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Archive for August, 2009

Pony Club Centre Show Jumping

Saturday, August 29th, 2009

The summer holidays have been pretty busy with Camps, Pony Days, Pony Club, Competitions and Lessons. Today was the last of the activites for summer 09 and we had show jumping for riding school clients. This competition at the end of August is always run by the Pony Club Centre Committee who are made up of the older members of the Pony Club Centre at Talygarn to raise funds for their Halloween Party. Unfortunately the weather was so awful today that it wasn’t that busy. The committee made lots of lovely cakes to sell and raised £32. I did feel I needed to sample everybodies and they were very good. The show Jumping wasn’t very busy with the first classes but did get a bit busier later and they raised £187 on entries. It does cost quite a lot to hire all the equipment for the Halloween Party and I’m sure the committee will be doing more fund raising. Well done to all though you did work hard and did a good job and Thank you to all that supported the show. Pictures on the Gallery

Posted on Saturday, August 29th, 2009 at 1:57 am You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Camp and Show Jumping

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

Camp has been great fun despite the weather and its been lovely to have Laura back teaching for a few days. Camp this time was based on eventing and Laura brought some interesting items for them to see and they tacked up for cross country, Dressage and show jumping in the morning. after lunch everyone learn’t their dressage test. In the evening we played bareback polocrosse in the outdoor school after dark (well with arena lights not completely dark). Tuesday was show jumping and indoor cross country pratice in readiness for the one day event on Wednesday and Amelia took them all swimming at Cardiff international fun pool whilst Laura and I had a glass of white wine which ran into two bottles. Today was one of those days when you wished you hadn’t got up. It started well enough with camp getting up early to prepare their horses for the one day event.  I should’ve known it was going to go down hill when I burn’t the toast. Dressage in the outdoor school was good – in the pouring down rain and indoor cross country went down very well. Lunchtime I caught a bird – a robin who was stuck inside the mobile, I carried him to the house to show Martha Chloe and Amelia. Martha tried to take a photo which alarmed robin and he flew out of my hand Laura spotted a cat and tried to grab it but I have to say I was quite impressed by the way the pregnant cat left the floor 6 foot from the work surface landed on it and caught the bird in under .000005 of a second. Not impressed at the nerve of it though I chased the cat and tackled it to the ground. Cat with Bird in jaws has the strength of a tiger, having taken all my strength to lever its jaws open whilst it snarled and growled and dug its claws in my arm I managed to retrieve bird and rang Bird Woman Sharon at 2pm who told me she would pick it up when she found her car which was in a multi storey car park in cardiff but she couldn’t remember which floor. After lunch the camp continued with the showjumping and then we did the presentation with everyone doing well and Sarah Blake winning the One Day Event on Lucy. Amelia is thinking to go an visit Jen in Portugal but her passport needs renewing and as we don’t have a single day spare between Friday and the 8th of Aug when she intends to fly we would have to go to Newport to get a passport tomorrow. So I sent her to tescos to get passport pics but tescos in talbot wasn’t working so she had to go to culverhouse cross. In the meantime I went to start the show jumping and found that having been busy with camp all day I had forgot the course plans. So Sarah started whilst I went to print them out. I thought it would be a quiet evening show jumping as the weather was so awful but no it was one of the busist Wednesday’s we have had for ages. Toni apparently used to jump against me years ago and never managed to beat me although I don’t remember this. Anyway Toni’s mare is off work so she brought her older mare and decided to challenge me to jump against her but only in the 1ft 9 as her horse doesn’t jump very big. Seemed like a good idea to me as I haven’t jumped for ages. Having done the course plans I agreed as things seemed under control until the dentist I had completely forgotten about turned up to see two horses one of which was in the field. I took the dentist to see Smartie and sent Malissa out the field to catch Jynx. Whilst Sarah and Adele carried on with the judging. Malissa brought Jynx into a stable and it suddenly occurred to me that it wasn’t Jynx the dentist had come to see but Muppet. Malissa didn’t think she would catch Muppet as he can be difficult so I sent Carys Morgan out to get him, Carys came back 15 mins later without him I asked her if she couldn’t catch him to which she replied ‘Are you sure he is in the field cause I can’t find him’ turned out he was in the next but one stable to Smartie. After checking on the dentist and giving the bird to Sharon at 7pm (must ask how long it took her to find the car!!) I jumped on Phoebe and jumped a clear round Toni went in after me and started off quite quick to which I was thinking I’m gonna be under pressure in the jump off here but the first spread she came to her horse didn’t like and refused to jump it. So I didnt bother with the jump off cause that was a win to me as i wasn’t bothered about beating anyone else. After the jumping I sorted out the passport for my friend up the road to countersign for Amelia only to find that Amelia’s current passport has 2 years left before it expires. So I took some of my masses of lettuce that I have grown and is now growing out of control to my neighbours anyway and shared a much needed bottle of red.

Posted on Thursday, August 27th, 2009 at 2:31 am You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Pony Club Centre Championships

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

The Pony Club Centre Equitation Compettion is held in Derby at the Pony Club Championships. It involves four team members two 12 and under and two over 12 and two horses, they each ride a dressage test and jump a course of jumps. The team from Talygarn were Chloe Reakes, Sarah Blake, Zoe Morgan and Molly Groves. Chloe and Sarah riding Fred and Zoe and Molly riding Lucky.  We stayed on the showground over night as Amelia had jumped Destiny in the intermediate SJ on the monday and were up very early to get the horses ready tuesday morning, although not early enough really as it took quite some time to get them plaited and organised,  it was about a half mile trek to the dressage arenas and nerves had overcome Molly who was sick several times.  Chloe was the first to ride her dressage test on Fred who hadn’t had enough time to settle and was a bit on his toes. Chloe did a very good job on him but it was a shame he wasn’t a bit more chilled. Molly and Zoe both rode Lucky for their tests and then Sarah did hers on Fred who by this time was a lot calmer and Sarah rode a very nice test. After the Dressage we moved to the show jumping arena. Fred has been out to a lot of shows and I was confident that he would jump ok but we haven’t had Lucky long and although he has been indoors to Sunnybank a couple of times and jumps at home we did not now how he would be outdoors on grass. Zoe rode him first and jumped a lovely clear round Molly also did a good round on him but had one run out. Sarah and Chloe jumped  lovely round’s on fred. The turn from fence 6 to fence 7 was not easy as the angle was too tight and a lot of riders veered right after jumping 6 then cantered around that corner to the left on the wrong leg most didn’t change or went disunited and I’m pleased our girls knew their canter leads. The girls took the horses back to the stables and we went to have a look at the scoreboard. I wasn’t sure how well they had done as its difficult to work out but I thought maybe around 5th so it was a lovely surprise when they were called onto the podium in 3rd place.

Pony Club Champs 09

Each Team member also competed as an individual in their own section. Chloe and Zoe were 5th in their section but Sarah Blake was the winner of hers. We had an idea Sarah would win but her Gran had thought she would be second, I was standing next to her when they called out the order and she had her camera in her hand for the 2nd place when it wasn’t Sarah that was called I don’t think it occurred to her gran that she had won as she looked quite confused that Sarah hadn’t been called and then when Sarah was called into first place she screamed in my ear. There were 23 teams taking place in all so I think they all did tremendously well. We didn’t do well in the tack and turn out but I didn’t expect we would although they should have really as they were immaculate and at least they did turn their own horses out and their tack and although there was no inspection for turn out at the show jumping the standard was appalling, a lot didn’t wear hairnets for the jumping and some looked very messy whereas our team went in looking very smart. So well done girls Talygarn is very proud of you. Photos are on the Gallery

Posted on Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 at 11:14 pm You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Vehicle breakdowns and General Mayhem

Friday, August 14th, 2009

Steve was told on monday that he had an abcess on the kidneys and a kidney stone and he needed urgent hospital treatment. It was decided to admit him into hospital in Bristol on Tuesday till at least Friday. Realising that Steve was not going to be in any fit state to drive the lorry to Derby on Sunday for the Pony Club Championships. I thought I’d better practice as I haven’t driven it for a while and we had a breakdown the week before due to air in the diesel the mechanic had been out but I thought we better take it out and check it was ok. Sharon and I took it for a spin to talbot then down the M4 and back through Llanharry everything was fine so we decided to take Amelia and Destiny to Gloucester the next day for the BSJA Show jumping on Tuesday. We left about 9am got onto the motorway and the engine cut out before the next junction. Unfortunately we had just passed the hard shoulder. A Traffic cop came out and parked his flashing lights behind us. We spent two hours waiting for the rescue vehicle sunbathing just off the hard shoulder with the copper standing on the motorway making hand gestures, some not so polite at passing cars. The Rescue man raised the front end of the lorry onto his truck with horse still on board and towed us home with a police escort. We decided that as we weren’t meant to be at home we would go out so we went to the White Lion in Ystradowen for lunch. Jenni’s agent rang today and told her he needed someone in Portugal urgently to run a hotel entertainment package so she is flying on Saturday, which adds to the already short of staff problems I have. I spent Wednesday morning on the phone trying to make arrangements to get us to Derby for three days. I got a lift for Amelia and Destiny on Saturday and Toni has very kindly said she will drive me and the team and the other horses up on Sunday afternoon in her lorry and stay with us and bring us all back on Tuesday. The shop has been getting a bit low so off I went with Steves cash and carry card to bridgend, the shop is looking well stocked now and so is my freezer. The show jumping on Wednesday night was busier than its been for ages, but the burger van was well covered by the manager of Burger King Amy and Fleur who also works at Burger King.  The jumping finished at 10pm and then Amelia had to ride Leo for an hour by the time I had cleaned up sorted everything out and watered my garden in the dark  it was 11.20pm. Today’s we had client show jumping I got in the car to nip down the village for rolls only to discover I had a flat tyre, beginning to think I am cursed where vehicles are concerned just lately. The show jumping was a little quieter than usual but we still didn’t finish till 3pm. Amelia rode Leo and then we turned him out in the field. This was the first time he has gone out in at least six months since he was on box rest. He did gallop about a bit so we will have to keep fingers crossed and hope that leg doesn’t swell up over night. New pony arrived on trial today called ‘Rupert’, he is quite young and will need some schooling but he looks a nice sort. Some kids were letting off firecrackers at the top of the lane which were frightening the horses so I went to have a tactful word with their mother, who told me that boys will be boys and that they were well informed about how to handle the firecrackers and how far back to stand, Is she mad, theses boys were about 12, who in their right mind allows their kids to light and handle firecrackers, and doesn’t she see the adverts on TV before bonfire night informing people about the dangers and the dangers to animals. Yard seemed to run without any more choas than usual tonight finished up and watered garden in the dark (again). Steve will be home tomorrow but has to go back next week for a scan. It has been a bit difficult this week trying to keep on top of everything and I couldn’t have managed without some great friends that have been here to lend a hand and all the girls that have worked so hard on the yard. Can’t decide whether I turned the tap off to the hose that fills the water tank by the indoor school so looking forward to major flood tomorrow.

Posted on Friday, August 14th, 2009 at 1:15 am You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

A note to all adoption/Livery riders

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

A note to all adoption/Livery riders at Talygarn a lot of hard work was put into the preparation of your horses for the dressage but unfortunately not so much into the care of them after. The top yard looked like a bomb had hit it after everyone had gone home so Amelia and I watched back on the CCTV from approx 2.30pm   Pictures of Top yard are on Gallery

This is how it goes Kelly takes wheel barrow to top yard cleans Fred’s stable out into wheel barrow but leaves wheel barrow on top yard.

14.50 Angharad throws sweat scraper from Sid’s stable into middle of yard and leaves it there.

14.55 Carys R moves sweat scraper to one side but leaves it on yard

3pm Kate and Brooke bring another wheel barrow onto yard clean their stables and take wheel barrow away.  Kate sweeps mess outside her door into a pile but leaves it there Brooke just leaves mess outside door

3,15 After several horses have walked over sweat scraper Angharad picks it up

Angharad then cleans Sid’s stable into wheel barrow Kelly had left but does not empty it Angharad sweeps mess outside her door into a pile picks up some of it but leaves rest there and a whip

15.30 Lucy mucks Michigan out into Kelly and Angharads wheel barrow and fills it to back breaking point but also leaves it on the yard and does not empty it even though you couldnt get any more in it. Lucy leaves a mess outside Michigans door and a grooming brush and tube of gel

15.54 Carys R takes Buffy out, Carys brings own wheel barrow to yard and empties it. But leaves mess outside door, door open, grooming kit etc on yard.

Throughout the afternoon numerous horses were walked on and off the yard with the doors open this is DANGEROUS there is not enough room, STABLE DOORS MUST BE HOOKED BACK IF HOOKS AVAILABLE OR CLOSED

I realise it is difficult to close the doors when you are taking horses out but plenty of people were back and for to that yard and could have closed doors to make it safer for others. If you see a door open close it or hook it back

No one made any attempt to pick up any of the hay and mess spread all over the yard

If you use a wheel barrow do not leave it for someone else the rule is EMPTY IT

PS   We only watched the top yard The Front wasn’t much better and the tack room is appalling

This will be taken into account for further competitions and Adoptions

A Huge thank you to Carys Morgan and Libby John who after they had finished with the top yard it looked spotless

And whilst I’m at it if you can’t put your rubbish in the bin please do not eat your lunch in the portacabin

Posted on Tuesday, August 11th, 2009 at 1:18 am You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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