For the Ceylon Star (Pony) Fanclub

A lot has changed in the last 6 months, so I figured it was about time I posted an update about Mr Tea Drinking Pony ;)

We’re nearly ready to put him to the cart! I sadly lost my job back in May, and was being screwed around by EI, so was unable to afford a training session with our driving trainer when she was in town recently (she comes to the island from her home in the UK every few months to do lessons/clinics) so we’re a bit behind where we were hoping to be at this point. But that’s okay because there’s other awesome happenings!

Pony has been back under saddle for two months now, with an absolutely incredible young woman who adores him nearly as much as I do. They’re the perfect match, because she shares my training philosophies, but she has the confidence in the saddle that I severely lack. I met her at the end of May, she tried Java out the next day, and the rest is history. They competed in his first ever show on July 7th, in the Green Horse walk/trot (English) division, and brought home two firsts (in hunter under saddle and equitation), a second (in english pleasure), and a third (open halter showmanship) out of ten horses, beating several horses who had been under saddle for a solid year, when Java had only been back under saddle for a month. I was beyond proud of them!!!

Then, for my birthday on the 12th, our lovely friend (his rider) helped me get back on him for the first time in an entire year! I rode him in the indoor ring at a walk and trot, and then she took us outside to the track around the back pasture (1/2 mile sand track, originally used to train standardbred racehorses in the 80s/90s) and we went for a nice walk around the track together. It was really nice, and a great way to spend my birthday.

Now M (leaser) wants to take Java to a fancy dressage show in October. For anyone not familiar with dressage, there are various levels of dressage tests. Walk/trot, training, first, second, third, fourth in Canada, with international levels [FEI] being Prix st-georges, intermediaire 1, intermediare 2, grand prix, and grand prix special. M wants to skip walk/trot and training levels, and go straight to first level, which is for horses who have a solid canter and can extend and collect their trot. Java and M have been cantering for 3 weeks. Java has been cantering, period, for 6 months (mostly loose in the ring with no tack, to build his natural canter, since he had none before 6 months ago). Already he’s more than capable of doing well at training level, so I have no doubt in my mind that they will be able to do well at first level by october!

Java and M and I are going to be having plenty of adventures over the next while, I can’t wait!

But it’s now 3am here in Victoria, so I’ll leave you all with links to pictures and some videos of the little monster! G’night all!

Random Java over the last year and a bit:
http://s917.photobucket.com/user/ShayneBear/library/Just%20Java?sort=3&page=1

My birthday ride:
http://s917.photobucket.com/user/ShayneBear/library/Just%20Java/Birthday%20Ride%202013?sort=3&page=1

Ceylon Star’s show ring debut:
http://s917.photobucket.com/user/ShayneBear/library/Just%20Java/Java%20First%20Show?sort=2&page=1