Fluffing Around

22/09/2024

It's been two months since the accident, three weeks since the surgery, one week back on my 'feet'... You cannot hold us down!! 🤣 My stamina and fitness are at a shocking all time low after the last few weeks, but playing with this grubby lad for a few minutes is totally the highlight of my day!

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12/09/2024

Bigfoot and Magic were supposed to be performing in the night show at equifest in october, however my recent injury has thrown everything into uncertainty. I saw the surgeon today, it is still quite painful but healing well, I get out of the cast 10th of october, just a week before equifest. I am hoping maybe, just perhaps, even if I can't yet walk properly, Bigfoot might be able to still pull something together in time...
(Yes, I might just be a little bit crazy too 🤣)

02/09/2024

Fluffy got some TLC yesterday after his fall a few weeks back, gotta make sure he's feeling ok too!

30/08/2024

Surgery went well, think he said a plate and ten screws?! Pain tolerable, So far only one complaint, who the heck puts capsicum in mac n cheese 🤣

28/08/2024

Magic says Good Morning! He often stands there at the gate, just quietly waiting, looking unloved. So this morning we made the most of a little sun after all that rain, and he provided me with a much appreciated dose of Magitherapy. He loves to hang out, have scratches, and lick people!
The results of the MRI on the foot weren't good, bone marrow edema and tears in the lisfranc ligament. We've had some delays and whatnot, however a fresh referral sees surgery booked for friday, eeek >.< This of course interferes with any plans for the near future, including most likely equifest :'(
Luckily I've got an awesome little helper who has been invaluable keeping all the animals fed and mucked out, thanks Skylah, we'll keep you on!!

29/07/2024

I don't suppose anyone is selling some safety stirrups?! Something that's been on my wish list for a while, but perhaps it's time to finally bite the bullet and get a pair :/
Last week we had a bit of a whoopsie, Fluffy fell and landed on my foot, and yep, my foot got caught in the stirrup as he was getting up. I can assure you it was excruciating enough without being dragged! However, Fluffy is special, he heard me cry out, stopped and patiently waited sitting half way up (like a dog, standing on his frontlegs, sitting on his bum) for me to get untangled, until I told him it was ok

21/07/2024

Magic has been learning new tricks! Some things he finds really, really hard, it took over 2 years to smile (considered to be one of the easiest, simplest tricks), some things are really, really easy, it took about 4 days to get this! That was a bit of a surprise as he normally likes low energy activities 🤣We love him either way

12/07/2024

I thought for those that don't know me, I should introduce myself. My name is Jen Ravens and I have been riding horses for about 30 years now, I have a solid background in dressage, natural horsemanship, liberty horsemanship. As a teenager I did the whole ponyclub thing, eventing, jumping, games etc. Among other things, I have worked on showjumping yards, stud farms, thoroughbred farm and with kaimanawa's. You could say horses are kinda my thing, it's what I am good at! I have traveled some interesting paths in life, many of them have not been easy but they have led to where I am now, charting my own way, conventional be dammed!

I am currently available for lessons, and can take horses for training in the levin area. I enjoy handling wild horses, working through groundwork problems, float training, leg handling for farrier work (it's not the farrier's job to train your horse!), flatwork and basic jumping just to name a few. I do start horses under saddle, but I'm not one of those 'just ride it' types who will 'buck it out'. I prefer to prevent problems in the first place, and when there are problems, try and get to the root cause and work from there. While I am good at what I do, at heart I am a chicken, and the ground hurts! But that just means I try to do a better job preventing issues in the first place

Photo credit BRV creative, equifest 2023

29/06/2024

Magic has been adding his own flair to the fetch games, I think he's having fun! 🤣🤣🤣

Just a reminder if you're interested in lessons, schooling, groundwork, hoof trims etc in the levin area get in touch!

22/05/2024

So the good news is, now we're getting settled in levin, there is space for horses to come for training! There's even an arena, how cool is that?! Happy to work on groundwork problems, float loading, schooling, starting under saddle etc. So please get in touch if you're interested, it is winter so spaces are limited.

13/05/2024

Hurry up Magic, we're supposed to be packing! The good news is, we've found somewhere to go! The next step in our adventure is leading us to Levin, watch this space. I have very much enjoyed my time in hawkes bay, and I'm not looking forward to moving, but that's mostly cos change terrifies me!! (I realise sometimes change is good, doesn't mean I like it though 🤣)

02/05/2024

Mylonite had her second little lesson installing some bridleless cues today, here's a snippet from the end of her ride!

19/11/2023

Last weekend Magic went out and had a great day out practicing pole work at the local Riding Club rally. Annd.... Mylo came along too!
Those of you who follow Kaimanawa Krazy will be familiar with Mylonite's story, initially she really struggled with the transition to domestic life, taking a long time to settle and start to trust people. However, while she can still be opinionated at times (she is a mare after all 🤣) she's been coming along really well! I think given a bit of time she'll come around and surprise everyone and be a really cool pony. Still wary of strangers, she is actually getting out there and starting to friends!

17/11/2023

Poor Bigfoot had a sore foot lately. Thankfully it was easy to locate the problem (small abscess) and get him on the recovery road. I think this is the first time in over 5 years I've had a lame horse! I put this down to a well stocked medicine cabinet and partly because I do my own hoof trimming, I tend to trim a little more frequently (except sometimes Bigfoot cos his big feets are hard work!) and I think that helps keep on top of problems before they become an issue.

I know I'm a bit crap at keeping facebook updated and whatnot, but by the end of the day I'm just too exhausted to face things anymore! I did try asking the dr about being tired all the time/not having enough energy, but his best suggestion was, 'try a smoothie' and prescribe an antidepressant. While tasty, the smoothie didn't help, and the pills just gave me even less energy, and, wait for it... made me really depressed! I was ready to throw the towel in and give up. Needless to say, I haven't been back!

26/10/2023

And Bigfoot! 🦄
Next time I think the props could be a little further apart, but overall he did so good! Got distracted but didn't try to leave, which was my biggest worry with him!

Thanks again for the video Rose!!

24/10/2023

Here is Magic's freestyle! 🦄

22/10/2023

A few photos from Fluffy's night show performance, thanks Kelly!
I'm not sure who was more anxious, him or me! After a rocky start, with Fluffy really not convinced he wanted to be there, we managed to pull ourselves together and produce some nice moments.
Phew, we were both glad when that was over!!

16/10/2023

Once again, what a weekend! Many thanks to Equifest for putting on a great show, and CopRice for sponsoring the Kaimanawa Legacy Foundation freestyle class. Also thanks to all our helpers and supporters over the weekend, in particular Claire and of course none of it would probably have happened without Kelly. We really appreciate everyone's kind words and encouragement, being very much out of our comfort zone!

Both Bigfoot and Magic won their classes, and I'm not sure that's quite sunk in yet. Bigfoot hasn't had much public exposure, especially at liberty, him being a stallion posed an additional challenge, but he more than rose to the occasion.

15/10/2023

Magic was just Magical!
Running late, we barely had time to throw his costume on and only a couple of minutes to settle and warm up before we were in the arena, but he put his whole heart forward and did his best for me, I couldn't have asked for more.
No matter what the final results would be, I had tears in my eyes for this special horse coming out of that arena!

We are thrilled to announce the winner of the inaugural CopRice Kaimanawa Legacy Freestyle: Magic and Jen Ravens (Fluffing Around)!

This talented Kaimanawa was mustered just last year, and showcased an inspiring bridleless and liberty routine. As the winners of the 2022 Stallion Challenge last year, this duo aren't strangers to the Equifest arena, and it was exciting to see them step it up a notch during their performance yesterday!

As part of the winning prize, Jen and Magic have won the chance to perform in next years Saturday night show at Equifest, and we're excited to see if they'll accept the invitation to return to star in the biggest equine entertainment show in the country!

15/10/2023

Oh my gosh, what a weekend! It's going to take me a while to catch up with everything, but first up, poor Fluffy and I got thrown in the deep end, last minute for the night show at equifest! It was extremely challenging, but he tried so hard in a very difficult environment with next to no preparation!

10/10/2023

I got back from my taupo trip to find Magic had very much enjoyed his two week break, filthy, fluffy and full of rocketfuel! Not long till equifest now, Dude, you're supposed to be looking presentable!!

06/10/2023

Fluffy, Bigfoot and I (and the dog!) just spent 10 days in taupo with the amazing Hannah Catalino and Kelly Wilson, learning, and getting ready for equifest 😬 Bigfoot is entered in the Future stars competition, and Magic in the kaimanawa legacy freestyle. It would have been better if I hadn't been fighting first a nasty toothache followed by a horrible cold that just keeps on giving, but it'll take more than that to keep us down!

Photo credit: Kelly Wilson

07/07/2023

We haven't been doing much lately with the horrible weather, but today was too nice not to do something with the ponies! They might not look very enthusiastic, but we enjoyed our wander down the road and some sunshine finally!

And we spotted Jen riding past today on magic leading Mylonite! She came back riding Mylonite and leading magic!!!! So nice to see Mylonite enjoying life

08/05/2023

Yesterday was an eventful day. Thanks to the Dannevirke Social Riding Club for a great dressage series, in which Magic came reserve champion! After being up at the crack of dawn, we arrived home just as the car overheated and threw it's toys out half way up the driveway.
We're far from perfect, but not bad for a lil kaimanawa mustered a year (and a couple of days) ago!!! That first test he'd never seen a dressage arena before, and was shying slightly at all the markers. So very proud of how well he has done, how far he has come and how hard he tries!

16/04/2023

Magic came fourth and somehow, first at his second dressage day!! I decided it was time for Bigfoot to step up and try level one tests, which meant I had to remember four tests. Eeek! I almost managed it, I only got lost in the very last part of Bigfoots second test, but he still managed to place third in both

08/04/2023

I've been holding out on you, Bigfoot came to dressage too! He was on his absolute best behavior, and rode two very nice tests!

01/04/2023

Magic had his first ever dressage day last weekend, and did pretty darn good! The markers all had to pass inspection, however the judges car was not a problem! He even placed third in his first test!! However having been up since before 5 to milk cows I managed to forget the second test, oops!

02/02/2023

How cool is this?! While I miss having Stormy around very much, it is awesome to see him out on new adventures!!

29/01/2023

My Stormy Boy went off out into the big wide world the other day, on new adventures with a new family. As hard as it is to let him go, I am sure he will be much loved.

22/01/2023

It was only Stormy's third time at the arena next door, and I had absolutely no hesitation taking off his bridle. He's a seriously cool pony with a lot to offer