weston came for a private session today to help me to desensitise the boys to outside influences. All 3 were copy book brave, and Dunnock in particular was a superstar.

What a clever boy Dunnock was!!!!!

 March 6th 2009 The 3 musketeers as they are now known are just GREAT!  They are 9 months old now. They are coming along in leaps and bounds and have grown up a lot.  They all walk nicely on the lead rein, and Dunnock has learned to walk, trot on and stand still to command.  Magnum is almost up to speed, and even shy Rowan is doing really well.

Dunnock with my sister last weekend.

  Rowan with Magnum

January 1st 2009 Our 3 foals arrived at the end of September 2008. They are absolutely gorgeous!  2 were totally unhandled and the 3rd had been sort of halter broken. 

 The 3 boys when they first arrived.

They rushed about scared of everything and were allowed to settle down for a couple of months before we called in Sarah Weston and her version of Intelligent  Horsemanship.  A course was held here during which time 2 of them really cottoned on to human handling and Rowan, the really shy foal learned not to lash out and to trust. 

 Rowan at the start of day 1 with Sarah Weston

Rowan at the end of the day, headcollar on and Sarah's arm around his neck!  He is still very reticent, but he is coming along nicely now, and leads around the yard.

Dunnock took literally 10 minutes to learn that humans were great and the headcollar was no big deal, and in less than half an hour he was leading round the yard and having his feet picked up.  Clever boy!

Magnum learning to lead with one of the girls attending the course.  He is just such a good boy and so kind and gentle.

Rowan  Boxing Day 2008                                 Dunnock Boxing Day 2008

Rowan and Magnum out in the field on boxing Day 2008.

June 2008

With great excitement we have just put the deposit down for 3 stunning foals.  We were incredibly lucky to be allowed to choose 2 colts bred by Robert Maton from his  beautiful dun stallion - Burley Dunedin when they were really tiny.  We were allowed to name these beautiful babies. The bright bay will be registered as Mallard's Wood Rowan, and the dark bay will be registered as Furzey Lodge Dunnock.

We have also been allowed to buy another beautiful dun colt also sired by Burley Dunedin by a mare owned by Jean & Roy Hawkins. Oakfield Magnum was only born on May 19th, so he won't be joining us before October, but we visit them all regularly so we can see them growing up and they can get to know us before they come here.

I have attached a few pictures of them as they are just gorgeous. 

  Furzey Lodge Dunnock....  Aged 3 days.

With his very pretty dam.   Her name is Deep South.  She has a beautiful head too.

   Mallard's Wood Rowan.... Pictured here at 2 weeks.

  Letting off steam with my fellow foals. He has the most stunning face!

  With his dam, Lady Mary.

 We greatly look forward to watching them grow up over the summer.  They live quite locally and so are able to visit them in their field.  They should be here in the Autumn once they are weaned. Very exciting!

Oakfield Magnum taking a nap in his field.

 14th June 2008.

I couldn't resist another visit to Beaulieu to visit the babies.  They are growing up fast now and are very beautiful.  Here are some of the latest pictures.

Just look at those long legs, Dunnock looks more like Bambi!

At 4 weeks old he is getting quite brave with people and his mum is allowing him to chat!

 Furzey Lodge Dunnock - a very flashy boy who knows he is gorgeous. He flags his tail and poses when he sees the camera.

 Dunnock in the field with his dam, Deep South.

This is Burley Dunedin, sire to all 3 of our 2008 foals. He runs with his mares and has the most fantastic temperament, greeting total strangers with a snicker and a cuddle! He has the most lovely head and throws beautiful progeny.

Dunedin is one chilled out chap, enjoying a chat and a lick with Sally Anne.

Mallards Wood Rowan has grown so much in the past 2 weeks. He is beautiful! That head is just stunning! He is a cheeky boy, into everything and up to something every time I go to visit him.

Rowan is a real little poser. He seems to love the camera. 

Rowan with his dam, Lady Mary. He has the most lovely confirmation and head.

7th July 2008

 All 3 boys are growing up fast.  No real news on them but some lovely baby pictures for you to peruse!

Magnum with Sian and both of his parents.

 Meeting Michael for the first time.  Magnum is already an incredibly friendly little chap.

Magnum playing with Rowan. They are great friends already, which is great.

Dunnock with Rowan up to mischief in the bushes on a very hot day.

Rowan taking a nap in the sunshine.  They are all beginning to change their coats now.

July 27 2008

Dunnock is really changing colour now and is getting very dark on his back and legs. He is almost as dark as his mother.

Rowan is just beginning to shed his baby coat and is a much darker colour underneath.

August 10th 2008

I paid a visit to all 3 foals today, as I will not be allowed to drive for the next 6 weeks as I am having to undergo an abdominal op tomorrow!

Magnum has grown into a really big lad and has changed colour completely. He is just gorgeous, gentle natured and so friendly.

Magnum in his new colour scheme! He still has a bit of blonde baby fur to get rid of.

Magnum is now back at home with his breeder.

 Dunnock has turned into the most gorgeous dark bay. He now sports one very short white rear sock and foot. he has the most amazing markings on his face and is a real sweetheart.

We are none too sure whether it is baby fur coming off his other legs, or more white legs appearing!

Rowan still hasn't decided what colour he wants to be. He is such a friendly chap that it is hard to take his picture as it is usually rather too close to the lens.

He has such a pretty face, and quite a mealy muzzle and pale tummy, there could be a pangare bay hidden under all of that baby fur.

I really look forward to seeing the boys again once I am mobile again.

30 August 2008

Michael took me to see the Forest foals today.  They are looking great.

Rowan, Dunnock and their half sisters investigating Michael lying in the grass.  They are much bolder now.

These 2 boys are really showing off their new coats now.  A really handsome pair with the kindess gentle natures.  They will be coming to live here at weaning at the end of September.

Magnum is a real cuddle bunny, he looks so like his sire - Burley Dunedin. He will also be coming here at the end of September.  He is a lovely colour now with such a striking head. He is short coupled with a wonderful big potential jumpers bum!  We think that he may make a full up 14.2h which will be great. He is a tall boy for just 3 months old.