A Wedding, A Tantrum and WHW

So last Saturday the ponies were invited to a wedding! Some way of amusing the kids for a bit.  They loved it. We were stormed by very well dressed children, who ended up covered in glitter.
We  took Mini and Dora. It was the first time Dora had been out on a Pony Party, but she was a star. She loved all the attention and stood like a dream.  She was very popular and looked stunning as a unicorn with a pink and purple mane.

Sunday we returned to real life. While Chanice groomed Daisy ready for a lesson,  Jo took Lu to the tack room for a trim.  Meanwhile I took Charlie into the school fully tacked up for a mounting  session.   But he couldn't concentrate without knowing where Lu was. So I took the reins off and let him loose to buck it out. Once he was settled he was a good boy.  We are nearly there.  He surprised me Wednesday.   It was hot, so while filling the water tubs I sprayed him and Lu. He normally wanders off but Wednesday he turned his backside to me and backed up towards me so I could thoroughly soak him.  Finally at the end of summer he has realised its nice to be hosed down! He even came back for a second hosing.

We have even had time to ride this week. We took Daisy and Lu up through the village to the Burger Van.  They were both very good. ....despite having a huge lorry pass us on the hill. Daisy had a moment where she thought about bolting,  but listened to me and kept fairly calm.

Thursday saw Jo and I heading to Norfolk once again to WHW (World Horse Welfare ), to look at a pony to rehome.  Last time I went there it was the ILPH and was at a different yard.  I have to say, I was really impressed. The yard was immaculate. There is a visitor centre that's open weekends, with a lovely cafe overlooking an indoor school.  Most of the ponies were turned out, but there is also a big barn type stable block with a few in.  There are lovely small/ all weather arenas for laminitics. The staff were really friendly. The whole place is like some sort of heaven for the ponies they rescue. Apparently they currently have around 130 ponies.  A Lot are young gypsy cobs.....
I would  seriously recommend going for a visit. ....especially if you are looking to rehome a pony. It's a never ending job for them. Until the laws are changed, it will continue to be a never-ending job so please if you are looking for a pony try them first.  They do an amazing job.

Anyway the mare we went to see has proven a little uneven and in need of more physio, so we were shown 2 other similar mares. We saw them in the paddocks where we were greeted by other friendly happy ponies.  Both mares we looked at had been part of a big rescue from Wales where a big herd had been abandoned on waste ground.  Both black and white gypsy cobs.  One was 3 years old,  with good  markings and looks as if she will grow into a bruiser. She was also very friendly.   The other was a 4 year old called Liv.  She was slightly  nervous  of 3 people coming at her, but she stole our hearts.  So that's the one we chose.  Now we have to have an inspection which shouldn't be a problem  and once shes ok to travel we can welcome another rescue girl to our herd.  Watch this space.

It Finally Rained And The Search

So it finally rained in August!!  June and July were completely dry. Not a drop of wet stuff. Our grass became standing hay.  The ground was like concrete. The temperatures hit 32c . We almost became used to it. Almost..... We finally said those words "Its Too Hot" which we vowed not to utter in the extremes of the worst winter we have seen for 10 years. Truth is we don't do extremes in England.  A baking hot summer has been as trying as a freezing snowy winter.

So we haven't ridden. We have spent the heatwave working in the heat to keep the horses cool, fly free and fed (we have even had to feed hay!!) Its amazing how extreme heat saps you, as does extreme cold. The Ponies look amazing and have coped as well as they did in the snow. They were getting used to being hosed down. Lu even stood under a sprinkler.  And Charlie positively loves fly spray now, coming over to get it (and trying to eat it).

But at last we had blissful rain.....Oh how we loved getting soaked. Another short heatwave followed the rain, but the last week or so we have had a few cooler rainy days. The ground is softer, and greening up.  Theres hope yet.

Over the last couple of days we have moved the ponies to the Winter Grazing. Yes its very early, but we are hoping for September revival!!  We still have four acres of standing hay (which is getting greener).  Piggy has gone home as Mini seems to be recovered from the shock of losing her best friend and Piggy is prone to laminitus.  We loved having him.  Mega thanks to Sarah who owns him. 

So the search is on for another mothers dream on loan.  We decided against another Shetland, as Mini is actually doing a sterling job with the little kids.  Who knew??? After 15 years of being sweet on the ground, but unrideable she has finally grown up. With her buddy Sweet Pea she has always been L'Enfant Terrible.  But now she seems to accept she has to take up responsibility and its time to grow up, buy a semi, and play squash with Gerald on a Friday Night!

So we have decided to find another Polly instead.  Polly is actually enjoying her teaching and is full of life, but she is 26/7 so may want to share the burden. To this end we drove to Kings Lynn yesterday to look at a Dartmoor Hill Pony. Very sweet pony but only 6 and sadly already ruined by a child!!  Yes shocking, but this 12/13 year old girl was so rough with her, the pony was totally freaked out by having her bridle on. And wasn't good with the farrier, and didn't travel. And they had had her since a yearling. With the right handling this pony would have been perfect, but unfortunately the child had wreaked her.  The mum was lovely and kept telling her child to be gentle.  Too nice.  If it had been my child, it would have been banned from riding until it quietened down. Sorry Mum if you are reading this.....But you know your child is a brat.......Sort her out. Hopefully this sweet pony will find a home with children that love her.

Although we are set up to sort out problem ponies, in fact I relish it, what we are actually looking for ourselves is a mothers dream.  Good with children is essential, quiet, been there done it.  We have to have a mare because of Charlie. Must live out 24/7 although in my experience ponies thrive out 24/7 as its natural. We need a 12.2hh to 13hh for the older kids, preferably stocky so I can ride it out. The pony will have a 5 star home, in a natural herd, but in return must be willing to teach youngsters and put up with petting, grooming and glittering.

Thanks please share .

Ps.... I would love another Fell Pony although it would have to be a smaller one.

Fell pony (my Paddy)

Polly.. A Mothers Dream

Pony Day and Tarpaulin at Burnt Grass Ranch

Its been quite a week........

Poor little Mini has been missing her friend Sweet Pea badly...as are we. So we have borrowed a Shetland friend for her.  Piggy, a little boy who is even smaller than Mini.  He is besotted by her.  Not sure she feels the same, but it has perked her up anyway. I think she may be feeling irritation rather than sadness at the moment, as he follows her about constantly. Not to mention Dora who has decided Mini was HER bff and is constantly trying to come between them. Polly is ignoring everybody.

And so on Tuesday we had a Pony Day...with 10 girls and errr 1 boy.  The boy most definitely did NOT want to be there, but had no choice as his mum Eli was teaching.  He spent a fair bit of time in the tack-room on his I-Pod ....Sensible boy!! The temperature naturally was about 28c (Nothing natural about that for England, but after 2 months of hot dry weather it has become the norm).

Elis' daughters (Grace and Georgie) rode their ponies (Twix and Sammie) over to help out. Jo bought the entire glitter supply for Europe, spare crisps and squash, and by 9.30am we were ready for the arrival of clients at 10.30am. We even made a make shift toilet in a stable with tyres and paper!!

Upon arrival, the girls had the safety talk, and learned where to go in the event of a fire. Then it was catch in, groom and tack up time.  The girls were split into two groups......Group A having a lesson, while Group B helped with poo picking, including a ride in the trailer, then we swapped.

Lunchtime saw the girls turning out the ponies for a welcome rest, and drink, before we all returned to the relative shade of the tack-room for a picnic lunch and a super-fun session running, cartwheeling and jumping through the sprinkler until everyone was thoroughly wet. When I say cartwheeling...that didn't apply to the adults!!! 

Then it was off to get Polly and Mini back in for Glittering. Freddie the only boy, having enjoyed the sprinkler, (and having his character on his game killed off), joined in and found he was actually having fun!!  The ponies being suitably decorated were then used for gymkhana games (in walk and trot only as the ground is so hard).  We used Sammie and Polly for Gymkhana, while Mini was de-glittered.  Sammie and Polly are both old hands and you could see them raring to go as were some of the riders.....but we kept it calm!

Very quickly 3pm came around and parents appeared to pick up children. Those that were left helped me bath and turn out Polly. (I don't mean they were left indefinitely!!)  We all had a really fun, if hot, day.  There were NO TEARS which has to be good. Only squeals and laughter.  We are already planning the next one......Maybe on a cooler day!!

And as the heat wave continues and gets hotter Mark The Mechanic (and part-time horse whisperer) and Jo spent yesterday creating shade for the small ponies with the lorry and some tarpaulin.  The bigger ponies had their field extended to include the shady dip. Were they grateful??? Were they ****.

This morning saw them all out of their paddocks, having trashed the minis paddock!!  Luckily the paddocks are enclosed in the 3 Acre Field which is surrounded by stock fencing and thick hedges of trees and gated and padlocked.  And so Jo and I spent all morning repairing the damage. Thankfully Charlie didn't take the lorry to pieces, which is a miracle as he loves vehicles!!!

Sweet Pea ....Over the Rainbow Bridge X

It is with great sadness that I must report that Sweet Pea passed over the Rainbow Bridge on Tuesday. It was a complete shock. She hadn't been ill and was only 18. Jo found her dead in the field in the morning. There were no signs that she had been stressed, or in any pain. We can only conclude that her heart gave out. Although she seemed fit and well, we have no idea what damage may have been caused by her early life.

Jo rescued Sweet Pea as a yearling from the back of a truck at Watton Horse Fair. She was shivering inside the truck, with ribs you could stack dinner plates in, covered in lice and had Strangles and Pneumonia. Jo had to borrow a trailer to bring her home in, with another Shetland, suffering from Strangles as well which her friend Jane bought. Jo's vet thought it best to put her to sleep.

Jo thought otherwise.... She fed her with a turkey baster, and gave her daily injections of antibiotics. Slowly both ponies turned around and became fit and well.

Despite such horrific treatment at the hands of humans, Sweet Pea turned into the sweetest pony, teaching many children to ride over the years. She was never bad tempered or difficult, although she had a few hang ups.  She was greedy......having once been starved, Sweet Pea would scoff for Britain. We had to strip graze her, as given a whole field of grass she would not stop eating. She didn't like having a grazing muzzle on, preferring to rear up and over backwards than have it on. And injections (or maybe just vets?).......The vet had to be quick!!!

3 years after the rescue, Jo bought Mini (Winter Jasmine) . The two mares were inseparable ever since.  Wherever one went, the other was sure to follow. Together they were the most loving rascals.  Mini, having never suffered at the hands of humans, is more self assured and opinionated.  Whenever we brought a new pony in, Sweet Pea would be the first to make friends, Mini reserved judgement. In all their adventures and break outs i am never sure who instigated it. I think it may have been Mini, but she then pretends she was just following Sweet Pea. However, Sweet Pea was always the first to be caught, and then Mini followed.

Sweet Pea was never needy...She would come for a cuddle, but patiently wait behind Mini ( who demands attention). She was calm in all situations. She just was. Only last year, she piloted Nancy with mum Meg in their first show at the Suffolk Showground, coming first in the class.  She could always be trusted to nanny children.

We are sorely missing her.  Mini, who was laying by her body, is extremely sad. Dora, who only knew her for a short time, but was her friend is very needy at the moment, as is Lu who grew up with her. And us humans? We are heartbroken.

Run free Sweet Pea......There are a lot of people mourning you...xx

Living In a Dessert and A Pony Party

Ok I am being very English again and giving a weather report!!!!  Its been HOT!!
For the last 3 weeks its been up in the high 20's with blazing sunshine every day. Being by the coast we have had the odd cooling breeze, but NO RAIN. Being English we like a bit of rain, its what we're used to. Our grazing now consists of standing hay, the ponies leaving behind a dust bowl with no signs of life. We are already starting to think the grass will never come back.  Oh yes...Very English....Moan about the weather!!!!!  I actually like the heat, I have an awesome tan, But.......Just a bit of rain would be gratefully received.

We have been continuing with the kids lessons.....Polly who was born to teach children is loving it, and positively skipping around.  The big girls have had a few gentle hacks, and have been fairly laid back.  Charlie is being Mr Superstar. The clicker training is paying off.  I have been working at getting him to stand still at the mounting block whilst 'targeting ' a traffic cone.  Its working.  I can now lay a leg over his back, or lean on him.....when he backs up, I say target and he moves forward to the cone.  

As England are doing well in the World Cup (that is if you are reading this before the match against Sweden) , I have been playing with an England flag.  Charlie was more than happy to hold it in his mouth and wave it!!  Lu was very wary of it.  Funny how the baby is just curious, but the herd leader is cautious!!

Today we took Polly and the Shetlands to a local school fete. Yes we crammed all three into a trailer as it was just 2 miles away. We were given a spot next to the Bouncy Castle and I am happy to report that none of them batted an eyelash when it was inflated.  We spent a happy couple of hours with the children pouring glitter over the ponies (unicorns) and stenciling them. They were all really good......Until we were packing up.......

Although we had erected electric fencing it wasn't live, or very low!  Polly had been freed first as she never wanders off.  So we let the Shetlands loose to graze aswell. BIG MISTAKE!!  Never, Ever, Ever Trust A Shetland Pony!! After grazing near to us in angelic manners, they suddenly took off at high speed to the opposite side off the fence, ducked under and legged it down the school playing field. I started to run after them, was swiftly overtaken by Ellies Children and Chanice Who Helps On Saturdays, remembered my dodgy lungs and dicky ticker and slowed to a walk.  Out on the bridleway at the bottom of the school I could here lots of giggling, and the girls appeared with the somewhat chastised Shetlands in tow.  Like I said.....Never Trust a Shetland!

When Your Sweet Gelding Goes Stallion!

So basically Charlie is so laid back I always thought he should be called Dylan. He wanders about looking stoned most of the time.  His mares henpeck him.  He nonchalantly moves when they ask (glare at him). Occasionally when I am working him he has a colty tantrum, when he thinks he's had enough.....but generally he is a sweetie.

This morning first thing he was nuzzling me, lifting his nose for me to blow in his nostrils, blowing back and licking and nuzzling my face.  So we never thought he would be a problem when we let Dora in to his field. They all know each other.  If anything we thought Lu might object a bit, but after establishing she was boss, they would all settle down.

Thats how it started. They all had a little run, then settled to eating.  Dora was flirting with Charlie. While he was grazing, she was backing up to him, squirting and squeaking. Eventually they started a game of 'Chase Me'.  Charlie obliged, Dora squealed and bucked when he got too close......Just a flirt.  I thought they would end up loved up.

Oh how wrong I was. Charlie just flipped.  Suddenly he was chasing her with intent.  Trying to grab her neck and put her to the ground. I was screaming at him to stop, still thinking they would sort it....

Then Lu bustled over....Not to break it up, but to help Charlie.  Lu grabbed Dora,s back while Charlie had her neck in his mouth, on his knees trying to force her to the ground. When I heard a deep roar (like lots of traffic in a tunnel), I knew we were in trouble.  Jo and I both ran towards them, screaming like banshees. Thankfully Charlie and Lu let go and Dora ran for the gate. Running to her I assessed her bites....then saw Charlie creeping up like a panther.  That was it.  I opened the gate, not really caring where Dora went, as long as she escaped.

Luckily Dora has only grazes.  As she was neighing we returned Polly and the Shetlands to her, thinking she needed some girl time. Alas it seems she likes a bit of rough, and still continued to whicker and squeal towards Charlie.  

I think Jo and I were way more traumatised!!!!  We had to have a bit of rescue remedy.  Having edited the pictures down, I actually feel sick!  But here it is....Graphic Pictures!

Our Suffolk Show

Ok for non British readers, briefly the Suffolk Show is our County Show.  This is the BIG ONE.  People (professional show people) come from all over to County Shows throughout the summer months.  In my previous life I travelled to several County Shows....Yes in different counties of England.  For non professionals the local County Show is a chance to compete against the best.

The Suffolk Show is our local County Show.  Held in Ipswich over two days, it is a big event for local Farmers, Riders and the general public for a jolly good day out.  Last year, Lu was lame on the morning of the show.  This year I threatened to kick her and throw a big sulky wobble if she wasn't sound. (Mostly because it means getting up at 5.30am.....And I DON'T do mornings) Of course Lu is a tough old bird, and has only been lame the once in her life, and for good reason.......Sorry Trawl through posts from last year. So obvs she was sound this year.  Despite living out 24/7 she also managed to keep clean from her bath.

Despite the Lorry being off the road, we borrowed a trailer (Thanks Eli O'Conner), I managed to get up at 5.25am and we set off almost on time.  We arrived at the showground on time, met up with Meg, who was doing the running bits for Jo, and were in the collecting ring 10 minutes before the class!!

Lulu was outstanding!!  For a pony that can spook at a tyre, or wheelie bin, when ridden, she didn't bat an eyelid at anything. She hasn't been to a show for years, but behaved like a pro.  There were mini diggers nearby which upset half the class, but Lu remained calm.  The changeover between Jo and Meg for the running bits was seamless.  The class is an odd one....European Breeds.  Lu was up against large Warmbloods, and an exceptional Thoroughbred type, which I thought was a Selle Francais.  It wasn't, but the breed was obscure, so I can't remember what it was. There were no Fresians, Icelandics, Fjords or other Haflingers, which was a shame, as there is a great deal of difference between 'native type' and 'thoroughbred type' European breeds.  The judge actually asked Jo what breed Lu was.  I thought Haflingers are so distinctive that anyone would recognise them!

Still they came Third.  And more importantly Lu was an absolute star.  On the way back to the Trailer, we got ourselves burgers/bacon butties, and sat and ate them.  We then left Lu tied up to the trailer with a haynet, while we looked round the Equine Village and the dog stands. When we got back, after oohing and arghring at tiny children showing calves,  we found ourselves stuck. 

The lane out of the showground was full of magnificent Shires pulling Trade Carts.....And they were being Judged where they stood.....Pretty much behind our trailer.  Meanwhile we had some Hunt beside us and opposite us, hounds baying, horses excited, trying to get ready for the Hound Parade.  We all waited patiently until the draft horses moved on. We then waited for the hounds to be released.....What a sight.  Although I hate hunting, and have only ever been drag-hunting myself, I still love the sight of hounds streaming out together.  An emotive subject, one which I will not preach about here.

All in all we had a great day.  We were way too tired to do anything more than give the others more grass and water when we got back....we paid for that today with double poo-picking.  BUT it was worth it. Well done Jo, Meg and Lulu.