Currently I am deciding on the front  cover of Rainbow’s latest book!

There are currently three in the running.

Bonehill, Haytor and Hound Tor with or course the star Rainbow!

This is Rainbow the foal (above) 3 years ago, and today (below) grown up having breakfast at the Old Vicarage in Widecombe-in-the Moor. After the success of her first book ‘Rainbow the Pony’ she has her sequel on it’s way! http://www.traceyelliotreep.com/bo…/rainbow-childrens-books/

Below: We were aiming for Haytor, but the light was very dull for photos, so we stopped at Bonehill. With Bell Tor and Chinkwell in the back ground

I am enjoying compiling a new book starring Rainbow the pony. In this book, Rainbow travels around Dartmoor.  Here we are above at the old clapper bridge at Postbridge.

Wittaborough Tor, Widecombe Valley and beyond.

I choose this picture for the front of my new 2018 calendar.This lone sheep was posing in exactly the right spot, as thought she was saying “Take my picture with this great back drop!” You can see below, in the 2018 calendar, I have added a little photo story with a series of photos along the bottom of the date page. To give you more to look at throughout each month.

Shilstone Rocks Mayflower and Shilstone Rocks Raindrop. These photos where taken by my good friend Jonathan Constant, who is also my editor for all my books. It was quite a challenging photo-shoot with heavy rain showers and foals pulling in opposite directions!

Below: Getting set up!

This Maori Shearer features in my latest book “The Little Book of New Zealand Sheep” which I launched in New Zealand in January.

“The Wild Weekenders!” On channel 4 this Friday 14^th April at 8pm

A section from the Telegraph newspaper review;

“The opener focuses on Devon, (England) where our hosts try out a range of experiences before picking their own personal favourite, … ranging from wild camping to mounting a horse to try pony herding…. It’s a charming low key affair, mixing practical consumer advice with gentle knockabout fun.”

You have guessed it! I am involved in teaching one of the presenters Clem Green to ride, and given the responsibility to make sure she didn’t fall off! I put her on Yoanna, who I had travelled with from Greece, because she is quieter and slower. I rode Callum, who I had previously ridden from Scotland to Land’s End and also around Southern Ireland.

We were told to go pony herding and at this point all I can remember was shouting to Clem to keep her reins short, whist I did the herding on Callum, loaded up with a tonne of picnic goodies stuffed into his saddle bags! The film crew attached the Go Pro camera to me, but herding ponies loaded with picnic gear, including a stove didn’t make it easy to be nimble and go fast!

It was filmed in late November and after two very cold days I’m not sure how big a part Callum, Yoanna and I play, but it could give you a chuckle, especially when Callum and Yoanna ate the French bread stick at the picnic!

Here are two of my new cards which would be ideal for Mothering Sunday!

This is one of my favourite times of year!  I feel excited!  A time of New Beginnings. The daffodils give us a bright splash of colour and I can hear the newborn lambs bleating …  the mornings and evenings are drawing out and I just want to be out with my camera!  This is Zeeba who stars in my little book called Shaggy Sheep!

On my return from New Zealand I dropped in on my friends Susie and Dan Rieple in Colorado, where I had fun compiling another idea for a children’s book!

Above: Dan and Cocoa going for a ride in the jeep. Below Susie introducing Cocoa to Smoky, my horse which  I rode with from Mexico to Canada.

It’s always fun to have ideas for the next adventure and book, and often they go together!I I caught this little chap looking out to a rather beautiful sea on the coast of O’ahu on my long way from New Zealand … to Dartmoor where  there was a smattering of snow yesterday morning!

My ponies above ‘Callum of Gargunnoch, (his registered name!) who I rode from the top coast of Scotland to Land’s End and around Southern Ireland. Below Thunder Bay who is one of the stars in my  latest children’s book set. He galloped around and around me showing off how fast he could go!

Can I share your umbrella ?

Claire McCormick and Shilstone Rocks Mountain Man, who originally came from snowy Dartmoor in January 2013 to a Hawkes Bay, (NZ) drought in his mother’s womb in 2013!

Of course you can …, but I don’t think it looks like rain!”

Hello this is Mate!

 At Arborfield Santuary Charitable Trust near Wellsford, Northland, NZ where animals and birds alike  have a wonderful life.  I took many happy photos of contented animals here last week. Every animals and bird had a name, … but I can’t remember them all!

Grapefruit for breakfast!

Alpaca Curiosity!

The Little Book of New Zealand Sheep is now out!

And available in New Zealand.

We have had some issues with a batch of 2017 Dartmoor calendars printed by a local printer. If you have any disappointments with the quality of your calendar please get in touch and let us know where you purchased it. Thank you. tracey@traceyelliotreep.com

These photographs are taken by my good friend and much appreciated editor Jonathan Constant. Above is me with Shilstone Rocks Lighning, who is full brother to Shilstone Rocks Thunder Bay, who is the star one of my new Rainbow books, called “Thunder the Foal”. Below I am holding Lad my Cairn terrier who has his own book “Lad the Dog”!

Just been photographing the Abondance cows coming down the mountain …with flowers in their Hair! With my Shaggy Sheep book proving popular I feel another book is brewing … about cows! To see my sheep books take a look at http://www.traceyelliotreep.com/books/shaggy-sheep/

A room/field with a view! Here on Dartmoor is Yoanna, who I traveled from Greece to north west Spain several years ago and features in my Across Europe book. http://www.traceyelliotreep.com/books/riding-by-faith-across-europe/ Beside her is my Dartmoor pony Shilstone Rocks Rainbow, who is another of my published stars in my new book set “Rainbow and her Farmyard Friends. http://www.traceyelliotreep.com/books/rainbow-childrens-books/

At a very rainy Widecombe Fair on Tuesday where we had thunder and lightning! Shilstone Rocks Thunder Bay won first prize in his class, Reserve Champion Dartmoor and 2 big cups, which he is very proud of!  He is also a star in ‘Thunder the Foal’, one of my 7 Rainbow books series. Both the individual books and box set of 7 proved to be popular on the day. You can visit the Rainbow page at http://www.traceyelliotreep.com/…/…/rainbow-childrens-books/

Pinky the Piglet

Come and meet some of the stars of Tracey’s new book set ‘Rainbow and her Farmyard Friends’ some you can meet on the Widecombe Fair field on this Tuesday 13th September. If you can’t make it to the fair these books will also be available in outlets in and around Dartmoor or at http://www.traceyelliotreep.com/bo…/rainbow-childrens-books/

Gerty and Ruby the red hen

Thunder the Foal

Dex the Calf

Lad the Dog

Oh so good to go on a little adventure again! .. Riding/walking up ski fields over mountains. Exploring the Haute Savoie. When I saw Mont Blanc, it reminded me of several years ago, when I approached the same mountain called Monte Bianco on the Italian side (traveling with two ponies from Greece to North West Spain) and I was reminded of these words of Italian climber Walter Bonatti; L’avventura e dentro di noi” = “The adventure is inside us!”

With Lake Geneva and Switzerland as the back drop, we climbed, leading our horses up a red ski run. It was definitely worth it for the amazing views of snow capped mountains! Above me riding Junior, Ali’s lovely horse she saved. I first met Ali when I was 19 years old when we were both teaching horse riding (English style) in Michigan, America. Through our faith in God, adventure and horses we have been great friends ever since!

May I introduce you to all these real life characters in my new book set of children’s early learning picture books, which will arrive on my doorstep on Dartmoor in late August!  Both adults reading to children and children learning to read will love these delightful stories of real animals, which live on Dartmoor. Each book cover is a different colour of the rainbow and each book  has 34 pages of packed with beautiful photographs and illustrations.

The dimensions of each book is 16x19cm (6 1/4 x 7 1/2 inches)

This year I took Callum, (Callum of Gargunnock) my Highland I rode from the top of Scotland to Land’s End and around Southern Ireland, and Thunder Bay (Shilstone Rocks) to the Animal Service at Widecombe Church. Thunder Bay had been last year as a foal he still did a huge leap over 3 steps into church. He grabbed the vicar’s robe when he got blessed and wanted to be involved in the singing, trying to eat the song book, while Callum fell asleep! To see more of Callum’s ‘riding around Southern Ireland” or Thunder the Foal’s’ stories please visit www.TraceyElliotReep.com

Leaving church!

Shilstone Rocks Rainstorm has a new colt foal, who looks very similar to his full brother Thunder Bay! They will make a great pair Thunder and perhaps his name will be “Lightning”!? Thunder and Lightning?!

Rainbow the Pony is one of the 7 books in the bookset “Rainbow and Her Farmyard Friends” which has just gone to press.

Shilstone Rocks Thunder Bay, one of the real life characters in my latest box set of 7 books to be launched at Widecombe Fair on 13th September called “Rainbow and Her Farmyard Friends” Was indeed a star at the Royal Cornwal Show, as he won his yearling class!

Beautiful atmospheric clouds over Dartmoor a few days ago. I love how the shadows race across the rugged landscape and the colours change every few moments making the scene look so different.

Early March on Dartmoor –  Winter has arrived along with the snow! I went for an early morning walk with my camera and dog and suddenly several snow clouds opened up over Dartmoor, us and the ponies.

This is Shilstone Rocks Mountain Bay, dam of Mountain Bay who flew to New Zealand a few years ago. I think she wish she could have gone too!

Frosty last night! Shilstone Rocks Rainbow breathing (smoke!) in the cold morning! One of my current stars featured in a series of children’s books called Rainbow’s Farmyard Friends, which will be out later this year.

The snow quickly came and went on most of Dartmoor on Friday, but looking west it still looked white on the high moor, so that’s where I headed! In the past in my old red landrover, I didn’t mind bouncing off the granite stone walls in the ice and snow, but now I have a newer model (only 10 years old without dents), I am more careful and parked in Princetown and walked and ran several miles through the snow with Lad my dog to catch the last of the sunlight on Nun’s Cross. The following morning after another long walk with camera and Lad, I returned to Princetown and to crowds of people and snowmen!

This beautiful Dartmoor pony wall hanging was made by Kirsty Peake, using my photos. It is unique as my name photograph by is reversed. Get in touch if you are interested in buying it for a special Christmas gift. http://www.traceyelliotreep.com/contact/

Loved to watch and photograph the mist slowly rolling in over the tors and hills of Dartmoor! What a gift to be out and about and get some atmospheric photos! Above is Great Mis Tor, near Merrivale and below is the mist rolling into Taw Marsh on the northern edge of Dartmoor.To view my 2016 calendar go to http://www.traceyelliotreep.com/dartmoor/calendar/

Tracey’s adventures and photography on horseback were recently featured in the Equine Photographers Podcast. To Listen, click on the image below:

Autumn is always a colourful season on Dartmoor. I took this picture as the sun was low and back-lighting the trees making their leaves glow and stand out from the shadowed backdrop.

I was out looking for pictures, admiring the autumn leaves hanging over the lane here in the picture above, when this herd of Galloway cows came round the corner!  I quickly backed back up the road, squeezing my landrover into a gateway, and jumped out to take some photos. As I followed them up the lane I learned they had spent the summer grazing on the moor near Throwleigh and were moving back to their winter quarters. A lovely Dartmoor scene indeed!

I have been enjoying being out about photographing on Dartmoor recently. I came across this pair heading slowly down Challacombe Valley. In the low winter light you can see the ancient field systems clearly on the right side of the valley and the medieval fields straight ahead.

The Dartmoor Pony Heritage team leaving Widecombe in the Moor, on their 100 miles challenge across and around Dartmoor. www.dpht.co.uk/     The charity dedicated to the preservation of the indigenous Dartmoor pony. Congratulations team – keep it up!

Below: The Dartmoor Pony Heritage team on their 100 mile challenge, crossing Hameldown.

Fabulous Day at Widecombe Fair! After a misty start it cleared into a beautiful sunny day. Early on Cath and I showed Shilstone Rocks Rainstorm and Thunder Bay and they both won a rosette! This is ALL part of their story in one of the seven “Rainbow and her farmyard friends” collection of early learning books.  Keep a look out for their launch date.
The ponies were as, as social as I, meeting people from all over the world and receiving many strokes and pats beside my stall of Photographic books, cards and postcards. MANY THANKS to Cherry, Annie, Cath and Chris for all their help.

Dublin Horse Show was a great experience. I went to cheer on my sister Joannna who had qualified for the show jumping. Here she is on her grey horse Cruisie, with whom she has done so well in Ireland.  Two of her children, Oliver and Harriet also qualified for the children’s working hunter. It was a fun time. I especially like the photo below of Zoe, my youngest niece in the stable with her mum’s horse Cruisie.

Last week was the Dartmoor Pony International Convention with delegates visiting from all over the world, including Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Australia.  Here they are at the Shilstone Rocks open day last Saturday where we were having a shilstone Rocks stallion parade.

The crowds walked around the fields among the Shilstone Rocks ponies, with the foals coming up to say hello!

At the end of the day!  A beautiful day on Dartmoor, in which people from all over the world enjoyed beautiful and friendly Dartmoor ponies.

This is how I layout my NEW Dartmoor Christmas cards, notelets and bookmarks on a B2 printing press sheet. These new cards will be available before the end of August from my website and then later from the shops in and around Dartmoor.

This article written by Keith Rossiter appeared in the Western Morning News yesterday Sunday 12th July 2015.

On Sunday we took all my ponies residing in Widecombe to church! Including my three Dartmoor ponies and Yoanna, which I had travelled with from Athens in Greece to north-west Spain a few years ago. She was the one to lead the way down the steps into the church and the others followed. They stood quietly throughout the service and each were blessed by Geoffrey the vicar. They left a large bucketful of manure as their offering! Everyone enjoyed taking their pets to church and God was certainly smiling down on his creation!

This is Thunder Bay (one day he will be a big beautiful stallion) having some leading lessons, with Rainstorm his mother looking on. Well, okay maybe he will not be that “big”! As the maximum size for Dartmoor ponies is 12.2 hands high!)

Photographs thanks to Jonathan Constant my good friend and editor.

My new Dartmoor 2016 Calendar is now out in the shops on Dartmoor, or available from my website. Please take a look at this years photos! http://www.traceyelliotreep.com/dartmoor/calendar/

On Wednesday evening at 7.30 pm I will be giving a presentation on my riding adventures on Exmoor. http://www.simonsbathfestival.co.uk/events.php

Postbridge on Dartmoor.