Happy 4th Birthday to my youngster :) Very photo heavy sorry!

ecrozier

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Sorry, know its a bit of a gratuitous I love my pony style post, but it was Roo's 4th birthday yesterday, so I am sorting through some photos and thought I would share :)
So, last April, we decided to look for another horse for my OH as his previous one ended up being sold as a broodie after an injury to her DDFT. Limited budget and need for a decent sized horse meant we were looking for something quite green, although I did ideally want backed and hacking!
So we trawled through what seemed like millions of ads, hundreds (ok maybe exagerating but only a bit!) of phone calls and eventually had shortlist of about 5.
First on the list was (despite being unbacked and really only halterbroken!):
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(ad pics)!

Off we went to kent, if I am honest he looked a bit average to me but as OH needs something reasonably sensible and he would be my first proper youngster, I wasn't overly bothered. Pleasantly surprised when we got there to find:
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Had him vetted, passed!
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Brought him home (scary 4 hour trip on his own in a trailer - then stabled for 24 hours. He took it in his stride.
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So we gave him a month to settle in, and then started to back him:
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Tack on, did a bit of lunging, and my instructor hopped on! (I was on crutches so couldn't be first) followed by my OH
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He hacked a bit over the autumn and went to a couple of in hand shows:
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Then had a winter holiday!
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Came back into work in March, just a couple of times a week, and has gone from strength to strength, even won his first dressage test! Has just been to RC weekend camp:
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So happy birthday Roo - if you carry on this way you will be a superstar :)
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Thanks :) yes I was pleasantly surprised by him in real life as opposed to ad pic and he's carried on impressing me for over a year now ;)
 
Oh what a lovely story in pictures. You've made it looks and sound so easy! Even though I m sure it wasn't at times. Its wonderful to have some help and a really good instructor, I only wish I could do the same with my 4 year old who is still unbroken/ unbacked and who arrived two months ago.
 
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Lol thanks guys - hubby has given him to me :) I had a funny old feeling that might happen hence buying something I liked too this time - his previous mare and I never saw eye to eye!
TBH it has been easy, he's been amazingly straighforward so far. A lot to do with the girl I bought him from who whilst not having masses of time to spend with the youngsters was incredibly practical and just got on with things. So he just accepts all the weird stuff we attach to him and the strange stuff we ask him to do! Its all a progression though I guess - he does leap about sometimes and at camp a few people looked a bit concerned for my safety but my little arab dances around and leaps about whenever he gets excited and he is much smaller and MUCH quicker, so everything roo does feels a bit like slow motion!
He is a superstar though, so thrilled with him. I believe his half brother is for sale too if anyone is looking for a nice 5 year old!!
 
Ah lovely pics Em of the Roo monster,time flies when there babies! So glad i also liked Davey when we got him as now i've half stolen him from Rob ;) Happy Birthday Roo!
 
Well done, what a lovely way to look back at what you have achieved. Hope I can tell a similiar story about my 3 yo mare in years to come!
 
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