Riding and Road Safety Test

Well I took my Riding and Road Safety Test at the Colchester Garrison Saddle Club on Monday and I passed!  Yeah! Some last minute revising and getting Russell to test me on the highway code on Sunday night paid off.  In fact, I was a complete swot and got 20 out of 20 on the multiple choice theory section of the test.  Ha.  Mind you, I shouldn't be so cocky, kids as young as 14 can take the test! My neck is still quite sore from so much turning round to look behind me whilst doing the ridden sections of the test.

On to the Stage 2 Horse Management and Riding exam in June. I was pleased to pass the road safety as it is a pre requisite for the Stage 2 exam.

The chickens are now outside.....

And loving it.  You can just catch a glimpse of the infamous "Russell Seddon Quail Enclosure" in the background.  He is constructing the door now so I think it may be ready in the next few months or so :-)

The baby chickens are using the run, so the older chickens' enclosure now looks like this:

The dog has been a constant source of worry and anxiety to me over the past couple of weeks, his tummy hasn't been right (I won't go into details but its been messy) and I was scared in case he'd eaten something horrible or got something struck in his digestive system.  Anyway i took him to the vets today, thankfully he's fine but the vet asked me what i was feeding him.  When i told her it was Bakers, she said that isn't a v good brand and that I need to feed him on more expensive food that is better for his digestion. So he is now on James Well Beloved and he does seem to like it more.  I thought bakers was a really good make, just shows you the powers of advertising :-)

We are STILL waiting to hear back from the Council regarding our application, I do think the council officer has got cold feet, it did all seem too good to be true.  Still, the Highways Agency have get back to us saying our proposals are fine from their point of view.  One down, two to go (the Council and the Environmental Agency).

I'm spending loads of time searching horse and hound and horse quest looking for another suitable lead rein / first ridden pony for Luke.  I've phone a couple, but they sound too forward going off the lead rein - I don't want Luke's pony to be bombing off across the field with him when he gets off the lead rein, it might put him off riding for life.  we can't have that, I have big equestrian plans for these kids!

I am going to the Nationals with the Riding for the Disabled Association on 20 May, I'm leading the ponies for Sarah Barker (the regional chair of the RDA here in herts) so that should be really good. I think its great that children with disabilities can be given something to aim for and to achieve, and going to competitions with ponies is so much more exciting than just having lessons in an indoor school.

More next time x x x x