An Indian Summer, Ponying, The !00 Mile Challenge Update, and Top Barn Handy Pony Comp

 Yup its The Weather Channel here. We were promised storms!  They didn't get any nearer than 20 miles away.  Still we were promised a day of rain. We got a little light rain.  Just enough to lay the dust for an hour. Jo and I had already moved the Minis into the Hill Field, but were waiting for the rain before we fenced it into 2 paddocks. As it never came, we bit the bullet and spent 4 hours (YES 4 HOURS) hammering the fence posts into a concrete ground. But now the Herd is reunited in the same field, making life easier for us.  We can enjoy the Indian Summer.  Its back to shorts! 

I was able to film Charlies Liberty Class in the abandoned 4 Acre Field with no problem. Mostly dust now, there wasn't much point in him trying to find a blade of grass to munch on. He was a very good boy apart from the Lunging/Circling. He just does not like to be that far away from me!

And so onto those 100 miles!!!!!! 😁.   MMMMmmm. We have been plodding on. Last week I tried ponying Charlie off Daisy. Considering I haven't ridden since the end of April (due to the Dodgy Lungs and Dicky Ticker, and the subsequent fitting of Paddy Pump, who delivers IV drugs straight into my heart), coupled with Daisy not having been ridden for about 6 weeks, it might have been a bit risky.  But it all turned out ok.  I covered Paddy Pump in a childs water arm-band thingy (Megs Brainwave) and went for it. We went out with Jo on Lu, and Meg with Nancy on Mini.  Daisy spent 5 minutes jogging and humping her back, kicking out at Charlie, then settled down to merely biting him, when we stopped to wait for Mini. All in all No Drama, and best of all I felt completely at home.....I did wonder if Paddy Pump would cause some apprehension, but i forgot about him! This week Charlie and I have been limping around (Well I have been limping, not Charlie).  We went for a wander down the lane with Jo and Joey on Lu and Daisy, in Long Reins and he was brilliant.  I dragged a stick home with us, making as much noise as possible. Apart from an initial mini freak out he settled to the noise.  Then we made THAT video.  We did an appeal for donation of miles!!!! OOps my twisted sense of humour!  The Top Barn Hub responded with offers of donated miles and even an offer of a rosette.  I am truly humbled at the response!!! I love you all.  But it was a joke.  I would never take anything I hadn't earned, but what an amazing group of people. I have a habit of ripping the piss out of everything, mostly myself!!! I will continue to clock up the miles and hope to finish by Xmas....like those people that finish the London Marathon days after everyone else.  The further I walk with Charlie the more trusting he has become, and we have ventured out of his comfort zone alone twice this week. Only another 80ish miles to go!!!   By the way (quick plug here), back in the day, my friend Tess and I took my two ponies down to Wiltshire and rode the Ridgeway. Dressed in Balldresses. To raise money for the RDA.. We did 120miles in 6 days. There is a book available on Amazon Kindle called .....'The Ridgeway Romp' Plug Plug Plug....Shameless Plugging!!!!😊.

And now my mind is on the latest Top Barn Comp. The Handy Pony Competition. Yay!  Despite being, er, er, 55, I am still that Gymkhana Kid at heart, so have entered already.  My mind is on creating another obstacle course. My tool belt is out, and tonight I painted a jump filler as a wall. I'm so excited. Stay tuned x

A Show For SweetPea and Storm Aileen

Yes on Sunday we took the Shetlands to a show at The Suffolk Showground. The jockey was Nancy, Megs little girl.  It was her first show. Megs too. Having studied the schedule, we decided apon Thelwell, Prettiest Mare, and The Pony The Judge would most like to take home.  Our calculations were that these novelty classes wouldn't start before 2pm. How wrong we were!!  It seems the classes in the ring before had very little competitors, and they had finished by the time we got there. 
So a panic ensued as we entered Novice Horse and Rider (not really a lead rein class) and Best Rescue. No time to tell Meg any etiquette!! Still SweetPea behaved impeccably and Nancy was thrilled with a 1st and 3rd rosette. 
Mini who we took for company behaved appallingly.  Standing with Jo by the ringside, she pawed, neighed, stuck her head into the ring! The steward was enchanted, and asked if she could take photos.  At that point we said she could take her home!!  Having given up showing a long time ago, I was thrilled to find a bunch of chatty, helpful horse owners there. May even get back into it myself!

The day before was a challenge!  Meg brought Nancy over to ride SweetPea. Chanice who helps on Saturdays was also there.  I wanted to take Charlie out, so decided we would all go together, with Chanice on Daisy, who hasn't been ridden for a while, and myself on Lu (who hasn't been ridden since May due to her foot problem), ponying Charlie off her. 
SweetPea went in front. Daisy behind, me Lu and Charlie in the middle. Lu and Daisy were both like cats on hot bricks.  Chanice did very well, and Daisy settled once out on the road. Charlie was a star, keeping his head by my knee, ears pricked, enjoying himself. Lu was errrrr, Not so Good. Spooking aside, once she realised I was merely using her as a seat, she decided she would force me to pay her attention, by refusing to be ridden one handed.  She kept veering off onto verges, forcing me to use both hands to steer. Charlie then had to move closer, at which she laid her ears flat back. 
Once back, as Chanice needed help to dismount, I took off Lu and Charlies bridles, leaving them to browse the hedge.  As punishment for my lack of attention, Lu buggered off, still wearing my saddle, and tried several times to fold up to roll, with me sprinting after her yelling NO. Not the best activity with my dicky ticker and dodgy lungs!!

And Storm Aileen?  With threatened winds of 50mph, Jo and I spent yesterday fencing our winter grazing, making large paddocks so the horses could run if frightened.  We turned the Shetlands loose in the 3-Acre (we may never catch them again).  We picked up, and put away anything we thought might blow away......Except the Barn! 
The horses thought they had gone to heaven. What no strip grazing???
Today the wind died down around midday, and we went to check the chaos. Apart from a few branches down, happily all was fine. Time to strip graze tomorrow!

Sadly I have no photos of SweetPeas show, as we were in and out before you could blink, and in the panic to get to the ring I left my phone in the lorry. But here are some happy ponies in their Winter Field!

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