Somerford Exmoor Pony Camp Report

[Dave's Mam]

Arrived Friday, and it was all a bit new to Dave & he was very stressed. The barn was noisy, lots going on & a couple of horses banging doors. Dave was very on edge, but I decided to take him on a farm ride. Fail. He totally panicked & went off, so I took him and walked the farm for an hour in hand til he settled.
On Saturday morning, we got ready for our pole lesson & again, he was up to high stress & I was going to give up, until good friends & instructor talked me into working him through it & guess what? He settled. He did a wonderful pole lesson, showing off the trot.
We followed that up with some work in the flatwork arena & then a walk round part of the XC course. Poor boy thought his day was over, then as he was eating his dinner, he got dragged out to play Handy Pony. It didn't go well. Think Drama Llama, but he got let off, as he'd been very busy & was tired.
This morning, we had a private flatwork lesson & worked on his bend, leaning on the bit & lifting him off his front end. He was fantastic, as long as we worked in the end of the arena away from the squeaky light standard.
All in all, a wicked weekend, we're both shattered & I may need to be crowbarred out of my bed tomorrow after sleeping on a concrete floor for 2 nights.

 

[Elsbells]

Oh well done. It's not easy to step outside your comfort zone but it sounds that's just what you did and you conquered your fears. Takes big ones to do that and I applaud you for that.
P.S., isn't Sommerford awesome ��

 

[Dave's Mam]

Oh well done. It's not easy to step outside your comfort zone but it sounds that's just what you did and you conquered your fears. Takes big ones to do that and I applaud you for that.
P.S., isn't Sommerford awesome ��

I do wonder what they thought of this incoming barrage of small, brown, hairy ponies. We got snorted at a lot.

 

[DappleDown]

All in all, a wicked weekend, we're both shattered & I may need to be crowbarred out of my bed tomorrow after sleeping on a concrete floor for 2 nights.

For the next one pop down to Argos, they have a lovely sleepbag with an inflatable air bed inside. Very cosy, and much better than a normal sleeping bag on a hard floor.

Apart from that, sounds fab. :0)

 

[millikins]

Well done, pleased he settled and you had a good time. How many Exmoors attended? We have an Eriskay, I am told they are temperamentally similar to Exmoors in that they retain that slightly "wild" streak, daughter used to take her to PC camp, always fab reports for 3 or 4 days then she'd throw the towel in and refuse to cooperate.

 

[Dave's Mam]

Well done, pleased he settled and you had a good time. How many Exmoors attended? We have an Eriskay, I am told they are temperamentally similar to Exmoors in that they retain that slightly "wild" streak, daughter used to take her to PC camp, always fab reports for 3 or 4 days then she'd throw the towel in and refuse to cooperate.

There were 23 of us, including 6 honorary Exmoors (2 Arabs, a Welsh, a Fell & 2 cobs).

Yes, Exmoors do tend to retain the "feral" streak!

 

[Tiddlypom]

That's brilliant, well done you. Dave's not been backed long, has he?

I do wonder what they thought of this incoming barrage of small, brown, hairy ponies. We got snorted at a lot.

You'd think that they'd seen it all at Somerford. This time last year, my youngster M went there for her first ever XC practice with her pro rider, to find that everywhere they looked there were adults dressed as chickens riding horses! M apparently took it all in her stride as if this was entirely normal, the rider never did find out what the chickens were about...

 

[Dave's Mam]

That's brilliant, well done you. Dave's not been backed long, has he?

Nope, not long at all, end of May. He was a star all in all & everyone loved him.

 

[photo_jo]

I did see you all down there-looked good!

 

[Dave's Mam]

I did see you all down there-looked good!

We're a handsome bunch!