Snow!

What has the weather been upto! Sorry for not writing sooner but its been so cold I have been more worried about eating and keeping warm than typing!

I knew it was going to get cold as mum got out my socks and out came my heavy outdoor rug. Mum says im not allowed to wear my indoor rug anymore as I keep a look out at night and it gets a bit wet- so not my fault but there are some funny noises at night that I have to investigate as Baggy wont get up out of bed to look for me!

Aunty Susanna has been up to see me to give me my “special” jabs, felt just the same as usual so don’t know what the fuss was there really. Ziggy was along for the trip too and he is just SO noisy, apparently he was guarding the car but it sounded like bad singing to me.

And then of course there has been the snow! Well Mum and Trish decided that it was too dangerous to go up the hill to the field- I think they were being lazy but I cant say I was too fussed as I got hay to much all day instead. Though this weekend the snow melted and we were allowed out at last. I hadn’t realised that actually I have put on weight-shock horror! But I’m sure it is pregnancy weight and nothing more.

I had a good old roll about and thought I would stretch my legs a bit, Obviously as it was a bit slippy I didn’t have a proper jolly, and not as Mum said that it was because I’m too heavy to rear now, if I wanted to Mum I could have!

Mum has been seeing lots of Archie recently and he even went to a party at the weekend and came 1^st and 2^nd! Good to hear that he is a proper working man and out strutting his stuff.

Anyways I must go and check what that noise is Baggy is snoring so I cant ask her to check it out for me. Hope all you other mummy’s are keeping warm.

Lots of Love China x

So today was a fun day!

Whilst I was having a lil scoff at the bottom of the field I was rather surprised to turn round and find myself ALL ALONE!!!!

We had only been out and about for around and hour and we had searched around the field for those apples that Trish throws out to us, and I had wandered off to the thistle patch to have a nosey about. I found some of weeds that Baggy likes I turned round to tell her and she had VANISHED!!!

I had a proper search and could not find her anywhere, I was a little panicked about this as I don’t like being on my own L, so having a search about all I could find was a muddy set of hoof prints leading off over the fence.

As everything else had failed I thought I would give her a shout and you would not believe where I found her, back in the yard! She had popped over the fence and gone off down the field for a wander, luckily she had heard me calling and thought it best to head for home.

Anyway she has now spoiled it as mum and Trish has decided that we have to have full electric fencing with an energiser on it (not sure what an energiser is but I just want to eat and sleep and it sounds like work to me).

I have managed to scoff lots of food, and mum has me on super vitamin and yummy fat food, I do now appear to be waddling a little bit more than last month but my saddle still fits and I’m quite happy going out for a wander at the weekends, so don’t anyone say I'm getting fat!

Mum says she is off to see Archie on Sunday, I hope she gives him a cuddle and a kiss from me!

Please send sweeties, or veggie peelings have some odd cravings at the moment! China x

Autumn has come round quick!

Well it’s dark in the evenings now and all the blackberries are gone, however mum and Trish have decided that Baggy and I can stay out for a little while yet! Mum has also said that I will be back in my lycra suit soon, Baggy keeps laughing at me for this but I’m sure she is just jealous that mine makes me look like a superhero, where as her one is a bit too colourful (seriously Bags multicolour isn’t flattering on anyone).

Well my feet have settled down now so mum is back on board riding again, as much as I love to complain when I get tacked up im soooooooooooo happy to be able to go out hacking again. Mum has said that i my tack still fits and I’m happy to I can go to Stagenhoe dressage next month! Yay! I love a party! Best not get too chubby over his month!

I have heard that Belle has gone off to the stud to have her baby, very jealous that you get to see those yummy boys every day. Though with my new figure not sure I would be turning any heads.

Talking of which I am SO angry with mum, if sure it will appear on here but as she keeps telling me and EVERYONE else, I have a very small tummy increase, of course to “document” my progress she has gone and photographed me! I just hope that none of the boys spot this, however if they do they should take a good hard look at me in my proper career as a super model. Speaking of which I should see if horse  &hound will do a feature once I have a baby to pose with as well hmmmm?

Anyway if you want to see proper pictures of me have a look at http://nobilisphotography.com/ (yes that’s me Main model I’ll have you know!) or spot me on Nathalie’s stand at Your Horse Live!

Anyway we need to and pull down the fencing Mum put up to keep us off the thistles!

Much Love China x

Summer time and Summer fun.

China here! Well it turns out I move to a new yard and miss out on seeing the magazines and latest fashions and then mum starts an online diary without telling me!

As she has done all the boring bits I thought it was about time that I told you about the lovely summer I have had! Baggage and I were doing quite well scoffing all the long grass, poor bags had to wear one of those mean muzzles to apparently “keep her weight down” I did feel sorry for her and when I could I fed her mouthfuls of the super sweet grass, but most the time I just ate it myself!

Luckily Mum and Trish trusted us lots and we got to spend all the time in the field, mum did say I didn’t have to do ridden work anymore but then she changed her mind and said I needed it, I think that this is because every now and then we spotted some apples in the garden and once we worked out how to get the gate open it really was much better to be in the garden! It was either that or the whole escaping into the veggie plot- but really who thought baler twine would keep us off those yummy veggies!

So mum came up with Aunty Leah and decided to play horseball, either way was just an excuse to mooch about the field! Baggy was a bit naughty and Aunty Leah did fall off once, but seems like a giggle, we weren’t allowed to have a gallop and I think that you’re supposed to play at speed!

Luckily after no gossip for a while, Mum left a H&H lying around and I saw that Barefoot was the in fashion this year, so bravely I have taken of my shoes! It did hurt a bit and Bo; don’t do it you need them on for Cross country (mum never let me go but sounds like your having fun!)

Now mum keeps going on about the baby club, I’m guessing she means Belle, Speedi and Me. Although its not a club if we don’t have meetings! Although if anyone else is doing this baby lark please send word! I think there should be a party, not sure how I will get that one worked out but I’ll try something!

Mum has taken some pics of my mummy tummy so i guess im showing! All that summer munching hasnt worked to hide it!

Anyway that’s enough for now, Baggy is going to teach me how to eat the blackberries without getting brambles stuck in my tongue or lips!

Please send gossip or at least the latest fashion! China XxX

June- Stress levels and Scans

So the whole part of keeping her at home was to keep the stress levels down and keep her sensible and quiet. Seemed China had other ideas!


Back to a “normal” routine, farrier came up to re-do her shoes. And I had made the decision that she might as well just have front shoes only, keep me from doing too much with her and stop the risk of me jumping back on board! However just after the farrier left China thought it was much amusing to have a little lie down and get her leg stuck under the door and take half the skin of her back leg.

So with the 14 day scan looming I wasn’t now holding up much hope.

However Mother Nature loves to play the angel above and what should or shouldn’t happen is all down to her, and low and behold 14 day scan proved us all wrong and there was a lovely healthy pregnancy. After the regress on the last one I took the decision to put her straight onto regumate just to help keep things healthy.

So the next 14 days dragged past so slowly and painfully that 28 day scan couldn’t come quick enough. Eventually it turned up and yet again Mother Nature was still on our side and there was a text book picture heartbeat scan.

Now the real waiting game starts and the countdown to May 2011 is now officially on!

June- Attempt Number 2

So after everything that happened with her last cycle we let china have another season and naturally clear herself out before our next attempt.
I made the decision that this time I wanted to keep her at home as she isn’t the best traveller and I wanted to go with the lowest possible stress levels this time round. This did mean a lot more running around for me with needing to be at the yard for the vet rather than the ease of the clinic, but I was sure that keeping her at home would be for the best.

This time we now knew that we could let her get a much bigger folicle before we knew she would ovulate so we wouldn’t be in danger of missing that all important time. I took the day off work and popped up to the Stud to collect the semen and met the vet at the yard.

I don’t know if many people have been present when you have your mare AI, but its a bit of an anticlimax really! Either way attempt 2 was now underway and it was up to mother nature and China to do the work.

Scan at breakfast the next day showed that she had ovulated much sooner than the first time round and timing had been spot on. Again she had a tiny amount of fluid and to be safe we flushed her and gave her an oxytocin course.

In the back of my mind I was now thinking if it doesn’t happen this time I’m not sure I could go through this all again. So now it was back to waiting for that first scan again!

May- The waiting game

So China was now home in the new ideal home, all ready to now go on maternity leave and half 18 months of doing nothing except making the next little superstar! The girls were very happy to be re-united once again and then developed an invisible bond, it was quite amusing to see them glued side by side wandering round the field and grazing.


So dawned the day of the 14 day scan! As I was sat outside China’s stable waiting for the Vet in the sunshine. China came and stood at her door for cuddles, this was most unusual as she is not a cuddly sort, did make me wonder but I wasn’t getting excited yet.

Luckily for me it was a positive scan, small but definitely there, and I was leaping about and being very excited. So excited in fact I didn’t question the fact the vet wanted to come back and do a 18 day scan too. Knowing that I’m protective over China I just put this down to my vet being cautious, I should have realised then all was not what it should be.

Back for the 18 day scan my vet was convinced that the pregnancy was starting to regress, and when she came back again for the 21 day scan it was gone. I was very upset and disappointed, however my vet said we should take this as a positive as after the disaster in March we at least now knew that she could take.

So once again we where back to square one with at least a glimmer that if we could time it right we might end up with the much desired foal.

May- D day well AI day!

So after making the stallion choice it was now down to Mother Nature, well sort of we decided to short cycle China. We decided to give her a Lutalyse jab on the Thursday before so that we could manage her as well as we could so that she was at the prime at the right time.


On the Sunday afternoon we took her to the vet clinic, it is kind of a home from home as she used to be stabled on the vets yard. So I wasn’t worried that she would be stressed there as she knows the stables well. It was also time to say goodbye to our yard of two years as after the event in March I wasn’t taking any chances with injury whilst pregnant. So on returning from the Vet’s she would be moving to her new home to live with her best friend Baggage.

So off she went with a week’s worth of feeds, complete wardrobe of clothes (yep she is a princess at heart) and all our hopes and dreams.

Things progressed well all week and China was scanned morning and night. Luckily she is a bit of star and didn’t need any sedation throughout the scans, so on Wednesday we put the call into Rita for Archie to do his stuff and we planned to inseminate her on the Thursday lunchtime.

Rita being the star she is very kindly ran the semen over to us on the Thursday lunchtime and all went to plan. That evening I went to see China at the clinic as I knew she would be missing me (more likely the hand grazing and being spoilt). She seemed quite happy, although when we scanned her she still hadn’t ovulated, she had been jabbed to make her ovulate so it was a waiting game.

She was next scanned on Friday lunchtime when she had ovulated, she had a little fluid and we flushed her and lunged her to give her the best possible chance. Saturday afternoon we picked her up and took her to her new home where she will hopefully have the foal next spring.

April- New choices and decisions

So now we were back to back to square one and in need of finding a suitable stallion that we could use via AI. I was lucky to have an experienced vet so that there was no need to find an AI specialist or the need to send her away to stud. However there was still the small issue of finding a suitable stallion.


Knowing the area’s that are China’s weakness’s and after many discussions with friends and my Trainer, I decided that an Irish Draught Stallion would be a good match. My trainer Edward Johnson said that it was worth a trip to go to visit Rita Jennings at Avanti Stud who was only up the road, and a stallion that he trained and competed.

Words and photos do not do Archie justice not only does he have the most amazing light and correct paces, his behaviour and attitude to life is the most relaxed in a stallion that I had seen. His competition record speaks for itself and the amount of recommendations from breeders, studs and people who have seen him in the flesh are innumerable. On top of this you could not ask for a more helpful stallion owner in Rita who has a proper understanding of the mare owner breeding for pleasure, and the next 'star'! Archie’s fertility rate is second to none, with results in South Africa and USA from frozen semen. And his chilled semen rate being exceptional and with him only being just up the road he was the ideal candidate.

So with Rita and Archie onboard it was time to work out when China would be best suited to be sent to the vets so that she could be scanned and watched for the ideal time to inseminate.

March-The Adventure begins!

So after the all the years of talking about it the decision to put China in foal was reaching do or die moment in time. China wasnt getting any younger (16yrs now) and after getting that elusive BD Elementary point did I really need to push her anymore?
After talking it over with the vet and having her checked over and all the swabs taken the next questions were who, where and when!
I knew that it needed to be a stallion with more bone, with a quiet temperment and a good work attitude. Ideally shorter in the neck and back than China as these are really her weaker points.
As i had thought about it a few years earlier and finding Cameo's Reflection the first time round i thought it best that i start by going to meet him and see what i thought of him in the flesh, So off to Suffolk I went!
Cameo's Reflection was all that I remembered him to be and I was convinced that he would be the most perfect match. Leaving it that I would be in touch with the view to send China up to Suffolk in May i went home. Little did I know that it was the start of a bad weekend!
Sadly on that Sunday things and plans were all to change.

A morning out in the field with a new mare proved a recipe for disaster and China was left with a large laceration on her vulva. When the on call vet turned up to stitch her up the first words uttered were "You didnt want to breed from her anymore did you?" My heart sank, however foals were the last thing in my mind and fixing China and getting her back in one piece and healthy was my main concern.

The healing process took a nerve racking 6 weeks, during this time it became apparent that the first choice of stallion and the hope of natural covering had gone out the window.
However my vet was positive that AI was worth a try so the search for a stallion could start again.....................