So it feels like forever since I really felt like me and Travis have taken a step forwards.
He is a quirky boy and has the patience of a Saint, although still isn’t quite enough to describe what is needed to progress this horse.
Same venue every week, nope still scared. Same routine every week, nope still scared. Same few movements each week, nope still can’t remember.
Same subtle commands, nope still don’t know what you mean. And then, there it is, one day the penny drops and everything you have been working on all comes together.
You sit there with that feeling of just being carried, no effort, no arguing, no nagging.
Now I can’t lie, I did think it was all a fluke, I did think this would never last. Knowing Travis the way I do it probably won’t and it most definitely won’t the minute we enter a competition.
However, for the present he has been a total pleasure and made the most gruelling winter almost bearable.
His self carriage for such a front heavy lump is never something that will come easy to this horse, and somewhere in his past a human has allowed him to know that he weighs 600kg.
This means that you do have to negotiate with him just like a mare, but for now this boy is being the best he has ever been!
I guess it’s time to see what the real judges have to say and get ourselves back in front of them!
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.