Smokey and Amy.
Let us help you find that
special horse to share your life.

UPDATE: October 22st - New HORSES
added to our Horses for Sale page
and Horses Sold page.

October 13, 2003

Photo by Marie Van Roekel.
Who's zoomin' who? Marie Van Roekel brought her new camera along for the ride and caught our resident photographer Elizabeth on Chanago with camera in hand.

Marie on Brewster shoots a photo of Elizabeth and Chanago. It's hard to believe that Brewster is just three and still growing. He is already over 17 hands!

Gertjan began smiling as soon as he mounted Big Money!

Who's got the bigger grin? Big Money or Gertjan?

Sleep finally wiped the grin off Gertjan's face.

Welcome to Bits & Bytes Farm on the Web. Take a virtual tour of the farm and see the beautiful thoroughbreds we have for sale. Follow their training and learn how we bring them from racetrack to a new career in the show ring, fox hunting or eventing.

If you already have a horse and are looking for a place to board, visit our Boarding Page and our Amenities Page for photos and more information. See also photos of the farm and our horses for sale.

We've been out having fun!

Taking the horses to new locations and giving them new experiences is one of the most important kind training our horses receive. Where have they been? Poker Rides, Hunter Trials, Hunter Paces and Horse Trials that's where!

Congratulations are due to Captain for a sixth and fifth place finish at the Flat Creek and Poplar Place horse trials. Captain will be moving up to training level at his next event in November at Big Bear.

Joe Bear, Era of Chanago and Irish competed in the Shakerag Hounds Hunter Trials. Chanago was just 12 days off the track and he successfully completed a trail class which included: opening a gate, walking over a bridge, standing quietly while Elizabeth put on a noisy yellow slicker and also while she drank a stirrup cup. He then allowed her to remove the slicker and he willingly jumped a log with a small ditch. See the right side photos.

Joe Bear does his first flat class at the Shakerag Hounds Hunter Trials competing against pony's half his size.

Era of Chanago and Elizabeth in a Hunter Hack class at the Shakerag Hunter Trials.

We had so much fun at Shakerag Hounds Hunter Trials we went back for their Hunter Pace. We brought along 11 friends and family from Bits & Bytes Farm in five trailers. Bits & Bytes Farm horses included: Captain, Brewster, Darcy, Chanago and Big Money with his new dad.

Marie and Gertjan Van Roekel with Brewster and Big Money looking for the pairs class at the Shakerag Hounds Hunter Pace. Sorry guys. That was two weeks ago at the Shakerag Hunter TRIAL.

Our resident vet Dr. Lori Wyatt on Slash and our oldest boarder (in boarding time not age) Debra Eanes on Ruby. They won Third Place honors in their division!

Gertjan had never galloped Big Money out of the arena before the Hunter Pace. One Jello shooter later and you couldn't get the grins off both their faces!

Elizabeth and Era of Chanago. Photo by Marie Van Roekel.

Thanks to Marie and her new camera we got a few photos of Elizabeth and Era of Chanago her newest moving tripod - or should we say- quad pod? He is now just a month off the track and already quiet enough for camera duty. Gertjan is looking around for another place to gallop Big Money.

It was a fun day for everyone including the horses. Look for us at the Shakerag Hounds Opening Hunt on October 25, 2003.

We've been selling horses - we need more!

Three horses moved home with their new owners last week. We have three empty stalls that can either be filled with boarders or horses. If you want to join the fun at Bits & Bytes Farm call us soon. We are planning another shopping trip this week and the stalls may be filled. Can we fill one with a new horse for you?

Call us soon if you want us to find that special horse for you at the best possible price. We found Got Um Smoke Um for Amy Macintire who wanted a beautiful grey and we found Maxwell Steel for Ashley Miles who wanted a really sweet kind horse that wasn't too big. What can we find for you? Elizabeth needs to be in Kentucky this week for a meeting on the Secretariat Center. She will be taking her trailer and those stalls in the barn will get filled. . .

UPDATE OCTOBER 22- Two stalls have been filled with two chestnuts. See one of them on our Horses for Sale page.

Baileysontherocks and Sir Cahill.

Chanago and Elizabeth enjoy a day at the Shakerag Hounds Hunter Trials.

Chanago navigates the bridge.


Chanago waits for Elizabeth to put on the slicker. . .

. . . and drinks a stirrup cup and then while she takes it off

Chanago jumps the log and a small ditch. Not bad for a Thoroughbred just 12 days off the race track!

Team Megabytes (Gertjan, Marie, Barry and Elizabeth) win second place at the Shakerag Hunter Pace. Third place honors went to another Bits & Bytes Farm team of Dr. Lori Wyatt and Debra Eanes.

Photo by Marie Van Roekel.

Gertjan and Barry lead the way.

Photo by Marie Van Roekel.
Everyone was smiling by the days end including Chanago.

Call or come by for a visit

Please call us to discuss which horse might be the best match for you based on riding skill, experience and equine personality. We do not send out videos because it is important to match the personality of the horse with the personality of the rider. We are matchmakers, not horse brokers. We have horses in a wide price range. Call us to discuss prices or to schedule an appointment. We'd love to have you come meet all of our horses--we know that it will be worth your time. Just bring peppermints!