Friday 24 December 2010

My life so far

I was born on 16th July 2006 with very wobbly legs.
She says that I might not have survived if it hadn't been for the help of her neighbours holding me up.  I admit that I spent my first day trying to figure out how to work my legs and stand up on my own.

Here is a picture of my Dad, Skeyton Matthew.
How I dreamed of having sturdy legs like him!

She didn't seem to have been expecting my arrival, and hadn't organised any little friends for me to play with.  But I found that by bringing Her little gifts I could easily get Her attention.


Actually, I found that by affecting general cuteness, I managed to attract the attention of many humans, especially children.

When I was 3 months old, She took me from sunny Nottingham to Cornwall, where it rains a lot.


She said I would grow into the coat.  The upside of all the rain is that there is lots of grass in Cornwall and I started to grow - here I am at eight months.

I seem to be showing an early talent for the piaffe.  By a year old I was starting to look rather handsome...

By the time I was two years old, She decided that it would be good for me to join the Stoke Climsland & District Riding Association (henceforward referred to as SCADRA).  I had a starring role in the in-hand section of the Handy Pony class.

She also took me to a local indoor show, which was very exciting, but I managed to contain myself and was moved up from last to a creditable fourth place.

Another noteworthy event in my second year was the arrival of Posy.  She was fashion conscious from an early age.

She is just a little girl and likes to hang round with me because I am big and strong and brave.
In my third year it became apparent that She was expecting me to carry her about on my back, probably because She is too lazy to walk.
Here is a video of her first efforts to ride me.
Ha ha!  She cannot steer to save her life!  She also seemed to think I was going to trot with her on my back, fat chance!
Later on I was persuaded to trot, and that was OK, but next she wanted me to canter!
By the time I was four She was even trying to get me to leave the ground whilst carrying her.

I impressed myself with the economy of effort shown here.

Right now I am enjoying a lovely long holiday.  She did try to ride me in the snow, but the snow made ice balls on the bottom of my feet and I was teetering around on ice stilettos, so She had to give up.  Tee hee.