From Poncey-Posing-Pony to Pinging-Party-Pony!

[FigJam]

So I've been a little quiet on here recently, I apologise for not replying to everyone else's fab reports and posts, I have to admit I've been feeling very jealous of all the eventers out having fun (when it finally stopped raining long enough!) and was feeling a little miserable about missing our planned runs in April/May.

However... we seem to be back on track after Hopalong's recent niggle and hopefully we will be out and in eventing action soon?!

This is a bit of a mammoth 2-in-1 report as per the title, so first up is "Poncey Posing Pony" report.

Two weeks ago in a fit of madness, I decided it would be fun to borrow a plain numnah off FlyingCoo, bath and plait Hopalong and head along to our RC showing show... I know, I know, I swore it was the discipline I was least likely to ever ever do and is likely the least suitable for a wonky donkey like Hopalong! However they had a "RC Horse" class which had a JUMP in it and a "Dinosaur Wonky Donkey" class (20yr+ Veterans on the official schedule ) so thought we'd support the club and have a go.

Firstly, on arrival Hopalong managed to use all her cobby-coo-neck strength to remove the haynet from the side of my friend's lorry we were lift sharing in... along with the metal sheet lining. After the initial horror of lorry damage I then had to tentatively look at the other side of her face to survey damage done to most-accident-prone pony... luckily none! However I am now facing a large lorry repair bill on top of the recent large vet bill, so have informed Hopalong that pony treats are off the menu as I'm too skint and it's her own fault.

We then had a looooong wait while the first few big classes were done. Went a wee hack up and down the road and then finally got in for the first class- RC Horse. There were about 20 horses in this and it took forever to get through everyone. Zzzzzz! Hopalong did not go all that nicely as she was too busy thinking about the jump in the arena, so not really able to show a nice relaxed trot or canter. But she had fun?! The top 6 line up was announced without us in it, although Mr FigJam kindly declared us "joint 7th" with the rest of the class.

We then had another loooong wait until the "Dinosaur Wonky Donkey" 20yrs+ veteran class and enjoyed it sitting in the sunshine, chatting to pals and watching FlyingCoo and Saz5083 do some inhand stuff with their babies. Thankfully the oldies class was much smaller- only 6 in it so a little less hanging around. With no jump as distraction, Hopalong did a much nicer wee walk-trot-canter show and somehow managed to be called up 1st in the line up! So a frilly to take home for all the effort at least. However, I have decided it is really not worth all the time spent pony/tack cleaning and we definitely want to stick to eventing with it's nice times allocated for each phase. Never again will I complain that SJ is 20mins late or similar!!

The low point of the day was Hopalong feeling a little unlevel after the 2nd class. So we didn't go in for the championship and went home for a few days off. I'm not sure if she maybe took a mis-step or just that all the stop-start, standing around etc just wasn't suited to her? Thankfully all fine after a few quiet days in the field though.

 

[FigJam]

So onto this weekend, we have the Pinging-Party-Pony report!

This year was the 3rd running of my RC's "Party in the Park", kind of like a little 1-day camp idea where folk can do DR and SJ lessons on grass (rare to get that opportunity in our area), XC lessons and go for nice sociable group hacks through the country park estate- lovely all off road tracks, again, a novelty for some folk who don't have great hacking near them. Oh, and a BBQ too!

We had a really busy day with about 40 members taking part. I had the fun job of leading a few of the group hacks. I did 2 of them (1 normal and 1 slow, walking hack with a couple older horses just out for a nice day out) with a borrowed Welsh D (the cheeky wee chappy I rode in a XC lesson at my camp last year if anyone remembers?!) and then did a 3rd hack at the end of the day on Hopalong.

She was most confused about being dragged out and then having to watch others getting to do stuff, so was most keen to get going when it was her turn. A nice wee walk/trot around the park and a couple of canters then a good fun yeeee ha up the grass gallops at the end had us both grinning.

Since the XC lessons were finished by this time, we managed to sneak in and have a wee pop over some of the fences which again, we were both rather happy about. She was feeling good and very keen. And even better, felt fine this evening when we went out a wee quiet hack so no ill effects from it hopefully.

Sadly we've missed the entry for Balcarres which I was hoping we would compete at, next on the list is Eglinton which has ballot date next week... now to decide if it's worth gambling he entry fee and hoping she doesn't find another excuse to chat up the vets?!

 

[tigers_eye]

She looks absolutely FAB! Better than last year if you ask me! Have stern words with her about vets, no more of that .

 

[PorkChop]

She looks brilliant - showing's not all it's cracked up to be she definitely has a happier face on when she's eventing

Glad the niggle was just that, it's hard not to be paranoid. Stern words needed though for her hooligan behaviour, if you're not careful she will be served with an asbo

Great report!

 

[saz5083]

So glad to see her feeling better know how you feel re watching everyone else eventing and not being able to go yourself, but will keep my fingers crossed you get a run soon! Party in the park looks a hoot, must join and come next year
Tell H if she lays off the vets for a while we'll club together for a daily supply of pears

 

[FigJam]

She looks absolutely FAB! Better than last year if you ask me! Have stern words with her about vets, no more of that .

Thanks T_E, nice to hear you think she is looking ok, I have been worried about her looking a little lean (obviously I want her fit & lean, it seems to be a fine line with her!), although to be fair this time last year she was still being a field ornament after stifle injury! She is feeling really good, still very much up for her galloping and jumping (our first gallop after the time off for tendon niggle involved a one-rein stop even with the XC bit in, no wonder that neck managed to ruin my friend's lorry lining! ) so I hope we can get out eventing again without needing more vet visits.

She looks brilliant - showing's not all it's cracked up to be she definitely has a happier face on when she's eventing

Glad the niggle was just that, it's hard not to be paranoid. Stern words needed though for her hooligan behaviour, if you're not careful she will be served with an asbo

Great report!

Cheers LJR, it was a very looooong day and the end result was really not worth all that standing around I don't think! But then, we are not really cut out for showing anyway, so will stick to eventing where we both have happier faces.

I have many moments of thinking "oh no, she feels off" then thinking "no, it's fine, you're just being paranoid" then thinking "you're just saying that because you want her to be fine..." and so on in a big cycle! There is still a decent sized windgall on the front right but no more heat than other legs and she is completely oblivious to any poking/prodding I do to it, so can't be sore?! And I noticed in the photo jumping the WH fence that she is landing on the front right, so that must be a good sign too?! See... paralysis by overanalysis...!

So glad to see her feeling better know how you feel re watching everyone else eventing and not being able to go yourself, but will keep my fingers crossed you get a run soon! Party in the park looks a hoot, must join and come next year
Tell H if she lays off the vets for a while we'll club together for a daily supply of pears

Thanks Saz, I know I shouldn't complain as you have it worse. PITP was indeed good fun and everyone seemed to enjoy it, which makes the organising all worthwhile. And yes, H has been warned that vet bills and lorry repair costs are severely impacting the pear-purchasing budget!!!

 

[Cobiau Cymreig Wyllt]

Lovely pictures - particularly love the first posing one, she looks tip-top gorgeous! But yes, you do both look like 'let joy be unconfined' in your pinging pictures!!
Glad she was not very hurt by haynet and mis-step incidents..

 

[undertheweather]

Everytime I see you threads I would never guess she is a day over 12. She is fantastic and you are lucky to have her. Brilliant photos - and showing is boring isn't it!!

 

[MandyMoo]

looking fab!!! well done!!

 

[Vickijay]

She is so cool. I love the galloping picture, you both look so happy

 

[JenniferB]

You can't really blame her for wanting to chat up the vet...

Looking fab, glad the minor blip was just that. As I said if you need a couch for Eglinton you're more than welcome!

 

[Vickijay]

She is so cool. I love the galloping picture, you both look so happy

**stupid iPad saying it hadnt sent when it had**

I guess it thought it needed to be said twice!!!

 

[Festive_Felicitations]

YAY an Hopalong report! I was only wondering today what you were up to as I hadn't seen anything recently.

Very glad to hear that Hopalong is back to bouncing and poncing! Very naughty demolishing the lorry though!

Love the galloping picture - happiness personfied!

 

[FigJam]

Lovely pictures - particularly love the first posing one, she looks tip-top gorgeous! But yes, you do both look like 'let joy be unconfined' in your pinging pictures!!
Glad she was not very hurt by haynet and mis-step incidents..

Thank you, I like the first photo, a nice close up of her bat-ears! But the galloping ones are definite favourites, she may well be a cob-X but in her head she is Red Rum!

Everytime I see you threads I would never guess she is a day over 12. She is fantastic and you are lucky to have her. Brilliant photos - and showing is boring isn't it!!

Thank you- I just wish she really was only 12! She has a brilliant mix of being sensible enough to handle but still being fun to ride and keen to do stuff, I am indeed very lucky, she is one in a million.

I have to agree with you on the showing front... however it was SO busy there must be plenty others who disagree with us!!

looking fab!!! well done!!

Thanks!

She is so cool. I love the galloping picture, you both look so happy

I was chatting to a pal the other night and we both agreed that all the other stuff- the schooling, walk/trot part of hacking is really just to keep them fit enough to enjoy the galloping part! She does love a good blast (what horse doesn't?!) and I have to say I enjoy it just as much.

You can't really blame her for wanting to chat up the vet...

Looking fab, glad the minor blip was just that. As I said if you need a couch for Eglinton you're more than welcome!

Lol, she can't even have that excuse as it is not Lovely-Will who has been treating her for stifle/tendon stuff, it was Andrew! Or maybe she has a thing for him while the rest of the yard swoons over Lovely-Will?! Will let you know plans for Eglinton, I've the Fri off to come watch big classes and all depends on whether I am lift sharing with yard pal or not whether H comes on Fri with me or if just a day trip. But it's still 4.5 weeks away anyway so don't want to start counting chickens... or working legs...!

YAY an Hopalong report! I was only wondering today what you were up to as I hadn't seen anything recently.

Very glad to hear that Hopalong is back to bouncing and poncing! Very naughty demolishing the lorry though!

Love the galloping picture - happiness personfied!

Thanks F_F, dare I ask how your own self-harming pony Beau is doing?! I hope he is behaving and well.

 

[TarrSteps]

She looks great!! I don't think she look lean, quite the opposite. Why would you make her go showing?!!!?

 

[Cheiro1]

She looks fab, How old is she? I would never believe she is over 20!!

Glad the niggle seems to be ok now, and hope you get into your event

 

[measles]

Love the galloping picture and so, so delighted that she is feeling fit and well. I also think she looks super and every bit as delighted as you.

Absolutely no chance that you could be squeezed into Balcarres if you think she is ready in time?

Sorry we missed Sunday's park party but we were off poncing with Ben in the opposite direction Must look up RC site to see what is on next, and if you can think of any unaff ODE's in June/July could you drop me a little message? Oh, and the coffee and Barney shot offer is still there

 

[FigJam]

She looks great!! I don't think she look lean, quite the opposite. Why would you make her go showing?!!!?

Oh no... have I gone to the other extreme?!? You can definitely still see ribs, she is cob-X so always has a neck and bum no matter how whippety the middle bit is, which is why I find it so hard to gauge right!

This is her a couple of weeks ago, not go a better side-on shot from recently I'm afraid, but you can see the rib definition? (I was actually worried folk would think she looked too skinny in the 2nd last showing photo! ) Have I turned into one of those awful owners who can't see they have a fat horse?! ;

She looks fab, How old is she? I would never believe she is over 20!!

Glad the niggle seems to be ok now, and hope you get into your event

She is 21 this year, not sure exactly when though! She had a very low key few years aged 11-15 though and doesn't think of herself as an oldie. Thanks.

 

[FigJam]

Love the galloping picture and so, so delighted that she is feeling fit and well. I also think she looks super and every bit as delighted as you.

Absolutely no chance that you could be squeezed into Balcarres if you think she is ready in time?

Sorry we missed Sunday's park party but we were off poncing with Ben in the opposite direction Must look up RC site to see what is on next, and if you can think of any unaff ODE's in June/July could you drop me a little message? Oh, and the coffee and Barney shot offer is still there

Thank you. There is a little bit of me hovering over the entries sec's email address for Balcarres... I will see how she is doing at the start of next week and see if I feel like being cheeky or not...! There are 5 horses on intro waitlist just now (sections just gone up), do you reckon that statistically more than 5 will drop out (from 160) between now and next weekend?!

There is a SNEC date on 14th July, can't think off the top of my head if anything before then... will hopefully see you and some of your gang soon! Not fancying a road trip to Eglinton also with Barney?!

 

[TarrSteps]

Oh no... have I gone to the other extreme?!? You can definitely still see ribs, she is cob-X so always has a neck and bum no matter how whippety the middle bit is, which is why I find it so hard to gauge right!

This is her a couple of weeks ago, not go a better side-on shot from recently I'm afraid, but you can see the rib definition? (I was actually worried folk would think she looked too skinny in the 2nd last showing photo! ) Have I turned into one of those awful owners who can't see they have a fat horse?! ;

Deep breaths!

No, I meant she looks great, possibly even better than she has a few times in the past when you've struggled with her weight the other way! She looks fit and well and, to be totally honest, I think it's better for older horses, especially, to be towards the lighter end of well.

I think you're doing a great job.

 

[measles]

I think you're doing a great job.

Hear, Hear!

 

[FigJam]

Deep breaths!

No, I meant she looks great, possibly even better than she has a few times in the past when you've struggled with her weight the other way! She looks fit and well and, to be totally honest, I think it's better for older horses, especially, to be towards the lighter end of well.

I think you're doing a great job.

Phew, was about to get ready to break the news to her this evening that TarrSteps was banning the bucket feeds! She is on A&P Power & Performance, Micronised Linseed and Mollichaff Veteran chaff and certianly seems to have enough oomph on that at the moment. I've always tried to aim for exactly as you've said- lighter end of well- but got caught out in 2010 when competing a lot and she dropped a fair bit of weight.

I always had it in my head that because she has cob genes and was a good doer in her younger days, I've to watch out for her getting too fat which is why I get caught out going to the other extreme at times, especially now she's older she can lose condition much quicker.

Thank you, always good to get outside opinions and would like to think someone would (nicely!) say to me if they thought she was looking too extreme one way or the other as it can be hard to notice when you are seeing them every morning/night, changes can creep up without realising!

 

[star]

eventing is far far preferable to showing - get back to that asap! She is looking fab!

 

[Kallibear]

I saw you at SNEC and thought she looked fabulous! (if rather bored and grumpy with the boring standing around ) I never thought she was such an old girl until I realised it was the 20yrs + class you were in!

I saw her out and about towards the end of 2010 and she did look a bit poor but she was in perfect condition the other week: shiney, fit and lean.

I have to agree with you on the showing front... however it was SO busy there must be plenty others who disagree with us!!

Entirely agree but with everything else cancelled, everyone headed to SNEC! I gave up and went home, despite entering both coloured and cob ridden classes : we left at almost 7pm (having been there from 8am, only to find I wasn't allowed to do my class because Pips is a pony but I'm an adult! ) and they STILL hadn't started

Hugely massively jealous of the PITP! Looks like you had so much fun! So meant to get myself organised and go along but never got round to it DEFINITILY next year!

 

[FigJam]

eventing is far far preferable to showing - get back to that asap! She is looking fab!

I fully intend to... so long as Hopalong doesn't keep sabotaging my plans!

I saw you at SNEC and thought she looked fabulous! (if rather bored and grumpy with the boring standing around ) I never thought she was such an old girl until I realised it was the 20yrs + class you were in!

I saw her out and about towards the end of 2010 and she did look a bit poor but she was in perfect condition the other week: shiney, fit and lean.

Entirely agree but with everything else cancelled, everyone headed to SNEC! I gave up and went home, despite entering both coloured and cob ridden classes : we left at almost 7pm (having been there from 8am, only to find I wasn't allowed to do my class because Pips is a pony but I'm an adult! ) and they STILL hadn't started

Hugely massively jealous of the PITP! Looks like you had so much fun! So meant to get myself organised and go along but never got round to it DEFINITILY next year!

Aw, thank you. She is a grump old moo at times, especially when standing around doing nowt! I feel so bad that she lost weight towards the end of 2010, as I mentioned above to TS, I've always thought of her as a "cob-X good doer" and hadn't factored in how much extra work she was doing competing regularly at PN as well as a change of yard where the grazing was much less lush. But glad you thought she was looking well the other weekend.

Shame you didn't ride after all that hanging around. Although I have it in my head we were done by 7pm?! I was there until the bitter end helping put the barriers away! PITP is indeed a lot of fun and hope to see you at it next year.

 

[Festive_Felicitations]

Thanks F_F, dare I ask how your own self-harming pony Beau is doing?! I hope he is behaving and well.

He was behaving and going quite well till he did some sliding halts in the mud last week and is now a bit sore/stiff so on gentle stretchy walking work for a while...

I have promised him that if he gets better and stays better I'l take him hunting so hopefully that bribery will work!

 

[Kallibear]

Shame you didn't ride after all that hanging around. Although I have it in my head we were done by 7pm?! I was there until the bitter end helping put the barriers away! PITP is indeed a lot of fun and hope to see you at it next year.

I was just glad to get home! The woman judging the pony ridden classes initially took FOREVER to get on with it (an hour to judge 7 ponys in first ridden?!) and I started to loose with will to live, although it did then speed up. Thankfully my lot stand patiently by the trailer and can be left with someone just keeping an eye. We headed outside a bit after 6pm then faffed, getting them packed up and loaded. We left about 6.45 I think: the ridden classed would have been finished/finishing by then. I did know it was going to be heaving though, with everything else cancelled.

Couple of friends took their HiPo's to the PITP and mucho jealous, looking at the photo's. That'll be me next year!

 

[Lolo]

Hopalong is my favourite forum pony, she looks absolutely brilliant in the photos and is clearly having an absolute blast Love her, and love her ears so much!

 

[spookypony]

So good to see Hopalong out and about again! I had no idea she qualifies as a golden oldie; she looks fantastic!

 

[Rosiefan]

Poncey posing pony is gorgeous but pinging party pony is better . Sorry but I think you must be cheating somehow - there's no way she's 20 let alone 21.