Well, we have had a mammoth last couple of weeks. I'm finally able to release our big new yipee!! After 7 months (felt like a whole lot longer!!) of stress, tears and never giving up...I'm pleased to say we are now yard owners!!
This has been a lifelong dream of mine since getting Merlin as a 9 year old! My dad and I had many plans on how we would own a yard and run it with Merlin ruling the roost!
Sadly this never happend in my dad's life time or Merlins but I never gave up. With the help of my partner 25 years on we managed to find some stables for sale and a house not too far away.
The things we do for our horses - I've moved nearly 50 miles from family and friends to ensure they now have a forever home and a place we can call ours!
My partner also did something very sweet and had a sign made for the yard which made me tear up saying 'Merlin & Roy's stables'.
To say we are ecstatic is an understatement! It's by no means a big yard and needs tons of work (bar the stables) but it suits the trio to a tee!
We need to get an arena built which is the next huge task as we have an area to school, which was once wood fibre I think but it's very small and squishy!
I do like a project so I will be looking forward to doing improvements throughout the year.
I also cannot wait to try the venues nearby like Weston Lawns! I've always wanted to go there but I didn't like motorway driving!
I've seen a lot of clinics and training advertised nearby so am excited for that too! I'm just giving the trio a little bit of time to settle in.
Bob has found it a bit harder to adjust with the noise of traffic nearby but he is getting there!
If any one has any tips on helping the trio deal with the stress of moving, let me know!
I've found quite a few local tack shops nearby as I've been exploring much to the despair of my partner -he said 'Don't let them get to know you again on a first name basis like the other places did.' haha!!
I will keep you updated on the progress, and the improvements we make! I Hope everyone is staying dry with all this wet weather!!
Once again I threw Arlo in at the deep end, affiliating him purely for the Arena UK second round show, and once again he pulled it out the bag. How lucky am I to have such a wonderful little horse? We haven’t really competed this year. I don’t really compete over the winter, and also my horsebox was away for repairs up until the beginning of June, so I had no transport even if I’d wanted to.
With the dry ground we don’t seem to be having much luck with shoes, as little madam managed to pull both her front shoes off within 12 hours the other day! We entered the arena with two shoes on for a schooling session and left it with one missing (took about an hour to find it). Then that afternoon, as I went to put some hoof ointment on, I looked down and had to double take, thinking I was looking at the wrong hoof. But, no, the other shoe was missing too.
After having a long wait and some lunch at the onsite café, it was time to get ready for the Joan Wolfe Overall Supreme Shetland Pony Championship. I got changed out of my usual showing outfit into black trousers and a maroon top with white spots, as you are expected to be a bit more “bling” in the evening.
We were all set to go for our next outing, and were super excited. That was until I heard the dreaded clunk of a loose shoe! I checked it over, praying it wasn’t too loose, but, nope, it was going to need a refit.