Settling In

I’m pleased to say all the ponies are settling in to their respective new homes! Tangle is being as wonderful as ever down in the New Forest, getting on very well with her new family, and enjoying a tremendous amount of exploring. Tasha has been introduced to her new stallion, and apparently came into season almost at first sight (can’t blame her, he was pretty stunning!) Next time round they ran together, and she is now pregnant :)

Indi has settled in really well here with me and Jay. About a week after she came, we had a yard visit from Winergy with their portable weighbridge, which was ever so interesting. Despite being a perfect condition score, Jay weighed in at 420kg, which is nearly 50kg heavier than the 375kg my tape puts her at!! Normally, the closer the horse is to ‘ideal’ body condition, the better the tape and weighbridge results should match… I don’t know what wrong there then!

Tangle weighed in at 277kg – ever so slightly overweight. Indi was rather poor when I got her, and a slightly finer build than Tangle, but it was still a bit of a surprise that she weighed just 272kg – less than Tangle, even though she is over a hand bigger. Both Tangle and Indi were pretty close to the weights my tape indicated for them.

Good grass and good food has done wonders for Indi – she has steadily put on some condition, and although there’s still improvements to be had she is looking ten times better, with a real shine on her coat. She’s had a full mot – started her vaccinations, had her wolf teeth out, had the farrier trim her up, and last but not least had her back and saddle done. I’ve ridden her a couple of times in the last week or so; she is very babyish, but I think she is going to be something really special. She has a lovely temperament and attitude.

You might think from all the above that Jay has been a little left out – not so. We’ve been much more active in the last six weeks – I’ve found a new riding club and we’ve already attended five summer evening rallies, with one more to run before they break for the summer holidays. We’ve also been on a sponsored ride, and went cross country schooling again with our old riding club – that was a little hairy as we haven’t jumped much at all since I dislocated my hip last year, and Jay is feeling rather too well at the moment…! So my nerves took a bit of a battering as she pranced and danced about – however when we actually got jumping she was much better, albeit taking everything at warp speed! This left me a little apprehensive or our next outing – taking a friend’s daughter and her pony to their first ever cross country schooling, with me and Jay – ahem – as ‘sensible schoolmasters’ to accompany them!

Jay rose to the occasion and behaved absolutely fabulously, giving leads over all the fences (except the ditch – which we did take on, and she did scramble over in her own drama queen style – but I suggested she was perhaps not the best horse to inspire confidence re ditches and so we weren’t followed over that one!)

We rounded off the month with a ‘Trec fun ride’ – a glorious hack around the bridleways and byways of West Berkshire. Largely surrounded by pig farms, it seemed (thankfully Jay didn’t appear to notice!) I thought it was just a fun ride, and was using it as a training session for our big endurance ride at the end of the month (our first attempt at 30km which I am slightly dubious about) – so you can imagine my surprise when the day after the event the results were emailed round to all participants, and Jay and I had come first!!!

All Change

Changes are afoot in my little herd. After much soul searching and heartache, I decided last month to rehome Indi, my little project pony, as a broodmare. Her breeding is exquisite, and so she has gone to a small stud on the south coast, with a lady who has wanted her for the past eight years! I delivered her myself, and she just looked ‘right’ there, which was a huge relief and reassured me I had done the right thing.

Almost at the same time, a loan home has come up for Tangle – and again that couldn’t be more perfect for her. She is going to go and be a first pony for two little girls, down in the New Forest. She’s going to be part of a very horsey family and will get lots of fuss and attention which I am sure she will consider her due and enjoy tremendously! She has so much scope as child's pony, and I am thrilled she has this opportunity. It is going to be very strange without the little one tho – I will be delivering her later this month, and I don’t think it has quite sunk in yet!

All this means Jay would have been without a companion; however fortunately before I went on holiday I happened quite by chance on a new ‘project’. Indi is a 4yo 13hh coloured pony – chestnut (of course!) and white. Far too much white – I have already cleared the shelves of whitening and brightening lotions and potions from my local country store! Thankfully she does have a chestnut tail at least.

The day after I got back off holiday in Ireland it was Badminton XC day and I had a pair of hospitality tickets so my husband and I set off to watch the action. We probably spent too much time shopping and eating, and not enough on the XC course, but given the number of falls perhaps this was just as well – I don’t need any more reasons to be nervous doing XC!

We visited Helen on the Winergy stand and had a chat about the ponies – I am very excited about the launch of WE’s new balancer as Jay has started being picky with her feed again and doesn’t always clear up her full ration of Senior. So I shall be trying her on the balancer over the summer, and she can have her normal Senior rations over the winter, when she is decidedly keener on a bucket feed! For the first time in my life I am also looking at feeding a conditioning ration, as Indi has come thru the winter rather poor and in need of building up before I can start working with her. I am sure a couple of months on Winergy Condition and our good grazing will soon change that!

Jay and Chesca try endurance

Jay and I have been really busy over the last few weeks, and certainly making up for lost time now the worst of a difficult winter is behind us. Isn’t it glorious now to be waking up in the (almost) daylight, with the birds starting to sing, and coming home after work without the need for headlights?

Probably the most notable outing this month was our debut endurance ride, a Training Ride with the South East Endurance Group. Rather a soggy few days in the run up to it, but fortunately on The Day the weather had settled and actually was pretty glorious for late February.

The starting venue was about 45 minutes away, and we made it in good time to go and get our bearings, our number, and a last minute loo-stop! First impression – endurance events are pretty busy! (However I was later informed by the pre-ride vet that this was ‘quiet’ by normal endurance standards – yikes!) Despite all the comings and goings Jay was remarkably chilled and stood very patiently while we waited for our turn with the vet. She trotted up beautifully, and I was reassured that her resting heart rate is considered very low.

So with all that boding well, we set off, a little later than our designated start time due to the queues for the vetting, but everyone was so friendly and assured me it didn’t matter.

The route was well-marked, but early on I did have a few heart-in-mouth moments consulting my ride map! Jay took advantage of one of those moments very early on, when a group of three horses over-took us while I fumbled around trying to get my bearings, and decided she wanted to join in that little group, so without much say in the matter (as I was trying desperately to get my map safely back in my pocket!) we suddenly found ourselves cavorting after them.

I had a chance to over-take at the first road crossing, Jay’s natural stride being quite long, and after that we were off on our own. From there on in, she was absolutely hoof perfect. We had some superb long trots and canters, and there was one rather out of control power-trot along a very boggy section I’d really rather have walked, but we’d ended up sandwiched between two much more experienced endurance arabs and were just swept along with them! Jay was happy to join in with other horses when we matched paces, but equally happy to be overtaken, or indeed overtake ourselves which we did a few times – and we both ended up back ‘home’ very happy and in a much quicker time than I would have expected.

So that’s it – we’re no longer endurance virgins – and I am actually already working towards our next slightly longer outing at the end of the month!

New Year

I’ve somehow escaped the whole ‘New Year’s Resolutions’ thing this time round… as if not committing any to paper makes them somehow easier to uphold. ‘Standard’ resolutions always apply – such as to ride more, and not give in to the warmth of the duvet on a freezing dark January morning (always my worst month!)

I did quite well – two whole weeks of rising in the dark and on board and in the school before anyone else at the yard even arrived, getting to work having practically lived a whole day already! Quite a feeling of smugness actually! Jay was really thrilled to be back in work – I had a lesson in mid-January; the first we’d been able to get to for a while because of the weather and Christmas, and my instructor commented on how happy she was to be able to use her brain. The more you challenge her, the more she knuckles down and works for you. She hates any period of inactivity, especially in winter when it’s so cold and miserable all the time.

So she loved her lesson, and tackled with enthusiasm the many new challenges thrown at her. We had a go at refining our recently learnt shoulder-in, leg yield, and putting together various exercises with the introduction of quarter pirouettes in walk. I can’t speak for her mental state – but mine can only be described as ‘exhausted’ by the time we finished!

Unfortunately shortly after that lesson, I succumbed to flu and I have only managed to ride twice since. So I am aiming for a ‘Chinese New Year’ resolution to take over now, and will try again for February! Rather excitingly we are trying our hands at endurance later in the month with a 17km Training Ride – undoubtedly Jay will take to it like a duck to water but I am slightly worried about my fitness – or lack thereof. I’ll let you know next time how we fare!

I’m back to having three again now too – Tangle had wintered away keeping a friend’s horse company for a few months, but they have now moved on and so she came home last week. She is incredibly fluffy, fat and shiny, and looks really grown up – I am sure she is taller too, although the tape says otherwise! I’m hoping she will make her ridden showing debut later this year, so I am starting to bring her back into work now. I had forgotten how much extra work three is over two, especially at this time of year, but it is wonderful to have the Small Thing home again; she’s such a fantastic personality to have around!

Reflecting on 2010

WE finally managed a white Christmas this year then… and as there has been precious little happening due to the snow, perhaps now is a good time to reflect on 2010…

And what a mixed horsey year it has been!

January and February started much as we are now – snowbound! For the first time in her life, Jay started to struggle with holding her weight. Fortunately that coincided well with us being accepted onto a Winergy Feed Trial, and once she got over her fussiness about a new diet, she quickly started to look her old self again.

The early part of the year saw us desperately trying against all the odds to Get Fit For Camp. Yes, for the first time ever, I had bitten the bullet and booked myself and Jay onto a riding club camp, to be held at Stockland Lovell in late April. Four days of riding – bliss.

We managed to squeeze in a few fun rides, including one with the local hunt which was fast and furious with a certain small chestnut arab wanting to lead the way most of the time! And not to forget my first outing with the riding club I was going on Camp with – the soppiest, soggiest ride I have ever – and no doubt will ever – do again. After 2 hours we all decided we were wet enough – but it was a fabulous day despite the weather. Both occasions caused me to discover what Jay likes best – galloping!

2010 was also the year I did XC for the first time – I enrolled myself on three group sessions at local courses. Neither Jay nor I are particularly brave, so there’s no chances of us becoming the next Lucinda and Brit – we did enjoy ourselves tho.

I also joined the local gym and went swimming 2 or 3 times a week. I rode every morning before work whenever possible. So by the time Camp came round, we were both as fit as we’d ever been…

It was an exhausting but wonderful week – I can highly recommend it to anyone. Jay and I got to know each other on a whole new level – and the chance to use such wonderful facilities was simply amazing. It also gave us new confidence on the XC course – shortly after coming home from camp we went on another fun ride, and tackled the biggest fences we have ever done with a confidence that seemed to come from another planet!

Things tailed off for us after that as I became more and more busy with work, so by the time June came round while everyone else was enjoying the long summer evenings, Jay was more or less pensioned off. It wasn’t all quiet tho – after I came back from camp I bought Tasha as a ‘summer project’ (whoops) and Tangle got lightly backed, taking to ridden life perfectly. I also ventured out to a show with her in May, where she was exceptionally well behaved and ended up as Reserve Champion in the In-Hand ring – I was so proud of my little baby pony.

Things started to pick up in August – until that spectacular fall at the end of the month where I dislocated my hip… So then Jay went off to college, I got married and went on honeymoon, and the rest of the year seems to have whistled past in a flash to be honest!

In so many ways 2010 has been the best and worst year of my life. I’m rather intrigued to see what 2011 will bring… I hope more showing success with Tangle and Tasha, another camp for Jay and I perhaps, and maybe some more XC. No more falls – and certainly no more weddings!

Winter Ponderings and Shoulder In

Hi all

All is well with the world again - despite the nights being dark and the weather having taken a distinct turn for the chilly, my beautiful Jay is back home with me!

It had been alright to start with - the wedding and the honeymoon (both of which were perfect) kept me occupied, but in the last few weeks I realised quite how much I missed her. Out of sight out of mind wasn't really cutting it. It's amazing to have her home again.

It has however been a complete shock to the system. I've spent the last couple of weeks preparing for her return - the feed stocks were in, I had my first hay and straw delivery of the season, the rugs were cleaned and ready, but in reality there was very little to actually DO. The ponies are living out 24/7, and although I have a couple of potters about in the school on Tangle they've really been very low maintenance. Jay however has been in at nights at the college and so it was straight on into that "winter routine" as soon as she got home. I do like early mornings as a rule, but it had escaped me just how DARK they are now!!

I do love that quiet time you get as part and parcel of winter though. I love the enforced extra time I end up spending with the girls - changing their rugs, weighing their hay and mixing their feeds, dare I say it I even quite enjoy mucking out (remind me that in February...) and Jay loves to be treated like the royal highness that she is - her food slave (yes that would be me) pandering to her every whim. I have missed her polite and delicate ways.

Most of all I have missed the riding. I love Tangle dearly, but you have to admit, it's not quit the same thing - a fat muddy round Welsh thing, compared to my graceful, floaty arab!

We had out first dressage lesson in five months on Sunday. Yet again my trainer couldn't believe the change in her; she has really mellowed and matured this year. We spent the lesson focussing on shoulder-in, something Jay and I are learning together. We touched on it back in the spring, but it's not something I was particularly confident I was riding correctly, so I had been loathed to practice it alone. I live in hope that one day I will get the hang of this DQ (dressage queen) lark, and shoulder in seems to be fundamental to a lot of the fancier moves! Fortunately, our attempts on Sunday were quite passable - maybe there is hope for us yet!

Chesca x

Chesca and Jay - an introduction

Vital Stats – an introduction to who this blog is about…

Jay – My girl… 15hh chestnut Arab mare. Typical red-head with four white socks and a penchant for being a drama queen. Likes jumping and going fast but sadly not all that brave.

Tangle – Everybody’s favourite, the pony you wished you owned as a child. Only 3.5yrs she’s already a wise head on young shoulders and despite being the smallest at 12hh she definitely rules the roost. She likes eating, eating, and more eating.

Tasha – The newbie. 13hh Welsh Sec B ex-broodmare. She’s shy and dainty, with a very easy-going nature and (so far) no strong views about anything in particular.

Well it has been a funny old month. Three weeks before my wedding on the 17th September, I ‘parted company’ from Jay following a spectacular leap over a five-bar gate… the consequences of which included a dislocated hip, a night in hospital amidst a flurry of wedding plans, and the million-dollar question What To Do With The Horse? With a family-imposed ‘ban’ on riding again before the wedding lest I do further more serious damage to myself, and then honeymooning until the beginning of October, the only option seemed to be to turn her away again. As I had just brought her back up to fitness following her June/July summer holiday, I was loathe to do this - the Riding Club is back in full swing in the new school year and I had lots of winter activities planned… so she’s actually gone on a busman’s holiday at a local agricultural college for half a term. Leaving me ‘horse-less’ with just the two ponies for a few weeks, and not quite sure what to do with myself, to be honest.

Tangle is less than impressed about being promoted from lazy companion pony to number one string… not that I have been riding her myself due to afore-mentioned riding ban (12hh of roly-poly Welsh Mountain Pony still being considered too far to fall from in the run up to the big day… anyone would think I made a habit of falling off!) However Tangle has made friends with a young girl at the yard and so in my riding-less days I find myself supervising a very sweet little girl dressed in pink to match Tangle’s saddlecloth while she brushes what she can reach and has lead rein walks in the school and up and down our quiet lane.

It’ll be good to have a few quiet weeks to focus on Tasha before Jay comes home. Tasha was meant to be a ‘summer project’, but due to some issues under saddle (and, let’s face it, her incredibly endearing nature) I have decided to keep her long-term. Whilst three mouths to feed this winter doesn’t exactly thrill me, it has meant I can indulge in my inner rug-aholism and kit her out with a suitable winter wardrobe… what is it us equestriennes get so excited about by new rugs anyway? I’ll ponder on that til next time I think…