Learning The Lines and Rearing Ponies!!

You know how sometimes you can go through life, and learn a skill, but still miss something out?  Oddly Jo and I both skipped lunging, with two reins!  We have both had youngsters, broke ponies and I even worked on a driving yard. 

Having both worked at Livery/Eventing/Showing Yards, most of our lunging has been for exercise or to build up topline. My driving long lining consisted of wandering for miles, two inches behind a horse with driving reins...err...driving it forward.  

So after Bridgets visit, my mission has been to master lunging with two reins. I have to say, I'm pretty cack-handed with lunge lines and am just as likely to wrap myself in them, as to control the horse!!

So on Tuesday Viv came to visit.  Having told her all about the new mission she kindly offered to come back the following day and give us lessons. First we tried with Lil, who went well with Viv, but was a little confused with Jo and I. Then we tried Charlie, who was pretty good and very laid back with the reins around his hocks!!  Viv suggested we practise with a smaller, older pony. Cue Dora. Dora can be a bit of a brat.  She especially objects to being lunged as it means working!!  To our surprise, she went really well for Viv.  She even stayed calm for Jo and I.  Bad luck Dora.....You are our practise pony!!!

And more about Dora!  This post should have simply been called Dora (a brat).  Dora didn't want to work today.....Okay so its been blowing a Northern Hoolie, bringing Sleet and Hail (Yes it is May).  I had just arrived this morning, to be greeted with Jo holding a sullen looking Dora....She had refused to go down the drive, even with Mini. Jo asked me to go for a walk out, with her, Dora, Poppy (one of the Saturday Kids),  a schooling whip and various dogs.  We went down the drive....Dora had one eye on the whip I carried (or maybe it was my coffee which i also carried).  Down the drive, along the lane....only minimal protests from Dora. Poppy fed her a polo, then we did it again.  Again Dora complied, although she was on her toes.  Poppy couldn't ride her back because she didn't have a hat.  Neither did I.....But I am an adult. So I hopped on her. I always feel a bit guilty riding Dora, as she is only 11.2hh and I am 5ft 5in. Its like sitting on a narrow pole. Despite the fact my feet are waaay below her belly I am only 9 stone and she is a very sturdy welsh (before you start throwing rotten tomatoes at me).  If I thought for one minute she was struggling, I wouldn't do it. However, she is more than happy to jog and prance while carrying me.

She had started to relax, thinking we were going home, and she was done.  BUT she had one more lesson!!  As we got to the school, I tried to turn in. Dora Was Not Having It.  We somehow got past the gate to the school (she is a strong little bugger).  I went to turn her back....And she reared, plunged and bucked!!!  No problem leaving the ground with all four feet then, despite the great burden she carried. She very nearly had me off!!!!  Sitting in (just) a childs saddle, with no stirrups, I had to do some weird body swerve to stay on.  Funny though.  Dora and I may be having a hack alone later this week....Though I think I better have a bigger saddle and maybe stirrups. 

PS... I love Dora!!!

Todays Ponies

So, history lesson over, and on to the ponies in my life today.
The Shetlands:

This is Sweet Pea, who Jo found at Watton Horse sales.  She was starving and covered in lice.  She also had pneumonia, and it was touch and go.....But here she is, as cute as a button.  Unless you want to bath or muzzle her.  Then she becomes the ginger bitch from hell. I've never seen something so small rear so high as this one.

And this is Jasmin.  She has had a much better life, spending most of it with Jo.  She is the most loving pony ever, and daily comes over for a chin scratch and a kiss. 

This beautiful creature is Lulu, a 9 year old Halfinger of very good breeding. And doesn't she know it!  She is very much aware that she is the Queen Bee, the number one. She has been with Jo since she was a yearling, and is the most well mannered, yet playful pony ever.  Her intelligence is quite scary!

Daisy-May.  I adore Daisy. She is sweet and gentle, and so laid back she is almost horizontal.  Except for bath time, or fly spray time, or chin trimming time.  Then she simply uses her size and leaves the vicinity at high speed.
Jo got her a year ago, mostly because she couldn,t bear to leave her in a home where she lived alone, with a terrified owner.
And god only knows what happened to her before that. We know she has had several foals, and has several fears.

This is Bee, a welsh sec A, (and judging by those knees and her high actioned fast trot, maybe part Hackney!!).
Bee has only been with us about 3 weeks and is owned by Roz.  Poor Roz bought her as a non-rideable companion for her Icelandic Pony, but sadly lost him.  We are not sure why she is un-ridable.  Any brave children out there???? Or extremely small adults?

This is Polly....Princess Polly.  She was simply abandoned on the yard, when she became lame.  Jo took her on, and nursed her better.  She went out on loan and was returned when she became lame again.  After months of care, and money and walking around on memory foam pads in her boots, she is sound again and enjoying life.

And finally Charlie....my new boy.  He is 3 years old, and was bottle fed as a baby, then turned away in a herd of other colts, to be, well, horses.
He is very funny, very clever and very cheeky.  He is also quite coltish still and is pushing the boundaries a little when it comes to being handled.
The mares are fairly sorting him out, the poor little sod is always is trouble with one or the other.