Autumn Has Arrived, The Handy Pony Comp and Daisy The Highland

 And just like that Autumn has arrived!!! One day we were still sweltering in 24c and the next? Torrential rain arrived on 40mph winds! I think the shorts and crocs have been firmly put away for the next six months now. Of course we were moaning about the drought.  At least the fields are looking slightly less yellow.  Too late for the Bigger Ponies though, who quickly ran out of grass on The Hill Field and had to be moved onto the Winter Grazing.

Before the rain came, I had been sawing, screwing and painting for our Handy Pony Course.  My imagination may have ran away with me, and I may have bought a 2ft blow up alien and a Childs sledge!!!!  Jo and I had a practice with Charlie and Lu for the In-Hand Class.  They were both amazing, wearing Full Harness and dragging Hay nets full of clothing for the first time. Charlie was so chilled I even got on him for the first time since April. He immediately un-chilled and although the explosion of bucks never happened, he was very fidgety.

Jo wanted to practice her Ridden Entry, so I got Daisy in to keep her company. This sweet old mare did so well and enjoyed herself so much, I have entered the Ridden Class with her as well. Whilst editing the videos, I realised how much fun Daisy can be, and decided to 'share' her with Shaneece-Who-Helps-On-Saturdays.  Not only will this give me my riding muscles back, it will also give Daisy hers back too.  I have even had her in for a short schooling session this week (before the storms came).

For those that don't know Daisy, she a a 14.2hh Highland Mare, aged about 21???? Jo will confirm her age.  Jo rescued her from a horrible life that she spent in solitary confinement, about 7 years ago.  She was shut down, angry and horribly overweight.  Although we got the weight off her, she kept developing sudden onset Laminitis, one bout we nearly lost her as her Pedal Bones rotated in all four feet.  Blood tests confirmed she had EMS. 

With the help of a brilliant Farrier, and Jo researching everything about EMS we got her sound. And have kept her sound ever since.  The anger disappeared very quickly with lots of love and being kept out in a herd and she is the sweetest most loving mare. She is pretty bombproof, but has absolutely no brakes whatsoever and can have some frilly moments, cantering on the spot and plunging. But nothing malicious at all. I am so looking forward to doing more with her when these storms blow out.

Phew...Back To Normal? A Bridleway Fight and New Year Goals

Wow, after that amazing royal visit, life is back to normal....whatever that means!! Basically it means its been cold, windy and hard work.  Roll on summer!!
I have outlined some New Year Goals...which includes riding Charlie, riding at least 4 hours a weeks (pathetic considering I used to ride 4 hours a day!), and err getting the ponies driving!!! Its a bit of a dream to drive the Shetlands....

So far I am failing.....Its been too bloody cold to ride! At my age! By the time we have hayed, watered and poo-picked, we are frozen. But we are trying to work Dora regularly.  She needs to lose several pounds....and learn some manners.  So far in the pen she has behaved impeccably. And she has a jump on her!

And I have ridden Daisy.......Epic ride. And part two of the Bridleway Fight..  Some of you may recall, Jo and got into trouble a few months back for setting a foot or two on land belonging to a local campsite owner....he chased us over a mile and scared Daisy, after having a shout at us! Jo then contacted the council, as the Bridleway goes through his land, via a gate which is impossible to open on horseback.  Apparently the Campsite owner, widened the gap to 2m beside the gate.  So I went to check on Daisy at the weekend.  

Not having seen my hat for a while now i was bare-headed. Nothing odd there then.  Except when I got to the gate.  I must point out, at this point its a narrow tree-lined path with lots of over-hanging branches. Daisy stood while I tried and failed to undo the gate. There is not room to turn the horse sideways on, and its not a horse friendly latch. There was no way she would fit through the gate, so I turned back.......reins loose and in one hand as usual.

Daisy took off like a racehorse from the start!  Which surprised me. 
As the track goes through a very nice mans garden, I frantically gathered my reins as I didn't want to gallop past his cottage flat out! No use pulling so I turned her into the trees, which stopped her.  Thoroughly over excited, she reared and plunged several times, while i ducked branches. First time i have ever wished I had my hat on!!!!  I managed to calm her enough to walk through the garden, then made her trot home. 

So Jo and i went down on the tractor yesterday with a surveyors pole and took lots of pictures of the gap which is less than a metre.  Bridleway War? Bring it on!!

Daisy Trotting out.

Jo with Dora ...Who can jump.

I Love The Western Saddle and Poplar Park Horse Trials

Woohoo its been warm!! Tee-shirt weather. The Daffs are everywhere, as are bumble bees at the moment. We have spring cleaned the hay shed and removed miles of tarpaulin that kept tripping us up. And we have been working the ponies. They have been naked and shedding winter coat at the speed of light. The fields look like a pillow fight in a kids dorm!

Charlie has been long reining daily and is being a star. The other day I tripped over a molehill and face planted the ground. As I let go of the reins so as not to jab him in the mouth, he lept forward one stride, then came back for me. Many horses would have galloped off at high speed. He's also had a sack of bran on his back and me leaning over him at the mounting block again. My other half (Mark the Mechanic) has been working on a car at the yard all week with tools and blankets etc spread around. Charlie walked straight onto the blanket to eat the carrots I had left there. Later I rode Daisy over it with no hesitation. Madam Lu kicked up a fuss, but at last put one foot on it. Charlie is so nosy he stuck his head in the back of the van and also examined the engine. 

I hacked Daisy out Tuesday. Having not been ridden since about last October she was slightly excited. Having failed to get a girth around her I abandoned my english saddle and used the Western one, even though the breast plate is too big to do anything. I thought I had cinched it up tight enough. Anyway she jogged everywhere having a fine old time, while I lounged around and experimented with just hooking the reins over the horn so I didn't have to use my hands at all. Riding for the chronically lazy. I love it! On the way home, unusually she spooked at at pheasant. Then followed it up with a bronco bucking fit. That saddle is brilliant for bucking. You just don't move. Poor Daisy...she throws her all into it, but its still not unseating. I laughed all the way home. When I get off remembering to step down, the whole saddle swung with me. Guess my cinching needs to be a lot tighter!!

Last weekend it was Poplar Park horse trials. They are the first biggish ones in the eventing calendar and Jo and I did a couple of hours on the gate....all in aid of the RDA. The weather was spring-like and we had a fine old time watching riders coming up and down the track.....either off to jump, or trudging back having finished. Pippa Funnell seemed to have so many rides, I asked her if she had a twin. She is a very nice lady, not to mention extremely talented, and introduced us to her horses each time she passed us (once every 10 minutes). I gather she did very well....So well done Pippa.
We were able to watch a bit of show-jumping and walk the course which was very well built. I used to work at Poplar Park, and its a great course. Very undulating and sandy soil so always good underfoot. Always makes me want to jump again............

Flip Flops, Happy Hacks, Success....And Backwards Again

Ok back to the weekend....The Flip Flop Incident. Absolutely no horse book would recommend wearing Flip Flops around horses. But I like my feet free. Its been hot.....I am now saying....Do Not Lead Horses In Flip Flops!!  On Saturday, we got all 3 biggies tacked up etc.  Jo went off to lunge Lu.  I took Charlie into the round pen to long rein and do a little desensitizing with a fag packet on a stick. Meanwhile I told Chanice Who Helps On Saturdays to sort out Daisy's girth and mount. We then swapped places, and I sat on a chair, and gave vague instructions while holding Charlie.  It did Chanice the world of good.  I told her to plan stuff in her head...ie walk, trot, left, right, halt etc and be absolutely firm with Daise.  She did really well.  I lounged around Charlie, resting my feet on his neck etc. Then we all went out for a hack.....me leading the boy.  Halfway down the drive he stepped on the back of my flip flop.  A brief struggle ensued between my middle toe and the flip flop.  They both lost. One broken flip flop and one very bruised toe.  Not to be deterred, I carried on barefoot.  Not wanting to get stood on again, and limping a bit, I leant my arm on the saddle, my weight on Charlies side and guided him with the reins.  He was a star.

Sunday, we had a brilliant long-reining session.  He stopped, started, turned, backed up....All good. Monday I rode Daisy.  We had a lovely hack through the Corn-On-The Cob fields.  We have permission off the farmer, and as yet the plants are only stirrup height.  I made sure......so I thought....that Charlie wasn't jealous, by spending an age scratching his belly, which he loves.

Today I thought I might get on him again.  Jo caught Lu.  Charlie wasn't having it.  So i walked off leaving the electric fence gate open.  He came through as planned into the small area between electric fencing and the main field gate. I tried to catch him......No go.  So I sent him away.  Jo took Lu away to work her. I sat down.  Charlie came over, but would not let me put a headcollar on. So I sent him away.  This carried on for half an hour.  Jo then came and tried. He had his stubborn face on, and half an hour later still no joy. We drove him back to his field and I walked off.  He followed. I ignored him. I may well ignore him tomorrow as well.  Its to be expected with a boy with his history, and I am not going to take it personally...........(really I'm NOT)

Bee Is Off and Work Resumes....And a Sick Pen

Dare I say it......its warmed up.  Ok so its still hailing at times.  But the sun is generally warm enough to leave the ponies naked. Bee is off tomorrow.....to a forever home hopefully.  She has chilled so much, I hope she will settle in quickly. I will miss her cuddles, but I think she'll be fine. She has so much more confidence in humans now.
Today we had Roz and Shona to help, so I suggested we do something with the bigger ponies.  Charlie has had enough time off to digest what he has already learnt.  While Shona rode Daisy and Jo rode Lu...just around the 'school' and 4 acre, I tried to long-rein Charlie.  I may have found the reason he panicked and dumped me.  Seems he is only confident while I am at his head.  We set off round the 4 Acre behind the others in long reins.  While they calmly walked ahead, Charlie freaked, rearing, pulling and spinning.  I dropped one rein and brought him on a circle, thinking of the havoc he would cause if I let go. So glad they didn't turn round and see my fight.  I quickly ditched the long reins in a corner, and just led him.  No stress.  As soon as I took up the reins to walk by his saddle...panic.  He likes to follow. No problem.  I will get Jo to walk by his head while I get him used to me being behind.  
Daisy looked sound, which is great.  Her and Polly are currently sharing a 'sick pen'.  Basically a long strip around the edge of the field with only old grass....just in case!!

Poor Daisy Has Laminitis

This week has been all about Daisy.  Poor girl has got Laminitis out of no-where. Well obviously the grass has been growing, but not so's you'd notice.  Her feet have been growing too and she was ready for the farrier a week ago. Seeing she was a bit footy on Tuesday, we brought her in, with lots of steamed hay and feeds of chaff and bran and bute. We turned her out Wednesday, as she isn't keen on being in, and was walking much better with boots on. Thursday she was laying flat out in the sun.  Actually they all were, but bringing her in for the farrier, it was clear she was in pain.  He pursed his lips and sort of whistled....like mechanics do just before they tell you your car is worth little more than scrap. He says we need to keep her on the hat-rack side.  Can't ever see Daisy looking like a hat-rack, she's more like a large passenger liner. They are all strip grazed, out 24/7, have basic meadow hay and very little hard feed. We only feed natural chopped chaff and bran, mainly to get supplements in. And thats not very often. He even told us to stable her on shavings instead of the 3 year old barley straw.  Luckily Jane (who has the 5* Shetland Hotel) had shavings and even delivered them to us.

This is Daisy, awaiting shavings delivery, in a classic text book laminitic stance. Notice the weight all on the back end, front legs pushed forward to relieve pressure on the toes. Luckily we had some padded boots/shoes for her, The type they use for endurance. and rubber mats in the stable. 
This morning she was so much brighter, we let her out in a grazing muzzle for a couple of hours, free-range as the grass is older and longer, and therefore not as packed with sugar.  She wandered off up to see the others at a pleasing speed.  Jo has ordered her a bigger, sheepskin padded muzzle for when her feet are better.  Although the one she has is large, it rubs long term.

And Stretchhhhhhh

A Lovely Day For It

Woooooo.....I have been moving furniture and cars today (as well as doing the ponies).....and am absolutely knackered.  So the words may be few on this post, as my brain is already in bed asleep. Despite this not being a weather channel I must report it has been bitterly cold this week....North Easterly Winds.  But on Thursday, the wind dropped and it was lovely and sunny.  Time for some fun... Jo and I  had a lovely hack down the lane and up around the lovely sandy tracks that border the farm fields.  I shut Scrumpy in the car this time, so she didn't follow.  Obviously we took Lulu and Daisy, so it was Charlies' first time being left alone.....Although the other ponies are only in the next field the other side of the hedge. Good job I took his rug off.....The hysteria started as soon as we went down the drive.  We could hear him neighing most of the hack, bless him.
Now Daisy is an odd girl on a hack.....Bombproof is the word.  In the 'school', or pottering round our own fields she is on her toes, but as soon as she's out, she turns into a riding school pony.  Lu on the other hand is on her toes.  We passed some bins, Lu stopping, then passing sideways....Daisy went straight over to see if they contained food. Even when a pheasant flew up she only jumped as much as I did!  
So when we got back, I was relieved to see Charlie still galloping up and down....still in the field and not a broken leg in sight!  He had sweated up though, and was foaming well, but it was still warm, so I was able to leave him naked to dry and pop back later.

A Very Non BHS Legover And Charlies Shock

Woohoo, the sun has been out.....maybe like -7 but the sun is out!  Actually its been around 6c during the day and the sun has warmth to it now.  So I have been working Charlie in the 'school' with both saddle and bridle on.  I have added some stirrups now as well.  At this point if you are very health and safety conscious, or a member of the BHS, please stop reading......
Anyone left?  So he has been very good about the saddle, even with the stirrups.  Oddly enough when I produced some baler-twine from my pocket to tie the stirrups together under his belly, he nearly reached Mars!  That said, he lunged very quietly, apart from one bucking, snorting fit, which I expected anyway when the stirrups first banged his sides.  Long reining not so good yet...He doesn't feel confident going in front of me.  Jo came to the rescue and walked by his head. So all good.  I then put my feet in the stirrups and sprung up and down a few times. While at the mounting block, which I am getting him to stand quietly at, I leant my weight on him.  Then slid a leg over, letting it rest on his bum for a while.  It was so tempting just to get on. But not without a hat (take note bhs people.....i'm not completely mad).

Daisy and Lulu also got lunged.....First work they have done since October, so they were both a bit woohoo about it.  Daisy appeared to have springs on her feet.  As I haven't ridden since October, I couldn't resist getting on. BHS peeps look away....Ok so I was bareback and hatless....Please do not try this at home. As I jogged about on an excited Daisy, I nearly fell off......Not through her jogging, but the look of sheer amazement on Charlies face.  He did a double take!  Thinking about it, he has probably never seen a horse being ridden.  He just thinks we are foot friends. I could practically see the penny drop!

Charlie in saddle and bridle

Daisy is keen

Blowing Up A Hoolie, and The Farrier

Well its certainly mild again.....and guess what 40mph winds.  How I hate the wind! It makes normal stuff, like putting hay out a real battle.  Top Tip alert.....If you feed hay in the field, you need one of these big metal things. They stop it blowing away.  They don't stop the person unloading it from getting covered in it though.

A Big Metal Thing Yesterday

Today we had the farrier.  Up we went to get the big ponies.  Charlie decided to be a dick.  So we took Lulu and Daisy down to the barn, and I went back for him with a small feed.  In between galloping about screaming hysterically, he snatched mouthfuls.  I tried explaining to him that we both wanted the same thing, but I needed him to have his headcollar on. It didn't take long for the penny to drop.  I thought we may fall out on the way down to the barn, as he wanted to go faster than my lungs will allow me. But a few sudden halts and a growl from me seemed to sort it.  He did think about going up, but didn't so we are starting to understand that I am the boss!
He was good as gold for the farrier, had a good brush, including that thick tail and those thick feathers.  He has a touch of thrush, so i scrubbed his feet with salt water and sprayed some hibiscrub and disinfectant on each foot. He didn't object to that at all.
To make room for Polly, I took Lu and Charlie out to the field and left Daisy in the stable.  The two I'd just turned out ran up and down yelling for her, while she deafened us in the barn yelling back.  I've never seen a horse open its mouth so wide to neigh! 

   









                           
                 

When the Herd Leader Leaves The Herd

Run in the Sun