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P is for Poppy, Partner, Pixie, Pax, Pace and Pride.
Not to mention Pascal, Phantom, Prince, Patriot, Puck and Penny.
Those are the winning names from kids across Canada for a dozen of the foals born this spring at the Pakenham farm, where the RCMP breeds Hanoverians as future Musical Ride steeds.
The farm’s new manager Karen Ryan was only seven herself when her mom first took her to meet the spring foals at Remount Depot, minutes away from the family’s dairy farm.
“I carry a picture around on my phone,” she said. “It’s when my mom brought us to the farm and she took our picture with the foals. I thought, ‘I’m going to come and work here one day.'”
Mares and their foals munch on grass as the spring crop of about a dozen foals at the RCMP musical ride’s breeding farm near Pakenham have been named in a contest by the public.
Ryan, 49, arrived as a part-timer in the Remount Detachment stables when the horses whose names start with “C” foaled, and became full time in the “E” year. Last summer, during the “O” foaling season, she won a competition to replace a retiring John Phillips.
“There hasn’t been one day I haven’t wanted to come to work,” she said. “I love it.”
In her first foaling season as manager, she has a “don’t fix what’s not broken” attitude, saying that she has a strong team with a wealth of knowledge all working together to raise the best mounts for the Musical Ride, even growing their own hay for their 82 charges.
Spring is clearly both a busy and happy time on the immaculate facility.
“It’s such a positive time of year with breeding and foaling,” Ryan said.
By the end of May, 14 foals cavorted with their mothers in the lush green fields studded with dandelions. The oldest were born in early April. Three mares are still expecting, the last in early June.
Meanwhile, mares are being bred to foal next spring and summer, the pairings with stallions including Dubai — who has 90 offspring — chosen by a breeding committee.
As farm manager, Ryan is called to every birth, which seems to happen most often in the middle of the night. Fortunately, her own farm and menagerie of animals are mere minutes away and most often births are uncomplicated if humans keep things dark and quiet.
“Every foaling is special and exciting,” Ryan said. “As soon as the foal comes out, as soon as you see the foal take its first breath and stand for the first time, it is magical.
“When you see that foal come into the world, it’s exciting to see where that foal is going to go. I just can’t wait to start working with them.”
In one field, five mare and foal pairs bask in the sun, cropping grass under blue skies full of bees and butterflies. The youngsters by turn gambol and gallop, fluffy tails flying, and return to lean against their moms’ shiny flanks.
The foals won’t start their training in Ottawa until age three, but in the meantime are being raised to be as calm and adaptable as their moms who greet strangers with quiet interest. Farm staff will teach the foals to ride in trailers, tolerate being touched all over and accustomed to everything from scrunching water bottles to opening umbrellas.
“All the things you might see in a crowd,” Ryan said. “Then they get to Ottawa and it’s hopefully no big deal.”
A mare keeps watch over her foal as the spring crop of about a dozen foals at the RCMP musical ride’s breeding farm near Pakenham have been named in a contest by the public.
They’ll start touring at age six if they’re chosen to be part of the troop of 32 mounts and riders, comprised of RCMP officers who may have no horse experience, who team up to perform intricate figures and cavalry drills set to music.
The RCMP Musical Ride is touring Ontario and British Columbia this summer.
People can also meet one of the mare and foal pairs and see the Musical Ride at the Canadian Sunset Ceremonies scheduled for June 27-30 at the RCMP Rockcliffe Stables on Sandridge Road. A kids zone is from 5-7 p.m., pre-show from 6:15-6:45 p.m. and the main event from 7-8:30 p.m.
But not all of the foals will make the show, like two little chestnuts born this spring, because the iconic Mountie’s mount is black, 16 to 17 hands high — a hand is four inches — and weighs 1,150 to 1,400 pounds.
Those who aren’t chosen are auctioned each fall and sought after for eventing, dressage or just hacking.
For now, the little colts and fillies have yet to show what they can do or even get their “P” names, with each still identified only with a number on their halter matching one on their mother’s.
“I really like ‘Partner’ — it’s appropriate,” Ryan said, noting that farm staff are excited to learn the names chosen each year from kids’ entries by Musical Ride instructors.
查看原文...
Not to mention Pascal, Phantom, Prince, Patriot, Puck and Penny.
Those are the winning names from kids across Canada for a dozen of the foals born this spring at the Pakenham farm, where the RCMP breeds Hanoverians as future Musical Ride steeds.
The farm’s new manager Karen Ryan was only seven herself when her mom first took her to meet the spring foals at Remount Depot, minutes away from the family’s dairy farm.
“I carry a picture around on my phone,” she said. “It’s when my mom brought us to the farm and she took our picture with the foals. I thought, ‘I’m going to come and work here one day.'”
Mares and their foals munch on grass as the spring crop of about a dozen foals at the RCMP musical ride’s breeding farm near Pakenham have been named in a contest by the public.
Ryan, 49, arrived as a part-timer in the Remount Detachment stables when the horses whose names start with “C” foaled, and became full time in the “E” year. Last summer, during the “O” foaling season, she won a competition to replace a retiring John Phillips.
“There hasn’t been one day I haven’t wanted to come to work,” she said. “I love it.”
In her first foaling season as manager, she has a “don’t fix what’s not broken” attitude, saying that she has a strong team with a wealth of knowledge all working together to raise the best mounts for the Musical Ride, even growing their own hay for their 82 charges.
Spring is clearly both a busy and happy time on the immaculate facility.
“It’s such a positive time of year with breeding and foaling,” Ryan said.
By the end of May, 14 foals cavorted with their mothers in the lush green fields studded with dandelions. The oldest were born in early April. Three mares are still expecting, the last in early June.
Meanwhile, mares are being bred to foal next spring and summer, the pairings with stallions including Dubai — who has 90 offspring — chosen by a breeding committee.
As farm manager, Ryan is called to every birth, which seems to happen most often in the middle of the night. Fortunately, her own farm and menagerie of animals are mere minutes away and most often births are uncomplicated if humans keep things dark and quiet.
“Every foaling is special and exciting,” Ryan said. “As soon as the foal comes out, as soon as you see the foal take its first breath and stand for the first time, it is magical.
“When you see that foal come into the world, it’s exciting to see where that foal is going to go. I just can’t wait to start working with them.”
In one field, five mare and foal pairs bask in the sun, cropping grass under blue skies full of bees and butterflies. The youngsters by turn gambol and gallop, fluffy tails flying, and return to lean against their moms’ shiny flanks.
The foals won’t start their training in Ottawa until age three, but in the meantime are being raised to be as calm and adaptable as their moms who greet strangers with quiet interest. Farm staff will teach the foals to ride in trailers, tolerate being touched all over and accustomed to everything from scrunching water bottles to opening umbrellas.
“All the things you might see in a crowd,” Ryan said. “Then they get to Ottawa and it’s hopefully no big deal.”
A mare keeps watch over her foal as the spring crop of about a dozen foals at the RCMP musical ride’s breeding farm near Pakenham have been named in a contest by the public.
They’ll start touring at age six if they’re chosen to be part of the troop of 32 mounts and riders, comprised of RCMP officers who may have no horse experience, who team up to perform intricate figures and cavalry drills set to music.
The RCMP Musical Ride is touring Ontario and British Columbia this summer.
People can also meet one of the mare and foal pairs and see the Musical Ride at the Canadian Sunset Ceremonies scheduled for June 27-30 at the RCMP Rockcliffe Stables on Sandridge Road. A kids zone is from 5-7 p.m., pre-show from 6:15-6:45 p.m. and the main event from 7-8:30 p.m.
But not all of the foals will make the show, like two little chestnuts born this spring, because the iconic Mountie’s mount is black, 16 to 17 hands high — a hand is four inches — and weighs 1,150 to 1,400 pounds.
Those who aren’t chosen are auctioned each fall and sought after for eventing, dressage or just hacking.
For now, the little colts and fillies have yet to show what they can do or even get their “P” names, with each still identified only with a number on their halter matching one on their mother’s.
“I really like ‘Partner’ — it’s appropriate,” Ryan said, noting that farm staff are excited to learn the names chosen each year from kids’ entries by Musical Ride instructors.
查看原文...
