Hi everyone! Sorry I've been away for so long, but there have been quite a few changes in my life in the past year. For a start I got married five months ago. We've been happily living in our new house, taking turns riding Pimpao. We knew each other from the yard for some time now. Started dating early last year, and finally tied the knot! Unfortunately not all is good, and there is a not so bright side to the story...
Now I'm no longer a batchelor with no bills to pay and lots of free time to ride. Now there is quite a bit of money draining away each month. And with work farther away from home, and lots of things to help out with in the house, time is short too.
To cut a long story short, I'm going to sell Pimpao.
I knew, when I decided to buy him, that it would be only for a couple of years. Of course that doesn't make it any easier now. Still don't regret the decision even one little bit. Anyway, the time as come to let him go. I would have sold him a couple of months ago, but he is such a good opportunity for my wife to learn (or so the excuse goes!), that I decided to keep him a little longer. Next week we'll be off from work, so we will spend a little more time with him, then I'll have to decide exactly what to do.
Well, anyway... forgetting for a moment the less positive times ahead. We have been doing great. A half-decent half-pass at walk and trot, and a crude one at canter. A bit of lazy piaffe and some spanish walk. A rushed and over-excited canter pirouette from piaffe, and levade. All of it under saddle or on long-reins. At some time we did some jumping too, up to one meter simple vertical. Lately I've been working on canter without reins. He as also been doing a bit of school-master work for the benefit of my wife. He is so much stronger and well balanced than he was. Much more alive and interacting with the other horses, also.
I do feel I did a decent work with him. At least he is mentally and phisically better after our time together. I'm better off for the times we shared, too!
Maybe some time, latter on, we'll buy another horse together and start it all over again!
I'll leave you with a photo of Pimpao and my wife. He looks huge, but it's just that he is one step higher than my wife, and she is not that tall to start with !
Now I'm no longer a batchelor with no bills to pay and lots of free time to ride. Now there is quite a bit of money draining away each month. And with work farther away from home, and lots of things to help out with in the house, time is short too.
To cut a long story short, I'm going to sell Pimpao.
I knew, when I decided to buy him, that it would be only for a couple of years. Of course that doesn't make it any easier now. Still don't regret the decision even one little bit. Anyway, the time as come to let him go. I would have sold him a couple of months ago, but he is such a good opportunity for my wife to learn (or so the excuse goes!), that I decided to keep him a little longer. Next week we'll be off from work, so we will spend a little more time with him, then I'll have to decide exactly what to do.
Well, anyway... forgetting for a moment the less positive times ahead. We have been doing great. A half-decent half-pass at walk and trot, and a crude one at canter. A bit of lazy piaffe and some spanish walk. A rushed and over-excited canter pirouette from piaffe, and levade. All of it under saddle or on long-reins. At some time we did some jumping too, up to one meter simple vertical. Lately I've been working on canter without reins. He as also been doing a bit of school-master work for the benefit of my wife. He is so much stronger and well balanced than he was. Much more alive and interacting with the other horses, also.
I do feel I did a decent work with him. At least he is mentally and phisically better after our time together. I'm better off for the times we shared, too!
Maybe some time, latter on, we'll buy another horse together and start it all over again!
I'll leave you with a photo of Pimpao and my wife. He looks huge, but it's just that he is one step higher than my wife, and she is not that tall to start with !