Cream Coloured Ponies


Every corner I turn in my equestrian life I seem to bump headlong into a cream horse or pony. If you scroll down to the last blog you’ll read the story of Parsnip but it’s worth mentioning why these coloured horses are so dear to me. The very first pony I had formal lessons on was a little Welsh cross called Ned. He could also without any hesitation be called a little sod. I learned so much from Ned, my first jump, my first gallop and my first fall were all off Ned. I have to admit though, he set me on a determined path for this horse life.

One of the yardsticks of progress at my first riding school was moving up onto the larger horses. I dreamed about the day when I would be allowed to ride Rocky, an Irish Draught - Connemara cross who was palamino. Since moving on from Ned and Rocky many creamies have come into my life, one that stands out right now is Romeo. 




Romeo and I met over a year ago with his owner Claire and it’s been such an incredible journey. Claire has been careful enough to take the time to really help Romeo understand the basics of dressage. For as many nights I’ve spent with Claire out in the rain in the winter perfecting work for the show season, I’m sure Claire has spent many more. It’s wonderful to see that when you match this dedication with systematic training it allows for a horse to really blossom. 


We took our first trip together to the Area Dressage Festival at Aintree. Romeo took everything in his stride and Claire did an incredible job gaining some super scores and comments from judges. It was an extra treat for me to see the names of horses that brought me back to a time when horses were a simple pleasure and I was a boy who’s head was filled with dreams hanging out at Tony Mullins racing yard.

 
The first horse I sat on was a racing mare called Singing Milly. Years later the mares son was racing at Galway  and I was teaching the jockeys daughter.  



                                                                               
You never get too far from your roots.



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