So Harry has decided that coming in from the field and leaving his friends and having a good ol' groom and some pampering is not very traumatic and he doesn't need to neigh continuously. However fly spray is terrifying and is going to kill him!!! Aaaaaah!! Run away, run awaaaaaaaay! So think I need the magical carrots back hehe.

Apart from that he's fine, nothing scary out on our walks and he has better control of his legs walking downhill so he is nolonger crashing into me or dragging me down steep hills :). He is starting to think about biting a little so balls are definitely off in september! And in the meantime it's just more walkies and think of something else to de-sensitise him too, maybe an umbrella? Hmm...

Vet visit

Vet came out today to give Harry his second flu/tet jab, he was very good jumped a bit when she put it in but it was over so fast he didn't really mind. She gave me some wormer aswell as there's so many now I wasn't sure which to use and he was due (wormed him in March) have also been concerned about his weight, he's not thin he's got loads of muscle and topline, but I can see his ribs, however vet said he should be fine after worming so that's a relief, I do get more worried over him than other horses, probably cos I see him as my baby! Also asked about gelding and she said september would be a good time, so make the most of them Harry!

He is still being stubborn about coming in from the field, I can walk up and catch him no problem, and he'll follow me for about 2 strides and then stop, so I've been walking to the side and getting him to move one step, then going to the other side and move another step, and in this way we make our slow descent until eventually he gets bored and starts walking. It was quite funny the other day when I was doing it though, as I think the headcollar must have been on one of the pressure points that release endorphins? Because everytime I pulled he was falling asleep! Hehe. He's such a loving pony though I can spend an hour with him in the field just scratching and stroking him and he went move :) He seems to understand when I'm sad aswell and will be extra loving, nuzzling me etc. He really is my dream horse, I still can't believe he's mine sometimes. Erm the end for now :)

Happy Birthday!

Yesterday was Harry's first birthday! To celebrate I made a "cake" by mixing up some chaff, grated 4 carrots and 4 apples, added a bit of water to mix it round and 2 spoonfuls of syrup, and then I didnt know if I should put it in the oven to set it or leave it the fridge. Well I put it in the fridge but it didnt really do anything, I had brought Harry home with his 2 field mates to graze the patch we have behind our house, so at lunch time I took the tray of "cake" out and they all shared it! teehee. On a sad note, they've all got lice! :( But luckily we seem to have caught it very early on, theres just a few eggs in their forelocks bleugh. Can't believe Harrys a year already!

Well simply splendid weather! Or not, looks like we have our normal summer weather back. Took Harry down to the village yesterday. Was tempted to take him in the pub but thought we might get chucked out hehe. Did meet some friendly villagers who thought he was lovely, which he is looking rather good now, after being a bit of a weed so far he has suddenly got muscle all over the place!

So on our walk I met my brother on his bike, which was a part of Harrys education I had completely forgotten about, silly me! Bikes are scary things that creep up behind horses then POUNCE!! So I made my brother cycle back with us going ahead then coming back and up behind just continuous circles around us, after Harry had a look he realised there was no danger so thats another piece of his education sorted! What would I do without my little brother, he does come in useful sometimes! Just been looking up horsey birthday cake recipes as it's Harrys first birthday thursday and I will make him a cake! Hope the weather improves..

Dummy!

I made a dummy although it wasn't a very good one! Put it on Harry on friday, but it kept falling apart... lol! Still Harry wasn't bothered about me throwing it around and sitting it on him, it was very floppy aswell so couldn't actually make it sit.. going to reinforce it with wood and tape this week and try again!

Have discovered Harrys stubborn side! Well not discovered just he's being so good I'd forgotten he had one lol, went to bring him in from the field and he wouldn't move, took me ages going from side to side take one step this way, now one step this way... took a while but we got there! Good old pony.

New plan, tomorrow, if he comes in from the field, going to put saddle on him (put it on him friday to remind him what it was like, he wasn't bothered even when i let the girth hang down around his legs, improvement from before as last time he had it on he was worried about the girth, having a month to think about things clearly is a good idea) and walk him all through the village, this will involve a lot more to look at than he's seen before as when he was at home we were at the far end of the village so would just walk around the bridleways, now he's in a field halfway down so we can walk all the way to the pub! hehe!

And going to attempt this with the saddle on aswell, or maybe do it without first, dunno find with Harry can't plan much just have to see what I'm feeling on the day :P

Relatives

This isn't really an update on Harry as what can I say? He has of course continued to be perfect! My next plan is to make a dummy and tie it onto his saddle, I know he's only a year old but hey ho, might aswell start him off young! It's more so he'll get used to having something above him... anyway that hasn't happened as it's been so hot recently I just cant find the energy to make it. Did take Harry out for a walk yesterday, and yep you guessed it he was good as gold! He did neigh the whole way round but his field mates were calling aswell so not his fault, he stopped when he couldnt hear them.

Anyway, I thought I would just put up some pictures of his family, as I find it interesting :P

Here is mum, She is a welsh section D about 14h, 12 years old, stable name Rosie registered name Nantymoch Eleri (Yeah I can't pronounce it either!)

Here is Dad, Piebald Homozygous Traditional Gypsy Cob, Jumping Jack Flash!

Here is grandad, Welsh section D Ionos Troy

Here is a great great grandad Parc Commando

Another great great grandad Derwen Replica, and well I'm bored now might do some more another day

Show Time!

So after being left out all night I got up early expecting to see a very dirty pony but by some miracle he was clean! just dirty feathers, so washed them again, put his new travel boots on which he wasnt sure he could walk in, and off to the show!

Now as this was the first time he'd been anywhere - the most he's done is being walked round the village and there's not that much to see, and he hadnt even done that for 2 months - I was expecting the worst, but the worst was he neighed a bit at the start and circled around, had 1 rear which i told him off for, and then he decided the grass was much more interesting and started to graze (still neighing quite a bit though)

Our first class was coloured - any type. So in we went, he walked around wonderfully, there was a miniature spotted stallion in front of us and Harry liked the look of him! I was feeling very proud of my lovely pony striding out around the ring, I kept talking to him saying "You're being such a good boy!" then we all had to stop whilst each horse was trotted from the front of the line to the back - Harry stood like a pro! But then, when it was his turn to trot, he didn't want to! He thought he was leaving the others and didnt want to it was very funny, the steward was chasing and he still wouldnt stubborn little pony I couldnt stop laughing! once we were back with the others he was fine, but again for his individual show, he stood patiently in the line up, stood for the judge, walked away from the judge, turned around trotted about 3 strides and that was it! hehe. We didnt get placed, no surprise.

So mountain and moorland class was next with about 4 hours in between, and I think Harry was a bit tired, he did the first trot around really well, but in the line up he started dozing off, for the individual bit he trotted a little longer but he wasnt being as nappy as before just very tired, it was a long day for a baby! We didnt get placed again but I was so pleased with him, he had been very well behaved and once he knew waht I wanted he tried his best. We took him straight back to his field with his boys and the minute I let him go he rolled, he's now a muddy pony again! Never meant to be a show horse anyway.

We won't be doing much showing unless it's very local because I got really bored! I prefer a bit more action myself, in hand shows have never particularly excited me. But it was for Harrys education and I am so pleased with my little man, he really is the best!