Coming out of hiding...

Well I haven't blogged in a very, very long time! I just haven't had the motivation and every time I've started I've just run out of things to say but I'm determined I'm going to power through and try to write something so here goes! 
 Not much exciting has happened recently, October was a very quiet month with us only getting the horses out once when we took Jack and Sparks to Somerford. Sparkie was his usual awesome self for Emma and Lottie- despite kindly depositing Emma on a jump at one point, little bugger he is! I got on and he flew it first time for me though so he learnt that he can't get away with being a monkey bless him, he had fun anyway! It was Jack's first time going Somerford and he is first time seeing some more complicated fences so went in there with an open mind not knowing what to expect; well he went beyond anyone's expectations and was absolutely perfect! He just had the most willing attitude and took everything in his stride; combination fences,  ditches, steps up and down, the water... Cannot believe that he has gone from refusing to even dip a toe to cantering confidently through the water and even jumping in, super duper pleased with him. He gave me such an incredible, confidence filling feel the whole time we were there, even jumped him over some of the bigger fences on the course (which are about 1m20, eeeeek) and he at none point felt like he was going to hesitate and made them feel like they were nothing. Never, ever expected to jump some of those fences on any horse ever, what a bloody good baby he is! So, so, so excited for next year with him, one we have him going a bit sharper over a fence and we get the communication around a course a bit more in tune he is going to be an unstoppable little horse. A little bit flipping proud of him to say the least!

like a pro

Other than that nothing too exciting has happened. Both of my boys are going well and are just being their usual awesome sauce selves. Did a bit of tackless with Sparkie the other day and he picked it up so well, he's a little hero that pony; definitely want to give jumping tackless a go soon and maybe see if Jack can have a try.. maybe being the key word there! Sparks has a hair cut and is now hogged again. Bit of a controversial decision as he did look super cute with a mane but with his sweet itch it just ended up looking a mess and I do love how he looks hogged so that's how he will be staying now.

Sunny is also doing well, his flatwork has come on so, so much recently and he is now working in a consistent outline in all three paces (not as much so in walk and canter as he finds this a tad more difficult but I'd still say around 80% of the time) which is really nice to see, think he fancies himself as a little dressage diva pony! He went arena eventing the other day and I played groom for him and Emma. He was a bit of a nappy monkey but he jumped really nicely other than one episode and it was super cute to watch so yay Sunny! Ron has not been doing much other than standing in a field being fat AND behaving like a little gentleman for the farrier which is a huge deal as when we brought him he was having to be sedated for the farrier so well done growned up foaly! Off show jumping with the boys this weekend so I shall try and get back up to date with blogging! So here have lots of photos of all the ponies being cool. 

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This blog may be a bit all over the place because nothing overly significant has happened but I do have a few bits and bobs to write up about. Last weekend we played trailer practice with John and HE WENT ON THE TRAILER!  Yay! This is a huge deal as he is not the trailers biggest fan so well done Johnathon, hopefully with a few more sessions he'll be ready to try travelling so he can go out and about to winter shows. We also went for a super fun hack with Sparkie, Jack and Sunny (me on Jack and Lottie on Sparks) where all three boys were little stars! Galloped them all in the stubble field together which was perfecto, I really do have the best ponies and best friends. 

All ponies were pessoaed last week and were very good, Sunny looked veeeery sexy and Jack and Sparkie had a good go, they shall get there with a bit more work. Played jumping on Wednesday with Sunny, Sparks & Jack and again all were fab, not really much more I can say! Sparkie and Jack both did their first ever bounce and both took it completely in their stride (or lack of stride as would be the case), very pleased with them. Also practised jump off turns and jumping on an angle by jumping the bounce in a figure of eight style and they both took to the exercise really well, very honest, clever pair of ponies!

Hunter Trial Time!

Another great weekend with the ponies! Took both Sparkie and Jack up to Ashwood hunter trials and they were both very good boys. Jack did the express eventing (show jumping and xc) and Sparkie did just the xc stage and after a last minute decision the night before to bring him along with us. The competitor before us in Jack's class was running late, so I only had about 10 minutes to warm poor Jack up as they called us in 10 minutes earlier so he really was thrown in at the deep end! Given the fact that he'd only popped a jump twice 2 minutes before, he was a bit on edge coming into the first fence, but after a tap on the shoulder, he soon settled down round the rest of the course and actually jumped really nicely given the circumstances! Just 4 faults as he took a dislike to a skinny fence and I made him jump it from a stand still rather than getting a run out or stop as I don't want him to learn bad habits so he had the pole instead, but still pleased with how he went as he had definitely not had a chance to settle down and warm up properly! 

Then it was time for the xc... when I first booked him in I was expecting a nice simple course which I thought would be great for his first event. Well. There were fillers at every jump including a mahoosive, life size Santa Claus! It was definitely a challenging course, so I went in with a completely open mind not knowing what to expect and I was really, really pleased with him. He had a few moments here and there napping away from jumps purely because of the scary things around them but once he came to a fence, he jumped everything first time and didn't stop or run out which I think was really good of him as he was clearly scared of it bless him! Once he got into a rhythm he went lovely and covered the ground really well, I definitely think he has potential to do well and the right attitude towards it so I was smiling when we came through the finish (and a little out of breath and emotionally drained haha, he did not make it an easy ride!) He did go straight through the water though and in a trot, which is a HUGE achievement and horses twice his age were freaking out just as much at the fillers so I was super happy.. to top it off he actually ended up finishing 3rd yay!!

I really do love this, what a happy baby!

clever boy! 

Sparkie was also a really good boy, had a few stops (one was just a really unfortunate moment and not his fault at all, my medical armband had slipped down my arm and fallen off onto my saddle so I had to pull him up!) but he jumped everything put in front of him including the skinny fence!!! Now, he has been to ashwood three times this year and we have had many an argument trying to persuade both him and Jack to go over it with absolutely no luck, so he could have stopped at absolutely everything else and I would not have cared, I was just so happy and shocked to have finally got him over the skinny, yay! He flew down the steps and through the water and all the other complicated jumps, including the scary Santa, with no problems and even though we didn't place, we both really enjoyed ourselves :)

Big, big thankyou to Lottie for taking photos and playing groom and to the team in general for helping me out so much the last few weeks and the whole competition season because I would be such a stresshead without you guys and you're the best, so there. 

Amazing weekend!

So ponies were on form this weekend! On Saturday Sparkie went off eventing... we only did the 60cm class to use it as a confidence building class; well that definitely worked, in hindsight I wish I'd do the next class up but that's for next time! He was a little bit distracted in his dressage, but still did a relatively nice test for 32. Our dressage still has a long, long way to go, but this is an improvement from last time and all the judge's comments on things I already know we need to work on, so hopefully we can just keep on working away that. He then went on to do a lovely double clear to finish 6th!.. even though I had to rush back home because I'd forgotten my xc outfit, oops! He found the showjumping far too easy (He really does take the vernacular over smaller fences, cheeky monkey!) and then xc he was just fantastic, he flew round! He was so quick but still in control, he really does love xc and he just feels so great to ride. What a star! Also found out the next day that he has won the overall champion for the Novice Pony class at Stafford Show this year, eeeh! This makes me stupidly happy because and I quote, a year ago I was saying (and I quote dircectly from a blog from last December!)
    'To be honest, I don't really have any plans for Sparkie's future because he's such an awkward schizophrenic child there's no point me planning ahead because he could go back to square one in a matter of days. As long as he's happy and as healthy as his stupid immune system will allow him to be, then we'll just tootle along and try to have fun. I'd like to take him to a few outings here and there such as shows and xc just to keep him ticking over and if he ever gets back to being as good a competition pony as he was that would be brilliant, but I'm not counting on that' 

So for him to come back and pull that off is great! I honestly cannot fault him this year, I have genuinely only had one ride on him this year when I have not been completely happy with how he went and even then, looking back he still jumped really nicely that day. He is given me 100% this year and I really hope he goes on to be just as fantastic next year!

Sunday was Jack's turn. The day didn't get off to a great start when he had a tantrum over going on the trailer, but he most definitely redeemed himself throughout the rest of the day. He was such a grown up boy, I definitely was not expecting him to be as chilled out as he was! His behaviour at the 4 other shows he has been to in the past has been less than ideal with many tantrums and throwing his feet around but we had none of that, he was the perfect gentleman all day and just took everything in his stride; I really do love his attitude to life! We got a clear in the clear round (after chrashing through the first fence on our first attempt due to his saddle ending up on his neck; honest baby for still giving it a go haha!) and then a 2nd in the 2ft3 with 4 faults and a 6th in the 2ft6 with 8 faults. The poles were all due to green baby moments as he gets a little bit unbalanced in between fences so sometimes gets in too deep, but it's all stuff that will come with time and a bit of fine tuning. I was very very pleased with him, he's a trier that's for sure! With a few more runs under his belt he'll be well away hopefully! He also loaded relatively well to come home so that was a bonus. Time to get cracking; I can't wait to get them both out together next year!