I've subscribed now so thought i'd better say helloo!

[Charlemagne]

Hi Everyone,

After a few weeks deliberating whether or not to subscribe, i've decded to give it a go as it was killing me not being able to reply!!

So, for those that i've not met before I'll give you a an introduction, it's probably best you take a seat for this!

I live with my husband in Cheshire, I keep my horse Charlie on a really nice livery yard round the corner from home. Charlie is a 16hh, 7 year old Friesian gelding, i've owned him since he was 3 and backed him myselft, we do local shows and plenty of hacking, but I do hope to get him out to more shows and dressage comps next year.

Charlie
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/joannew_/Charlie-Threapwood7.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/joannew_/CharlieThreapwood2009a.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/joannew_/IMG_0384.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/joannew_/IMG_0376.jpg

I also own two mini shetland geldings who have just been weaned, they are called Samson & Duke, and two Welsh Secion A's called Flight and Socks, Flight is two and Socks is just a yearling. I keep these over at my parents house in North Wales as I bought about 6 acres of land a while ago. They are primarily lawn mowers and company for Charlie when I take him over there but I also plan to show Flight and Samson in hand.

Samson & Duke
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/joannew_/IMG00310.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/joannew_/IMG00287.jpg

Flight
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/joannew_/IMG00317.jpg
Socks
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/joannew_/IMG00318.jpg

At home i've got about 40 chickens, I breed pure bred poultry and sell hatching eggs and birds and also any surplus eggs I take to work to sell, I can't keep up with demand!

I have two Irish Wolfhounds, Bracken and Tara, Bracken is the most intelligent, loving dog i've ever known, and love her to bits, Tara is our little star in the show ring and champion lure courser, she's a bit of a nutter but is so adorable, never likes to be apart from you.

Finally, I have 4 cats, two cross breeds who are now 14, Willow & Saffie and then recently we got two Maine Coon cats, Skye & Lady, the cross breeds are excellent hunters and the Maine Coon's are just mad, they never stop talking to you and follow you round just like dogs!!

Well, I'd better get back to work now, hope you enjoyed reading and I've not bored you to bits!!

x

[Luna Corona]

I'm so envious of your gorgeous menagerie! I still feel like a newbie myself, but welcome from me.

[Remmy]

Welcome back! :)

Charlie is an absolute stunner :D You'll have to excuse my ignorance, is he an old fashioned type as he looks nice and chunky?

[Mary Poppins]

You are so lucky to have such beautiful horses. I bet that you do well in the showring with Charlie.

[Trewsers]

Hello there! Love all your piccies and animals. What a great team you have there! But oh my, isn't that black, super shiny devil handsome?!!!!! I am going a shade of green sitting here........

[Cortrasna]

Hello!!!! I want Charlie:D Gosh he is very handsome - but love all your menagerie - I guess you are kept pretty busy?;)

[Carrie+Morgan]

Oh my what an absolutely beautiful Fresian you have!!!

[Charlemagne]

Ah, thanks everyone! I must admit, I am biased towards Charlie, my husband says I love Charlie more than him! Charlie is looking a bit scruffy at the moment though, he needs a good bath, his mane is awful!

Remmy, Charlie is a bit middle of the road but yes, I guess you would call him the more old fashioned type, he was quite leggy but this year once he fully matured he's a bit more on the baroque side.

x

[bigmare]

What lovely pictures and a fab intro.... really,really nice. Look forward to reading all your news:)

[Daisy_Roots]

I bet that lot keep you busy!!
Lovely pictures, thanks :)

[Kis Vihar]

Hello! :D

Nice to see you back here. :)

Lovely photos! Charlie is stunning! You have some really gorgeous ponies too. (Your dog in the photo is bigger than the ponies!) :)

[Gill]

Well I'm pleased you have joined, welcome. Your Charlie is truly stunning and what a great collection of animals.

What kind of Chickens do you breed? I have a few mixed varieties but have started some Copper Marans this year, also Khaki Campbell ducks which are fab.

[Gill]

Double post!

[Charlemagne]

Gill - I breed Cream Crested Legbars (who lay lovely blue/green eggs), Silver Grey Dorkings, Double Laced Barnevelders and Buff Orpingtons! I also have a couple of evil Welsummers and a lovely Copper Black Maran who lays a lovely mahogany brown egg, but I don't breed these, I just keep them to add a variety of colour to the boxes of eggs I take into work to sell. x

[poohsmate]

Hiya, i'm liking charlie:D:D

[learningcurve]

Hi, lovely pics.

My niece has a free range chicken farm and sells the double yolkers from her door, she can't keep up with demand either.

You can't beat a lovely fresh egg.:)

[Ginger Thing]

(Your dog in the photo is bigger than the ponies!) :)

Ha ha, that's what I noticed! Sounds like you must be kept quite busy with that little lot - 2 horses, 3 dogs and a cat is enough for me! :D. Would love some chickens and ducks though, but that will have to wait until we can move in a few years.

Charlie is rather handsome ;):D

[diplomaticandtactful]

love your charlie boy, totally gorgeous, husband is right to be jealous.

I have some cream legbars here, some cochins, french marans, and some pekins cockerels, used to have silver dorkings and orpingtons, brahmas, hamburgs, fox took the lot of them, 30 or so of my rare breed ones.

we are gradually getting back into rare breed ones as had a load of battery ones, pity you are so far away or i would be knocking on your door for some!

[Mimi + Me]

Hello Charlemagne, congratulations on subscribing - the more the merrier they say!!

Your Freisian is lush and I love the picture of your little Shetlands with the dog lying next to them :D

[mlp2]

Hi, your lot are all gorgeous love the 3rd pic of Charlie!

[Yann]

Welcome back :) That's quite a collection you have there. Charlie is very handsome :D

[dragonfarmgirl]

Hi there. Your menagerie sounds a bit like ours. We have just moved to Malpas, to a lovely 15 acre farm, and are still surrounded by boxes and bags and heaps of stuff everywhere. We have a friesian and a haflinger, 2 seven month old maine coons (one of which got up the chimney this morning and is a sight to see, as is the white duvet !!), 15 sheep, alpacas, farm cats, 2 dogs, 2 free range chickens and are hoping to get some jersey calves and oxford sandy black piggies soon.
We did breed Ixworth chickens and regret giving them up but do want to get some POL chickens to lay different coloured eggs.
Whereabouts in Cheshire are you ? xxx

[Charlemagne]

Dragonfarmgirl - I'm on the outskirts of Malpas too! It does sound like we have a very similar set up! Although, i'd love to have the land you have where we live, it's a lovely part of the world isn't it?! x

[dragonfarmgirl]

It really is a small world ! We only moved from whitchurch but the area here is so much more horse friendly. There are horses everywhere and the roads look good for riding on. I haven't done anything with the horses for over a month due to the move but am looking forward to getting sorted enough to start riding again.
When we are a bit more sorted maybe we could meet up for a natter ?

[Charlemagne]

Yes definately, and the hacking is great. Not sure which side of Malpas you are but Bickerton Hill is lovely for riding up and there are loads of farmers fields that you can ride in (permission granted). Mitchells livery yard also have a great farm ride. x