Poly purpose pad!

We went on a bit of a discovery hack today as we need to work on longer distances, and we actually found a whole new part of the forest that's been hiding just under our noses for ages! I can't wait to go back and explore more =D

I also learned why the Polypad is called polypad. On Juniblest it's a saddle pad. When we stop for a lunch break it's a picnic blanket for me! I'm also positive it will be the most amazing pillow when we embark on our long journey.. =)

Lunch break. Juniblest can be parked wherever there's grass =) Look at my beautiful picnic blanket! (I put the inside up to avoid stuff getting attached to it and annoying Juniblest)

And I love my halter/bridle so much! Took me two seconds to let him "off the lead" and only two more to tack him up again thanks to that =)

Having lunch on my soft picnic blanket. Next time I'll have a nap! (And I'll make sure to be in an inclosure so that Juniblest can't walk off into the wild and fall in love with a forest pony)

 Write to you soon!

Facebook page

Hi all!

For practical and promotional reasons I've made a facebook page for the ride. Please like it to keep up with all those small things happening not really worth blogging about or if you want to participate somehow (joining us for a while, offering accommodation or sponsoring for instance) =)

Sponsorship!

Dear everyone!

We have been very kindly sponsored with a Polypad and a Maximum halter/bridle for endurance. I tested both products today - they are awesome =D

Thank you so much to Maximum and Øvrevoll Hestesport for the fantastic biothane bridle!

And thank you so much to Polypad for an excellent pad that my pony really likes!

Juniblest fell asleep with the bit in his mouth.. =)

Looking good and unique in purple and orange! =)

Halter

Cheers! I'm forever grateful =D

Saturday sun day =)

The sun was shining and I had all the time in the world today so Juniblest and I went out for a complete leasure hack, all bareback and without a plan or destination =)

The river  

Had to wash Juniblest's boots after literally swimming through some mud so I parked him by the riverside where I could get off straight on to dry ground =) I love that pony!

Juniblest is content in his parking space.. Oh, and his mane can be persuaded to stay on one side for the first time in the 8 years I've known him!

Juniblest from above =)

Time to mount! (read: sit down...)

Here we go!

He's moved into another field. This one's bigger, drier and less grassy =) 

His bum looks like a mushroom now...

Mr. Handsome with his clipped neck and mane on one side =)

Laters!

Winter Warmer endurance ride 18th Feb

Sooo...

Endurance season has finally started after a long, hard winter and the Winter Warmer ride kicked it off for us rather brilliantly. Long story short, 20k is not enough for us anymore =)

Anna picked us up in the morning and Juniblest went into the van straight away, he didn't even do his normal 'I have to stop here for five seconds before I back away and then walk right in'-ritual. I had to enter the ride on the day as I've been rather disorganized lately, but that was all very easy and after getting the horses ready we were off. My boyfriend let me borrow his camera and adviced me to film the loading and tacking up so that he can make a story out of it when he's editing it later on. I did as he said and ended up using all the space on the memory card on just that - yay!..  So I'll post a 'behind the scenes of endurance' video at some point =p

The weather was very good until just before we crossed the finishing line but the rain and cold wind turned out to be a blessing as it cooled Juniblest down very quickly and he completed with a pulse of 36bpm - which is the absolute lowest we've ever had =D

During the ride we met two new friends, Meg and Mer, who we hope to ride with again!

Two good friends

Mr. Hairy Nose

Our new friends =)

Me and Anna =)

So long!

The Bournehurst ride 2012!

So the video is finally finished =) 

This ride went a lot better than the last one because of two reasons: Anna and her map, and four boots on Juniblest. We had a great time and even went trough a pig farm - twice! First time Juniblest reared up and tried to run away, but when we went back (turned out the bridleway didn't go through it after all and that we had taken a wrong turn =p) he must have realised that these creates were his real family and he actually nickered to them.. I keep calling him a pig due to his fascination for mud and acorns you see...

Anyway - enjoy our little video made by boyfriend Espen! 

Cheers!

We're still here

I haven't been writing at all because I've been home in Norway for the Christmas hols, just to come back to some rather busy weeks with revising, assignments and exams but that does not mean nothing's happened =)

First of all, Juniblest has lost so much weight during his two weeks in Bournemouth! I think he has reached (or is close to reaching) 3 on that 0-5 fat score scale.

January 10th, 2012 - crest is smaller, elbows on front legs and knees on hind legs are not surrounded by fat, hips visible. In general quite good! =)

June, 2011 - notice fat pads around shoulders, just behind where the saddle lies and above the knees on the hind legs (knees, not hocks ;) )

My challenge now is to keep him that way.. But so far I've experienced that keeping weight is a lot easier than losing or gaining it. Saddle fitting is booked as the saddle no longer fits properly and I'll keep up his hard training schedule. At the moment I stable him over night as the grass sometimes freezes so that he can't get it through the grazing muzzle, but it's still too sweet for him not to wear one. When it gets warmer I'm planning to stable him during the day to keep him off the grass when it's at its sweetest.
I have lots of ideas! =)

We've also ridden from Bournemouth, this time with Anna and a proper physical map made out of real paper. Juniblest had four boots and we got all the way back to Brock safely. I'll post a video as soon as I have the time to edit it ;)

Cheers!