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 :)