Summer Is Here, Agility. Lameness. And Ragwort

 So Summer is definitely here.  Despite NOT being a weather channel I am British, so I will bang on about the weather. Its been HOT.  I mean REALLY HOT. Like 'Broken All Records' Hot. Suffolk recorded 38c last Monday. Tuesday was slightly cooler at 37c.  Since then the temperature has dropped to between 23c and 31c. The ponies have coped surprisingly well, despite being Natives and more used to rain and cool.  They don't seem at all bothered in fact. We have coped as well, getting used to the heat and shivering slightly as the temperatures dropped to 20c. What isn't coping so well is our fields which are standing hay (burnt grass) and dust. Perfect for the ponies!! Unfortunately the Ragwort is taking over. Being on sandy soil and dry it is having a party. Every single day we dig the stuff up even in the Winter.  But this year it's got beyond our control, so its a case of digging it up when we move the fence back. I swear when the world ends and the planet is burning, the Ragwort will survive (as will the flies).  We have barely had a drop of rain for the whole of July (0.6 mm according to the local news) , so please send some asap.

Charlie and I have been ploughing on with our Agility. We have almost completed the Level 2 training. And we entered our first ever competition.  And came 2nd.  I am so pleased with him.  He is loving it, to the point when he sees me altering the course he is leaving his field-mates to the grass and waiting at the gate. A far cry from the pony that once took 2 weeks to catch!!!  We are fired up with the competing and have just entered the Liberty Trophy class.

https://youtu.be/CX6lt5SECIY

Having neglected his riding training, last week I had him in the school with Debbie and Lu.  While they were titivating Lu, I tacked him up. No adverse response. Parked him at the Mounting Block. Cool as Cucumber. Got up on Block. Still cool. Leaned over him.....no response.  Got on him, still laid back as a recliner.  At this point Debbie came to his head,  and we went for a wander around the school including weaving through the cones.  Of course the Pivo decided to go on strike at this point! 

But Charlie needs to step up as my riding pony.  If I can stop doing Agility for a day!!!  Having had Daisy shod last month we managed 2 hacks before she went lame. That was due to the wet June and the green grass (At this point I have forgotten the meaning of wet and grass). So that worked out at £26 a ride! 

Sound and shod again, we managed 2 hacks.  Catching her in for hack number 3, I was excited to bring my costs down.  Alas she trotted in lame. Only on one foreleg and more un-level than lame. I checked her feet for stones, the heat ( or lack of) in her hooves,  any swellings or hot spots in her leg. Nada.  No clue as to what is wrong, so can only put it down to the hard ground, a tweak somewhere. So please send us RAIN.  Our ponies need it!!!

 

Top Barn Challenge, The Lizard and Nurse Ratched - The Story So Far

 Well we are already in Week 4 of the Top Barn 12 Week Challenge.  One way to make January whizz by. And the weather has been kind.  Its barely rained here in Sunny Suffolk, and more importantly the wind has been elsewhere. Yes its been cold (many frosty mornings), but its bearable without the wind and rain.

And what about that Lizard??? Well Top Barn has an extremely helpful Monday Evening Session with a lady called Vee Sheers.  Its all about confidence.  And what happens when that confidence disappears. This may be caused by a fall for example.  Next time you go to mount, The Lizard rears his ugly head, tells you that you are in danger, and pushes the panic button, which causes the fight or flight response to begin.  Helpful for staying alive in truly life threatening scenarios like being chased by a sabre-toothed tiger back in the year Dot. Not so helpful when you know better, and yet The Lizard still takes over.  The Lizard conveniently forgets the thousand rides you have had with no problem, and only remembers the bad ride.

I had a long chat with Vee. I am not lacking in confidence. I will get on any pony without the slightest fear. Except Charlie.  In fact I am happy to get on. But Charlie also has a Lizard pressing his panic button. He panics when i am not by his head. Once he panics, my Lizard pushes the button, and i jump off.  This has been going on a while.  I constantly get to the point where we are are both happy with me riding him, as long as someone is by his head. Once he panics, my Lizard reminds me of the time he bronced me off.  With my Dodgy Lungs and Dicky Ticker, I don't want to repeat this.  As the former Queen of Bucking Horses, I was more than surprised when he threw me, and so my Lizard remembers this and pushes the panic button......Charlie is a danger when he panics!

Vee suggested I get outside help. So I contacted my old friend Marie to see if she could help.  She could!! And Can!! Marie and I go back to The Dark Ages. We kept our horses together for many years. She was a top show-jumper as a child, and has started (and bred) many youngsters. So last Tuesday she showed up to access Charlie.  As our long-reining is a bit iffy, she started there.  She told me that I cannot do enough long-reining to get him used to going it alone with me behind him. Following another horse he is fine, but alone? Not so good, unless your idea of long reining is looking at the horses face!  Marie took up the reins. Charlie said No. Marie very firmly said Yes Get On. A look of fury crossed Charlies face. Here we go. Then he thought about it and decided he best get on with it. An hour later and we were all exhausted!  So I have been practicing ever since, and he has been a star.  We also addressed the mounting block phobia.  Although I can get on from the ground, the mounting block is a no-go zone. Progress has been made.  I can't wait for our next session.

As well as this, Charlie and I have been fitting in Rhi's Randoms (various groundwork tests), trick training ( We have just achieved our Intermediate Trick Horse certificate from Horse Tricks 101) and filming a Groundwork Competition for Top Barn. I've had more trouble from the Pivo filming the show, than I have from Charlie and i getting it right.  Every time I think I have filmed a perfect take, I find the Pivo has wandered off to intently film a non-moving, non-horse-shaped tree!! After take 1003 I have submitted my much edited entry and the Pivo is now for sale on Ebay!! Its lucky it's not stamped into the ground, or thrown into The North Sea!!! So if anyone wants to buy a 'pre-loved' Pivo.....I have one for sale!

As if this wasn't enough to be going on with, I am still performing my Nurse Ratched duties for my Mum.  Although she is slowly gaining her independence, it is a slow process. However there is light at the end of the Tunnel. We went to The Hairdressers yesterday. And she was less out of breath than I was!  She is regaining her appetite and microwaving meals for herself. I suspect she is sick of my burnt offerings!!  I am in quite a routine now, up early, work Charlie, look after ponies, see to Mum, sometimes eat, and fall asleep sitting up watching Emmerdale!!

Come back next month to see if I am riding Charlie at last!