So I did it, a slight impulse buy, but i'm so pleased. I have had Travis for 3 years now and in 25 years of horses, he is honestly my horse of a lifetime, he makes me smile and proud to own him every single day HOWEVER/BUT he really is hard work!
I mean he spooks at everything, regularly colics, he doesn't travel too well, he doesn't stand tied up, he doesn't hack, he doesn't jump, has taken 3 solid years to do a comfortable canter, he is not a pick up put down horse, he definitely doesn't meet the criteria of "all rounder" and he most definitely HAS vices.
So here I am with a new horse, one that will jump, hack, travel, stand still, friends can hop on, I can pick up and put down.... I hope!.... So, actually I bought an ex-racer, who hasn't been sat on for a few months and not really done anything for 18 months! Luckily and so far, he travels well, stands well tied up, hasn't spooked at anything, and has let me have 3 quiet rides in a open field, so I would say, so far, so good!
Hopefully a winter of light work to up the weight and fitness and by spring, I will have the all rounder I wanted! And if he isn't quite all that, then at least he can't be harder than owner Travis, Right?!
Welcome to the family Beniamino aka Beanie, 8 yrs old, 16hh ex Point to Point Racer from Ireland!
Once again I threw Arlo in at the deep end, affiliating him purely for the Arena UK second round show, and once again he pulled it out the bag. How lucky am I to have such a wonderful little horse? We haven’t really competed this year. I don’t really compete over the winter, and also my horsebox was away for repairs up until the beginning of June, so I had no transport even if I’d wanted to.
With the dry ground we don’t seem to be having much luck with shoes, as little madam managed to pull both her front shoes off within 12 hours the other day! We entered the arena with two shoes on for a schooling session and left it with one missing (took about an hour to find it). Then that afternoon, as I went to put some hoof ointment on, I looked down and had to double take, thinking I was looking at the wrong hoof. But, no, the other shoe was missing too.
After having a long wait and some lunch at the onsite café, it was time to get ready for the Joan Wolfe Overall Supreme Shetland Pony Championship. I got changed out of my usual showing outfit into black trousers and a maroon top with white spots, as you are expected to be a bit more “bling” in the evening.
We were all set to go for our next outing, and were super excited. That was until I heard the dreaded clunk of a loose shoe! I checked it over, praying it wasn’t too loose, but, nope, it was going to need a refit.