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Sula
Jul 11, 2010 22:17:04 GMT 1
Post by melsaunders25 on Jul 11, 2010 22:17:04 GMT 1
Hi Nellie my favorite line that i sing over and over is doe a deer and the little bit of that line that i can remember!!! but it always does the trick!!! i would have to say I'm really not having that many occasions of needing to sing as my confidence has just soared over the few weeks of riding Sula.
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Sula
Jul 24, 2010 10:59:38 GMT 1
Post by melsaunders25 on Jul 24, 2010 10:59:38 GMT 1
hi phew what a busy time i have had, sharon and Jo have both been on holiday, so all the Sula duties have fallen to me, I take my hat of to you Avril you must feel exhausted every day, Sula is such a lovely horse and i have had lot's of lovely rides together, once Sharon and Jo are back i have been asked to help with riding two other horses, one is a piebald cob, and the other is a lovely chestnut which i think is probably a welsh D but dont quote me, i have also been helping at our local riding therapy unit which is so rewarding, it will be lovely to be able to ride out with Sharon and Jo, how funny life is one minute your having riding lesson's at the local riding school, to being lucky enough to share the wonderful Sula, and now having the offer of riding more horses than i know what to do with, but what great experience i'm getting, which will hopefuly make me a slightly better rider when i am lucky enough to be able to own my own!!!
Mel
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Sula
Aug 3, 2010 19:37:06 GMT 1
Post by sharonspiers on Aug 3, 2010 19:37:06 GMT 1
Hi everyone,long time no forum! As Mel has just said both Jo and i have been on holiday so a huge thaks to Mel for taking on every day. As Mel also said she is now riding a couple of other horses so isnt sharing Sula . It's just me and Jo but at least we had the 3 of us in the settling down period.. It will be soooo lovely to be able to ride out with Mel and Archie , the horse she now shares. To say i missed Sula is an understatement. Unfortunately when i got back from Portugal she was a little lame so haven't been able to ride her yet. Happily as of yesterday she is fine so can't wait to get back on. Tomorrow she is having a visit from the dentisr. As i have to work Jo will be there. Will be interesting to see how she is. So many things to learn with her. She is proving to be a truly lovely horse, a bit of a stubborn lady at times, but so reliable and honest. Will keep you up to date with mine and Jos progress as a twosome.
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Sula
Aug 17, 2010 22:45:20 GMT 1
Post by sharonspiers on Aug 17, 2010 22:45:20 GMT 1
hello again Just a quick update. Sula is very well. Unfortunately last Tuesday her very good field friend, Harley, had to be put to sleep. Jo and i had just got up tp the yard when the vet arrived. Harley was in his box after being found by his owner with an injury to his hind leg. The vet took one look and said there was not a lot they could do for him. It was a puncture wound , leaking joint fluid, and they could try and get him to the hospital but it was quite likely to be catastrophic just getting him boxed. Poor Heather had to make the awful decision to put him to sleep. it was very very sad. At least he didn't suffer to much. On a very selfish note, we are going to miss the lovely rides out were that Sula and him were getting used to. They were so sweet together. I suppose it's good that he relied on Sula far more than she did him. She is a pretty independant lady. A more cheerful tone now. Sula is so settled and happy. It's a joy to see her in the field with the others, quietly grazing. There is a new horse, a 14'2 chestnut gelding. Fortunately he seems to have fitted in beautifully. Both Sula and Ben seem completely ok with him being there.Over the last couple of weeks Sula has let herself be ridden by both mine and Jos children and even my husband Jon. In fact i ended up walking all the way as he was enjoying himself so much! She is exactly what we wanted. We have been up to the school a couple of times but she definitely prefers hacking. That's just as well as so do I and Jo.As we have got to know her we both feel so much more confident. It's only been 3 months but so much has happened in that time. First Erin being put to sleep then Mel moving on and now Harley. Hopfully now things will settle, for both Sula and our sakes. What a rollercoaster. Anyway Hannah, the new horses owner, and Jenny, Bens owner are really keen to ride out with us so were not short of company, which is lovely. Not forgetting Mel and the very sweet Archie of course. Well lets make the most of the last bits of summer before the darker nights set in. Uurrrgh. Speak soon
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Sula
Aug 19, 2010 17:22:51 GMT 1
Post by angelac on Aug 19, 2010 17:22:51 GMT 1
Hi Sharon I had been wondering how you were all getting on. So sorry to learn about Harley. What a sad day that must have been. On a brighter note really glad all is well with Sula and that you still have good hacking pals. Are you going to the party? I cannot due to the great distance thing . Hope one day, with a bit of clever planning I will make it onto one of the courses. I would love to do that Anyway I will look forward to the next update. All the best
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Sula
Aug 26, 2010 19:41:00 GMT 1
Post by sharonspiers on Aug 26, 2010 19:41:00 GMT 1
Hi Angelac Yes it was very very sad. Harley was a gorgeous horse, incredibly loving. As you say on a brighter note Sula is fine and seems pretty settled even though she has had lots of changes in her short time with us. On Sunday she was shod for the second time and as it was raining the farrier did it in her stable. To say she got upset is an understatement. She was barging and becoming almost uncontrollable. Jo was with her and so was Trisha, the lady who runs our yard. The farrier managed to finish her front feet then got her outside to try and calm her down enough to finish, which they managed. I have to say i think she must have been pretty scared. She just wouldn't behave like that for the sake of being naughty. Needless to say she will be shod outside in future. Yesterday i rode out with Hannah and her pony ,Claude, for the first time. She has been at our yard for just a week but both her and Claude seem very happy. He is a dear little chap and thankfully Sula seems to rather like him. Well put it this way she hasn't tried to kick or eat him! He is a bit unsure of large farm machinery but is so good in every other way. It was very sweet when we passed by a field very close to a combine harvester making a racket. As i expected Sula just ignored it but little Claude came and tucked himself right close behind her. Surprisingly she didn't mind this at all. She would normally put her ears back if she didn't really know them. Just as well they got on as we were in the middle of a lovely long trot through a lane in the woods when round the corner came a race horse with no rider galloping at full pelt towards us. As it got near Sula started backing herself into the bushes, as you would expect. Hannah jumpped off Claude and tried to catch the horse as it went past but couldn't. Fortunately ,as it turns out, there was a rather large tracter pulling a trailer full of sraw coming up the lane behind us so the loose horse couln't get past. I managed to catch it then we set off up the lane in the direction it had come to see if we could find the rider and make sure they were ok. Hannah led our 2 and i led the snorting steaming rather excited racehorse. I have to say both Hannah and myself were so proud of our 2. They walked so calmly along with this horse breathing up their bottoms just like they were having a little chat. So peacefully! After about 5 mins we came across 3 racehorses who although they weren't with the loose horse they had heard there was one loose in the woods and were able to tell us that a truck was in the woods and had picked up the rider and was on there way. We carried on in the direction that the horse had come from and after about another 10 mins the truck came into sight. Fortunately the rider was in it and apart from a very bloody nose and being very shaken up, was unharmed. We remounted and went on our way. Both Sula and Claude behaved as though nothing had happened and were adorable. Do you know it reminded me of how lucky we are to have Sula. I'm falling more and more in love with her as each week passes. She is quite strong willed and does sometimes try to have things her way but that just makes me love her more cos we just have to ask her firmly and she will concede. Well i do belive i have surpassed my previous record for a ridiculously long post. Sorry! I'm off for a cup of tea and to rest my fingers xxxx
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Sula
Aug 26, 2010 22:35:27 GMT 1
Post by angelac on Aug 26, 2010 22:35:27 GMT 1
Oh my goodness Sharon, what an adventure No wonder you have written a long post. Sula and her new pal really did you proud to keep their cool in that situation. You both did really well too, as I know its a situation a lot of riders would dread. When I got my little cob, it was obvious that he seriously considered taking off after any horse he saw, even if they had a rider on board. Sorry to hear you had bother with the indoor shoeing. It could be that this could change as you have her longer,or with some small change . Like yourselves , I returned to riding after a long gap. In my teens I shared a horse but never saw him shod as I was at school. I believe he was good anyway. Boy was it an experience when my cob arrived. I should have been suspicious when the seller sent him up with the shoes hanging off his feet !! He flung his weight about, reared and generally scared me. The next time was a bit better and then on the third occasion he smashed the lighting , scattered the tool box and was generally difficult. Think it was a mix of nerves and temper at being in first thing in the morning instead of out eating grass. He was then coincidentally away to different grazing for a couple of months had more company and was a changed horse re the shoeing. That was years ago and he has never looked back and is shod whilst totally loose in the stable. He is absolutely 200%. I hope something simple might bring about a similar change for you. If she is good outside that is great anyway. She does sound a lovely girl, so hope you carry on having lots of fun and I'll look forward to the updates. All is well with my Highland and as yet he is a real cool dude Bye for now Angela
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Sula
Dec 30, 2010 20:53:33 GMT 1
Post by sharonspiers on Dec 30, 2010 20:53:33 GMT 1
Hi everyone,
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Sula
Dec 30, 2010 20:54:04 GMT 1
Post by sharonspiers on Dec 30, 2010 20:54:04 GMT 1
SORRY ABOUT THAT . i'M A BIT RUSTY !
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Sula
Jan 2, 2011 14:16:43 GMT 1
Post by angelac on Jan 2, 2011 14:16:43 GMT 1
Hi Sharon How are you getting on with Sula ? I hope everything is going well and that you are having lots of fun together. Angela
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Sula
Jan 5, 2011 18:58:10 GMT 1
Post by nellie on Jan 5, 2011 18:58:10 GMT 1
Hiya Sharon, You are keeping us on tenterhooks ! How are you getting on? What's the news? Helen
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Sula
Feb 6, 2011 21:52:37 GMT 1
Post by sharonspiers on Feb 6, 2011 21:52:37 GMT 1
Well Hello, I'm so sorry for the delay. Just as i was going to start my post last time my kids all turned up with boyfriends etc and started ribbing me merciliously. They call this my Horeham ! Anyway time has just marched on at such a pace. I do dip into the forum but haven't been able to as much as i would have liked. So here goes for a mammouth catch up . We've now had Sula 8 months and all i can say is things have progressed brilliantly. A lot of people moan about the winter and i know the riding isn't as good but i'm loving the faact that i get to spend so much time looking after her. I really feel this has helped us bond more. She is just gorgeous. Still proving to be exactly what Avril said she was. Both Jo and i can't believe how lucky we are to have found her. Apart from the bad weather we are riding her 4 or 5 times a week. Both my confidence and ability have come on sooo much. I am still very much a novice but now ' ride ' her rather than be a passenger. Not a ride goes by without me coming home thinking how much i love her and how lucky i am. ( that sounds so mushy, sorry ).
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Sula
Feb 6, 2011 22:23:15 GMT 1
Post by sharonspiers on Feb 6, 2011 22:23:15 GMT 1
See i told you i was useless at this, i just pressed the wrong button again. We are very lucky and although we are in a small yard, just 8 horses, we have some super people to ride out with. A couple of them are very good at giving me a lesson as we hack, which suits me as neither myself or Sula would choose to go round and round a school. Saying that i took her up a couple of weeks ago and did some basic stuff which went well and left me feeling quite good. Sula seems very settled and happy both in the field and stable. The 3 others she is turned out with make the sweetest little herd. Very relaxed and natural. She loves coming in at the end of the day, whinnying gently to me. Now i know that it is because she is coming in to a large hay net but i don't care, it still feels good. She isn't a very loving horse in a demonstative way but i feel she shows her affection in the way she rides and hacks. It doesn't matter what mood she is in when we're getting ready, she will settle straight away and get on with behaving herself. Of course there are days when she pushes things some what but with my growing confidence i now am happy to remind her, firmly, of what i want and as yet she hasn't carried on arguing for very long. Sometimes , on certain rides, she tends to be quite looky and rather on her toes but i make sure that i keep a contact with her and ask her to do things so she has to think about what is being asked to do. One of the rides we do is round a beautiful village and she is always a little on her toes etc but i also tell myself that it means the ride is interesting for her. Ilove that ide cos there is so much to look at sp why shouls it be any different for her. As i said she isn't a mushy cuddly horse but i couldn't appreciate her more. When out riding i quite often remind myself of things Avril told us, little pointers and advice. It keeps me thinking about things from what i consider to be the right perspective. Not a day goes by that i don't want to be up there with her, not even riding but just spending time with her. I find it so relaxing and all other things in my head disapear. Time goes by completely un noticed. O.k i think that is enough airy fairy talk Sorry. Avril just in case you think i'm a complete pushover with her, i'm not. I've learnt to be firm when i need to be and actually expect quite a lot of her. Jo has helped with that as she adores her but keeps a firm head on too. To say she has changed my life is not an exageration. Sometimes i lie in bed and just think about her and it makes me happy! (oops sorry i'm slipping back into soppy) Anyone who meets and knows her is impressed with the sort of horse she is. We've been told on more that one occasion that we were very lucky to get her and that we could have been taken for a ride by some dealer but although this is true we also believe some of it isn't luck but our decision to buy only from Avril, after meeting her and reading all about my safe cobs. Well sorry again for the long silence but as you can see things are very good with us.. Sharon x
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Sula
Feb 6, 2011 23:24:13 GMT 1
Post by angelac on Feb 6, 2011 23:24:13 GMT 1
Hi Sharon Really great to hear from you and get that fab update. I have often wondered how you were getting on and am so pleased for the three of you that it is going so well. It sounds like your confidence is really growing and that Sula has really settled nicely with you. Wishing you lots of happy times and please keep in touch Angela x
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Sula
Feb 6, 2011 23:32:46 GMT 1
Post by em on Feb 6, 2011 23:32:46 GMT 1
Hi
I have just been perusing over the posts from MSC owners... and ladies they really are fabulous to read... even the mushy stuff sharon as you call it as thats what it is all about... the bond and compassion and understanding... how wonderful for you all in that position... and it will lead others to make the right decisions about what they want in a horse and where they want to source it from.. which in turn means less horses being moved from home to home because of mis matches
Thanks for sharing and keep the posts coming x x
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