Howlett's Starlight (Moley) is a 16hh British Warmblood Stallion with a lovely personality.
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Had a lovely pre-champs jump today. Hadn't jumped since our hunter trial so was expecting it to be a bit wild but he was faultless! Did not touch a pole, listened, was adjustable and stepped up when I had a miss. I don't know why I get so anxious about jumping when I can count the falls I've had jumping him on one hand and they've all been genuine errors 🤦♀️
No photos today as I did it on my own but used an old one! And our nemesis jump stayed up both times we jumped it!
Lovely hack this morning. Checked the music festival out lol.
We had a visit from our Auntie Izi on Sunday... she always has treats! 😍
Motor rally in the field across the A38 with loud announcements... 0 F's given!
Taking Moley through the barn this morning and he's doing his usual trying to look through everyone's stuff, so end up pulling him along. Get to the end of the barn and... he's acquired a pair of children's jodhpurs to wear as a fly fringe 🤦♀️
Desensitisation training complete! This is why I can dress him up for fancy dress dressage to Music complete with flapping wings! What a twit!
He's come a long way from the horse who was too dangerous to hack as a 5yo!
He's still got it at 18!
Qualified for the Eland Lodge Equestrian Hunter Trial Championships in September at his first hunter trial in 19 months!!!
We hadn't done any cross country since November 2022 due to a field injury which caused a ni**le in his tendon sheath. I have been super careful with his workload, the surfaces he's worked on, and hand-grazed instead of turning out when muddy. His Equilibrium Products magnetic chaps have been a game changer too - the ni**le has stayed at bay since using them!
At Badminton, I saw a pink base layer with silver leaves up the arms in the sale which I really wanted. So encouraged by my friends, I bought it and 'had' to go XC now. Found a body protector in my size online in the sale last weekend... it arrived Tuesday thanks to super speedy service from The Drillshed! So had a school Wednesday, complete with a little rodeo display!
Great news is, the chiropractor said he needed such little adjustments on Friday that he didn't even need the next day off- and he'd done his Hunter trial only hours before due to working the event and teaching Saturday!!! And... no ni**le in the tendon sheath! Think it's safe to say it's healed!
A massive thank you to Renee and Naomi for helping me to get back out there again! We're so lucky to have such an amazing course at 'home'!
Looking forward to my birthday weekend away! Now to get fitter!
Happy 18th birthday Donut!!!
Today, we found the motorway very confusing...the cars were not moving! He kept looking back at them as well as looking across when we went along a road parallel to it! No spooking, just perplexed!
Spring is on the way! Lovely evening's hack - and we got complimented on our hi-vis again. Everyone loves the pink ears - or 'hat' 🤣 Luckily he's man enough to pull it off 🤣
Not how likits are meant to be consumed!
We were not very happy that someone had hidden the grass today... although he did like rolling in it! Made a horse shaped snow angel! So he chose to come in early and sulk... until I gave him a Likit!
Snow angel - Moley style!
Today marks the 5 year anniversary of my first ride on Moley! After 6 weeks of hand walking, long lining and lunging (as he hadn't been ridden properly for years), I said to his owner that someone needs to get on before he gets too fit... so he said get on! We had a few hairy moments over the years - mostly when someone preferred standing on 2 legs rather than 4! 🙈 or in the early days, if he lost balance, he would give up and just fall over 🤦♀️ He still has a unique jumping style and likes to keep me on my toes but I'm pleased how well he's fairing at almost 18 years old!
A big thank you to everyone who's helped us along the way! And obviously to Pete for trusting me with the best horse in the world!
Here's to the next 5 Donut!
You know you have fully desensitised your horse when he loves playing with plastic bags 🤣 also climbs inside builder's sacks and has to be told daily to leave the rubbish bin alone (we also have a fascination with diggers, trains, lorries and pushchairs 🤣)
He wanted to be hand grazed for a second time yesterday - marched me around to the grass then proceeded to eat at this speed - he was starving! Maybe if he hadn't spent his day throwing hay around instead of eating, he wouldn't have been so hungry!
Shiny Moley! It was warm enough for a bath before our dressage at Burrows Court Farm yesterday- which is good cos he had a great roll when I hand grazed him in the morning. Unfortunately our warm up was shortened as I forgot my hat and gloves so had to borrow a hat, and buy some gloves 🤦♀️ he wasn't through enough for the higher marks but that's fixable with a longer warm up as he was quite distracted still- it was his first party since the beginning of October! Thanks to Jo for the lift and support!
Photo by
Managed to get a couple of rounds of show jumping in yesterday! It was fast and exciting! So pleased to have keen bean Moley back! Had a pole in the 70 and 2 in the 80 but still qualified for The Sunshine Tour at Hickstead in the 80 as we came 3rd! Came away grinning and Moley was very pleased with himself
Photo from -photography
The last jedi
When mum is late to the yard because she had issues buying your food this morning and couldn't graze you til her lunch break, it's compulsory to throw a strop!
This video was after having a bucking and rearing tantrum. Then one leg kept going. He kept going til I got all the mud off that was put there because he rolled inhand 🤦♀️
He's feeling very well lately which is keeping me on my toes!
When you need a horse with clean dry legs for a bandaging assessment and the school horses are having their winter break... just use your friendly stallion! He was most disappointed when they left!
Can you guess which Christmas song made him smile?!
Bit of a different view to this time last year! Lovely day for a hack! The pink ear bonnet, or 'ear warmers' as a walker called them today, certainly stand out.
Updated to some new pink hi-vis gear after noticing that those in older yellow and orange items were blending in with the autumn trees and when a horse's head is up, you can't always see the rider's tabard when approaching head on... almost all cars slowed down which is great. I believe you need to give drivers a chance to see you and react.
My lovely friend Helen who joined me and Izi Barfield at National Veteran Championships at the end of September, despite knowing nothing about horses, bought me a lovely photo of Moley performing a great extended trot... in a class where you are not supposed to show lengthened strides 🤭 It's quite possibly the best extension he's given me too 🤣
Moley had an au naturel day today...
As we walked to the field (slowly whilst sampling the greenery), I realised it was too warm for his rug so took it off... que lots of rolling!
Then as planned with his farrier, we took his front shoes off to try barefoot. We took his back shoes off in spring and it went well. As I was no longer wearing shoes out with the amount of road work we're doing and he's still growing huge amounts of hoof - we were on a 4.5 week shoeing cycle due to the amount of growth - we decided that the front shoes could come off too! His feet are so healthy now thanks to Amy's (farrier) and Tash's (vet) care and advice, plus his feed. He didn't feel any different on our hack and I could hear how strong his hooves are on the road. 😊
Our great Veteran Horse Society Championships photos have arrived! They look amazing- they are glass framed too. It was hard choosing 8 pictures lol! Obviously had to get one of our Strictly Fancy Dress-age 😊
That face 😍
Gloucester
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Motor rally in the field across the A38 with loud announcements... 0 F's given!
Today, we found the motorway very confusing...the cars were not moving! He kept looking back at them as well as looking across when we went along a road parallel to it! No spooking, just perplexed!
Not how likits are meant to be consumed!
We were not very happy that someone had hidden the grass today... although he did like rolling in it! Made a horse shaped snow angel! So he chose to come in early and sulk... until I gave him a Likit!
You know you have fully desensitised your horse when he loves playing with plastic bags 🤣 also climbs inside builder's sacks and has to be told daily to leave the rubbish bin alone (we also have a fascination with diggers, trains, lorries and pushchairs 🤣)
He wanted to be hand grazed for a second time yesterday - marched me around to the grass then proceeded to eat at this speed - he was starving! Maybe if he hadn't spent his day throwing hay around instead of eating, he wouldn't have been so hungry!
When mum is late to the yard because she had issues buying your food this morning and couldn't graze you til her lunch break, it's compulsory to throw a strop! This video was after having a bucking and rearing tantrum. Then one leg kept going. He kept going til I got all the mud off that was put there because he rolled inhand 🤦♀️ He's feeling very well lately which is keeping me on my toes!
People have been surprised that Moley didn't spook at his outfit last weekend... he works hard on bombproofing himself! You'd be surprised how often I have to stop Moley going through bins!
Video of last night's performance
Always makes me feel loved. He waits til I say hello to 'reply' every day 😍 best stallion ever
Whoever said diamonds are a girl's best friend never had a good horse
When your horse loves playing with plastic bags. Self-desensitation 🤣
Moley says 'Mwah!' 😘
