Heatwave!

Apologies for the lack of posts, only we're all melting in this unnatural heat here! 
 
Overseas visitors to the blog might think it silly that we're all getting a bit hysterical because it's well into the 20°s but when your average British summer temperature is about 16°C you must understand that we just aren't used to it! (The highest temperature ever recorded in the whole of Scotland was 32.9 °C!)

 Most of the clients have requested hacks instead of lessons and I can certainly understand why! Beach rides have of course been very popular but our Hollowcroft Loch afternoon ride has been our most requested as it's long, leisurely and you get to go for a swim when you get there!



Some people apparently couldn't wait to get to the loch before going for a paddle though!



Sometimes we go over the moor and go through the village which has fantastic views of the whole area, but another route is to follow the main road into Hollowcroft which is parallel with the river. This is perfect on hot and sunny days because the trees around it provide some much appreciated shade.

 The evenings have been nice and cool though so it's been business as usual where lessons are concerned.

Rosie asked for a lesson on Kestral as, although she has her own pony, Rhu, she wanted to give him a break while we have all this hot weather seeing as he's getting on a bit and doesn't cope well in the humidity. Aside from that, riding another horse would give her new perspective on her riding and it would give her a chance to work on a few things.

Kestral is our first choice for lead-rein rides and first lessons as she's as bombproof and quiet as they come but isn't lazy and provides a good experience all round for any rider of any riding level. That said, we could tell she was getting a bit sick of being jabbed in the mouth by well meaning beginners who over-did their aids for 'halt' and decided to try her out in a bitless bridle to see how she did. To our surprise she actually started going better in it than with the snaffle so we put in an order for a custom one with fancy detailing. It's the same type as Rhona and Jaconelli have (and now Kerry! - Lisa) and is just a simple side-pull type - not much more than a glorified headcollar really, but Kes seems to like it and that's what matters at the end of the day!
I'm afraid the colour wasn't the staff's choice - we held a vote a few weeks ago and pink was chosen by the overwhelming majority so we got her a numnah to match from the bargain bin at the tack shop in Hollowcroft. Poor horse, it's bad enough she has to endure a diamanté browband but a pink one? Eurghhh.



Kestral doesn't get much opportunity to jump in the beginner classes so I think she enjoyed this just as much as Rosie did!





Right, on that note, I'm off. I think I need to go and plug in another fan and break out the ice lollies...

- David

Please welcome Rory!

Meet Rory Burns, the latest addition to EAE and, all things going well, the future loaner of our very own Digby! He wants to be a professional showjumper so having a good mount who he can take to competitions now is a very good way to get started.



He's been coming for lessons the last couple of months after outgrowing his old Sec B gelding Buzz and expressed great interest in buying or loaning one of our jumping ponies. We don't have any for sale but loans are always an option, provided they stay at the yard and whatnot.

We spent the last few weeks trying him out on a few possibles, starting with everyone's favourite Ferrari on legs, Jazz. Rory said that while he did like her, her form over fences just wasn't what he was looking for so he'd have to pass. I can see what he meant though, I don't think I've ever seen her bascule properly, she just leaps everything like a stag.



Next up was Luna. She was actively competing in unaffiliated showjumping at her previous home so we thought she'd be ideal but alas, it was not to be. Although he could find no fault in her ability or potential, they just didn't click and he said he wouldn't want to loan her long term only to find that they had absolutely no bond whatsoever.



Finally, there was Digby, and almost instantly we could tell that this was going to be the one.



Digs is focused, very quick on his feet and could jump the moon if you put a pole in front of it which was exactly the kind of attitude Rory was looking for.

We put up a few fences in the outdoor school and stood back to watch...







They jumped everything cleanly and very professionally - clearly a match made in heaven!



Rory's agreed to try him out for a month and see how things go before we make it a more long term arrangement but so far it's looking good!



We haven't done much in the Riding Club recently but after a consultation with all the kids, we've decided to organise a Junior Showjumping Team for events and things. So far we've only got three permanent members (Izzy McDonald, Rory Burns and Kelly Martin) but we're hoping to get a few more joining up once we've got some competitions sorted out for the future.

Summer is here!

Yeah, I know, what a shock! It's actually been *warm* here the last couple of weeks...as in...t-shirt weather.

...

I know, right! It's a miracle!

Anyway, there have been hacks on pretty much every day as a result of the unexpectedly fine weather and even the odd beach ride (but more on that another day. :P)

We've acquired yet another horse (seperate post about her coming later) and a new addition to the riding club's junior showjumping team who looks set to bring home a few rosettes at the next show.

Apologies again for being a lazy arse and not updating until now...

David out!

Another newbie!

Sorry once again for the phenomenal delay in blogging - I'm really rubbish at this updating thing aren't I?

Anyway, the last few months have been pretty good here (when it wasn't raining and/or snowing that is!) The kids have all been frantically trying to get as much schooling done between showers and we're seeing improvements all round!



We got a new arrival this week courtesy of our friends down south at Thunder Horse Stables! Lisa went down to visit her parents in Nottingham over the Easter holiday and brought her back on the way home.





She's called Agrimony (named after a lovely little yellow bog plant) and is one of the nicest looking Highlands we've ever seen.

 

She was originally being used for conservation grazing at a National Trust property but ended up being stolen, found and eventually re-homed at THS as she wouldn't settle back into her original herd. They did a lot of groundwork with her so she leads perfectly in hand but they didn't back her or start her with any other tack so I reckon that'll give me and Niko something to do over the summer. She's really quiet and affectionate so I think she'll take to riding school life very well indeed.



I'll do my best to be more active on here - if I'm not I think Lisa'll throw things at me...


- David.

Happy (belated) Burns Night!

Sorry about that, I meant to post this last night but err...forgot.



Anyway, we had a nice evening at Abigail's with a really nice little Haggis that Nikolai caught for us up in the hills. It was a bit of a challenge to capture but it was definitely worth all the hassle for the taste! Because of two of its legs are shorter (so it can run round hills) you can surprise them and tip them over so they roll down the hill and you can grab 'em.

(Stop teasing everyone David! For those who don't know, Haggis is actually a traditional Scottish delicacy made from sheep's heart, liver and lungs with oatmeal, suet, onion and spices. It sounds horrible but it's actually really nice if you get a good one. Unfortunately some people like to perpetuate the myth that it is an actual creature which entertains the locals and confuses tourists.

- xx Lisa.

Snow Day!

The snow is with us once again which means that every man and his dog is wrapped up as warm as is humanly possible - and that includes the ponies!

The kids were sent out to make sure everyone was snug and cosy in the field but I think some people got a little distracted!

 

We had to bring Merry in as he'd somehow been turned out in his stable rug and then rolled so he had to be dried off and re-rugged in more appropriate outdoor wear before we could put him out again!

Mhairi and Andrea took Pirate and Fred out for a quick hack around the top fields before the snow got too deep to go out in. Fred came back with half his feather frozen solid but he didn't seem to notice, daft horse.

Mhairi recorded a little bit of video of the ride - it's not longer because immediately after shooting this Pirate had a little spook at a blackbird who shot out of his blind side and he got a bit of a fright!

Burns Night tonight! I'll let David fill you in on all the happenings later on.

- Lisa, xx

Brrrr!

The snow has returned to Hollowcroft and with it, the inevitable grumbling about the state of the roads, lack of grit/salt and who drew the short straw to wade through the snowdrifts to bring the ponies in. (namely me - D)

One the plus side, it made for some good photos.



As we were both intending to ride later on but needed to give their stables a much needed deep clean, Jenny and I decided to turn Harper and Kerry out in the outdoor arena for an hour or two to let them stretch their legs without getting lost in the big fields. (also so we didn't have to get too chilly when bringing them in, lol!) As she was due to go out anyway we put Tegan in with them.

I hope everyone's paying attention to Kerry's new rug - it was FREEEE! I won it in a competition in one of the horse magazines and it's brilliant; fits him really well and he hasn't managed to get it too dirty yet either. (I give it a week, he's been eying up that muddy patch next to the gate in the field - D)

 

 Well that's all for now, here's hoping the roads aren't too treacherous on the way home tonight!

 x x Lisa.

Archie and Ailie's schooling session.

I got some photos of Ailie and her lovely cob Archie this afternoon while they took advantage of the outdoor school being free. Unfortunately I managed to miss the actual moment of jumping as Lily bounded over and nearly knocked the camera out of my hands but I can assure you that they made it over in style.





 

 A lot of people underestimate cobs in terms of jumping ability but I challenge anyone to watch Archie on a showjumping course and not appreciate how much ability he has!

- David

Christmas wish come true...

 Happy (belated) Hogmanay everyone! 
This was supposed to be posted last week but David we all forgot so sorry it's a bit late.

---------------

Who here hasn't asked for a pony for Christmas?



Normally it's nothing more than wishful thinking but sometimes...



...miracles do happen.



Just as with her friend Rosie a few years before, the whole yard was in on it and keeping the new arrival a mystery was very hard but it paid off well in the end.

He's a Welsh Sec B/Shetland called Max and he and Sarah are getting on like a house on fire!

 

xx Lisa.