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!!!
Its been quite a week........
Poor little Mini has been missing her friend Sweet Pea badly...as are we. So we have borrowed a Shetland friend for her. Piggy, a little boy who is even smaller than Mini. He is besotted by her. Not sure she feels the same, but it has perked her up anyway. I think she may be feeling irritation rather than sadness at the moment, as he follows her about constantly. Not to mention Dora who has decided Mini was HER bff and is constantly trying to come between them. Polly is ignoring everybody.
And so on Tuesday we had a Pony Day...with 10 girls and errr 1 boy. The boy most definitely did NOT want to be there, but had no choice as his mum Eli was teaching. He spent a fair bit of time in the tack-room on his I-Pod ....Sensible boy!! The temperature naturally was about 28c (Nothing natural about that for England, but after 2 months of hot dry weather it has become the norm).
Elis' daughters (Grace and Georgie) rode their ponies (Twix and Sammie) over to help out. Jo bought the entire glitter supply for Europe, spare crisps and squash, and by 9.30am we were ready for the arrival of clients at 10.30am. We even made a make shift toilet in a stable with tyres and paper!!
Upon arrival, the girls had the safety talk, and learned where to go in the event of a fire. Then it was catch in, groom and tack up time. The girls were split into two groups......Group A having a lesson, while Group B helped with poo picking, including a ride in the trailer, then we swapped.
Lunchtime saw the girls turning out the ponies for a welcome rest, and drink, before we all returned to the relative shade of the tack-room for a picnic lunch and a super-fun session running, cartwheeling and jumping through the sprinkler until everyone was thoroughly wet. When I say cartwheeling...that didn't apply to the adults!!!
Then it was off to get Polly and Mini back in for Glittering. Freddie the only boy, having enjoyed the sprinkler, (and having his character on his game killed off), joined in and found he was actually having fun!! The ponies being suitably decorated were then used for gymkhana games (in walk and trot only as the ground is so hard). We used Sammie and Polly for Gymkhana, while Mini was de-glittered. Sammie and Polly are both old hands and you could see them raring to go as were some of the riders.....but we kept it calm!
Very quickly 3pm came around and parents appeared to pick up children. Those that were left helped me bath and turn out Polly. (I don't mean they were left indefinitely!!) We all had a really fun, if hot, day. There were NO TEARS which has to be good. Only squeals and laughter. We are already planning the next one......Maybe on a cooler day!!
And as the heat wave continues and gets hotter Mark The Mechanic (and part-time horse whisperer) and Jo spent yesterday creating shade for the small ponies with the lorry and some tarpaulin. The bigger ponies had their field extended to include the shady dip. Were they grateful??? Were they ****.
This morning saw them all out of their paddocks, having trashed the minis paddock!! Luckily the paddocks are enclosed in the 3 Acre Field which is surrounded by stock fencing and thick hedges of trees and gated and padlocked. And so Jo and I spent all morning repairing the damage. Thankfully Charlie didn't take the lorry to pieces, which is a miracle as he loves vehicles!!!
