Hi everyone, hope you’re all well and are enjoying the light nights. It’s quite nice being able to arrive at the stables and bring in during daylight hours! I also like this time of year because the flies and the swallows aren’t pestering us yet!!

Tigger was happy to be naked!

The weather has been so changeable this month, we have gone from having beautiful sun and rock solid ground to snow storms and washing legs again. The ponies don’t seem to mind, they have managed to get a few nights out while the weather has been pleasant, and they’ve come back in when it’s been miserable. Either way, they go where we put them! We are too soft on them sometimes and we know it!

This month I ran an open day at Norvite in Oldmeldrum. The store is absolutely stunning, it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before. The walls are lined with 30ft blown up photos of farming, wildlife and horses, and they have everything you could ever need for any animal in the store. Many thanks to all who attended the open day and made it a success, also to the store for having me along. I look forward to heading back later in the year.

“Norman” the Norvite horse supervising my stand for the open day!

Working hard in a side saddle lesson

So over to my noble steed, Tigger is coming along really nicely, I have been trying hard to build up his muscle and top line, a couple of times a week now we head down to the field for a good old hill walk, where we go up and down a good 7 or so times. His schooling is coming together too, I have found it much more effective riding him in spurs, not to get him forward because trust me I don’t need any more of that! But just to get him moving away from my leg and into my hand. It seems to be working and T is responding well to it. The physio came back this month and gave Tigger some more exercises to work on, he has a tightness in his shoulder which we are just trying to loosen off. So I pop him over his poles a few times a week, and do his stretches most evenings. He really is such a good boy in every way, he never puts a hoof wrong and gives you his all whatever the ask, every when it’s reaaaaaly hard!!

On a slightly more damp note, Tigger is heading off into horspital next week for minor surgery. He has a melanoma that’s grown too big too quickly, so we are going to nip it out before it causes any damage. I’m sure the vets at Ardene House will take excellent care of him and he will be good as new when he comes out, but it’s always a worry isn’t it!

1st Place Veteran at the Neighfield Ponies show.

Provided all goes well with the surgery there really shouldn’t be much aftercare, and Tigger can get back out competing and doing what he enjoys best, showing off! I have plans for Brechin Spring Show on the last weekend of the month, where we will take on our first affiliated side saddle classes, including the concours d’elegance! You better check back next month for photos!

I hope you have a great month with your ponies. Remember to keep up to date with all things Honeychop by following their Facebook and Instagram pages!

Until then, Grace and T x