"In Training" at Aunt Claudia's School for Horses

Loxley has had an excellent week including three "actual" training sessions, courtesy of Claudia and Ali's training area! It's the ideal size for free longing and even setting up a tiny crossbar to give our young man a good reason to pay attention to where his feet are.

This also marks Loxley's first wearing of a bridle since he arrived in Burbank - took that big ol' eggbutt snaffle like he's done it every day of his life, and side reins with a surcingle. Could dressage be far behind? It's getting tempting to get on!

Thanks as always to Claudia for sharing her space, energy and really excellent training ideas.

Griffith Park Drive News

Photo credit Martin Frankel.

What's a three year old gelding to do when Southern California Gas Co. has to, in a nine hour exercise involving four busy men and several incredibly loud machines, replace the main gas line at his house? Why, in the Rancho, wander down the street and graze on somebody's lawn, of course! On Friday our neighbor Marty Frankel kindly offered his beautifully manicured yard and the company of Rosebud the German Shepherd (in background) to settle down Loxley after some close encounters with a jackhammer and dug-up driveway!

Marty says he's been meaning to take a picture of a horse in front of his recently remodeled house (we especially like the front door), and Loxley was happy to oblige in exchange for a few minutes of peace and quiet. Thanks Marty!

Hanging Out in Uncle Ali's Paddock

Loxley had a wonderful time the other day hanging out in Uncle Ali's paddock, which dear Ali was very generous and gracious to allow! It was a great chance to roll, wander around, and of course eat! Ali was a complete gentleman and we were also treated to a visit from Uncle Tjarda! Galloping boots are on loan from Uncle Django as Loxley learns more about how to use all four legs in unison.

Maybe he Likes to Read?

For most horses a blowing newspaper is a great excuse to spook. But not young Loxley! He actually chased this one down himself on the perimeter, taking it in his mouth then stamping on it on the ground! Maybe there's an article he didn't want to miss?

Garbage cans with plastic liners carry similar fascination, all the better to get it in his mouth and throw it around!

Cross county courses, here we come one day!

Some Big "Firsts" This Week!

Sorry no accompanying pics, but several outstanding developments to report about Loxley's activities within this past week, which was short on time but long on progress!

- Loxley had his first two longeing sessions, and he did extremely well! He was very respectful of the longe line and whip, maintained a good distance and for the most part kept moving forward at a walk and trot. Like most horses, he strongly prefers tracking left. He's a bit on the lazy side and doesn't seem to be affected much by a cracking whip, but we'll get there!

- So far I've avoided doubling up with Loxley and his canine brother Blue since, as energetic youngsters in training, they are both full-time handling tasks and require my full attention. Each of them has had such a strong couple of recent weeks that one hurried morning I asked them both to step up their performance for a walk around the neighborhood. They were both champions! We'll keep working on this little by little, but we'll all get out more if we can all go out together!

- As the days inevitably grow shorter, we've brushed up against dusk here and there, but one evening, significantly emboldened by the company of Claudia and Ali, and Tika and Joe, we actually crossed the bridge and had a (huge racing running bucking) turnout at Martinez Arena, followed by a walk through the short loop in the near-dark! Our brave young man was just that! He is much more courageous than his fair-weather mother!

- Finally, late this afternoon Loxley and I had a wonderful experience I wouldn't have even thought possible a couple of months ago! After a lovely long relaxed walk through the fields and neighborhood, we returned to Loxley's waiting dinner and clean stall. I stood with him in his stall (halter on) while he ate, grabbed a few brushes and actually groomed him in his stall! He was cheerful, back end away and ears up the entire time!

Some Positive Feedback from the Arabian World!

Photo of our favorite Arabian, Ali, and favorite half-Arabian, Loxley.

I happened to mention Loxley and his sire, Fiero Gato, to a lawyer colleague whom I recalled was quite involved in Arabians. Well! That would be a huge understatement. Paul Husband, who has brilliantly blended horses and a successful law practice specializing in equine, tax and entertainment law, has apparently studied Arabian horse lineage intently since birth, and he kindly offered these extemporaneous comments about Loxley. Thanks, Paul!!

"Your horse is very well bred indeed. He is bred to be very athletic. Fiero Gato is by a son of the great El Gato. El Gato was sired by leading sire of the 50’s and early 60’s, Ferseyn (who is Khemo’s grandsire on the sire line). El Gato was out of the great mare, El Sikada. I never saw “Elsie”, I knew one of her owners, and saw some her outstanding sons, including not only El Gato but the Witez II son El Tio, who was a flashy Formal driving horse, and Ibn Awad, a terrific horse against whom I competed. Ibn Awad was a champion in halter and English pleasure and western pleasure. Ibn Awad was really one of the best. He was trained by Don Hansen and owned by the Dodge heiress. There were other champions out of El Sikada as well. The September 2008 Arabian Horse World Magazine has an article about “All Time Aristocrats” which is a list of mares with four or more outstanding offspring, and Elsie is in there – I think she has at least 6 champions. El Sikada was a legendary mare.

"Ferseyn was known as a sire of excellent performance horses as well as halter champions. Your boy has at least three lines to Ferseyn – his sire is double Ferseyn, I remember seeing Ferna, Fiero Gato’s sire’s dam, in the show ring. She was a lovely, very elegant grey. Ferna’s dam was Joana, a full sister to the outstanding sire, and main progenitor of the Gulastra sire line, Abu Farwa. Abu Farwa is Crabbet (as is Ferseyn) and his line is known for athletic ability. There is also a cross to Abu Farwa on Fiero Gato’s dam’s side, so your horse has two lines to their sire Rabiyas, a son of the Hearst Ranch sire, Rahas, and more importantly in my judgment, the dam of both Joana and Abu Farwa was the mare Rissletta. Rissletta was sired by Naseem, probably the best son of Skowronek, who was sold to the Russian Government (by Lady Wentworth at Crabbet) in the 1930’s for $2,000,000 – a lot of money to pay for a horse, especially back then. Rissletta’s dam, Risla produced many notable Arabian horses, who were important in Russian breeding, Polish breeding and of course here in the U.S. Finally (sorry about rattling on) Fiero Gato’s tail female is Feluka, the same as Ferseyn’s. Feluka is considered Crabbet, since she was owned and used by Crabbet, but she also qualifies as Straight Egyptian. She was bred by Lord and Lady Blunt using horses that they purchased in Egypt .

"I would think that a Cleveland Bay – Arabian cross should produce a very good sporthorse. Size and scope from the Cleveland Bay and handiness and toughness from the Arab. Congratulations. He is very well bred and linebred on the sire’s side."