Horse Weekend

Hi everyone, I have only just had time to write this, as it’s been all systems go in the stables recently.

I’ve just heard that our first horse weekend of 2015 is approaching on 21st and 22nd of February. My friend Kerri, who is one of the riding instructors here, had the fantastic idea of giving each horse weekend this year a fun theme (she’s definitely the creative one of the group!).

There are lots of rumours going around amongst us horses as to what the theme is this time; as usual Kerri isn't giving anything away, but it promises to be a weekend to remember!

Some of the action from a previous Horse Weekend

Training new Instructors

Training is under way again here in the stables.  We have lots of new activity instructors this year; as part of their job they have to come over to the stables and get involved during group sessions for our guests.  They may be needed to help to support a rider or carriage driver.

As they are normally climbing walls, cycling, abseiling, canoeing or sailing it is nice for them to come and spend time with us horses.  Obviously the main difference is that I am much, much cuter than a climbing wall or a boat!  Also sometimes we remind people that we have minds of our own, unlike all the other activities!

The other day Brin was called into service to help to train the new instructors. Off he went into the arena with Nicky, Richard, Alice and all the new activity instructors. He was needed to show the new guys how horses are fantastic at helping people.

Nicky asked Monique (who is a new instructor), to sit in a wheelchair.  Brin was positioned in between the two mounting blocks and Monique was then hoisted onto Brin.  This was a great way to show the new activity instructors one of the jobs we horses do here.  Monique was very pleased to have a try at being hoisted, but Brin said he thinks she didn't realise how far up in the air she would have to go!

Monique hoisted onto Brin

It was also a good training session for Brin who is a brilliant hoist horse.  His favourite thing is standing still and he needs to stand for as long as it takes to hoist someone on. This could take up to 15 minutes; Brin just has a quick doze!

Yesterday all of the activity instructors came over to the stables to spend the morning here, as Nicky had some training organised for them.

They learnt about how to care for all of us horses and ponies and how much is involved in keeping the stables running. 

They were also learning skills that will help our guests, things like how to load wheelchairs into the carriage, how to lead and side walk with ridden horses, and how to assist the stables team to make the session as brilliant as possible for our guests. Duchess and Hendrix put them through their paces and made sure they are all ready.

Duchess leading Matt in a trot!

The whole team observing Harry's leading technique

Learning Emergency procedures with Hendrix

They also got to spend some time with your truly, so I showed them how fabulous I am at horse agility and generally cute and wonderful I am! 

Picture Perfect...

Do you remember me telling you about having my picture painted by two great local artists?

Well, someone had whispered to me that my lovely paintings are now up in the centre, so I snuck into the Acland room today to have a look, and there they were!

Don't I look lovely!

I'm so pleased that they are up there, it means that all of our lovely guests will get to see them!

 I also want to say a big thank you to Gillian and Sandy for painting such fantastic portraits of me.

Roadwork and Clipping

After a couple of weeks holiday as you can imagine we were all feeling just like people do when they have been eating lots and not doing much exercise. We all needed to get back to work! The fitness campaign started with gentle exercise, most of the horses went out to do ‘roadwork’.

This means that they get out for a lovely ride.  Some even went in pairs, called ride and lead.  Jack was very happy because he got to do ride and lead with Duchess who is his best friend. 

Jack and Duchess out for a 'ride and lead'.

Bertie was very excited to be going out riding on the first day, but by the third day he told me he was feeling like he needed another holiday!

I have been doing some lunge exercises and also been out for a couple of walks.  I will be fit and ready to do my agility again soon, I can’t wait for that.  As the fields are very muddy we have all been allowed to go into the arena in groups to roll and have a scratch and play with each other which has been great fun.

Some of the horses have been clipped again this week. Henry and Bertie look particularly smart.  Some of us are still looking very shaggy though so I think it is probably only a matter of time before the clippers work their way around everyone!

Henry being clipped

I know Duchess is looking forward to being clipped; she's very hairy at the moment and I think she will feel much better when she looks a bit sleeker. You know how girls are about having a new hairdo! 

All our regular carriage drivers and riders are now coming back in for their lessons so we are back to normal which is great, especially for Rooster as he loves a routine. 

Bye Bye Safari

Hi everyone, its great to be back. 

Sadly we had to say goodbye to Safari just before Christmas, He has gone back home to his owners. 

He had a lovely time working here at the stables but has now gone to semi retire and enjoy some light riding work and  relaxing time in the fields with some new pony friends and his owner Kat. We will all miss him but I think he will enjoy life there.

As you know Rooster was very friendly with Safari and although he probably misses him a bit, he has now completely fallen in love with Duchess, which she seems to be quite happy about! 

Duchess and Rooster

We horses and ponies have all had a lovely holiday over Christmas and New Year;  lots of cleaning and some painting has gone in in the stables while we were having our holiday!

One thing that looks a bit different is the indoor arena.  It now has a bright yellow line all the way around the edge of it. I was a bit surprised when I first saw it and Bertie thought it was a bit scary!  (He is a bit of a baby about new things!). 

The line makes it much easier to see the edge of the arena and Teddy says this is what it is for; to help people who are visually impaired to see where they need to steer their horse when they are riding. I am sure it will help a lot of people to have a great riding experience. 

New Faces for 2015

Do you remember I told you a few weeks ago that some of the staff in the stables were going and new people were going to come and look after us? 

Louise has now left us to work at a vets and will be training to become a veterinary nurse. I think she will be really good at looking after sick animals.  When any of us horses and ponies felt a bit sorry for ourselves she was great at cheering us up and caring for us.  We will miss her but hopefully she will pop back in to see us all in the future.

Abi has also moved to a new job which is closer to her family. She will be working with some event horses and their family of humans, I think she will be great at training all of them! She said she hopes to come back and see me soon, I hope she does as I will miss her cuddles.

Cuddles with Abi...

... and kisses too!

Our two new staff Richard and Alice have been with us for a couple of weeks now, so I thought it was about time I introduced them to you.

Richard has lots of experience with horses and people; we are all getting to know him now and showing him how we like things to be done!

Richard

He has worked with carriage horses before and one of his jobs here will be driving the carriages. He has done some carriage driving with both Hendrix and Duchess, they both said he was very nice and kind to them and they are looking forward to taking him out driving in their carriages.

Duchess is a very sensible mare and I'm sure she will soon have Richard under her spell! Hendrix will just be his usual cheeky loveable self and get Richard to do things exactly how he wants him to without Richard even realising! 

Alice volunteered with us for a few weeks before starting her job with us, so we have got to know here already. She is our new Riding Instructor.

Alice

Alice has lots of experience with horses and has taught many people to ride so she has plenty of ideas for us equines and for all our guests too. I have also been chatting with Brin about Alice and I think he may have a new number one fan; apparently Alice loves him already!