Storm Dudley, Storm Eunace and Storm Franklin versus Top Barn Challenge and A Dressage Test!

 Ok so this is not a weather Channel! However it may as well be.  After jinxing things with the last blog, by daring to mention how kind the Weather Gods had been to us so far in The Top Barn Challenge, they threw their toys out of the pram and sent us Storm Dudley, and Storm Eunace ....and Storm Franklin. Thanks! 

So week 7 of The Challenge started with Storm Dudley....  It was a bit blowy, but we are used to wind here on the East Coast. This coincided with my Nurse duties being upped as my Mum had hospital and hairdressing appointments. That was 3 days written off. As the well publicised Storm Eunace was do in on Friday I decided to take my Rollover Week ( still saving Holiday week for the Snow!!!).  Having banked 2.5 hours, I snuck in the needed half hour on Thursday, filming Rhi's Random, in between storms.  A Lunging task....Lunging is Charlies Nemesis.  However we have been working on it, and he completed the task.

 And so Friday dawned. Remembering the Non Hurricane of '87, I half thought the Weather Boffins were just covering their arses.  The other half was slightly excited at the thought of a mighty wind. Yup it blew a Hoolie.  I had to ride the hay trailer, to hold it down, standing upright was a bit of a problem, but it wasn't hurricane force.  The horses couldn't have cared less.  Bringing them in from the Summer Grazing to their Night Field, I got caught by a gust and the field gate.  As I sailed past Charlie, like a Galleon under full sail, I grabbed a handful of his mane.  He immediately anchored up and stood firm as if to say "I got you Mum". He's got Brownie Points for at least 3 weeks! 

 The wind got up, so I went for a walk down the Beach with Freya Dog, and Other Half.  I say walk!  They went for a walk while I filmed the sea. And got pushed nearer and nearer to the waves. Eventually I grabbed the anchor rope of a beached boat and pulled myself away from the Sea. As soon as I let go I was blown over.  My Other Half (Mark The Mechanic and Part Time Horse Whisperer) said it was like watching a rag doll being shaken by an angry Bear! Freya Dog who is 20kg lighter than me, had no trouble staying on her feet, although she is slightly lower to the ground and all muscle. 

And so Week 8 began.  With Storm Franklin, who was never mentioned until it started. Not quite as blowy, but very wet. Poo Picking was like having a power shower.  If I'd known I would have brought shampoo, and saved some time!

But this is the Top Barn Challenge, so to hell with the weather!! I seem to have entered The Hub In-hand Dressage Comp. It involves running....I mean who am I kidding???  Charlie and I set about practicing, in the 'School'.  Heaving for breath I measured the 'School' knowing it wasn't 20 x 40, but hoping it wasn't far off. it was!  In fact its 35m x about 14m.  So I set about making a 'Dressage Arena' in the flattest part of the Summer Grazing. The sun shone, the birds sang, spring was in the air. I grabbed Charlie and we started practicing. Suddenly all Hail broke loose. The 'Arena' was white within seconds. But this is the Top Barn Challenge...so we carried on!

Friday we had a Round Pen Session working on sharper transitions, and some standing at the mounting block. Of course I was up on the mounting block with my coffee. Charlie moved, so I asked him to reposition himself. He kicked the (flimsy) block, my coffee flew skywards and landed all over his ears. he curled his lips and that finished me off.  We may have to rework this!!

Today was warm (9c) and I was able to have my fleece surgically removed to soak up some Vitamin D.  Charlie and i spent a glorious hour playing at Liberty, starting Spanish Walk and generally having fun.  And so I have not got on him yet (again) as we have been pushed back a week......But next weeks looking good!

Whoa! We're Halfway There!

 Yes. We are halfway through The Top Barn Challenge. Week 6 already.....Its flying by!!  And dare I say it.....The Weather has been kind to us here on The East Coast. Plenty of icy mornings, but very little in the way of wind, rain and snow.  In fact no snow at all, but please don't tell anybody in case the Weather Gods decide to dump on us!  As our snowfall usually comes late (and hard) I have been building up the hours in case of a Rollover or Holiday Week. 

Charlie has been enjoying it. After my session with Marie we have been doing a lot of long reining and lunging (his nemesis) and he has been getting on with the job. We have also been working on standing at the mounting block and its beginning to sink in.

Planning to get on him next week.

We had a small blip last week. As we are short of grass (who isn't at this time of year?) I had been using my Pamper Time to give Charlie a little hand graze on the way from working to the Paddock (with its big container of hay).  Thursday last week I decided to take him for a walk in hand. Normally our solo walk outs go like this.  5 steps forward, freeze, wait, coax forward, 5 steps forward, freeze....you get it. It normally takes a good half hour just to get to the Barn which is about 500m away down the lane.  The Barn is owned by a nasty little shit that has threatened us a few times.  So off we went. At a spanking pace. No freezing. We got onto the lane and Charlie suddenly dived up the bank onto the cropped field. Hangry Cob on a padded leather headcollar versus weakling owner with dodgy lungs and dicky ticker!  Mmmmm.... The little shit dragged me rapidly along the bank searching for the best grass.  At one point I just couldn't keep up and he was free. I looked at the 35 acres of farmland and thought 'Bye Charlie'. I caught up as he was grazing, nearer and nearer to the Barn with its gate open to the back garden (and swimming pool). Not wanting to be shot, we had a brief wrestling match, which left me dizzy so I sat down (actually I sank to the ground gasping for air).  I then wormed my way over to Charlie, and quietly threaded the rope round his nose. With that I dragged him back to the road. I had one very cross pony!  He (not unsurprisingly) objected to the forced control I now had and we went home with him snorting, growling, leaping, plunging and rearing, boxing at me.  My 14hh pony had grown into a 15hh horse shaped kite.  I was reminded of my days at a Livery Yard, bringing in over-fed, under-worked TBs.

Having decided to let the bigger herd graze down the 'School', Jo went to take them to the grass the next morning. Yup Charlie broke free at the sight of the green drug. Jo put a foot on his rope and was faced with a rearing, boxing, hangry power-cob.  As neither of us can hold him when hes on a mission, I dug out the Monty Roberts 'Be-Nice' headcollar that Daisy once needed. Its not actually that nice, as it tightens up like a Dr Cook Bitless Bridle and puts pressure on the poll and nose.  But needs must. Neither Jo or I are young and fit enough to deal with a delinquent thuggy cob! Good yank on the rope, and the boy has been polite since.

I went back that evening after seeing to my Mum (Yes still on Nurse Ratchett duties) and went back to basic clicker training manners.  Ever since we have been on the 'Be Nice' Headcollar and have been working on manners. And Long-reining, and lunging, and moving his feet when I say, and standing quietly while I shut gates, and not pulling to snatch grass, plus Rhi's Randoms, waiting at the mounting block and any leading walking nicely and not trying to stop for a snack.

 I feel like a meanie, but at the end of the day, our partnership has to be based on mutual respect, so if Charlie takes the piss and uses his strength, I have to comeback by using MY strength. Most of my training is done using Positive Reinforcement, but if he uses my weak physical strength against me, then I have to take a different approach and remind him that I am in fact the brains of the partnership!

As I said I am planning to start mounting again next week. Come back to see if it works. I will post again in 2 weeks.

Somewhat Challenged, Those 100 Miles and Strange Weather.

 Oh Yes. It's the Weather Channel again!!!  I just feel I have to mention it, being British and all! August has been....er....odd!! Every day its been cloudy, heavy and around 20c. But NO RAIN, except for 5 minutes of mizzle. With a North wind steadily blowing its a been chilly enough to wear jeans, boots and jacket. Then the sun peaks out (usually late afternoon) and its clothes off, sweltering! I'm confused!

So the Top Barn Challenges!  Well Lulu and I went out of Last Horseman Standing on Level 4.  Simple Challenge!!!! Lunge horse in walk, stopping every quarter of a circle (like a clock-face on 12, 3, 6 and 9). Lu, like many horses has been taught to go forward on the lunge.  We worked at it daily. We really tried. I discovered in long reins off the bit, she would halt, but that was due to pressure on her mouth. The minute I went to one rein, no halt. I tried everything. Carrots (lots of), leading to start, a surcingle, a single rein through the bit, no bit, different words, waving a whip in front of her, jumping out in front of her, crouching down, sitting down, crying!!!! Lu was getting as frustrated as I was.  So that was it. We were defeated. On Monday I had a look at Challenge 5, And I Laughed! And Laughed.  Challenge 5 is a ridden challenge, backing up round a Figure 8.  I may have mentioned.....Lu does not back up for anyone!!!! That made me feel better.   Its been interesting to work with Lu.  She has been trained differently to Charlie, and its been a challenge in itself to communicate what I want.  I wish the remaining Challengers the Best of Luck.

And so the 100 mile Challenge with Charlie?  Well its safe to say we will never crack it in the time left, having just got under 90 miles left!!!!!! When I signed up, I thought the IV drugs may help my breathing. Which they have, a bit.  I forgot my right leg was as strong as a foal in its first 15 minutes! And I forgot Charlies ability to plant like a thousand year old Oak, when he is unsure. However, he is doing well at long reining.  I abandoned the idea of driving him when I uncovered his cataract over the lens of his off-side eye. BUT....Who is to say we can't drive without blinkers eh?  I asked Mark the Mechanic and Part-time Horse Whisperer to make me a large skateboard, so Charlie could pull me along.  He refused on the grounds of it being dangerous! ???????  So i have bought some roller-trainers!!

I have also caught Mark watching Pony Carts on Ebay!!!!!!  My (very bad) maths says we have to do 2.5 miles a day to complete in time.  I'm thinking that I will just see how long it actually takes me to complete 100 miles. I can crack on when Charlie and I have filmed our entry for the Top Barn Liberty class. Most of the test is no problem.....till we get to the Lunging part. On a line, off a line, Charlie does not like to move away from me.  So we are working on following a target around me.  We are getting there. We have a week or so to complete.  If I don't break my neck on the Roller-Trainers!! It all might be easier to just jump on and ride the bugger!!!!!!

The New Normal, A Feral Pony, Football Mania, and The Top Barn Show.

 Well its all been happening!!! I got the call from Papworth to go in and have my Hickman Line fitted.  I was held captive for 2 whole weeks!!! And I mean held captive. Due to Covid, I was literally stuck in my room the whole 2 weeks, except for the day a nurse felt sorry for me and snuck me outside for 10 minutes. I was literally pacing the room (all of 3m x 5m), and was thinking how a stabled horse must feel.  Although I am pretty feral, I am after all a Human Being and designed to live indoors. However, horses are designed to live outdoors, and in a herd. I also had stuff to occupy me mentally. Reading, Binge watching Heartland, I even learned to French Knit!  But a horse does not have that luxury. If i was box walking, imagine how they feel.....no wonder stabled horses develop "vices". 

Anyhoo, I am now attached 24/7 to a pump (called Paddy Pump after my old pony). I wear it in a fetching Bum-Bag or an elasticated "pocket" at all times. It pumps drugs up a line which dives through a hole in my chest, into my heart. Its a pain in the arse, and I now spend at least half an hour a day changing the line and mixing new drugs. But I do believe I am starting to feel a little better, and am not panting like a sex phone line worker at the slightest exertion. If you are squeamish, please scroll through the next pic.  This is the New Normal.

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We had set up a track system before I left, in The 3 Acre.  Big Ponies to the right, Minis to the left.  But typically the Big Herd, couldn't wait for Jo to expand their grazing so barged out, breaking yet more expensive plastic poles. So Jo let them out into the middle ground, while poo-picking and rearranging the fence configuration. And so Charlie became feral, refusing to be caught, and spending at least one night alone in the middle knee deep in grass. He had become allergic to his headcollar.  When I came back, I childishly expected him to have missed me as much as I had missed him. In my fantasy, he galloped over, jumping up and whickering (like the dog had). In reality though, he accepted a scratch and blew through his nostrils, before returning to the more important grass.

I thought it may take a while to re-tame him. Coinciding with Football mania in England, The Trick Academy had a challenge to send in ball playing pony vids. I donned my England shirt, blew up an inflatable ball, collected my England Flag and set off to the Field to make a video with the Feral Charlie. As expected his head-collar allergy was still there, so I pottered about with the ball and flag, and his curiosity got the better of him.  Soon we were playing Football and waving flags. Charlie the Trick Pony is back!

Now I have a real challenge on my hands!! Whilst bored in Hospital, I entered the Top Barn July Competitions.  I must have been High on painkillers!!!! I have entered the Groundwork Comp, which includes lunging.  Charlie DOES NOT lunge!!! Errr...so thats 2 weeks to teach him then! Big challenge as he prefers to work at Liberty and being partially sighted in his O/S eye, he like to stick with me, rather than move away. Hmmm.  I also entered Prettiest Head. Well I think he has a beautiful head!  And then I entered Best Pony. Get pony bathed, Yup, Get Dressed Up, Yup, Walk, Trot (maybe Yup, the drugs should allow me to run a little), but before my incarceration I literally hacked off his mane in case it was blazing hot. Now I have to figure out a way to plait a thick short stubby main 😅

Lockdown Continues - The Weirdest Spring Ever!!!

Wow..... So we continue into Lockdown Spring.  This has to be the Weirdest spring ever!!  Apart from the fact that if I catch this virus I will probably die, I am liking the slower pace of life. Fewer cars roar by the yard, everything is quieter and spring seems to be reveling in the stillness of the planet.

Those that are lucky enough to have their horses at home, or on private yards, at least have the pleasure of equine company, but with the BHS recommending not riding, may be at a loss of what to do with their horses. But this is a brilliant time to increase the bond. And also to get all those boring yard jobs done.... Anyone for rug cleaning? Fence Repairs? Washing all those dirty numnahs?

We have moved our herd onto the Hill Field and building a track system that is moving daily.  Not only are we restricting grass this way, but as each track section is extended, the ponies have further to walk for water. Daisy is now with Lily, Dora and Mini as they need less grass, and accept the fact they have to traverse a maze. They also have a hay container still, to supplement the rationed grass.

Charlie and Lu are not so compliant with this system.  Both are perfectly able to lift up fence posts and hop over the laid down fences to find new grazing. A couple of days ago we found them out in the main field looking as if they had been partying all night.  We brought them into the stalls in the Barn while we repaired the damage they had caused, only to have to wait at the water butts while they both drank for England.  It seems they couldn't possibly jump back over a clicking electric tape to get water, even though we reckoned they had been out at least 16 hours (based on droppings). So we spent a long, long, long time wrapping electrified wire around all the posts so they cannot grab them without getting a shock.  Their track system is slightly less meandering than the others, but they still have a trek to the Water Butts.

And so to that bonding I was talking about.  I have come up with 25 Things to do With Your Horse on the Ground and am frantically making short videos for You Tube.  Number 1 is simply Hanging Out.  Just spend time with your horse in the field.  Sit quietly and observe the herd dynamics. If your horse trusts you, you will be able to go and sit with him, while he is laying down.

Number 2 is a Breakfast Date with your pony.

Number 3 is all about Lunging.

Number 4 is about to be uploaded and covers "Join-Up", "Hook Up", "Bonder", "Follow Me" whatever you call it, its all the same.  In the next few days I will cover Beginning Clicker Training and Correct Leading. 
Please follow my YouTube Chanel for more videos. 

Stay safe.

P.s...... If you are suffering from Hay-fever, and you find sneezing in public causes mass panic, it's always nice to know your best friend is on hand with a hanky 😄

Easter Party And You Are Never Too Old to Learn

Finally the weather perked up and we had our Easter Party.  (More eggs were boiled!)  Sadly some children had already gone back to school, but it may have actually been calmer with less girls!!

Eli brought over her elderly but amazing Twix, and a new loan pony called Abby, who is a tall and very stunning Welsh Sec B.  I have to confess, she looked way too tall and leggy to me, for a Sec B, but she has a passport and we measured her.  She was just under 13.2hh.  We also measured Lily the other day, who came up at 12.3hh. As Daisy and Lu who are both only 14.2hh seem quite big to me, I can only conclude that I am shrinking with age!! 

So we had a great day. The girls had a short hack, followed by a lesson. Then they learnt to lunge, rugging, and points of the pony before lunch.

After lunch we had 'Field Maintenance,  Ok.... Poo Picking!  It has to done blah blah.  Its all part of owning a pony. The girls seemed happy!!!

Better than being indoors on The Play Station huh?  When I was a child (after I had finished my breakfast of road gravel, and polished the road with my tongue) I was taught to always look after my animals first! No matter how wet, cold, tired I was, make sure the dogs/cats/ponies/goldfish were seen to first!

After all that hard work we had gymkhana games. Always a laugh. Its the one thing that makes me sad about being an (aging) adult....No more Gymkhana games. And Bills, Wrinkles, and a stiff non bouncy body.....But mostly not being able to do Gymkhana.
The eggs got battered, everyone had fun. Gymkana has a purpose!  The kids are so busy trying to win, they forget fear, or to hold on with their hands etc. Its a great way of installing confidence.

And so to more serious stuff.. Charlie.  If you have been following, you will know Charlie has been special.  My normal attitude with horses throughout my life has been Gung-Ho to say the least. Get on, hope for the best, don't fall off.  Its half wild? Never mild, just ride it. take it to the shops, jump it, hunt it.....Its nervous?  What the hell, take it on a 120mile ride.  Two young just cut geldings? Pony them around the village on a mare. It bucks, rears, bolts? Sit it out and laugh. But with my dodgy lungs etc, and Charlies history (ie being taken off his mother and on his way to become a Tesco meal), not to mention his half sighted eye and riggy tendencies i have tried to slow up. 

Having tried to back Charlie as a 3 year old, and learning that flying lessons hurt at my age with my dodgy lungs and dicky ticker, i backed off. I have spent the last 3 years gaining his trust.  I have now sat on him, and rode him briefly in the School.  But, despite our good relationship, the basic building blocks are missing.....and this time round, I need a pony that will die for me. I need and want a two way relationship.

And so, I called in Bridget Colston for help.  Bridget books horses for Monty Roberts, and is fully trained in Intelligent Horsemanship.  We can all read the books and watch videos. But as I have said before, Horsemanship can't be taught, it is in you... or not. I watched a Monty Roberts demo in my twenties, and have studied horse language ever since. I think i have a pretty good handle on how horses think and can read most horses.  But, with your own you can sometimes get lost. Not read all the signs.  

And so I got Bridget in to help with the missing bits..... Yes Charlie will lunge, and long rein....but only if I get after him.  If he doesn't want to do something, he will get bolshy.  Is he just being naughty?  Or is he scared?  I am too close to see the answer. Bridget heard him immediately. Yes he is worried. She slowed things right down.  Today I feel humbled.  You are never too old to learn! And so, with a few more tools, Charlie and I will start again, and get it right before we move on.  

Charlies Day 3, CHAOS, and A Royal Visit

Charlies Day Three (Again) ..... Good and Bad.  The Bad first....well it happened first.  I was merely picking his feet out (or trying to!!).  When he wants to he will violently paw his foot out of the way (always the front).  This is sooo not acceptable to the Farrier....Or me as it happens.  A growl from me.  Try again, more pawing, I get louder, while trying to hang on. He rears. His eyes are rolling with amusement.  He gets the look of the devil sometimes.  Luckily Jo was at hand to hold his head, so I could get on with it. What I wouldn't give to be able to cross tie him at times.  Or even a solid tie-up rail would do.  As it is we have to make do with a dodgy gate. 

Anyway the work bit was good.  I used a roller, with side reins attached to the head-collar.  Yes we have been here before....more than once. More lunging...He's getting the hang of it now.  Trot round steadily, come in when asked, change direction. All good. This time I will keep doing this until its all perfect. That was yesterday.

Today there was Chaos with a big fat capital C. We were just taking the rugs off Polly and Daisy when Lulu broke down the connecting fence. So for 5 seconds all six ponies were in the same field. I quickly removed Polly as she is too old to be chased by a randy Charlie. Having given Charlie a good kicking, the Shetlands quickly exited under the tattered fencing.  All 3 smaller ponies converged near the tack room. Having blocked off any exits with our cars we went back up to sort out the tangled wire. By now Daisy had swapped fields, and was waiting for us to rescue her. Somehow we got them to rearrange themselves into the right fields.  Funny how easy it is for them to jump broken fencing when THEY want to, but its soo scary when we ask them to jump back. 

About an hour later, we had finally untangled all the self tangling electric wire and had standing fences and clean fields. Time to retrieve the runaways. Someone (Mini is the prime suspect) had been in the tack room. Scattered feed buckets, upturned chairs, and a overturned tub of Chastebury gave it away. Still at least they all had a bit of exercise.

At the RDA we are going to be a bit busy this month.  Not only are we moving to a new yard, we have Royalty coming to the Grand Opening. We will be putting on a display......which can only mean a lot of hard work.  Watch this space for more details.

Escapologists cause chaos

Quick, this way.

Day Two (Again)

A bit of a gap between Day One and Day Two.....Thats how we roll here. I have a genuine excuse....up to Hospital again for drug trial check up.  So back to lunging.  Charlie didn't put a foot wrong today. 
Despite the cold North Wind, he lunged like a pro.  No pulling, bucking etc. Just calmly trotted and cantered. Came in when I asked, swapped rein without  a tantrum. So either a) he does know what i want, and was just trying it on before, or b) he learnt his lesson real quick.  I'm going for option A.

So, a short session, no sweating up, so no hose, a feed and back out. Lesson learned? Day 3 will tell.

Lunging As A Workout For The Handler

Take one young under-worked, not quite broken, still coltish pony, Add one aging, unfit owner with 'dodgy lungs and a dicky ticker.' Attempt to lunge. Result? A great workout for said owner!!!
Yes Charlie has gone a bit feral again. As I have started a drug trial for the above mentioned 'dodgy lungs and dicky ticker', and am up and down to Papworth like a whores....ahem, Charlie has been having a (much needed LOL) break.

Time to start working the boy. When I am poo picking etc, he is as friendly as.. Lots of cuddling, nose blowing, affection, scratching etc (from both of us). However, a day being a jump judge at an Eventer Trial recently, has spurred me on to get the boy ridden.  I have to just say here.....The standard of riding at the 80cm was appalling. Riders shouting at their horses, whipping them, cussing them, when 99% of the time the horse stopped because the rider asked them to, or didn't help. Seriously?  Sort yourselves out before you start blaming the horse!!

Anyway......I had serious rider envy.(Not the BAD riders)  I Soo want to jump x country again. It was always my favourite. So with a new determination, I WILL get himself ridden. 

So back to basics.....Step One.  Lunge until he understands....I make the rules up!  He does as I ask. Today was Day One (again).  He bucked, plunged and reared. He came in at me.  His eyes rolled with mischief. I am sure I used more energy hanging on, and keeping him out on a circle than he did. Eventually we had a few nice circles.  Time to stop and feed him.

With his ever thickening winter coat, he was sweated up.  Mild day. Hose down. Oh Yeah?  More rearing, spinning and charging.  Once I had the hose on his sweaty chest and neck, and flanks, and belly, he stopped and seemed to enjoy it.  Result?  One exhausted, aging, unfit owner!!

Rain and RDA

Rain.....Yes we have finally had a few hours of rain. With the ground softer, we were at last able to re-fence the fields and finally moved the Shetlands onto grass.  They think they have died and gone to heaven. Sounds easy but it was no 5 minute job.  It took 3 of us including Chanice Who Helps On Saturdays over a hour.  Not to mention detangling the self-tangling electric wire. Oh and the destruction of the hose reel it winds up on.  That was me. It has a bit broken off mysteriously during the Summer and wouldn't turn. A bit of impatient 'repairs' from myself and it is now a manual winding hose reel.

With the extra grass and soft ground the lunging started.  Not sure why I bothered with Charlie as he has been full of Autumn vigor, and has been chasing Prudence the Bull Dog.  On Monday when I got him in to work him, he was already sweated up.  When I put him away and got Daisy in, he galloped around, thus the exercise was slightly unnecessary, although the bonding/work is worth it. I am currently teaching him to lift a hoof to say please for a polo. 
Daisy, feeling so much better with her shoes on and soft ground, got delusions of being a race-horse.  Much water-skiing was done on my part, while Daisy had a good old gallop, and ignored all commands to 'steady', ....or even 'trot'.

The other day I bumped into an old friend from Hollesley RDA, which I ran for many years.  She asked me if I would like to go back to teach.  Hell Yeah. That place was my world and I have missed it every day.  So today I went in to help. Its been 8 years.  Some things have changed...horses, helpers etc, but most of it was sooo familiar.  It felt like going home, and I have had a grin on my face all day.  I have agreed to go back and teach Friday mornings, and am so looking forward to my first session. 

Happy Shetlands

Charlie Lunging Tantrum

Daisy On Form

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