Sunday, November 21, 2021

My Gypsy Vanner Is 5 Months Old Now

Ambleside
Today is her 5th month birthday
She hanging out with Gussy in the front pasture

Yesterday we did a photo shoot with the horses for Christmas cards


She didn't care that she was wearing bells that made noise or that I was dressing her in weird things

Her beauty mark!


 

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Black Orchid Ambleside Is Home

On Thursday, November 11, 2021, Amble left her mom, breeder & birth farm forever.
This is her with Nancy, her previous mom, in Canada.

Amble traveled with Walter, another of the foals Nancy bred.




They traveled about an hour, where they met up with the international hauler, Niki at Twilight Hauling, who drove them about 715 miles across the Canadian / USA border to Sandpoint, Idaho. They had to spend the night in the trailer and wait in the morning for the border vat to get there & paperwork entered into the computer.


Here's our set up for her ride home.


Our chauffer, Mr. Brooks


When I first got to meet my new girl, I was crying here, so happy.
November 12, 2021 at 10:30am.

Our first selfie together.

Amble whinnied for Walter once or twice, he answered & then they stopped.


She just wanted to eat, didn't care about me at all.


We stopped for the night at Cindi's house in Ellensburg, it was getting to late for us to cross the pass in the dark with the trucks crappy headlights and there could have been snow or ice.
Cindi set Amble up with a 12x24 turn out & shed, in the pasture with Cindi's boys. Perfect.


We arrived home at 11:30am November 13, 2021


And her final off load, at her new home in the USA.



Meeting the herd


Joey squealed like a mare


I thought Gussy & Amble might get along OK but they both went at each other with both back feet. After 3 days though, I think they're OK together. 
Time to introduce the next one.


So much feather!


And a beautiful tail.


The first time I ever saw a Gypsy was in May 1998 in England, when there was one in the median of the highway tethered there to eat. Michelle told me it was how the travelers fed their horses.  I knew I had to have one.

 In 2010 I rode Billy when I was in England again. 
After I rode, Glen and I went for lunch in Ambleside and that's where I got her name.
I also knew I'd call her Amble.

I contacted Nancy in Canada via FB in about January to inquire about a filly. 
Amble was foaled June 21, 2021 and the rest is history.
I'm so happy to have her home.






 

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

We Go Get Amble Tomorrow

We are leaving tomorrow morning to go pick up Amble; 
will meet the haulers in Sandpoint, Idaho 
about an hour after they cross the border from Canada.

Two weeks ago I had to navigate the whole border paperwork & information thing, 
I was stressing out. I finally called the agent 
who walked me through every question and I got it all finished in plenty of time.

MORE good news, 
she's got her registration number.


She's 4.5 months old now.
Two weeks ago she had her vet check, 
she weighed in at 440 lbs and is 12.1hh.


Breeder said her head has grown in the last 2 weeks & her halter no longer fits!

We're borrowing this trailer from Erin so we don't have to take our 4 horse slant gooseneck. 
The weather these next couple days isn't going to be good and I'm hoping the snow plows on Snoqualmie Pass can keep up with the snow. 


We have snow chains for the truck and the trailer, if needed.


I cleaned out a little poop yesterday and have this bag of shavings ready to put down for her comfort.



I'll have a pile of hay and a bucket of water, I'll have a muck bucket and fork, 
I'll have an extra halter and lead rope.

I had thought about bringing Gussy along to make her ride hope less lonely BUT he lost a LOT of weight when he went over to visit Annie for 3 days & I don't want him stressing out like that again.
Poor Amble will have to be stressed out alone. Poor baby.

The trailer has one small flaw that I'm concerned about & 
we will figure something out to amend it before we leave.


These two metal cylinders are supposed to be aligned and a pin inserted to keep the door shut 
in case the upper handle comes unhitched for any reason.  
I've asked Lan to straighten them & we will find a pin to insert there.


Lan is out there right now fixing this & taking the dividers out.