The Home Herd
Findeln American Flag - Res. Champion Gelding - 2002 WPCSA Show Judges - Mr. William Farell from Great Britian and Mr. Eric Caleca from New Jersey	Findeln American Flag Our handsome Section B (13.1 1/2h) gelding "Flag" is one of the last of Nancy Bedford's famous Findeln Stud ponies. He is a son of Benlea Rambler out of the great Section B mare, Findeln Maple Leaf (now deceased), dam of numerous show ponies and champions including the 1999 Mid-Atlantic Welsh Section B Filly Champion "Findeln Maple Sugar". For many years Flag was paired with Andy in harness, but now that Flag's little sister "Libby" has grown up, he is paired with her for our driving pleasure. Andy will remain a spare, but his concentration is going to be mostly foxhunting. Flag is a lovely pony to ride cross country and over fences - always quiet and very mannerly. In his very first Welsh show in-hand he was Reserve Champion Gelding. I absolutely adore him, but... that's what a Welsh pony is for, isn't it! Findeln American Flag - Pedigree
Benlea Liberty (on left) & Findeln American Flag (on right)- June 2007	Benlea Liberty The "queen bee" of the herd is also by Benlea Rambler out of Findeln Siren -- a full sister to the late Findeln Maple Leaf, and dam of many champion show ponies. Libby has matured from a stunning baby to a beautiful mare standing 13.1 hands. Her attitude is very loving, and she thoroughly enjoys every aspect of riding and driving. Everything to her is easy, simple, and wonderfully fun. She is fullfilling all my hopes of growing up to be a superior riding and driving pony -- which does not surprise me because her full brother Pony Dot Com was the AHSA National Champion - Small Pony Hunter for 2003. She roaded out with the hounds last spring and summer and is currently in pairs harness with her brother, Flag. Benlea Liberty - Pedigree
Benlea Drummer Boy - June 2007	Benlea Drummer Boy The youngest member of the herd is a lovely liver chestnut gelding by Section B liver chestnut Welsh stallion Downland Rembrandt (imported from Wales) out of Benlea Deilen who is a daughter of the late Findeln Maple Leaf. His dam's sire is the late Dolrhedyn Rambler, a son of Downland Drummer Boy. "Drummer" shares that same, wonderful attitude of our other ponies -- very loving, happy, and willing -- plus he has a beautiful jump and lovely movement. He stands 14 hands this spring, but we hope to see him eventually mature to 14.1 1/2h. We look forward to many years of foxhunting and driving him, and maybe even some endurance riding. Benlea Drummer Boy - Pedigree
Beaverwood Spiderman ("Itchy") at the Opening Meet for Snickersville Hounds	Beaverwood Spiderman My sweetheart 14.1h Welsh-Arab gelding, affectionately called "Itchy", was 3rd in the nation for Conformation (Half-Welsh) in 1997 in only three shows under his owner and breeder Vicki Bodah of Baliwick Farm. Vicki showed him to numerous championships in driving in pairs and as a tandem leader, and upon his arrival to our farm he demonstrated that his talents knew no bounds. He has a lovely, natural jump over fences and in 2004-05 learned all the ins and outs of foxhunting as my whipper-in horse for the MOC Beagles (Orange Country Hunt country, VA). We now hunt with the Snickersville Hounds in Middleburg, VA. He loves hunting, but his favorite sport is endurance riding. We competed at the 2006 AERC National Championship, and currently have 1,370 AERC miles on our record. Our goal is to reach 3,000 miles. Beaverwoods Spiderman - Pedigree
Andy with 8 year old Tessie - Foxhunting 2004	Windhover Ante Up A born foxhunter and a fabulous driving pony, 24 year old Andy is a 12.1 3/4 h silver dapple (chocolate chestnut) Welsh Section C (a Welsh pony of the Cob type). He's a solid little fellow with a terrific "can do" attitude, and is one of the best foxhunting ponies I've ever seen. Last year he took a young junior riding to the hounds all season like an old veteran. This year he's packing me around the hunt field on the weekdays ...and we're both having a blast. What a guy!!He has been driving for over 10 years in both singles and pairs harness. He has been to the shows, carriage conferences, picnic drives, and parades. Click here to go to his Photo Album.
In Memory
	Boxsox Breeze "Charlie" put to our 1980's Lady's Traveling Phaeton was featured on the front cover of the 1993 issue of The Maryland Horse. The photo is by Brant Gamma and was taken at the 1993 Carriage Association of America Conference at Montpelier, VA. Charlie came to us when he was 10, an off-the-track 16h chestnut Thoroughbred gelding registered as "Bosox Breeze" (by Elephant Walk out of Aronus by *Midnight Sun) who had also been started in steeplechase training, but failed miserably with poor form over fences. He landed into a pot of gold when I found and purchased him for my brother, and we discovered he was without peer as a driving horse. In truth, he was the most wonderful carriage horse I've ever owned -- smart, gentle, and a total gentleman -- and he truly loved to drive. I cannot tell you the hundreds and hundreds of miles down the roads that he and I put in together, but I remember every moment of our time together, and it was heaven. He was put down when he was 21, his body having sadly reached the stage were it was too worn out from hard usage during his earlier days. He was laid to rest in a quiet wooded corner of our back field, his grave under the now spreading limbs of an apple tree that was planted in his honor. Bosox Breeze - Pedigree
Capella and myself foxhunting with Radnor Hunt - 1979	Capella Capella was a beautiful grey Thoroughbred/Quarter Horse cross, a granddaughter of the famous racehorse "Depth Charge" with a lineage that went back to Eclipse on both sire and dam sides, all the way back to the Darley Arabian and Godolphin Arabian. She was my first horse, and I purchased her to ride in the 1976 Bicentennial Wagon Train into Valley Forge. For the next 10 years our partnership blossomed as we competed successful in eventing, dressage (even showing at Dressage at Devon one year), carriage driving, and foxhunting. She was incredibly talented, loving, sweet and gentle. She was laid to rest at age 21, and I still miss her. There has never been another to replace her in my heart. Capella (reg. "Black Wedge" - Pedigree
Rocky and I foxhunting with MOC - 2004	On The Rocks Although I didn't own Rocky (he was owned by the friend of my neighbor) and he is still alive at age 23, he will always be a part of my foxhunting memories because he was the mount that brought me back into the hunt field after years of being away involved in other sports. He was loaned to me by a neighbor who wanted a friend to come foxhunt with her. He was a wonderful boy who was as sweet as could be all the time, and although he was HUGE for me (at 16.3 1/2h), and had faulty "brakes" - hence the need for the gag bit despite his dressage background -- he took to foxhunting immediately, as if he'd been doing it all his life (which he hadn't!). He was such fun, and I was sorry when he finally left after two years to return home to his owner. At least I have wonderful photographs and memories to remember our foxhunting days together.