Cuteness!!

My little man Spud is so cute!! Here's a couple of pictures from tonight of his adorableness.

We are off to North Island Champs tomorrow representing our region as part of a team. Wish us luck. 

Show time!!

Today our pony club was holding a ribbon day, so I entered Spud because it's something different from our usual rides and he got to practice being a good 'as-posh-as-possible-for-Spud' pony. As per usual he was fast in his gaits, which made him faster than the much bigger horses and ponies. But Mr. Spud thinks he has a reputation to uphold and likes to pretend he is much bigger and fiercer than his friends. However he was controlled and listening but definitely making me work for it!! Which the judge noticed and we got 2 firsts and a second in best rider, pony club pony, and best combination classes (the only classes we entered). Then of course being a games pony we entered in the bending and blitzed that easily.

Hyper pony jumping!!

Spud was a very hyper pony today!! I spent the first part of my ride trying to settle him and get him to relax and to stop pulling. After some improvement I started on our original plan of popping over a few cross country jumps, and my god, my little pony is an amazing jumper. He looks so tiny next to the jumps, but jumps them so easily. Here's a couple of pictures. Sorry about the bad quality!

A whole bunch of randomness.

It's been a little while since I last blogged. So I will do a quick post to update you all on what's been happening.

1. I had my heart broken when my now ex boyfriend cheated on me. It made me feel so worthless and not good enough as a person, but thankfully I have the most sweetest mare just outside my house who doesn't mind her mane being cried in.

2. This sweetest mare also got a new rug for the coming colder months and doesn't she look so good in it :)

3. I have the best brothers ever one of whom has been taking me out to get my mind off things and introduced to a really sweet guy who has made me believe in myself and love again.

4. Spud has his last competition of the season this weekend at North Island Teams Champs. After which he will be getting a month off.

5. I am so grateful for my 4 amazing horses and my family and friends!

Bonding time - hug your horse!

After feeling down all day, I spent some special down time with my favourite girl.

She stood quietly in the paddock  unhaltered while I spent a long time grooming her and breathing in that one of a kind horsey smell. I scratched her scratchy spot while she made funny faces. I then went through her tricks with carrots for treats. Even just doing that it made me feel 100% better. 

Guys I've had this horse for 7 years now. She is such a sweetheart and there have been many nights I've spent with her under the stars, she's been some of my happiest moments and she's also been there through my worst, her mane collecting my tears. 

I can't explain the love I have for this horse. 

Games pony does dressage!

I like to keep my horses work varied and while Spud is a games and jumping pony I only really do games work or jumping once a week or so with him. Mainly because we are good at it and I don't want him to get bored of it. So for the rides that aren't games training or fun jumping rides we do a lot of riding out down the roads or fitness work. Also work on the flat getting him stopping from all gaits just off my body and fast, turning off my body and fast and backing up. All skills needed for games.

Seeing as daylight savings has ended this means my horses will be worked in semi darkness. Luckily they are used to it because there is no other way that I would be able to keep them all in work.

Today I decided Mr Spud could do some dressage. Speedy games pony was like Whaaaat why we not go fast...... But after doing heaps of transitions he settled into work nicely and actually started working in a frame and carrying himself nicely, which surprised me. Then I worked on walk to canter transitions. For a pony that can go from a standstill to gallop often I figured it would be easy.... Yea not so much but after working on him for a bit I got him to rock back and got a few good walk-to-canter transitions so I called it a night. 

Sophie vs The Blanket

Rugging Sophie has always been a mission.
When I first got her she thought rugs were the monsters that hide under little kids beds at night. She would throw her head, buck, kick out and a whole lot of unacceptable behaviours when I tried to put one on her.
However she had to learn to be a big good girl and wear one because unfortunately for her she is super sensitive to the cold and rain. Once I got her standing calmly for me to rug her I thought that might be the end of our troubles, but alas she figured out very quickly, genius ways to destroy her covers. One time I brought her a brand new super tough, winter canvas rug. Withen half an hour of putting it on, she had it off. Grrrrr

But over the months she's made huge progress. She has pretty much an entirely different personality. She has gone from skittish and continuously pacing her paddock and just downright annoying to do anything with (largely due to her unfortunate past) to a calm sensible sweetheart of a mare. In saying this she is very much a one person horse. We have bonded so much and is still sceptical around people that aren't me. Although she is getting better with my coach.

So along with all the other progress she's been making she has also progressed to standing still for me while I rugged her up tonight. Not even a hint of her putting a ear back or kicking out. Then following me around her paddock for ages wanting more cuddles.

So much love for my beautiful girl.