A decade of Wyvern Oaks

I keep thinking about closing this blog down, because let's be real, I've been a terrible blogger for the last few years. But every time I try to write that final post, I just can't quite do it. So here we are...

November of this year marks a decade of Wyvern Oaks - both the blog and our little farmlet.

2009: We bought the place the weekend before Thanksgiving, hole in the roof and all. We knew we were up for remodels of just about everything on the property (and we were not wrong), but we couldn't pass up 2 acres just 6 miles from downtown Austin. 

The fabulous pink bathroom was the first thing to go in the remodel.

2010: We mostly focused on getting the place liveable and workable, for both us and the critters, so we didn't get much riding in. 

Basically the one riding post I did for all of 2010. That's me on Saga and hubby on Reddums.

2011: We built the barn and brought all the boys home, Taran put a nail through his foot, we went foxhunting, hubby did one of his first jousts ever, and we experienced the worst drought in 50 years. 

Lysts on the Lake 2011

Left to right: Taran, Reddums, Saga, and Cash

Foxhunting! I really miss this...

We bought a semi-load of hay from Canada and managed to cram it in our barn.

2012: Saga started off the year lame and ended the year even more lame, and Oberon came into our lives as Sean's new jousting horse. 

Oberon was such a hunk.

2013: This was a sucky year. We lost Saga in January (bone cysts), Oberon in June (colic), and Echo (who I'd gotten in February, but he had terrible headshaking) in September. I swore I wasn't getting another horse, but a certain enabler friend told me I needed a Haflinger and Paddington came to live with us, thus starting my obsession with Haffies.

Still in love with this face

2014: Paddy and I try our hand at dressage and do okay, but mostly we bowl for dressage letters. Brego comes to live with us.

Yes, that Brego!

2015: Paddy and I do some USDF rated shows and go to Regionals for the first time. We suck but I have a lot of fun getting back in the ring. Paddy makes his debut as a jousting horse because Brego blows out a massive abscess and can't joust, but then Paddy damages himself and I pull Taran out of the pasture because I'm desperate for something sound to ride. 

Padding looking fab at Regionals

Jousting Haffieeeeee!

The giantest abscess ever

Can you believe this horse eventually got a Bronze medal???

2016: Taran and I start showing, get our first Bronze score in March, and are schooling 2nd by the end of the year. Brego's recurring abscess turns out to be a deep P3 bone infection that runs up into his pastern, and there's nothing we can do but let him go. We lose both Brego and Cash in October.  

The bestest Brego

My first pony

2017: Taran and I got our 2nd level bronze scores. Despite Taran being diagnosed with Cushings in October, we qualified for USDF Nationals and came in 9th in the 1st level freestyle. Griffy came to live with us because one Haflinger just wasn't enough.

I only cried a little on our victory lap in the Alltech

2018: I rode Griffy in the spring (in between hubby jousting on him) and went to one rated show, where we did really well at Training. Taran and I focused hard on 3rd level, while struggling to manage his Cushings. We made one outing in November, and completed the USDF Bronze medal requirements with a 67+% and a 64+% on 3-3 (despite our "interesting" changes). 

I wish there had been pro pics at this show, but this extended trot got a 7.0!

Leo came to live with us in September, because hubby was jousting on Griffy and Paddy, and I was pretty sure I'd need someone new to ride.

2019: Taran stuggled with ongoing health and soundness issues related to Cushings, so we retired him in the spring. Sadly, we lost him colic in September. I didn't blog about it and I really still can't talk about it. I miss him terribly.

The bestest wonderpony ever.

Griffy decided he was no longer interested in being a jousting horse, so we were going to find him a nice sandbox home. However, while we were making the sales video we did most of 2-3 so we decided to keep him. I did 1-3 and 2-1 at a schooling show in December and walked away with a 68+% and a 67+%.

Apparently I had a fancy dressage horse in my backyard and didn't know it (PC: Erika Coleman Photography)

Little brother Leo is also fancy but is only five, and sometimes does not love adulting. He's a big fan of violence though (jousting and mounted combat, and also biting his brother's kneecaps), and hubby has been riding him regularly. 

Also Leo has fabulous hair (PC: Erika Coleman Photography)

And last but not least, a new face in town: Mago! He's a baby Lusitano, and we'll see where the future takes him.

Herro!

To the future and beyond: Whew, it's been quite a rollercoaster with some pretty high highs and some very low lows. Oddly enough, we're just about to start another remodel (bathroom and kitchen) so... I guess the new decade will be starting in the same place as the old? I don't know that there will be another decade of this blog, but I've met so many wonderful people through blogging, and it's been a great way to keep track of memories. I wish everyone the best in the new year and new decade!