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AVONDALE SWEET ROSIE
(Darkhawk of Hideaway X
Avondale Berne's Hope)
1994 black mare, 15.2, 100% Foundation
My "holy grail", ever since I was a child, has been a
pretty black mare. I got serious about the search in 2003.
Not just any black Morgan mare would do; she had to be beautiful, correctly put together,
have an excellent temperament, and I wanted bloodlines with no modern outcrosses.
This is NOT an easy list to satisfy! I inquired after SO many mares who qualified by bloodlines but whose
conformation, once I received more photos and/or video, were a huge disappointment.
Those that met my criteria were not for sale.
Finally, I found two contenders in late 2008, but after much
deliberation, could not pick just one. If I couldn't decide, perhaps neither of these mares were "the
one"?
My former stallion Gone Gold went up for sale in August 2009, and suddenly I had to scramble to find a mare to
breed to him to in order to use my retained breeding. The owners of one of the
black mares I had
considered graciously agreed to a lease-purchase, with the purchase happening
only if the mare got in foal. She was quickly on her way to be bred to Roadie.
Unfortunately she retained fluid
after breeding, resulting in an infection, a lot
of expense to clean her up- and no foal. With much sadness, I sent her home.
In late October 2009, a few days before we laid our beloved old mare Reminiscing to rest,
my old friend Tom Bainbridge emailed me and said he would part with
his stunning black mare, Avondale Sweet Rosie. I have loved this mare since I first saw
her on Tom's website, and had told Tom if he would ever consider selling
her, to please let me know. Bless him, he remembered, and his promise
that this beautiful black mare would be mine helped ease my
sadness over Marie's loss. It was meant to be, and it is impossible for me to
ever thank Tom enough for his kindness.
Rosie spent almost two years on lease to my friend Charlene Cook of Edgefield Farm
in Goshen IN. She foaled a lovely palomino filly, Egefield Ivory Rose ("Ivy") for Char in 2011. Rosie arrived home to Georgia on October 21, 2011. Sadly, she lost the 2012 foal she was carrying for
me early in the pregnancy. We re-bred her in 2012 but she lost that foal, a beautiful black colt, at 9 months gestation in February 2013.
In April 2013, Ivy joined her dam here at Brookridge. We hope to carry
on Rosie's lines through Ivy, her only Foundation daughter.
Rosie is broke to ride, although much of her life has been spent out to
pasture or raising foals. She was used in a handicapped riding program
while with her second owner, Liz Banks. She has the Funquest curviness
and big trot, and her size comes from her Red Correll breeding.
Rosie had a reputation of being aloof with people and dominant in the herd. Here,
she is near the bottom of the herd's pecking order and I find her to be most affectionate. It is not the pushy, in your
face sort of Morgan friendliness. It is more subtle communication, always polite and very regal.
What is more (and I know it sounds a bit corny) I swear she knows how much I love her, and she reciprocates. While most of my other
horses seem only interested in me for the food they get, Rosie enjoys companionship.
When she sees me she will nicker. When I turn her out in the evenings, instead of heading off to the grass she will linger beside me for a pet and some scritches. She is the most amazing mover and a sensitive but calm riding horse. Enough of my gushing- I think you get the message.
I am so glad Rosie ended up being "the one".
|
Darkhawk of Hideaway |
Sunup Mike |
Funquest Falcon |
| Funquest Modana |
| Hylee's Firefly |
Torchfire |
| Choquita |
|
Avondale Berne's Hope |
Blackwood Correll |
Red Correll |
| Lady Rockwood |
| Cotton's Susie Kay |
Kenney's King Cotton |
| Kane's Sistie Kay |
You can view Rosie's complete pedigree
here.
It includes pictures of many of her ancestors.
More photos of Rosie
(click on a thumbnail to enlarge)
Rosie shortly after her arrival at Char's, November 2009. Char says she put on quite a show!
Char is not a short lady but 15.2, upheaded Rosie makes her look short!
Such a beautiful creature... someone pinch me!!
Rosie in the crossties getting tacked up for her first ride with Char. I will
not mind looking at THIS head every day :-)
Rosie's first ride with Char, November 2009.
Late December, 2009: Rosie is a somewhat aloof horse (and the definite herd leader). But she has learned that Char means good things, especially food.
February 21, 2010- I been checking the AMHA registry online regularly to see if Rosie's transfer had gone through, and lo and behold a
few days ago it did and she's officially mine :-) I am ecstatic! I had asked Char to get me a few snapshots so I could post
the news here, with a visual :-). Well last night, email after email of GORGEOUS Rosie pix rolled into my inbox. OMG- my
jaw was on the ground as I looked at each one. Her hubby Greg took most of these (obviously those that Char is riding Rosie in :-))
and he is really a very talented photographer.
I look at these pics of this mare and get the oddest feeling... the one I get when I look at that rare something that is so beautiful
I can hardly believe it is real. Enough of my silly touchy feely stuff, I just wanted to share the pics with you all.
Thank you Greg and Char, for these beautiful pictures and for taking such good care of Rosie!
Pretty black horse in the snow!
I think the first picture in this group was my favorite. Gabby the Golden Retriever is part of the welcoming committee at Edgefield. She is such a sweet dog.
She wanted to tag along with Char and Rosie.
This should be a painting. It has that timeless quality to it. It looks peaceful and quiet. I
think it is the starkness of the
snow and Rosie's casually cocked hind foot that gives that impression.
The End :-)
Rosie is a little sun faded, but still beautiful! I think it is amusing how her forelock hides her eyes in so many of the pictures that Char sends me.
Rosie definitely has the "hair gene"! July 2010.
There's her eyes! She has a roany marking up under her forelock too. Not sure if this is age related or if she's always had it. My
late mare Reminiscing (Marie) had a roany star, and since Rosie was
offered to me just before we lost Marie,
I got a little catch in my throat when I saw this roany marking on Rosie.
August 2010.
Standing or moving, this mare is a dream come true for me :-)
Rosie foaled a
big palomino filly for Char on March 23, 2011. Char named the filly Edgefield Ivory Rose, "Ivy" for short. Ivy is by Edgefield Sun Gold (by Sunup Neptune), and she
is for sale- see more of her on the Edgefield Farm website!
October 22, 2011- Rosie is home- finally! Hard to believe I've owned her almost
two years but am only just now meeting her. She arrived the evening of
the 21st, and had a good rest in the barn overnight. Here she is meeting Charli over the fence the next day. I had bathed
and clipped her and trimmed her feet before turning her out
to stretch her legs. I am very impressed with her excellent manners. She reminds me of another mare I owned years
ago, Radiance Eliza Babe, who had a similar calm and accepting attitude, even in new or strange situations.
Getting the traveling kinks out. She is a beautiful mover- prettier than I even imagined.
Rosie caught sight of our neighbors' goats and could not seem to figure out what they were. Good photo op for me :-)
November 5, 2011- My first ride on Rosie. We did not do much, just some walk and trot. She was a bit tense and seemed worried about doing something wrong. She is not the deadhead my other horses are!
Plenty of gas in the tank. There was some pronking when asked to canter on the lungeline
(she finally did canter) and a lot of head movement, up and then
down behind the bit, both on the lunge and under saddle, and this on
a relatively loose rein. She did have hooks on her upper incisors
which were removed and her teeth floated about 10 days ago now. I
felt bad for her as she seemed uncomfortable; hopefully it is just
needing to relax and settle in more, and me get used to her and her,
to me. Jim joked "she thought she was retired" ;-).
January 2012- These were not the best pictures, as Jim took them with the zoom from the back porch. Rosie and I are now a team. Every ride she is
more settled and quiet on the bit. I added some extra padding under the saddle,
and switched from my usual French link snaffle to a regular D ring
snaffle, which I think helped a lot. But also important is that she seems to understand that I am not
going to hurt or scare her, or work her hard, so she has relaxed.
April 2, 2012- My friend Lucy Ray up on Rosie, April 2012. Lucy came to see my two new Black Beauty mares, Rosie and Kyrie. It was neat to see how
great Rosie looked under saddle. Lucy might have been more at home in her western saddle, but she looked darn good up there!
May 2012- Rosie is shed out, so I gave her a bath and got her first glamour shots since she has been home.
She has the most incredible floating trot and canter. I loved this picture for the absolutely even diagonals it shows (note the parallel
cannon bones on the diagonal legs), as well as the beautiful length of stride.
Jim helped me by holding Rosie for some conformation shots and in less than 10 minutes I had so many incredible pictures I had a hard time choosing between them all.
Either side is her "best side" :-)
More from May 2012.
To demonstrate how smart this mare is, she simply circled me at a trot and occasionally a canter while I took pictures,
with very little encouragement needed- which is exactly what I'd like them all to do, though of course, they tend to want to stop and eat instead!
She just seems to "get" me and what I want, and I can read what she is thinking too. Which of course adds to her appeal! I could not
stop telling her how beautiful she was as she
floated around the ring. I wish I could have had her ten years ago. But I am grateful to have her now!
June 30, 2012- After a very mild spring and early summer, Georgia is sizzling, like a lot of the rest of the US right now. I've been forgoing my usual late night habits and instead getting up early in the AM to bring the horses in before it gets hot, and ride.
I have friends coming over the weekend to ride, so needed an extra saddle. My old Circle Y got pulled out of storage, cleaned up, and I
polished up my antique sterling bridle to go with. I don't have a silver snaffle bit or snaffle reins
so forgive the hybrid look with my
English bit and reins. Rosie is really not a western horse- her gaits are too "big"- but I thought she looked pretty spiffy any way.
My favorite picture from this morning.
Rosie's soft side is to the right- that is, she likes to fall in (drop her shoulder to the inside of the circle) on this side.
Here I am asking her to keep that shoulder up and move over to the left.
After our ride, smart girl that she is, she just stood there ever so nicely for me (not tied in any way) while I took pictures of her in her bling :-)
Jim found it quite amusing.
Pretty girl!
July 1, 2012- Here are my friends Cassidy and Katie on Pat and Rosie. They switched horses halfway through the ride
so each got a taste of
a forward, sensitive horse (Rosie) when they are more used to riding the laid back (PC for fat and lazy ;-)) Pat.
July 29, 2012- Jim organizes a bike ride each Sunday morning which is attended by his fellow cycling enthusiasts. This Sunday,
Trish Albert joined the ride. What could be better after 4 hours of peddling in the hot sun but to visit with some
pretty Morgan Horses? And then get out in some more hot sun to ride one? Ha ha, Trish was up for it. I am not sure how
she had the energy. I have ridden bikes with Jim. Let's just say I am not up to the task :-) Please forgive the unorthodox riding attire. Trish did not have long pants or riding shoes with her, but she did have her helmet.
Rosie seems to be my "most photographed" horse lately! Trish came armed with carrots for all. Rosie has turned into a mooch.
She knows Trish has one in her pocket!
Trish's usual ride is a Dutch Warmblood. She has been around my Morgans in the past but it has probably been 20 years.
She used to be involved in the model horse hobby, which I am still somewhat involved in, and that is how we first met.
I had actually ridden Rosie first since Trish wanted to see how she moved. I told her "not as well as when I am NOT on her" :-)
End of the ride. Thanks for my new Facebook profile pic, Trish! Trish is actually a very accomplished photographer and does lots of cycling events in the southeast.
This is Rosie's M.O.
when the ride is over- she yawns and yawns. Such a character. I guess you all know how much I enjoy her :-)
Late October, 2012- My beautiful, dappled Rosie!
Rosie on the left,
Kyrie on the right. Kyrie is really the only horse Rosie, who is a
loner, will tolerate, and they are often seen hanging together in the field.
Rosie in the foreground and Kyrie behind her.
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