atomicules UnDeRgRoUnD > Ponies > Bailey --- Bailey -------------------------------------------------------- Summer 2011 ----------- Descending rapidly and deeply into the world of pony madness was pony number five (or three depending on how you look at it). We travelled 160 odd miles just to go and view him as a prospective pony on loan. Considering we live on a farm, surrounded by other farms, most of them all with ponies, you'd (I'd) have thought we could source a pony on loan a *little* closer. Bailey is a 11-12h Welsh Section A grey (or white in laymen's terms - mud coloured in winter as he seems to know it's not show season and so attempts to get as muddy as possible to make up for having to stay so pristine in summer) Anyway, we went to watch Bailey perform in a show and then went back with the owner so the eldest could ride him; this was more so the owner could assess whether she thought our eldest was of a suitable standard than for us to decide whether Bailey was suitable for us. Bailey wasn't being loaned out as a beginners pony and so the owner wanted him to go to a rider that already knew how to ride a bit. I didn't envy my daughter at this point and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to do the same at her age: she wasn't remarkably experienced at this point, but had to "bluff" her way through a little test, including the first serious jumping she'd ever done. She pulled it off though! Thankfully, although Bailey did need someone to actually ride him, as opposed to just sit there, as long as he was lined up straight for a jump he was used to (which he would have been at the owner's paddock) he'd jump it easily and eagerly. And also thankfully, the eldest was inexperienced at jumping and so didn't yet know about getting nervous coming into a jump and passing on all these little signals to the pony, thereby putting it off the jump as well. So with all that successfully done, it was just a matter of travelling 160 odd miles back home and then waiting a few weeks for Bailey to be delivered to us at the start of the summer holidays. It was during this time when we (I) had to frantically mow as much of the field as possible with a push lawn mower. This is one of the most insane things I have ever done, but we got everything sorted for Bailey's arrival. This is obvious to me now, but I guess may not be obvious if you haven't got ponies, well probably most certainly won't be: and that is that grass is BAD for ponies. Well, too much anyway. And so if you are having a pony delivered to you, the last thing you want is to be showing the owner the long meadow grass you are going to be putting it out on. Nope, short and hard to forage is want you want for ponies. Bailey has performed very well for us in 2012. He's a dab hand at showing, having been at it years, so although he can be a bit awkward being ridden - definitely requiring a bossy rider - he does everything else himself: stands perfectly still in the arena (he actually has a sleep) when required, is an excellent jumper and scrubs up like something out of a Daz advert. Update May 2013 --------------- Bailey Boo's time with us on loan came to end in May. The eldest had her last working hunter show on him and _almost_ went out on a flourish. If only he hadn't clattered the second to last fence! He's always been susceptible to jumping a little bit late and unfortunately got a bit caught up in the fence and the eldest fell off. Unfortunately because she has outgrown him so much she was finding it very difficult to keep balance on him. So he's gone off to his new home at a farm / riding school / equestrian centre where there was a very happy girl waiting to receive him (and with three pony mad sisters I think he will be very happy there). ------------------------------------------------------------------- atomicules UnDeRgRoUnD gopher://gopher.atomicules.co.uk/ atomicules Overground http://atomicules.co.uk ------------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by Floodgap's Bucktooth .