Sire: Koning-Friesian x Dam: Glenmar's Amber Bounty-Saddlebred

 Black Georgian Grande  Mare Foaled 06/18/05

Dressage at Devon 2008

2nd  place  in the Georgian Grande class
2nd in the American Warmblood Society class

 6th place in the PHR class

Owner Eileen Childs    Handler Bruce Griffin

Hey Fredericka!

I have lots of pictures for you from Devon. Its always fun meeting the Georgian Grande owners! We all seem to have such a passion for the breed. I love talking to other owners.

This year I had so many random strangers coming up to us and saying how beautiful Anya was. They thought she was absolutely gorgeous and were very intrigued by the breed. One woman who had a few friesian stallions kept coming back over to look at Anya and talked to us for a long time. She really liked her. She even wanted a IGGHR brochure! Luckily, my mom brought some with us.

When our handler, Bruce, brought Anya into the ring for her first class the judge asked what her breeding was. When Bruce told her she exclaimed, "Wow!"

She got lots of good comments on her conformation.

Meghan

Hey Fredricka!

I finally have pictures of me riding Anya.  She's been doing fabulous  and is progressing quickly.  I've also taken her on two trail rides now and felt safe on her. Imagine that. Feeling safe riding a 3 year old on the trail!

I plan to try to take her to a breed show in September as well as take her to Devon again this year. But the most exciting thing for me will be taking her to her first under saddle show. I'm going to sign her up for a dressage show in August and do her first test. I can't wait!

Hope all is well at the farm! Tell everyone hi!

Meghan

Hey Fredricka!

        I have a few new updates on Anya and a few new pictures. She's hit quite a growth spurt and is getting huge! She's about 16.2 hands now. She was only 15.3 hands when we took her home ten months ago. Her personality is wonderful and she has a great work ethic. Every time I go to get her out of the field, all I have to do is whistle and she perks her head up and runs to the gate immediately.

       I also have a strange story to tell you. I was going through some old things in my room and found a bunch of old artwork from middle school and high school. One particular painting I did jumped out at me. I've enclosed a photo of the painting. Its a picture of an all black horse with a long mane and tail and a very upright neck and headset. The horse even has feathers! It looks just like Anya. The strange part is that I painted it back in middle school before Anya was even born! You can see in the photos I sent you that it was dated and signed on November 15th, 2001. I made it the same month of my 14th birthday. I was only in 8th grade. My mom said I must have known she was coming. I just thought that was quite ironic and had to show you!

Tell everyone at the farm I said hi!

Meghan

 Hi George, Fredricka and Robin!

      I've enclosed some new pictures of Anya. She has grown even more since I last emailed you and it has only been two months!  She's gaining muscle everywhere. Her topline has gotten so nice! I'll send more pictures when I get the chance.

Meghan

Hi Fredricka and Robin!

   A lot has happened since my mom has last sent you an email. Devon was so much fun! I loved meeting the other horses from your farm. Baron Von Rossi's stall was right across from Anya's, so we were able to meet and talk with his owner. The best part for me was getting to meet Anya's half brother, Prince of Thieves. He's so beautiful! He's so big and so muscular that some people thought he was still a stallion! I can't wait for Anya to get bigger. She's already grown so much though. She's put on lots of weight and gained muscle from all the long lining we've been doing with her. She's just totally blossomed. Every time I pull my car into the parking lot, which is right next to her field, she whinnies until I come and get her. She'll also continue to call to me if I'm in the barn with my other horse. It's so cute!

  I have to tell you about Anya's first ride! I had been putting a saddle on her a lot in the indoor ring, so just in case she decided to buck, she'd have some room. The saddle didn't seem to be bothering her so we started doing it in the cross ties and she completely behaved herself. My mom and I had also been laying across her back a lot when she was hand grazing and she didn't care.

  Back on October 22nd I officially got on her back for the first time. I had laid across her back before while my mom walked her in hand and she was great. When I finally swung a leg over I fed her some sugar cubes from her back so she'd know she was doing great. Then my mom asked her to walk forward and she put her head up and backed up a few steps and I thought, "Oh no! Don't rear!" But instead she turned her head around to my side again, begging for more sugar cubes! That was the best and funniest reaction I could have gotten. The second time I rode her she was being especially wiggly that day (probably due to the cold air) and when I got on her there were two other horses in the ring. She still was a perfect little lady when I got on her back again. I couldn't believe it! So now she's been ridden three times and I hope to start being lunged while on her so she starts to learn her commands while under saddle. She already knows voice commands so she should be great.

  I've enclosed some pictures of Anya from Devon, her first ride, and a free lunging session with our trainer. I apologize for the fuzzy shots from our first ride, but it was dark and we were in and indoor ring. I'll get some better ones as soon as I can! Thank you George, Fredricka and Robin, again, for this wonderful filly!

  Meghan

Hi Fredericka,

Anya is doing great!  She is learning so much.  She now gets turned out every night and is in during the day, so she is on the same schedule as the rest of the horses in our barn.  We have had some hot days and I don't think Anya is used to the humidity here yet.  She goes outside at about 4:00, and is sometimes pretty sweaty by the time we get there in the evening, so we hose her off if she seems hot.   She is extremely friendly to everyone .  When we drive up to the barn she always nickers and comes to the fence.  Once she even cantered up to us.  We have tried different horse treats to see which ones she likes.  She seems to like the sweet ones the best.  Her favorites are licorice, butterscotch and peppermint.   
 If we can get registered in time, Meghan plans to show Anya in hand at Morven Park's breed show on 8/5.  We are also thinking about showing her at Devon in September.
Thank you for sending the baby photos of Anya and her mom.  Her mom is gorgeous.  Erin used the computer to compare photos of Anya and her mom.  She discovered that Anya's face is identical to her mom's.  She has the same eyes, nose and ears!  They are both so beautiful.
We will send some new photos soon. 
Talk to you soon,
Eileen 

We received this the day after Eileen and Meghan picked Anya up at FWF