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