Pony Club started today with a bit of fitness with the Running Club at Downton. Four miles including some fast sprints around the Moot Gardens. The members of the Running Club are all so pleasant, and Tim the Manager of the Centre, as well as the Club itself, is such a pleasant young man. The sort that makes you wish you were younger!!
Next it was off to Brandee to catch her and prepare her for a visit from the new farrier, Luke Blomfield, another very pleasant young man. Unfortunately Marilyn's old farrier has let her down on three occasions and earned himself the boot. It is always a worry whether another farrier would have the degree of sympathy and skill needed to trim a pony like Brandee who is absolutely terrified of having her feet done. I'd definitely recommend Luke who is based in Sway.
Back at the fields it was time to take Benji our for another ride. Since he left the Forest as a wild three year old he has lived full time at a riding stables and he seems to be enjoying being back in his natural environment. On the way back we met my roan pony, Blue, whose real name is Perky(!). It looked like when Pinky met Perky.
Next we did a bit of Horse Agility with Jessica and then Benji and Ginger. This is where Benji's noisier, more colourful environment has really helped, habituating him to all kinds of new and novel items whereas Jessica is new to it all. Nevertheless she is making tremendous progress, getting braver all the time and now always willing to give things a try.
Benji is like an old hand at all of this even though he is only four.
Ginger, Hilary's other pony is only six and an absolute star. She is a working livery at the riding school and does lessons, jumping, Pony Club, horse-ball, Lead-Change, as well as being a super riding horse for Hilary.
