Anna, what lovely photographs.
Both horses look super and everyone looks happy.
It is great that things have come on so well.
You live in a really beautiful place.
We are looking forward to a bit of summer here in the UK after a long wet winter and spring.
Paddy
Anna, the latest pictures are great! You all look like you are having the best time. I officially want to move to Latvia - but don’t think I can afford the airfare for six horses. 
I’m especially happy to hear how much better Shella is breathing now. Sorry if I missed this in earlier posts, but are you treating her with something or do you think the turn for the much better can be attributed to her change in environment since coming home to your farm?
So far only environment change helped, and helped a lot. We shallprobably use Ventipulmin (sp?) in Autumn, but so far fresh air is enough to make really great changes - the girl who was working with her in stables, visited her another day and she was not able to believe her eyes - the change is huge, indeed. There is so much spirit in Shella now - she is not that weak, donkeylike low spirit creature that we saw first when decided to take her home. Now she is nearly as sound as any other healthy horse.
Anna, I have loved reading your posts about your family, Puika and Shella! And the photos - beautiful! Check your PM, I think I have something you could use 
Wow, that’s fantastic! You can definitely tell she hasn’t felt this good in years, and I know how wonderful that feels for you to have them feeling so good. 
It is such a great feeling, you are right! I can even see some sparkle in Shella’s eyes, she might become a bit naughty if she will feel so good longer and longer. She just wants to run now, run and run! And Puika is ready to run after her like “chase the love of your life”! When I remember how I felt on her back for the first time… I was riding her slowly, step by step, and tears were running my face as it felt like she will collapse under me in last fight for her breath. Now… She has sparkle!
Anna you and Peter are living a life with your horses that many of us dream of but can never have in reality… that is, running through open fields, riding into town… I am confined to arena work only, as my stable is in town, between many suburban houses. I am not surprised that Shella has thrived in such an environment and gotten her spirit back. I wonder how many horses that are deemed unsound and unhealthy simply need an active outdoor life.
I would not suggest breeding for MOST beginning horse owners, but you and Peter have a wonderful, natural ability to understand horses and I think you will be fine and have even more fun with a new foal. Your stories are so entertaining and I always get excited when I see a new post by you!
Here in Latvia we are quite happy in comparison with old Europe as we have about 40% of area covered in forests, not very advanced farming in most areas so it means a lot of natural wildlife around as no chemicals had ben endlessly spread around, and many people do support at least some environmentally friendly living ideas.
For me this is also a heaven. I’m born and rised city girl, and my farming neighbours here were very surprised that I can take a shovel and muck the stable… They thought that city people can not do such things
For a secret I can tell that I really like cleaning stables - it is such relaxing job. So far I do not like riding in general - i feel like an idiot in saddle, like I’m doing everything wrong. Bareback is better so far.
Good job that Shella is so clever and well trained horse. She asks me every time for next movement, and never tried to run with me. She just slowly walks or trott a bit - perfect bombproof shcoolong horse. When she gets Peter on her back, it is a different story - in two strides she is into canter and they both are having wonderful time.
I’m thinking a lot about the whole story with us. I do believe that it just was meant to happen. I’m not weird as so many things had happened since we got this house, and sometimes it seems that house is taking care of us and showing the right ways what and how we must do things.
All last year I was waiting for a St. Bernard puppy to be born from a stud that I really really wanted to be sire… Nothing happened and this April I got the final answer that he is not able to produce offsprings anymore.
When suddenly Shella fell on our lap, I had no idea to breed her at all - poor horse, the foal is the last thing that she needs. For that amount that we paid for her nobody here sells a proper registered broodmare with pedigree like her’s.
Then things started to change so fast, and now I do believe - if it will be the right thing, it will happen, if not, nothing will go on and it does not matter how much we shall try. We shall have enough time - 11 months is a long time to learn, and I am able and I like to learn. And on top - I have all of you nice and experienced horse people here, which gives me such a relief!
So by some for me unknown reasons my dream about that St. Bernard puppy was cancelled and another project throwned in - and now I’m just thinking why and how it will develop. It sounds weird, I know, but when things happen like that in our lives, you just must start to think…
Oh Anna ~ your posts make may day!! I’m so happy for Stella and Puika and you and Peter. Puika looks so proud and happy (maybe not so much in the first picture;)) And the change in Stella is amazing. What a lucky horse she is! Thank you for sharing it with us!!!
[QUOTE=Reds-n-Greys;3220863]
(maybe not so much in the first picture;) [/QUOTE]
Just wait when he will get LAVANDER colors! I got inspiration from that UK ponny site And he looks like a sweet pony, isn’t he?
OMG Anna, I don’t know who said it a while back, but you should definitely write a book WITH the pictures! The things you have accomplished with those horses and in such a very short time! Great pictures! I especially love the first one of Puika with his head piece. He is clearly saying “the things I put up with to be in this wonderful home”!
And then the last picture of him! Wow! Black Beauty!
You look great on Shella and Peter… Again, wow!
By the way, I think Shella will make a wonderful mom. What are the bloodlines on the sire’s side of her first foal? He is very nice!
Does your vet have an ultrasound machine? If you check via ultrasound about 14-16 days after you bred Shella, you can see if there are twins and at that time of the pregnancy your vet is still able to pinch one of them!
Looking forward to seeing you over in the breeding forum!
Reiter, Gavrosh pedigree is this
http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/gavrosh2
And Shella’s
http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/shelfa2
(I must fill all WHITE gaps there, as on the paper pedigree I have all generations from her mother side, started to do it, but that’s not so important just now)
Some very nice Hanoverian bloodlines in there!
Be careful breeding is addictive!
Shella escaped again this morning. Nothing big - she just get out of her halter and tried to charm Puika (light biting his neck, she is probably coming on heat again soon). But what worry us…
We investigated the scene and probably what happened - she backed and halter just slipped off. There were no anything that could spook her in the pastures - bright sunny morning, no dogs around, no deers and other creatures.
When we called her back, she was aproaching, and then run away again and was really really spooped. She even kicked several times at husband. Got her calmly, but halter on, led her to barn… She was still very nervous, and especially about her back part - she was worried at Peter walking behind her. When Peter moved in front of her, she calmed down a bit. Put her in stable, the same - she is ok with me at front, worried for peter at her back. We just stood and calmly talked to her, looong time, till she calmed down. And now she has shits, very loose.
This is the second time when she run away spooked after something “wrong” has been done. (The previous was when I fell off) - she really overreacts in such cases.
What do you think - had she been punished hardly after any “accident” happened or it is she herself being very sensitive?
She had not been punished here as she is good as gold and very sweet, and her seller that we got her from, was good to her as well - he is a sweet, gentle boy, people know him, so it might be only her past as a sport horse.
Or she is just like that, very sensitive? (I have GSD bitch which is like that - I would say - weak nerved - she acts like she was beaten up her whole life, but we got her as a 7 week puppy and nobody ever punished her).
Anna, has Shella ever lived in the country before? If she is a city horse, she may be very scared of things you might never imagine, like wind in the trees. It is interesting that she always tries to run to the town, as if she feels scared in the country. I would be a little concerned about the loose stools, as she may have a sour stomach from something stress or even too much grass. Mares can be especially sensitive sometimes, especially during heat. My horse is a bit like her, although he is a gelding, actually he is Hanoverian with similar breeding lines and is gentle and sweet, but also very “weak nerved” and will run away from anything that scares him.
Puika is such a perfect horse and this mare may turn out to be more challenging for you. Use your good instincts and you will be able to learn what she is trying to tell you.
I do not know… I see that sparkle in her eye… Now, she is not spooky horse thats for sure. She is spooked or frightened after she has done something wrong, so it must be her past.
But in general I worked out last morning’s accident. She is just escape artist in some ways and as she feels much better, sparkles in her eyes grow…
After I put her back in pastures, I was watching her… As far as I dissapeared from her view, she started to hit the chain with hoof to get halter off again… Told her off and put additional rope around her neck, linked to chain so she is safe now for a while until she will work out this new additional lead.
She is a city girl, yes, she likes a crowd around her, then she feels ok, dogs and people working, tractors, car… as much as possible. And then everybody passing patting her, giving her treats, and kisses, and a looot of attention. I have two teens working in garden, and she just loves them around.
This will be busy summer, a lot of workers around, but in winter she will be bored. But no, she is not spooked by silly bird taking off stright between her front legs or something like that. Puika might be, but with her around… No, he is a big boy now
Her stool improved instantly after she calmed down, it was just two loads loose, after she escaped and we got her back. So she is frighetend of humans, after she has done something bad. Poor girl, I hope we shall be able to bild her confidence back without spoiling her.
This morning my neighbour’s little bull was put out for the first day on chain on grass, and he was guite spooked by outside world too. He saw 2 our workers appearing on bikes, and run away. Got him, calmed him down and put back - he is such a sweetie, he wants cuddles all the way.
Some fun
We got ordered helmet so much safer fun can start… To make the day special, Peter arranged a bit of stylish outfit (Do not worry, nobody can see us around like that!)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/shella%2019-04-08/23-05-08/PICT3488.jpg
Training between my flowerbeds
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/shella%2019-04-08/23-05-08/PICT3508.jpg
Trying to work out Shella’s new bridle
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/shella%2019-04-08/23-05-08/PICT3517.jpg
Still not sure
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/shella%2019-04-08/23-05-08/PICT3525.jpg
But anyway time to run even if it is not right
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/shella%2019-04-08/23-05-08/PICT3527.jpg
She looks funny my sweetheart
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/shella%2019-04-08/23-05-08/PICT3529.jpg
She needs a kiss
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/shella%2019-04-08/23-05-08/PICT3562.jpg
I am cute, am I?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/shella%2019-04-08/23-05-08/PICT3563.jpg
Sella feels better and better (and is getting naughtier) every next day and Puika loves her more and more. If I only would be able to get into riding! So far I’m doing not so good as I would like, but maybe one day you will see with the wind in my hair too
All today’s pictures here if somebody is interested
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/shella%2019-04-08/23-05-08/
YAAAAAYYYYYYYY for helmets! - And, ahem…I notice that Mr. AC is now donning some tights…what a man!!! :lol:
I L-O-V-E the picture of Puika kissing his sweetie, Miss Shella. So cute!!!
anna, I read every day (mostly), but I never post. Since no one else has yet, I have just a little bit of advice. Your cavesson noseband (actually, is it a crank? It looks nice) should be ideally adjusted two fingers width below Shella’s facial crest. It’s just a tinyyy bit low. It doesn’t look like it’s pressing on her nasal passages, but it is in contact with her bit ring. (I honestly don’t know if that is actually a problem, but I think the US Pony Club cites it as an error.) It should be above her bit ring. Her flash noseband will probably be adjusted on a looser hole so it doesn’t pull the cavesson down at that length. (Also, that color is lovely on her). I’m not sure if this matters either, but at least where I live, it’s considered proper to have the flash’s buckle not under the chin, but at the flash attachment. I honestly don’t know. It’s probably just a matter of preference. Your throatlatch should be adjusted so you can fit at least a fist between the strap and her jaw. She needs to be able to flex and breathe. Honestly, the throatlatch is sort of an archaeic feature on the bridle. (Who really accidentally pulls their bridle over their horse’s head while falling off?) So as opposed to the usual “two fingers,” this would be “one fist” adjustment.
As far as the bridle itself, the color is great on her… and it just all around is a wonderfully sized piece of tack. My horse has an atypical head, the type where you buy Full size cheekpieces, Oversize nosebands, and desparately want an O/S throatlatch, hahaha. I’m so jealous.
Also, I really like your saddle blanket, but it looks like it slips back over time as you or Peter rides. It might help to attach “keepers” of some sort. This is a saddle blanket with what I’m talking about. Personally, I only use the girth keeper at the bottom because of the way my dressage saddle’s billets are constructed, but the top keepers are straps with velcro (or whatever fastener you want) hooked around the foremost girth billet before you cinch up. The bottom keeper is just a strap affixed on both sides. You just thread your girth through.
Otherwise, your bridle looks great (especially her browband, I really like the fit there). And I’ll say it again, I love your saddle pad. I hope I don’t sound like I think you’re ignorant… I don’t know what sort of features common saddle pads in Latvia have, or what you’ve generally noticed. Bridle fitting can be very exacting sometimes, as well. You’ve lucked out with a nice horse and a nice bridle.
okay okay, I’m done! The meticulous dressage-mind is finished!
Thank You for advice! Seems that we have similar problems. That cavesson noseband I put so low (really, nearly lowest possible) as it was impossible to close it on the last hole - too tight. (It is full size bridle). So as I put it lower, I was able to close it whitout strangling her. 
Flash noseband we took off completely as by my opinion it is not allowing her breathe enough (she has heaves so needs much more freedom there).
I hope the throatlatch is loose enough, I can put there both palms between the strap and her jaw - she is not a big girl there…
But you know, the throatlatch is important - it broke on Puika once, and the whole thing went off… It was at the beginning when he was really naughty, and we needed to replace it just for our safety - it was not a great fun loose bridle when you have quite naughty horse to handle. Good job that peter was not on the horse yet then.
Ouch, we must learn so much about everything, tack included. That bridle was on the second cheapest price group at the shop, seemed OK by leather quality, so $50 were spent. Shella needed her own bridle, and this one has nice pads, soft and fits her by color.
But the main thing is we got the helmet, adjustable size, so now we are much safer now. It gives some peace on mind.
Other than that we just try to have as much fun and laugh as we can.
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