My next equine project horse

He has gone clubbing, taken Dim Tim with him and left Alice behind. No doubt he will be arrested for drunken disorderly and have a criminal record to go with his rosette.

Alice is miles behind Ted on the education front, I don't have a consistent rider for her, but to be fair when her little rider is available the filly behaves, is willing and enjoys her work. She is growing and getting deeper and will be a much stronger horse in the spring.

Ted worried me on the outward trip this morning, his first solo journey, apart from the little practice at the weekend, in the lorry. He got anxious and tense. I stayed with him and that helped a little, as did the distraction of a bucket of nuts. The homeward trip was far better and although boiled he was more accepting and his eye was calm.

Ted has two rosettes now and I am very proud of him. My husband has just announced they must be the worlds most expensive bits of ribbon and cardboard ever made. Revenge is best served cold, his socks and pants have just gone in the machine with Ted's dressage square. Ted has an outer layer of coat like a camel, very prickly and itchy. What comes round goes round I guess.
 
>> My husband has just announced they must be the worlds most expensive bits of ribbon and cardboard ever made. Revenge is best served cold, his socks and pants have just gone in the machine with Ted's dressage square.


Oh my, LMAO !!!
 
Those rosettes aren't just made of ribbon and cardboard - there is a hell of a lot of blood, sweat and tears in them as well - but I think AA's OH knows that, 'cause some of them are prob his.
 
Greybird said:
Those rosettes aren't just made of ribbon and cardboard - there is a hell of a lot of blood, sweat and tears in them as well - but I think AA's OH knows that, 'cause some of them are prob his.
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You are right ! plus you forgot the cash. OH left in charge this evening as I left at 4am for Hoys and only just walked in. My question of 'everything ok'? was answered with the comment of 'Ted's poo's are too big for the wheelbarrow'. Well that is an observation I suppose, I will assume all legs are attached and everyone is upright and breathing !
 
Alice is in love with Ted again and Ted has scored brownie points and is now unbearably smug.

Our early Sunday morning hack was so lovely, if a little eventful. The two babies and the barge horse in rear guard position. Our lanes have been resurfaced with that smooth tarmac and the bike clubs are loving it. Thirty lycra clad men hurtled at us in a very narrow spot, I managed to put barge horse's amble bottom in the way and they slowed a little. Baby horses coped well, Alice was alarmed but Ted was fine. Do bike riders have no concept of what a horse can do ?, I have no idea if this group were racing but they were certainly not stopping until I forced the issue.

Hacking on past the dairy farm Ted got his chance to turn into a super hero. The cows had just come out of the parlour and were rather fresh as they trotted down the bank towards the lane we were on. Alice was beside herself and shot forwards into the rear end of Ted, I am sure she wanted to wrap her front legs around his neck. To my utter amazement the ever steady barge horse decided she was also out of here and took a good hold, careering into the other side of Ted.

Ted pricked his ears and walked on totally unperturbed about the cattle and with two mares clutching onto him. He is now telling anyone who will listen about his super hero status.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Alice is in love with Ted again and Ted has scored brownie points and is now unbearably smug.

Our early Sunday morning hack was so lovely, if a little eventful. The two babies and the barge horse in rear guard position. Our lanes have been resurfaced with that smooth tarmac and the bike clubs are loving it. Thirty lycra clad men hurtled at us in a very narrow spot, I managed to put barge horse's amble bottom in the way and they slowed a little. Baby horses coped well, Alice was alarmed but Ted was fine. Do bike riders have no concept of what a horse can do ?, I have no idea if this group were racing but they were certainly not stopping until I forced the issue.

Hacking on past the dairy farm Ted got his chance to turn into a super hero. The cows had just come out of the parlour and were rather fresh as they trotted down the bank towards the lane we were on. Alice was beside herself and shot forwards into the rear end of Ted, I am sure she wanted to wrap her front legs around his neck. To my utter amazement the ever steady barge horse decided she was also out of here and took a good hold, careering into the other side of Ted.

Ted pricked his ears and walked on totally unperturbed about the cattle and with two mares clutching onto him. He is now telling anyone who will listen about his super hero status.
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Oh well done Ted! Martha will never live it down! :)
 
Martha's clearly so impressed with Ted's rock solid steadiness on the road that she has decided to hand him the job of nanny in chief!

Re the cyclists. Can you persuade someone to become your own ninja cyclist to accompany you on hacks, to flag them down if they come speeding along? My OH does this for me, he can whizz off to slow them down in time if necessary.
 
Another milestone reached today.

Ted hacked out all on his lonesome. He was forward, attentive and a very good boy passing traffic and the occasional Worcestershire Crocodilagator. These are monsters that lurk only in Worcestershire hedges and are very rare, only horses can see them, humans can't. They are deadly dangerous and must be passed at speed.

Ted's was very brave and grown up, the only baby behaviour was every time he spotted a horse in the fields he called to it.
 
OldNag said:
Ted gets awesomer week by week.

You must be so proud :)
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I am, but despite all his progress under saddle, there is one thing that makes me almost cry each time when I am with him. It sounds stupid I know and is hardly horsemanship, but he actually wants to be with me, he stays with me and is happy with me in his space.

How daft does that sound ! and unless you saw what he was like with people, it is probably meaningless.
 
AdorableAlice said:
I am, but despite all his progress under saddle, there is one thing that makes me almost cry each time when I am with him. It sounds stupid I know and is hardly horsemanship, but he actually wants to be with me, he stays with me and is happy with me in his space.

How daft does that sound ! and unless you saw what he was like with people, it is probably meaningless.
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Not daft at all.
I would say that *IS* horsemanship :)
 
OldNag said:
Not daft at all.
I would say that *IS* horsemanship :)
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totally agree!

he's clearly a very smart horse, who's just taken time to mature. You are clearly proud of him, but you should be proud of yourself too for persevering, for finding the right solution for him and for believing that it would come right eventually!

this thread is just about the only reason i still cone on H&H these days...
 
JenHunt said:
totally agree!

he's clearly a very smart horse, who's just taken time to mature. You are clearly proud of him, but you should be proud of yourself too for persevering, for finding the right solution for him and for believing that it would come right eventually!

this thread is just about the only reason i still cone on H&H these days...
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What lovely words, thank you. I can't believe I have kept the story going for so long. The forum gave me so much company, strength and diversion when I was ill.

Ted has an exciting weekend coming up. He has a friend visiting on Sunday to go for a hack. A real Shire Horse is coming over to get used to travelling alone and then go for a nice ride somewhere different.

As you know Ted very nearly went to a Shire specialist to be broken, but that would have been as a driving horse and I had set my heart on riding him at some point. We remain in touch with Warwickshire Carriage Horses and are looking forward to riding out with one of their magnificent Shires on Sunday. Ted is going to look like a Shetland pony, the photographs will be fun.
 
can't wait to see the pictures! I'm sure he won't look like a midget at all :)

do you think you'll try driving him at some point in the future?

reading what you went through when you were poorly really helped me to handle my mum going through similar, and I'm so pleased that you (both!) came through it as you have done.
 
Very pleased to hear you mum is doing well. It is so difficult for those around cancer patients to know what to do and how to cope.

Ted won't be driven, he is heading for a dressage career, plus other fun of course. Under the fur and feather are some very surprising paces and rhythm, he ticks along very easily and both the judges that have seen him so far, mentioned how even his trot is.

Amazes me to be honest, I watched all the falling over, slipping up and general out of control of his own limbs, to ever believe he could steer himself around a circle.

So looking forward to clipping him out in the Spring, I think he will look very smart.
 
Hello,

I'm sure you're bored of reading these sorts of posts but I just had to say what an amazing inspiration you've been to me.

I've had nothing in the form of trials and tribulations in my life compared to yours, and you put my minor worries to bed simply with your self reassurance that everything will be ok.

I read this thread over the course of a week and it is genuinely like reading a family members diary. My OH even commented how glued to my phone I was (cue snarky remark and quick slap on the belly) and I just want to say thankyou for sharing this very personal journey.

Ted looks fantastic, Alice is my ideal horse (even with the belt short skirts and nights out drinking alcopops!!) and you are an inspiration.

You have given me the self confidence to take on a youngster and I just hope that even with my inexperience and nerves, she will somehow turn out to be half the horse Ted is (literally and figuratively!)

I wish you all the best, and thankyou once again xx
 
hanny93 said:
Hello,

I'm sure you're bored of reading these sorts of posts but I just had to say what an amazing inspiration you've been to me.

I've had nothing in the form of trials and tribulations in my life compared to yours, and you put my minor worries to bed simply with your self reassurance that everything will be ok.

I read this thread over the course of a week and it is genuinely like reading a family members diary. My OH even commented how glued to my phone I was (cue snarky remark and quick slap on the belly) and I just want to say thankyou for sharing this very personal journey.

Ted looks fantastic, Alice is my ideal horse (even with the belt short skirts and nights out drinking alcopops!!) and you are an inspiration.

You have given me the self confidence to take on a youngster and I just hope that even with my inexperience and nerves, she will somehow turn out to be half the horse Ted is (literally and figuratively!)

I wish you all the best, and thankyou once again xx
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Oh, how lovely, and hello. Take things slowly with your young horse and don't hesitate to seek help if you are unsure of anything. Getting help is not a weakness in any way at all. I have had horses 35 years but knew fairly soon in my journey with Ted that I would need some very special help.

Rearing your own horse is very rewarding and if you make a mistake you can rectify it quickly. Good luck.
 
Ted is distraught, in the deepest doldrums and needs extensive therapy.

Alice has dumped him and taken her admiration elsewhere. She did think he was tall, dark and handsome until she saw Brad yesterday. Brad visited us to go for a hack, as soon as he unloaded Alice had fainted and needed smelly salts to revive her. She then told Ted he is a short dumpy squirt and is history.

Ted is too polite to fight for his girlfriend and turned to me for advice. I told him we are both short fat and dumpy and we will survive.

DSCF1968_zpswfzkvmwi.jpg
 
AdorableAlice said:
Ted is distraught, in the deepest doldrums and needs extensive therapy.

Alice has dumped him and taken her admiration elsewhere. She did think he was tall, dark and handsome until she saw Brad yesterday. Brad visited us to go for a hack, as soon as he unloaded Alice had fainted and needed smelly salts to revive her. She then told Ted he is a short dumpy squirt and is history.

Ted is too polite to fight for his girlfriend and turned to me for advice. I told him we are both short fat and dumpy and we will survive.

DSCF1968_zpswfzkvmwi.jpg
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He's so handsome :D
 
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