Aisling Farm

Introducing Aisling Farm Hallelujah!!!  Filly by Shantaigh out of Fionnuala born last night, 20 June.

So, after missing Equine Affaire last year because of a still mending leg, we will be there this year with at least two of our geldings.  Bob and Dugan are just the best and take everything in stride, so they will be Aisling’s ambassadors this year.

My sister Cindy and I will be riding; we will be the “trail riders” in the mix of Thursday’s demo, showing that Gypsies are good for every day folk as well. Since I ride like a toad, there will be NO fancy stuff!!

When Cindy asked what she had to do, I said, “Stay on!”.  I got an earful! But seriously, one of the things we love about the Gypsy horses is their willingness to go with the flow, whatever is asked. Do you want to show? Jump? Drive? Are you an endurance enthusiast? Do you prefer to amble the trails? If you can think it, they will do their damnedest to get it done!

If you are going to Equine Affaire, look for us in C Barn, or in the Breed Pavilion. Or in the demo! Demos are Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday in the Mallory building. I don’t have times, but just follow the crowds. I was just told there will be almost FIFTY Gypsies there, so if you have been anxious to meet a Gypsy in real life, here’s your chance.  Maybe we’ll even have our little secret there. Please come up and introduce yourself! We’ll be the ones with our feet up, and extra chairs for visitors! Let the countdown – and the checklist – begin!

For over a year now, our grandson Tyler has been asking for rabbits.  NO was the immediate and firm reply.  I have been there, done that and own the t-shirt.  My daughters had rabbits.  A few turned to a hundred (or so).  We raised them, we showed them, we ate them and we sold them as pets.

I was on the 4-H Advisory Board.  I was the Rockingham County Coordinator for the rabbit group and Superintendent of the Rabbit Barn at the Deerfield Fair.  We started a great newsletter, held lots of shows and went to open shows as well.  I judged 4-H shows; dogs and rabbits, and we raised and showed Collies all over the country for many years!

NO.  It’s such a simple word.  Is it me, or does this little word often get lost in translation??

NO has turned into 6 rabbits – at the moment.  Mini Rex were a favorite; a trio came from a 4-H leader in Massachusetts.  Thriantas are a new to the US breed, and a great breed for youngsters to have success with.  Add a pair of those to the group.  A little Lionhead needed a new home.  Now we are six.  A friend is giving Tyler a Holland Lop buck and doe, but so far we are still at 6 and holding.

Did you know rabbits could multiply without breeding?  I did, and yet took the plunge.  Again.  Did I say that I did this as a kid, too?  Geez – maybe it’s genetic!

So, here I am, the leader of a brand new as of yet unnamed Carroll County 4-H group.  And oh, yes, I would LOVE to be sure we have a Rabbit Show at the Sandwich Fair next year.

Meanwhile, Tyler and his friend Bradley (whose mother thought he needed a pet) have already managed to find a way to profit from their rabbits.  A local store will be buying their stock.  Bradley’s mother, Elaine, has offered to assist me in my 4-H endeavors.  I’m trying to bring her along slowly…

Seriously, rabbits are a great hobby.  The shows are low key, the people down to earth, and it’s very definitely family oriented.  Kids can handle rabbits and do chores unaided.  There’s a huge pet market for many of the smaller breeds, and there’s always a meat market for the larger ones.

Ty’s rabbit “farm” is in our 2 car garage.  Each morning he measures out food and replenishes water.  After school he sits and plays with them.  At his first show his bunnies earned 1-4 placements.  You can’t ask for a better confidence builder than that for a child!

I realized that I missed having rabbits.  I can’t believe I just put that in black and white, but I just love having them around again, and am very much looking forward to having babies in the nest box again!  All that’s left for me to do is decide which breed I want for myself…

Cheryl Lang
Aisling Farm
and…
TJ’s Rabbitry

The boys have done well at the shows, in the home arena, and on the trails through our tree farm.  This is my favorite time of year; the weather is wonderful, life has slowed down a bit, the leaves are turning…  I try not to think about what comes next here in the Lakes Region of NH!

Our first family trail ride (my birthday present!) was a lesson in organization.  I don’t think one lesson would help a bit, though!  Four horses, 2 big bums, 2 little bums, 5 or 6 saddles – should have been easy, right?  Not here.  This girth would fit this horse and not that, this saddle would go on any horse but what about a girth?  Wait, Dana’s bridle has been left at the trainers and now we can’t tell who fits what and vice versa.  And I cannot for the life of me remember how to secure a western saddle!!!

And did I mention that the boys are at the family farm and we had to trailer the girls over?  THAT was the easy part!  After 2 hours (bless our patient and tolerant Gypsies!) we are ready to set off.  Sister Jenny wants us to line up for a family photo, the horses (and kids) will have none of it, so off we go, me bareback because we were short a girth that would fit..

I have no clue how long we rode, there are over 100 acres of woods roads that loop around all over the place, but we had a wonderful time.  It was Gordon and Bob’s and Tyler and Dugan’s first trail ride and they did great!  Gordon said Bob was a star!  Dugan (who is only 3 and just came from 3 months of training) decided halfway through that he was done.  Ty said “He won’t go!” and we told him he could get him to go and kept riding, thinking Dugan would not want to be left behind.  Oops.  Gordon turned back to get him.  Amelia proceeded to have a fit that her boyfriend had left, but we 4 girls continued onward.  The boys caught up (girls rule!) and we all finished our ride astride!

Mum and Jenny met us where we tied up and immediately suggested that we all needed to go out to dinner.  After quick showers and changes of clothes, off we went.  A yummy end to a great day!

We have been having a wonderful time riding our rugged NH Tree Farm trails with Bob, Dugan, Dana and Amelia.  We’ve been SO impressed with the boys!  Bob is a total star no matter who is riding him, and as green as Dugan is, he is fantastic.  When I ride him, he will be first, but if the kids are on him, he prefers to follow. 

Yesterday Tyler and I went out with just Bob and Dugan.  Dana is rock steady and always accompanies the young ones; I wasn’t sure how they would be alone.  I shouldn’t doubt the temperaments and intelligence of our horses - they were perfect! 

Our thanks to Melody Madison in Farmington, NH, for her training and showing of both our guys.

Hi everyone! I’ve been off the lists for so long – life has been incredibly busy!

New additions to our family include 2 Milking Devon cows, one due to calf in August. They are sweet, gentle and curious and I love hearing them moo! Our newest addition is Oonagh, a black brindle
Irish Wolfhound pup. We brought her home when she was 8 weeks old and she is fantastic!

Bob is a wonderful riding horse, he is being used to give lessons to kids! He and Dugan went to a show yesterday, Bob got an honorable mention and Dugan, who has only been in training for 2 months, pinned in a large class! He will make a stunning show pony for any kid and yes, he is for sale. I’m in AZ with Meg, Daelyn and Madelyn. It’s wonderful seeing them again, I really have missed them!

Everyone went to a horse show right before I got here and Maddie pinned blue in every class! Snow is schooling 3rd level dressage, they have a Gold Medal dressage coach and watching Meg and Snow work totally blows me away! He is everything we thought he could be, and more. Someday I hope to have pictures that do him justice! Maddie is jumping 2′ and is a wonderful little rider! Meg is expecting her first Gypsy foal any day, she bought Mary Miller’s Olivia.

On a personal level, I am walking fairly well and riding again. I set a goal of finishing a competetive trailride, and made it. Dana and I finished about in the middle of a 30 horse entry; we completed every obstacle and it was wonderful!

I miss chatting with all of you; thanks to those who email me.

BTW, I have someone looking for a mare/filly if anyone has one, and we are “sort of” looking for a colt to use for breeding.