Can't believe how close we are to the end of the year doesnt seem like 2 minutes has past since last christmas. We've done a lot with the ponies this year though probably not as much showing as previous years especially with Rory who has been a bit of a jekyll and hyde charactor to ride this year. Had an absolutely fab lesson on Pait who tried her heart out for me (good job as she was a little bugger to hack at the weekend) and sat chatting to my insttructor L who told me to just think back to how much she has improved this year. Can't wait to get her out in 2016 though I need to start putting the fitness work in now. Rory is booked for a tooth filling in Jan so don't know yet how much work he will do Jan/Feb so may be a bit later to get him show ready (saying that he's naturally a lot fitter than Pait as hes such a stress-head) Duke is just doing little bits of hacking to keep the ridden lark fresh in his mind and will wait til the summer to get stuck into him.

first solo hack done and nailed!

Sunday I decided to take Duke out for a hack, was planning on getting Em to nanny on Pait but she'd buggered off horse shopping with L (not for another for us thank goodness) so I had the choice of go in the school, ask another livery whose horse I dont know how it behaves to accompany me or just go it alone. Got on in the school and had a good walk, trot round then decided to just go for it. First obstacle the gate- me being lazy couldnt be bothered getting on off so Duke and I muddled through how to open a gate 101 which he did well. Rode through the village which luckily was quiet as he was on edge going forward and listening to me but snorting a bit. Got to the end of the village which to be honest was as far as I had planned to go but as he was being good and the fact I didnt want him to think we just turn round and come back I decided to continue onto the tracks and through the little woods.
We did have a OMG moment at the huge pony eating boulder (which many older experienced horses paddy about) I was not about to let it become an issue though so with a lot of stop start snort we edged our way past and continued onto the wood where I met gate number 2. Gate opening 101 class was revisited and through the tracks and up into the last little woods where we met gate number 3 (by this point pony had half an idea of how to do a gate) which to add to difficulty opens towards you not just push away. Back through the village and arrived back at the yard. He was a little star though mentally I think he was quite tired by the end.

Duke is home and evasions galore!

Bit belated again (story of my life) Duke came home a week last sat and has spend the time just settling back in with the herd. He's had a bit of a culture shock as all his life he's had Rory babying him, letting him get away with murder and fighting any battles for him, well he's been away a couple of months in which time Rory has just been with Belle and Evie. Rory has not been impressed at the return of Duke as the girls are now his and poor Duke is a bit bemused that he keeps being chased off.
Sunday was my first ride on Duke since coming home, tacked up in the field and Em held him whilst I got on. Did a little bit of walk and trot but he felt a tad nappy towards the others in the top half of the field and I was very conscious that I was on very long, wet grass so we went for a walk down the track with Em as foot soldier. He was good as gold and noo attempts to hang back to the field so I think it was riding in his usual grazing area which was confusing him. Plan is for him to go to the yard for a month and let me get used to him with a school before going back to the field and hacking out for the rest of the winter. Rory will be thrilled at the upheaval again no doubt.
Speaking of Rory Im convinced he's writing an encyclopedia on evasions, currently the focus is on getting him to accept and take a contact, well latest trick when made to do that is to srop out through the shoulder instead and when that is corrected try twisting the hind quarters which is awful to sit to especially on a short backed pony!

End of the showing season

Yesterday was Countryside live and officially my last showing show of 2015. I really do love this show even  if I curse at having to bath this late in the year. Rory was clipped 2 weeks ago (poor em had to do a show clip and blend in legs etc) but he was getting lathered just doing a couple of laps of trot. Saying that I can't believe how much his coat has regrown in 2 weeks! Pait got to go as a hairy yeti as I only like to do 1 clip with her- useful tip roan coats look awful growing clips out.
The hot horse shower came out as even I am not evil enough to bath with cold water in october.
The show itself was ace, both ponies went brilliantly. Rory kept his head and stood in the line up (I just kept giving him polos lol) the go round was marred a bit as I ended up behind a highland cantering so slow it should have been walking with nowhere to go. I refuse to overtake another pony in front of a judge as it's my ultimate hate. Sadly this meant Rory had to break to trot and of course struck off wrong straight in front of the judge oh well ce la vie. Pait went well in the go round, got chosen to change the rein again lol and was pulled in with the top half of the field. Indivuals Pait went well but a bit stuffy and babyish, backing off a bit. Rory was a tad on edge to go stand in front of the judge and I didnt push the issue so probably didnt give an amazing first impression he did a nice show, just anticipated me on second canter trying to go before I changed his bend so he did half a stride wrong before I corrected him. He pulled out a brill gallop though that even the confirmaton judge commented on to me as I stood him up for her and Em told me a couple of riders next to her commented on it lol. I found it funny as he didnt even go full out due to the ground getting slippy.
Neither were placed but the fact that Rory behaved just made my day as I've really struggled with him this year.
Looking back on the year though he has had some major upheaval as I moved him from the yard that he's been at for the past 6 years, hes gone from only ever having 1 field companion, which for the past 2 years has been Duke, to having Belle and Fil put in with him. We lost Fil so Evie joined the herd then Duke has gone away for breaking leaving him with only the 2 mares.

good weekend. Sunday we took Rory and pait to a trec training session with the area 4 group. Both ponies took everything in their stride and tackled all the obstacles including a staircase and low branches. Pait was really funny under the branches as she dropped about 2hands when she went underneath

No updates for a little while. Since the last update GYS has been and gone Pait was brilliant if a bit overawed by it but got picked out to change the rein as lead pony in the go round which she pulled out stonking trot for- disappointed with her marks but thats showing. Rory was a turd at times and really wouldnt stand in the line up. This summer has had his horrid neurotic side coming out quite a few times which has upset me as I thought wed got past all that. I am currently playing around with bitless/ bit option and uping the workload. Saddlers on sat to check that and a lot of patience on my part to come I think. Have ridden Pait a bit in the last week or so which is unusual as I usually leave her to Em but I've had some nice schooling after I got a bit tough over leaning habit and we've had a couple of ace hacks out.

well its countdown to GYS so took Pait and Rory out to a local show to just give them a run out. Decided to do inhand at last minute so used his ridden bridle and he went quite well and refrained from biting me always a plus. Then a little wait at the box then riddens. Go round was ok but we were only asked to canter on the left rein. Individual he went very tense and wouldnt let me sit and ride him but didnt throw any wrong legs which has been his party piece recently so counting it as a win.

Times are a changing

Well since my last update we have sadly lost our friends mare who was acting as friend to belle and companion down at the field. Fil being gone left Em and I with a bit of a dilemma. Rory was still being horrid to Belle and possessive over Duke being a lot of the time Belle was outcast and if we wanted to take Rory and Duke anywhere it would mean leaving her totally alone which we weren't prepared to do. So we ended up with 2 options- a- find another grass livery to share the field but downsides are rory is evil and I'd never forgive myself if he hurt someone elses horse and the other problem was if they wanted to go out riding and we had the boys at a show if would leave Belle in the same predicament. b option was buy another horse (because we really need another lol). So Em enquired with Jo the DPS secretary and let her know we were looking for a dales mare didnt matter age etc and didnt want a riding one but the option to breed from it would be a bonus. Well our new addition is Sowermire Evie a 9 year old bay mare she had very little done with her handling wise and has had a very hard time when the lady we got her off rescued her they were certain she wouldn't survive but she's proved everyone wrong and come to join us. Weight wise shes ok now but she doesnt have much muscle so the plan is to do a bit of work with her and try and get some top line and core strength.
Rory being rory has taken an instant dislike and is constantly charging whenever people are about (go up before he notices you and its all quiet so not too worried) he may have met his match though as Evie has stopped running away and instead just bucks at him (we currently counted 2 kicks to his head and 1 to his neck). And of course now Evie has arrived Rory and Belle have become very close and have taken to sleeping laid down curled up together like a pair of puppies. honestly horses who'd have them!

Err long time no update. Had a few ups and downs with horses in general since the last update and Rory has had nearly 2 weeks off work and boy could I tell today. :-p
First off was tacking up, got bridle and numnah on let go to get the saddle and he decided to saunter off across the field at fast walk- I wasn't impressed needless to say. Hacked down to the yard via the main road and he was good if a tad tense. He had a little wait in the stable until Laura arrived and then it was lesson time- he took a lot of warming and suppling up but that probably a combo of all the crap weather and the time off. Mum appeared to bring me smething I'd forgotten so of course Rory took that moment to launch sideways in canter leaving me hanging in mid-air (mum quickly left at that point as she said she couldnt watch). Luckily managed to sit it and continued the lesson, a few canter transitions were a tad exhuberant to say the least but all in all he was good. He did have to practise his welsh D stance for Laura in the halt though at which point we just cracked up laughing as he checks to make sure shes watching before winding her up!
Took the back way home to the field and again he was good moochied along until we got to the gypo stallion which promptly charged the fence squealing and striking out so Rory grew a hand and tried to take it on! Thankfully he let me persuade him to ignore it and continue on.

Ups and Down aka ponies are great levelers!

Well just a quick catch up from last weekend. Friday night after work saw me bathing 2 ponies in preperation for Otley show. For a change the ponies were Pait and Duke. Pait was straight forward to bath even if it involves a lot of scrubbing to lessen the almost permanent stains on her flanks! Then my next one to do was Duke who we had collected from the field and brought to the yard via the horsebox. He was a tad on his toes to say the least and bathing was like trying to jet wash a spinning top but we did manage it in the end. Queen Bex got cermoniously dumped out over night and Duke had his first night in a stable.
Next morning was an early start as classes started at 8.30 and Pait was third class in. Unusually it was ridden in the morning and inhand in the afternoon, the secretary nicely informed us that ridden classes were also being stripped so that meant I had to put my inhand gear on and groom. Pait was brill but babyish. Em said he was hard work and that she wasn't going forward but it looked fine the only blips were a wrong leg in her individual but she pulled in 4th place which I was really proud of. Had a bit of a wonder round the ahowground until our inhand class. Em had Pait and I had Duke for this and Duke had decided Pait was bestest friend ever and couldn't be seperated so we cried and danced around a bit in the line up. Neither got placed but it was only Duke's second time out anywhere and he didn't lose the plot/ rear or annihilate any other horses so I counted it as a major win.
Sunday was our local hunter trial and I decided to take Rory and enter the 60cm. I hacked down and he warmed up well and flew round the course. First few jumps were slightly hesitant but by the end I was checking back out of gallop a few strides out of each fence! Sadly Rory majorly blotted the copybook when I went to hack home and ended up giving me a meeting with the tarmac just before I got back to the field. So he went from superstar to dog food.

Keep meaning and forgetting to type this up!
So this is nearly a fortnight late opps so much for my record keeping. 19th April Em and I had decided to do a sponsored treasure hunt ride for charity. One of the point being it was optional fancy dress and I could let me inner child loose. Initially I wanted to go as a wraith from Lord of the rings- black pony ideal costume but Em wanted to go as a theme and I didn't think a blue roan went with wraith very well so it was back to the drawing board for ideas until inspiration struck- MY LITTLE PONIES! so a few very sad and silly evenings on messenger between Em and myself and we had come up with costume ideas.
Decided to get ready at the showfield so both ponies got spray painted and glittered. It was a fab ride and both went really well even with a couple of girls constantly cantering past up getting behind and reovertaking which is Rory's huge weakness as he spins to face or threatens to bolt none of which is fun but he did settle and ignore them. Pait saw motorbikes for the first time whilst being ridden and both were happy to stop, start whilst we wrote clues down.

Yesterday Em and I did dressage championships at Sykehouse. Rory and Pait had both qualified for the Intro and Prelim classes through the winter.
Both warmed up sweetly and Pait went first with me hopping off Rory to read for Em.She did a good test although she nearly had Em coming out of the arena as the wind was pretty bad and a dustbin blew over and the lid went across the arena.
I got quickly back on Rory and had a quick trot round then into the arena. Well he went down the centre line turned right and just as I got along side M the metal chairs blew across the patio right at the side of me so the poor lad spooked. Rest of the test he went brilliantly and worked the best he's ever done.
Then a long wait until it was time to do prelim 14 so both ponies got untacked and left to eat haynets for a bit. Again Em was on before me but the horse in between us had withdrawn so I had a quick dive back onto Rory and straight into the ring without having chance to have a quick trot and canter round the warm up first. Again he went fab he had one small blip on the strike off into the first canter when he struck off correctly then decided to do a flying change onto the wrong leg. Bit disapointed with marks to be honest 63% in the intro and 60% in the prelim not seen the sheet for prelim as we left before the class finished but felt sad that we were penalised for Rory's spook.
Thats dressage though I suppose it seems sometimes that unless your on a big moving warm blood they are a lot more critical.
I'm going to have a crack at affiliated at some point.

Such a brilliant ride today on Rory. Started out with him being a bit of a t*t to tack up and barging through me every time I tried to do the girth up so had a little chat about that then hacked over to the yard (slow going as he was wearing 3 shoes and I was trying to stay on the verges) popped him in pait's stable and left his saddle on whilst I waited for L.
Well he went fantastically, recently Ive been feeling a bit like I can't ride one side of him but when he goes like that it's ace. We had a beautiful soft working dressage trot with him reaching and taking the contact not trying to o into a false outline and hide behind the bit like Im trying out Rolkur like he likes to pull sometimes. He was absolutely lathered white by the time we finished and we didn't work him that hard so it just shows how hard he concentrating for me.
Then we waited round a bit for the farrier who reshod him all round as to be fair re loosing the shoe he was overdue and I may have jumped a log when it was a bit boggy still on sat.
Wormed him and Pait who is ragingly in season and was actually seen flirting with a boy! She was also majorly tarting for her bestest friend Lily (who yes is a mare).

No offence but Pait can continue to be Em's riding pony!
Weds is my lesson day and with moving only the boys last Sat and Rory being very stressed out doing a quick hack on Sunday I decided it wasn't fair to hack him back to the yard and have a lesson on him until we have another horse at the field to leave Duke with (naughty Belle wouldn't load and go last sat) so I roped Pait in for the lesson.
I think I've maybe sat on her once in the last 6 months lol and her and Rory are definately chalk and cheese. Never mind the fact she's taller and built like the proverbial brick outhouse she only puts in as much effort as her rider so is very hard work- cudos to Em!
Rory I only have to shift my weigh or nudge slightly and he responds instantly so being on Pait couldn't be more opposite if I tried. She was a good girl and she did some nice work even if I had to seriously work for it lol.

Well the little project in the works has finally materialised. We've rented a 5 acre field a mile down the road from  the stables. Pait, Bex and Tal are staying at the yard and Rory and Duke have been moved down to the new field. Belle was supposed to go as well but had other ideas about loading onto the wagon so she was left for today.
Both boys were thrilled at seeing their new home. I did think we'd have fireworks and a good gallop but nope Rory tucked into the grass immediately and Duke did 5 steps of ayrab trot the decided Rory's idea was better!

Another proud and gushing post!
Took Rory out jumping again, this time to Moorhouse to do clear round and 65cm.
Went in the clear round and he went very, very green. Flowers, bright fillers, spreads and a new indoor was a lot to ask he went round very sticky and had a couple down but went over everything first time. Took him straight back round and he'd relaxed a bit and did a brill clear round. Had quite a bit of hanging around whilst they got "organised" before we started the 65cm. He went in and did a smashing clear round so we then had to await the jump off. Jump off order was 1, 8a,b, 5, 6, 3 and 10. Came in and he flew number 1 then I changed off route and aimed for 8 at which point he fell apart a bit again (but I'd learnt the course mum and knew what to do) so we went a tad sticky again and just had number 5 down but I was really pleased with him and he ended up with a fifth place.

Also we got our rosette from the Native pony magazine winter points championship and Rory got 10th!

Just a nice pony day today. Hacked  Rory out didn't go too far as he's currently getting a tad too fit and losing his marbles. So a slower hack being made to work in a proper outline (did have 1 sneaky gallop though).
Em had a lesson on Pait and did some pole work and tackled a little cross pole bless her.
Then I got Duke in to deal with the rasta look his mane was currently sporting and having got him in I decided to do some work with him and he had his first long rein session. Steering was erm ... a work in progress and a few toys were thrown out of the pram when he tested his boundaries but he gave in in the end and did a few nice laps so finished off with a quick walk inhand up the drive and back.
He's shot up again and looks a tad weedy and bum high so just ground work for now until hes looking more solid again.

fab day out jumping

Took Rory out jumping today with aim of getting round the clear round and the 65cm.
Clear round he was brill if a little over cautious (most fences got a 2ft clearance) and went round clear so next up was 65cm. Rory was brill again and the pilot turned blonde and mistook 7 for 3 (they were both yellow and next to each other) hauled him out at last second but it still counted a presenting him to it so 4 faults. Annoyance with myself gave me a kick up the rear end and in a slight lapse of sanity I entered the 75cm. Well again he was an absolute dude. Just had the first one down as I was busy freaking out over the number 2 spread and didnt really kick on.
I haven't jumped that height since I fell off and kamputted my knee over a year ago so I was really chuffed with us both. Just need to trust him more and kick on!

At times I could quite happily throttle Rory. Took him and Pait to dressage yesterday. It was the new wagon's first run out with ponies on board and we had no swearing from the driver and for the first time ever Pait didn't arrive soaked so she prefers it to Daisy-wagon.
Em was first doing 2 prelims on Pait. P7 and P13. Pait went really well just the canter went a bit wrong in p13 but it is a harder test and only her third ever prelim. 63% in p7 and 60% in p13 so really pleased with her.

Rory on the other hand decided to live up to Pait's name. The bits he behaved and let me ride him were brilliant and he scored 8s. Sadly he also had quite a few moments where he just wouldn't let me have an contact or use leg as he'd just ping me out of the saddle- mardy bugger.
Comment of the day was someone asking mum if he was Welsh. Nope he just acts like it. Scores weren't as bad as it felt though. He got 60% in p7 and 64% in p13. Typically he got the higher marks in the harder test! Really need to work on his right canter strike offs as he went wrong in both tests as he just fired me out of the saddle and wouldn't let me use leg when I was asking for the transition. Of course the left rein he got 8s for this manouver.

I hate british weather at times. Em had agreed to take me out to a local venue to do some diddy sj on Rory but of course the wind was horrendous this morning and she quite rightly didnt fancy taking the box out so seeing as I was out of bed and at the yard with Rory in I said I'd go out hacking with E who is part loaning Talya.
Being 2 overgrown kids I decided to show E where the xc jumps are and seeing as we were there we both decided to bung stirrups up and have a play.
Rory knows the second my leg position is higher what is coming and promptly started jig-jogging and looking for the nearest jumpable object.
We both had a laugh and I jumped a few logs, a filler and a small ditch with hanging log. He's been over them all before and as we were showing off to Tal he thankfully decided not to put in the extra 2 foot air space which orbits me.
E and I did find though that neither us has a horse that will just calmly follow over fences. Tal throws her head and charges after us and Rory goes into jumps sideways and land in extended canter pmsl.
Signs are up for our local hunter trail in May so fingers crossed that I can go this year.
no pics so have one from last summer

opps missed anniversary

Just been informed by Em that last week we've had Rory for 5 years. Where on earth has the time gone he's 9 this year and still a fruitloop lol.
Currently he has lumps (which Im pretty sure is heat rash) and has decided he cant bear to be touched this included my legs on his side on Weds dressage outing.
Leg on = launch forward and the slightest rein contact was try to grind to a halt shaking his head. Not pretty. Still got 60% in both test and am out again tomorrow.
Pait went really well and did her first prelim and beat rory's scores in both classes to Em's delight.

Little update from sat for my records.
Took Rory out for a good fast hack to shake off the cobwebs so he was in seventh heaven. Decided to have a mess with Duke when I got back and fully tacked him up to lunge. Completely not fussed about banging stirrups etc so grabbed Em and I got on him.
Still not fussed so had a walk round the school on both reins with Em on the lungeline. Asked for a little trot and he went good as gold thought I'd stop if he unbalanced on the corner but he was fine so did a full lap to Em's disgust.
Think its a case of long reining to establish steering really now as the next step.

Can''t wait for end of winter

I'm so sick of mud it's unreal. Farrier was booked for friday afternoon as I'd got a bit of time off due to being on a course in the am so Em very kindly promptly booked all 6 in trim/shoe!
Got the boys and Belle in first and held Belle whilst Rory was shod tied up. Well him and Duke created merry hell. First was located all plastic bags and sling them around just to make sure Duke wasn't left out Rory passed him one in the stable whilst poor baby-Belle was stood wideeyed being trimed across from a bag headed Dales. My language was rather colourful. Next thing was I looked over to find no pony- Rory had untied himself and taken the lid off someone's feed dustbin and was quite happily tucking in. Abandoned Belle with farrier whilst I retrieved Rory. I was rather grateful when the farrier declared them done and I could turf them back in the field.
Pait tried it on at first as she didnt want her new shoes thank you very much but as soon as I grabbed hold of her she decided very quickly to behave and thankfully Bex and Tal were as good as gold.

Still not being good at updating!
Rory is coming together nicely in his lessons even when the world is out to get him he's managing to keep a lid sort of on it and listen to me and work still which is a major step forward and a year ago I'd have had to get off and just leave it for that day. So it does seem that he's growing up lol and the trust he places in me at times blows me away.
Not done too much riding due to weather etc but he's just ticking over.
Em is still riding Pait and having lesson I had planned on longreining last weds but the wind was too bad to even consider it.
Duke is being a cocky little so and so but in a sweet way (unless you ask Rory who seems to be baring the brunt of "play" time). If we have some none stupid weather. ie. anything but wind Im planning on doing a bit of inhand/longrein work just to give hm something to think about.

In other dales news fingers crossed a long time plan is coming together. All will be revealed once everything is set in stone.
have a pait pic to finish off though

Went up to the yard on Sunday determined to get new 2015 pics of all the dales came home with only pics of Duke. rotfl. Ended up bringing him to get the 2 huge snarls out of his mane. Pulled out the big guns aka Eqyss detangler which made short work of them with minimal hairloss. I do love the stuff even if it is a tad too pricey to be an everyday product. Saying that I think Ive had my current bottle about 4 years and have only just ordered another one.
Finished off 2014 getting Pait and Rory out for a few hacks together. We are very lucky to have a well draining still cut stubble field which is ace to have a good canter on and is really teaching Pait how to go forwards and Rory is being a very cautious babysitter and sticks at her pace.
Getting Duke out on Sun meant I left the neurotic anti dales aka Rory on his own for 10 whole minutes (horses in the fields on both sides and hay out) by the time I came to put Duke bak Rory decided I was taking too long and promptly came through all my fencing to join me *bangs head* I do despair with him at times.
So heres a couple of Duke pics anyway hes 4 in june.