When my workplace, Oakham Veterinary Hospital, announced plans for an open day I immediately volunteered myself and Diva (Melland Queen of Scots) to take part. Diva is a lovely, friendly character and I felt she would be a good ambassador for the Shetland pony breed and for the practice too.
The weather has sadly taking its toll over the last couple of weeks and like many others, our fun ride was postponed due to heavy rain. A few days before, our ride was postponed to the following bank holiday Monday but was then cancelled as more heavy rain was forecasted throughout the week and on passing the entrance to the field we would have parked in, I completely understand why!
Last month I had to make the really difficult decision of retiring Ben. Two years ago after a set of broken ribs and some very sudden quirky behaviour, the vets found out Ben had some blindness in his right eye from a cataract. It was only blocking a certain spot and we spent a few weeks doing a lot of work on that side to help desensitise him.
Although the weather can’t make its mind up between winter and spring, and the ponies are still in their winter woollies, somehow the first show of the season was upon us!
It’s been a bit of a busy couple of weeks, with Bob having a lesson each weekend, alongside myself and my partner doing some long walks with the local walking group (I will get fitter!) and more yard maintenance and sycamore seedling patrol.
It wasn’t just the bunnies that were out bouncing recently. Bob and I had another lesson which proved successful as it seems he decided he wanted to learn. Our school isn’t the biggest, but we managed to get a grid of five fences and a start off pole at each end diagonally across it. The exercise was to show Bob that poles didn’t immediately mean rushing.
I am finding it hard to believe we are a quarter of the way through 2023 already, it feels like time has flown by, equally on reflection, I don't even know where to start with the small steps towards big goals!
The last week has been a bit of a soggy one - although I have enjoyed seeing the rainbows, with the fields looking more like a marshland than grazing paddocks. I’ve put the horses out when I can and luckily, they haven’t galloped about much – I think they were grateful to be out!
There was great excitement on the yard last weekend when a new resident arrived. Charlotte, the yard owner, had bought a two-year-old mini Shetland pony filly. Charlotte fell in love with Shetlands after getting to know both Diva and her friend Peanut the mini Shetland who also lives at the yard.