A long overdue Smokey update... He's the best!

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Lolo

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As title really :D Al's been lucky enough to have him for 4 months now, and he is amazing.

He gained a lot of weight, and is now on a diet... Yes, a diet! Half a scoop of Good Doer chaff twice a day. The donkey gets fed more, poor Smokes! But he looks amazing and is really developing muscle in all the right places.

He's started cantering out hacking, and this is the best thing ever.

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This is his post-gallop face... Think he's enjoying himself!

And there's been lots of boring polework building up to jumping again. Smokes has been itching to show off his skills, and this video sums up how happy he was to return to proper jumps...

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(no, his back/ teeth/ saddle are all fine, he is just very happy to be jumping again- he's settled down again now!)

This weekend was his eventing debut at 70cm. The dressage was adorable, and he just lost focus at the end to score a creditable 36 from a listed judge who thought a lot of him!

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And then he flew round the SJ and XC (despite having been XC schooling twice, and this course having every question around including skinnies and trakehners!) for a perfect DC. And he came 2nd out of 20!! Al is over the moon with him, and very excited for next year.

Smokes is SUCH a dude, and we all adore him. He's cocky and hotheaded and clever and utterly perfect in every way.

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FlaxenPony05

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Really lovely post- he is coming on SO well! What a sweet dressage test, and 2nd out of 20 is absolutely brilliant! I think I'm nearly as excited as Al is for these two next year, Smokey is one of my HHO favourites :D
 
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As you know I LOVE Smokey - he is such a charasmatic dude - love the vid of him back jumping he is like " WHEEEEEE just let me at it Al" lol...
I defo think he is something special & will go on to do great things next year:)
 
doriangrey

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What a great result. He really is a dude and your sister rides him very sympathetically. Nice to see her smiling at his antics :)
 
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3Beasties said:
He looks fab, exciting prospect for the future :biggrin3:
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Thank you! We hope so!!

FlaxenPony05 said:
Really lovely post- he is coming on SO well! What a sweet dressage test, and 2nd out of 20 is absolutely brilliant! I think I'm nearly as excited as Al is for these two next year, Smokey is one of my HHO favourites :D
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He tried so hard, next year will hopefully be quite awesome if he continues like that :D

It was such a fluke that I even clicked on the thread about him, but when I did and told Al she knew she had to go and see him. He's awesome!

showpony said:
As you know I LOVE Smokey - he is such a charasmatic dude - love the vid of him back jumping he is like " WHEEEEEE just let me at it Al" lol...
I defo think he is something special & will go on to do great things next year:)
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We've got a running joke that he goes back to his field and is like "I think Alice is really beginning to find her confidence now so hopefully we'll start doing proper jumps soon" to Reg and Tango :D He's such a teacher's pet, but he can't contain his glee when Al asks him to be clever.
 
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doriangrey said:
What a great result. He really is a dude and your sister rides him very sympathetically. Nice to see her smiling at his antics :)
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She enjoys them, mad child! His love of working and enthusiasm are infectious, and now he's settled into dressage more he is becoming a proper eventing pony :)

ridefast said:
Lovely post. How's Reggie?
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Reg is on fine form, there's a proper report in CR detailing his antics at the same ODE in the 1m class. But he is very well and loving nannying the bubbas out XC schooling- he's very superior and does great big sighs if they have a stop!

redmone said:
HUGE amount of love for Smokey!

He's such a dude...... :)
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He's class, it's hard to describe his mannerisms and things that make him quite so cute. MiniRM needs a miniSmokey I reckon, he's right up her street of mad but cool :D
 
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babymare said:
He is one gorgeous boy :) i love your updates on him :)
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Thank you :) He's a proper pretty boy, and has greyed out SO much in just a few months- he glows now!

amymay said:
Thanks so much for the update on this wonderful, wonderful horse.
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We are so lucky to have seen him, and Al is very lucky to be supported enough to have the ride on him now. He's a huge character on the yard and his can-do attitude and insane jump make him so exciting. He jumped some BE90 jumps last time he went schooling- Al says it's hard to not ask more and more of him because he finds it so easy.

LJR said:
Already said it on the other thread, but what an improvement, a really lovely horse!
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:) Thank you! He's so unspoilt, it's been fun for Al to work with him- he loves working and loves being right :D
 
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redmone

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He's class, it's hard to describe his mannerisms and things that make him quite so cute. MiniRM needs a miniSmokey I reckon, he's right up her street of mad but cool :D[/QUOTE]

FUnny you should say that, its just what I was thinking!!! :) x
 
Goldenstar

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I always liked this HHO horse he's right up my street.
Al will have a great time with him next season .
He's a very special person .
 
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Lolo

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redmone said:
FUnny you should say that, its just what I was thinking!!! :) x
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Even a full-sized one, at the rate she's growing :eek:

Goldenstar said:
I always liked this HHO horse he's right up my street.
Al will have a great time with him next season .
He's a very special person .
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Thank you :) His funny personality and enthusiasm make him a firm favourite- Al completely adores him, he's a star.

showpony said:
Can I please have first dibs on Smokey if Al gets whisked away by an international rider:)
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He's going with her, lucky pony :D Hopefully he won't be laughed at for being so dinky!
 
bexcy-bee

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Lovely to see a full Smokey report. So thrilled for them both for the success from all Al's hard work! He really is looking so good, Im so glad to be kept up to date!

The dressage he looks amazing! He hasnt gone that nicely since before he was loaned out, and no head throwing! Al really is such a fab rider!!

showpony said:
Can I please have first dibs on Smokey if Al gets whisked away by an international rider:)
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Showpony, I already have first dibs if anything were to happen to Smokey, or when Al makes it big! Or when Smoke gets old and Al is busy with the younger horses! Even if he becomes a field ornament, which I was beginning to get worried about after recent events! lol. Bus in all seriousness Lolo, please, if you ever ever ever needed to find him a new home, for whatever reason, I would take him on, even if I was living in a tiny flat, I would make the living room his stable! :)

He looks fab though, and definitely has greyed out loads! Wonder how dark he will get over summer! You'll have a white grey on your hands before long ;)

bexcy-bee x
 
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Lolo

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Thank you Becky :) He's a little star, Al is besotted with her pingy pony! He's going to be white grey before long... He's not the cleanest soul when he spots a nice muddy patch either- his fly rug turns dark brown within a week of a wash! They had an amazing dressage lesson recently where everything just clicked and he realised what he was being asked and so, of course, had to be perfect.

I think if Al makes it in eventing in Smoke's working life, it'll be because of him not despite! We were so worried, poor boy, but he's back on form now and the physio was really impressed with how he is on his last appointment so sighs of relief all round. Typical TB eh, think he wanted to make sure Al knew exactly how much she'd miss riding him :D
 
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Magicmillbrook said:
No - Just Sophie, my partner was poorly so couldn't look after the babies. I understand the organisation was interesting but cake was awesome.
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We heard that too... Al and mum say thank you very much for the help with traffic when the lorry broke down too! Hope your partner feels better soon :)
 
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