Me and the pony gang

So for a few years now it has occured to me that my life is so fasinating that people should need to hear about its.... or B......  Failing that I loved writing a diary and did it from about the age of 13 to 18 (which was about the time I started cheating on my then boyfriend and was so paranoid about him finding it and couldn't see the point in lying to it.  So stopped)  Unfortunately, it also means that some of my most hilarious stories which probably happened 22 to 28 go unwritten and mostly un-remembered.  Which is a shame.  Because I have had more moments than most in my life where you literally wouldnt believe it if it was in a book!!

Also I have the other great passion of my life...  the horses.  So hopefully, rather than regalling you with interesting facts of my life it will be mostly about the horses.....

I have 4!!!  Yes, I would not have thought that possible either.

First Baby - Conor (Trueheart)

Words that describe Conor.... Big, ginger,  stubborn, clever, fucking hard work and now looking back did me proud.  David purchased me Conor for my 30th. Thinking he was going to be a bit like a set of golf clubs and that he was going to be hidden under the stairs every winter. (Would have knocked the house down).  Wouldn't walk out the yard, wouldn't load, wouldn't go anywhere he didn't want to and would go everywhere he did want to regardless of what was in his way.... His mummy loved him.  Now because his mummy loved him and was equally stubborn and clever. By the time I'd had him 7 years we had successfully hunted, completed a 3 day event and an affiliated pre-novice.  It was on the latter he suddenly stopped jumping half way round after being amazing we eventually discovered he had chronic side bone and arthritis in his foot.  The vet "I don't know how he has ever jumped for you" so it turned out Conor the thug loved me after all....  He was 13.  I was 35 and devastated! Talk about cut off in his prime. 

Second baby - Bessie (Second Chance) Boo
Technically, she isnt mine.... But has been with me for longer than the owners now. She arrived with me in about October 2007 when we moved into Rose Lawn.  She was to be Conor's companion who had retired earlier in the year in preperation for my next Eventer!  Bess is about 27-30 years of age and a lovely, if a little timid mare.  Although I have never ridden her. Her previous owner Danielle took her to great heights and she was your perfect first pony.  I decided Bess had been a first pony too many times and like to think she is happy with me.  She really is no trouble at all and such a contrast to the boys. I love her to bits. 

 

Third baby - The Zulu (Amazulu) 

What can I say..... I went out to get a small eventer Irish sport horse....  I came back with what was to be eventually 18hh of Holsteiner.  Truly Zulu is the love of my life. He taught me patience, how to really ride, how to enjoy jumping at 20ft and that horses can love you back. After 5 years of joy, desperation and again heartbreak Zulu retired at 10 years of age.  It is still quite raw so this description of what can best be described as a passionate love affair (horsey people will get this) may be short.  After years of he is right, oh he isn't, yes he is, no he's not.  It all became clear in April this year when i was told he has arthritis in his neck which was pressing on his spinal chord. Causing grade 2/3 ataxia on back legs and 2 on his front. Whilst this didn't seem to bad, the grading is only out of 5 which means they literally can't get up if they fall down. He doesn't know what he is doing with his legs.  This beautiful soul of a horse has trusted me to place his feet for him for years. Until he decided he couldn't anymore and wouldn't come out of walk with me on his back (he is fine in the field).  He is still here and beautiful and seems very happy in his retirement.  Thankfully.  I still miss the bond of riding him everyday. 

Along came no. Four - Eager B (Eager Empress)

She came and found me literally dragging me out of my despair.  The perfect young horse with enough confidence to love me even knowing I didn't have a lot of space to love back. That confidence in herself convinced me pretty quick that she must be absolutely right, she is amazing! This blog is going to be about her and the trials and tribulations of horse ownership.  She is a 4 year old Dutch Sport horse. I think of her more as a sport horse, as she just isn't like a warmblood.  Also, just loving having a mare.  Her work ethic is superb (much better than mine) which means things seem to take as long as they should do and not 20 times longer.... Patience Obiwan.

 

The Gang