Phew its been HOT. Too hot to ride. Not complaining (much) but this is a bit like winter. We are in Survival Mode. By the time we have finished the chores, its time to hide from the heat.
This doesn't quite mean contact/bonding has stopped. I am actually having a major break-through with Charlie......This is because of his pink nose and the searing heat. It has become imperative to sunblock him daily. So I have been taking a tiny feed or carrots up to him daily. This means catching is no longer a problem.....He's starting to drop his nose into the head-collar. He has a minor protest about the sunblock... A very small rear or two, but its getting on and stopping him having a crispy nose. Oddly enough he is fine with fly cream on his face and sheath.....and talking of sheaths, he is really happy for me to clean his. Odd Pony!!!
Our grass is now standing hay...and burning off, so we move the fence back without fear of laminitus. It is vitality important to keep the water clean, fresh and topped up. And to fly spray everyone. Including ourselves!
Last week I got bitten by a larger than normal horse-fly on my jelly belly. This week its swollen and spread, and has lovely blisters. Doc says its called Cellulitis.....I thought that was only on my thighs! So antibiotics and slight apathy from me to do more than strictly necessary.
We thought we might use the time to clean all the rugs with the pressure washer.......but inevitably its broken after one rug!!
This week Charlie has been a star. I have caught him up for 3 days for a feed and a fuss. I have been using a slightly different approach. Walking in the field, veering away from him, and approaching him from the side. Rope round neck, head-collar on. No Problem.
So we started work again. Playing in the round pen....with scary things like blowing plastic....which he tried to eat. Chairs and Balloons......which he tried to eat.
Getting on and off. No tack, no helper, no fuss.
Yesterday he approached me in the field and blew into my face. So I blew into his nostrils....he blew back. No biggie? Well he has never accepted this form of greeting before....So its a huge step as far as I am concerned.
The Shetlands have been bathed. Neither of them like it. Sweet Pea can rear vertically.......and does. Debatable who was the wettest today.
Wow what a week... So on Saturday, Jo and I spent a good half hour fixing up an electric fence 'chute' for Charlie, running from his field, through the 3 Acre to the round pen, so I could drive him there to continue the headcollar debate. Giving him a chance to work with me first, I strolled over......and put the rope round his neck and the headcollar on. No Fuss. He got a feed for that. Same again Sunday and Monday. Monday was farrier day. After Charlie had been done I put him in a stable, removing his headcollar in case he caught it on some random nail. When all were done I went in to get him......Headcollar? No Way. Its like an instinct kicks in. Luckily its not a huge stable. I wish I could get to the bottom of this instinct. Until then I'll continue to use a rope first as it works.
Saturday I gave Chanice Who Helps On Saturdays a bareback lesson on Daisy. I can't believe how much her position has improved since she first started with us. I am so proud of her. Bareback riding should be practised more often. Positions improve no end without a saddle. Its so much easier to feel the horse.
Today we have been mostly spies.....Long story short. A local woman got done in March for cruelty and banned from keeping animals for 6 years. Should have been life as its the third time this has happened. Anyway, we have been spying on her since then. She still has dogs, cats, chickens and 7 mares in her back garden.....And 4 stallions tucked away on another piece of land. We have been in constant touch with World Horse Welfare about this, and today they came for a recce. Just as we drove past her house she was pulling out in a car. So Jo and I tailed her, giving the guys time for a better look around, while we spent an hour in the local town watching her, of all things shop in a Horse Charity Shop.
I've always wanted to be a spy!!! Anyway when this is resolved I will name and shame.
Ok back to the weekend....The Flip Flop Incident. Absolutely no horse book would recommend wearing Flip Flops around horses. But I like my feet free. Its been hot.....I am now saying....Do Not Lead Horses In Flip Flops!! On Saturday, we got all 3 biggies tacked up etc. Jo went off to lunge Lu. I took Charlie into the round pen to long rein and do a little desensitizing with a fag packet on a stick. Meanwhile I told Chanice Who Helps On Saturdays to sort out Daisy's girth and mount. We then swapped places, and I sat on a chair, and gave vague instructions while holding Charlie. It did Chanice the world of good. I told her to plan stuff in her head...ie walk, trot, left, right, halt etc and be absolutely firm with Daise. She did really well. I lounged around Charlie, resting my feet on his neck etc. Then we all went out for a hack.....me leading the boy. Halfway down the drive he stepped on the back of my flip flop. A brief struggle ensued between my middle toe and the flip flop. They both lost. One broken flip flop and one very bruised toe. Not to be deterred, I carried on barefoot. Not wanting to get stood on again, and limping a bit, I leant my arm on the saddle, my weight on Charlies side and guided him with the reins. He was a star.
Sunday, we had a brilliant long-reining session. He stopped, started, turned, backed up....All good. Monday I rode Daisy. We had a lovely hack through the Corn-On-The Cob fields. We have permission off the farmer, and as yet the plants are only stirrup height. I made sure......so I thought....that Charlie wasn't jealous, by spending an age scratching his belly, which he loves.
Today I thought I might get on him again. Jo caught Lu. Charlie wasn't having it. So i walked off leaving the electric fence gate open. He came through as planned into the small area between electric fencing and the main field gate. I tried to catch him......No go. So I sent him away. Jo took Lu away to work her. I sat down. Charlie came over, but would not let me put a headcollar on. So I sent him away. This carried on for half an hour. Jo then came and tried. He had his stubborn face on, and half an hour later still no joy. We drove him back to his field and I walked off. He followed. I ignored him. I may well ignore him tomorrow as well. Its to be expected with a boy with his history, and I am not going to take it personally...........(really I'm NOT)
The ponies were in a playful mood today, with Charlie and Lu racing around just for the fun of it. It's so nice to see them just galloping around and being horses. It also causes gasps of joy from Jo and myself, as Charlie is so balanced and surprisingly light on his feet. His changes of direction are a so swift, his trot so floating and he has a very collected up hill canter. I hear the show ring calling!!
We brought all 3 biggies down to the 3-Acre where my round pen is. I gave Charlie a swift lunging session and spent a whole packet of polos teaching him to say Please. Once the other two were tacked up, I shushed him out to go graze the rest of the field. Jo went off on Lu and I started to give Chanice Who Helps On Saturdays an intense lunge lesson....with knotted reins and no stirrups (Don't tell her parents). We had been working for less than 5 minutes, when Charlie appeared under the gate-rope and joined us. While this is not at all BHS, he was happy to quietly graze and didn't get in the way (much). Chanice did really well, getting a really good sitting trot while holding the pommel. I gave her lots of weird exercises to do, to not only to loosen her up, but to help her balance and confidence.
Jo came back and asked if i wanted to ride Lu. Hell yeah. She is amazing. Chanice and I played 'Follow my Leader', with me alarming Lu by waving my arms and legs around. I then went into school mode and asked Lu for rein-back and what I call 'sideways stuff'. Lateral work always sounds a bit pretentious. Its Sideways Stuff until you got it. Lu was a little huffy...resisting the pressure of my legs, but kinda got 'Turn on the Belly', sideways along the fence line and a couple of steps of rein-back. I would like to do more, as I have a fascination with bringing ponies on.
So the Horse-Whisperer actually sat on Daisy on Sunday. Having watched a 7 year old girl happily trotting round, with Daisy looking a little excited, I gave him a chance to gird his loins, and sort his hat out, while i rode her round the round pen, trying to put her into the chill-out zone. It worked. He only wanted to get on and sit, but having done that he agreed to me leading her round, while Jo corrected his position......which was annoyingly naturally good. Having done Karate and yoga for years, he is naturally balanced. I only had to say "Do the Horse Stance" and he was there. I un-clipped him and walked in front of Daisy, while giving instructions for start and stop. Then left and right. She would have followed me whatever, but He was happy....and did really well. Its no mean feat to learn to ride in your 40,s. Barrel racing next then!!
And so to the Monsoon. I know I am not a Weather Report....But Really! This is worth a mention. We were poo-picking...in shorts and tees. It was Hot! And Muggy. Then we noticed a big heavy cloud...and a sheet of rain heading our way. It blanked the valley out! Before we could say "Rain coming", it was there. We all legged it to the shelter of the trees, by which time we were drenched to the bone. And when I say we all, I mean Jo and I, both dogs, and Daisy, Polly and the Shetlands. Having just put the fence back for Lu and Charlie, they braved the power-shower for the new grass. It didn't stop....So we left! Only after we had checked the water....haha the butts were filling up quicker by rain than hose, and gave the 'Dieters' more grass. I sprinted up the field....Not a great plan with dodgy lungs and dicky ticker, and its not as if I could get any wetter!! My trainers are still wet 2 days later!
And so all that rain has made the grass go mad. I only wish we had the equipment to make hay. When we moved the fence back yesterday, we immediately lost the Shetlands! The 1 Acre normally lasts a month...at this rate we'll still be here at Xmas!
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.
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Go Charlie
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| man-bonding |
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| view from Daisy |
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| Daisy having fun |
