Jack has an adventure...

Hello! For the first time, in what...6 months!?...today, the...wait no, you won't believe it. Well, the sun came out. 


*recovers from shock*. It was actually a really lovely day, so much so that ponies had to strip off a layer, please say summer is hurrying itself along!? Anyhoo, went up the yard with Maddie and had a lovely morning, gave Sparks a quick lunge before tomorrow and he was a very good boy, despite not being overly pleased at having side reins back on, muahaha..horse abuse, I know. Still mega pleased with how much he's come on on the lunge, such an achievement for him! Also gave him a quick canter on each reins after and he was very polite and didn't try to take off like he usually does with no martingale, so fingers crossed he's finally getting it into his head that he should have born a show pony...maybe.

how adorable is he though! And a quick video of our attempt at walk to canter on the lunge... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLqvGtvdERY

Next was Jack's turn! Haven't done anything with him since the start of the year due to the weather, but as per he was not phased in the slightest! He goes lovely in both walk and trot now(far better than Sparkie, oops embarrassing eh Sparks) and even managed a little canter (ON THE CORRECT LEG GUYS) on both reins after a lot of persuasion and pony club kicking... he understands perfectly well the word 'canter' and the leg aids for canter, it's just that really, he prefers to go no faster than..well, halt tbh, lazy child! After that, decided to take him for a walk down the lane to cool him off and once again he was a star, even had a little trot! Not phased by cars or even a very scary hoover, aaaaah I love him so much! 

Beth, Sparkie, Jack & Carling! xxxx

happy times!

Well..I have a lot to update on! Last weekend was such a fab weekend, spent Saturday with some of my favourite horsey people and rode the amazing Molly, Bella and of course Sparkie! All three were tres bien, especially impressed by how confident Sparkie was feeling, flew 1m without any hesitation at all which isn't like him..hope he carries on like this!

just a few photos!

On the down side, Carling went really lame with laminitis and when the vet came out they came to the conclusion that he had Cushings disease and would be on tablets for the rest of his life...however today we got the blood test results back to find that they were clear and it was just brought on by the frost after all, not Cushings which is great news, so happy! He's certainly feeling better if his display of bucking and rearing and cantering around the indoor with Sparkie and Jack tonight is anything to go by! Got lots planned for the next few weeks, so keep your eyes pealed ;) 
Beth, Sparkie, Jack & Carling! xxx

Hi February.

Hi guys! Just a quick blog as I felt like I had to share how fabby Mr Sparkline was tonight.. gave him a quick lunge after school, just in his bridle, no side reins or anything fancy as was losing the light, and he was tres bien! Walk, trot, canter both reins, completely on command with no other encouragement, even walk to canter and then back to walk. Doesn't sound like much I know, but just 6 months ago lunging was an impossibility for Sparks. He'd go decently enough on one rein, but as soon as you tried to get him to go the other way.. NU UH, he was having none of it! Spinning round, charging at you, dragging me across the arena... I've done so much lunging with him in side reins etc over winter and it was just so nice today to see how much he'd actually come on and that hard work does actually pay off(sometimes!) Especially made me smile seeing as it's been a bit of a mixed up week... not seeing the horses so much and a few other things that have gone on this week have really made me realise how much of an anchor that little pony is for me, aw I love him! 
Hope everyone is doing fab! Beth, Sparkie, Carling & Jack :) xx

sometimes my pony is rather good..

hello all! ( by all, I mean both of my two followers, awks.) So, in the last couple of days I have actually managed to do the impossible..I RODE GUYS. As in, I rode, guys, just to clear that up, oops. That really sounded a lot better in my head...

 So yes, I rode Sparkie for the first time in 3 weeks and I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised! On Thursday, we just did some schooling(in jumping gear, as me and my Dad came to the conclusion that the 'brakes bridle' may be needed after 3 weeks of nothingness!) 

He was fab! Schooled really nicely, in our standards anyway, lots of nice transitions and coming back to me, which is always a good thing with Mr Tank Pony. Also did a bit of neck reining, ready for tackless riding and he seemed to pick it up quite quickly, clever boy! 

Then today I gave him a little jump, did a lot of work on transitions before and after the fence and lots of canter to rein back etc to get him listening and he was honestly so,so good, love it when he goes like today! He felt amazing, eeek! Popped everything no problemo, until I stuck it up a hole and then boooooom, brakes on..but hey, that's just Sparkie, anything over 2ft6, he doesn't want to know and he was so good other than that I had to let him off and just popped him over a cross pole to finish..silly no confidence pony, you can jumped 1m20 you fool, hehe..He then saw something very, very scary, as in hyperventilating worthy scary and I suddenly found myself at the other end of the drive, holding on to the rains, wondering how I got there with a snorting, shaking pony at the other end..oh Sparks. Bless him, hope he carries on like this..now just to decided what to do with him this year, sigh...any ideas? ;)

Beth, Sparkie, Jack & Carling! xxxx