Thought I'd do a little update about what I've been up to here in France over the last couple of months. It’s been a very busy summer of showjumping and carriage-driving and pony-hugging but there’s a few things in particular I’d like to bring you up-to-date on.
Firstly, you may remember that back in July, my wonderful wonderful boss and her mother bought me a pony for my birthday! Yes, a real live pony, and my first ever – literally a dream come true at the age of 26. He a 20-month-old palomino gelding called Anatole Mouse. He arrived on a horrible rainy day, a scrawny timid thing with a pink bow around his neck and the cutest little whinny I’ve ever heard. Since he arrived he’s grown a lot, both in confidence and around the belly, and he is a cheeky, jolly little chap who just loves human interaction – he will come to anyone in the field and really enjoys being scratched and fussed over. He has proven straightforward and sensible with injections, worming and having his feet trimmed. I regularly take him for long walks in-hand to get him used to being on the road, and he has no trouble with cars, tractors, escaped goats or any of the other stuff we’ve come across. He’s got a lovely character and attitude and I’m besotted with him, really think he’s going to make a fab pony in a few years!
First few days (early July)
August
This week
I have also been having fun with another young pony in the form of a 3-year-old 14.2 anglo arab gelding by the name of Mr Busy. He was broken about 6 weeks ago and is as green as grass – he belongs to a friend of my boss’s family, and she offered him to me so I can get experience bringing on a baby (and when he sells I shall get a small cut!). He is a very cheeky chappie and so babyish in many ways, but he also has a great attitude to new things and a really sensible head on his shoulders. He’s going forwards nicely in the school in walk, trot and canter – although steering is still a bit dodgy! – and is fantastic to hack, he doesn’t spook at anything (if he’s nervous he just hides behind another horse!) and this week we have hacked in a group and he led all the way round. I’m having a lot of fun with him!
First time in the school (excuse my tension, I was very nervous!)
Another piece of news is that two weeks ago I passed some rather gruelling riding exams by the name of the Galop 7. Basically, the Galop exams are a series of assessments here in France and you have to pass a particular one before you're allowed to compete at a certain level. I have had some nice clear rounds in unaffiliated showjumping with my boss’s schoolmaster, Jam, but she said I could have a go at some Amateur affiliated competitions over the winter if I was interested. I said yes of course, but that meant I had to pass the Galop 7 so I could get my affiliated license. So I went along for a day at an assessment centre – where my exams consisted of dressage, showjumping, cross-country, some practical tests (bandaging, lunging etc) and a written theory paper. All in French – and believe me when I say my French is limited! Somehow though, despite failing the theory paper because my French isn’t good enough to answer a lot of the questions, I managed to pass on the merits of my riding and practical marks (and being good at describing what I mean by gesturing madly with my arms!) so now I can say I do indeed believe in miracles!
Firstly, you may remember that back in July, my wonderful wonderful boss and her mother bought me a pony for my birthday! Yes, a real live pony, and my first ever – literally a dream come true at the age of 26. He a 20-month-old palomino gelding called Anatole Mouse. He arrived on a horrible rainy day, a scrawny timid thing with a pink bow around his neck and the cutest little whinny I’ve ever heard. Since he arrived he’s grown a lot, both in confidence and around the belly, and he is a cheeky, jolly little chap who just loves human interaction – he will come to anyone in the field and really enjoys being scratched and fussed over. He has proven straightforward and sensible with injections, worming and having his feet trimmed. I regularly take him for long walks in-hand to get him used to being on the road, and he has no trouble with cars, tractors, escaped goats or any of the other stuff we’ve come across. He’s got a lovely character and attitude and I’m besotted with him, really think he’s going to make a fab pony in a few years!
First few days (early July)
August
This week
I have also been having fun with another young pony in the form of a 3-year-old 14.2 anglo arab gelding by the name of Mr Busy. He was broken about 6 weeks ago and is as green as grass – he belongs to a friend of my boss’s family, and she offered him to me so I can get experience bringing on a baby (and when he sells I shall get a small cut!). He is a very cheeky chappie and so babyish in many ways, but he also has a great attitude to new things and a really sensible head on his shoulders. He’s going forwards nicely in the school in walk, trot and canter – although steering is still a bit dodgy! – and is fantastic to hack, he doesn’t spook at anything (if he’s nervous he just hides behind another horse!) and this week we have hacked in a group and he led all the way round. I’m having a lot of fun with him!
First time in the school (excuse my tension, I was very nervous!)
Another piece of news is that two weeks ago I passed some rather gruelling riding exams by the name of the Galop 7. Basically, the Galop exams are a series of assessments here in France and you have to pass a particular one before you're allowed to compete at a certain level. I have had some nice clear rounds in unaffiliated showjumping with my boss’s schoolmaster, Jam, but she said I could have a go at some Amateur affiliated competitions over the winter if I was interested. I said yes of course, but that meant I had to pass the Galop 7 so I could get my affiliated license. So I went along for a day at an assessment centre – where my exams consisted of dressage, showjumping, cross-country, some practical tests (bandaging, lunging etc) and a written theory paper. All in French – and believe me when I say my French is limited! Somehow though, despite failing the theory paper because my French isn’t good enough to answer a lot of the questions, I managed to pass on the merits of my riding and practical marks (and being good at describing what I mean by gesturing madly with my arms!) so now I can say I do indeed believe in miracles!
