Back on board part 2

Well I've also been back on board Rory. We have just got access to our hacking back after restrictions put in place after a neighbouring private yard got strangles. It's best for us all to be cautious and health consious but it's still annoying to lose your hacking.
So YM on her newest SJer Whisper and my sister M on her 20yo schoolmistress Becky went out for a hack inviting me along.
So I decided to take Rory who after standing like a rock for me to scrabble onboard (the knee is still unstable) decided it was highly exciting and we piaffed out of the yard following two 16.2hhs. Well he didn't stop piaffing the whole way round unless he was cantering. Daft pony the only time he semi behaved was when Whisper took a dislike to the duck sheds and Bex decided to play up to him so Rory very briefly put sane head on to get them past. And as soon as danger from the ducks was over we went back to piaffe!
I have to love the pony though as when we got back my knee had really gone and I did not look forward to jumping off so decided to park Rory along side M's box and just step off which again he stood perfectly for.

Back on board!!!!!!!!!!!
Today our yard was holding a fun xmas show so in true me fashion I decided that I was going to ride a pony and do a class. :-P
I did go for the safer option of the laid back Pait who will just trot (or in 1 case) walk over fences rather Rory who I know will be fresh to say the least when I get back on and to combine that with his favouritist thing jumping I think I'd be revisiting A&E.
Pait was such a good girl to say she's never seen so many poles in one arena and there were planks in on a couple of fences. She trotted round a mini course of crosses for a clear round. Then getting brave I went back into the novice with straights set at the dizzing heights of the first hole! Still she tried her best even if we did demolish a few fences and stopped then walked over the first part of the double.
She was very good standing in a big group waiting between the classes even if she did pull some awful faces.
Am now contemplating hunting in Jan with her doing the non-jumping ride!

And I'm still not back on board. :-( We have a yard show this weekend and I'll be gutted to miss it. I am contemplating seeing if I can mount Pait from the wrong side and do the trot poles class. But I may then be murdered by my mothership so we'll see.
Boys are both living the life of riley and Rory is just getting an occasional ride from a friend but I am worried to how his joints will be seeing as we'd managed to build his muscle and suppleness back up to jumping level before my little airs onto ground.
Pait is being a moody madame with the boys over the fence as mummy doesn't spend much time with ponies at the moment so it's not appreciated when I give the boys HER attention. I have been cheating and putting her in the stable early so she doesn't see me in their field.
In my cripple state I'm in a nostalgic mood and have found this pic of Ozzie a dales we sold a little while ago.
I took him out to my first and so far only hunting experience where he did the breed proud and was a saint. I think he was 6 at the time.

Well Im still on the wounded list but today Pait's vacation came to an abrupt end as Em offered to ride her. (I do think it was wanting to make her work after she'd squashed Em in the gate yesterday but I certainly wasnt arguing.) Pait really did try the can't sharn't won't move at first but quickly found out that Auntie Em is not a pushover like Mummy. Em got some amazing paces out of and they went really well together. Cue me wanting to throttle the very stubborn dales mare. But I did forgive her when she behaved for me to paste her legs in Heavy horse leg paste.

Looking very pretty.

Dales Trot!

Can this year be over yet please?
It's been a hell of a year with some good moments but rather a lot of totally crap moments. In particular this year has been full of injuries and time off for both Rory and myself so to end the year properly I have managed to fall off the poor boy jumping and stuffed my knee. Am still waiting for swelling to go down for hospital to reassess the damage but seeing as I'm not even able to walk riding is seriously on the backburner for the rest of the year.
No pics as I can't crutch round the yard due to mud so haven't seen a pony since sat when I came off.

Bit of a quiet week this week with the Dales. Rory got hacked out on Thursday (3mile mainly roadwork route in collected trot) then ridden in the school by A on Sat and I schooled on Sunday. I had a bit of a play with a jointed pelham as I'd like to show him in it next year and he went really nicely in it tbh. A few tense and choppy moments in trot after we canters but that is just Rory. So I focused on pushing him forwards and low until he got out of it.
Pait has had a life of riley this week work wise as I just ran out of daylight with work and I hate to say this but workwise Rory is the priority due to stiffening. I did manage a schooling session on Sun in which I think I did most of the work but Pait did canter (yes 1 stride counts) a few times on both reins. Aims for next week are to get out hacking again with her and I've a lesson with Laura on Friday.
Rory and Duke have now got ad-lib hay in their paddock and Duke looks like he's due with twins anyday! Rory weigh-taped at 380 at the beginning of the month the best he's been for a while and going into winter I'm pleased but have to keep check he doesn't drop off when the weather does. He does have a brand new h/w epic rug to switch into though. #spoiltponyalert

He's back baby!

On Friday we set off with a few people from out yard to Tracey Newman's yard in Bury. Mum and I took Daisy wagon with Em's (sister) 2 mares on board, Bex is back from mummy duty and Talya. Rory was dumped on a friend's wagon as Bex takes up more than 1 horse space. He really was as good as gold now he's finally got the hang of loading onto a 3.5t box (he no longer gets to the top of the ramp and goes where the heck do I go now?)
Tracey had very kindly agreed that Rory could use one of their paddocks as I avoid stabling all together now. Typical Dales put his head down and constantly scoffed the entire time we were there much to everybody's amusement.
Saturday morning I had the second lesson and as it had absolutely poured it down in the night we used the indoor school. Tracey got us doing lots of pole and turns over poles exercises. We did trot poles (distance just over 4) then she lengthened the last two to get him reaching out and using his shoulders more (distance 5.5). Next was raising the poles and getting him to use his backend properly. Once we finally mastered this she turned it into a canter pole exercise. I have honestly never done raised canter poles and the way Rory took them it felt more like a line of bounce fences! :-p
Exercise to finish was over an angled pole on the 3/4 line hit the track and change the bend to go over another angled pole then turn and down the raised poles and when we finally got the turns right she turned the angled poles into small uprights.
Rory was drenched by the time we finished and he had just been reclipped! But he was absolutely buzzing and so happy to be doing his main love again. I had to laugh as doing the poles if he messed up and hit any he immediately shook his head annoyed at himself after we'd got over them. Bless him he hates to touch a pole.
Sunday morning was a slightly later start to the lessons and I was up third this time. The outdoor had very quickly recovered even though we'd had more rain on the sat. We started off with canter poles and built from that until we were basically doing a short bendy course with canter poles (last pole being a jump). Rory was on fire and jumping out of his skin. I finally seem to be getting my pony back 100% (touches wood and crosses fingers frantically).

(yes I knew my postition is crap. I need to work on it, but the ponio was trying to jump me off lol)

Whizzy pone coming to the straightness poles.

The moment a baby pony offers an out of this world adult pace = bliss.
A friend has been riding Rory to give Pait company out hacking. Pait is adament she doesn't need a babysitter and spends most of the time leading lol. But today we did a new (to Pait) and longer ride so coming home she followed Rory. Decided to canter down one of the tracks and can I just say WOW she's quite balanced and slow in her canter but usually its quite long strided and lopey. But following Rory who has a much shorter stride and goes a lot slower without my electric bum :-p she shortened balanced and dropped into an outline but the sheer power of it was amazing. It's not often I'm stunned but I pulled up at the end in amazement with a huge grin on my face. This is what backing babies is all about for me.
My only slight bugbear with her at the moment is she is using burrs as mane and tail accessories which I dont really appreciate.
No pics from today but have a pic of our first "attempt" at a jump from Tues.

2 days of soggy rides

Yesterday I went to Escrick with another livery K to do a pleasure ride. Her mum had very kindly offered to drive their 3.5t box, came to load and poor Rory was flumoxed- "err mum how am I meant to get into there" 2 attempts at positioning him correctly later we were loaded and away. Got to Escrick with a very fine persistant rain. Well the ponio did good he kept his cool and behaved impeccably even when Twink and K went over the jumps that he really wanted to do but wasn't allowed. We did 10miles of th 15mile ride and decide to call it a day as we were close to the start. Both ponies had behaved and we were rather wet by this point, so we headed back with a little play in the water complex (aka large muddy puddle with logs :-p )
Today I'd roped someone else into riding Rrory so he could babysit Pait out hacking. Just did a quick ride as it was throwing it down again but I had an ace ride with Pait leading a few trots and a canter along the stubble. We came back through the village meeting a small child in an electric toy car followed by his mother attached to another small child and pram. Both ponies looked but went by, Rory marched rather determindly up to it though! Then got into the village proper to discover it was primary school kicking out time cure lots and lots of brightly coloured umbrellas and a road resembling a cross between a dodge-em track and the M62. Luckily both dales stayed on best behavour and we arrived back in the yard in 1 soggy piece.
Pait was giving Rory such evil looks on the ride though and did leg yeild to stop him coming alongside on the stubble. Such love they have for each other- not.

Some days are just nice horsey ones.
I had Duke in to play with as I'm currently practising his showring stand lol. It is easy when the human has a pocketful of chopped carrot says Duke. I also bought a proper measuring stick today and measured all 3 dales who were good as gold and not bothered at the spooky stick.
Duke is currently 13.3 and a half at 2 years old unshod.
Rory is 14hh and half an inch in shoes at 7 years old.
Pait is 14.1hh unshod at 4 years old.
All of them appear much taller than they actually are as barring Rory they are good chunks lol. Rory is starting to fill out but still on the slender side when compared to the other 2.
I then rode Rory out with YM on her showjumper and he mostly behaved but did try to launch teddy out of cot when I said no to jogging by the duck sheds.
I gave Pait a quick lunge in the field then tacked up and went down the road with Em on Bex. Bex is not a good babysitter at 20 so it's good Pait is well behaved. Trot and a couple of sneaky canters behind Bex in the stubble field as Bex was doing extended trot and at 16.2 her legs are a lot longer than Paits.

Rory has dapples this winter after his clip!

Preparing ponios for winter

Well after an ace sunday looking round the adamfield and castlehill dales ponies stud. It's back to the grindstone and I have to sadly say I started winter prepartions today.
Rory was clipped much to his disgust and I tried a new clip taking it down to knees and hocks yet blending it in by clipping with the hair (tip thanks to another Dales pony owner) so hopefully I won't end up with 2-tone legs when it starts moulting out. I really wanted the clip for pait as roans go weird colours when clipped but sacrificed Rory as guineapig. Rory also had his ears fully off as he can't stand then getting sweaty and is horrid to ride when he gets ratty. He does look a bit unusual as the rest of his head is still furry. :-p
After clipping was bath and rug time and I must say Rory has some amazing dapples this year so the linseed and codliver oil is doing something!
Pait came in at tea time with mud in her tail and feathers so the pig oil has also come out and she is plastered in the stuff as getting mud balls out of Dales hair is not a task I like. I do get weirdlooks though as I use a leg paste which I apply with a paint brush much to the amusement of other liveries.

2 ponios to ride now. Days off or half days this is fine but I'll need to have a bit of a think about evenings after work as we don't have lights in the arena and it's getting dark earlier now. Pait I do want to keep in decent work this winter, I need to find a hacking buddy and start getting her out. Rory really needs to be ridden as many days as poss (in the ideal world 6 days a week) due to his joints. Still only hacking with him and I had considered asking a friend to ride him a couple of times a week but I've got an issue in him and Pait share a saddle. Also he was horrid to hack on monday in company and I'd worry about anyone else being on him in that situation as you have a very fine line between not giving in to him and taking pressure off when he works himself up so much or he'd go vertical. Having been on him as a youngster and going over backwards with him I know how in tune I have to be. It's not an easy situation.
Hacked him today with the same horse and he was perfect cantered collected behind and didn't throw a strop about jogging on the way home. So I'm really torn what to do.
Rory has his third and final lot of shockwave on Thursday so fingers crossed he's finally right. I do need to clip him and tackle fitness and core strength with him this winter though.

Home again, home again

Pait is finally back home. Went to pick her up Friday morning and loadedher after a little cart ride through their village :-)
Put her back out with the main herd and poor girl got chased round, also got a hoof scrape on her bottom but luckily things seem to be calming down now. All the Dales were due for their feet doing so that was my Friday afternoon gone aswell lol.
Onto Sat and Rory and Pait both got bathed much to their disgust in preparation for our last RC show of the season the next day. It's not easy showing when you have a roan that likes to cake all her white buts in sh!te but thankfully Rory is whole black and does stay clean as he lives out!
Sunday dawned and I got to the yard to the shock that Pait still had glowingly white socks! Even though she had also undone her bandages. My day took a slight downturn as I then got bitten by another person's horse so now have a lovely black shoulder blade but both Pait and Rory decided to end the RC well with Pait coming third and Rory second.
Next year I WILL get out to more shows.
Interestingly comparing the 2 Pait looks leaner than Rory but weightapes more.

Countdown to Pait coming home is now on!!!!!!!!!
Must also organise farrier and dentist as she's desperate for the former and Rory for the latter. Rory is loving the stubble at the moment (a bit too much sometimes) but a friend had a ride on him today and he was a perfect gent.
Also I really do need to clip him as he's suddenly gained a winter coat so coming back from rides very sweaty. Only thing is his coat looks amazing very black and shiny so I don't really want to take it off :-p

Went to visit Pait today. She's doing really well and looking like she will be home very shortly now she needs a new outfit to go with her new skills. I see her being a very expensive little mare. Typically they had cleaned up for my visit and she had found a nice big green poo to lay in. I did say she's like this to show.
Rory is on and off at the moment some rides he feels amazing others not right at all. Vet is coming out on Tues to do shockwave so fingers crossed that helps. Have just had his saddle checked and although he's getting away with a 17" he could really do with a 16.5 but Im not buying a new saddle until hes 100% consistantly especially as Pait is getting new gear so horsie funds will be a little depleted.
Boys have been in a small paddock that was rested all summer eating it down (Duke looks ready to pop and Rory looks ok)

There are days that I could quite happily gift Rory to the nearest random passerby- it's a good job he usually redeems himself. Our current issue is that him and Duke are joined at the hip and removing Rory from the field for riding envolves Duke calling constantly and Rory splattering me in the stable while I "attempt" to groom him!
This is not a nice calming set up to going out hacking so to have this then can't, sharn't, won't at stabding at the side of the gate for me to open it I was not looking forward to todays hack.
Being masochistic I then decided to do the main road route by myself that Rory finds traumatising anyway. Luckily other than straw and hay bales being terrifying as we snuck onto stubble fields he behaved impecibly (for Rory).

Back home

Well Im back after a trip away to Austria. Really good time but I did miss my ponios. Pait is still away at boot camp but coming along well so full updates and pics in a few weeks.
Rory was really stiff and locking his hocks when I got back as due to him being unsound, me being unsound (shoulder) then away he hadn't been ridden in 2 months. So the project hillwork walks began. Hes good on his own but was so naughty when out babysitting M's mare. Ive added a couple of little trots and today had a very cheeky short canter so fingers crossed we are ok.
Main focus is long and low walk up the hills then collecting into a true outline working through his back. Must admit the canter felt ace as he was soft and springy and not hollowing at all.
It is making me really sit up and ride light and tall with heels down asking him for proper collected work so we may both come out of this reschooled lol.

I feel like a mum leaving her kid at school for the first time. I'm off away for 3.5weeks on Sat so made the decision that Pait could go away to boarding school. Felt really guilty dropping her off (daft I know) I even gave her sweets which is unheard of for me. Pait was so concerned at my going and leaving her- NOT. She walked into a stable with a huge fresh straw bed and I swear her eyes lit up. "Look mum its a stable full of food!"
No pics though thats no bad thing as she was soaked in sweat with the heat by the time we got there even though we delibrately travelled early morning.

So have a pic of Rory and Duke instead. Rory modelling his new rug.

thrills and spills!

What a weekend! I probably should have just stayed in bed. Saturday I managed to smash my phone and Sunday I was showing taking both Pait and Rory.
Started the morning turning the yard horses out to have them go through the fencing. Then Pait decided to push me off the top of the ramp and I managed to hit mum (who was driving) on the way down. Got to the show and met a hungover sister who was cursing me.
Em took Rory inhand whilst I took Pait both behaved though Rory found it exciting due to it being his first showing show this year. Well Rory only placed 2nd! Beating Pait who came 3rd.
At this point Em went back to the yard whilst I did workers with Rory. He did a lovely clear round but a bit of a lack-luster show so came 2nd. Took him back to the wagon and decided to swop him and Pait for the ridden M&M as he felt tired so I untacked him. Got him untacked and relaxed and then got shouted I was wanted to do the workers championship so hastily threw tack back on.
This is were the lesson comes in always triple check the girth incase the pony held his breath! In gallop my saddle went and I went with it managing to land on my shoulder. So an A&E trip with xrays later Im in a sling with sprained ligaments but I did take the ponies back to the yard first.

He's back!

Rode Rory in the school properly today for the first time since his hocks were done and he stayed sound and balanced! Cracking on with fitting now with the aim to going back doing Rory's main love jumping.

Finally a pic of him with best buddie Duke. Duke on the left (hes only 2)

Little catch up time. Dressage with Pait at the weekend was put on hold due to Daisy wagon needing a new tyre so I had a long reining/lunging session instead to work on her voice commands especially seeing as halt seems to have disappeared with Pait learning to go forwards!
This week I have managed to hack both her and Rory out solo. It would have been nicer to have company but it was a quick ride after work. Typically the irrigaters are out on the fields which makes it a tad interesting in places. Some nice person has left dressage markers out in one of the grass fields though so I had an impromptu schooling session mid-hack with Pait.
Rory is getting fitter and is still sound! This does mean though he is getting a bit dafter when out as he's bored just hacking. Monday's ride involved a 180spin with partial rear, I did have a moment of I'm coming off but luckily sat it, the cause of this was a shetland pony tied to a garden gate! Muppet creature.
Am tentively planning Rory's first ridden show since his hacks were done and his first this year. He's looking the best condition he ever has typically.

Mardy mares and a new arrival!

Well Bex isn't a Dales but Im still putting this here. Last night at 9pm we welcomed into the world a little bay filly. It has been 3 years of trying, 11 months and 10 days tensely waiting but so worth it to see this little girl.

Today I had a lesson on Pait who WANTED the baby thank you very much. She saw us lead Bex and baby into the stable opposite and didn't stop pacing, calling and staring at the other box. I took the cowards route and lunged before I got on as she was in a right mood about going away from Bex's baby. A few tantrums and some very half hearted attempts at work later she finally settled down and did some amazing trot, canter work.
I think Pait wants a foalie lol, am glad she's not in a field near Bex.

Pait's first ridden

Bit belated but on Sunday Pait did her first ever ridden show class at a busy local show. I chose to do the novice ridden as there was no group canter so a bit easier for her as canter is still a work in progress.
8 forward including Pait in not the largest of grass rings which slopes and located with just a hedge between it and a well used national sppedlimit road!
Well she went super and felt amazing to ride. The only place she let herself down was the right canter in her individual show when she had a tiny buck but to be fair the options on that rein were to canter downhill or in front of the line-up which I really didn't want to do so downhill it was and when I asked she lost her balance and got a bit stressed hence the small buck. She stood in the line-up well to say that she had been very fidgety outside the ring so I was a bit worried she wouldn't stand.
In the end we came 6th but it was the good experience which made my day. Onwards and upwards for my little blue girl.

In Rory news- we are slowly building ridden work back up via hacking and have had our first post injection trot this week. I hadn't realised how poor his walk had gotten until getting back on after the injections and having fully spring-loaded walk. He is being daft with minimal work though and rides are getting more "interesting" with each slow ride.

As a side note since Rory having his issues all the Dales are getting codliver oil in their feeds, Rory and Pait get a mug each of micronised linseed per day and Rory also has a joint supplement from the vet. I will protect their joints at all costs and shiny coats are a bonus. :-D

Another good lesson with Madame P-pot. Farrier was also here today (typically at the same time) so ended up slinging tack on as soon as he had finished trimming her feet. Did think she would be naughty to ride as she was in a right strop. But I had lovely forward paces and her huge Dales trot complete with toes flicking out lol. Worked a lot on her straightness and did a canter on each rein at the end. I can't believe how much she has come along since we started canter now has proper transitions and is pretty balanced especially on the right rein. Little moody buck when I asked her to keep going in left rein canter as it's her worst rein and she finds it hard, saying that so far she has given me correct leads which a lot of babies struggle with.
Rory also had new shoes and was apparently in the wrong field when M got him and Duke in. Seems the terrible two had knocked the gate part down and then just jumped it. Did try telling Rory he is not meant to be jumping at the moment especially as I'm restricted to walk only when riding.

Quick pic from Sunday of P-pot @ Mill lane

Such a good ride on Pait today. Went out with G and her horse Beauty. Only meant to be doing a short slow ride but ended up doing a much longer route and having my first ever hacking canter on Pait who was an angel. Just sweetly popped into a slow balanced canter and followed Beaut down the grass track.
Came back past the duck sheds and through the quarry which means a bit of up and down on the banks which again she just got on with once she figured out where her feet went.
Back home and it was bathtime- I will confess to buying a new toy an ezall hosepipe attachment which means the shampoo gets sprayed on with no sponges and is a lot quicker. Pait danced for a second then realised that mean mummy would bath her anyway so just stood still after that.

Rory and Duke have both managed to go off boxrest (frantically touches wood) and are in a new field with knee height grass so I have 2 very content boys.

Well Sunday was our local hunt's hunter trial on our hacking land and guess what? I'm still not allowed to jump my pony yet. Rory is having major strops when we go hacking at the moment as he locks onto any jump in the same field convinced we should be going over it and then teddy comes out of cot when I pull him away. Can't wait for him to have the all clear.
To keep my mind off of jumping I took Pait to the local RC's show to do the inhand. I really have to say I do not miss the early morning alarm when not showing. As Pait is currently out and she has a lot of white on her legs it was a very early alarm to go up and bath her legs before setting off.
She was a brill girl though and travelled perfectly by herself stood by the wagon at the other end and behaved in all her classes. Third in the inhand M&M and Fifth in the coloured. She does have an obsession with eating rossettes at the moment though, she not only tries to take them off the judge she will pull them off of me. They are hers and don't I know it.

It never rains but blurdy pours!

Well Rory was at the vets for his ongoing not being right. How to rack up the insurance in 3 days. Nuclear scintigraphy (fancy name for radioactive bone scan), nerve blocks, x-rays and ultra sounds. Not brilliant new regarding his hocks but vets seem pleased that we can treat and he will be fine for a full career as riding/jumping pony.
Then Duke came in today doglame Rory has obviously kicked him as front leg very swollen, feel awful and he is now on box rest in Pait's stable.
So 3 unhappy dales ponies as Duke doesn't want to be in. Pait is rather peed off at being out and Rory is unhappy he is alone in the field.

To cheer the mood here is a working pic of Pait.

Sleepy boys

And a cuddly Duke

Another brill day with my jumping machine. Went to RC's showcross today all 75cms and the show jumps freshly painted (with a luminous spread). The cross country was nearly all 75 as well and proper xc fences we had a chair, roll top, wall, castle and a double of skinny houses along with lots of others. A lot to ask from Rory. First into the showjumps and he popped over 1 had a gawp at 2 nearly repainted white jump with gate underneath so we had the pole down. A little unsure so a stop at 3 the double but straight over on 2nd attempt then he found his stride and took on the neon spread, sheep, pigs and a style. Finished the sj and jumped a hanging rail into the xc field number 2 was a rather large chair at which point I hung onto the safety neck strap kicked and prayed well he sailed it onto 3 a narrow table holding carrots which got the better of him so another genuine stop but straight over on reapproach. Number 4 was a roll top in the shade not helped by 2 partridges flying straight up from the grass in front of me 2 strides out of the fence but again he just went for it. He continued to fly round the rest of the course but did have a little stop again at the arrowhead. So so pleased with him though as there were some major asks of him and a couple of times I messed the stride up and asked him to jump 1/2 a stride out and he just did it.
Came home and had a relaxing afternoon bathing him and Pait, also found out that I'd managed to come 3rd.

Birthday party

Today was Pait's 4th birthday so as a loving mother I decided her present could be her first ever ridden show!
Picked to do a walk dressage test at a local outdoor venue which is always nice. She travelled fine but came off the other end completely soaked in sweat and a bit stressy, so quick tack up and clamber on board.
She stood like a rock for me to get on and warmed up nicely if a bit worried with other horses constantly moving round her. Didn't do too much warming up and took her out when she started getting tense and scowling at other horses coming close so we went and stood outside the ring and watched a few tests.
Finally time for my test and took her in with a friend very kindly walking up the spooky side with me at which point Pait decided she had to go peer into the judge's shed just to check for monsters.
She did a brilliant if babyish test and I was shocked when she scored 65% and came 5th out of about 11, not bad for her very first party and also the first time we've managed to do the test as all practice time kept going wrong over the last few weeks. No pics of the birthday girl as I had nobody to take any pics but here's the comments sheet.

Really good day with Rory and Pait. A friend came over having offered to ride Rory out as babysitter so I could take Pait. Both ponies were on best behaviour and I quickly realised Pait has a much bigger stridding trot than Rory and she is definately bigger height wise aswell as he looked diddy from the top of her.
You know your on a Dales pony when the wheelbin turns from being scary into a potential source of food when allowed to sniff it to check for monsters.

The lovely view from my baby 4 year old Pait

A brilliant day with my top lad Rory. We FINALLY got out to our first event of 2013 and it wasn't even showing. Local riding club was running showcross so decided to take him and enter the prenovice as he wasn't been jumped properly since last year and actually has very little experience jumping in a competition environment.
First had to get him in as he's currently living out and decided that the major advantage with jumping is that he's black and doesn't need to be clean (as long as mud was flicked off he looked fine). He loaded himself as I was tying his haynet up in the wagon and Em let him go at the bottom so he promptly came and joined me.
He really was mr cool to warm up with loads of other ponies whizzing round the only bit of interest was a coloured mare he took a fancy to.
The round was brill he was so honest if a bit looky and went round with only one refusal at a fence that caught nearly everyone out.

He went straight over on second attempt and rocked round the rest of the course. As I had gone first I then had a very long wait as the class was huge. Didn't really expect anything but the fence had everybody and Rory only went and won the class as the only one on 4 faults.

Now all I need to do is get Pait in the school to practice a dressage test for her first ever ridden outing, walk/trot test next sunday!

As much as I curse Rory and have days when he's got stupid head on and I could seriously beat him within an inch of his life and he still wouldn't behave. There are also days when he positively saintly. Went out for a hack in horrendous winds with YM's young mare who hasn't been out in months she was good barring a few little spooks (apparently grates eat horses) and did Rory bat an eye of course not he blocked traffic went in front and went behind on tracks. Cantered at slow speed and was an absolute angel. Why I can't always have this is beyond me, even met another horse which can produce some nasty spins and bugger off away from it at mach 10 but today he just pricked his ears and calmy went past. Gah I will never understand him.
Pait got the day off as school is currently very deep and it was rather a bit too windy to do baby hacking.

Rory is rugged. Duke unrugged.

Well I've ridden both ponies today and had an extremely heart-stopping moment with Rory.
First up to ride was Pait, went to get her in and I walked half way down the field then shouted her. Que her cantering up from the bottom field through the trees and presenting herself for the headcollar (she is so cute at times). Did a quick ride in the school as she hasn't been ridden for a few weeks and we had walk, trot and a few canters! The canters were half the school as well and lesss mad rush from trot more actual transition.
Then went to go and get Rory in. Was watching him and Duke hoolying round the bottom of the field quite upset as I walked up the road, then to my horror saw Rory try to jump the stone wall from standstill (he got both front legs over) he'd freaked at ruddy traveller with pony and overloaded scrap laiden cart coming by the field who didn't even stop!!!!!!!! Luckily a few scraps no major injuries done and he then went out for a quick blast hack with Dudie so was certainly feeling ok.

One thing is for sure life is never dull with these ponies.

Normal sevice is resuming hopefully!

Well Pait decided that Rory gets too much fuss and came in very lame in trot. Was thinking abcess but she did have a bit of a swollen leg so box-rested her until the farrier could come. Pait picking easter to be lame wasn't helpful. She was very, very naughty to poultice and fyi she is a very balanced dales youngster who is capable of rearing a 5m circle landing on 3 legs as I was clinging onto the other one.
But the rest has done the trick and farrier couldn't find an abcess so she had a very long buck and blast round the school yesterday and proper turnout today.
Rory has been kicked out with Duke 24/7 due to me needing the stable and other than a huge fight when they first went in both are happy as larry. Rory is currently being mr mellow to ride, hack, handle so he may stay out lol.

Who ever is hoarding the nice weather please stop being mean and share as I'm sick of wind, snow, sleet, rain and mud.
Pait is currently on the quite lean side I had left her as she does tend to really bulk up on the grass but seeing as we've got snow again I've had to give in and up her feed. She is also wearing 3 rugs as she lives out fully clipped and the summer coat is no where in sight.
Rory is his usual bouncy self but still not quite right so he'll be going to malton for a scan as soon as insurance forms come through.
Duke is living in a mud pit rather than a field at the moment but he does have an entire bale of hay ablib and gets a big feed. He's too young to work so he's unclipped with a coat to rival a yak.
Yes this is yorkshire at the end of march poor rory would like to see green stuff again please

Well M brought Duke up to the yard for a little bit of handling and social time so I suggested he could go out with Rory for half an hour whilst I watched them. (Duke and Rory used to share a field until Duke started fence hopping into the main herd) Well to say Duke is the one still entire Rory was the one doing "I'm a stallion" Some 0.0 moments where Rory raced Duke round and tried to jump on him so food was quickly produced and the boys seperated, I don't think poor Duke had a clue what was happening.
Watching them both stood side by side and had a moment of shock when we realised that 2 year old Duke's bum is currently higher than 7 year old Rory.

The downside to native ponies with feather combined with clay mud is not pretty. Pait's feathers are currently sporting a very rasta look at the moment with her living out 24/7 and me not oiling her legs before the gateway became a swamp.
I've spent 2 hours this afternoon soaking her front legs in hot water with fairy washing up liquid added. Also had to gently break the clumps apart just to try to get them out. I have not even begun trying the back legs yet as the poor girl had already had to stand with her leg submerged in the bucket (an hour roughly per leg).
Made sure to put a lot of leg oil paste on the now mud-free front legs so they don't get as bad again.

Am so looking forward to doing the back ones! Not!

Well seeing as Rory has currently put a sick note in (just as the season is about to start Thanks Ror), Pait has been upgraded to main riding pony or rather main project. This weeks lesson with Laura we were getting her going a lot more forwards, still ignoring her head and contact at the moment as she will overbend if allowed. We achieved canter on both reins now granted it was only a few strides and very untidy transitions but it was still canter.

Popped on her again today in the school and finally had a photographer (sister) around to get some great shots. The majority of her work is very babyish but occasionally some amazing moments peek through and show this little girl is meant for great things.

Not managed to ride either pony today but did get a good snap of Rory. This is what happens when I leave the lid off the feed bin.

Just found this pic of Rory in 2010 so he'd have just been turning 4. Bless him he was an ugly youngster.

A new milestone achieved with Pait today! I did a little bit of school work then decided to brave going out solo for the first time. Now bear in mind the poor lass has been out in company twice I think and in hand maybe 3 times she doesn't have hardly any experience behind her. But finding a sensible partner that is hacking at the same time as me is easier said than done so the bullet had to be bitten in going solo.
 Well she was such a good girl! As per usual taking a novice horse out turned the village into the M62. I had only gone about 200 yards when I met the bus, as the people in the garden were currently swinging a hosepipe like a skipping rope I decided that discretion was the way forward and promptly hopped off and led her past. At this point I was also past by 2 cyclists going opposite ways (mental note to do a bit of bike behind her practise as she was very on edge at that one) continued to the end of the road and asked her to stand so I could remount from the floor. Bless her she stood like a rock and headed for home so we then promptly met the other bus. This point I decided to just wave madly for him to slow down and stay on board, Pait just scooted in next to the kerb but kept walking like she'd been past traffic every day of her little life.
Got back to the yard and gave her a very well deserved tea. I do love her horizontal dales attitude at times.

The lovely moment when out hacking that you ask for extended canter and pony shows you he's installed a gallop button instead <3 just goes to show all the collecting work etc is finally paying off with Rory and he's maturing into himself. I'm so proud of my little pony at times like this. Continued the hack with playing over a few logs etc and in the water in the quarry. Must remember though not to mess with his head and hold him too much in his hacking bridle on approach to jumps as it's much stronger than his schooling/ jumping bit and he will back off too much.

Dentist day

Today both Pait and Rory had the dentist. Pait is currently losing her baby teeth so I'd wanted her checking and Rory was due his 6 month checkup. Both were good as gold for the dentist and thankfully for my wallet neither needed any work doing. Pait was given the go ahead for work so I rode her in the school. Just did a bit of walk and trot getting her attention was a challenge as Em's mare decided to go taking fencing out next to the arena and commenced doing fly-bys. But she didn't try to join in so I counted the session as a success.

Also have a minor confession that I broke the sacred Dales commandment thou shall not cut the mane.

Just a quick post from yesterday. Every fortnight I've been having a lesson with a local instructor I've known Laura for quite a few years and after not having any lessons for a couple of years thought it was a good idea to restart as it's always useful to have an impartial pair of eyes on the ground. Usually I do half an hour on Rory then half on Pait (requiring oxygen afterwards) but this week due to Pait losing her baby teeth I haven't ridden her since her last lesson and the dentist was duethat morning to check her over and give me the ok to ride but he'd had to cancel due to an injury so I cried off riding Pait.
This was Rory's first lesson in his show pelham and maybe the 2nd or 3rd time he's ever been ridden in it. To start off we had a major strop as he thought he was going hacking but got made to go into the school whilst his friend went out. Eventually he settled and although hard work he did give me some lovely moments of work including Laura introducing a show trot for us which felt amazing. Still got a lot of muscle to build up but he is getting there it's just for me to keep getting him fitter and building up on the length of time he will work properly. Sadly my photographer was too busy chatting/ drinking coffe so no pics but I think Rory is going to suprise me in the showring this year.

spoilt pony alert

Rory has a monthly laser session with Neil from equine laser healing. He had a fall as a 4 year old and had tension in his poll which went unnoticed until he was backed and in work so to keep everything right we have routine laser. Yes I am aware that my pony gets better treatment than me! So today was his session and he got the day off.

Pait is currently having a mini vacation until Thurs when the dentist is out to see her and Rory. I make sure they have teeth done at least every 6 months sometimes earlier if they are being fussy in their mouths. But Pait is currently losing her baby teeth and so I want her checking before doing more work as she was messing with her head a lot in her last lesson. She is also spoilt as her feed is currently calm and condition slop as she's taking ages to eat chaff and nuts.

Rory aims for the year-
Get him fit currently he's a good weight (bit over to be honest) but he isn't greedy and doesnt put much on in the summer so Im not worried.
He currently has a equilibrium session before work and laser once a month to keep his back right and I must admit he's starting to build the topline back up now.
We are doing fortnightly lessons with L so working on getting him to engage the hindend fully and really carry himself.
Current pic as of today 1/2/2013

Well I thought Id start a blog to keep track of the training and achievements of the dales ponies.
My main riding horse is Rory Mac aka Rory he's 7 this year. 14.1hh pure black dales gelding. Ive had Rory since he was 4 and so far he's proved to be a very slow maturer to the point that he wasn't backed until he was 5 and last year at age 6 was his first in proper work.

Then is Roandale Patience aka Pait who will be 4 this year. She's a lovely stamp of a mare and looks so mature compared to when Rory was her age. 14.2hh blue roan dales mare. I got her last March and spent last year getting to know and back her. She's to the point of walk, trot in the arena and has done a few short accompanied hacks. I've got a lot of high hopes for her as a show pony ridden, inhand and hopefully driven. Plus a few years down the line it will be nice to have a foal off her to preserve the roan colouring.

Last to mention is my sister's colt Ridgelane Duke who is 2 this year. Although not mine I still do a lot with him.