The End Of the Blog Post

 This is the End of the Blog as we know it. Goodbye.

No seriously, I have decided to stop writing this Blog. My laptop is getting old and slow. I am getting old and slow.  I have been accepted onto the drug trial at Papworth Hospital, which means visits every 2 weeks.  Thats another 2 days out of my already time poor life each month.  

BUT you lucky people can still keep up with our adventures over on Charlies Facebook page .......Charlie The Trick Pony. I will be posting more often, with shorter weekly updates.  And don't forget our YouTube channel (also Charlie The Trick Pony) and Instagram (also Charlie The Trick Pony). You see the pattern there?

Many thanks for anyone who has taken the time to read these Blogs and we hope to see you on the other social media platforms. xx

Green Green Grass and a Mini Heatwave

 Hi Guys,

Only 2 weeks late on my promised update!  I know all 5 of you have been waiting with baited breath to find out if I finally snapped a picture of the celebrity I had been stalking for the Top Barn Treasure Hunt.......The answer was NO.  Although I saw him the very next day after the Treasure Hunt ended!!! Waving from his car as we passed in the lane. So i made a celebrity pic up.  I give you Pamela Anderson (complete with rolled up socks in the chest area) 😉😉

So as we all know, June continued as May, with more rain. Daily rain. And a cold North wind, keeping us all wrapped up in fleeces.  But the temperatures were just high enough for the grass to grow like mad, along with the ponies hooves. My playpen has never had so much grass on it, distracting Charlie during Liberty Agility. And so Daisy did what Daisy does best and went lame on me. I had the wonderful Jade Monahan out to give her a full Masterson Body work, and the poor Farrier had his work cut out trimming back all those overgrown feet. But, despite the Track looking fairly bare, There is still too much Green Green Grass!  The enemy of Native Ponies, so I have to conclude Daisy has mild laminitus.

https://www.facebook.com/jademonahan.esmt   Your horse will thank you.

Daisy and I are entered for our first online Trek competition with the Alternative Equine Club but we have until the end of August, so no panics yet!  Charlie and I had fun completing the Liberty Agility competition despite the snack breaks. We had a paddling pool in the course this month.  Trying to keep the water in on a slope was a 'thing' though. 

https://youtube.com/shorts/6JUO3n4Wvxo?si=M8QxSKXXVsa1lSIO

And so as you all know I have Dodgy Lungs and a Dicky Ticker (blah blah boring) which involves a fair few check ups at Papworth Hospital, which is 80 miles inland from me.  This provides a springboard for a night away somewhere.  This time I chose The North York Moors and coast, staying at a Youth Hostel for the night. On my way back to the A1 I was able to call in on fellow Top Barner Pip Mead, and meet her wonderful Dales ponies Archie and Spartan.  Thank you Pip for your hospitality.  I have to confess, I fell in love with Spartan 😍.

And just 2 weeks later I got called back to Papworth for an overnight stay and had a load of tests done to see if i'm suitable for a new drug trial. It was a bit like taking an exam, when you dont know the answers.  And like an exam, I now have to wait for the results!  And would you believe it?  Thats when the Mini Heatwave begun.  Over 30c outside, people coming in moaning that it was too hot (!) and I was in 2 blankets in the air conditioned prison box (I mean hospital room). I have had a couple of days out in the heat though so its all good.

Lots to look forward to next month as The International Horse Agility Club starts its Summer of Sport. Its not too late to join if you want a fun filled summer with your horse.  https://www.thehorseagilityclub.com/join-the-club/

Keep smiling, catch up soon x

Treasure Hunt Madness And Ragwort

 Well the Treasure hunt madness has truly been underway this month.  We finished the A.E.C hunt earlier in the month, and have been hard at it with Top Barn. The main aim is the miles. Daisy and I have until Friday to compete 7' miles.  We found the required list of 10 Treasure Items early on so as with a lot of Top Barners we are going for the full 50. Which is creating Treasure Hunt Madness Syndrome.  The main symptoms of this are riding up pointless dead end tracks just to get a picture of a Level Crossing for instance, or yelling out random words like MAGPIE, even though you are miles away from your Horse.  

Yesterday was a fine example of this madness!  Having problems getting a plane picture that doesn't look like a dot on screen, I was excited to find my home town was holding an air show complete with Fly By.  Only 5 miles from the Farm surely I would get my shot. Having found out the Fly By was scheduled for 2pm, with military precision I made sure Daisy and I were positioned in the middle of open Farmland with a 360 view of the skies. Not known for my ability to sit still, after 15 minutes I was bored.  We turned for home, me riding like some idiot looking behind or straight up to the sky.  Every distant motorbike sounded like an old plane so I pulled up again (outside my as yet un- spotted Celebrities House) , in the hope of a 2 for 1.  Not a thing. Reluctantly I set off home, only slightly cheered up by finally catching the pesky magpie on the drive.

                    

Having deposited Daisy back on the Track I was in the Tack Room when I heard the unmistakable drone of old planes.  There they were, right over my head. An hour late!  I leapt into my truck, gunned it up the drive like Michael Schumacher, round the Tracks, leaping out to roll under 3 electric fences and got my shot.

When I got home the OH had got this from the Kitchen Window!!

Meanwhile I have also managed to get Agility entries in for both ponies, despite a major fight with the grass in my Playpen.  It will NOT stop growing.  And neither will the Ragwort on the Summer Grazing.  This is the worst field for it and last year Jo and I uprooted thousands of the evil weeds. And still they are back in their thousands like some unstoppable green army.  We are back to lifting around a hundred plants each day. Thank you to the inventor of the Ragfork for making the job easier. I swear when the Earth is dying and has become as barren as Mars, Ragwort will still cover the entire planet!

All that hoping for a nice sunny May hasn't really worked.  Yes it's warmed up a bit and some days have been sunny.......but it's still rained way too much. So please can we hope a bit harder!!  

Will report back in a couple of weeks and let you know if my Celeb stalking paid off x

Treasure Hunts and Cavalry Horses

 So hands up who has had enough Weather? Here on the East Coast, we have been constantly battered by the North Wind bringing daily rain and freezing temperatures. I know the rain is good for the grass, but with a bunch of Natives we just don't want too much of it.  Daisy and Charlie are on an ever expanding Track system, and I expose a tiny amount of new grass daily.  Meanwhile in Enrichment Corner (under a lot of over hanging trees) they have four small holed haynets and a Likit.  The water is by the gate, the furthest point from the new grass.  I timed Daisy the other day and it takes her 3 minutes to amble all the way round.  Charlie goes at a flat out gallop so it's more like 3 seconds for him. Here's hoping May will finally bring us some sunshine 🌞.

We are now well into our Treasure Hunts. The A.E.C Spring Hoofprint Hunt has 2 more weeks to run and I am still looking for a 3 legged dog! As well as the Treasure we have done a couple of Challenges as well. And I'm loving looking at other people's pictures, and the excitement of the unknown Double points days. The Top Barn Treasure Hunt starts today. It's more about the miles than the Treasure, so I am only doing that with Daisy.  Trying to do 25 miles on foot with Charlie last year  damn neared killed me with my Dicky Ticker and Dodgy lungs!

Of course, both ponios are still doing Agility, although last month I only had a couple of days when I could keep my course upright.  And Charlie continues the long slow process of becoming a ridden pony.  So May is looking busy (and hopefully warm).

Now I rarely comment on Facebook posts, but a couple of days ago I saw a post from some Animal Rights activists (The same idiots that caused chaos at The 2023 Grand National).  After the tragic accident with the Cavalry horses in London (which I'm sure you all know about, unless you have been hiding under a rock) they have started a campaign to "free" all the Cavalry Horses so they can live in a Horse Sanctuary. They also claimed the horses live in appalling conditions!!!!! That really made my blood boil.  I've been to the Barracks twice to try out retired horses for the RDA.  They live in luxury. With people and other horses with them all day.  They are all in top condition.  Why don't these people actually go to a Horse Sanctuary to see the condition of the horses that are rescued?  After I had posted my opinion admin childishly looked at my Facebook profile, saw that I had had a win on this year's National and used that as a reason to diss my post.  And they are not even brave enough to allow me to reply or comment again!  

Anyway, some people will always remain ignorant, so let's forget about them and enjoy May.  Speak soon x

Blog Experiments And Treasure Hunts

 Hi guys.  So with technology not being my strong point, I am trying out this little experiment to see if it's possible to blog using my Kindle.  I'm hoping it will be quicker, so I can blog more often.  Hush with the booing at the back!

Also as me and the ponios have our hooves in several pies, and belong to a few online clubs, I won't be sharing it with any other club FB pages.  Just my own, which you should all know.  Charlie The Trick Pony.  If you want to receive an email about a new Blog, I think there is a link somewhere.  If not?  As you were!

So with the Top Barn Winter Challenge over, I signed up for the Spring Treasure Hunt, which starts in May. Then I discovered the Alternative Equine Club (A.E.C) FB group who have a Treasure Hunt, which started in April.  Yep, signed up both ponios. Charlie is doing the At Home class and Daisy the Out and About class.  As well as the usual format, there are plot twists and challenges galore.  The club also does Trec and other competitions and I highly recommend you check it out.

We are having a whale of a time. As this is a time saving experiment, I'm off now to find a 3 legged dog, and I'll update y'all real soon. X

The End Of The Top Barn Challenge and Big Changes!

 Wow!  It's the end of Week 11 of The Top Barn Winter Challenge.  How fast has that gone? A lot of us have technically finished already, having not used our Rollover Weeks or our Holidays.  Charlie, having banked a full weeks hours, finished at the end of Week 10, and Daisy had just half an hour to do this week to make it a Rollover week.  They are both on Top Barn Holiday next week.  Although of course both will still be working.  So huge Well Done to everyone who has already finished, or will finish next week.  And Well done to those who tried, but had hitches with lameness etc.  The weather hasn't been a great help this year, with all of us in Britain having had enough rain to fill the Atlantic......not to mention the wind!!!! Oh how I hate the wind.  The Ponies don't mind it, after all they live out in it, but my Dodgy Lungs are even dodgier against a head wind.

But enough doom and gloom about the Weather!! Spring is officially here. We are very nearly at the Equinox. We are getting 12 whole hours of daylight now. The birds are singing, the Daffs are blooming and the trees are blossoming (Ah Choo).  It's actually been warm (13c) and occasionally sunny. The Ponies are shedding like mad.  Every time I groom Daisy, I end up wearing half a Highland Pony.  Charlie being younger isn't so bad. Today Jo and I took the poo rakes to Mini the Shetland and literally removed her top coat!  So only another 3 layers to go.  And as for the dog!!  Every time she moves, she leaves half a dog behind. So its out with Henry The Hoover every 10 minutes.  Top Tip.....Belgian Malinois are massive shedders! 

With the mild temperatures and the rain, our grass is growing like mad. Daisy can't have too much grass in one go having EMS (or whatever they call it now), so I have already started the track in the Spring Field.  They are having 2 or 3 hours out on it every day. Then coming back into the Winter Track which is bare, and has various hay stations. Once the new Spring track is long enough, they can go out on it full time with restricted access to lush grass.  Even this small amount of Green Goodness is causing Spring Fever.  Daisy is particularly prone to behaving like a teenager on Crystal Meth at this time of year.  Despite being 24, she fancied she was running at the Cheltenham Festival yesterday!  And to think I've been taking it easy with her, fearing that I would break her!!

And so we have had a massive change.  Lulu has gone out on loan. Jo is waiting for a new hip, so has been unable to ride Lu for a long time. She's a bright mare, and didn't enjoy being a field ornament. She has only gone up the road, to a Livery Yard run by my old friend Marie (we kept our horses together for years). If I was a horse I would want to live with Marie.  As the Boss mare, we did wonder how the dynamics would alter in our little herd.  Lu has been in charge for ever!!

In the first 45 minutes after Lu left, Charlie happily scoffed his face at the Hay Box, (having not been allowed to before, hence extra hay nets hanging in trees). The Shetlands didn't appear to notice and just carried on as normal.  Daisy, galloped around yelling her head off.  Eventually Charlie got fed up with the noise from Daisy, and went to her.  Nose to nose they seemed to have a conversation. After a few minutes, Charlie sauntered back to the Hay Box, followed by Daisy.  It's been very peaceful ever since.  Not sure who is in charge now.  Probably no-one. The remaining ponies are all very laid back. None of them would care if an alien spaceship landed in their field, as long as they had enough to eat. Lu was always on guard, alerting the others to a scary sheep, or plastic bag. Then she would wind herself up when they dismissed her fears.  Now with no pony bothering to do the Meercat thing, they are all completely laid back.  A bunch of Stoners!  As a Bonus, the electric fencing remains in place, the poo load is reduced, and I can get any pony in, without a major fight at the gate.  Sorry Lu!!

See you all next month.  P.S  I still need to get Charlie out hacking, so if anyone is willing to ride Daisy on some short hacks with me and Charlie in tow, please contact me.

Whoa! We're Halfway There, Blackthorn Blossom and Over-Rugging.

 Wow this year is moving fast....or is it my age?  We are over halfway through the Top Barn Winter Challenge.  In fact we are just finishing Week 7. We have had no rollover or Holiday weeks, so I'm aiming to finish with Charlie on Week 10, and maybe even Daisy if I can bank some more time with her.  Both are working on Agility.  Charlie got 2 x 2nd places last month and Daisy was un-placed in our attempt at Equigility.  In fact we were last with a poor score of 90/100.  But, trying to teach a 24 year old that is used to trying to lean on the bit and pulling, to respond on a loose rein off a headcollar is certainly a work in progress!!

Spring is still springing. Although it's rained a lot, the temperatures have gone up. The wind is still cold, but you can't stop Mother Nature. The bloody Ragwort has started to pop its ugly heads up.  But the snowdrops are well and truly out, along with some daffodils. And the Blackthorn trees are starting to blossom. Hello Hayfever season!  

And this brings me on to the subject of over-rugging.  As you all know our herd of Natives live out 24/7 naked and as fluffy as they should be naturally.  With the nights getting lighter, they are shedding their winter coats.  All as nature intended. They have not been cold this Winter (wet yes).  We don't have to rush around taking rugs on and off the minute a cloud comes over.  They are shiny and muddy and healthy. It's been 13c. Horses are comfortable at much lower temperatures.  They survived the Ice Age.  Their coats are designed to stand up and trap the heat in.  The act of eating roughage causes an internal heating system.  Over-rugging a horse not only messes up its coat, but causes untold metabolic issues, leaving the horse unable to regulate its body temperature. 

So one of the Shetlands has grown a really really really thick coat. She looks like a cross between a lion and a siberian hamster.  Poor thing was getting sweaty in 13c, so I have given her a beard, neck and belly clip. It was a real test for my Liveryman Harmony Plus Clippers, as they really only look like trimmers, and are as quiet.  But as they have worked really well on Charlies thick feathers, I gave it a try.  I am so impressed with them!  Although I think the blades may need a sharpen now!

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/b?_encoding=UTF8&tag=horsea-21&linkCode=ur2&linkId=978fb1db85776dc88d13c7158bdad0f0&camp=1634&creative=6738&node=471521031">Liveryman Harmony Clippers</a>

A False Spring, Tricks Galore, and The Top Barn Challenge is Galloping By

 OMG Its February already!!!! Where did that long long month of January go? And whats with the English spelling of these early months (all this uary endings is stressing my spell check)?  So after a nasty January weatherwise, I'm now being lulled by this false spring and thinking of removing some layers.  Its been a calm, mostly sunny few days with the temperatures hitting double figures in the East. The nights are pulling out, the birds are singing and the snowdrops are out.  In fact on Tuesday I was so lulled by this False Spring that I did indeed shed some layers. Oh what a mistake.  The wind was bitter and out in the fields on the tractor I froze. Must remember that some of our worst snow-outs have been in February/March! But still, Spring is coming.......

I know a lot of people doing the Top Barn Challenge are having much worse weather than us, so Charlie and I are setting Charlies Challenges every week for a bit of fun, and ideas for things to do with your horse without moving from the field or stable. A long long time ago I joined Horse Tricks Club (find it on Facebook). We learned a lot of tricks, and so most of Charlies Challenges are trick related.  We have been going over some old tricks and its amazing that he remembers them all.  I have been working on a Maths Trick with him, but I'm not showing it here, because it will be a Charlies Challenge (Spoiler Alert).  I have to say I am crap at Maths and my OH (Mark the Mechanic and Part Time Horse Whisperer) laughed his head off when I said I had been teaching Charlie Maths! Next up Card Tricks!!

And as fast as the month has galloped by, so is The Top Barn Winter Challenge. We have already completed a Third of it. You may want to check this fact as I have already admitted my crap maths!  So far me and the ponies have kept up with our hours.  Charlie has banked one and a half hours, done all the Rhi's Randoms and 8 Mini Challenges.  Daisy is bang on target and has completed 7 Mini Challenges. I'm taking it very easy with her, due to her age and the length of time she had been retired. But she is totally enjoying the attention.

Both ponies have managed Agility entries this month. Charlie with his WO Liberty and OLHA and Daisy has tried Equagility!!!!  Having been only a brood mare and a Happy Hacker (being ridden in a Dutch Gag) she has never had any formal schooling and is only just learning Clicker Training.  She pulls like a steam train and isn't the sharpest tool in the box, but she is the sweetest Mare ever.  And we have to start somewhere.  Also she sucks her water!!!!!!

And so as a very special person used to say "Onwards and Upwards" and "To Infinity and Beyond".   Keep it up Top Barners.  And Good Luck to all the Agility entrants for the January Competitions.  

Oh and by the way......I have just entered the shady world of Tik Tok.  Charlie now has an account called er....er...Charlie The Trick Pony???? I think.  I'm doing the Tik Tok on my phone and the Blog on my Laptop, and I'm way too old to share any links.  We also have a YouTube channel (Charlie The Trick Pony) and Instagram (also Charlie The Trick Pony) and a Facebook page (also Charlie The Trick Pony) .  While I am plugging Social Media, I have 2 books available on Kindle. "The Ridgeway Romp" and "Tails From The Rda".  Sorry I can't share any links.......Thats Old Age!  

See you in Spring x

Cause For Celebration and The Top Barn Challenge Begins

And so the 2023 International Agility Club year ended.  Where would we end up in the League Tables?  I waited, chewed my nails, waited a little more, gnawed up to my knuckles. When the results came out i couldn't look.....literally. The site crashed!!  So I am absolutely humbled to announce that Charlie and I became European Champions and Reserve World Champions in the Walk Only Liberty League.  It was my very joking pledge at the beginning of the year......But I never thought we could pull it off!  I am full of pride for my boy, who started life badly and found himself on a meat truck at 5 months old.  Luckily he was rescued by the fantastic Sara Higgins.  Having spent 3 and a half years running with other colts, he was pretty feral, and coltish, and very opinionated. He is also partially sighted in his offside eye, seeing only light, dark and shadows.  But after only taking up Agility in June 2022, he has pulled this off. Whatever next??? 

So as we continue at the moment with the Liberty Agility, I am also prepping for Equagility (The ridden version).  I would also like to do this with Daisy.  My main aim for Charlie this year is to get him out hacking.

So I have entered both ponies into the Top Barn Winter Challenge.  Charlie is doing Bronze Premium ( 3hrs a week plus some extra challenges) and Daisy Copper (1.5hrs a week).  The Weather has been a Bitch.  We have had Rain, Flooding, Storms, Hurricane force winds, a biting, finger numbing North wind straight off the North Sea (only about 4 miles away), Snow (which went as quickly as it came) and now a dry frozen week (currently -3c).  But at least its dry!! 

The ponies live out 24/7.  There are no stables, barn or inside to work in out of the weather. We have no School or Arena.  Just an area I call my Playpen where I do my Agility. Its just a small grassy area, fenced off with electric fencing and completely exposed to the North East (handy that). However a wise person once said "There is no bad weather, just the wrong clothes".  This year in all my years of working with horses I have had cold hands. Actually they have been numb in the wind.  So I have bought a pair of gloves. Lightweight neoprene. Brilliant. 

I don't advertise or promote anything normally, but I also got some waterproof, fleece lined over-trousers from a company called Cuddlr.  You may have seen their adverts on Facebook.  I also never buy anything from ads on Facebook, but thought this was worth a gamble.  It was!  They have been a lifesaver. I pop them over fleece lined leggings. My feet are encased in Nordic wool socks, and oh so attractive fur lined muck boots.  My top half is covered in t-shirt, sweatshirt, fleece and my brilliant Yak wool jacket that I got a few years ago from Tibet. With a fur lined wool snood covering my face and a silly wool/fleece hat, the weather can throw its worst at me.  I might look like the Michelin man in all this....but I'm warm!  

The Winter Challenge is a Challenge because of the Weather. It wouldn't be much of a challenge if it were in the Summer months.  So buckle up guys, smother yourselves in many clothes and waddle through the next couple of months. Its surprising how many things there are to do with your horse without actually leaving the stable (if you have one).  With this in mind I am posting a weekly Challenge (Charlies Challenges) to compliment the Mini Challenges.  I am posting on Friday nights/Saturday mornings. 

Most of Charlies Challenges will be Trick related.  So we are re-visiting all the Tricks we learned over the years (Check out Horse Tricks Club).  So Top Barn Challengers......Keep it up.. The nights are pulling out, at a rate of 1 minute a day. Before you know it, Spring will be here.  Achievements are achieved by sheer hard work.  No-one ever got their horse out of a field after months off and went and won the Puissance.  It takes hard work and perseverance through whatever life or the weather throws at you. So keep it up, YOU GOT THIS. X