Full Steam Ahead

It's full steam ahead now for all of us horses and ponies and the staff here in the stables, we are all looking forward to a busy and fun year.

Alice and Richard have been learning all about different types of groups who come to Calvert Trust Exmoor since they started work here. Now we are busy and they have been able to put into practice what they have learned so far. 

Last week we had a group of young people from Pathfield School.  They all had a great time trying lots of activities and of course getting to know us here in the stables. 

I was able to show them how clever I am at jumping. Bertie had a go first but I think he was feeling a bit lazy as he knocked down the fence several times!

I on the other hand did my usual fantastic leaping over the jump, and earned myself a round of applause from all the people watching me from the gallery. Richard has quickly got the hang of helping me to put on a fabulous show for our visitors and I really love working with him.

I love to jump!

Bertie eventually managed to haul himself over the jump. I think he felt a bit embarrassed watching me make it look so easy! 

Bertie prefers his fences to be this high!

Volunteer Training Day

Fitness work continues for all us equines here at Calvert Trust Exmoor.  Some of us have been long reined, some schooled by staff members, some of us have been out for hacks, Duchess and Hendrix have been pulling their carriages.  Soon we will all be the fittest horses and ponies in the land! It is great fun doing all sorts of interesting things with the staff.  I have even shown Alice and Richard how brilliant I am at jumping little fences while I am being loose schooled in the arena. 

Training with our Volunteers

Our fantastic volunteers have been to see us for a training day.  They learnt about harnessing up a carriage horse and how to help in an emergency.  It was a freezing cold day when they came and they all needed lots of hot drinks and coats to keep them warm! 

They also helped Nicky and Richard to do some hoist training with Teddy, just to remind him that he needs to stand really still.  Teddy was his usual brilliant relaxed self about it all and behaved perfectly.

 All the volunteers then had a photo with Teddy which he loved as he adores people and will take any attention he gets with a big grin on his face! 

Teddy loving all the attention!

Hullo Milo!

I would like to introduce you all to Milo, who is the new addition to our family. He's a horse on trial! 

That doesn't mean he is a criminal; in fact he's a very nice chap! It means he comes here for a month to see if he is suitable for the very important job of being a Calvert Trust Exmoor horse. 

In this month of trial he will get to try out lots of the jobs he will need to do here and see how he likes them.  He’s moved into the stable next door to me now, and I have to tell you that his big hooves don’t half keep me up at night as he stomps about munching hay!

He's been doing lots of work with the instructors since he arrived, and tells me that he really enjoys learning new things and being part of the Calvert Trust team. So far he has got used to being in a stable in the main yard, been introduced to Hendrix and Jack in the field, fallen in love with me (of course!), and been learning how to behave when he is being lunged and long reined.

He has been ridden in the past but not for a while so this work helps to get him a bit fitter and used to wearing his tack.  He will begin being ridden by the staff very soon. 

Milo

He has also learnt a little about the mounting block in the arena which is a very important thing here.  Lots of our riders need the horse to stand very still in the mounting block while they get on.

We actually have two blocks, which the horse stands in between. This means that a helper can assist the rider with their mounting by standing on the other block and holding the stirrup while the rider mounts.  Sometimes they also need to help the rider to get comfortable in the saddle.

Hopefully it won’t be long before he can join in lessons…although Teddy says that you can’t rush these things! 

Horse Weekend

Hi everyone, I have only just had time to write this, as it’s been all systems go in the stables recently.

I’ve just heard that our first horse weekend of 2015 is approaching on 21st and 22nd of February. My friend Kerri, who is one of the riding instructors here, had the fantastic idea of giving each horse weekend this year a fun theme (she’s definitely the creative one of the group!).

There are lots of rumours going around amongst us horses as to what the theme is this time; as usual Kerri isn't giving anything away, but it promises to be a weekend to remember!

Some of the action from a previous Horse Weekend

Training new Instructors

Training is under way again here in the stables.  We have lots of new activity instructors this year; as part of their job they have to come over to the stables and get involved during group sessions for our guests.  They may be needed to help to support a rider or carriage driver.

As they are normally climbing walls, cycling, abseiling, canoeing or sailing it is nice for them to come and spend time with us horses.  Obviously the main difference is that I am much, much cuter than a climbing wall or a boat!  Also sometimes we remind people that we have minds of our own, unlike all the other activities!

The other day Brin was called into service to help to train the new instructors. Off he went into the arena with Nicky, Richard, Alice and all the new activity instructors. He was needed to show the new guys how horses are fantastic at helping people.

Nicky asked Monique (who is a new instructor), to sit in a wheelchair.  Brin was positioned in between the two mounting blocks and Monique was then hoisted onto Brin.  This was a great way to show the new activity instructors one of the jobs we horses do here.  Monique was very pleased to have a try at being hoisted, but Brin said he thinks she didn't realise how far up in the air she would have to go!

Monique hoisted onto Brin

It was also a good training session for Brin who is a brilliant hoist horse.  His favourite thing is standing still and he needs to stand for as long as it takes to hoist someone on. This could take up to 15 minutes; Brin just has a quick doze!

Yesterday all of the activity instructors came over to the stables to spend the morning here, as Nicky had some training organised for them.

They learnt about how to care for all of us horses and ponies and how much is involved in keeping the stables running. 

They were also learning skills that will help our guests, things like how to load wheelchairs into the carriage, how to lead and side walk with ridden horses, and how to assist the stables team to make the session as brilliant as possible for our guests. Duchess and Hendrix put them through their paces and made sure they are all ready.

Duchess leading Matt in a trot!

The whole team observing Harry's leading technique

Learning Emergency procedures with Hendrix

They also got to spend some time with your truly, so I showed them how fabulous I am at horse agility and generally cute and wonderful I am! 

Picture Perfect...

Do you remember me telling you about having my picture painted by two great local artists?

Well, someone had whispered to me that my lovely paintings are now up in the centre, so I snuck into the Acland room today to have a look, and there they were!

Don't I look lovely!

I'm so pleased that they are up there, it means that all of our lovely guests will get to see them!

 I also want to say a big thank you to Gillian and Sandy for painting such fantastic portraits of me.

Roadwork and Clipping

After a couple of weeks holiday as you can imagine we were all feeling just like people do when they have been eating lots and not doing much exercise. We all needed to get back to work! The fitness campaign started with gentle exercise, most of the horses went out to do ‘roadwork’.

This means that they get out for a lovely ride.  Some even went in pairs, called ride and lead.  Jack was very happy because he got to do ride and lead with Duchess who is his best friend. 

Jack and Duchess out for a 'ride and lead'.

Bertie was very excited to be going out riding on the first day, but by the third day he told me he was feeling like he needed another holiday!

I have been doing some lunge exercises and also been out for a couple of walks.  I will be fit and ready to do my agility again soon, I can’t wait for that.  As the fields are very muddy we have all been allowed to go into the arena in groups to roll and have a scratch and play with each other which has been great fun.

Some of the horses have been clipped again this week. Henry and Bertie look particularly smart.  Some of us are still looking very shaggy though so I think it is probably only a matter of time before the clippers work their way around everyone!

Henry being clipped

I know Duchess is looking forward to being clipped; she's very hairy at the moment and I think she will feel much better when she looks a bit sleeker. You know how girls are about having a new hairdo! 

All our regular carriage drivers and riders are now coming back in for their lessons so we are back to normal which is great, especially for Rooster as he loves a routine.