For Sale (well not if Mum gets her way) - Akehurst Melrose

Mum and I have had an argument about this blog, mostly I think because Mum actually really wants to buy Mel (aka Akehurst Melrose) for herself.  The only problem is my best mate and field companion Zippy DOES NOT LIKE GIRLS.  Mum knows this and the boss lady, Delia, at the stud has promised me a bag of carrots if I can help sell her.  And as Mum clearly is not going to give me any carrots, I need to fend for myself before I forget what they taste like!  So sorry Mum, my hooves win!

Mel is a black yearling filly (hence why Mum can't have her).  She was born on 22nd May 2013 and like me is a section A dales pony.  In fact she is my half sister.  We both share the same Dad, Lowhouses Jet (aka Rambo to his friends).  Mum says that is why Mel is a lot like me, we both simply adore human company. Her Mum is Akehurst Princess Rose, a very experienced mummy.  I've been told to say both parents are FIS clear - I have no idea what that means but evidently its good!

Mel is a very friendly pony (just like me) who just loves people (just like me) and therefore is always keen for fuss and attention (of course, what else is a pony for but to make a fuss over - as long as its me!).

This is another reason I need to help Delia sell Mel, sorry little sister, but I'm not up for sharing my Mum with you.  She's mine and I need ALL of her attention.  

Mel (like me) comes rushing to the gate whenever she spots a human, so is easy to catch. She enjoys being groomed and is keen to join in anything asked of her. She loaded straight into trailer the first time she was shown one (though she has not actually traveled in one yet - unlike me who is now a very experienced can on wheels expert).  She has no problem with her hooves being trimmed (like me) and was even a little star when she had a visit from the vet (a what?  Mum says its best not to find out what a vet is, err ok Mum). 

The down side to all this is, she suffers from ASD (attention seeking disorder) !! And makes it quite clear she wants all the attention (couldn't possibly imagine where she gets that from - Dad!). Therefore needs a home where there are not too many other ponies and a firm human who will not tolerate her little tantrums! (Hmmm that sounds like my Mum!)

Mel has excellent conformation (like me), lovely free moving straight action (like me), very brave (I'm sure she will get her human out of many scrapes, like I do getting my Mum out of bogs etc), easy to lead and is used to cows, sheep, tractors, quads, dogs, plastic bags and space hoppers (yeah best not to ask about that!). Mel is show quality, but also has potential for any discipline (just like me!).

A very special home is required for my little sister and she is only for sale (because I won't let Mum buy her) and the boss lady Delia no longer shows or competes.

Please email jweedon6@gmail.com or visit http://www.akehurst-dalesponies.com/For_Sale.htm for more information on my little sister. 

Because I am very clever I have even managed to turn my hooves to producing a short video of my little sister - please don't expect her to have the same blogging and videoing skills as me, but you never know!  I'm not clever enough to include it in my blog but I have uploaded it to YouTube so if you click on this link you can see what she moves like http://youtu.be/ekWNLc6BPKs

Basically if you would like a little me who will try their heart out to please you, and you are a clever human who understands how to play our pony games and win by playing firm but fair, then this is the pony you have been looking for.  (No Mum you cannot have her, you know Zippy will try to kill her, and yes Zippy may be old, but she has a good few years in her yet!).

Whatever you do, please tell the boss lady Delia, that I sent you, I really need carrots!!!!!!!!

Saturday the girls are in charge!

On Saturday I saw Mum and Benji were up very early to help boss man, John with the cows.  Peaches and Melba (I though that was a dessert not a cow???? humans are very confusing sometimes) have to come in to give their foster calves milk and the humans milk too, why the humans cant make their own milk I'll never know.

Then Zippy and I watched from our lovely field while boss man, John, left the farm not to return all day!  This is very unusual especially as boss lady, Delia was left behind.  That meant the whole farm was left in the hands of the girls - oh no this could mean trouble!

Nondus arrived to help too on Saturday and they were very efficient and got all their duties done without issue - boring!

Mum and Nondus set off on Suzy and June to meet Tina's new pony.  He is a replacement for Brian.  I'm not quiet sure whether Brian got sacked or not from companion duties, it's all been hushed up and I can't believe anything Dave tells me because he thought he should have gone up to keep Tina's horse company in the first place.

Anyway her new horse is a lovely coloured cob (my favourite after Dales ponies - have to say that Zippy is reading this over my shoulder!) whose name is Indie - he does look like an indian's pony.  I wonder whether he will be up for playing cowboys and indians?

It was yet another lovely day so the three ponies and humans had a lovely ride, I'm not sure why Mum didn't take me?  June had to take Mum so she won't be happy as Mum makes her work on the bit!

Still meant I could have a rest, Zippy and I are loving the huge field we are in, lots of yummy grass.

Fun Friday

We are still grounded to the farm because those nasty motorbike things are still hogging our forest, hope they aren't making a mess up there!

As both Dave and Vince had passed the Larry legs test so easily yesterday Dave got introduced to a new challenge today - long reining, not as easy as it looks. Mum started the session with some traditional lunging which I could watch from my field and all went well. The the boss (Delia) took over and Dave was kitted up for long reining. Now before I explain what happened I want to offer up two items of fact in Dave's defence. To date he has been lunged with a black lunge line and today out of nowhere they suddenly turn bright white! Also humans you do not long rein a youngster in an eggbutt snaffle, you need a full cheek bit please.  

Bearing these points in mind it's hardly surprising that Dave took off in fright at long white reins trailing behind him and then didn't do as he was told because he had the wrong bit in and it was pulling through his mouth.  Honestly humans, really! Considering all this he did manage to pull himself together and vaguely grasp the concept by the end of the session. Though he is still blotting his copy book by not being the most co-operative pony to have his bridle put on and stupidly even more silly about taking it off. So all in all not the best session of the workiday.

It then got far more interesting for me and Zippy as we were both brought down to the stable block from our field. I got to go out first and finally had a chance to test out the racetrack I had seen Mum riding all the other ponies around when she came without me. I was not alone. I had Suzy for company and Nondus was her jockey. They thought Suzy would have the most chance of beating me in a race. Nondus wanted to understand how fast us Dales ponies can go and me and Benji dog were more than up to the challenge.  

I have hired Benji as my speed trainer because he is so quick and I reckon if he can teach me to gallop as fast as he can run, I would beat all the other ponies and probably all the horses too. So today was a good chance to see how my training has been progressing. We lined up level for our first gallop up the field, too easy Benji and I won hands down and Suzy came a good last. So in the spirit of sportsmanship and recognising I am fitter than Suzy because Mum takes me out lots and only has me to ride whereas Delia has three to ride and 12 ponies to look after, so Suzy can't be expected to be as fit as me, I let her have a head start on the second race up the hill - still beat her!  Better persuade Mum to buy Benji some bonio's as a reward as his training is certainly paying off, still can't quiet beat him yet!

Once I and Suzy were settled back into the stables all the old girls got to go out together for a potter.  Mum rode June, Nondus rode Zippy again and Delia got to ride Katy. Old girls refers to the age combinations of either horse, rider, or horse and rider - I'm not making any comment beyond this, it would be more than my life is worth!  They were very boring and just had a walk and short trot around the racetrack, it's a race track ladies your supposed to race not wander along chatting!

After their leisurely stroll we were all turned back out into our fields for a good munch on some grass.  Zippy and I have a whole big field to ourselves. I like to wear my ghost rug, the other ponies call me a southern whimp, but hey I'm not the one getting bitten by horse flies!

Mum brought us up some tea which included Zippys medicine to help with her arthritis. Then the humans all disappeared off down the road, oh we know where you were going, it's no good pretending  otherwise, they were off to the Red Lion for a big pub dinner and a glass or two of wine, I'm not too sure I approve but they were back at a reasonably sensible hour. I know because Zippy and I were keeping watch as our field is alongside the drive, so they couldn't sneak out or back without us watching them!

Day two or my workiday (holiday to humans)

We have been grounded to the farm because of something called the Welsh Enduro, which Mum says involves noisey motorbikes riding along our forest tracks (spoil sports) and everyone is banned from going into the forest or even down the roads for two whole days - boring!

This meant Mum, Delia and Nondus had something planned to keep us all entertained. Both the boys (Dave and Vince) got to meet Larry legs, though he needed repairing between lessons. I should explain Larry legs is used to get us ponies used to things jangling on our sides, for my pony readers it's like carrying a very bad rider who just wants to kick you all the time, with the added disadvantage of them not being very balanced in the first place - I know, if you can cope with Larry legs then humans seem a lot easier to handle. 

Below is Dave, making easy work of the legs, though he did manage to break them, but through no fault of his own and he didn't mind when Larry legs slipped out of the stirrup iron and continued to bash him in the side, due to a maintenance failure to ensure the strings were up to the job - honestly humans you are going to have to try harder, if you want to fluster a Dales pony. 

Even when the legs get back to front.....

After some maintenance Vince got a go too, and was equally unperturbed by the experience.

Both these talented boys are for sale and I am on a bag of carrots for each pony I can help sell, so if you are interested in either of these handsome youngsters please call Delia at the Akhurst Stud and tell her I sent you, I really need those carrots. 

In between Larry leg sessions June and Katy were also put through their paces in the arena. Nondus got to ride Katy and poor June got my Mum which meant she had to work extra hard, but she was looking good over the poles.....

Finally Mum got to practice working out whether I was on the correct canter lead or not. She is definitely getting better at feeling whether I have got it right or not.  I try and get it right most of the time now but like to throw in the odd left canter lead on the right rein or visa versa just to make sure she is paying attention and doesn't take it for granted I'm always going to get it right.

Us ponies had a fun day and the boys definitely enjoyed getting the better of Larry legs, much to the disappointment of humans who were hoping for some more entertaining action.  Everyone finally got turned back out into the fields for some much deserved R&R (rest and recuperation) so we will be ready for whatever tomorrow brings.......

The whole family is on the move

Dave is still sending me distressed reports of cruelty even though I know from Mum's last visit he is just being silly. However I have managed to convince Mum that perhaps if she took me to Wales I could show Dave how it's done and lead by example.  

I thought this was a bit of a longshot but Mum fell for it on condition Zippy and Benji came along for the ride too. So last Wednesday we were all packed up into the box on wheels and off we went to the current home of Dave, and my old home The Akehurst Stud in mid Wales. 

We arrived in time for lunch, so Zippy and I were put into our rooms, most of the crew were already in there, including Katy who came to stay with us for a while (but Zippy didn't like her). Mum disappeared off for lunch while we tucked into our hay. 

Then Zippy & I got to stretch our legs, by going for a little walk around the racetrack. 

Zippy met her new rider Nondus, she likes Nondus because she's nice and light weight. Zippy enjoyed herself so much she even offered a canter up the hill for Nondus. Mum told me I had to keep behind because if Zippy thought it was a race she'd go faster and hurt herself.  Humph, I could have beaten her, but Benji won like usual. 

We posed for a family photo afterwards, think Benji was a bit tired!

Then we got a real bonus and were turned out into a beautifully cut field, which turns out to be our home for the week - yummy.  Plus it's next to Dave's field, so we can chat to all three boys.

This is our standard view of them, they are like the three musketeers!  Brian is on the left, he's two years old. Then it's my old mate Dave in the middle, who I have come to sort out and then there is Vince on the right. Dave and Vince are three and Mum is just helping back them. All three are for sale, all enquiries to Delia Weedon at the Akehurst Stud, but make sure you tell her I told you, as I'm working on commission and have been promised a whole bag of carrots for every pony I find a lovely human for. 

Mum and Nondus then took Katy and June out. Mum got to ride Katy who is very proud of her new shoes, it's the first set of shoes she has ever had and she loved being shod, standing like an old pro, she was so excited to give them a test drive. She also likes the noise they make against the metal bars in her pen - not sure the humans share this view!  Below is Mum on Katy, she's my half sister. 

And below is Nondus on June.