Expeditions and Adventures: McIntosh Area Adventures

I already threw a couple of Josef's pictures up on Facebook after he had his excellent adventure at the nearby Ocala Dog Show last week. He collected a couple more Reserve wins but managed take a Best Of Breed over two specials that gave him his first win and made it a major win. He really does look like a giant puppy and his body is like an adolescence's but so far his potential is getting noticed. This week he has just practiced being a "walk around town" dog and is getting pretty excellent at that.

After the Ocala Dog Shows were over the puppers and I headed over to the campground in McIntosh, pictures of which were posted last year. It took a couple of days for the wind to die down but I did finally get to take the Hornbeck off the Honda and put it n the water. The campground has tried to keep the channel "cut" though the vegetation in this end of the lake so boats can get in and out. It took me a while but I did find the channel. This end has about 20 feet of loose floating plants to paddle through but then I was able to paddle all the way to open water. The kayak worked just fine.

The trees out on the island held a pretty sight.

He let me paddle right up next to him, or should I say right below him.

A couple days later I aired up the Sea Eagle and Brenda got a taste of kayaking. It was windier today so we didn't go too far. The wind had blown the loose vegetation around enough to close any of the channels that had been cleared and, well, it just isn't as much fun to be out on an open lake in the wind. Brenda at least got to figure out that she could get into and out of the kayak, as long as no one had a video camera. I am hoping that the winds die down enough next week to take the kayaks over to Silver River.

Sarah, Brenda and I did spend Friday walking around the Ocala RV Show. We all saw several units that we didn't want and those of you familiar with RV shopping realize that is is just as important to identify what you don't want in the process of finding the unit that works for you. I was just looking around and reassuring myself that I am happy with the rig I have. Brenda and Sarah are actively looking for alternatives for what they have.

Saturday, Brenda and Sarah both joined me for a visit to the Gypsy Gold Farm, Home of the Gypsy Vanner Horses. I found their web site last year and didn't go. This year I decided to treat myself. I have a friend from the dog show world that is now in horses and frequently posts pictures of beautiful pictures. Some of thee pictures have been of Gypsy Vanners.

The tour is $20 for seniors and runs for two hours. The first 45 minutes or so is a presentation of the history of the Gypsy Vanner Breed. How the breed was first noticed in the 1990's and the lengthy process of identifying the horses as an establish breed. Quality well bred horses had existed within the British "Traveler's" community but since the community was s separate and isolated from mainstream society no one had taken notice. The presentation was as much a history of the breed as it was an overview of the "Gypsy" or "Traveler" community nationally.

Who doesn't appreciate a fine barn?

Here in Florida the horses spend most of their time out in the paddocks.

This is King William, one of their breeding stallions. He also spends most of his days out in a paddock but twice a week for tour days he comes up to the barn, gets a bath and spa treatment and waits around in his stall to come out and give the tourist an up close and personal meet and greet. Sarah is on the left.

After listening to the journey of how the breed was identified, named and breeding stock was bought and brought to the US, our group headed out to the paddocks to meet some of the other horses and listen to more stories.

The horses all seem to know "tour day" and make their way quickly over to the fence to meet and get some treats.

Brenda meeting one of the mares. The breed is known for its beauty but also for its temperament. As was explained, in the "traveler' communities often the children were sent out to move the horses, mares and stallions) around for more grazing. The Gypsy community is strongly centered around family. They bred horses that they could trust around their children.

Before 2008 and the bottom dropped out of the market, Mule Mom's were used to increase the number of foals that could be raised in one year by the use of embryo implantation. Mules are sterile but the rest of their equipment works just fine and provide a loving, hearty environment for the babies. Mammoth Mules are used here anyway. I could have taken several of them home with me.

Another one of the breeding stallions.

Mother and daughter.....

Gypsy Vanners, here in the US anyway, are classified into three sizes by how many hands they are. None of the are huge when you think of most of the draft breeds. Their bodies are very compact and powerful looking and do remind you of their draft horse back ground but the extensive feathering is a distinctive part of the breed as is a more refined head than most of the draft breeds carry.

There are Gypsy Vanners out there competing successfully in shows for carriage and wagons teams and some are performing well in dressage competitions. It was also admitted that many are expensive horses/ponies for a rich family's son or daughter.