bexandspooky
Well-Known Member
The first time I met Spooky I was nervous. I had just sold my previous horse, who I didnt get on with. Me and Mr Toots just didnt click he was enormous and I was intimidated. It was doomed from the start but I tried for 2 years to get on with him and evenutally came to the conclusion that feeling sick every time I went near my own horse wasnt really the way forward. So I sold Mr Toots to a close friend and started my search.
When I had bought my one of my previous horses (a grey arab x welsh) I bypassed the advert in the magazine, and someone unrelated walked past me and pointed straight to the advert and said go and see that one, you will buy that one. Sure enough I did, and we had years of fun together. When looking though adverts this time, again, someone looked over my shoulder and pointed at the advert and said go and see that one, you will buy that one both of them grey arab x welshs.
So, I ended up in deepest devon, on the edge of the moor looking at this pony that couldnt have been less interested in me if he tried. His neck looked like it was stuck on the wrong way all muscle at the bottom and nothing at all on top. Half his mane was long, and the other half missing entirely chewed off by a youngster I was told. He was pigeon toed in front, cow hocked behind, had an enormous grass belly, no shoulders, a narrow chest and no back end to speak of. Me, my other half, Nigel and my friend all looked at him with a little bit of dissapointment we had driven an hour and a half and he wasnt exactly inspiring to look at.
I decided that as we had driven all this way, we should go through the motions, after all, at least he was quiet! I asked his owner to firstly ride him in an open field (my major fear) just so that I could see he wouldnt run away. That part done successfully, we took him into the school and it was my turn. The sick feeling I had felt for years was there, my hands were shaking and I had to take a few deep breaths to keep myself together, but up I got. It was like going home. We just fitted. We dawdled round the school, we dawdled up the lane, we even tried a very poor excuse at a jump (1 end of a pole on a crate, the other end on the floor). As soon as he popped over it at a slow trot with no fuss, I knew he was coming home with me.
We haggled with his owner to £1600 including tack, and my friend was digging her elbow in my ribs muttering hes not worth it, walk away until eventually Nigel pulled her to one side and said he would pay twice that if it made me happy.
A week later, we were sat at the end of the drive of the stable yard, waiting for the lorry to appear. Me shaking like a leaf, hoping that I had made the right decision. He unloaded quietly, went straight to munching his hay, he was all mine. He was bad mannered, having not been tied up for 4 years, he didnt see that he would have to bother with that now. He wouldnt go in the stable if he decided hed rather be out. The vet even warned me that he was strong willed on the ground.
For the first few months we pottered around the lanes, and got a bit of confidence not a lot, but a little bit! My first hurdle was to go to a show and enter a best turned out class that way I wouldnt have to do an individual show, just walk in a circle with everyone else and stand in a line. We tried practicing in a school area marked out in the field in the hope that the Llama neck would eventually point the right way, but it was worse than that! Spooky decided that he had no interest in anything schooling based and froze, turning his head to point at my foot and just froze my reins were useless againt that neck, it didnt matter what I, or anyone else did, he just stayed there, so we sat, I thought, No problem, he will get bored before me, hell give up eventually - but he didnt. It was me that gave up first. He knew when he had won, and just turned for the field gate and back to the stables we wandered.
The day of the show came and I was dreading it. I had spent all evening scrubbing him, plaiting him and cleaning my tack. I could just picture the embarrasment as he froze in the ring and wouldnt move. We had a mile to hack up the road and then I had to face my fears. I hacked over with a friend and Nigel drove over and met us there. The next thing I know I am wearing a number and walking into the ring. I saying to him that I would rather the Llama necked look that the complete shut down, and then he spotted the judge. His head dropped into a very false but very pretty all the same outline, his tail lifted a bit and his ears shot forward. He strode out as if he was a seasoned show pony. The judge walked up and down the line, his ears stayed forwards and he watched the judge intently. The judge spent time looking over everyone closely. Still he held his pose. We were asked to go and walk round while they made their decision. I was asked to come and stand in the centre, and looked at Nigel a bit confused as I had never dont this showing lark before. He told me that we had been pulled in first, I couldnt believe it!! He held his show ponypose until we walked out of the ring and stepping through that gateway was like flicking a switch he had done his days work and that was all I was going to get from him for the rest of the day, back to being a llama!
Time went on and I got a bit happier riding out alone, so long as it was close to home. One day I bumped into someone who asked if I wanted to join her on her ride. I was petrified! She was riding her Arab Stallion my mind went into overdrive, thinking of bellowing stallions striking out, but she assured me that as long we respected his space, he would be fine. So away we went we had never trotted like it, miles and miles on a loose rein, laughing and chatting, no time to worry about what was going to happen next.
We decided that the next hurdle was jumping its all very well stepping over a twig on the common, but i wanted to do a hunter trial, even if it was a little one!! At the same time, a friend of mine had spent years gradually bringing on a loan horse and had set her heart on taking him round Bicton hunter trial course. Sadly the owner decided to take the horse back (sour grapes I think that S had achieved to much with him) and S couldnt do the event. I suggested that she might like to come over with us and take him round the 2ft 6, while I was a chicken and did the 2ft baby course!
We boxed him out there and S got on him and warmed him up. We waited by the start watching the others set off. 95% of the horses refused or ran out at the first fence, either charging down too fast and skidding to a stop, or barely even getting started before running out of steam in front of the jump. Then it was their turn. They set off at a steady canter and popped straight over, off they went, S giving him a gentle and sensitive ride. His only sticking point was the timed section, which was opening a narrow gate, going through and closing it behind them, and he just couldnt get his head round it, and it took them a few minutes.
Then it was my turn. The sick feeling was back, my heart was pounding, I could feel the panic welling up. I knew that if i was stood at the start waiting, I would lose it and never get going. S promised to run next to me, lead rein at the ready (how sad do i sound!!) and i purposefully left his flash noseband hanging loosely, and my stirrups far too long to give myself something to worry about when we were waiting I would rather be busy adjusting my stirrups. We walked down to the start and the starter looks at me and says you.....your next, go!! Sophie kept up with us for the first four fences, before I shouted, its ok, Im fine!! And away we went. Stirrups too long, nothing ready! Gradually I let him break into a canter and then we found a rythem. We got a clear round and a few days later I was chuffed to bits when this photo came through the post.
Winter came and we spent more and more time riding with my friend and her stallion, gradually getting used to the fact that Shazzy wasnt a fire breathing monster. I got used to riding with a very relaxed rein and gradually Spookys neck started to change shape, his back end was bulking up and while he was always going to have a narrow chest, his shoulders were getting well muscled. One day M asked me if a fancied going with her and T to a fun ride on the common, I could almost feel the colour drain from my face, she promised me that they would be taking it really easy and they would look after me, so I agreed. The morning came, and we set off up to the common. I was determined to stay calm and soon enough we were onboard, and had set off. Nigel stayed waiting in the car park for us. We set off in a fast trot, barely enough time to be scared or worried I thought if this is them taking it easy, Id love to see them really going for it!. Every 2 mins there was a call of Are you ok back there, bex? and determined not to be a wuss all my life, I shouted back yes! even though my heart was still thumping! Gradually my frown turned into a smile, and Nigel said he felt huge relief when we came careering over the last hill, and I was grinning from ear to ear, Spooks behaving himself ;D
We did more and more fun rides, we were going here, there and everywhere! After some persuasion, I decided to have a go at endurance. I entered a set speed ride on the try before you buy scheme. Me and M went down in convoy and set off together. We flew round! M was already advanced level and so we planned to stick with her most of the way round, and separate at the second crew point. Nigel was waiting to distract Spooky with a carrot while M dissapeared with Shazzy. 14 miles into the ride and only 1 hour 40 minutes gone, we had an hour to kill before getting back to the venue. So we set off, at a walk, and we dawdled and dawdled, other riders passed us at speed, and still we dawdled along. We walked through a herd of cattle and over a hill, and I looked round to realise that we were completely alone, in the middle of no-where, just me and Spooky. We finally trusted each other enough, that we didnt need anyone else to look after us . We eventually walked over the finish line, 3 minutes over our minimum time, with the equivalent of a grade 2. I was thrilled that my little wonky legged little pony had just carried me all that way.
We were hooked! We got a years membership to endurance GB, and trained and trained until he was a fit as could be. We went to ride after ride, all over the south west and our only problem was that all the fun and excitement seemed to have lit a fire inside of Spooky! He pulled like a train, trying to race everything that we were near. I decided that charging everywhere with his ears stuck up my nose wasnt ideal, so a re-think in bits was needed. M suggested that I tried her Myler combination bit. The change was amazing! I now had the lightest fingertip control, barely needed to pick up my reins and he would stop, and then the grade 1s started rolling in, 4 of them in a year, I was amazed! Vets laughed at him, a 16 year old novice, they laughed at his conformation, some asking other vets to come and laugh with them at his wierd action when he trotted up. I didnt care, He was beating the pure breds with grades and we were having fun, that was the main thing.
As you can see, he enjoyed every minute of it!
We had fun with a herd of calves breaking into the field - Spooky thought it was heaven having a troop of followers!
Our next conquest was to have a go at a mini one day event. A little bit of everything with tiny jumps.
We practiced our dressage test and again we found that Spookys hatred of all things schooling based was still very much there. I had more oomph about me now, so I could keep him walking, but there was no hope at all of getting a reasonable trot out of him! He just wasnt interested.
On the day of the event we all laughed at the prospect of doing the whole dressage test, at a heel dragging walk, while I pony club kick him forward. We attempted to warm up he was a nightmare, we approached the ring, and that little sparkle in him appeared again. I just prayed for movement, I got perfect obideince, I sat quietly, and talked to him, I got everything I asked for, when I asked for it, all in an outline, with his ears forward the whole time. As we trotted down the centre line the last time, someone said they swore they could see his eyes burning into the Judge such a show off!! We were lying in 3rd place. We did the showjumping clear, but took it slowly, and when it came to the cross country, the lack of my Myler bit showed!! We charged round, all I could do was point and hope, he didnt so much as miss a stride, but it wasnt pretty!! We finished the day in 3rd place, and went hope with a lovely rosette another great result!
Someone managed to convince us that as we had done so well there, it would be silly to not go the the hunter trial that was a few weeks later no baby course, 2ft 6 or nothing. This was my last nemesis, so I agreed. I got there early as I wanted to get on with it, but instead there was delay after delay, and eventually we had been standing round in the rain for nearly 4 hours. Finally it was our turn to go, the starter said go! Everyone looked at us, I said go! .............and Spooky said no! He quietly spread his back legs, raised his tail, wagged it a bit, thought about it, looked at everyone, groaned and then relieved himself. Then put his tail back down, sorted his legs out, looked around again, and said right, now I am ready! Away we went, just point and go I kept talking to him all the way and sat quiet he knew what to do. I just needed to make it clear which fence I wanted him to jump, and he obliged without fuss, he saw every stride, sailed every fence and did me proud. Again he took S round for a second trip, another clear round for her.
So that was it, all our mountains climbed. The next year we carried on enjoying and doing well at the endurance, we were up to Open Level and got the odd grade one, but something was different. He started to run out of steam before the end of the ride. When we were riding round the lanes he wanted to stop trotting before we got to the tops of our training hills. My little boy was getting old.
We did a couple more rides, taking it easy and at West Moor 2008, we decided that enough was enough. We hacked around the lanes and had fun on the common, but every day he seemed to want to stop sooner and sooner.
On the 24th January 2009, I was riding with my friend T, and I asked her to get on him and asked her opinion. I had been saying to people for weeks that he wasnt himself and I should stop riding him, they kept telling me that he looked happy enough and a walk round the lanes would do him good. Me and T agreed that it was time to retire him and arranged to go on one last hack the following weekend, to celebrate his retirement. That night my tack was stolen.
Spooky lived the next 9 months in relative luxury, everything he could want for, given to him, until on the 1st September he was lame. The vet came and diagnosed him with a sudden and sever burst of Laminitis, brought on by Cushings disease. We agreed to give him a month to improve.
He went straight onto Box rest, with Danilon and Pergolide and we waited, but he didn't improve.
After 3 weeks we decided to have x-rays done and sadly found that his Pedal bones had rotated beyond repair. We made the heartbreaking decision to end his pain
On friday 2nd October we gave him as much Danilon as we dared, bandaged his feet with padding and let him out one last time.
He charged about, bucked, reared and squealed
At 11.30 the vet came and we said goodbye.
He went in style and has been buried in a lovely spot forever more.
All I have nothing more to do but to thank my beautiful little boy for looking after me and teaching me so much after the last seven years. I am sad that I dont get to see his face every day, but glad that he isnt feeling pain any more.
Everyone in the world should have the opportunity in life to own a short wonky legged pony with the heart of a Lion.
When I had bought my one of my previous horses (a grey arab x welsh) I bypassed the advert in the magazine, and someone unrelated walked past me and pointed straight to the advert and said go and see that one, you will buy that one. Sure enough I did, and we had years of fun together. When looking though adverts this time, again, someone looked over my shoulder and pointed at the advert and said go and see that one, you will buy that one both of them grey arab x welshs.
So, I ended up in deepest devon, on the edge of the moor looking at this pony that couldnt have been less interested in me if he tried. His neck looked like it was stuck on the wrong way all muscle at the bottom and nothing at all on top. Half his mane was long, and the other half missing entirely chewed off by a youngster I was told. He was pigeon toed in front, cow hocked behind, had an enormous grass belly, no shoulders, a narrow chest and no back end to speak of. Me, my other half, Nigel and my friend all looked at him with a little bit of dissapointment we had driven an hour and a half and he wasnt exactly inspiring to look at.
I decided that as we had driven all this way, we should go through the motions, after all, at least he was quiet! I asked his owner to firstly ride him in an open field (my major fear) just so that I could see he wouldnt run away. That part done successfully, we took him into the school and it was my turn. The sick feeling I had felt for years was there, my hands were shaking and I had to take a few deep breaths to keep myself together, but up I got. It was like going home. We just fitted. We dawdled round the school, we dawdled up the lane, we even tried a very poor excuse at a jump (1 end of a pole on a crate, the other end on the floor). As soon as he popped over it at a slow trot with no fuss, I knew he was coming home with me.
We haggled with his owner to £1600 including tack, and my friend was digging her elbow in my ribs muttering hes not worth it, walk away until eventually Nigel pulled her to one side and said he would pay twice that if it made me happy.
A week later, we were sat at the end of the drive of the stable yard, waiting for the lorry to appear. Me shaking like a leaf, hoping that I had made the right decision. He unloaded quietly, went straight to munching his hay, he was all mine. He was bad mannered, having not been tied up for 4 years, he didnt see that he would have to bother with that now. He wouldnt go in the stable if he decided hed rather be out. The vet even warned me that he was strong willed on the ground.
For the first few months we pottered around the lanes, and got a bit of confidence not a lot, but a little bit! My first hurdle was to go to a show and enter a best turned out class that way I wouldnt have to do an individual show, just walk in a circle with everyone else and stand in a line. We tried practicing in a school area marked out in the field in the hope that the Llama neck would eventually point the right way, but it was worse than that! Spooky decided that he had no interest in anything schooling based and froze, turning his head to point at my foot and just froze my reins were useless againt that neck, it didnt matter what I, or anyone else did, he just stayed there, so we sat, I thought, No problem, he will get bored before me, hell give up eventually - but he didnt. It was me that gave up first. He knew when he had won, and just turned for the field gate and back to the stables we wandered.
The day of the show came and I was dreading it. I had spent all evening scrubbing him, plaiting him and cleaning my tack. I could just picture the embarrasment as he froze in the ring and wouldnt move. We had a mile to hack up the road and then I had to face my fears. I hacked over with a friend and Nigel drove over and met us there. The next thing I know I am wearing a number and walking into the ring. I saying to him that I would rather the Llama necked look that the complete shut down, and then he spotted the judge. His head dropped into a very false but very pretty all the same outline, his tail lifted a bit and his ears shot forward. He strode out as if he was a seasoned show pony. The judge walked up and down the line, his ears stayed forwards and he watched the judge intently. The judge spent time looking over everyone closely. Still he held his pose. We were asked to go and walk round while they made their decision. I was asked to come and stand in the centre, and looked at Nigel a bit confused as I had never dont this showing lark before. He told me that we had been pulled in first, I couldnt believe it!! He held his show ponypose until we walked out of the ring and stepping through that gateway was like flicking a switch he had done his days work and that was all I was going to get from him for the rest of the day, back to being a llama!
Time went on and I got a bit happier riding out alone, so long as it was close to home. One day I bumped into someone who asked if I wanted to join her on her ride. I was petrified! She was riding her Arab Stallion my mind went into overdrive, thinking of bellowing stallions striking out, but she assured me that as long we respected his space, he would be fine. So away we went we had never trotted like it, miles and miles on a loose rein, laughing and chatting, no time to worry about what was going to happen next.
We decided that the next hurdle was jumping its all very well stepping over a twig on the common, but i wanted to do a hunter trial, even if it was a little one!! At the same time, a friend of mine had spent years gradually bringing on a loan horse and had set her heart on taking him round Bicton hunter trial course. Sadly the owner decided to take the horse back (sour grapes I think that S had achieved to much with him) and S couldnt do the event. I suggested that she might like to come over with us and take him round the 2ft 6, while I was a chicken and did the 2ft baby course!
We boxed him out there and S got on him and warmed him up. We waited by the start watching the others set off. 95% of the horses refused or ran out at the first fence, either charging down too fast and skidding to a stop, or barely even getting started before running out of steam in front of the jump. Then it was their turn. They set off at a steady canter and popped straight over, off they went, S giving him a gentle and sensitive ride. His only sticking point was the timed section, which was opening a narrow gate, going through and closing it behind them, and he just couldnt get his head round it, and it took them a few minutes.
Then it was my turn. The sick feeling was back, my heart was pounding, I could feel the panic welling up. I knew that if i was stood at the start waiting, I would lose it and never get going. S promised to run next to me, lead rein at the ready (how sad do i sound!!) and i purposefully left his flash noseband hanging loosely, and my stirrups far too long to give myself something to worry about when we were waiting I would rather be busy adjusting my stirrups. We walked down to the start and the starter looks at me and says you.....your next, go!! Sophie kept up with us for the first four fences, before I shouted, its ok, Im fine!! And away we went. Stirrups too long, nothing ready! Gradually I let him break into a canter and then we found a rythem. We got a clear round and a few days later I was chuffed to bits when this photo came through the post.
Winter came and we spent more and more time riding with my friend and her stallion, gradually getting used to the fact that Shazzy wasnt a fire breathing monster. I got used to riding with a very relaxed rein and gradually Spookys neck started to change shape, his back end was bulking up and while he was always going to have a narrow chest, his shoulders were getting well muscled. One day M asked me if a fancied going with her and T to a fun ride on the common, I could almost feel the colour drain from my face, she promised me that they would be taking it really easy and they would look after me, so I agreed. The morning came, and we set off up to the common. I was determined to stay calm and soon enough we were onboard, and had set off. Nigel stayed waiting in the car park for us. We set off in a fast trot, barely enough time to be scared or worried I thought if this is them taking it easy, Id love to see them really going for it!. Every 2 mins there was a call of Are you ok back there, bex? and determined not to be a wuss all my life, I shouted back yes! even though my heart was still thumping! Gradually my frown turned into a smile, and Nigel said he felt huge relief when we came careering over the last hill, and I was grinning from ear to ear, Spooks behaving himself ;D
We did more and more fun rides, we were going here, there and everywhere! After some persuasion, I decided to have a go at endurance. I entered a set speed ride on the try before you buy scheme. Me and M went down in convoy and set off together. We flew round! M was already advanced level and so we planned to stick with her most of the way round, and separate at the second crew point. Nigel was waiting to distract Spooky with a carrot while M dissapeared with Shazzy. 14 miles into the ride and only 1 hour 40 minutes gone, we had an hour to kill before getting back to the venue. So we set off, at a walk, and we dawdled and dawdled, other riders passed us at speed, and still we dawdled along. We walked through a herd of cattle and over a hill, and I looked round to realise that we were completely alone, in the middle of no-where, just me and Spooky. We finally trusted each other enough, that we didnt need anyone else to look after us . We eventually walked over the finish line, 3 minutes over our minimum time, with the equivalent of a grade 2. I was thrilled that my little wonky legged little pony had just carried me all that way.
We were hooked! We got a years membership to endurance GB, and trained and trained until he was a fit as could be. We went to ride after ride, all over the south west and our only problem was that all the fun and excitement seemed to have lit a fire inside of Spooky! He pulled like a train, trying to race everything that we were near. I decided that charging everywhere with his ears stuck up my nose wasnt ideal, so a re-think in bits was needed. M suggested that I tried her Myler combination bit. The change was amazing! I now had the lightest fingertip control, barely needed to pick up my reins and he would stop, and then the grade 1s started rolling in, 4 of them in a year, I was amazed! Vets laughed at him, a 16 year old novice, they laughed at his conformation, some asking other vets to come and laugh with them at his wierd action when he trotted up. I didnt care, He was beating the pure breds with grades and we were having fun, that was the main thing.
As you can see, he enjoyed every minute of it!
We had fun with a herd of calves breaking into the field - Spooky thought it was heaven having a troop of followers!
Our next conquest was to have a go at a mini one day event. A little bit of everything with tiny jumps.
We practiced our dressage test and again we found that Spookys hatred of all things schooling based was still very much there. I had more oomph about me now, so I could keep him walking, but there was no hope at all of getting a reasonable trot out of him! He just wasnt interested.
On the day of the event we all laughed at the prospect of doing the whole dressage test, at a heel dragging walk, while I pony club kick him forward. We attempted to warm up he was a nightmare, we approached the ring, and that little sparkle in him appeared again. I just prayed for movement, I got perfect obideince, I sat quietly, and talked to him, I got everything I asked for, when I asked for it, all in an outline, with his ears forward the whole time. As we trotted down the centre line the last time, someone said they swore they could see his eyes burning into the Judge such a show off!! We were lying in 3rd place. We did the showjumping clear, but took it slowly, and when it came to the cross country, the lack of my Myler bit showed!! We charged round, all I could do was point and hope, he didnt so much as miss a stride, but it wasnt pretty!! We finished the day in 3rd place, and went hope with a lovely rosette another great result!
Someone managed to convince us that as we had done so well there, it would be silly to not go the the hunter trial that was a few weeks later no baby course, 2ft 6 or nothing. This was my last nemesis, so I agreed. I got there early as I wanted to get on with it, but instead there was delay after delay, and eventually we had been standing round in the rain for nearly 4 hours. Finally it was our turn to go, the starter said go! Everyone looked at us, I said go! .............and Spooky said no! He quietly spread his back legs, raised his tail, wagged it a bit, thought about it, looked at everyone, groaned and then relieved himself. Then put his tail back down, sorted his legs out, looked around again, and said right, now I am ready! Away we went, just point and go I kept talking to him all the way and sat quiet he knew what to do. I just needed to make it clear which fence I wanted him to jump, and he obliged without fuss, he saw every stride, sailed every fence and did me proud. Again he took S round for a second trip, another clear round for her.
So that was it, all our mountains climbed. The next year we carried on enjoying and doing well at the endurance, we were up to Open Level and got the odd grade one, but something was different. He started to run out of steam before the end of the ride. When we were riding round the lanes he wanted to stop trotting before we got to the tops of our training hills. My little boy was getting old.
We did a couple more rides, taking it easy and at West Moor 2008, we decided that enough was enough. We hacked around the lanes and had fun on the common, but every day he seemed to want to stop sooner and sooner.
On the 24th January 2009, I was riding with my friend T, and I asked her to get on him and asked her opinion. I had been saying to people for weeks that he wasnt himself and I should stop riding him, they kept telling me that he looked happy enough and a walk round the lanes would do him good. Me and T agreed that it was time to retire him and arranged to go on one last hack the following weekend, to celebrate his retirement. That night my tack was stolen.
Spooky lived the next 9 months in relative luxury, everything he could want for, given to him, until on the 1st September he was lame. The vet came and diagnosed him with a sudden and sever burst of Laminitis, brought on by Cushings disease. We agreed to give him a month to improve.
He went straight onto Box rest, with Danilon and Pergolide and we waited, but he didn't improve.
After 3 weeks we decided to have x-rays done and sadly found that his Pedal bones had rotated beyond repair. We made the heartbreaking decision to end his pain
On friday 2nd October we gave him as much Danilon as we dared, bandaged his feet with padding and let him out one last time.
He charged about, bucked, reared and squealed
At 11.30 the vet came and we said goodbye.
He went in style and has been buried in a lovely spot forever more.
All I have nothing more to do but to thank my beautiful little boy for looking after me and teaching me so much after the last seven years. I am sad that I dont get to see his face every day, but glad that he isnt feeling pain any more.
Everyone in the world should have the opportunity in life to own a short wonky legged pony with the heart of a Lion.
