Long-Reining and Man Bonding, Plus A Happy Sound Daisy

Summer is here again.  Back to work for the fat ponies. Jo is working Lulu daily. Prudence is working Sweet-Pea.....Yes Prudence is a dog, but they like to chase each other, which is more of a work out than us lunging, and a damn sight quicker. I am dividing my time between hacking Daisy and work with Charlie in round(ish) pen.
I devoted one whole session to the headcollar with Charlie.  It took a little while. Same principle as before.  When he came over I tried to put the headcollar on. He refused...I sent him away.  After about half an hour he let me put it on and take it off 3 times with no bother.  We also worked with the hose.....which is obviously a terrifying yellow snake. Once he was ok with that, I turned the water on.  And now water is scary! As is Charlies nature, that escalated into being frightened of a sponge and bucket.  3 days later, he is actually enjoying the bucket and sponge wash down.  Slowly slowly catchy monkey. With him, if he doesn't accept something, you just have to think of another way.  For the record sun-block is now no problem.  We started off with a stick, which he found fascinating, now I can spray my hand and spread it over his muzzle. As long as it doesn't smell of coconut!
And long-reining may have clicked. We had an awesome session yesterday. I don't like using two lunge lines.....they are too long and light.  So I joined two sets of reins together (If anyone has an old redundant set of driving reins....).
To start with he freaked or froze with me behind him, but by half lunging, I slowly moved behind.  I can't tell you how pleased I was when he finally got it. We did several changes of direction and halt to walk.                                        

Go Charlie

man-bonding

view from Daisy

Daisy having fun 

Pride Comes Before Fall and All That

All I can say is ouch!!! Today I hit the deck. We have had a busy week one way or another.  On Monday Tess came over and we had a hack out on Daisy and Lu. First time I have properly rode Lu, ie on a hack, and I loved her.  She got excited on the way home and was all head tossing, on the spot jogging. We nearly achieved a piaff! Reminded me of my old boy Paddy (see History of PonyGirl).  Tuesday I had a couple of spaniels in tow, so had more than enough to keep track off.  Every 5 minutes I was doing a dog head count. Wednesday I was knackered....the joys of having PH (dodgy lungs and a dicky ticker). I was trying to wear the spaniels out....but they won hands down.  Thursday was hospital appointment, so today I was impatient to get back up on Charlie.
Lovely sunny day (oops sorry, weather report again), Easily caught pony, very laid back whilst being groomed, even though the Shetlands have gone on holiday, and B and Polly were free-range grazing, so he had no company. Plodded around the school in-hand like a riding school pony.  Yup over confident........
On I get.....no reaction.  The plan was one circuit of the school then a photo shoot.  All best plans blah blah.....Off we went, 3 or 4 steps....then, kapow, Charlie shoots forward and spins....I gather up the reins, he spins again, pulling the rope from Jo's hand, giving her a nice rope burn.  A few humps..I momentarily think I can sit it out......then a huge twisting leap, and I am airbourne.  I had time to think 'this is gonna hurt', before I hit the ground back first. Ouch. It definitely hurts more the older you are.  The good things are, as I sat up winded, is a) my dicky ticker can take sudden flights, and b) Charlie didn't leg in, but stood there looking shocked.
Once I had almost regained my composure, and Jo had got some gloves, I had a few minutes of leaning over him......until it hurt too much. Back to basics this week I think, until I stop feeling like a 90 year old.  Sadly there are no pics as we were to busy 'doing'.......so here is a nice random spaniel pic..

And a nice Charlie pic............

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 Blast From the Past, And Spring has Sprung

Ok Ok its NOT a weather channel.....but i just have to say.....Its been sunny and almost warm for a couple of days now.  We have been de-rugging during the day.....Ourselves and the ponies. 

And so yesterday......My old mukka Tess came for a visit.  We go back to working in Riding School Days. She was my right hand man/woman at the Rda for 10 years, and my partner in crime on the infamous Ridgeway Romp (see www.ridgewayromp.blogspot.co.uk. ).
Tess is in Suffolk sorting out the complete shit-tip her tennant left her house in, and so was in dire need of horse therapy.  So we tacked up all 3 big ponies. Tess rode Daisy, and Jo on Lulu.  While they rode around the 'school' (about 20sq feet of roped off area), I hung about the mounting block....hanging over Charlie. Then we went out for a wander down the lane.  Charlie was a star, splashing through puddles, ignoring sheep and bins.....oh and bin-men....and naughty jack russells (Scrumpy) that tried to follow.  At the turn around (it was a there and back hack) Jo and I swapped.  As I was at that point, springing up in the stirrups as if to mount, I think she thought I was about to back my pony for the first time hatless and out on a hack......I may have been.  I think Charlie thought I might too.
When we got back Tess and I swapped, as Lu is like a Ferrari compared to Daisy, who is like a large ship.  We then posed for pics and did a short ride and lead..... Charlie off Daisy.  I bet he was tired!

Today I thought I would lunge B.  B the unrideable.  B the Biatch.  What a star. She is an absolute pleasure to lunge.  So I slapped a saddle on her, not a flinch. Lent on her....No reaction.  If I was still 7 and a half stone I would have got on. I think she will make a great childs pony now she has relaxed. This pony has become so laid back since she has been here.
Seriously considering doing Rehab for Ponies!

First 'hack'

Ridgeway Rompers back in the saddle

Ponying Charlie

Jo and Bee