The Not-So-Secret Diary of Diva the Shetland Pony - Floof!
18/04/2024Diva (Melland Queen of Scots) usually gets her summer coat quite early compared to other horses and ponies, but this year she has been holding onto hers for a lot longer.
So I’ve been recovering from my impromptu dismount at the last show. The bruise was definitely a whopper and did prevent me from being able to wear shorts on the hottest day of the year so far! However the lump slowly went down and the bruise has now almost gone yippee….just in time ..for all the cloudy weather d’oh! It didn’t stop me going out to our local steam and heavy horse rally though where I got to meet some lovely Shire and Clydesdale horses, not to mention a huugge Percheron that I met last time, (standing at 19hh at 5 years old). My partner did start to look worried when I said I would love a heavy horse!!
We have had another few weeks of schooling at home as the shows had dropped off a bit, but I made sure we have done a variety to keep the horses interested. Autumns been out hacking in the early mornings which has been lovely (and I have to say every car driver I met was ace!), alongside some jumping which she really enjoyed and was very confident with. I also did a bit of dressage schooling – and even tried some pole exercises in the dressage saddle! Pleased to report I stayed on (major plus) and we had quite a lot of fun. I do try and mix the pole exercises up, with different distances and locations around the arena to make her think and keep her keen.
Bob has been doing a mixture of flatwork (a few times of which consisted of continuous powerful extended trot and ‘zoomies’ canter – not to the liking of the rider), but he did have a few good sessions where he behaved lovely. We’ve done some more jumping at home too, starting off small and building up, as I hadn’t realised but even after doing the HC round and completing it, I think the fall had knocked my confidence somewhat! I am getting it back though and having fun jumping him.
Aria too has had a play jumping whilst doing lunge work. Initially avoiding the poles and jumps as much as possible, but once she realised she could get over them I think she actually enjoyed it! She did not however, enjoy a bath I gave her looking extremely unimpressed despite it being a hot day and her being sweaty! Once back out in the long grass she quickly forgot her sulk and was quite happily munching away.
The horses have got a dental appointment coming up – uh oh! They were fairly good last time but I cannot help but be a bit anxious ahead of the next visit! Bob doesn’t like it when he can hear the rasp outside his mouth (yet just looks confused when it’s in his mouth), Autumn has to show displeasure with at least one rear, and Aria has to shock us all by being good! Let’s see what this visit brings – everyone cross their fingers please!
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