Diary of a Highland Pony and his Dun friend

19/05/2026

Lesson report

Today I should have been taking Oakley to Crockstead Equestrian Centre to see David Rumsey but as Oakley has been struggling with an allergy and is on medication I opted to take Frodo who would like to point out that Oakley self harmed last month and this is the second month in a row he’s been substituted.

I struggled to get him dry as it turned out it rained overnight, mine go out at night and come in during the day, so he was double rugged and I kept my fingers crossed he’d be dry enough to wear tack (he was).

I’m fairly sure Frodo bounced into the arena with a grin on his face, he stood still just about long enough for me to get on and that was it we were off. I find on Frodo if I’m having a flatwork lesson I sit better and my legs are better without stirrups so I did the entire lesson without stirrups. Once warmed up we did simple trot/walk/trot transitions - Frodo decided it should be trot/jog/trot so it did take a while to get a decent downwards transition and whilst it makes me smile it does defeat the object of the exercise slightly. Had a super left canter transition and change of rein on the long diagonal but the upwards on the right rein proved harder until I sorted my twist out and then we were off and also got a lovely change of rein with some counter canter on both reins. We also did some canter leg yield (remember to get straight before asking) Frodo spent all of the lesson with his ears firmly forwards and happy to be in the arena. I was thrilled to be in an indoor arena as the weather was a tad wet when we arrived, although it had stopped when we went out of the arena.

Oakley’s breathing is much better and he’s back in work I just didn’t feel it was a good plan to travel and do a lesson whilst he’s potentially still compromised and if we train at home we can stop and reassess much easier. He now has his own nebuliser and is happily standing there with it on his nose - Frodo’s nebuliser doesn’t fit him so he had to have his own, obviously Oakley’s is in pink and Frodo’s is a boring blue version.

18/05/2026

Not sure I can do this on Oakley but can certainly give it a go on Frodo

Sunday's training.

Following on from our earlier training article on riding without stirrups with some of our rider's please see below another exercise we used.

Working large around the arena, using the letters to go from sitting trot with the stirrups then at the next letter taking their feet out of the stirrups whilst sitting to the trot.

Then kept alternating from one to the other from letter to letter.

Good for:

Rider confidence.

Balance from feet in the stirrups to feet out maintaining the trot without looking down.

Developing more feel.

Rider position and posture.

Rider reaction.

This exercise could also be done at the walk and canter depending on the experience of the rider.

We hope you have found this exercise interesting and helpful.

We would love to hear from you if you try it.

Happy riding.

04/05/2026

Dressage Camp

On Friday Oakley and I made the journey to Parwood Equestrian Centre for the BD south and South East Camp, the weekend is always great fun meeting new people and old friends and this weekend was no exception.

Obviously packing the lorry and getting ready took way longer than required so set off much later than intended but did at least find a route that avoided the M25 however there was still traffic but tbh what do you expect on a bank holiday Friday? Got there and got Oakley settled in his stable for the weekend, he truly wasn’t sure what on earth I had done to him.

Met an old friend and introduced to a new friend who had the cutest puppy, I would have brought him home with me and he would have come home with me - a chihuahua x Jack Russell he was perfect. Dinner eaten and and horses checked so time for bed ready for an early start.

Saturday found Oakley thrilled to get breakfast (he does get it at home) as he’d not really eaten much of his hay/haylage overnight. Shared lesson in the indoor in the morning and a new to me trainer, she’s local to me and very experienced also being a list one judge so it’s possible I might meet her competing. Oakley was fairly (for him) wired so didn’t manage to get much sense out of him but he did try hard and he did listen when he wasn’t totally distracted by horses working in the outdoor arenas and walking out between arenas. I did manage to get a canter on both reins which I was really pleased about. We did lots of transitions and some circles/serpentines.

Time for lunch after settling him back in his box, I then went to my lorry to chill for a bit and had a short nap before going to get him ready for our next session which was a test session, however he was so tense I elected to use the arena time to work around it rather than run through a test (badly) and we did do all the movements required so was pleased with him.

Dinner time and evening fun filled activity it was a game where you reinacted a photo so the youths of the group planned it and at the required point we all posed for a photo it was a little odd but still fun. Another reasonable sleep and all too soon time to start the fun and games again.

Oakley still hasn’t eaten much hay but at least he hadn’t tipped his water over unlike Friday night. Got him ready for my lesson we were in the outdoor this time he was again fairly tense and distracted by horses outside the arena but not at all phased by the also wired horse working in the arena next door, horses are odd. I decided he’d done enough and wouldn’t benefit from another spell in the arena which wouldn’t be long enough to settle him before riding through a test so after lunch packed up and set off home. Oakley was thrilled to be home I was thrilled to finally drive the A3/M25 junction without having to queue for several hours and tbh probably had the best journey back from Parwood that I’ve ever had.

I’m looking forward to preparing for the next camp, dates have already been announced so I need to get booking and planning. Whilst Oakley was tense and found it all a bit much at no point did he scare me and he contained it all really well, I did have to have help getting on as he swung away from the block but he stood next to it each time for me to get off. It was good to have a different trainer and see the other trainers I know and love as well as all my friends camp is so much fun can’t wait for the next one.

01/05/2026

Poor Oakley thinks his mother might have had a funny turn, he doesn’t know that I’ve booked camp this weekend so have spent the week getting us ready. I know most people bath the pony etc…. Not me I had lessons so on Monday Tessa Seed Dressage/flatwork trainer came up to teach us, I let her warm him up for me and it was a really good decision as the feel I got from him was brilliant really listening and trying hard. The canter is coming along nicely.

Then on Tuesday M Dressage World came to teach us we got warmed up being careful to keep the rhythm in the walk and trot, then moved onto canter trying hard to contain it without losing it - this is proving harder than it should, my half halts are more like halts. Then Mat gave us some homework - circle in trot 15 metres (it’s long arena work which is hard in a smaller arena but we can improvise) then change the rein with a trot/walk/trot transition over the centre line and pick up canter in the corner, my brain was more worried about gaining canter in the small space (easier in long arena) but happy to try it before my next lesson. Then I showed him our walk to canter, still a work in progress but that’s fine. Also working on our centre line, it transpires I can’t see them so Mat put some poles up to help which confused Oakley as he wanted to go over them and have fun.

Then on Wednesday Tessa came out again, no getting her on first this time as I was on a roll. Mentioned the exercise homework and we set about riding through it in walk so I could work out the pattern, then did some transition work as always, tried some medium trot and wow we nailed it, only a few lengthened strides on the diagonal but it felt as if the preparation was good and that they followed because the prep was there. Then we worked on Mat’s canter exercise and eventually we got it. Then Tessa suggested that some canter leg yield was a good idea, seriously and erm we got it the hop hop hop as we moved over, he’s such a good boy to try these things with me and I’m getting such a feel from him. As he’s a heavier cob I know he finds some of it tricky but the way he tries is just awesome.

Think we’re ready for camp, well we will be when I’ve packed the lorry. He likes to pop his head into the tack room to look for treats, yes his head is on the large side.

20/04/2026

Today Frodo had a bath in preparation for being clipped as he takes ages to dry I decided to lunge him in an effort to aid drying. I really wasn’t expecting much as he’s often a bit lazy on the lunge, well no sooner than his little tootsies hit the sand he was up into trot and going forwards, we ended up doing the best part of 10 mins on the lunge and most of that was in canter he looked glorious, it did help that he was wet from his bath and he positively gleamed in the sunlight. All the other horses came galloping over to watch the spectacle in the lunge pen and he was happy to show them how well he could move.

Thankfully by this afternoon he was dry enough to clip and he’s now in the field looking very smart indeed. He might possibly be going for a lesson tomorrow as his brother’s wound still hasn’t healed enough to put a lip strap on but will assess again in the morning, I think it’s wishful thinking mind you.

Post clip Frodo had his breathing machine on and the equilibrium massage pad to keep him in tip top condition.

19/04/2026

Yesterday Frodo and I went out for a lesson, I don’t have many lessons on him as I have so many on Oakley I mainly stick to hacking with Frodo. This however was different as a friend asked if I fancied a shared lesson side saddle that hall farm equine rehabilitation were hosting winter was the lovely side saddle coach. We had a relatively early lesson needing to be on board by 09.00 the sun was shining when we got there (it was slightly damp when I got Frodo in) so it was a glorious time to have a session.

Angela starts by asking about your horse, have you done side saddle before etc…. I worked out that I’d forgotten about a lesson and this was our fourth session. You start off with your normal saddle so she can see how your horse normally moves and how steady etc… they are then she fits a saddle and you work them in hand to get them used to the saddle, I think this was Frodo’s favourite bit although he did quite like the canter in the warm up. Then time to get on Angela goes over how to place legs - right knee tight to the head and ankle firmly on with toe down then left leg elegant and toe up, I couldn’t find my short boots so had to ride in long boots which I’m sure was a hindrance. Then starting on the right rein as it’s easier in a side saddle start moving them in a big circle, when happy change rein and repeat next thing I knew was Frodo was offering some trot it felt lovely change the rein and again he was happy to trot, the time goes really quickly and it was time to get off, which actually was possibly a good thing as I could feel my back muscles reacting to a differing way of sitting, this will ease over time and didn’t worry me much, it might be the way forward with getting more saddle time on Frodo as I struggle slightly with his width, but again I think that’s also lack of sitting on him enough.

Will I be back definitely it was fun Angela is friendly and knowledgeable side saddle is elegant and fun, not sure about doing dressage side saddle but never say never.

16/04/2026

Frodo had a special treat today a hack on the forest, I’ve been a bit quiet about him as he’s mainly hacking out (having fun) we did a road hack from home the other day which includes hills so whilst it’s only in walk with an occasional trot it’s still a good work out. Anyway I picked up my Ashdown Forest riding permit on Monday so it was a good idea to grab a friend and have an adventure. Our friend isn’t quite so keen on loading as Frodo so it took a little while for him to load in his trailer but he eventually did, Frodo had been stood patiently waiting in the lorry.

Got parked up/tacked up and someone (me) forgot the mounting block thankfully there was a nearby bench with nobody sitting on it that we could use and off we set. It was glorious up there definitely just what the pair of us needed to make our spirits soar, his friend is an ex racer so a little faster than Frodo but they’re well matched in terms of being well behaved, we had a very nice gentle canter a couple of trots, some scrambling along paths, less boggy bits as it’s really dried out since we were last up there, the gorse was looking amazing very bright yellow. As usual we gossiped our way around and all too soon found ourselves back at the car park, slight mishap loading Frodo and he had to be reloaded a couple of times, I really should tie him up so yes entirely my fault and then the ex racer loaded in reasonable time so we didn’t miss our tea. I can’t wait to go back up there.

16/04/2026

Quick lesson report, I haven’t done any for a while as they’ve seemed boring on the whole whilst my back was bad I had the occasional sit and sometimes could do more and sometimes a lot less. I’ve been gradually been building it up and now can manage the whole lesson (and more) it’s been a challenging few months to say the least.

Anyway yesterday (Wednesday) Tessa Seed Dressage/flatwork trainer came to teach and having competed at the weekend I needed a debrief and maybe a talking to, because whilst I did a glowing report of the competition I was disappointed not with Oakley he was a star but with myself as could have done better. Tessa quite rightly pointed out that we did a clean test and it was our first proper Affiliated test and he was a good boy so I must have done something right. We got the canter (on both reins) and actually I should be proud.

So she made me work hard, in the rain and it was a bit windy, bit of a joke as I don’t ride him in the rain or wind as he’s spooky, this obviously isn’t true as he’s the least spooky horse I ride and that’s saying something that Frodo spooks more and he hardly spooks. I made the mistake of mentioning walk to canter as being something I’d like to do and I wondered when he’d be able to do it. BIG mistake, HUGE, it turns out he can do it the best transition was actually when he spooked (vaguely) when I asked and the push was awesome. He truly is such a good boy, yes we did get some wrong leg striking off in left canter, but it was quickly sorted and better still I did notice, ok there’s one arena board that needs it’s legs putting back on but only the one this time. The canter is better when I actually sit and ride him he listens for the most part, he was very keen to show Tessa our canter and needed some channeling but that’s horses for you isn’t it. This journey is proving to be an awful lot of fun.

So things to note from lesson (and most of them) watch the walk if it’s stompy he’s on his forehand, too quick and I need to slow him and ask him more so half halt and leg!! Transitions within the pace are also good, direct transitions if he’s bowling along are sometimes necessary you can’t always fix it by carrying on. Use circles more it improves his suppleness and keeps him listening and thinking, sometimes when trying new things he takes a while to catch on so give him the time and remember to praise when he gets it as you can feel him growing in confidence.

14/04/2026

Doesn’t he look smart 🥰 so much to love about this horse.

14/04/2026

Competition report :-

Prelim 2 62.1% 3rd place.

On Sunday Oakley and I went to golden cross equestrian centre for our first affiliated dressage test at Prelim now it’s a venue we’ve been to quite a lot so not a new venue so that gave me confidence we’ve previously done one prelim test (unaffiliated) so it was all good (right) we’ve been working hard on me improving his canter and it no longer worries me (much) I’d run through the test with Tessa Seed Dressage/flatwork trainer and had a lesson with M Dressage World the day before and canter was good on both reins, ok maybe a little wild and we needed to slow it down a bit but all was good.

The did I feel so nervous when I left home? Oakley had as usual loaded well and travelled well parking was good and he was a good boy standing to be mounted, he was slightly puzzled about warming up indoors but we only had the one spook when the netting blew in the wind. It wasn’t busy but we were warming up next to some very smart types doing sideways stuff. He obviously ignored all that.

Off to the arena and as I haven’t used the outdoors that much I did have to check how to get in, the wind was very windy and Oakley started looking at things flapping, we’d gone in slightly before our time as previous competitor had withdrawn so sensibly rode up to the judges car so he could see some of the assorted things alongside the arena. Horn beeped and off we set down the centre line, I remembered the test (always good) and whilst Oakley was a bit green and questioned my choice of wanting him to canter he did do the left transition vaguely when asked and kept going right canter is always easier so no problem there and it felt ok. Our final halt was vaguely square always easier when it starts with a half 10 at E rather than going from A and he was happy to have finished, he then spooked at the things he didn’t look at on the way in, he was good to stand with my friends so I could socialise this used to be tricky as he didn’t do standing still.

Was I pleased with the test? No of course not because I focus on what I can improve, however was I pleased with him and that is a huge YES I’d dropped him into affiliated as want to qualify for Associated Champs and that’s our first qualifying score so it’s a resounding big plus for him, I think we’ve already qualified at Intro and to be able to do prelim as well will give us both a boost. He did what was asked when asked and didn’t break in canter and we even got the correct leg on the left rein - don’t get me wrong there’s lots to work on but for him part of his learning is to go out and do it as he gets anxious in new environments but he’s a good team member and is learning to trust me more and me him.

02/12/2025

Sunset from our yard