For those of you who know what a very nervy rider I am, you will understand what a huge achievement today was for me.

Archer came home 10 days ago and I sat on him for the first time alone, at home two days ago - literally got on, walked around the field and got off. My aim for today was to ride up the drive with a friend (our drive is nearly a mile long!) I got on and was literally shaking - we set off up the drive.

We went past trout pond with people fishing, scary boats and signs, and horses galloping around in the next field. Did I have a performance to contain, no just interested looking. We got to the end and turned around and went back down again - even had a little intentional jog. We got to the end and stood watching the cars, motorcyclists and bicyclists going past the drive.

My confidence got better, he seemed to be fine so we decided to go for a little hack and rode out onto our lane. We had cars going past us close - some at speed. We got up to and crossed the A46 and had a double decker bus with air breaks stop to let people off and had the obligatory white van man break hard on gravel behind us. Cue two green wheely bins, a barking dog behind a gate and an errant phesant. All things which would have tried a seasoned hack.

But not my 2yr old, newly broken qh colt with his nervy mum on top. He was a total STAR - he took everything in his stride stopping only to look up when a helicopter went overhead from behind him on the way back down the hill. He was more intersted in his shadow on the ground than he was about the car full of loud kids who stopped to admire him

Sorry for long post, but I am well proud of him and wanted to publically thank Christine Richards from Whitewood Quarterhorses for breeding such a sound minded and intelligent boy, and Andrew Fox for putting such a thorough grounding on him and then putting up with my neurotic phone calls about how to cinch him up!!

Jude.

Thank you Jude, and thank you Archer for being such a STAR.

It is nice to know that when you decide to set out to breed a particular breed with certain attributes, the hours/weeks/months/years of making sure, or at least hoping you have got it right with your breeding stock. The blood, sweat, tears, not to mention the bottomless pit the bank manager provides you with ( ?). Sleepless nights throughtout the foaling season, copious notes of when the mares should be in season and when, indeed IF the stallion is actually performing or not, cos they never do it when you are watching, worming dates etc etc. Hours of waiting for the vets to scan/innoculate/passport etc etc, farriers, and prospective customers not to turn up. Endless forms/reports to fill in for various societies, only to have them returned cos you forgot to put the American version of the date Fending off all potential advertising agencies from the Outer Mongolia Horse Hooter to advertise your foals as they have a special offer and can sell your horse within nano seconds of appearing their their bi-annual magazine and obtuse website you can never find ( and all for ONLY £500 per issue, then they don't put your telephone number in correctly ) and everything else associated with the joyous career of breeding horses.

By boy!!! When you get it right - ain't it nice!!

So thank you Jude, you have played no small part as has Andrew Fox in making your lad the STAR that he is.

Happy Hacking and see you on the circuit next year!

A big well done to you both - he sounds like he's coming along just grand from those noble beginnings at the Breed Show last season showing in Halter! We also look forward to seeing you guys out and about competing next year - i don't know what your plans are in that department but i wish you the best of luck - Archer is such a sweetie after all!

is that the one you had for sale on Western scene? maybe i should of come looked at him even though he was too young for me

Fabulous you must be absolutely thrilled! You are several steps ahead of me and I've got a 5-y-o!! (Mind you, after playing a star role as lead horse today I hope he's at last got the courage and comfort level to start venturing out with Just Me... - soon find out!) Thanks for posting such an inspiring note and Archer sounds an excellent advert for QHs.

Thanks guys, I am sooooo proud of him - we have had another two rides out since this one and he has been just as good on both, even in the face of an in season mare who he was interested in but was very good about being told "no" to.

My success with him has now inspired me (or duped me into a false sense of security) and I am going to have a go at riding my 4yr old strompy appy filly - eeeeeeeek

The one we had for sale was Archers brother Arrow who is every bit as sensible and level headed as Archer. He is still for sale by the way...

Arrow is still with Andrew Fox and will be coming home at the end of this month if he hasn't sold first - I am going to have SO many horses at home, I am not entirely sure how I am going to get them all done

The current plan with Archer is to bring him out under saddle next year, that is assuming I get my head around this reining business.

Thanks again for all your positive comments and support.

Jude.