My next equine project horse

The mornings outing to a new venue was a success, despite him running out of energy very quickly.

Trailer this time with a friend, he was a little sticky to load but went on within a couple of minutes and travelled very well.

He had a good chat with his mate in the mirror and made us laugh.

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When he finally accepted he could get on the boards he worked nicely and managed to canter down the long sides, the 60m school is so much easier for him.

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Then the petrol light came on and and we had to go home !

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Loaded and travelled well and we are so pleased with him and have another venue we can take him to in the future.
 
Regandal said:
He looks fabulous. The gentleman riding him looks very relaxed. (I hope it's a gentleman! I may have just insulted someone!)
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It is ! a wonderful friend whose position on a horse is to die for, endless patience and horses just love him. I would have given up years ago if he was not around.
 
Happy Christmas AA, Alice, Ted and crew.... Ron and Tom send their regards.

Tom Spent his Christmas Money on a new trowel for applying mud. Ron is saving his up for a new rider. He wants someone who'll take him hunting. He's convinced he's being neglected because I've not yet clipped him and I don't think we'll hunt this season in view of the ground conditions.

Tom got Ron some brave-pants for Christmas, because we managed to walk past the pot bellied pig on the bridleway without a panic attack! Tom got a magic brush from Ron, which is his favourite thing ever at the moment as it can scratch all his itchy bits through his woolly coat.

The best thing though was that I got my stables back, with a newly re-tiled roof :)
 
JenHunt said:
Happy Christmas AA, Alice, Ted and crew.... Ron and Tom send their regards.

Tom Spent his Christmas Money on a new trowel for applying mud. Ron is saving his up for a new rider. He wants someone who'll take him hunting. He's convinced he's being neglected because I've not yet clipped him and I don't think we'll hunt this season in view of the ground conditions.

Tom got Ron some brave-pants for Christmas, because we managed to walk past the pot bellied pig on the bridleway without a panic attack! Tom got a magic brush from Ron, which is his favourite thing ever at the moment as it can scratch all his itchy bits through his woolly coat.

The best thing though was that I got my stables back, with a newly re-tiled roof :)
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Now a pot bellied pig is a big ask, brave Ron. Given all this dreadful weather I would think a new roof would be most useful ! when is it going to stop. Ted had a new rug for Christmas, a nice Shires Highlander, he has worn it for 3 weeks and it is tight around his chest. The creature is growing again. Alice narrowly avoided a vet bill over Christmas, her eye cleared up with a saline wash. Why she cannot just eat the haylage normally is beyond me. She makes a hole in the big bale and eats inwards until her whole head disappears. It is no wonder she has eye irritations.

Ted is in need of Red Bull and Pro Plus, he has just been told he has two tests to do on the same day, that is a whole nine minutes of work and concentration. That is towards the end of the month so he has plenty of time to build himself up to it !

Only I could get an injury as a dressage spectator. We took another horse out yesterday, I stood watching it warm up and another horse extended the canter past me and managed to chuck a lump of the surface straight in my eye, ouch that flipping hurt, dangerous this dressage watching !!

Now if somebody could turn the tap off we would all be able to enjoy the new year.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Now a pot bellied pig is a big ask, brave Ron. Given all this dreadful weather I would think a new roof would be most useful ! when is it going to stop. Ted had a new rug for Christmas, a nice Shires Highlander, he has worn it for 3 weeks and it is tight around his chest. The creature is growing again. Alice narrowly avoided a vet bill over Christmas, her eye cleared up with a saline wash. Why she cannot just eat the haylage normally is beyond me. She makes a hole in the big bale and eats inwards until her whole head disappears. It is no wonder she has eye irritations.

Ted is in need of Red Bull and Pro Plus, he has just been told he has two tests to do on the same day, that is a whole nine minutes of work and concentration. That is towards the end of the month so he has plenty of time to build himself up to it !

Only I could get an injury as a dressage spectator. We took another horse out yesterday, I stood watching it warm up and another horse extended the canter past me and managed to chuck a lump of the surface straight in my eye, ouch that flipping hurt, dangerous this dressage watching !!

Now if somebody could turn the tap off we would all be able to enjoy the new year.
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Might not work for Ted but I've found alongside a fiber based diet (straw chaff and speedibeet/fast fibre) a handful of tobspec turbo an hour before work has really helped keep D's energy at a useful level.
 
Fantastic reports as usual - great photos too. Enjoyed seeing Ted in the indoor school, and wish I could ride like your friend.
JenHunt, so nice to see your lot keeping in touch with friends and family: please tell them to continue (and well done for passing the pig)!
 
AdorableAlice said:
It is ! a wonderful friend whose position on a horse is to die for, endless patience and horses just love him. I would have given up years ago if he was not around.
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My instructor tells me a good position is easier for men because of the angle of the pelvis. I choose to believe this is COMPLETELY TRUE and the only possible explanation for my position. It's all because of my pelvis angle!
 
teacups said:
Fantastic reports as usual - great photos too. Enjoyed seeing Ted in the indoor school, and wish I could ride like your friend.
JenHunt, so nice to see your lot keeping in touch with friends and family: please tell them to continue (and well done for passing the pig)!
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yes, we're still around, just not on here much - only to read the latest from AA and Ted! :)

AA - I wouldn't worry about his energy levels, he's only a baby still, and they do tire quickly (imo, it's mental as much as physical), I'll bet he'll be different again come the spring!
 
Pippity said:
My instructor tells me a good position is easier for men because of the angle of the pelvis. I choose to believe this is COMPLETELY TRUE and the only possible explanation for my position. It's all because of my pelvis angle!
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My opinion is this - Carl Hester sticks his bum out, I stick my bum out, therefore I ride like Carl Hester. My instructor does not agree with this logic, which I feel is very unfair.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Merry Christmas to everyone who follows the bonkers cart horse. He wishes you all a peaceful and successful New year.

I had the best present ever. I have always ridden on Christmas morning, but illness put paid to that in 2013 and 14.

The pocket rocket and I went out at first light with a friend. A short simple hack that meant so much.

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If that hoss gets much wider you will walk like John Wayne!!
 
Ladyinred said:
If that hoss gets much wider you will walk like John Wayne!!
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On the subject of getting wider, the saddler came in today.

Ted had a lovely new Farrington when he came back from the breakers. Stripping his rug off today the first comment from the saddler was 'oh look he has withers now, followed by, gosh, they are lot higher than his bum, he is going to get a lot bigger yet'

Oh flipping joy I thought. His nice new shiny Farrington isn't suitable for him any more and is being swapped, in the meantime the lovely GP that is on the maxi cob now fits Ted as well. So yes, John Wayne I am !
 
AdorableAlice said:
On the subject of getting wider, the saddler came in today.

Ted had a lovely new Farrington when he came back from the breakers. Stripping his rug off today the first comment from the saddler was 'oh look he has withers now, followed by, gosh, they are lot higher than his bum, he is going to get a lot bigger yet'

Oh flipping joy I thought. His nice new shiny Farrington isn't suitable for him any more and is being swapped, in the meantime the lovely GP that is on the maxi cob now fits Ted as well. So yes, John Wayne I am !
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eeekk!! so how big is he currently?

but whilst they're both wearing one saddle, at least it's one less to clean i guess!
 
I rediscovered this thread not having been on here for a long while, what a lot I missed. I have laughed and cried catching up with all the news, it must be one of the most heart warming threads I've ever read and delighted to hear you were told NED.

I'm looking forward to hearing more very soon, hopefully with more pics.
 
The furry fool has a new entry on his CV and is telling everyone who will listen, that he is officially a non starter for tomorrows dressage competition. I have told him that 'started, farted and fell over' is nothing to be proud of.

The reality of no work and several tonnes of mud attached to his feathers has made the decision. Plus it is a nice venue and they might not appreciate the sight of a plastered cart horse careering around upsetting the dressage diva's in the warm up.

We plan to power wash him over the weekend, dip his feet in whitewash and ride him over the weekend in the hope we can go to the local riding club dressage on Tuesday. That is assuming he will be caught of course, he has returned to his naughty ways with all the down time.
 
AdorableAlice said:
The furry fool has a new entry on his CV and is telling everyone who will listen, that he is officially a non starter for tomorrows dressage competition. I have told him that 'started, farted and fell over' is nothing to be proud of.

The reality of no work and several tonnes of mud attached to his feathers has made the decision. Plus it is a nice venue and they might not appreciate the sight of a plastered cart horse careering around upsetting the dressage diva's in the warm up.

We plan to power wash him over the weekend, dip his feet in whitewash and ride him over the weekend in the hope we can go to the local riding club dressage on Tuesday. That is assuming he will be caught of course, he has returned to his naughty ways with all the down time.
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I am pretty sure it was you AA who had the horse who reversed out of the dressage arena and back to the lorry when the weather was particularly foul? or am I wrong? def a HHOer and the thought still makes me smile!
 
Luci07 said:
I am pretty sure it was you AA who had the horse who reversed out of the dressage arena and back to the lorry when the weather was particularly foul? or am I wrong? def a HHOer and the thought still makes me smile!
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It was, and you have a very good memory ! It was my best horse, now retired and making me cry on a regular basis. He was up to medium level but if the weather was not to his liking he made the decisions. He lives out now with his own large bedded down barn. I can predict the weather depending on where he is. If I see him heading for his house during the day I can guarantee it will be raining within minutes. Wonderful old horse and I so wish they did not get old.

As for Ted he is officially at the 'I know everything' stage and has been renamed Ted The Thug. I just hope he behaves himself on Tuesday.
 
AdorableAlice said:
It was, and you have a very good memory ! It was my best horse, now retired and making me cry on a regular basis. He was up to medium level but if the weather was not to his liking he made the decisions. He lives out now with his own large bedded down barn. I can predict the weather depending on where he is. If I see him heading for his house during the day I can guarantee it will be raining within minutes. Wonderful old horse and I so wish they did not get old.

As for Ted he is officially at the 'I know everything' stage and has been renamed Ted The Thug. I just hope he behaves himself on Tuesday.
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Oh they are funny. I remember my 'cart horse' becoming very arrogant when he had learned to walk and trot and turn left or right. As far as he was concerned, he was the brainiest equine in the universe and all the 'good boy's' went completely to his head.

Hope all goes well on Tuesday.
 
Good luck today! That is...assuming you manage to wash off his mudpack, the saddle still fits and Ted hasn't eaten too many red smarties.
Look forward to hearing about it - would love to see a before and after photo too.
 
Maybe I should have factored in the remnants of Storm Jonas + heaving and wheezing indoor schools + another horse having a tantrum + not enough work = an interesting morning !

He loaded and travelled really well but as soon as he was off the lorry he was a tense ball of barely in control muscle with that horrible backwards look in his eye. With no hope of getting on him in the lorry park he was led to the warm up arena and got even worse, starting to run around me in a circle and rounding his back. We walked him for a while and he started to sigh a little and his eye softened so we decided to get on him. My friend who rides him is well past retirement age and a fall is not an option, but he did feel Ted would be ok and possibly better mounted and given something to focus on.

Straight into trot and he did have a couple of baby rumbles but nothing serious and after 20 minutes or so he was ok. The lovely organisers were very kind and told us we could just go in and ride around if we did not want to compete, but Ted was settled enough and he scored 68%, a few wrong bends and wobbles but he held it together and we were so pleased with him.

Not sure if the decision to take him was the correct one for him but everyone survived. No pictures and I can't load the video on here as it is too big.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Maybe I should have factored in the remnants of Storm Jonas + heaving and wheezing indoor schools + another horse having a tantrum + not enough work = an interesting morning !

He loaded and travelled really well but as soon as he was off the lorry he was a tense ball of barely in control muscle with that horrible backwards look in his eye. With no hope of getting on him in the lorry park he was led to the warm up arena and got even worse, starting to run around me in a circle and rounding his back. We walked him for a while and he started to sigh a little and his eye softened so we decided to get on him. My friend who rides him is well past retirement age and a fall is not an option, but he did feel Ted would be ok and possibly better mounted and given something to focus on.

Straight into trot and he did have a couple of baby rumbles but nothing serious and after 20 minutes or so he was ok. The lovely organisers were very kind and told us we could just go in and ride around if we did not want to compete, but Ted was settled enough and he scored 68%, a few wrong bends and wobbles but he held it together and we were so pleased with him.

Not sure if the decision to take him was the correct one for him but everyone survived. No pictures and I can't load the video on here as it is too big.
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Congratulations - definitely the right thing to do - v character building, for both of you. :).
 
D66 said:
Congratulations - definitely the right thing to do - v character building, for both of you. :).
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Thank you and you are right, we learnt a lot more about him yesterday, especially when we watched him channel his anxiety in the right direction even though it was hard for him.

Only I could have a complex carthorse. He is break dancing in the barn this morning, Alice is fed up with him again and on the search for another, less embarrassing boyfriend.
 
I think it's very impressive, especially given the storm! I wasn't going to mention the storm. Shame about the photos though. <g>
 
They never stop teaching us do they? Even someone with all your experience AA. I have all this to come with my baby new cob in the spring. TBH I am quite dreading the thought but I'm sure it will be ok. He is quite like Ted in that he is a sensitive soul - we think part Clyde. Ted is an inspiration to us though :)
 
At last the canter has emerged and it is a good one. Ted the Twit will make it past Intro A and B.

He has been willing to offer it but after a step or two he got rushed/panicky and tucked his bottom under, so we have left it well alone. He had a light bulb moment today after working on 15m trot circles and leg yielding back to the track he stepped into a canter that was balanced and he kept it down the long side with a very nice return to trot before the corner. He managed to repeat the exercise on both reins really well. Needless to say, once he picked it up all he wanted to do was canter. On asking his rider what aid was being put on and being told ' a bum cheek squeeze' worried me greatly, there is no way I can control my backside to that level, it wobbles in the flipping wind !!

Two apples for his tea tonight plus a cuddle, and I am off to look for a little prelim test for him towards the end of February. I need to buy a new test book, mine are 1990's ! What a little star he is turning into and I am determined to get slim and fit enough to ride him myself. Those feathers will have to go though along with my backside.
 
AdorableAlice said:
At last the canter has emerged and it is a good one. Ted the Twit will make it past Intro A and B.

He has been willing to offer it but after a step or two he got rushed/panicky and tucked his bottom under, so we have left it well alone. He had a light bulb moment today after working on 15m trot circles and leg yielding back to the track he stepped into a canter that was balanced and he kept it down the long side with a very nice return to trot before the corner. He managed to repeat the exercise on both reins really well. Needless to say, once he picked it up all he wanted to do was canter. On asking his rider what aid was being put on and being told ' a bum cheek squeeze' worried me greatly, there is no way I can control my backside to that level, it wobbles in the flipping wind !!

Two apples for his tea tonight plus a cuddle, and I am off to look for a little prelim test for him towards the end of February. I need to buy a new test book, mine are 1990's ! What a little star he is turning into and I am determined to get slim and fit enough to ride him myself. Those feathers will have to go though along with my backside.
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Crikey, a bum cheek squeeze. I'm trying them now and it makes my face contort in peculiar way - a dead giveaway to the dressage judges I'm sure. Mental note to me: "If asked to ride Ted, do not consume anything remotely spicey the night before unless entered into the 4.30 at Chepstow".
 
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