02/02/2026
It’s been a year since my brain surgery and it’s safe to say that I’m pretty happy to leave 2025 behind me.
I had to take a step back from the horses and lighten my load, so at the moment there are only six (plus the kids pony, who doesn’t really count 😜) in my paddocks which is the lowest the number has been in quite a few years!
It’s been mighty quiet on our pages this last year so here’s a run down of where I’m up to and who is in the paddock.
First on the list is my heart horse ‘Guy’ (Fawkes 😂). He was the first horse I bought when I moved over to NZ. A little 6month old weanling c**t. Bay with four white socks. We’ve done life together for the last 17years. Recently I’ve made the difficult decision to retire him thanks to some arthritis and stiffness. He’s quite happy to be a paddock ornament though 😉
Next is Somerton Beau. Beau is a purebred registered Clydesdale stallion, bred by Somerton Park Clydesdales, who will be 6years old in March. He is a stunning boy with an adorable temperament. He’s a gentlemen to handle and dotes on his mares and foals. He is a classic type, not overly tall, and built like a tank! He came to me at Carnagh when he was 7months old and spent his early years running alongside Guy on adventures around the farm. Now he’s happy in his little breeding herd, making beautiful babies for me!
Then we have CE Ember. A beautiful big 5 year old pinto stationbred mare, by Mustangs Roulette and out of a Waimanu Idol mare. I bought Ember as an 8wk foal at foot. She was a rather horrible foal who was very sour and didn’t want anything to do with people! But with kind and consistent handling she became a social, gentle and loving mare who I have a huge soft spot for. She is an independent type who doesn’t need others to follow, which I love. She is an amazing mother and has had two beautiful filly foals for me so far. She is also homozygous for the pinto gene so all her foals will be colourful! I am giving her a year off and she’ll go back to Beau in the Spring.
Next up is MTS Pink. A rising 4yr old cremello filly by Touch of Class and out of Cover Girl (Voltaire II x Maungatawa Casper (ID)). Pink has the best temperament, so sweet, kind and soppy, with a good dose of dappy! She’s incredibly loveable and a real ‘sleep at the end of your bed’ type! She has super conformation, is light in bone and very athletic. I searched a long time for this girl as I had very specific boxes to tick, so I’m super excited about what Pink and Beau will produce in the future!
Then there’s CE Somer Storm, with personality to burn! A 2yr old coloured filly by Beau and out of my original mare who started it all, ‘Nui’. Nui had 6 stunning foals for me over the years and after Storm I decided to retire her from breeding. Nui’s foals all have amazing inquisitive, social natures just like their mum, and super smart brains that keep you on your toes! Storm is no exception and I’m loving every minute with her.
The youngest of the bunch is CE Somer Sparrow. By Beau and out of Ember. A gorgeous, solid pinto filly with a sweet temperament. Loves people and scratches and is brave and friendly. She was snapped up by her new owner at just a few days old and will make a wonderful trekking/hunting/allrounder.
So somehow I’ve ended up without a ridden horse for the first time in … my life?!? I’m hating not having something to jump on! But there’s plenty of handling/training to do with the ones I do have, and good things come to those who wait and all that!
So for now, I’ll keep ticking away, breeding one or two a year and keeping my passion for breeding and training satisfied 😂
Rundown complete ✅
