Meeting TopBarners and More Agility

 It seems like ages since I last updated all 30 odd of you.  So Sorry. I seem to have been buzzing like a bee. 

Anyways going back to June. I may have mentioned Summer was a late starter.  It rained.... A Lot!  As a result our grass was green.  Inevitably just as I was starting the Top Barn 100 mile Stage of The Summer Challenge (Which involved me clocking up the miles on Daisy while leading Charlie), Daisy went lame. Nothing major, but as she has EMS she has a problem processing sugar. Green Grass = Sugar = Daisy gets a touch of Laminitus!  We immediately cut back the daily allowance of new grass along the track system.  Daisy was booted (and buted) and we had to feed hay to fill up their bellies, instead of grass.  Oh how we moaned and groaned....feeding Hay in June blah blah.

So short of some sort of miracle, where Charlie was happy to be ridden for more than 5 seconds, or my lungs were suddenly restored to that of a 60 year old,  The 100 Mile Challenge was no longer. Still I was happy that we had completed 3 stages of the Challenge, and set about the Agility.

Having passed the Stage One Agility, I joined the Club and enrolled on Stage 2. Where we have been stuck for an Eternity, or so it seems. The Blueprint goes like this.....Walk forward with Horse on a Loose rope, Horse must take first step. Halt on command with a loose rope...yeah yeah no worries.  Move to end of rope and count to 3. Horse must not move!  Well that's just way too far away as far as Charlie is concerned. After some 700 million attempts, he will now just about wait 3 Seconds.  So on to backing up.  A gap in our training has appeared. If I look at Charlie, point a finger and say "Back up" he will. For as long as I want.  BUT.  I have to be beside him and we move back together. After another 700 million tries we have nearly got it.  We are both bored now!

And so we will set this aside, and play with the Obstacle course which is far more fun. And I have neglected the saddling and mounting, so its back to that next week.  Daisy is sound again, so we can continue getting out and about with Charlie in tow. Anyone fancy a hack?  

So with the Top Barn Summer Challenge done as far as I could, and all the other stresses building up (mostly my Nurse Ratchett approach to looking after my Mother), I decided on a road trip.  I have known Amanda before Top Barn.  We 'met' on The Horse Tricks Club site 4 years ago. Both being Brits and both having 'difficult' ponies we clicked. I invited her to join Top Barn a couple of years ago.  Throughout all my stays in hospital Amanda has been my rock, checking in with me daily.  As I live in East Suffolk and Amanda is in Co. Durham it was a bit of a trek.  But as I had a day trip to Papworth Hospital booked in, I decided as it was 1.5 hours nearer, it was the ideal springboard for a visit.

After all the usual prodding and poking, I headed North up the A1.  Having stopped at the familiar Ferrybridge services (near Leeds) I thought I must be nearly there.  I put the Sat Nav on at that point and was gobsmacked when it informed me to stay on the A1M for the next 57 miles!!  Eventually i arrived in Co. Durham and found Amanda and her husband Colin at their small-holding.  I met Shadow (he is Enormous) and some rather scary bullocks! Amanda stayed with me the night at the Small-holding and we did a little Wild Camping. Coffee brewing on the Twig Burner and home cooked treats from Amanda. Bear Gryllls  eat your heart out!!  Next day we went back to Amanda's house and chewed the cud some more.  I really didn't want to leave. But I had to be home that night ready for Nurse Ratchett duties the next day. And so with a brief stop at Seaham for some sea-glass hunting (But that's my other life), I drove and drove.

I staggered back into reality like a Zombie.  By the end of the week, just as I was feeling nearly normal a shout out went out on Top Barn from Paula Gough.  Did anyone live near Lowestoft as she was on holiday. Well Yep we were on her way home, so Paula came to visit the ponies.  I think this should become a thing. Any Top Barner on holiday should shout out where they are and visit another Top Barner.  We could become a group of Top Barnarners!!

BTW If anyone is interested.....I still have a lump on my eyebrow!!

Top Barn Summer Challenge Continues and An Addiction To Agility

The Top Barn Summer Challenge Continues. Charlie and I have completed 3 stages. The 10,000 steps a day for 14 days - Done. Not without some sweat, but no tears. The 1000 minutes training over 21 days - Done.  It went to the wire, but we got there.  The 10 Challenges in a week was no problem, although I had to change what I had planned due to the Weather.  One of the Challenges was Bath Horse.  That's long overdue, but it just wasn't warm enough! When exactly is Summer starting this year????  I don't mean to be so British and continually bang on about the weather...But Really?  Its June, and I don't consider rain and wind and still wearing a Winter Fleece as 'Summer'.  I did manage the 'Sit in The Field with The Horses and Do Nothing'.  Harder than it sounds, but very interesting, just watching them graze.  The Alpha Mare, having initially stood near me, while falling asleep, then wouldn't let the others near. After about 40 very relaxing minutes it started to rain!

And so I am onto the 4th and Final Stage.....100 miles in 30 days! You have to laugh. I mean on a bad day I struggle to walk for a 100 inches without running out of breath!  I have bagged a couple of willing riders for Lulu, so I can ride Daisy and lead Charlie. He's been a star.  Due to the Holiday traffic I daren't go up the main road, so we have been going down the lane and through a busy campsite. It's been surprisingly uneventful, despite barking tents, flapping awnings, flags and banners everywhere, children playing on whirly-gigs, helpful neighbours on ride-on lawn mowers, people chain-sawing trees, loose dogs and some very surprising electric gates opening!  Charlie has taken it all in his stride.

Daisy had a Masterson Massage from the very talented Jade Monahan. She has been a different pony!  She was always quite strung out and prone to the odd trip. Now she is 'underneath herself', head up and has found power in her back end. She is picking up her feet, springing along and has found reverse gear, including up. Never spooky, she took a dislike to an overgrown Bridleway. She slams the brakes on. I say "Walk On", Charlie obliges, while Daisy goes into reverse, leaving my arms somewhat stretched. "Whoa" I say, Charlie halts. We reorganize ourselves. "Walk On" I say, with a couple of pony club kicks thrown in for good measure.  Charlie obliges, Daisy backs up, then gives a very balanced half rear. In the end I had to get off and lead them both in tandem!  Luckily Lu ridden by Debbie, quickly learned how to undo the gate. Next time out was smoother, mostly because the Bridleway is now a little trampled by us.

Anyhoo, despite this I have still only done about 7 miles so far!!!! The weather has conspired against us, and trying to find times when we are all free to go out is not easy.  So anyone else willing to join in my Challenge??? All you have to do is sit on a pretty palomino pony and lead the way, while I wrestle the other two into some sort of formation. 

And then there's the Agility Club!!!!  I was persuaded by my friend Amanda to join a Horse Agility Club. I'm hooked. We are working our way through Course Modules.  Having built the course, I have submitted a couple of videos and passed 3 sections. Charlie and i are loving it.  Its in-hand on a loose rope at the moment. At this rate I'll never be riding him! My last score for a 10 Obstacle Course was 99/100.  I only have one more Section to complete before I finish Module One. There is also world wide competitions if you become a Club Member.  So of course my competitive nature has sprung into action.....and I've joined the Club and am now looking at entering a competition!!!!

https://youtu.be/VsKf-dKuJQ4

That may or may not be the Link to our entry if you are interested. Even if your not interested, I would appreciate it if you could subscribe to Charlies YouTube Channel......after all, we only need another 3961 subscribers before we can earn his treats!!!!!

BTW - If anyone is interested........I still have a lump on my eyebrow! Nearly a month after the head-butting incident!!

Catch up soon x