Feet And Fences, Rda Open Day and Tricks

First published 3 Sept, 2019

Wow.....Summer has just flown by.  Our trees are groaning with Sloes, Elderberries, and the odd Plum! The Ponies are fast losing their Summer coats. The nights are showing a slight chill, and after a scorching August Bank Holiday (my phone showed 30c at 11am), the days have dropped to the low 20s. Bliss!
The flies have been driving Charlie insane so hopefully they will die soon. I have washed my Winter Jacket, and am already eyeing up wood for the Tack Room wood burner. I LOVE AUTUMN.

Although working on a Semi Track System in the 3 Acre, because of the massive summer growth, we have loads of grass, so we are also having to Semi Strip graze, moving the fences back a little each day....which I swear takes longer than putting hay out in the Winter. This year though we are not moving the fences along behind us, so the Buggers still have a walk to get water (and we don't have to join a million pieces of hose together)

On Monday the Farrier came.  Trims all round.  And Lulu's vertical crack has finally grown out so she is barefoot again.  The Farrier is pleased with Daisy, who is now spending a couple of hours out with Charlie and Lu each day, before returning to her Pen for her soaked hay.  Despite the fact her Pen is just dust, Charlie and Lu are obsessed with getting into it.  While the Farrier was trimming the Minis, Lu broke all the fences, so Jo was kept busy repairing it all, while I ran ponies and coffee for the Farrier.  Daisy is so sound now, she has had her padding removed, although her shoes are still on back-to-front to take pressure off her toes.  We are getting there!

On Sunday, Viv and I went to an Open Day at Woodbridge RDA. It was a great day out with displays and dog agility, bric-a-brac and food.  We had a lovely time catching up with old friends.  I was absolutely enchanted to bump into Amy, who I taught from about the age of 10 until 15.  She was my Star Rider in my Tuesday Evening Childrens Club, when I ran the Rda at Sutton. She used to ride my own pony Paddy and they had a special relationship.....even though he could be a bit sharp and wasn't exactly RDA material!!  I was delighted to find Amy is now a fully grown up grown up!  Now 25, she is a Teacher. 

Jo has had an exciting idea for the yard. At the moment its just an idea. A whisper....Lets face it...We are too old to keep taking on rescues and sorting them out. We are too old for starting youngsters.  We have enough ponies!!
But with this new idea in mind, I have decided to expand my Trick Training to the whole yard!! Charlie is doing really well with it.  For a pony with the attention span of a gnat, he is really interested in learning tricks, and can concentrate for a good 20 minutes.  So today, after a great session with him, we went all in with Lily, Dora and Mini.  It was chaos, but i think I will work them separately for a while until they get it.

There is a video on the East Suffolk Ponies facebook page, and tomorrow I will edit it for You Tube. I am planning a whole series of videos for You Tube, charting their progress (or Not).  Watch this space.

Amy aged 14 with Paddy

Halloween Pony Party, Hello Molly and Biggies Off On Holibobs.

Well its been a busy old week....
On Monday we had a Halloween Pony Party. We all had huge fun as usual. We decorated the 'school' with webs and spiders.  Split into two groups, one went off to have a lesson and then a hunt round the 4 acre for Halloween Items (homemade) and pumpkins filled with sweets, while the others poo picked (Oh yes we know how to work them!!!). Swap over for round two, then it was lunch.

After Lunch It was Dress up time, and glitter a pony!  Lil had her first Glitter session and was a lamb.  So much so we popped little 5 year old Nancy up for a quick sit on her with no drama.

We had apple bobbing........

Then it was Gymkhana Games.......

It was a long but fun day......

Today was all change with the herd..............and another long day. With the help of Ed Daniell from Mike Daniell & Son Carriage Driving, who I worked for back in the day.
First up, going back to my most recent time at Woodbridge RDA , when we were still at Sutton, we borrowed Molly from my old friend Rachel Kearney.  Since the move to Clopton, I was unable to commit to teaching due to the dicky ticker and East Suffolk Ponies. In the last month or so Molly has become 'sour' to RDA. It happens sometimes. So as I promised Rachel I would look after her, today we went and picked her up in Eds Lorry. And the fact I fell in love with her way back. 

After dropping her at Snape, turning her out with the Mini herd,making sure they were all settled, we then loaded up the Big herd. The big herd, Lulu, Daisy and Charlie, were off to our landlords home (Lets hope they don't escape and trash his lawn!!),to graze off 3 acres of lush grass.

They were all amazing.  They all loaded straight off and travelled really well. I travelled in the lorry with Ed and was mesmerised with the camera feed from the horse area....so much so that I was able to ignore Boris The Spider, that was in the cab with us!!!!!  Arriving at the paddocks, we had a long walk down a narrow drive which was too small for the lorry. They were all so calm, and so happy with the grass that they even ignored the Mule next door.

I must also say thanks to Viv, who gave up her whole day to help us, as we had to put up electric fencing, and move a load of stuff to and fro!  Much gratitude!!
Long day but a bunch of happy ponies. 

Then it was back to the yard to check on the Mini herd. All grazing, all laid back, all looking happy.
When the biggies move back Molly will go out with them (being quite Big an all), but for now she needs to relax and our Mini herd are so laid back and friendly they are nearly horizontal!! 

Moll a bit sweaty from the journey, but laid back.

Lulu happy at her Holiday Home

Charlie just doesn't care where he is as long as he has mares and something to eat!!

Mini The Herd Leader..........Its All Cool With Me...Now Time For a Snooze

So once again a massive shout out to Ed Daniell and Vivien Sadler....And thanks also to Liz Lickert from Woodbridge Rda.  A smooth move all round xx

An RDA Royal Visit

Ok so it has taken me three days to sufficiently come down from this high-point of the year to be able to write about it (even now I may babble a bit!).
As regular followers, and people who know me, will know, RDA is, and has been a huge part of my life.  I was Stable Manager for Hollesley RDA between 1998 and 2008, and would never have given it up. Sadly life and other ambitious individuals got in the way (another story, but not for this blog).

Anyway, as you all know, I returned to teaching an RDA session in September 2016.  At that time the future of Hollesley RDA was in question as we had to vacate the premises at Sutton Hall, where we had been for around 20 years. An extremely generous person allowed us to rent land in Clopton, near Woodbridge, and frantic building work began on an all new purpose built centre.  As we had moved even further away from Hollesley, we got ourselves a new name...
Woodbridge and District RDA.

The new centre still needs a few finishing touches, but the main school, complete with built in Community Room, Office, Stalls, Kitchen etc is done.  We move lock, stock and barrel next week.

So the management team asked HRH Princess Anne to officially open the new building.  To our delight HRH agreed.  She must like us.....This is the fourth visit to Hollesley (Woodbridge) RDA!!

And so the big day was Tuesday.  There was frantic activity from all quarters!!!  As we haven't quite moved, 5 ponies were taken over for a few days to be in the display.  Suzanne our Operations Manager must have been tearing her hair out working out all the logistics.  Not to mention Clare (our Stable Manager), who lives on site, getting up at 4am one morning to clean the kitchen!!  Viv made sure the ponies were smart and the tack was all matching. Liz worked out a routine for a short display.  I thought I would be the one in the background, making sure horses and riders were ready etc.

WRONG!  On Monday I arrived for the run through.  As we were a leader missing, I stepped in, leading Lottie, who is about 30 and was at RDA all the while I ran the yard.  We also used Maddie, a New Forest pony on loan to us, Dolly the driving pony, and Smartie and Inca, our 2 big black mares, who are the mainstay of the adult riding sessions.

After several practises on Monday, leading the ponies, we agreed we (roughly) knew what we were doing and set about cleaning the tack, while the Driving crew polished harness and cart.  I was then told, I had better stay as leader....
Oh and Liz and I would be introducing the Ponies and Riders to HRH.

Panic stations on my behalf.....I have a thick Suffolk accent....and I was worried I might forget names! Swear! Nudge the Princess! Accidentally knock her over?
Suzanne, who would be sitting with HRH throughout, told me NOT to catch her eye, as we seemed to be having one of those inappropriate giggle fits when we looked at each other.  Not sure how I slept, but I did.

So THE morning dawned....Winter Wonderland....Thick Ice. Managed to get up on time (not my strong point).  We had to park at the other end of the mile long drive to The Bays (our new centres name) and catch a Mini Bus to the yard.  Major activity all round, polishing, plaiting and oiling the ponies.  Meanwhile outside people were scattering salt on the icy yard. There was a minor panic when one of our child riders texted in sick.  Luckily we had another child rider, Hope, who was going to present a posy. What a star, she agreed to ride Maddie, who she had never even sat on before. 

I must apologise here to the helpers (errr and everyone), for being bossy.  I somehow forgot I am not Yard Manager anymore!!!  I found myself yelling "Turn off all mobiles", and "Time to tack up", and "Get the ponies in the arena to warm up".  

In no time at all we heard the Helicopter arriving. As HRH made her way through the Community Area and walked across the Arena, I had a moment of sheer nerves, which completely dissipated as we started our display. We went a bit wrong, but recovered well and no-one noticed.  Sarah Hall,and I who were leading the lead ponies, seemed to have a telepathic connection and managed to right the wrong, with just a few nods and grimaces.

At the end of the display, the Princess came to meet the riders....Deep Breathe as someone took charge of Lottie and I joined Liz and Suzanne for the introductions.  HRH Princess Anne was lovely, and I found myself chatting away. We talked about the cold weather, Ian Stark buying horses from auction, and racehorses refusing to run.

Next up was the Long Service Awards.....At this point Shirley Green still hadn't arrived.  Shirley started Hollesley RDA many moons ago, when she ran Poplar Park at Hollesley.  She then moved to Sutton Hall and was my immediate boss, while I was there.  Shirley was County Instructor.  She was also involved in many BHS activities such as Riding and Road Safety Examiner, and Dressage Judge at big events, where i used to be her writer.  We were all getting concerned.....  Apparently Shirley used the worst taxi firm in Suffolk, and had a very long trip touring the villages of Suffolk, before arriving. 

At this point the Long Service Awards were drawing to a close, and I was back in the pony lines, when word came down that Shirley had arrived.  I didn't think, I just ran to meet her, nearly knocking out a security guard while flinging open the door to the Community room.  I thought to just quietly escort her to her seat in the Arena, but her arrival had been announced and Princess Anne came to meet us, as Shirley was met with a standing ovation!!!!

After the official opening HRH left and I seemed to take charge again (SORRY), yelling for the riders to be dismounted, and the ponies to be untacked before the helicopter took off. We were then able to relax (In fact 12 of us buggered off to Valley Farm Riding Centre in nearby Wickham Market for lunch (They have a brilliant cafe), and meet and mingle with clients and helpers.

SO...What a day.  Many thanks to the helpers, horses, and riders for making this one of the best days of my life.....And sorry for getting all bossy and in charge like!! XX