As the title suggests, it’s been a quiet few weeks for me and the ponios. The weather has scuppered all plans of going hunting, much to my dismay, but it’s just far too deep and muddy for me to risk Arlo’s legs. When will it stop raining?! Please?!
This has meant, though, that I have started getting on Arnie again, slowly bringing him back into some level of work. If you’ve read my previous blogs, you’ll know I tend to give them some time off over winter. I don’t enjoy riding as much, and obviously they don’t mind a little holiday, do they? Arnie tends to get a good few months, as I don’t take him out hunting, so there is no need to keep him fit, although next year may be a little different, as I hope to turn him into my hunt horse (wish me luck).
Anyway, he’s been an extremely good boy (so far). The first ride was a little touch and go, and I figured after I’d done a few laps of the school in walk without getting bucked off that we’d done extremely well and that was enough for one day. Anyway, we’ve had a few rides since then, and so far his little halo has stayed firmly above his head. I’m hoping to get him out quite a bit more this year, so watch this space.
Arlo has had a quieter few weeks, other than our first jumping lesson of the year, which I’ll post another blog about. He was suffering from a touch of mud fever (he decided to worry me by having the biggest reaction to the smallest bit on his front feet, which was hard to even find, as he refused to walk out the stable one day), but fingers crossed we’re on top of that now, although he’s slightly disappointed as he’s going out in the school instead of the field for the time being. Then again, he’s a bit of a princess, so he probably doesn’t mind at all.
I hope, as I’m sure we all do, that this weather clears up over the next couple of weeks, so I can muster some form of enthusiasm and start getting out and about again. Roll on spring, eh?
A lack of videos this week, so have a pretty photo of Arlo at sunrise a couple of weeks ago. It was just stunning!
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.