My next equine project horse

[AdorableAlice]

That turning five is a dangerous time, the Oik turned 5 at the end of March - cue lots of rude names!
Love your Ted updates he reminds me of one of my parents shires when she was a baby - she end up at 18hh jet black, four white socks and a blaze

Ted has an entire dictionary of rude names. Facebook kindly reminded me of today 2 years ago......bless the little toad. It does seem an age ago to be fair, and, dare I say it, he has never done anything like this again. Kiss of death no doubt!

 

[Adopter]

Not sure who is cleverest, leaping Ted or person able to catch the moment on camera!

 

[AdorableAlice]

Impressive or what. Ted is officially in training for the Harlem Globe Trotters team, his aim is awesome.

He lives in a large barn with a nice wood chip bed, his garden is a nice large paddock. Plenty of room for all necessary ablutions to take place, or so you might think. However Ted decides to test his aim and totally filled his tiny feed trug with gallons of pee. It is not even a big trug, just a cheap small one. How in all that space did he manage that !, I miss it when putting a scoop of chaff in it as it's so small.

He talents are endless !

 

[Po Knee]

Ha ha. I think he has scored a 10 for accuracy!

 

[hollyandivy123]

Impressive or what. Ted is officially in training for the Harlem Globe Trotters team, his aim is awesome.

He lives in a large barn with a nice wood chip bed, his garden is a nice large paddock. Plenty of room for all necessary ablutions to take place, or so you might think. However Ted decides to test his aim and totally filled his tiny feed trug with gallons of pee. It is not even a big trug, just a cheap small one. How in all that space did he manage that !, I miss it when putting a scoop of chaff in it as it's so small.

He talents are endless !

Well my old beast in a 15 acre field came in with stable stains the morning of a show, even had used a pile as a pillow! Yes he was grey

 

[AdorableAlice]

An update - Ted has learnt to nap.

700kg of rampaging, still not fully grown, carthorse hooking off through the left rein. Oh joy - not !

He is off to some evening dressage tomorrow, and it is outdoors, I don't hold out much hope for the judges car, it could be squished.

 

[Adopter]

He may well surprise you and show his party manners! I am always impressed how most animals respond and try to do their best when out. If he decides to motor I am sure his rider will be prepared, hope it gives him loads of impulsion in the right direction.

 

[AdorableAlice]

If anyone happens to see a large black carthorse walking up the A38 it is Ted walking home in disgrace. No pocket money for the chip shop and no compass.

It was a bad omen when I arrived to find his rider sunning himself in the deckchair and the horse looking over the gate. My question of 'I thought you were going to wash his socks ?' was answered with a curt "can't catch the SH one T. Insult was added to injury when I caught the horse easily.

Now short of time we left with an unplaited and scruffy horse who was rather hot. It seems that Ted had not wandered away from his rider during the catching process but had bucked, galloped and squealed for half an hour. You would have thought that was enough of a hint to throw the towel in and not go, but no we went, things can only get better.

Well no they didn't, he was tense in the warm up paddock and leaning on the hand badly, the trot was fast and furious and the rider was getting ever hotter and worried about upsetting the other competitors. The venue was very close to the yard that Ted went to be broken at and I had asked his breakers, David and Paul to come and see us this evening. Only David could make it and is was lovely to see Ted remember David.

The four minute test was completed in around 90 seconds flat and we had the most fabulous comment on the sheet which had us in stitches -' On a mission.' The poor writer must have been furious to have to write 'hurried' and 'tense' so many times ! Hanging on for grim death, this picture says it all.

It was by far the worst test he has done and he is most certainly going through a rebellious period and sure enough he napped in the warm up paddock on the way back to the lorry. Dreading the answer, I asked David for his opinion, and my rider was in an all time low and questioning his own ability. The horse has been making slow and steady progress throughout the winter and was established in his walk/trot tests. He is now going backwards.

A team meeting was convened in the warm up paddock.

It did not take long for David to tell us that the horse is taking the P and vastly too big for his boots at the moment and we need to very careful not to let the baby bad habits that are just starting to come to the fore become serious issues. The left canter is now good but the right is not and it is in right canter that he naps and hooks off left handed and he has made it back to the school gate at times. Today he did it in trot.

So the equine project remains a project and we have to up our game. To ensure utter misery and self doubt the horse then produced a decent canter right and did not nap for David.

 

[Adopter]

So now you know he can do canter! He looks so handsome, am sure you will get through this stage, like all teenagers he is testing the boundaries!

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

What a brat lol...but still a real beauty xx

 

[sasquatch]

I wouldn't get too down about Ted's current behaviour AA - I knew another teenager cob (albeit not as worrying to have running at you at 500mph) who also struggled with his right canter lead and would buck and nap and do all sorts to get out of it. You have done a fantastic job with him, and I have enjoyed reading this thread so much!

I can remember one lesson where instructor told me he had been refusing to pick it up for her or his owners, had decided canter was not for him was being a very bad boy and they had had to take away his iPhone and his playstation.
Last update I had on him, he still had a few minor issues on his right lead, but doing his A Levels had made him mature a little bit and now he is preparing for university as the nice, level headed young man he was before he hit the Kevin years.

Hopefully Ted is just having Kevin years as well, and once he has done his GCSE's and A Levels he might have matured a bit more. In the mean time, I think the threat of removing his playstation and iPhone may be a good one to use, and keep an eye for any dodgy piercings and tattoos if he decides he's going to go through a rebellious phase! I'm not sure a mohawk and ripped clothes would suit such a handsome young man.

 

[Tiddlypom]

So the equine project remains a project and we have to up our game. To ensure utter misery and self doubt the horse then produced a decent canter right and did not nap for David.

Naughty Ted, don't you just hate it when they do that, what a monkey! Fab pic, once all that talent is harnessed, he will be a force to reckon with.

It was never likely to go completely smoothly ever after with Ted, was it, but hopefully he will be back on track soon.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Harnessed to a barge perhaps ?, plough in deep mud would slow the begger down !

Just done the yard, Ted was chasing pheasants. Just how long do they stay teenagers ?

 

[Lanky Loll]

Brat! The oik's recent good behaviour was preceded by some truly horrible bratty behaviour where I resorted to asking a stronger jockey than me on board to put him back in his box, since it was pointed out to him that being a git just resorts in him having to work 10x harder and for longer until he behaves (even if it does take 2 of us to work him through it) we've had a spell of angelic... which I'm sure I've now jinxed
Joys of young horses

 

[Stockers]

If my orange bog pony is anything to go by, we got through the Kevins by 8. Year 7 was testing, to say the least. Ted looks brilliant. Looking on the bright side I think it is a Good Thing he is taking he P and being a big-head - at least he is not chucking this stuff at you out of fear/insecurity - that is a good reflection on his upbringing.

 

[Luci07]

Hate the Kevins stage. Its as if someone has swapped horses (normally overnight) and they go from fun to monster pain in the derriere in a flash. Sure you will get through it!

 

[AdorableAlice]

I am sure all his tribulations will fade in time. He is off for fun on Sunday, Wichenford Blue Bell Ride.

 

[Red-1]

Ho Ho for Ted, even though you may not feel the Ho Ho.

If you remember the gorgeous Edward from another thread, he was a tank when he came. In fact, when I went to try him he tanked the owner over 2 lanes of dual carriageway, making us stop traffic! He had also done that to another person who came to try him.

He was bought as I liked him (Ho Ho), and we were lucky enough to have some lessons with Jane Bartle-Wilson. I don't know if you know their set-up, but the Olympic sized outdoor dressage arena is open plan, and that first lesson I had all on keeping Edward in the arena at trot! In fact, I recollect if I did not strong arm him he made it out of the arena at walk even!

It took a while, but he came round, and ended up a FAB exam horse for new students and more advanced riders, he had all the moves dressage to half pass, although he was not much of a jumper.

After Edward was Harry, he was a bit smaller at 16.3hh, but if anything even heavier than Eddie. When he came he would go straight, and walk straight into the fence! He went to another dressage trainer with me, and she got on, and trotted, also in a open plan arena, and he promptly took the posh rider out of the arena and across the driveway, right into the straw shed!

He too made a great school horse, was an exam horse, but only for the more basic riders (his feet really were too big!).

I won't bore you with photos, but for the heavies I really do think it is a stage they go through. With both, at times I doubted they would make it, and they both became pleasures to ride.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Has anybody got the Micky Junk's phone number, Ted has decided on a career change from dressage fairy to event horse. Have the entries closed for Rio yet, he will be gutted if they have.

He has been on his first pleasure ride today, he got terribly excited when his tack was upgraded and he wore his first martingale and was convinced his rider was starting the stopwatch in the start box. Please don't tell him the rider was merely calculating how many hours of pain he was about to endure.

Ted embarked on the annual Bluebell Ride and I settled down to have some peace and quiet in the lorry with the last three Nag and Dog magazines that I have not had time to read.

Ted The Intrepid, did not put a foot wrong, leaping into muddy ditches and splashing his way through them and jumped some little logs. Apparently he did go a little faster than required a few times, but did stay in a straight line which is always helpful. That Vicarage V will be a mere trotting pole for Ted and as for the lake, just a paddling pool.

He is out in the field now telling Alice, for the umpteenth time, how brave he was and how much fun he had. I remain bemused that his rider even contemplated letting the furry fool become airborne. There must have been scotch in that cup of coffee he had before getting on board.

 

[be positive]

You cannot let such obvious talent represent the Germans at Rio, I would be phoning Oli or William to give them first refusal, Oli needs a careful jumper for the final phase but I am sure there will be others waiting in line for the opportunity to take him on, Carl will be so disappointed that he is now aiming for an eventing career.

 

[AdorableAlice]

You cannot let such obvious talent represent the Germans at Rio, I would be phoning Oli or William to give them first refusal, Oli needs a careful jumper for the final phase but I am sure there will be others waiting in line for the opportunity to take him on, Carl will be so disappointed that he is now aiming for an eventing career.

This is true, plus his language skills are limited, mainly to four letter words. He will need an agent to arrange his diary and commitments.

 

[Hetsmum]

Maybe if he joins forces with Hovis they can win William Fox in the Hole over? Or Ben Hobday's current horse is part Clydesdale I think? Maybe he can go a bit shire next time? I bet he had a fab time today. Dressage's loss will be Eventing's gain...........

 

[AdorableAlice]

Ted has changed his mind about being an event horse, despite his log jumping and bog wading skills.

He persuaded Alice to google BE and fainted when he found out that being an event horse means 3 consecutive days work at a competition. Now Ted considers 3 days work a fortnight excessive so eventing is a non starter. He also considers staying away from home outrageous, Ted in a tent is out of the question.

He was very tired yesterday after his fun ride efforts and got Alice to ring in sick for him. I think he is unemployable and will be on child benefit for ever.

 

[Adopter]

All teenagers need days in bed to recover from days out, especially if they have enjoyed themselves. Teenagers usually do grow up into adults, so maybe Ted will one day be grown up, but it could be 2 or 3 years away!!

 

[AdorableAlice]

All is quiet on the Ted front at the moment. He is on his holidays due to being conformationally challenged. We have researched industrial sized cruppers but no joy. so he is the field until the front end catches up. His girlfriend did suggest we hire him out to Alton Towers as a ski slope ride, he was very upset and now has an image complex.

With Ted out of the way and much to Alice's horror she has found herself the centre of attention. She has been very much on the back burner and being mainly ID she has been a slow growing young horse and having no temperament or manners issues she just got ignored. She turned 5 last week and has been hacking about and we took her for a couple of horsebox trips. I have sent an entry off for a W/T test on Tuesday. We tidied her up this morning and realised that the sweet and mild little filly has turned into a bit of a stunner and is the mirror image of her sire Amorous Archie.

I expect she will find her first outing difficult but she has to start somewhere. Ted needs to watch his step, with her looks a more handsome boyfriend will easily be found.

 

[lawa]

Wow she is stunning!


We need to meet up for that coffee!

 

[Adopter]

It is fab how they suddenly change and mature, Alice you are a super looking girl, lovely colour as well. How big is she now, our IDs have gone on growing well past five!

 

[View]

Oh she is a stunner.

I fear that Ted will take it very hard when she is being chased by handsome princes.

 

[AdorableAlice]

It is fab how they suddenly change and mature, Alice you are a super looking girl, lovely colour as well. How big is she now, our IDs have gone on growing well past five!

She is only 15.1. wish she was 17.2 !

 

[Red-1]

She looks gorgeous!