Introducing the spotty sprog!

[Leo Walker]

Hes maturing really nicely. How big is he now?

 

[Jinx94]

*sniffle* very cute but am afraid am going to need actual nose.....

I'll get one for you tomorrow

I haven't got a clue how big he is.. I don't know if I want to know!

A friend of mine used him as a case study for her equine sports massage qualification portfolio. This was taken at the start of November during the second (maybe third) time that she came out to poke and prod him:

She's not much over five foot. I think we can all agree that she can see over his back very easily.

Tonight when she came to visit, his back was almost level with the top of her head...

 

[Tyssandi]

A little over a week ago, the breeder that I visited last Monday emailed me. She wanted to check if I had a shortlist even though I was going to see one specific yearling and had attached a picture of their newest surprise foal which she later asked me to name. This was the photo I was sent:

He looked beautiful but I didn't think I wanted him - didn't think I liked his face, plus I had wanted the yearling since last October and didn't want to deviate from that.

On Monday, I met the yearling and really liked him though I didn't feel as strongly as I thought I would. I got to meet three of her stallions and a few mares as well as more foals than I could count! Then we went to see the newbie. Again, I thought he was cute, but I was determined not to like him because I didn't want to be swayed by fluffy cuteness. But the more I looked, the more I liked him (hadn't felt at all like this when seeing the other foals). And then mum decided she didn't want him to be seen anymore and cantered off. As soon as he moved off after her, it hit me that I had to have him though it took a few days for me to come to terms with it as I had been so determined to get the yearling.

So, introducing Penpont Tristan

beautyful mum and foal

 

[Jinx94]

Thank you his breeder has some stunning broodmares

 

[Jinx94]

This year has been somewhat eventful.

My parents sold our family home, I moved in with them, got a new job, they moved out, I am now car searching after a bit of a bump.. But thankfully, Tristan has remained a constant. He's still at the same yard, with the same people and I can always count on him to make me feel better about my day.

Tristan has had a great time chilling out in the field with his friends for the majority of the time and is also happy to come and have a bit of a "play" with me.
It's finally clicked for him that humans are friends. We no longer have any issues with catching, and he tends to mug people for cuddles. The difference from this time last year is incredible! I even had someone else long rein him a couple of times whilst I was on holiday earlier this year!

He gets a variety of work - some days we long rein, some days we walk in hand, occasionally we lunge, and he gets ridden two or three times a week (dependent on a few factors). I ended up backing him myself, with the help of my incredibly patient YO who flat out refused to put up with any of my nonsense :rolleyes3: As he is my first youngster, and due to various reasons I haven't been able to work on my riding as much as intended, the concern about doing things wrong / messing up / creating problems was all that I could think about. Yes, I got things wrong, yes I messed up, and yes I did create a problem. HOWEVER, I acknowledged each of these things, the steps that lead to them and came up with a plan of action that was backed up by my YO. As quickly as the problem had been created, we fixed it. I'm sure that at some point in the future, more problems will be unintentionally created, but I know that I will fix them.

Finding Tristan is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. He is so, so intelligent, forgiving and willing. When the winter gets really foul, he will be turned away, and I am so excited for the (hopefully many!!) years to come!

And now for the photos!! (Apologies in advance for major picture overload!!)

First time meeting my sister, she got all the itchy spots!!

Dum dum lost his headcollar.. Like that would stop me :rolleyes3:

Our many walks:

First time in his new roller:

Out for a wander in the kit, before we commence long reining:

Some of our many, many long reining adventures...:

And finally.....

New saddle!!:

First sit:

Second sit:

First time in the school / third sit (we were on a rope intitially, but as he was so well behaved...):

Hi ho, hi ho, under saddle we go!!

Thanks for reading!!

Katie and Tristan xx

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

Awesome, glad he's going well. I sadly lost Penpont Zac last month at just 14 months to choke/colic, but Tinner is still doing well.

 

[Jinx94]

So, so sorry to hear that xx
I'm glad Tinner is doing well, what have you two been up to?

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Jinx Tristan looks so grown up and it only seems like yesterday you were introducing us as the gangly foal you sort of bought by mistake and who wouldn't be caught. You have done a lovely job with him, well done xx

 

[Leo Walker]

I cannot believe you are riding him! I swear hes still a tiny ball of fluff :biggrin3: How big has he made? He looks like hes shot up in the later pictures!

 

[Jinx94]

Thank you

Last time I measured him (a good few months back) he was almost 14.2hh, not sure whether he's grown much since! Has a back like a table though

 

[rosiesowner]

He is absolutely adorable, plus I love the name! Congrats

 

[ElleSkywalker]

*smoosh*

 

[DressageCob]

He's lovely! I love his little face. What happened to his tail? In one photo it was there and in the next most of it had gone

 

[splashgirl45]

he has grown up to be very nice. a lovely spotty boy, well done for doing it all yourself.....and thanks for the update, it doesnt seem that long ago that you first got him...

 

[Jinx94]

Time really has flown by! I was thinking this morning about how bizarre it felt when I first got him, and it was months before I felt like he was mine! Now he just feels like family

Unfortunately his tail got munched by the yearlings.. antibac spray seems to be a reasonable deterrent, but I'm open to suggestions!

 

[OldNag]

He really is rather lovely - and a real credit to you x

 

[southerncomfort]

Thrilled to bits for you! He's grown in to such a gorgeous young man, he's an absolute credit to you.

Lovely to see you enjoying him!

 

[Ceriann]

Lovely to see all that hard work with him as a youngster paying off. Hope you have lots of fun with him

 

[Jinx94]

Almost a year since my last update?! I've been slacking!!

This year has not gone according to plan in any way, shape or form. Tris lost a lot of condition at the start of the year, vet assumed issues with resistant redworm and prescribed steroids. A month or two after we started work again, we noticed that his hips weren't moving equally - cue field rest and physio. Determined it to be due to muscle weakness so started on a fitness plan. Got back on board ONCE and then he threw a splint

Start of October we finally were able to get cracking!

We mostly hack with the occasional session in the school, and he's discovered the joy of having a short (if I get my way) blast up the field we are going back to basics again as I wasn't impressed by our brake failure the other day. We were in a safe space, no one else's safety was at risk but there is no way I'm letting that become a habit!!

We've been hopping single teeny fences, no more than 40 cm, but following two episodes of him jumping five bar gates (one more successful than the other) EVERYTHING is 1.20m we parted company for the first time ever when he overjumped the aforementioned teeny fence (cue lost stirrups by shocked rider), bucked on landing and ducked to the side he stood like a lamb while I went through the quick mental process of "Did that really just happen? Yes. Am I broken? No." And then bogged off back to the yard (we were in one of the fields down the drive) the second that I twitched we're going back to tiny fences on a lunge line until he understands that he should only use the required amount of effort! With his brain, it won't take more than a couple of short sessions.

Overall, my pony is a bit of a pig at times and can be lazy and stubborn as a mule. BUT he's very intelligent, tries unbelievably hard and has come so, so far. I couldn't be more proud!!

Without further ado, have some photos!!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

He looks absolutely fabulous! He is very, very, very similar to our first Appaloosa, whose character could have been described just as you have described Tristan's! She was 15.3hh and we never knew her breeding either.

 

[splashgirl45]

what a lovely update, he is looking good and sounds like you are progressing well.

 

[Dave's Mam]

He's gorgeous & you're doing well. He sounds very keen!

 

[Jinx94]

Thank you all! Dave's Mam, keen is a very polite way of putting it

This was him today as we practiced only putting in as much effort as is needed...

 

[merlin84]

That is so cute!

 

[Bernster]

Lovely following your story and it’s clear that you absolutely adore him.