Yeah. I’m thinking I’m back!

Meet John Wick!

It’s a new year, a new show season, and I’m so excited to announce I have a new horse added to my show string. Meet John Wick - aka John, JW,  Jonathan, Wick, or Baba Yaga (aka: the boogie man.)  🔫 🖤 ✏️🐶 🚘 If you haven’t seen the first two movies yet, you better catch up....as John Wick 3 comes out in May.  And he’s taking on everyone in this next film.  (John Wick is a notorious assassin who got out of the business only to be yanked back in over a car and a puppy...🚘🐶...but I’m not going to give it all away - you can watch the first two films on Netflix.)

Ok, ok.....back to details on the new horse. John is a coming two year only about 22 months old when I got him and in April turns two.  He’s black with a stripe that dribbles down his cute baby face. He’s bred out of the great Honors and a Dixie Lineman mare. And he’s got loooooong damn legs and is just a sweetheart. In a very strange turn of events, he was brought to me by Jessica Hlebak for my consideration. A long call, a video, a flight, and a vet-check later, I had myself a new showring possibility.  He officially became mine in February - my Valentines present from Scott. 🖤❤️🖤 John Wick is at Stonewall Farm under the training of Jessica Hlebak.  And now Harley Quinn is at Stonewall as well. Thus begins my double baby adventure ( a 2yo and a 3yo.....oh my gosh!)

Getting ready to ride...

In mid March I flew down to see how the babies were doing. I chose a long weekend in conjunction with the trainers show - so I could snuggle soft noses and watch great competition - all in one visit. I arrived early on Thursday morning and drove out to Shelbyville to see HQ and JW directly after landing at the airport. Stonewall Farm is located out in the country, a pretty drive along rolling hills. The new Stonewall Farm sign is installed and now serves as the perfect landmark to signal its time to turn right. My butterflies kicked in as I headed down the long gravel drive, drove past the big outdoor riding track and huge round pen and parked near the front porch entrance that punctuates the center of the 60-horse facility. Jessica and David just purchased the place and are actively updating it to make it their own... along with training horses. It’s a quiet and beautiful setting on lots of acreage, with even more acres of pasture to the south that is home to a herd of mares and foals. I jumped out of my car and headed on in.

Thank you Jessica for taking on this motley crew!

It was mid morning and the barn was busy. A few customers were sitting on the center deck and they all said hi when I arrived. They were watching a few horses being worked.  Another customer was with Jessica receiving a lesson. I walked back to the cross tie area where Mackenzie and Brandon had more horses in the cross ties.  Someone must have said something funny....or perhaps it’s just the light hearted, happy nature of the barn...because you could hear laughter.  You know, that can’t stop, snorting kind of laughter, that makes you smile just because.  And I smiled.  This will be a good place for the babies.  Which reminded me....just where were their stalls?  I needed to say hello.

I knew Wick’s stall was down near the one end.  As Jessica rode by on a pretty sorrel she told me Quinn was right next to him. P. E. R. F. E. C. T.  Easy access to both of them. I peeked in on JW and then HQ....and since Quinn was laying down, I went back to John’s stall and climbed in. He immediately greeted me at the door for attention. Well hello little one. (But believe me when I say little - it is due to age, not height.) He’s got long legs and if he didn’t have such a baby face and skinny width ... well he wouldn’t look 2. Lol. I pet him and he nuzzled in my chest. But please note 📝 ears are not to be touched!!!  Lol. Well of course I had to keep trying on the ears. It’ll take time but we’ll get there one of these years. Other than that he’s a cuddler.

Beautiful Rolling Hills and a new sign for
Jessica & David's new place.

I then snuck over by Quinn. She heard me with John and was staring at us through the bars that separated half the stall wall between the two horses. If I could read filly minds I would say she recognized my voice and decided she was jealous. She would look at us and toss her head. Then look at us and then toss her head. Lol. I mean really Quinn?  And when I climbed in her stall she was so happy. I talked to her and she looked at me close with her one eye. Yeah, she did recognize me. And she followed me when I moved around to take a look over her. She looked good. Her face, neck and leg where she had been injured late last fall looked healed. I could see small scars when I really looked, but for the most part no one should really notice anything. Whew. From hole in her cheek to healed in months.  Glad she heals well. Even her front teeth seemed to have come back in. I checked with Jessica to see if she feels anything off from the saddle - and she said not really. So hopefully all is clear and just a bump (wham, bam,💥 ka-pow) in the journey. We also suspected ulcers and treated her for them all month. She now gets a sweet-potato on a daily basis - and loves them. They have something in them that soothes a hind gut and also seem to be doing her well. All is good in Quinn-Ville.

Twice the fun...

On this trip I was able to see Jessica ride them both numerous times. Quinn looked good. She had off all winter, but was back strong - walking, striding, and shaking - even though Jessica was just riding lightly to get muscle back on her. Baba Yaga had definitely progressed from my last visit and you could see him going straight and settling into his lighter shoes. He’s still at the stand, stop, straight lines phase of learning, but oh boy does he show glimmers of what’s to come. He moves really cool...setting the backs way up under himself and lifts in the knees. He’s doing a lot for a 2yo....who has no idea what he’s doing yet. Just wait until he starts doing things on purpose. He’s going to be pretty cool - at least I🤞 hope.

Mirror Honors babies. Sis and Bro keeping
each other company. 🔫❤️♦️

I’m pleased with everything and enjoyed my visits....which were daily over the long weekend. I spent days at the barn, evenings at the show, and bed & breakfasts with Jane. I lifted off Sunday night with my horse-fill and my heart happy. I met so many new people and caught up with many others. The Stonewall gang knows how to party....as everyone was hanging out outside on the sunny porch or inside on the observation deck...or most importantly eating the big daily buffet set up each day in the lounge. Yeah....this’ll work!  (Or like John Wick says...) Yeah...I’m thinking I’m back.

Thank you Jessica (and David) for taking all of us on. I can’t even express my gratitude enough.   Looking forward to getting our girl ♦️in the ring next month....and 🔫 John ready to go in later this summer.