I can relate more to Bob this year as I now seem to be mimicking him! He had a back treatment earlier in the summer as I noticed he was a bit tight around his withers and now I have - in the last couple of weeks, had to go to the Osteopath again due to increasing issues with my pelvis as well as the doctor and now a physio!
We had our first lesson since Bob’s operation last weekend and I was so pleased with him. He started off nervous but as soon as I got aboard prancing about, (no idea why as he had not done it previously) he soon settled and I had him warmed up ready to go as my instructor pulled up.
The wet weather seems to be a fixture at the moment and so, as mentioned last time, Diva (Melland Queen of Scots) and Mabel have been moved up to the winter field. This means I am saving on feeding hay again as when I requested my next delivery, the weather had been fine and the grass was still growing.
No sooner had I written about hoping for a dry period up to Christmas then the heavens opened! Cue copious amounts of mud and a champion Shetland pony looking like she had never seen a brush let alone a show ring.
Since we got the green light for Bob, I’ve been bringing him back into ridden work. He was only off for a few weeks, but I wanted to get him back into it and get used to the bridle with his missing tooth at a slower pace. We did flat work to start then a bit more pole work and have had a couple of cheeky jumps!
In my last blog I quote myself: “Lord Ben and I managed to qualify for ROR Novice Dressage Championships at Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials, and I am not sure if someone thought it would be hilarious to have two days of retrained racehorse on grass arenas.
So, Bob’s had a couple more check-ups since his tooth extraction, the first being a routine quick check to refill the hole that went well, and on this one, I was given the go-ahead to start lunging in a head collar which I was pleased about, as he needed to get back to some work.
After a long, hot and dry summer, I think most of us with equines feared a wet autumn, yet – touch wood – the weather has continued to be fine with just enough rain to keep the grass growing for a little longer.
The Shetland Pony Stud-Book Society holds its annual breed show in a different venue each year. Last year we travelled down to Devon and this year we packed up the horsebox, ponies, and Flora the dog and headed to the Royal Welsh Showground at Builth Wells, Powys.