Tuesday 23 July 2013

Our chum Ariel comes to visit

We couldn't believe our eyes today when Ariel turned up resplendent in jingling harness and set off down our field to drag up a couple of logs! 
He has been on a logging course and came round for some practice.
She said that I should be doing this sort of thing, but She is too mean to pay for a training course.  Or buy the harness.
Ariel has a very busy lifestyle.  Next week he is taking part in a British Eventing competition - his first ever event.  After that he is going on a cow wrangling course.  We salute him.

Sunday 21 July 2013

Posy and I disgrace ourselves

In spite of all the heat and biting flies, Posy and I were dragged off to a dressage contest in the motorised cabin.  I was meant to be setting a good example, but I thought it would be more fun to neigh and stamp about and wind up Posy.  In her first test Posy was so wound up that she charged round neighing and refusing to go anywhere near the corners.  Heh, heh. 

When it was my turn, I ambled into the school and went over to charm the judge when I spotted a couple of mugs of coffee.  On investigation these turned out to be very unstable and spilled all over the test sheets.  This seemed to cause a bit of a fuss, but eventually I got to do my test.  I was trotting across the diagonal when I suddenly noticed a sparkly bit on the floor and stopped and put my head down to investigate.  Afterwards I was told that I had disgraced myself.

Meanwhile, Posy had been neighing and running back and forth on the end of a rope while I was in the indoor school.  This was for quite a long time due to the delay while they found some paper towels and mopped the coffee from the test sheets.  That didn't improve Posy's mental state, so when she went in to do the second test, Posy was still agitated and neighing. 

She pointed out that all the other horses were standing quietly and we were the only ones neighing and acting up.  Furthermore, our execrable performances had made Her look like the world's most ineffective rider and we are now both In Disgrace.  

Tuesday 16 July 2013

Seven Years Old Today

It seems only yesterday that I was a baby and frisking about without a care in the world.  Now I have Responsibilities.  You'd think that this would be recognised on my special day, but no.  I was expecting a birthday breakfast with at least seven big juicy carrots, but all I got was a couple of skinny carrots pretending to be seven.

I am told that She is economising due to the large vets' bills for Posy, but I think it is a poor show.

Sunday 14 July 2013

Heather Moffett Demo


We were abandoned to stew in the heat in our fly costumes while She went off to see a Heather Moffett demo and help serve the drinks at the barbecue afterwards. 
When She came back later, She admitted that the demo wasn't as exciting as She'd hoped.  The horse borrowed for the occasion had developed a hollow way of going over many years so the miracle of a new saddle and a different rider really didn't make that much difference; indeed, why should it?  The recalcitrant horse was marched off to have a Pelham bit inserted, and the change of bit did eventually bring the horse's nose in, but didn't make her relaxed through the back; indeed, why would it?
She thinks that Heather Moffett has a lot to offer teaching about rider position, and we hear that there are plans afoot to organise lessons via the riding club.  Posy certainly thinks She could ride better! 
Nonetheless, She is not a great fan of the over-bitted Iberian style which makes the horses seem very stuffy.  Posy, too, would much rather charge round her arena in gay abandon, than shuffle about awkwardly wearing a lot of ironmongery. 
 
We hear that the barbecue was a great success, although Her plans to be in the cool dispensing drinks to the hot and thirsty went a bit wrong as the barbecue was set up next to Her, and She had to swelter along with everyone else.

Monday 8 July 2013

Posy is well behaved and eats fruit cake

Poor Posy had to go to the local riding club's dressage contest in the boiling heat of yesterday.  The heat may explain why Posy was relatively subdued in her performance and failed to run about neighing at the top of her voice.

Although, this time, Posy hadn't actually incapacitated herself in time for the dressage contest, one side of her mouth was a bit swollen, so She decided to ride Posy in a hackamore.  Under the circumstances, She was well pleased with Posy's efforts and rewarded her with fruit cake and carrots. 
Later, as they were waiting for their second go, the judge rushed up to Her and Posy and gushed to the effect that Posy had paces to die for and that if she, the judge, could just have Posy for six weeks then Posy would be out there in affiliated competitions, winning everything.  Apparently oblivious to the offence these remarks were causing, she continued "you must ride her rounder".  When She asked how this might be achieved, the judge suggested draw reins or a bungee.  At this point Her lower lip stopped wobbling and Her jaw stiffened and Her lips pressed tightly together.  Luckily, the arrival of the next competitor saved the situation.
In the second test Posy was rather tense, worrying about what the judge would say about her neck position.

But she got through it and earned some applause and carrots at the end, plus a couple of blue ribbons.  Overall, She seemed well pleased with Posy, not because it was great dressage but because, in spite of the dangerous corner, Posy was calm throughout and tried to do the right thing.