Ricochet Vizslas

Good start to the trial season

2011-01-26T21:04:00.000-05:00

The first field trial this season is behind us now, and we're off to a start. At the January Old Dominion Vizsla Club walking trial, Dixie brought home the blue with a major win in the Open Limited Gun Dog stake. She has been handling well for Dave. And she and I are starting to click as well. She took 2nd in the Amateur Limited Gun Dog stake. Joey has been running well and always has great birdwork. Once we get that retrieve down pat (when to stay and when to go, etc.) he'll finish his FC and AFC in no time. Sara impressed me with a great run in the Open Gun Dog stake (Dave handling). She had three broke finds before a faux pas in the last few minutes of the brace.

What happened to 2010???

2011-01-20T23:56:00.000-05:00

I happened to visit this blog tonight and was quite surprised that it's been over a year since my last post. Whatever happened to 2010? Lucy is now a year and a half and as wild and crazy as ever. Phoebe is pushing 14 years old and Colonel and Misty will be 13 this spring. I hit a birthday milestone in 2010, but we won't talk about that. Joey, Dixie and Sara are all competing as gun dogs this spring. Dylan is still being the stubborn trainee and not ready yet. I'm thinking about another litter this spring or summer (or whenever Sara decides to come into season). Stay tuned....

Snowed in!

2009-12-19T22:07:00.000-05:00

The snow started Friday late afternoon, and it hasn't stopped yet. The girls here at home don't really think too much of going out in it. Phoebe did venture out to the mailbox with me.

Lucy found that she had to leap her way through the stuff:

Meet Miss Lucy

2009-08-23T20:30:00.000-04:00

It was a tough decision, but I finally selected the yellow collared girl as the pup who would be staying with me. I'm calling her Lucy - registered name to be determined still.

Decisions, decisions...

2009-08-13T23:14:00.003-04:00

Puppies start heading to their new homes soon, and I still must decide which girl I am keeping. This evening one of my girls really got into the "point the bird wing" game. It's difficult enough taking good pictures of lively puppies, but when you throw in the factor of one hand operating the bird wing on a fishing line while the other hand operates the camera, the odds of getting a great shot are even lessened. Yellow girl was the most cooperative, holding her points longer than any of her siblings. Could this be the future "Lucy" (call name I've been kicking around for my pup)?

Playing on the Deck

2009-08-09T17:50:00.001-04:00

Puppies - 6 weeks old

2009-08-07T23:51:00.000-04:00

Maternity leave is over

2009-08-02T14:16:00.003-04:00

Dixie's maternity leave is over and she is headed out to North Dakota to get back to work. She loves her job of running and hunting hard, so it's more like summer camp to her. Dave sent this picture of his training grounds there.

Now that's got to hurt!

2009-07-26T23:22:00.000-04:00

Dixie nurses her four-week old pups. Ouch!

New Digs

2009-07-21T23:00:00.002-04:00

Red girl escaped the whelping box Monday afternoon and again this morning. This afternoon I came home to find both Red and Black sitting in Dixie's crate. So this evening's project was to dismantle the whelping box and put up an x-pen. I put a 300 sized crate inside of the x-pen, and the pups took to it immediately. Of course, Dixie joined them INSIDE of the crate to nurse.

New pictures have been loaded into the slide show.

First Meal

2009-07-18T00:33:00.002-04:00

Puppies enjoyed their first meal on Friday evening. They seemed to enjoy their Pro Plan "Slurpie" quite well. As usual, there is always one puppy that ends up lying in the pan. This time it was the Red collar girl.

Puppies at Two and a Half Weeks

2009-07-16T22:15:00.000-04:00

Puppies Getting More Mobile

2009-07-11T15:22:00.004-04:00

Puppies' eyes are open now, and they are getting a bit more mobile. They don't have that walking thing down quite yet, though. This video was taken on Friday (7/10/2009) afternoon.

Puppies Growing Like Weeds

2009-07-07T06:47:00.002-04:00

Dixie's "pound puppies" are now all over two pounds each. They are growing fast. Typically the puppies' eyes start opening at about two weeks of age. It's funny to watch their reaction to the site of things. Up until then, they are driven by their noses. They certainly can smell when Mom, aka dinner, is nearby.

Puppies - One Week Old

2009-07-04T11:14:00.002-04:00

New pictures of Dixie's puppies, who are one week old today, have been uploaded. Click on the slide show to the right to see all pictures.

Happy Fourth of July to everyone!

Sofa Time with Sara

2009-07-02T23:29:00.001-04:00

Three year old Sara enjoys a bit of sofa time with Mom.

Feeding Time!

2009-06-30T23:31:00.001-04:00

Reflections...

2009-06-30T19:57:00.003-04:00

Fifteen years ago today, my beloved first Vizsla, Ricochet, was born. I first saw this little pup when she was about a week old. I remember the excitement that built during the next several weeks until it was time to bring her home. I had no idea how my life would change over the next 15 years. Ricochet got her name when I first visited the home of her breeder, Carol Wynn. I watched Carol's Vizslas race around her yard and commented that they sort of ricocheted around the place. And Ricochet certainly lived up to the name. As a young pup, she would fly up or down the staircase and literally bounce off the wall on the landing to make the 180 degree turn. When she whelped her first litter, I pondered what kennel name I would adopt as my own. I could not come up with anything better than her call name, thus the birth of "Ricochet Vizslas".

Ricochet has been gone for about two and a half years now, but her memory lives on, as does her spirit in the generations that have followed her. Dylan and Dixie's pups, three days old today, are Ricochet's great-great grandkids.

The "Pound Puppies" are Growing Fast

2009-06-29T22:14:00.002-04:00

I jokingly refer to Dixie's litter as the "Pound Puppies" because they all weighed in close to a pound at birth. Here it is a little over two days later, and my how they've grown! Tonight's weigh-in goes like this:

Black (male): 16.6 oz
Blue (male): 18.0 oz
Yellow (female): 18.7 oz
Red (female): 20.0 oz
Green (female): 17.5 oz

Tomorrow they take their first road trip - to the vet's for tails and dew claws. They will look more like Vizslas and less like rats in the next pictures!

Puppies Have Arrived!

2009-06-28T11:34:00.003-04:00

Signs of labor started on Friday late afternoon. Dixie's temperature had dropped, and she was getting restless. She and I both just catnapped throughout the night. Hard labor didn't begin until after noon on Saturday. I figured the first pup was going to be a whopper because she was having difficulty pushing it out. Finally, at about 3:00 pm, he arrived. For the next four plus hours, the pups came, and they all were quite large. Sadly, the last pup's sack broke prematurely and I was not able to get the puppy out in time to save her. Resuscitation attempts were futile, so I had to lay her to rest. But Dixie and the rest of the litter are all doing fine.

Each puppy has a color ribbon around its neck to easily identify them, especially in pictures. So Dixie, Dylan and I proudly introduce:

Black - male - 15.7 oz
Blue - male - 15.6 oz
Yellow - female - 16.5 oz
Red - female - 17.1 oz
Green - female - 15.6 oz

Still on Puppy Watch

2009-06-25T18:57:00.002-04:00

No puppies yet. She may wait until the weekend. I don't think she has "dropped" yet - not really seeing the backbone like you do when that happens. Here she is this afternoon:

Puppy watch

2009-06-24T23:28:00.003-04:00

It's definitely "Puppy Watch" time around here. Dixie is getting rather HUGE, but not yet showing any signs of labor. Her temp is normal, her appetite has not left her, and she hasn't been unusually restless. Here's a pic taken earlier this evening:

And from the rear:

One More Week (or so)

2009-06-17T22:23:00.004-04:00

Here's a picture of Dixie today. We're getting ready to start counting down the days instead of the weeks now. I am guessing that pups will arrive late next week or next weekend. Typically, puppies whelp 9 weeks (plus or minus one day) from the date of ovulation. When the breeding is done via artificial insemination, progesterone testing is done to determine the date of ovulation and thus the optimum breeding window, which is 3 to 5 days after ovulation. This was a natural breeding and no progesterone testing was done. So I have to go with dates of the actual breedings and assume that ovulation occurred a day or two prior to the first breeding. That is not always a good assumption - some dogs will breed prior to ovulation. But it's a place to start. I'll be using the temperature drop method along with plain old observation to determine when puppies are on their way.

I think Dixie is telling the kids about the accomplishments of their granddaddy as she gazes at all his awards.

Puppy countdown - 2 more weeks

2009-06-11T20:26:00.003-04:00

In another two weeks, give or take, we'll be welcoming Dixie's brood to this world. This pictures were taken this evening.

Puppy countdown - 4 weeks to go

2009-05-31T17:54:00.005-04:00

Here's a couple of pictures of Dixie at 5 weeks pregnant... four more weeks until puppies are due.

Puppies a Good Possibility

2009-05-20T19:00:00.002-04:00

Three and a half weeks since being bred, and I'd have to guess that Dixie is indeed carrying puppies. She is looking "thicker" these days.

2009 VCA Nationals

2009-05-04T19:55:00.002-04:00

So, being the glutton for punishment that I am, I volunteered to chair the 2009 Vizsla Club of America National Field Trial, which will be hosted by the Old Dominion Vizsla Club and held the week of November 1, 2009, at the Cloverdale Farm near Sutherlin, Virginia. A separate blog has been set up to document the event: 2009 VCA National FT Blog. I have posted pictures of Cloverdale Farm, taken during the AKC Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship held there this past March.

Spring update

2009-04-27T20:03:00.002-04:00

Things have changed quite a bit this past month. I have found employment once again, now working on contract at Dominion Resources Services in downtown Richmond. Working downtown is a bit of an adjustment for me. Gone are the days of wearing jeans to work everyday. And then there are tolls roads, parking garage, a three block walk to and from the car, working on the seventh floor of a high rise building, getting lunch from a street vendor, all sorts of changes. But I'm enjoying the work and the people are all great.

Dixie finally came into season, unfortunately keeping her from competition the last few weekends of this field trial season. But she has been bred to Dylan, so now the wait begins.

Catching up

2009-03-17T22:53:00.004-04:00

Shame on me! It's been way too long since my last entry. So much has happened since then.

Last fall Joey and Dixie competed in gun dog stakes, both earning placements. I am hoping this spring will bring some blue ribbons for the pair. Sara and Dylan began training as gun dogs last summer out in North Dakota, but aren't quite ready for prime time just yet. Buddy has become a useful field trial horse now. I've judged , scouted, planted birds, and handled from him now. He's doing it all.

This winter, the company for which I have worked for the past eight plus years, Circuit City, closed it doors for good, leaving me in unchartered waters - unemployed. All I can tell you is that searching for a job may be harder work than actually having a job. I'm hoping the economy turns around soon.

Lastly, I am planning another litter this spring - Dixie to Dylan. This should be a very nice breeding of pups with great field ability and wonderful temperaments.

Mid-summer blahs

2008-07-15T17:31:00.003-04:00

OMG! I can't believe that it's the middle of July already! It seemed like just yesterday that all the "kids" came home, and now they are headed out to North Dakota with trainer Dave as I type. I think they were ready to go though... they were getting rather bored around here. Going to summer camp, as I call it, means ample time for running and working on birds. And summer in North Dakota is much cooler than summer in Virginia. Chase, the pup I was boarding for a few months while his owner was on temporary assignment, as rejoined his "mommy" now. They are in the DC area now, soon to relocate to Texas.

I have spent much of my time this summer learning first hand about pasture management. I divided my pasture into two parcels with temporary electric fencing. The key word there is TEMPORARY, because it seems like the horses, deer or goblins end up taking down the dividing fence every time we have a good thunderstorm. What amazes me is just how far the insulators will fly off the fiberglass posts when the fence is plowed down. Anyhow, my intent is to rotate the horses from one side to the other on a regular frequency to allow the grass on each side time without horses on it to build back up. We'll see how well this works.

Dog Days of Summer

2008-06-07T21:46:00.003-04:00

Summer has definitely hit Virginia this week. I believe the temp reached 100 degrees today in Richmond. I started off the day by bringing Buddy and Komanche over to my newly fenced in pasture. They seem to be happy enough with their new home. They found the mud road along the back that connects the two pastures, and spent a good part of the afternoon hanging out there in the shade. The dogs haven't quite gotten used to the idea of horses being on the other side of the fence. Misty was the first to spot them, sounding off in her "intruder!" bark.

There won't be the sound of any new little feet around here, unfortunately. The breeding that was attempted this spring was not successful. Very disappointing.

A Little Bit of Everything Going On

2008-04-14T17:07:00.003-04:00

Heading home this past weekend, I chuckled to myself at the thought of my minivan as being a mobile geriatric ward, daycare, nursury and brothel. That's because I was carrying my two older girls, my 5-month old tenant, two females in season and a stud dog to breed to one, and I just picked up Zoe and her four babies to keep while Kelley is away on a business trip. Somehow we managed to fit in a short weekend at a field trial. Don't have any field trial brags from the weekend, but perhaps with so much going on, I haven't exactly been focused on just the trialing.

The breedings have been done, and hopefully I'll be announcing an upcoming litter soon. Stay tuned....

Spring trialing

2008-03-24T20:08:00.002-04:00

Our spring trial season started down in Georgia this year in late February. Dave went down to Leesburg, GA, for a weekend trial, followed by the NVA Eastern Championship. Then he headed up to Norwood, GA, for the VCA National Gun Dog Championship. I was able to join him for the VCA event. The following weekend was our club's weekend trial, which means a boat load of work for me the week prior and after, as well as during the three days of the trial. We had a very large entry, as usual. And to add insult to injury, it rained two of the three days, turning our trial into a virtual mudfest. Now it's my turn to go to everyone else's trials and enjoy myself - I have done my part to contribute to the sport this spring.

Joey has made his debut as a gun dog. He hasn't come home with any ribbons yet, but I am confident that he is on the right track.

Zoe's puppies

2008-03-24T19:51:00.003-04:00

Wow... where did the time go? It seems like it was just yesterday when Zoe was bred. Now she is the mother of one week old puppies - three females and one male. Mother and babies are all doing well.

Just when it got quiet around here...

2008-02-05T19:06:00.000-05:00

Dixie's puppies all left for new homes. My youngsters (Joey, Dixie, Sara, and Dylan) are with Dave preparing for the Spring field trial season. It was just me and the "old girls" (Misty and Phoebe) here holding down the fort. Then I get the news that the owner of Chase, one of Dixie's pups, was required to pack up and move for a five month training assignment in the Norfolk area. Unfortunately, she is not allowed to have any pets in her temporary living accommodations, so Chase has come back here for the spring. He is the sweetest boy, quite smart, and fairly bold for his age. Even though it's only early February, the past couple of days have been quite spring-like, and Chase and I have enjoyed some long walks. Today I even swatted a mosquito! But I know that cold weather is returning before too long. I guess we will enjoy it while we can.

More Puppies on the Way!

2008-01-19T12:47:00.000-05:00

Springtime will bring more Ricochet Vizsla pups! Kelley has bred her girl Zoe (CH Ricochet Misty & Col's Pride JH) to Cutter (DC AFC Bitteroot Semper Fi Cutter). If all goes as planned, puppies will arrive in mid-March. Puppies should show great field potential, as well as be wonderful companions in the home. You couldn't ask for sweeter temperaments than Zoe's and Cutter's.

Quiet Again

2008-01-12T15:18:00.000-05:00

It is quiet around here once again. Today, the last of Dixie's puppies left for his new home. I was sad to see him leave, but I know he will have a wonderful and loving home. He also has a full time playmate - a one year old Vizsla "sister".

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T11:43:00.001-05:00

I can't believe it is Christmas Day already! Amazing how quickly you lose track of time with a litter of nine energetic puppies at home. Joey, Dixie, Dylan and Sara are off to "winter camp" in Georgia now. Phoebe and Misty are helping me keep watch over Dixie's brood. This week puppies start going to new homes. It will be quiet around here once again before long.

As if taking care of a litter isn't enough work, we hosted our club's (Old Dominion Vizsla Club) fall field trial this month. It was a lot of work, but with some help from everyone at the trial, we pulled it off. And our "team" brought home some ribbons, too. Dave took third in the Open All Age stake with Mason. He won the Open Limited Gun Dog stake with Colonel. Daisy, Dave's pointer, won the Open Gun Dog stake, and Sara won the Open Derby. I brought home third in Amateur Limited Gun Dog with Colonel, and Dylan won the Amateur Walking Derby stake.

Puppy update

2007-12-06T00:01:00.000-05:00

Pups are now 4 weeks old. They are growing fast, eating well, playing with each other, and starting to show their individual personalities. Mama Dixie developed a rather nasty case of mastitis (infection in the mammary gland), so pups were weaned a bit earlier than normal to allow Dixie to heal. She is doing much better now.

Fall trialing

2007-11-24T19:06:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving has come and gone! It's been a busy fall season with the big trip out to Iowa and Nebraska, followed by the arrival of Dixie's puppies. But we have managed to get to some east coast trials as well. The first weekend of November was the Pointer Associates of New England field trial. Dave did well in the Open Limited Gun Dog stake, taking first, second, and fourth with Specter, Pete, and Moxie, respectively. Sara got a placement in Open Derby , and Colonel and I won the Amateur Limited Gun Dog stake.

Dave went from the P.A.N.E. trial to the Pointer Nationals at Wye Island the next weekend. He ran Pete and Daisy in the National Championship, winning it with Daisy. Pete's owner Judith earned a placement with Pete in the National Amateur Championship.

The third weekend in November was the Southern Maryland English Setter Club trial. It was another successful weekend for Dave and me. Colonel won the Open Limited Gun Dog stake and was third in Amateur Limited Gun Dog. Sara won the Open Derby stake. Moxie won the Open Gun Dog stake, with Zeke second. I also got in lots of ride time with Buddy. He's coming around nicely.

We may be going to the Delaware Valley German Wirehaired Pointer trial next weekend. Then we'll be busy hosting the Old Dominion Vizsla Club trial December 14-16.

Puppies are here!

2007-11-07T18:45:00.000-05:00

Today Dixie whelped nine puppies - five males and four females. Mother and babies are all doing well. The stats of the whelping go as follows:

8:20 am Male 16 oz. (Black collar)
8:44 am Female 14 oz. (Pink collar)
9:06 am Female 15 oz. (Yellow collar)
9:38 am Male 17 oz. (Purple collar)
9:55 am Female 13 oz. (White collar)
10:32 am Male 15 oz. (Orange collar)
11:25 am Female 13 oz. (Green collar)
11:50 am Male 15 oz. (Blue collar)
1:03 pm Male 16 oz. (Red collar)

Friday they will go in for tail docking / dew claw removal.

Trip to Iowa and Nebraska

2007-10-28T19:18:00.000-04:00

I'm back from my two plus week trip to the midwest to attend a couple of Vizsla field trials (Show Me Vizsla Club and Hawkeye Vizsla Club), the NVA Quail Classic, and the VCA National field trial. The Show Me and Hawkeye trials were held at grounds near Thayer, Iowa. These are beautiful grounds. Dylan and Sara both ran in the derby at Show Me. Dylan unfortunately went birdless and Sara took a 4th place even though she had a mishap tripping over a log that then popped up and whacked her on the chest, leaving quite an abrasion and a big knot. The Hawkeye trial was cut short due to terrible thunderstorms, and the Open Limited Gun Dog and Derby stakes were canceled. On to the Hickman Ranch we went, a few miles south of the Thayer grounds. This was the site for the NVA Quail Classic. Dave ran a few dogs in the Open Shooting Dog stake and brought home the Winner and Runner-Up awards with Mason and Colonel. Sara and Dylan both ran in the derby stake and did well, but did not place.

From the Hickman Ranch, we caravaned to the VCA National field trial at Branched Oak in Nebraska. Mason, Colonel and Moxie all did well in the National Championship, with Mason and Colonel making the second series. Dylan ran a beautiful race in the Derby, but alas went birdless once again. Sara had one find but was a bit too busy at times during her run. I ran Colonel in the National Amateur Championship and we made the second series, where he demonstrated just how much of a bird dog he is with one find after another. Unfortunately, he was not called back for a retrieve and our bid for a championship title ended. I was proud of his effort though and received many compliments from other participants.

Dixie and Dylan came home with me from the Nationals. Dixie is due to whelp in about a week or so. She is huge now. Dylan is just getting a little break and some "mommy time".

Loss of a Friend

2007-10-02T20:35:00.000-04:00

Today is a sad day. My friend and first Vizsla mentor, Carol Wynn, passed away this morning. Ten years ago Carol was diagnosed with breast cancer, but she did not let it take her down. This summer she wasn't feeling well, and found out that her platelet count was quite low. For two months she went in twice a week for a "fill-up". Last Friday she was checked into the hospital with low blood pressure and failing kidneys and liver. Today her friends and family must wish her farewell on her journey to Our Lord. She will rejoin with Samantha and Blue, her first two Vizslas, and hopefully will be watching over my Ricochet and Angel, both of whom passed on this past year.

I got my first two Vizslas, Ricochet and a couple of years later Phoebe, from Carol. She was there to help when Ricochet had her first litter. She always welcomed us into her home when we would come south for a visit or to go to the Greenville shows. It didn't matter how many dogs were in tow - everyone was welcome. There were many fun times around Carol's dining room table. What a wonderful, generous, giving person. I will remember her fondly.

First Fall Trial

2007-10-02T20:18:00.000-04:00

Got back from the first field trial for us this fall, and have one brag... I won the Amateur Limited Gun Dog stake with Colonel. He is such a fun dog to run. Dave ran Colonel in the Open Limited Gun Dog, but about half way he disappeared and neither Dave nor I could find him. We knew that he had to be on point somewhere. When Dave pulled the Tracker out, sure enough it indicated that he was on point. It took us some time to pin-point exactly where he was. We rode by him at least twice. He was buried pretty deep in some thick cover.

Dylan and Sara ran in the Open Derby stake that had a very large entry. Both did a nice job, but neither placed.

Pasture in Place... Now the Wait

2007-09-20T21:19:00.000-04:00

I can only imagine how waiting for grass to grow is going to test my patience. The pasture has been disked earlier this week, and lime, fertilizer and seed spread today. I wish it would be like those Chia-pets and start to grow immediately. Somehow, I think it will be spring before I see much of anything.

I asked Dave how Dixie was looking. His response was "buff". I know it's only been a couple of weeks, but she is obviously not showing signs of pregnancy yet. Usually it's five weeks or more before the plumpness set in.

The Last Burn Pile

2007-09-15T22:22:00.000-04:00

Today I set ablaze the last burn pile of the sticks and logs that I have gathered in the future pasture. Yesterday we had some rain after several weeks of dry weather. This will make disking the ground much easier. Hopefully next week I can get the truck out to spread the lime, fertilizer and seed. Could there be a pasture in our future?

I had planned to take Buddy to a Brittany trial up at Sumerduck this weekend to ride and watch, but the trial was canceled due to lack of entries. So instead, I started yet another project at home this weekend - painting the window and door trim / sills on the exterior of the house. I won't finish the project this weekend, but I hope to get a good start on it. This is all in an attempt to stay ahead of any more rotting around the windows... already had some repair work done this summer.

I can't wait for field trial season to get here. Today's cooler weather sure did get me in the mood for it. Puppies on the way will cut my fall season short a bit, but it'll be fun having wee ones in the house again.

A Third Time?

2007-09-09T12:37:00.000-04:00

If we don't have puppies this fall, I will be shocked. Dave put Joey and Dixie together again on Saturday, just to be sure that the breeding window has been covered. Once again, we had another tie. I'll be heading out to Iowa in mid-October to join up with Dave for some field trials there. Then we'll head over to Nebraska for the Vizsla Club of America National field trial. Dixie should be quite rotund by then. She'll come home with me after Nationals.

Second Breeding Attempt

2007-09-07T10:33:00.000-04:00

Thursday Dave put Dixie and Joey together again and had a good long tie. Dave was whining because he didn't have a chair nearby to sit in while he held the two during the tie. Been there, done that! I once had a pair tied for about 45 minutes in the middle of my backyard and had nothing to sit on except the wet ground. I think I finally gave in and just sat on the wet ground. Breeding these two has probably interrupted their individual progresses in the breaking process. Joey has only one thing on his mind right now. Next week things should be getting back to normal for him. The whole complexion of the fall season has changed for Dixie, however. Hopefully, she is successfully bred and that motherhood suits her. She can then resume training as a gun dog next spring.

Dixie and Joey - First Breeding

2007-09-05T20:55:00.000-04:00

Dave informs me that Joey and Dixie successfully tied yesterday. He will put them together again tomorrow for another breeding attempt. Perhaps we will be blessed with puppies in about 9 weeks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

The Future Pasture and Buddy

2007-09-01T21:34:00.000-04:00

It's Labor Day weekend, and today (Saturday), Misty and I worked a bit this afternoon picking up and piling up sticks and logs in what will someday be the horse pasture. This project started back in January when I decided to clear a few acres for pasture. I think the guys who did the clearing worked more on their machinery than on the property. It was May before they got what is cleared now - about three and a half acres - and the wood burned or hauled off. By then, it was too late in the spring to plant, so all summer I've been staring at what looks like a baren waste land. As it turns out, the burn piles were just scattered out, so now I am picking up the bigger pieces to try to burn them again. This fall my neighbor will disk the ground and I'll have the lime, fertilizer and seed spread. It won't be soon enough when I can finally get Buddy (my Tennessee Walker) over here. But there is so much yet to do before then... the pasture, a run-in shed, the fencing.

Buddy is the newest "member of the family" around here. I saw him at a field trial in Georgia last December, and fell in love with him. And I felt a bit sorry for him. The gentleman who owned him had just recently acquired him, but didn't seem at all comfortable with him. And I thought that he was a little bit too much fellow for Buddy, who is a lighter built horse. The headstall that he was using was way too big for Buddy, so Buddy kept getting his tongue over the bit. I bought a more appropriately sized bridle for him with a walking horse (leverage) bit. But he still manages to get his tongue over it, so I am researching what alternatives I should try. Boy, there are a lot of bits out there!

Breeding Plans

2007-08-29T23:13:00.000-04:00

Dave has informed me that Dixie is in season. Day 1 was August 24. I've decided to breed her to Joey.... well, Dave will have to officiate the mating. The scary thing is that if the breeding is successful, puppies will be ready to go to new homes right around Christmas. I'll have to make sure people aren't wanting to buy a puppy for a Christmas gift, especially for someone who may not be so committed to new puppy ownership. Raising a litter in winter is not as easy as a spring or summer litter, either. I like to give pups exposure to the great outdoors, but if it's nasty weather or too cold, can't do that. First we have to see if the two will breed....

Introduction

2007-08-28T23:03:00.000-04:00

While the rest of the kids are at "summer camp" in North Dakota, Misty and I decided it was time to create a blog for Ricochet Vizslas. So who are we? I am Grace Anne, leader of the pack. Next is Misty, currently 9 years of age, retired from show and field competition. The other four at camp are Joey, who will be 3 this fall, Dixie, 2 years old, and Dylan and Sara, 1 year old littermates. They are out there with their best buddy (and mine too) Dave. We miss them, but know they are having a blast.