It’s definitely time to introduce the new kid on the block. Retired racehorse Lord Ben.
I would use the term “Ex-Racer” however this chaps incredible 9 year racing career deserves more recognition and having a flawlessly injury free long term career.
He was given to me by his lovely owners who said “he owes us nothing, and we owe him the best home”.
I feel totally blessed to have the opportunity to retrain him and my lord (pardon the pun) is he ever a graceful and elegant boy.
He is adoring cuddles and one to one time. He will fall asleep in your arms at any opportunity and my heart melts every time!
He has taken to schooling like a duck to water, already working in an outline, and so ready for dressage! I have even already introduced him to some jumping.
Down side – grass! His feet only have to touch grass and my whole life flashes before my eyes. So we have set ourselves some homework, lots of walking and quiet lunging on grass and to find a steady hacking buddy to teach him that grass doesn’t always been GO!
Possibly to contradict my last sentence though I am planning on introducing him to horseboarding which is a sport myself and my other half enjoyed for many years. We are really excited to hopefully get started again in May.
He has already towed the board around and didn’t batter any eyelid, so fingers crossed he chills out enough for me to start picking up some speed without any leg contact always meaning 300mph!
Watch this space…..
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.