Month: December 2016

Pony Post Deliveries

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On Sunday it was time for the pony post to make its Christmas deliveries again.

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It was a lovely morning with just a bit of fog and we got a bit excited about our decorations.  Galahad had glitter in his mane and tail but Cookster even had it on his ears!

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I was going to paint their hooves with glitter as well but it was a bit too muddy for it to seem worthwhile.

As we rode up the hill it started to get foggier but it was still a lovely ride.  Both ponies behaved very well and waited patiently at each stop.

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We stopped for a chat at one house and the ponies got some apples which they very much appreciated.  We were stood there for at least twenty minutes without the ponies making a fuss so I was really pleased with them.

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When we left we found that the fog had got even thicker and we rode back down the hill through a white world.  Down in the valley though it was still a beautiful, sunny day.  We had a wonderful ride and a lot of fun dressing up.  We’ll do it as much as we can over Christmas!

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Christmas is coming…

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The time has come to introduce a bit of festive cheer when we are riding.  As ever I built things up slowly for Galahad.  He started off with some antlers on his head just standing in the stable.  He was not keen on my putting them on!  Once they were on though he was not bothered at all.

Next came the tinsel on the noseband.

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That was no trouble at all and we went out for a lovely hack.  After that I added the antlers again.

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These days he seems to take it all in his stride.  Next will be the jingle bells!

Horsey Shopping

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Last weekend I visited my Uncle in Surrey.  Whilst we were there he took me to Snack and Tack  – an equestrian and pet shop.  It was amazing!  There was so much variety in the products they had there.  Our local tack shops are good but just can’t carry so many different items of stock.

Naturally I had to buy something.  I was thinking of something like some new riding socks but then I came across the display of breeches and I fell in love with a pair from Equetech with the most beautiful non slip seat.

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I just had to have them – we don’t get pretty breeches here!

I was very brave and rode out alone the first time I wore them.  Ever since I was small I have had a superstition about riding with new things – I went through a phase of falling off every time I did so.  So much so that when I was given a new pair of spurs just before a show I had to wear them just to hack around the showground the day before.  It kind of worked – I didn’t fall off in the competition but I did get eliminated for too many refusals!

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Luckily these breeches did not make me fall off and I still love them.  Galahad was looking at everything that could be considered remotely scary but didn’t do anything stupid.  For anyone who might be interested it turns out that it is the concrete slabs he finds objectionable – the Christmas wreath is perfectly normal!

Muddy Lanes and Christmas Wreaths

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We recently had some work done on our lane – the ditch was re-excavated and the mud and grass was scraped off the middle.   It is looking a lot nicer and the puddles have pretty much gone which is excellent.

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It is a bit muddy at the moment but that is just because the digger was driving up and down all morning.  It will dry!

Galahad – who can be a bit spooky walking on an unusual surface – didn’t bat an eyelid at it.  However, he did have a massive spook both going out and coming in through the gate.  I couldn’t decide whether he was objecting to the concrete slab which got left in the hedge when the digger had gone:

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Or whether he didn’t like the Christmas wreath on the gate.

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Either way, he wasn’t happy!

Schooling with an audience

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I thought that the downpour a couple of weeks ago had put paid to any schooling for the rest of the winter.  The fields were certainly very soggy afterwards.  Since then though we have had two dry, frosty weeks which have done wonders for the ground.

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The going is almost perfect now.  Perhaps a little on the soft side but it is lovely to ride on and we had a good schooling session.  Galahad behaved very well and was actually working quite nicely.

The puppy normally comes out with me when I do the ponies and she is now old enough for me to leave her to potter about whilst I school.  I tie her up with a long line outside the field and keep half an eye on her.  It is wonderful to be able to do so.

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Winter Wonderland

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It has been simply beautiful here this week with a hard frost that lasted all the way through to Friday.  I had to take ice off the water buckets every morning and the piles of ice are still there now.  As you can see, it has also been pretty foggy.

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The mornings especially have been glorious with clear blue skies and bright sunshine.  Having said that, the evenings have been just as beautiful as the clear skies mean the stars are looking wonderful.

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It has been pretty nice to walk over the top of frozen mud as well – much better than sticking in the wet stuff.  Not that we have too much mud yet as the weather has been so nice this autumn.  No doubt it will come!

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