Janah
Well-Known Member
As promised in another thread, (A pic of my boy).
The first thing that makes me think something special is happening today is the horse lorry being moved on to the drive.
(Although) If Id been paying proper attention to the tail washing and extra grooming yesterday I would have guessed that something was a hoof. I was rather tired, having had a particularly long lesson doing circles and loads of cantering with my mum getting redder and redder in the face.
I was eating my breakfast, trying to keep the dog from grabbing mouthfuls. It is a Labrador called Dora and as everyone knows Labradors are stomachs on legs. My mum has put a trailer bar across my stable door, so I get more air and dont feel so shut in. Dora often visits me which I dont mind except at feed times. Sometimes Dora brings her toys into the stable for us to play with. It can be disconcerting in the dead of night to just get in position for a big wee and I stand on a squeaky toy. It really makes me jump. I have been known to wee down my legs, which is not nice.
I stopped eating to get a good look at what was happening outside, sure enough the lorry ramp was coming down. That means one of two things, were going on a pleasure ride, YAY! or its the thing my mum calls dressage.
Pleasure rides are wonderful. We go somewhere weve never been before and ride round a lot, with me going as fast as I can (which my mum gets really annoyed about and says its no pleasure for her having her arms pulled out for several hours on end). She gets quite red in the face.
Dressage is going round and round in circles, I dont really see the point in it but I do get to meet other horses, which is always fun. Mum gets quite red in the face doing circles.
Mum has come into the yard and has tied me up to clean my stable. I cant stand still as Im all excited trying to work out where were going. After my bum nearly knocks mum over for the third time she lets me loose in the yard.
I talk to the pony next door and tell her Im off out for the day. Shes a very old lady and has to be treated with respect. She tells me off and asks when am I going to Grow Up. I think is a bit of a cheek as Ive seen her chase Dora, and barge out of her stable when shes in a hurry, nearly squashing mum.
Mum puts me back in my stable and starts grooming me, again. My mum has a real thing about dirt, and she certainly doesnt like mud. Now me, I love it. I have a choice of three good wallows that Ive dug in the paddock. They are nice and deep, fill with water really well when it rains and make a nice sort of mud soup to roll in, yummy.
When mum has finished brushing me and cleaning my feet she goes back into the house. Im so keen to get going, I poo at least three times. I must have a nervous stomach. Mum will be cross now the stables dirty again, so I have a wee as well for good measure. I dont know when Ill get the chance again as I hate having a wee away from home.
Mum has come back with my travel rug and boots. She comes into my stable to put my headcollar on, but Im playing "cant catch me". Its quite a good game, just keep walking backwards with your head in the air round the stable. It's even better if you can stand in your poo. After a while I give in and let her put the headcollar on, as she was getting red in the face again. She puts my rug on first. It keeps me warm on our journey. Next come the dreaded boots. They are quite soft and squishy but they come right up my legs. They make me sweat. Walking in them is really strange. I hate them and I wave my legs around when I walk. Ive tried waving my legs when mum puts them on but she still manages to strap them up. Huh.
The next bit can be quite fun, but not as much fun as when mum used to take me out in a trailer. I hated the trailer. It made horrible rattley noises and swayed about, which made me think I was going to fall over. Mum took over an hour to get me in after one pleasure ride. Lots of people came over to us and offered all sorts of advise. One said to hit my bum with a whip, which I thought wasnt very nice of them. I ran backwards and nearly knocked them over, serves them right. Another good trick is to stand on my back legs. Im very careful not to go too high as I might fall over. It certainly gets people out of the way though. In the end I gave up and went in the trailer. Mum said "never again!" She was red in the face then, as well. It was a few days later when mum bought home my new lorry. Its lovely and easy to get in. I travel standing facing the traffic behind us. Its a very small lorry and mum calls it her pony mobile. It has a window at the back Its great fun poking my tongue out at lorry drivers.
Today I just walked straight in. Mum gave me half a packet of polos. She told me I was a good boy and hugged me. Over emotional these humans.
Mum has just closed up the ramp and is giving me a last check when we both notice Philippa is sitting in the grooming bucket. Phillipa is quite a large lady, not very high but very round and Im not sure how she squashed herself into the bucket. Mum scoops her up and puts her out. Then we have to check that Dandelion isnt in the lorry as well. Those cats will get in any vehicle. We have to search them all, before we leave the yard. The dog isnt coming today as she has a cough, which is catching I hope I dont get it. The last time I had a cough a man came and stuck a huge needle in me. I dont like men. Men always do something horrid, like scrape my teeth (though my mouth does feel better afterwards and I can eat more grass), bang my feet with a huge hammer or just smell funny.
At last were off. I just had time to find my travel legs and enjoy watching the traffic behind us, rather a lot of it, as mum drives sooo .. slowly, when we turned off the road onto a bumpy lane.
When we stop I can hear and smell the other horses. Mum lets down the ramp so I can look out. She wanders off. I just want to get out and meet everyone.
Mum comes back and gets in the lorry and starts changing her clothes. When she takes her jeans off I avert my eyes because if I dont, I will start laughing. Dora told me she has to do that when mum has a bath, whatever that is.
At last I have my saddle and bridle on and mum is getting on. At home I always stand still, but Im in such a hurry I fidget and mum tells me off. She has to hop along on one leg to keep up with me. Most other horses do the same, so I dont know what the fuss is about.
Its definitely dressage as mum wouldnt wear these clothes for a pleasure ride.
We go down a short lane to an arena. This is where we ride round and round until its our turn. Ive seen several horses I know. Robin is just plodding in his usual manner. Thistle has obviously had lessons as he is doing as hes told. Quite worrying really, I dont do as Im told even though I have lots of lessons. I tell Thistle hes letting the side down and to chuck his head about, just a bit, for appearance's sake. He ignores me, I think he is becoming very superior. The object of going round and round first is to suss the opposition. I have to work out how well behaved to be. If Im too good, mum will make me do more complicated things. Sometimes my legs nearly end up in a knot! But on the other hand, if Im too naughty mum has in the past, threatened to give up. She gets very red in the face when she says that. That would never do as she might sell me or just leave me in the field.
I decide to be a good boy and trot round nicely, on the bit and with a nice long stride. Mum is pleased. I can feel her think it. I get a bit silly on our second canter. I dont want mum taking me for granted and Ive just spotted a very nice looking mare coming into the arena. I stick my head in the air and pretend to run off for a few strides to impress her, such fun. All the other horses look at me. After a while I behave like a good boy again.
After a long time we leave the arena and walk back up the lane, at least thats what mum wanted. But I cantered sideways instead. Cantering sideways I have found is a good thing to do, as mum cant stop me. She gets red in the face.
We reach the indoor school. It is quite dark and has a sort of sandy surface. We trot round a bit and then somebody sounds a hooter.
This is it.
All tests start with a trot down the centre line. This is a good opportunity to see the judge who is facing you. Some of them look really fierce and some friendly. This one looks smiley. I do a nice turn at the end and we have to do a circle next. I trot round with the right amount of bend (something you have to do on circles, I have practised
until I feel dizzy) and the proper shape. We do some more trotting on turns and circles. Mum is starting to relax and enjoy herself especially when the canter is good.
This arena has a wall mounted mirror.I just love admiring myself in it as we trot by. I have noticed that mum didnt quite straighten my browband
After even more turns and circles in trot we do our second canter. I am fed up with being good, so I start to pull and put my head in the air. Mum is shouting at me under her breath but its just too much fun. The judge must get fed up seeing well behaved horses all trotting round in circles all day. At least I suppose they are well behaved as we never win! Anyway the last part is to trot down the centre line and halt squarely in front of the judge. We trot down the line and this I cant resist. I just have to poke my tongue out at the judge and pull a silly face. I forget that Im supposed to do a square halt and remember just as I stop. I have to do a quick shuffle, and try to make it better by smiling at the judge, though I think it came out as more of a leer.
We leave the arena on a long rein and mum pats me on the neck and tells me what a good boy I am. Shes just relieved that weve finished. I think thats why shes red in the face.
Im put to rest in my lorry. Ive got a nice big haynet bulging with hay. Im really quite hungry after all that effort and I can have a doze if I want.
Sometime later mum comes whooping into the lorry making me jump, as I was thinking about the nice looking mare, in a half asleep kind of way. Oh dear, the rosette shes waving at me is BLUE (clashes very nicely with mums red face) that means Ive come SECOND, oh no!
Shell be even keener on dressage now. Im going to have to think where I went wrong. At least I got the other half pack of polos out of it.
The first thing that makes me think something special is happening today is the horse lorry being moved on to the drive.
(Although) If Id been paying proper attention to the tail washing and extra grooming yesterday I would have guessed that something was a hoof. I was rather tired, having had a particularly long lesson doing circles and loads of cantering with my mum getting redder and redder in the face.
I was eating my breakfast, trying to keep the dog from grabbing mouthfuls. It is a Labrador called Dora and as everyone knows Labradors are stomachs on legs. My mum has put a trailer bar across my stable door, so I get more air and dont feel so shut in. Dora often visits me which I dont mind except at feed times. Sometimes Dora brings her toys into the stable for us to play with. It can be disconcerting in the dead of night to just get in position for a big wee and I stand on a squeaky toy. It really makes me jump. I have been known to wee down my legs, which is not nice.
I stopped eating to get a good look at what was happening outside, sure enough the lorry ramp was coming down. That means one of two things, were going on a pleasure ride, YAY! or its the thing my mum calls dressage.
Pleasure rides are wonderful. We go somewhere weve never been before and ride round a lot, with me going as fast as I can (which my mum gets really annoyed about and says its no pleasure for her having her arms pulled out for several hours on end). She gets quite red in the face.
Dressage is going round and round in circles, I dont really see the point in it but I do get to meet other horses, which is always fun. Mum gets quite red in the face doing circles.
Mum has come into the yard and has tied me up to clean my stable. I cant stand still as Im all excited trying to work out where were going. After my bum nearly knocks mum over for the third time she lets me loose in the yard.
I talk to the pony next door and tell her Im off out for the day. Shes a very old lady and has to be treated with respect. She tells me off and asks when am I going to Grow Up. I think is a bit of a cheek as Ive seen her chase Dora, and barge out of her stable when shes in a hurry, nearly squashing mum.
Mum puts me back in my stable and starts grooming me, again. My mum has a real thing about dirt, and she certainly doesnt like mud. Now me, I love it. I have a choice of three good wallows that Ive dug in the paddock. They are nice and deep, fill with water really well when it rains and make a nice sort of mud soup to roll in, yummy.
When mum has finished brushing me and cleaning my feet she goes back into the house. Im so keen to get going, I poo at least three times. I must have a nervous stomach. Mum will be cross now the stables dirty again, so I have a wee as well for good measure. I dont know when Ill get the chance again as I hate having a wee away from home.
Mum has come back with my travel rug and boots. She comes into my stable to put my headcollar on, but Im playing "cant catch me". Its quite a good game, just keep walking backwards with your head in the air round the stable. It's even better if you can stand in your poo. After a while I give in and let her put the headcollar on, as she was getting red in the face again. She puts my rug on first. It keeps me warm on our journey. Next come the dreaded boots. They are quite soft and squishy but they come right up my legs. They make me sweat. Walking in them is really strange. I hate them and I wave my legs around when I walk. Ive tried waving my legs when mum puts them on but she still manages to strap them up. Huh.
The next bit can be quite fun, but not as much fun as when mum used to take me out in a trailer. I hated the trailer. It made horrible rattley noises and swayed about, which made me think I was going to fall over. Mum took over an hour to get me in after one pleasure ride. Lots of people came over to us and offered all sorts of advise. One said to hit my bum with a whip, which I thought wasnt very nice of them. I ran backwards and nearly knocked them over, serves them right. Another good trick is to stand on my back legs. Im very careful not to go too high as I might fall over. It certainly gets people out of the way though. In the end I gave up and went in the trailer. Mum said "never again!" She was red in the face then, as well. It was a few days later when mum bought home my new lorry. Its lovely and easy to get in. I travel standing facing the traffic behind us. Its a very small lorry and mum calls it her pony mobile. It has a window at the back Its great fun poking my tongue out at lorry drivers.
Today I just walked straight in. Mum gave me half a packet of polos. She told me I was a good boy and hugged me. Over emotional these humans.
Mum has just closed up the ramp and is giving me a last check when we both notice Philippa is sitting in the grooming bucket. Phillipa is quite a large lady, not very high but very round and Im not sure how she squashed herself into the bucket. Mum scoops her up and puts her out. Then we have to check that Dandelion isnt in the lorry as well. Those cats will get in any vehicle. We have to search them all, before we leave the yard. The dog isnt coming today as she has a cough, which is catching I hope I dont get it. The last time I had a cough a man came and stuck a huge needle in me. I dont like men. Men always do something horrid, like scrape my teeth (though my mouth does feel better afterwards and I can eat more grass), bang my feet with a huge hammer or just smell funny.
At last were off. I just had time to find my travel legs and enjoy watching the traffic behind us, rather a lot of it, as mum drives sooo .. slowly, when we turned off the road onto a bumpy lane.
When we stop I can hear and smell the other horses. Mum lets down the ramp so I can look out. She wanders off. I just want to get out and meet everyone.
Mum comes back and gets in the lorry and starts changing her clothes. When she takes her jeans off I avert my eyes because if I dont, I will start laughing. Dora told me she has to do that when mum has a bath, whatever that is.
At last I have my saddle and bridle on and mum is getting on. At home I always stand still, but Im in such a hurry I fidget and mum tells me off. She has to hop along on one leg to keep up with me. Most other horses do the same, so I dont know what the fuss is about.
Its definitely dressage as mum wouldnt wear these clothes for a pleasure ride.
We go down a short lane to an arena. This is where we ride round and round until its our turn. Ive seen several horses I know. Robin is just plodding in his usual manner. Thistle has obviously had lessons as he is doing as hes told. Quite worrying really, I dont do as Im told even though I have lots of lessons. I tell Thistle hes letting the side down and to chuck his head about, just a bit, for appearance's sake. He ignores me, I think he is becoming very superior. The object of going round and round first is to suss the opposition. I have to work out how well behaved to be. If Im too good, mum will make me do more complicated things. Sometimes my legs nearly end up in a knot! But on the other hand, if Im too naughty mum has in the past, threatened to give up. She gets very red in the face when she says that. That would never do as she might sell me or just leave me in the field.
I decide to be a good boy and trot round nicely, on the bit and with a nice long stride. Mum is pleased. I can feel her think it. I get a bit silly on our second canter. I dont want mum taking me for granted and Ive just spotted a very nice looking mare coming into the arena. I stick my head in the air and pretend to run off for a few strides to impress her, such fun. All the other horses look at me. After a while I behave like a good boy again.
After a long time we leave the arena and walk back up the lane, at least thats what mum wanted. But I cantered sideways instead. Cantering sideways I have found is a good thing to do, as mum cant stop me. She gets red in the face.
We reach the indoor school. It is quite dark and has a sort of sandy surface. We trot round a bit and then somebody sounds a hooter.
This is it.
All tests start with a trot down the centre line. This is a good opportunity to see the judge who is facing you. Some of them look really fierce and some friendly. This one looks smiley. I do a nice turn at the end and we have to do a circle next. I trot round with the right amount of bend (something you have to do on circles, I have practised
until I feel dizzy) and the proper shape. We do some more trotting on turns and circles. Mum is starting to relax and enjoy herself especially when the canter is good.
This arena has a wall mounted mirror.I just love admiring myself in it as we trot by. I have noticed that mum didnt quite straighten my browband
After even more turns and circles in trot we do our second canter. I am fed up with being good, so I start to pull and put my head in the air. Mum is shouting at me under her breath but its just too much fun. The judge must get fed up seeing well behaved horses all trotting round in circles all day. At least I suppose they are well behaved as we never win! Anyway the last part is to trot down the centre line and halt squarely in front of the judge. We trot down the line and this I cant resist. I just have to poke my tongue out at the judge and pull a silly face. I forget that Im supposed to do a square halt and remember just as I stop. I have to do a quick shuffle, and try to make it better by smiling at the judge, though I think it came out as more of a leer.
We leave the arena on a long rein and mum pats me on the neck and tells me what a good boy I am. Shes just relieved that weve finished. I think thats why shes red in the face.
Im put to rest in my lorry. Ive got a nice big haynet bulging with hay. Im really quite hungry after all that effort and I can have a doze if I want.
Sometime later mum comes whooping into the lorry making me jump, as I was thinking about the nice looking mare, in a half asleep kind of way. Oh dear, the rosette shes waving at me is BLUE (clashes very nicely with mums red face) that means Ive come SECOND, oh no!
Shell be even keener on dressage now. Im going to have to think where I went wrong. At least I got the other half pack of polos out of it.
