Lots and lots of work!

I'm just warning you now, I have a lot to inform you on, so be prepared okay?

So, from the last time you heard about me and John he's been ridden a further I think 4 times? 

So on the 13/05/14, Mum came to see John being ridden for the first time, he was a lot more settled than the previous ride which was his first ride at home and he clearly showed that he had settled absolutely perfectly, I jumped straight on and didn't lunge, and ended up doing walk and trot on both reins and a canter on one rein! He was foot perfect, I could not have faulted him in anyway. He still felt a little rushy in his canter as he seemed to look at the viewing but I didn't expect anything fancy for a second ride at home and a first canter at home, and my first canter on him! (I don't think I can say much more, he was literally just perfect!)

Then on the Wednesday (14/05/14) the team came to see Watson's cheeky little face! He literally just felt even better than the day before, we did all paces on both reins and even did a little trotting pole which John really seemed to enjoy through jumping it and then cantering off at full speed, silly horse bless him, it was hilarious I must admit! Emma then got on, he was such a polite little gentlemen considering it was his third ride at home and he just let someone else get on and ride him around! He's not a hard horse to ride, but he is a bit odd I must admit so Emma rode him beautifully:) After that, Beth got on and really put him through his paces doing a lot more canter work, safe to say John was very sweaty afterwards!! But again, he really didn't mind, considering he'd had three people jump on him and just do whatever, he listened so well and really showed how much of a well mannered horse he really is, he makes me so proud. I then jumped back on to have a bit of a bareback cool down and he was just, I can't sing his praises enough, he listened beautifully and then we just spent some time in the school just chilling with him. He really is the horse I've been looking for, for a long time and he will be staying for a long time too. 

Thursday (15/05/14) Mum came up again! John really wasn't keen on the idea of schooling again but he wasn't getting off that easily! (soz mate you're fat so) He tried his hardest, which entailed pretty much nothing out of the ordinary, to not be tacked up (so he basically just put his head up so he didn't have to have his bridle on which by the way, didn't work) but once we were in the school and I had got on, he was again, absolutely perfect. His canter work has improved so much already and his balance was a lot better that day. He took everything in his stride as per usual. However, he did try to express himself in the only way he could think of when I asked him to keep cantering, which was when I gave him a small squeeze with my heels, he lifted his back end off the floor so little that it just felt like a bouncy stride of canter, it was simply hilarious!! Bless him, he really does try to be naughty but he knows that it's bad so doesn't, he's so cute! But other than that, I have nothing to comment on about that day, he was again, a lovely little lad to ride :)

I decided on Friday he needed a change of scenery after his face before schooling the day before, so I managed to get one of my lovely friends on the yard to come on a hack with me, she's been there a while so she knows her way and so showed me a lovely route, and we had a wonderful time! She owns a beautiful little haflinger called Tilly and a lovely dutch warmblood named Theo, you'll probably hear about them a bit more in the future so there you go! Anyway, John decided after around 5 - 10 minutes he was too good to be behind so over took Tammy and Tilly and went in front for most of it, until we came to a road where there was no way he was going in front lol. We went for a little trot up a hill at one point and just put in to perspective how unfit my horse is, Tilly has been ridden around once in nearly three weeks before this hack and John had been ridden every day of this week, we got to the top of this hill and John was sweating, and very out of breath indeed, tut tut Johnathon, you need to get fitter mate! Anyway, I couldn't again have faulted him, for his first time out, he took everything in his stride, I had buckled end for most of it and I even had buckle end of my reins with John leading the way home in open fields. I was one hell of a proud mother. He makes me so happy, such an awesome little horse, I genuinely can't praise him enough.

So that brings us to yesterday which was Saturday! (17/05/14) Emma came up and we had a little play with him bareback so he could have a bit of a break from new and tiring things and just have some fun! I had a little walk and trot on him and it's safe to say I need to learn how to ride bareback basically, but in my defence, I lost my confidence bareback massively early last year in the snow which we won't really go into as I don't like thinking about it, we'll just say me and Mol were very lucky that day. But even with my crappy riding, John was an angel he put up with me amazingly and I think he enjoyed the break from normal work! Emma then jumped on and had a little walk and trot and made him go so much better than I did, he looked after her so well, he was trotting so slow I genuinely didn't know if he was trotting or walking lol, turns out Emma was just asking for a steady trot, it was all okay. Then we gave him a bath because his socks for looking a lot more orange than white and needed sorting as they were driving me mad! He was so good bless him, he had a bit of a fidgit but I was so pleased with him because frankly he could have been a lot worse and he didn't try to run off etc. Safe to say when Emma had finished with him, he was looking very gorgeous indeed and clearly he already knew that so it didn't help his ego at all but oh well, he looks nice so;) We then turned him out for the night after a lovely day :)

And today we're off on a hack with some other women from the yard so that'll be good if John realizes he can't push his way to the front!! 

Here's some pictures, enjoy!

Love, 

Lottie & John x

 why you down there mum??

 i was buckle end at this point, js

 he had way too much fun with this

 he's simply adorable.

 we're soaring, flying...

 gorgeous boy!

 this is definitely going up in my room at some point.

 it was hot okay?

he's far too gorgeous for his own good.

Mr. Smith begins work!

So John and I began getting to know each other yesterday (11/05/14).
First of all, I had to catch him! I honestly thought he was gonna be a little monkey but he was actually way better than expected! I went up to him a couple of times and he ran off but after a carrot and some love, he decided I wasn't that bad after all and was actually quite nice and so I was able to catch him! He lead up to the stable block excellently as I did expect because he's such a chilled lad just walking around. However, he did take quite a while to come into the stable, a good 20 minutes it must have been but I don't expect him to trust everything I ask of him and personally, that was nothing that bothered me as in the end he walked straight in, absolutely fine.
Once he was in, he had some dinner and just chilled for a bit and I gave him a good groom:) After I'd made him look at least a little decent (after having rolled in the mud with no rug on after it had been raining) I took him back out! He was a little bargey on the way out the stable but nothing nasty, he stops as soon as he gets out and does really respect when you tell him to stand and wait. He then went out to have a nice time grazing, which is probably his favourite part of the day if I'm honest, typical welsh!

Anyway, today (12/05/14) John had his first ride at home!
He came in at around lunch time to dry off for an hour while the team went and sorted the other gingers out, and he was a little spooky at the gate when he came out but again, he ran out and stopped afterwards and waited for me to get there lol, he again walked up to the stable block again perfectly! He came to the stable and again had a look and think about it but within 5 minutes, he was in with a tiny bit of help from the team! We then left him and came back in the afternoon to ride him! So when we came back up, he was an absolute star, he was so polite to groom tack up and coming out of the stable, which was so lovely to see as Emma did some of it with me and he was so cool about it, he genuinely was so polite and kind about everything.
When we got in the school, I gave him a walk around to check it all out, especially the jumps as they're all different colours and of course, super scary! Emma then lunged him for me as she really is the goddess of lunging, I don't know how someone can be that awesome at it lol. After he had lunged well on both reins, I got on. He was a tad nervous to begin with but after a lot of walking and encouragement he relaxed a lot. (may I add the whole time I was riding, work was going on on the farm so he was a bit spooky) He walked past the unit where the work was going on quite a few times and to see the change in him from when I got on to when I was finished, I was so proud. He may be my first young horse, but god do I see a bright future ahead for this horse. I realise he wasn't perfect to most people but he really did do me proud with that. I was so happy when he walked past the unit perfectly, I finished and got off.
He then got an oreo as a treat which it's safe to say he loved and then he went into his stable foot perfect first time and was such a gentleman to un-tack He was so good in fact that I decided to jump on bareback and have a cuddle, which he had no problems about and I'm sure he loved. Emma then brushed him, while I was still on, and then I got off and we turned him out! Again, he was so polite and well mannered to come out the stable and was even more chilled to lead out as Emma took him and had a cuddle.
He got to the gate of the field and again had a little bit of a moment at it, he's getting so much better though and then went off to graze for the evening.

Safe to say I'm very proud of my little man after tonight, he really does make me laugh.

 He makes me look so small, I don't understand!

 He really likes oreos apparently!

A ginger and her ginger.

Hello pony friends!

A lot of exciting things have happened this month, I've never been so busy and in turn I have been sleeping the best I have in what must be over a year I'm sure!!
So, last week on the 3rd of May, Team Ginger went to see a very adorable little horse who goes by the cutest name ever of Little John! We all rode him and instantly fell in love, and in turn, I bought him! He arrived home today and the money was handed over and well now he's a very much loved part of the team just like the others.
He is such an awesome little dude and I genuinely am so freaking excited to crack on with him and see what a beautiful horse he will become with time.
I know I have said that Mol is literally one of the most amazing horses I've ever sat on and she holds a very big part of my heart despite no longer being with me, but never have I connected with a horse the way I have with Little John. He already comes to call and ran straight up to me in the field first time. He really knows who his mum is and I'm so utterly in love with him.
He's a little nervous on the yard but we can work on that, new places are scary for anyone, so I can understand that!
Riding wise, he's a little unbalanced but nothing major and frankly regular work with solve that and I have full belief that we can bring out his full potential and make him into a cracking little horse! Just takes a little time, effort and of course, love.
So, in case you were wondering the info on him!
He's a 15hh ish, Welsh D, coming up 6 in June! I always forget he's around 5/6 because he's just such an awesome little dude!
So, here's to the future with what I'm hoping, my forever horse :)

Love,
Lottie, John & Alfie x

Things keep on happening! (lots of photos!!)

Hello there friends!
Since we last spoke, I've been to see little Mol! It was so nice to see someone love her just as much as I do and see her so happy and settled with a herd of horses that she is now clearly very much a part of. She is so happy there and it's safe to say she has not changed and is very much spoilt rotten! Such a princess I swear! Me, Beth and Emma went and we all had a little ride on her cheeky self which for me entailed a very adorable buck lol! Really do not think I'll ever stop loving that pony. To this day she's still the most awesome horse I've sat on and I cannot thank her enough for everything she put me through and taught me. She really is still a very much big part of my life.
Here's a few pictures for you to have a look at from our visit!

So since then, I've been riding the gingers a lot! I honestly do love them a bunch and without Beth, Emma and the ponies, my riding really would have hit rock bottom over these past months lol. We've been on all sorts of outing such as xc and shows and training etc and it's been so lovely to experience so many proud rider moments with the team and things such as Jack's first xc! I really do just love the team lots, they're by far my all time faves. So here I leave you with a few cute photos of me and the gingers over the past few weeks and I shall update you again suuuuuper soon!!

Love, Lottie x