This buckskin mare (New Forest ponies are never dun as they have no dorsal stripe) owes her life to me. Many years ago she leapt over the wire surrounding Woodgreen cricket pitch which then wrapped around her legs. I sat on her neck to keep her still while a man untangled her legs. To show him her gratitude she gave him a good kick as she got back up but it was worth it.
Her colt foal is by Applewitch Diversity.
Great strides often need to go over the same ground. Today we were back with Sandra and her two starters, Iona (above) and Honey.
Although most of the session was a repeat, with the same attention to detail and careful incremental steps...
...we started to lead Iona in bigger circles with me facing forwards rather than towards her hindquarters.
Honey wore a saddle and stirrups for long reining...
...but the saddle wasn't a good enough fit for a rider's weight. We don't want to tell her that saddles hurt.
Henrietta continues to make steady but tiny progress. Today I rubbed her chest for the first time. This has been a no-go area.
She almost seems to like being stroked now...
...and comes up for more, although of course that could be a request for more biscuits.
Twizzle has got himself a couple of new girlfriends. Bella chose to spend the night in the field adjacent to his rather than with her own field mates.
Georgia can catch him very easily...
and he is getting even braver about the big bridge, today tentatively putting his back feet on it...
...and then beginning to trust it.
Out on the Forest he is growing in confidence too and seems to be in his element.
Georgia took over from me so that he starts to get used to 'new' people.
Later she fed my Forest ponies.
On the way home we said hello to Muley, the proper mule (don't tell Henrietta) who lives near the Fighting Cocks. She must be getting on in years.
