Although I work with competition horses, I'm a leisure rider myself and just do a bit of low-level showjumping for fun and self-improvement. I'm a pony lover through and through, and am lucky to have 6 super ponies to play with on my weekly day off (and after work if I have the energy...) Most of the riding I do is part of my job, and I can be extremely hard on myself when it comes to riding the "proper" horses at work – so it's great to have the ponies to have fun with, boost my morale when I'm feeling down and remind myself it's ok not to be perfect!
I have decided to do a little diary to keep track of what I'm doing and where I'm going with the ponies in 2013. (Warning, there will be rambling and a lot of photos) Best place to start is by introducing the 6 little fuzzies involved!
ANATOLE MOUSE
The most special pony in my life is my own boy, Anatole – better known as Mouse – my first pony, given to me for my 26th birthday by my wonderful boss Izzy and her mum Penny. He was a surprise present and the day he arrived was quite literally the best day of my life! He's a shade over 12hh, takes a 4'9'' fly rug, and is very narrow and compact and... well, midgety! (He is a baby so that's fair enough for now, but I don't get the impression he is going to grow much tbh!) He is a major mummy's boy and gets really stroppy with his fieldmates if they try to steal my attention away from him. He also loves food, sleeping flat-out, being scratched, playing with his buddies, wearing hats, and rolling.
Mouse was a 2010 foal, but his month of birth isn't noted on his passport – so although he was officially 3 at the start of this year, he won't be 3 in real time until April/May (vet says going by his teeth he is probably not younger than this). In the year and a half I've had him we have done bits and pieces here and there but nothing particularly consistent – he is a baby after all and is happy out in the field with his friends (three of whom are youngsters too) so I have felt no need to handle him too much. What we do more than anything else is stand in the field having cuddles. In any case I have found out that Mouse only needs to do things once or twice and then he has "got" it – quite a clever chap!
Mouse's current repertoire includes
: Being tied up (no hay). Stands quietly and is very easy to move around by touching shoulder, bum etc. Backs up with 1 finger on his chest. Also being left unattended for short periods of time – fidgets a bit, calls a few times, and then waits quietly til I come back (I have left a hidden camera to film him!)
: Picking up his feet and keeping his own balance. Hoof-picking is easy peasy and he is super for the farrier to trim – he can be done loose in the field with a leadrope draped over his neck. Worming and vaccinations no problem either, stands perfectly for both.
: Leading nicely. Doesn't pull, stops when I stop and starts when I start, trots when I start jogging and goes back to walk when I do, all with a drooping leadrope. Knows not to grab for grass too – he gets to graze when I let him, but it's not his decision when and where.
: Walking out on the roads. Remembers his manners on the leadrope, waits patiently at junctions, stands still for passing vehicles. Has encountered – and been completely unphased by – cars, lorries, tractors, heavy farm machinery, motorbikes, quadbikes, cyclists, lawnmowers, scaffolding, barking dogs in gardens, dogs jumping against gates, dogs on leads, noisy children, pushchairs, umbrellas, cows, donkeys, bin bags, things in hedges, stuff blowing in the wind. Oh and a squirrel falling out of a tree and landing right in front of him!
: Dealing with obstacles and objects in-hand. Walks and trots over poles, the water tray, a small red brick wall (jump filler), banners on the ground. Walks through narrow gaps, walks under "low branches", backs up between poles. Has had carrier bags tied to his headcollar, things put on his head etc and is absolutely unconcerned by all of it!
: Accepting tack. Has been out for walks in his saddle with stirrups dangling and a waterproof exercise sheet making rustling noises behnd him. Recently bitted, opens mouth voluntarily to be bridled, leads nicely in his bridle and is happy as he knows a bit doesn't stop him being able to eat!
: Travelling. Has been on trips both alone and in company, in a trailer and in a small lorry. Loads and unloads like a pro, quiet in transit. Has also been allowed up the ramp into boss's big competition lorry – he loaded himself first time.
So that's my Mouse. 2013 will be about continuing with our current activities (walks, obstacle courses, desensitisation etc) plus teaching him a few new tricks – long-reining, lunging, ride-and-lead hacking with another pony, breaking him to harness and backing him to ride are all on the agenda. Very much looking forward to this important year with my boy!
I have decided to do a little diary to keep track of what I'm doing and where I'm going with the ponies in 2013. (Warning, there will be rambling and a lot of photos) Best place to start is by introducing the 6 little fuzzies involved!
ANATOLE MOUSE
The most special pony in my life is my own boy, Anatole – better known as Mouse – my first pony, given to me for my 26th birthday by my wonderful boss Izzy and her mum Penny. He was a surprise present and the day he arrived was quite literally the best day of my life! He's a shade over 12hh, takes a 4'9'' fly rug, and is very narrow and compact and... well, midgety! (He is a baby so that's fair enough for now, but I don't get the impression he is going to grow much tbh!) He is a major mummy's boy and gets really stroppy with his fieldmates if they try to steal my attention away from him. He also loves food, sleeping flat-out, being scratched, playing with his buddies, wearing hats, and rolling.
Mouse was a 2010 foal, but his month of birth isn't noted on his passport – so although he was officially 3 at the start of this year, he won't be 3 in real time until April/May (vet says going by his teeth he is probably not younger than this). In the year and a half I've had him we have done bits and pieces here and there but nothing particularly consistent – he is a baby after all and is happy out in the field with his friends (three of whom are youngsters too) so I have felt no need to handle him too much. What we do more than anything else is stand in the field having cuddles. In any case I have found out that Mouse only needs to do things once or twice and then he has "got" it – quite a clever chap!
Mouse's current repertoire includes
: Being tied up (no hay). Stands quietly and is very easy to move around by touching shoulder, bum etc. Backs up with 1 finger on his chest. Also being left unattended for short periods of time – fidgets a bit, calls a few times, and then waits quietly til I come back (I have left a hidden camera to film him!)
: Picking up his feet and keeping his own balance. Hoof-picking is easy peasy and he is super for the farrier to trim – he can be done loose in the field with a leadrope draped over his neck. Worming and vaccinations no problem either, stands perfectly for both.
: Leading nicely. Doesn't pull, stops when I stop and starts when I start, trots when I start jogging and goes back to walk when I do, all with a drooping leadrope. Knows not to grab for grass too – he gets to graze when I let him, but it's not his decision when and where.
: Walking out on the roads. Remembers his manners on the leadrope, waits patiently at junctions, stands still for passing vehicles. Has encountered – and been completely unphased by – cars, lorries, tractors, heavy farm machinery, motorbikes, quadbikes, cyclists, lawnmowers, scaffolding, barking dogs in gardens, dogs jumping against gates, dogs on leads, noisy children, pushchairs, umbrellas, cows, donkeys, bin bags, things in hedges, stuff blowing in the wind. Oh and a squirrel falling out of a tree and landing right in front of him!
: Dealing with obstacles and objects in-hand. Walks and trots over poles, the water tray, a small red brick wall (jump filler), banners on the ground. Walks through narrow gaps, walks under "low branches", backs up between poles. Has had carrier bags tied to his headcollar, things put on his head etc and is absolutely unconcerned by all of it!
: Accepting tack. Has been out for walks in his saddle with stirrups dangling and a waterproof exercise sheet making rustling noises behnd him. Recently bitted, opens mouth voluntarily to be bridled, leads nicely in his bridle and is happy as he knows a bit doesn't stop him being able to eat!
: Travelling. Has been on trips both alone and in company, in a trailer and in a small lorry. Loads and unloads like a pro, quiet in transit. Has also been allowed up the ramp into boss's big competition lorry – he loaded himself first time.
So that's my Mouse. 2013 will be about continuing with our current activities (walks, obstacle courses, desensitisation etc) plus teaching him a few new tricks – long-reining, lunging, ride-and-lead hacking with another pony, breaking him to harness and backing him to ride are all on the agenda. Very much looking forward to this important year with my boy!