So I’ve been recovering from my impromptu dismount at the last show. The bruise was definitely a whopper and did prevent me from being able to wear shorts on the hottest day of the year so far! However the lump slowly went down and the bruise has now almost gone yippee….just in time ..for all the cloudy weather d’oh! It didn’t stop me going out to our local steam and heavy horse rally though where I got to meet some lovely Shire and Clydesdale horses, not to mention a huugge Percheron that I met last time, (standing at 19hh at 5 years old). My partner did start to look worried when I said I would love a heavy horse!!
We have had another few weeks of schooling at home as the shows had dropped off a bit, but I made sure we have done a variety to keep the horses interested. Autumns been out hacking in the early mornings which has been lovely (and I have to say every car driver I met was ace!), alongside some jumping which she really enjoyed and was very confident with. I also did a bit of dressage schooling – and even tried some pole exercises in the dressage saddle! Pleased to report I stayed on (major plus) and we had quite a lot of fun. I do try and mix the pole exercises up, with different distances and locations around the arena to make her think and keep her keen.
Bob has been doing a mixture of flatwork (a few times of which consisted of continuous powerful extended trot and ‘zoomies’ canter – not to the liking of the rider), but he did have a few good sessions where he behaved lovely. We’ve done some more jumping at home too, starting off small and building up, as I hadn’t realised but even after doing the HC round and completing it, I think the fall had knocked my confidence somewhat! I am getting it back though and having fun jumping him.
Aria too has had a play jumping whilst doing lunge work. Initially avoiding the poles and jumps as much as possible, but once she realised she could get over them I think she actually enjoyed it! She did not however, enjoy a bath I gave her looking extremely unimpressed despite it being a hot day and her being sweaty! Once back out in the long grass she quickly forgot her sulk and was quite happily munching away.
The horses have got a dental appointment coming up – uh oh! They were fairly good last time but I cannot help but be a bit anxious ahead of the next visit! Bob doesn’t like it when he can hear the rasp outside his mouth (yet just looks confused when it’s in his mouth), Autumn has to show displeasure with at least one rear, and Aria has to shock us all by being good! Let’s see what this visit brings – everyone cross their fingers please!
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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.