Today we decided to have an experiment with Rocky. He is 31 years young and for the most part retired. I tried Tamsin’s saddle on him and it seamed to fit ok, so I gave her a leg up (well its a long way.)
We decided that the round pen would be the best bet and so after leading the pair there with Rocky firmly on his toes, and Tamsin feeling a long way up, we did a lap either way on the lead.
Then they were launched on their way.
On Tuesday we took advantage of the lovely weather and went to have a look at Ynys-hir. Wow that is the first thought that comes to mind, the bird and squirrel feeding station by reception started a very enjoyable trip,
One very fat squirrel.
Once we had signed in we went on our way and met up with the ecological grazers.
I am nothing if not predictable and was happy to see the horses.
We moved on the hides on the 1.5 mile route and got some lovely views, from the first one:
Canada Geese were in the majority on land
and the lake
But there was a ?Teal having a nice swim in the sunshine.
We then moved onto another Hide with different views looking out over the estuary.
Canada geese on the estuary
After a while in this hide we went on more of a walk, which has been done very well by sinking the path and stream between the birds grazing and swimming areas. The stream is a haven for insects amphibians and water plants.
the Bulrush stream
AnnMarie catching a rush to show to Tamsin.
We then had more of a walk while admiring the view and trying to creep over the bank to take pictures of grazing geese while not getting thistle thorns in ones hands.
My pictures all had too much foreground reed in them though,I tried to catch the geese as they flew over and eventually I just caught this person though this is an area I need a lot more practice in and he is not highly focused.
Flying goose.
So on round the walk passing another hide witch we glanced in but decided to leave as it was rather full and we had more we wanted to see. The walk in its self is worth while and as long as you are quiet there are plenty of things to see.
Tamsin and AnnMarie Tamsin
We completed the estuary trail and headed onto the woodland trail, to see some different birds,
Robin.
this robin accompanied us for a while. When we rounded the corner we spotted this lovely hide.
Woodland hide.
As you can see the sun was getting low, we stopped to admire the view from this hide then moved on.
This was a really enjoyable walk through the woods then into the wetlands again.
Tamsin on bridge.
Reflections
The path went past another couple of hides one with the story of the Red Kites in it.
After the path went between hedges that were being layed and we watched a spectacular sun set, we came to our last hide of the day, from which we watched hundreds of birds flocking in for the night.
Birds flocking in for the night
We then had the very enjoyable walk back to the car passing the horses that were now being ridden. Dusk was well advanced by the time we got back to the car, I was glad I had my torch with me just in case!
I can highly recommend a day out to this RSPB reserve though good footwear would be a necessity as the trails are 1.5 and 4 miles of natural surface.
Well for a while I have been knitting a hat for Tamsin, in between the rugs for her
Well we decided to take a trip up to Clocaenog to see if we could see a few things as you do, well you do if you home edd anyway 
Tamsin was beginning to feel a bit sick just as we got there so we pulled over for some air as luck would have it we were right buy a small lake with some lovely ducks on it.
as we had
I have been curious for a while what became of Nedly’s (Cedric’s) dam Marsara for a while as I had been in touch with the breeder and knew he had sold her on. I decided to post on the ex racehorses group asking for any information, well this morning I got an email from her owner :-)) with a mobile phone number attached, need less to say I rang it and had a long and very informative chat to the lady who owns Marsara now.
It turns out that she knew Nedly as a foal and all the way till he was sold at Ascot Sales in Late Autumn 2004 where the lady we purchased him from brought him. He then came to us on 03/05/2005.
Cedric on his first walk round the farm and showing no worries about water
Cedric meets Tinkerbell a definite what is THAT moment
On the canter track
Scary poles
I feel very privileged to know Nedly and I finally feel he has dropped his barriers to me and let me in, this has been hard for him, although he has not had as many owners as some ex racehorses I now know he has experienced many different yard’s and methodologies.
I hope to be able to start working him again soon only this time we will take things at his pace and see where we end up, I do know he is a lovely horse to ride and his stride and jump are very effortless when he’s not scared.
Click on the more tag for a video ~14Mb (more…)
Well we wanted to see how Snowy behaved in company and Tamsin wanted to ride up the river, so I felt that Rocky who is 30 years young might enjoy a little walk round and splash in the river (hmm).
With Rocky it is bareback now as his skin is over sensitive to a girth, so Tamsin rode Snowy out to Rocky’s patch on the back of the canter track (it saves mowing it!) and I carried his bridle. I popped it on him and jumped aboard, then we were off!
Snowy did not like the idea of being too close and definitely not alongside us but at least we know Tamsin is still in control. We went round the canter track to the path through the wood, Rocky was beginning to think this was rather fun, Noggy wasn’t sure though and felt the need to show off some of his skills!
We left him to it.
Just past the last tree on the right Rocky decided to have a moment, gave a good old squeal and whipped round, luckily no bucking however.
We then went alongside the river for a little,
to get to the best entry point just below the water falls, they are both good with water and just walked straight in.
Up the river.
We rode along to the ford and then back out into our fields and a little canter back along the bottom and up to Noggy’s field again. Yes I know I said a little walk but Rocky has always had ideas about this track and they have never involved walking 
So when we got back up I wondered what would happen if I asked him to jump a very small jump using the excuse of seeing whether snowy would follow him! one thing led to another as it does and well click on the more if you want to see the video, and yes he did “lock on to” the full sleeper fence. Not bad for my boy who has been semi retired at least from jumping for about 5 years
Well I decided to have a bit of a pamper Rocky day today. Although retired it is still safer to ride him than to lead him so the only way to fetch him in is…….
He says he’s 30 years young!
I decided a bath was in order as it was a lovely sunny day, that and a little bit of mild rain scald on his back.
After his bath which Tamsin helped with of course I decided a little bit of time in the solarium was in order, as I needed to put lunch on I left Tamsin watching him, when I came back well you can see……………….
Tamsin had found herself a comfy place to sit!
Rocky seemed to like this as a way to dry off,
although being weighed on the way out was a bit off!
Cederic also came in for a bit of pampering (and to be out of his field (the jumping paddock)) he is a bit “clicky” so is having a course of pulsed magnetic therapy.
Cederic looking handsome and watching Rocky in the solarium.
Tamsin is doing very well with Snowy at the moment and has been riding much more confidently. Today she went round the whole showjump course on her own, which is no mean feat
on a pony whose ideas don’t include jumping or really any form of off the lead work.
It is lovely is see her cantering round the field with confidence, even if my heart is usually in my mouth!
Well I keep meaning to blog but sitting down and typing is another thing altogether, its like school I always told myself that the new term was going to be different and I was going to do my homework as soon as it was given. I never managed it though.
Ok so I have been good and done some baking recently AM took some pictures for me as proof before it was demolished!
we have Jam Tarts, Cherry scones, Apple pies and a Banana Cake which I hadn’t tired before but have since.
Unfortunately the Walnut cake with coffee butter cream filling got eaten before the camera had chance!
Tamsin was drawing horses using Plasticine the other day and I was persuaded to have a go! so here’s my green horse.
A good friend of mine (Yes I am looking at you Bea) has been doing a lot of knitting recently and has managed to bring out the fun in something that school made me feel was utterly tedious! So I saw these cool looking needles in our local material shop and after Bea sent me (well Tamsin really) some wool I started knitting! I am reliably informed that I am knitting a Cowl!
Hey and here was me just casting on and seeing what happened! it is 9″ now and I believe I am aiming at 12″ but must check with my knitting mentor Bea.
Yes you see you don’t get far with me with out getting back to horses!! I have been riding Jupiter a bit and she seams ok bare foot in the round pen and on the fields, though she would need boots for the stone tracks ATM. Tamsin has been doing really well with snowy and is now confidently cantering her along the canter track with only a head collar, getting to grips bareback really seams to have helped her confidence.
Poor old Noggy has hurt his leg and has been having a bit of treatment including the electro magnetic rug and Ice boot, he was very good and I think the colour suits him.
At least we have had some good handling and playing time. He did not mind having the rug on at all, even though he had never had one on before. Mind you I think his tail looked pretty when I plaited it just to see what his reaction was.
Other than wondering what I was up to now he was cool as a cucumber, he does seem to take most things in his stride and today even had the whirlpool boot on his leg calm as you like.
Another Noggy picture just because he’s so special.
If you go outside in an evening here, there is always a pair of owls noisily screeching to each other but I have never managed more that seeing a dark shadow waft by…………but when I was putting the dog to bed tonight whilst AM was taking astronomy pics I realised they were in the tree above Glyn’s Kennel so I shone the torch about and lone behold I found one.
The mate is just up the branch from him but you can’t see him or her in this pic. It was amazing watching the pair of them. We are so lucky to have found Foel Friog and had the opportunity to come here, it really is a magical place with so much wild life, (though a few less midges would be good!)
Well I guess I’ll have to make a start eventually so it might as well be now. We have managed to make the most of some dry spells in the weather and started ridden work with Chessy.
He has been very accepting of everything and seems to have remembered the work we have done in previous years. Tamsin is enjoying riding him and now wants a standard Shetland to race. I can’t say I blame her as I had a lot of fun racing Tom Thumb and Pandora.
Today we went for a lovely walk in the forestry behind here, we are lucky in having so many deciduous trees on the bank that we are classed as being a temperate rain forest , I believe the oaks are sessile rather than the pedunculate more commonly found in England. The modern more commercial forestry has been planted right up to the deciduous woodland so we can go for good long woodland walks.
It is so peaceful up there just a lot of bird song and other than the odd jet no man made noise at all. On one of our favoured walks we leave the main paths and cut through to one of the many tracks. There are some lovely flowers to been seen on the tracks as well as a lot of in flower heather.
The combination of heather confers and wild flowers, is a lovely smell that could never be captured recreated by the artificial scents we are all so encouraged to buy!
We were also lucky with our timing as we watched a heavy shower of rain go up the main valley whilst missing us.
While we sat down for a late lunch it decided to rain in a positive way but not quite enough to have our weather station declaring “It’s raining cats and dogs” as it was early this morning (2am ish). So I am still dry however I think I will get wet doing the evening checks.
A little bit about me and my personal involvement with Horses…
Well I did say I started to ride young didn’t I? My mother used to team chase on May Whiskers so, as I wouldn’t stay still / be confined by a playpen, my mum used to put a blanket in front of her saddle and then I would sit! So it made sense that when at a team chase I was safer on May than the ground!
Good racing position don’t you think?
I had a 12h-2″ pony called Lara who was a real sweetheart and then Pluto (13h-2″) came along when we were looking for pony for a friend. I believe in love at first sight and between us it was!
I was really lucky as my parents are not stuck into 1 horse discipline and I got to try many things with the Pony Club. I particularly enjoyed Polo and had 6 fun seasons, whilst hunting, eventing, showing and jumping, as well! Who says you have to specialise???
I started riding out at a Adstock Manor stud when I was 14 (after having had such fun doing the Shetland Grand National) and was lucky to work with George Cook. He had been at Adstock since he was 14 and was old enough to have saddled the boss’ horses when he was racing, experience like that can’t be gained at college in my humble opinion.
Castor Sugar was a very pretty but hot headed pony bred by my mum and unfortunately it was decided she was too hot! That and the inevitable fact of growing!
So after a massive search Rocky 1/4 fjord 3/4 TB was found. Mum and I got up early and went to see him, ringing once we were in the locality (he was 100 miles away!) Well love at first sight - so rang Dad to warn him went home get the trailer. Swapped driver and went to fetch him. The only snag was he wasn’t a good loader! So we hacked to the opening meet the next day!
I still have him now and he is enjoying semi retirement at 30!
I have always enjoyed starting young horses and had much fun as my parents bred 2 or 3 horses a year that were usually kept until 4 or 5 years of age and had done there 1st XC or outing suited to there ability.
Tamaris also has a special place in my heart for, although sadly not with us now and always AM’s horse, I new him for 10 years!
Mushy is Jupiter’s 1/2 sister and they are complete opposites. Midnight has been with AM for a long time and is enjoying a long retirement.
I had always wanted a Shetland and when AM saw a plea for help from the owners of a young Shetland colt just before Christmas one year; she new just what to buy me! I want to start driving him soon!
I also have a hankering for a fjord mare for a little project I have dreamed up!
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