Any MNers with horses out there?

[Longlegs1972]

and how do you cope?

I'm getting really down cos I never get the time to spend with mine....

Hi Warmsummersday (love the name).
would the riding school agree to a trial period so that you can see if it is doable? (and worth your while, if you are doing work at the yard will you have time to ride?). Seems to me for £20 a week you've nothing to lose by giving it a go.

Hi Pixel.

He said that I can pull out whenever I want. I might go and see them tomorrow.

I think though they still use the pony/ horse for lessons so not sure how that would work and how they would feel about if I wanted to take a friend up there and let them have a little ride.

Well it's worth having a chat (and also getting a good look at the place if you've only spoken on the phone) to find out exactly what's involved/when you'd be able to ride/what kind of horses are available etc. Good luck .

Hi Pixel.

Well today I spoke to someone I know who has horses and she said the place wasn't very good and the ponies arent in the best condition.

This lady has horses of her own and also a horse on livery which the owner never goes up to look after it so she is going to ask her if I can help out a couple days a week.

That sounds much more promising, I hope it works out for you. Now you've just got to hope the horse isn't a maniac!
(ha ha just kidding )

Well, went to see the mare that one of DH's customers would like to loan. She was sweet, but due to foal in a month, so no riding test!

This week we will be laying the floor in our house (well, enough to put the undefloor heating in, anyway!) so things are moving forward.

Hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather

Hi. Well the lady that said I can ride her horse keeps coming up with excuses and saying she is too busy so im loosing hope. However I have booked myself a lesson and im going tomorrow and I can't wait!!!!!!!!

hey guys
I am looking for a sharer for my arab mare if anyone is interested, cambridge area!

Hello Pixel!! Sorry for very late reply been busy organising wedding. I now realise why your name appeared purple! Its because I had a nosy at your profile!! durrr! Hope you're having lots of good horse rides?! My bloody back's crap again so still not back in the saddle yet.

Hello Winewoman!! You have a very full life, horses and organising weddings! That must be a very nice way to live. how many horses do you have?

Manuka, sorry about your back, you must be getting really fed-up by now. Have you tried some gentle swimming? That sometimes helps me, although it didn't do much when I did my hip in on the trampoline .
I have had some nice rides recently thanks, just quiet roadwork as dpony is still a baby and we've had nowhere to school with the ground being so wet. He's becoming a nice steady hack and we are relaxing together now (ie I'm not panicking at the slightest little thing, how did I become such a wimp?!). Yesterday I was riding him down a hill and happened to glance behind. There was a massive tractor and trailer right behind us and dpony hadn't turned a hair. What a lovely boy! He's also getting quite cheeky, undoing his rope when I'm not looking and popping over the electric fencing when he fancies a bit of extra grass! Mind you, he does as he's told when the shetland is around which is funny as she could easily walk underneath him if she wanted to.
I hope the wedding plans are going well. When is the big day?

He sounds like a really great pony! Thats what you need isn't it, a chilled out beast. The horse I used to look after was laid back like that in traffic. Its no fun riding a nervy horse, far too dangerous.
Did you used to feel more confident riding before becoming a mum? I feel a bit more aware of danger since having dd. It must be so fabulous to know you can just go to your field and get your pony and go for a ride! I'd love that!
My back is such a bloody arse-ache!!! I was never aware of even having a back until I started doing massage therapy. How mental that in the course of making other people better I've fucked myself up and having an epidural was just the final insult!!
Yes our Big Day is set for October 4th! I just wish we had more money to spend on it! Did you have a big fancy wedding?!

Hi. Just need abit of advice please. I have finally found a share pony, 2 days a week and she wants £14 per week. Is this good? I am 5ft 2 and 8 and half stone and pony is 12.3hh but I can teach DD on her and I can ride her.

Im going to see her in the morning, what sort of things should i be asking? Thanks.

Sounds like a bargain to me, I loan my lad for Sat and Sun afternoons for £30 a week and £10 more if she has him for a full day over the weekend.

Cost sounds ok, make sure you know if that is the full cost, my sharer pays £20 per week for 3 days and half shoe costs.

-Will you be responsible for the pony on those days i.e will owner be going down at all
-insurance, are you covered by theres are do you need rider only
-if you go ahead are they willing to draw up a contract
-any known vices
-what other things are you responsible for e'g poo-picking,stable duties,tack cleaning

Good luck

Manuka, I've never been the bravest of riders, but I did used to get on and do things despite the nerves. We used to gallop about the place and jump things and go to shows and stuff, but my old pony, dear to me as he was, wasn't what you'd call reliable and he gave me some nasty frights over the years so sort of whittled away at my confidence. What really did for it in the end was the break of a few years while he was retired and I had nothing else to ride, but couldn't afford to keep him and visit a riding school. But yes, you are right, having children has made a big difference, more so since having ds because I really don't know how I would cope with him if I was injured.
It is lovely being able to get my own pony out of the field, it's the best part for me. That's why I wasn't that good at shows I think, I didn't really have any ambition past the brilliant feeling of being there on my own pony! Mind you, when I ride on holiday it is a lovely treat to be greeted by a groomed and tacked up horse. I can just get on and actually still be clean when I go for a ride instead of covered in a layer of mud and hair.
My wedding was as small as could be, partly because we didn't have much money, and partly because I wanted to enjoy the day, not be a stressed-out wreck. Dh had been married before so he didn't mind how we did it. I had a pretty summery dress from C&A (yes I know but it was nice - honest) and a lovely bouquet and we all walked to the registry office. Afterwards it was back to our pub where my mum had paid for a buffet as our wedding present and we had a drink with our friends and customers and cut the cake. My brother-in-law took some gorgeous photos of us all in the back garden which was very pretty with old apple trees and delphiniums and roses and such (actually they are much nicer than the ones my sister paid a professional photographer thousands for). We were even lucky with the weather, beautiful sunshine and blue skies all day, until we set off for our three-day honeymoon and it poured with rain all the way there, then stopped as we arrived! I don't feel I missed out at all, except perhaps that I've never had the chance to wear a proper wedding gown, just to see how I scrub up! Mmm and a carriage with white horses would have been quite nice!

I am more aware since having DC's but still have the same confidence levels, heres hoping that is still the same after this one is born!

Winnie- your life sounds like mine, one never ending whirlwind I love it and the horses keep me sane but I do have the odd occasion when I think why do I do all this?
I have 3 DC's, 7,3,1 and pg with DD, 2 horses and DC's pony, 1 dog, 2 cats and we run our own business.
I have 2 livery spaces but also rent a field so I can have 24/7 turnout

Ah such lovely sounding lives with loads of animals!! I have a cat and will be getting a whippet soon and then hopefully dd will love horseriding and then fingers and toes crossed we will be able to borrow a horse to share between us. Thats my goal anyway!

Pixel your wedding sounds perfect. I don't feel comfortable with loads of fancy stuff going on. Today we found a really cool bar in town that will do bangers and mash and sticky toffee pudding (proper homemade gear with top notch butchers sausages) and its got really stylish decor and no hire charge and its a really chilled out atmosphere and I am very very happy!! Hurrah! Its such a cool venue that it wont need much more than a few vases of nice simple flowers which is a weight off my mind! Good old Winewoman had some great ideas for which I'm much obliged! You've got a lot of names Winewoman!
My cousin spent £60,000 on her wedding!! It was like a Hollywood film! Great to attend but not what I'd feel comfortable to have for myself which is a good job cos we only have £3000!
Would love to have a horse and carriage on the day though. That would be fantastic!

That sounds lovely for your wedding, and I bet people will remember that with more affection than they would the £60,000 one. I would, I love bangers and mash!
It's a shame you live so far away, otherwise if you could have borrowed a carriage we would have had the horse! My sister tried long-reining her cob the other day and he was so foot-perfect she wrote to one of his previous owners (name on passport) to ask if he'd ever been driven. The lady rung her up to say that he was driven more than he was ridden! He's also had quite a prestigious career in the show ring and won a championship at a county show. My sister is still on cloud nine at having such a superstar and mum and I have been instructed to gaze at him with awe .

Wow what a brilliant thing to find out about! So is she going to drive him now? I bet thats a really good buz! You could drive yours and compete against eachother!

Hello Woman of Wine! Thankyou for your dress offer. I've found a really good dress-maker who's going to make me a fabulous bright green dress with black bead trimming to go with an antique black glass choker I got years ago. I'm extremely excited about it!! I'm going to have a green veil too!
It would be so amazing to have a big black horse to match but never mind, a taxi will do!

Your dress sounds wonderful, I hope we are going to see some pics!
Sis used to drive her old pony but she has sold the trap and harness now. I don't think she will buy another as there is nowhere to store it. It was fun though, especially as dpony made it quite clear he'd pulled a chariot in a past life!

Hello!
Have been a stranger of late, just wanted to bump thread (took me ages to find it!) before bedtime so it's on my threads and I can have a read and catch up tomorrow

Hi Rodeo.Caught up yet?