Learning The Lines and Rearing Ponies!!

You know how sometimes you can go through life, and learn a skill, but still miss something out?  Oddly Jo and I both skipped lunging, with two reins!  We have both had youngsters, broke ponies and I even worked on a driving yard. 

Having both worked at Livery/Eventing/Showing Yards, most of our lunging has been for exercise or to build up topline. My driving long lining consisted of wandering for miles, two inches behind a horse with driving reins...err...driving it forward.  

So after Bridgets visit, my mission has been to master lunging with two reins. I have to say, I'm pretty cack-handed with lunge lines and am just as likely to wrap myself in them, as to control the horse!!

So on Tuesday Viv came to visit.  Having told her all about the new mission she kindly offered to come back the following day and give us lessons. First we tried with Lil, who went well with Viv, but was a little confused with Jo and I. Then we tried Charlie, who was pretty good and very laid back with the reins around his hocks!!  Viv suggested we practise with a smaller, older pony. Cue Dora. Dora can be a bit of a brat.  She especially objects to being lunged as it means working!!  To our surprise, she went really well for Viv.  She even stayed calm for Jo and I.  Bad luck Dora.....You are our practise pony!!!

And more about Dora!  This post should have simply been called Dora (a brat).  Dora didn't want to work today.....Okay so its been blowing a Northern Hoolie, bringing Sleet and Hail (Yes it is May).  I had just arrived this morning, to be greeted with Jo holding a sullen looking Dora....She had refused to go down the drive, even with Mini. Jo asked me to go for a walk out, with her, Dora, Poppy (one of the Saturday Kids),  a schooling whip and various dogs.  We went down the drive....Dora had one eye on the whip I carried (or maybe it was my coffee which i also carried).  Down the drive, along the lane....only minimal protests from Dora. Poppy fed her a polo, then we did it again.  Again Dora complied, although she was on her toes.  Poppy couldn't ride her back because she didn't have a hat.  Neither did I.....But I am an adult. So I hopped on her. I always feel a bit guilty riding Dora, as she is only 11.2hh and I am 5ft 5in. Its like sitting on a narrow pole. Despite the fact my feet are waaay below her belly I am only 9 stone and she is a very sturdy welsh (before you start throwing rotten tomatoes at me).  If I thought for one minute she was struggling, I wouldn't do it. However, she is more than happy to jog and prance while carrying me.

She had started to relax, thinking we were going home, and she was done.  BUT she had one more lesson!!  As we got to the school, I tried to turn in. Dora Was Not Having It.  We somehow got past the gate to the school (she is a strong little bugger).  I went to turn her back....And she reared, plunged and bucked!!!  No problem leaving the ground with all four feet then, despite the great burden she carried. She very nearly had me off!!!!  Sitting in (just) a childs saddle, with no stirrups, I had to do some weird body swerve to stay on.  Funny though.  Dora and I may be having a hack alone later this week....Though I think I better have a bigger saddle and maybe stirrups. 

PS... I love Dora!!!

A Quick Summer and Dora The Explorer

Yes we have had Summer.  After the freezing and long Winter, it suddenly got up to 25c.  We vowed not to say "Its Too Hot", and merrily got sunburn as we revealed white/blue legs and shoulders. Sadly we scared the sun away and its back to 5c and raining for England!  Not to mention those north easterly winds we had missed (NOT) so much. Oh hum....we gave in today and put the horses back in macs. I am actually wearing my winter coat again as well, AND moaning about how cold it is!!

BUT there are still shows to prepare for, and ponies to work.  So despite the cold we have been working the ponies.  Daisy, who was tripping over her feet, has had her toes shortened, and is slightly lame, so has had (more) time off. Charlie and Dora are being Worked mostly.  I,m having doubts about the clicker training.  Although I used it to great success in the heat, managing to get Charlie to accept a hose pipe with running water, over his chest and back, he has taken to nudging me in the belly for treats, even (or especially) when we are not clicker training. The boy is sharp....and has the attention span of a gnat.
He has also moved into the mouthing stage, wanting to hold everything in his mouth.  He has realised his strength and is trying to use it.  So clicker training is going on hold, while we go back to old fashioned discipline. There are so many horse trainers out there at the moment, with different methods its too easy to get caught up in something and get confused.  If I am confused the horse is going to be even more confused, so at the moment I am closing my ears to 100 different methods, and going with my instinct and experience.

Dora the Explorer.....What a sweetie. Thinking she had retired, she has had a shock in the last month.  I have been lunging her and taking her out in hand...I am just too heavy to ride her...although its tempting!!  She is fine with small children on the lead rein....Ellie had a few kids on her yesterday and she was as good as gold.  Luckily we have Ellies daughter Georgie, who is a very accomplished rider, to sort her out as she is a bit different when being ridden properly.  A bit of a madam! Thats the pony, not the rider!  The feisty temperament comes out when asked to actually do some actual work!! (Hands up....Who put too much Arab into Welsh ponies??)  Still she has met her match in Georgie!

I'll just hold the hoof pick for you.

Or Pollys leadrope.

Why isn't this rearing thing working??

Spring Sprung For a Day and Nerve Blocks

Yes, Its not a weather channel....But Yesterday was glorious.....9C, sun and no wind. Positively tropical. Meg and Rob were there with little Nancy. Ruby and Teddy from the barn turned up. Suddenly there were more poo pickers, than equipment. After a quick assessment, I dispatched Meg and the kids to catch in and groom Polly and Dora, (Sorry Meg, but you are a mother), leaving Rob, Jo and I to peacefully clear the field. 

My somewhat ambitious plan was to have Ruby ride Dora down to the Barn to see her parents, and Teddy ride back.  Ruby already rides, Teddy doesn't. Dora hasn't been ridden since we got her, so seemed like a sensible plan. 

Until Teddy said he wanted to be the first to ride Dora, and Ruby asked if she could ride Daisy!!!! And so we went with it. Ruby looked like a pea on a pod on Daisy, but rode very nicely. Dora behaved amazing well, considering she hasn't been ridden or off the property since she arrived. We are very pleased with her. A Unicorn she will be!

Once home, Teddy decided to stay, so Ruby rode Dora back and I hopped up on Daisy.  Much easier to keep at a steady pace from up there.  We had been following Polly all the way....at a very sedate pace!!

That was it. Our one day of Spring.  Today was grim....grey and wet.. The forecast says more grey and wet followed by colder weather, with sleet and snow!  Bye Spring....Maybe see you in a couple of weeks.

So today we had the Vet back to check Sweet Pea, who is still mildly lame on her near hind.  Initially it was thought she had locked a stifle and pulled a muscle, but nerve blocking has ascertained that its lower. It could be side-bone, in fact at her age i would be surprised if she doesn't have some sort of Arthritis, but it came on suddenly. There are several ligaments and tendons around the Fetlock that can be pulled or strained. Tomorrow she will have an x-ray which will coincide with the Farrier visiting, so the experts can have a con-flab. 
More news to follow....

A New Unicorn, Facebook Friends and Clicker Training

First up a warm welcome to Dora (The Explorer), the newest member of Jo's Unicorn team.  What a sweetie....Dora is about 11.2hh Welsh Sec A with a nice Welsh pedigree and an unpronounceable name! We picked her up Sunday, and she has settled into the small herd nicely. Polly was a bit grumpy, but SweetPea soon made friends.  The big herd were transfixed and managed to look like 3 old witches peering through net curtains!!

I now must give a shout out to a (mostly American) Facebook page.  Not one for joining Facebook groups, however I love this one. Its called "Aging Horsewomen" which suits me nicely.  Some of the riders are truly inspiring. There is heaps of advice and its such a friendly group. With 2000 plus members and an average age of 50 plus, there's not much this group as a whole doesn't know.  It's been a fun learning curve on the language front... I wasn't quite so aware of the language difference before.....and we have been having a laugh about "Fanny Packs" and "Riding on the Buckle"......not to mention "thongs"!!

Speaking of language.....Charlie and I have started a new one. Clicker training. As regular readers of this blog know, as much as I love the little fella, he has been a huge challenge to break.  A lot of the problem is my dodgy lungs and dicky ticker.  Back in the day, I would have hung on for grim death and not cared about flying lessons!!  But this is now, so its a careful slow process is needed.  I am having his eyes checked on Monday....just to make sure.  But in the meantime we are trying Clicker Training.  So far so good.  Immediately he figured that a click means a treat.  Today we moved onto a target......a bit of pillow stuffed on the end of a whip!!!  No problem at all. With his curious nature he couldn't wait to examine it.  In no time, the word "Nose" resulted in him touching the target.  So far so good ! :-)

Dora

Nosy neighbours!!

Click!