December updates!

Again I apologise for a whole month between blogs but it's been a quiet couple of months with not a lot to write about. Ponies have been very well, they've pretty much lived in since the middle of November and they've been loving leading such a spoilt life. Jack has been on his calmer for 5 weeks now and honesty he is like a completely different horse (on the ground at least!). It's so nice to be able to go up the yard and not worry about him trying to jump out the stable or box walking and to be able to leave him in the field or stable by himself and him not stress and get anxious because he can't see Sparkie. We've yet to try the more daunting issues such as the clippers or the trailer but just day to day he is a million times better; he actually hates going out his stable now and prefers to be in! He seems a lot happier in himself as well, he's really playful and alert all the time and really friendly towards everyone and all the other horses, it's very nice to see him so relaxed all the time :) I even managed to take him out on a hack the other day by himself; yes we did have a few strops along the way and I did have to get off at one point but it was still a massive improvement from past attempts. Whereas in the past he would decide he didn't want to know anymore or he missed his friends to much (even with another horse leading) he'd just completely throw his dummy out, start rearing and I'd have to either turn round after fighting with him for twenty minutes or have someone on the ground to lead him past. This time, his strops were a lot more manageable, apart from the one time his feet never actually left the ground, all he did was stop, turn around to go home and then I'd turn him back round and he'd just carry on strolling down the lane no problem; anyone who knows what he's like to hack will know that he would not usually give up that easily! We did have one moment where he didn't just carry on afterwards and I did have to get off but this was five minutes from home and I think because he was so tired he'd just had enough and his head wasn't switched on properly anymore but he let me jump straight back on afterwards. We saw tractors, cars, dogs, a building site, all which were given a little bit of a look but went past no problem! Oh and this was also his first ride in 2 months and his second ride since moving yards so talk about throwing him at the deep end! 
 As for Sparks, he's his usual fabulous and grumpy self :) 

New beginnings...

Well. So I know I've never been the best at blogging or the most consistent but a whole 5 months without a blog is probably a new record, oops! Obviously 5 months is way too long to catch up on in one blog post, so you will just have to fill in the blanks yourself I am afraid and I shall start a fresh as of today; hopefully next year I will do better! The last few months have been fairly quite pony-wise anyway as it seems I've been working every hour under the bloody sun and have had no time to get anything done or the motivation to do so either really, but last Sunday the ponies moved to a new yard and I dropped some hours at work so hopefully now I can get back on track fingers crossed! Sparkie is being his usual chilled self and has taken everything in his stride, rode him a few days after he arrived and he was super duper. Jack on the other hand is not so keen and turned into a bit of a devil horse for the first few days, quite a few kicks have been aimed at my head in the last week and he's had a few choice names other than Jack. He's currently trialing Equifeast C, C & C for five weeks to see how he gets on which seems to have made a difference as the last 2 or 3 days he's been a star, he's even stayed in all day two days on a trot; a miracle considering this time last week he was trying to jump the door and throwing himself on the floor! Even had a couple of people on the yard comment on how quiet and well mannered he is and ask if I'm sure it's the same horse they saw at the start of the week so clearly something is going into that little brain of his. He is looking so, so well at the moment, honestly I've never seen his coat so shiny and soft, just wish I could get him all clipped out and looking super smart but that's an  adventure for another day (or another year more likely haha!). He did have a bit of a tidy up today though and actually fell asleep when I was pulling his mane, he didn't even fidget when I sprayed his forelock. Sparkie's turn tomorrow for a fresh hair cut and to finally trim his tail so he no longer represents a bedraggled rapunzel! 
 Again I apologise for the lack of blogging, hopefully I shall remember to keep on track. Have some pretty pictures of some of the things that have happened since my last blog...

First ODE of 2015!

So on Bank Holiday we ventured to Ashwood for our first ODE of 2015 (and third ODE ever!). It still seems a bit surreal that we're off doing that kind of thing because when I first got Sparkie I was adamant that eventing was not for me, nu uh and then the last couple of years when it started to appeal to me it seemed mad that I'd ever be brave enough to give it a go! His dressage left a little to be desired, he was really tense and rushing quite a lot but hey ho he'll never be a dressage pony I'm happy to admit this. Watching it back it didn't look quite as bad as it felt and somehow we managed to get 31.5, our best dressage test; judges must have been feeling generous as personally felt its the worst test we've done but I'll take it! Showjumping and xc he was an absolute star, double clear all the way!! Super impressed with how much his confidence show jumping seems to have come on recently as he can be quite a spooky pony with fillers sometimes and there were quite a few fillers under the show jumps and he didn't really look at anything and jumped round lovely. He tripped at one point coming into the last fence but apparently nothing was phasing him that day as he just picked himself back up and popped it. He was an absolute machine xc, he gave me the best feel round it, pretty gutted I didn't do the 80cm with him because he found it way too easy, at no point did I have to woah him or encourage him I basically just steered and had a fabulous time. Found out the next day we came 6th finishing our dressage score and were one of only four double clears; supper chuffed with that! He's the coolest pony :) Oh and tomorrow marks the day that I have been riding him for a whole 7 years... madness!

Running out of witty and amusing titles

I am so tired writing this so if it does not make sense I can only apologise. Lots of things have happened since my last blog but I can't exactly remember in what order and when and where; Sunny went to a show and had a play at in hand and behaved delightfully, maybe we can make a show pony of him yet, Ron had a birthday, Star had a birthday, I sat on Ron, who was super cool about it, Ron got a very pretty new saddle (with tan piping, crys because Jack doesn't have that), I jumped Sunny which was an interesting experience and just lots of things happened I guess. 
  Jack went out XC at Eland Lodge on Wednesday- can we start off by saying he loaded first time both ways, what a star! They'd had the BE event there the week before so the smallest fences out were the BE90 fences and a couple of 70s here and there so I was pretty nervous to start with and didn't really want to jump anything because I felt like I was throwing him at the deep end but then I told myself to man up a little and ride him properly and we just had to get on with it and jump the bigger fences! He only had a few little moments at the slightly 'scarier' jumps as he seems to believe such as the ditch and the water which we got a little bit upset about but once he realised that actually he did know how to do those and they weren't the worst thing in the world he did them no problem! Jumped some of the BE100 fences and a few Novice fences (may have closed my eyes a little bit, brave little horse!) He had the best time as he always does and we finished off by doing the full BE90 course and he literally made it feel like nothing, I just had to sit back and let him take me round it, he was absolutely bloody awesome. He is not always the easiest horse to be around but when he gives me a ride like that it makes me sit back and think just how lucky I am to have had the opportunity to produce such a cool little horse; he has so, so much more to give and I cannot wait. 

Despicable Three; minions on horseback!

Team jumping time on Sunday! I took Sparks and Emma and Lottie both rode Star for his first competitive outing since he joined the team. The morning got off to quite a stressful start which meant we were running half an hour late so hats off to the ponies for being very cooperative and warming up in only 5 minutes, they coped with it very well! Star was a very good boy considering he hasn't competed over show jumps in a very, very long time, well done guys, he can only improve surely! Sparkie was a little whiz kid, I was a little hesitant and didn't know what to expect as when he went team jumping last time he wasn't on his best behaviour but he knew mother was on board this time and flew round clear, no problems! He's such a super star, Mr Reliable! 😊 The photographer got some lovely pictures but I can't afford to buy them at the moment which is super annoying, but hopefully I shall purchase these soon! (Oh and did I forgot to mention we did all this dressed as minions?).  

Outings and birthdays and lots of fun things

This blog is a little over due sorry! I apologise if it's a bit lengthy, I have quite a few things to catch you up on... Firstly, Ronald went to his first ever show last Sunday, sqeeeee how exciting!! Sparks went along too as a little mascot and to be a good influence. He was a very good boy, a few baby tantrums here and there but nothing I wouldn't have expected from a 2yo and Emma handled him really well in the ring, so it wasn't anything that we couldn't deal with. He looked super cute and seemed to enjoy his first little outing; many more to come hopefully, well done Won! With a bit of time and work and a lot of elbow grease he has the potential to bring home lots of pretty rossetes (he came 4th out of 4 because his socks were a bit of an off white oops; dem farm life problems.)   

Had a little horsy day with Lottie and Hannah which was super nice as it's been far too long since I saw Hannah and Vics, I missed them guys lots. Jumped Sparkie who was super duper for everyone; think we're starting to really crack skinnies now so here's to hoping we can try and persuade him to jump them xc! Practiced our jump off turns which he aced; He was just generally a super star! Felt so good to be riding Vics again, he's such a fab pony bless him and so reliable, my riding left a lot to be desired as he's quite unfit at the moment and so a bit lazy and I'm used to having to hold a horse back not push them off but he jumped fab and was flying, love him! He's going to be going so awesome when he builds his fitness back up!

 Lottie had a birthday, (congratulations on being alive for so long) so I went up and took some pretty photos of her and John which John thoroughly enjoyed; he is a very willing and easy subject! I haven't taken proper photos in so long and I forgot how much I love it! 

Yesterday was a jumping day for Sunny & Jack. Both were good boys, Jack was very excited to be jumping as I haven't jumped him at home for a couple of months and so we had a couple of bunny hops and rears but he jumped great anyway! He's dropped a lot of weight recently which has been worrying me a lot but hopefully he's starting to put condition back on now and will be back out and about soon enough! 

A little blog for the best pony in the world

So I shall warn you already; this blog is probably going to be a bit cringe worthy and cheesy and a little bit all over the place but it really is very rare that I take a step back and appreciate the little things in life. The first point of this post is that the outdoor season has officially gotten under way! Jack went to Stafford Show on Sunday and was an absolute delight and a pleasure to be around all day. I intended to do the 2ft6 but the classes were running really late and I was on quite a hectic time schedule so dropped him down into the 2ft3 so unfortunately we are yet to really challenge him. He jumped two clears and then just had a couple of lazy poles in the jump off for 6th which is a shame as he would have won his class otherwise! He felt so so much better and flowed so nicely round the course, no pointless flying changes or going disunited! I don't feel like I'm exaggerating by saying he gets better every time out; onwards and upwards I hope, can't really fault his effort at the moment :)

Then Monday was my birthday, happy birthday to me! Me and Lottie took the S Team (Sparkie & Star) to Someford for the farm ride and they literally had the best time, I swear they had more fun than we did they bloody loved it! Sparkie literally flew everything I pointed him at and I just had the best day. Afterwards me and my mum were just talking about what he was like when we first got him and it really got me thinking. Whenever I have a bad day with Jack, or I think about how he's not quite where I want him to be or perhaps he won't load or is an idiot for the vet I need to take a look at Sparkie and remember that he is living proof that hard work pays off. He is honestly the most wonderful pony to work with and be around every day and yes, I know he is my pony and so I am bias and will say that but in my eyes he is perfect, he tries so hard for me and no matter how shit a day I've had, a hug from sparkie or a good bareback gallop makes me feel miles better. It seems crazy to think about what he used to be like, it doesn't even seem like the same pony. Back when I had to pin him against the wall to tack him up, he used to rear and strike out when you bridled him and mounted him, he had to be led in a bridle because he used to plow people over or bronc and rear at the end of the lead rope, he refused point blank to load (the longest being two hours!), he used to bite people and charge at them in the field, bolt as soon as you asked him for canter, try to jump out of show rings to the point where I had to retire him one time because he was a danger to everyone at the show... in no way at all was he suitable for a 12yo and I spent many a time in tears wondering how the hell I was ever going to be able to control this wild pony I'd brought. I never, ever in a million years could have imagined he'd be the way he is now, I mean the fact that we've done two ODE's together last year is absolutely mind blowing to me. He is just a complete and utter star and I am so, so lucky to have him, however it has taken so much hard work to get him there so I guess in a way, I am kind of proud of myself for a change for sticking with him. I'm very sorry for how wordy this is and how cheesy it is but I had to write it down somewhere and I guess I wanted to say this as a little reminder to anyone who maybe isn't having the best patch with their horse at the minute; it is so, so worth the hard work! 

A week of firsts

So after getting our first rosette of the year Wednesday, today it was time for the first xc of the year! Sparkie was bloody awesome, as per usual, I don't really know how to expand on that really. He is so, so good, I love my Princess Sparkie very much. Super duper horses this week, big pats all round!!! (Oh, we jumped the broken bridge which I have wanted to do for ages and ages, yay!) 

Everybody stand back and watch out; we are back ;-)