Finally I'm posting pics.. sorry for the delay.

Have included a rather cheeky bum shot - blame hubby.

I think his weight isn't too bad, but he's a little 'apple' ridge on his but so he's in a low paddock at the moment. His feet have dried up a bit in this heat hence the ointment on them. lol

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Long reigning is going well, though he doesn't like lunging so we'll leave that for now - not keen on it myself anyhow. Have been playing parelli games also, but that's about it at the moment due to 'bump'. lol Oh and no I don't normally go up the yard in flip flops - we'd just been to sports day and I forgot my trainers! tutt tutt.. kept my toes well out of the way! lol

Hope you're all keeping well.

Hugs, Jane and Thunder

He looks realy well, Jane, you must be thrilled with him. What are your long term plans for him?

wow Jane he looks great :D Frankies feet have gone very dry too a change from the winter when they were way too soft. how big is he now?

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He's looking well Jane.

thanks girls

His feet have dried up quite quickly - partly because we moved yard and he is no longer strolling through a stream whenever he wants to play - which in the heat was a fair bit. And partly because of all the hot weather we've been having.

Our long term plans.. This year we'll carry on long reigning and keeping him 'interested'. he really is doing well and is picking up what I ask of him very quickly. I'd like to get him out on the road with one of the other horses on the yard who is regularly hacked out alone and is safe. But he'll be long reigned for this or lead in hand.

After that I'm looking to back him with the help of my riding instructor YO in the paddock / menage if it's finished next year, and mainly stay in the yard for schooling for the first year, with the odd hack if ok. I'm just thinking light riding to get him going forward and fitter. I'll be getting fit again too so need to have lessons to be fair on thunder, and possibly lose weight - given that I'm having a baby in December! I'd like the girls to be able to ride him on lead rein too so we'll see how that goes too.

After that.. well I don't know! lol depends how he is, I'd like to be able to hack out - to the beach which would be a 3-4 hour hack eventually of course.
And perhaps jump him in time.. as I enjoyed jumping in the past, but again would have lessons first without him (to freshen up) and then lessons on him.

That's it, I'd be happy with that forever!


Hugs, Jane and Thunder

He's looking good! It must be difficult to do everything you want to with him while you have a bump?! Have you had him long? (Thunder, not the bump )

Wow Jane he is growing nicely! I dare put pictures of Buster up he is far to fat

Hey Jane

Thunder looks as scrumptious as ever! Have e-mailed you.

Mx

Hi Jane
Thunder looks great - lovely to see pics of him maturing. How tall is he now?
Congrats on 'bump'! Hope you''ll be ready to start riding next spring!
Thunder's dam Cameron Flicka has no foal this year but I've got a couple of 'Playaway babies' from Lydhurst that I'm planning to keep this year.
Kathy

Mandy - thanks have replied

Charls - it's hard the juggle of weight isn't it! ((hugs)) Hope he's doing well - what are your plans for training/backing this year - he's 3 isn't he now?

Lyn - yes have had Thunder since he was around 8 months - bought him in the January after the November sale he was sold in.
It's hard this year as was planning on lightly backing him but then was deliberating leaving him till 4, so in a way it made up my mind, but was looking forward to getting back into riding lessons etc to get fit for him! lol
Still.. better this year out of the saddle than next year!

Kathy - lovely to 'see you' Was hoping you'd see his thread - hence the full title! lol
Glad Flicka is doing well and enjoying a year without foal at foot. She'll be enjoying the lovely weather.
How lovely that you've got a couple of playaway babies! Are they from mares you run on the forest or did you buy them?
I'm as vague as ever on Thunders height.. I really must buy a stick one day! lol i'm 5'3" so that'll give you a vague idea as i'm next to him. He's developed a good girth and withers too so is doing well. I'm assuming he'll gain width (not fat) this year but is looking big enough for me (minus my bump and the baby fat I've gained). Thanks for the congrats.
He's loving living in partly now, he's not in much in this weather but comes in daily for a short time in his stable. Is a real gentleman too.
Our new 'yard' is a privately owned place, with 2 throroughbreds and Thunder, so lovely. The owner is a trained riding insructor and is building a menage soon all going well, so our plans are to continue as we are this year (long reinging, walking out etc) and then back him next year with the riding instructors help and the safety of the menage for my peace of mind mainly.
He stunned me on moving yards in that he found his voice, I have only ever heard him 'nicker' lightly but he full on whinnied when we got there! I walked him in hand for 60 minutes - again he was really good for that.

All the best for this year with your foals - I'll be they are lovely.

Hugs, Jane and Thunder

Hello Jane have only just seen your reply, No Buster was 3 when we first spoke about him (regarding the dually) He is 5 now and he is riding nicely finally.

He matured so much in the last year it was amazing, before, somethings i put his way he just found it to hard to accept but now he takes it all in his stride im so pleased i left him that extra year. So we are now out and about riding! Its really strange i had'nt had a youngster brefore and it was all rather different, building a new relationship under saddle rather than the one on the ground we had,

He is excellent in traffic and does not seem to mind the scary noises we meet out and about now, He had his first set of front shoes on last Friday so he has now mastered jogging which im trying to prevent "quickly"

Hope your all well?

Hi Charls, forgive me - and my bad memory! I remember now!!
WOW how time flies eh!
How wonderful that you are both doing so well, and that he's maturing in his outlook by the sounds of it.
When you think how far you've come from needing the Dually. Really am chuffed for you!
What are your plans from here on in? other than stopping the jogging? lol had to giggle at that I must admit!

There is hope for Thunder and I yet! lol I must confess the new relationship in the saddle you mention makes me a little nervous, but I know our relationship on the ground will help I'm sure. when I can ride of course! lol

I'm doing lots with Thunder now we have a stable and proper yard, it's lovely as he really has grown up but still has growing up to do as your lad has done! Today it was washing his feet! We've had a lot of rain and I am getting ready for winter in a yard that isn't sand based like our old fields, he came in muddy so I made him stand to have his headcollar on over the gate (not something I do normally) so I could lead him out without going into the muddy field.. figured by winter I'll be heavily pregnant so can't risk slipping in the mud. That and washing his muddy feet.. well I think he thought I'd flipped bless him.

Hugs, Jane and Thunder

As you can guess... Im still trying to aviod the jogging

We have come far, Its been hard, really hard i have never had a youngster and started one before and the new relatioship is totally different well its easing off now and this just is our relationship (if that makes sense) and Buster never was the "accepting kind" so we had alot of hard challenges and as i say being my first youngster i will enjoy him for for a long while before thinking about doing it all again to soon It doesnt help im such a worrier so something so small would play on my mind and cause me to panic all the time! But we did it..

Poor Thunder probably wondered why Mummy is catching me like this" Buster has had to put up with strange things going on, It does them good! I hope your pregnacy is going well? You will have your hands full next year
Thunder has grown alot, He looks very good

Well one thing is for sure, there is no need to rush into it again, enjoy Buster coming out of the youngster stage.. and he'll do you for many many years for sure! lol all your hard work and worry will have paid off for sure. ((hugs)) you deserve it, and everything you do from now on in you'll take in your stride a bit more I'm sure.

I will have my hands full next year, am looking at college too if I can get onto a part time (2 day a week) course that I've applied for. Still nervously waiting to hear back from them. Wish they'd hurry up! Haven't been so keen to see the postman since I was 16! lol
Pregnancy is going well, no more sickness athough a new rim toilet freshner has set my nausea off this morning.. it's banished the cupboard in a bag till I can cope with it! lol I'm at the 4 month mark now.. amazingly - time is going fast from my end and the start of the summer hols will only make it go quicker I'm sure! lol Am looking forward to the girls being home.

Thunder really is looking great, I'm so thrilled. He's such a sweetie too, but can put his hoof down (or try to) when he wants to. So isn't a total push over! lol I'm sure we'll have our challenges like every other young pony being backed.



Hugs, Jane and Thunder

Im so glad your pregnacy is going well I hope you get on the course too!
Just be careful Jane around Thunder im sure you are told that all the time.

Keep me posted

lol I am being I promise!

Hugs, Jane and Thunder

A tangential thread but we have a Pragnell's pony. She is a part bred (naughty mummy) and despite her being a flirty girly today she always comes home with a rosette. Claire - we never got around to changing her name -is a a very sweet but determined little pony she has taught the children loads.
Will try and post picture soon

hi jane
just found your post of thunder and wow he sure has changed
my husband has said you have got yourself a nice horse there now
and he thinks thunder is about 14.2/14.3hh from the photos
how are things going with backing him

Izzywhizz - sorry didn't reply sooner - would love to see pics Great to hear teaching your children well.



Hugs, Jane and Thunder

Julie -
Thanks for your lovely message :D I measured Thunder again 2 weeks ago now and he's still at 14.1 on my guesta-tape! lol I had my YO look with me and we're pretty sure that's his height. So may still make 14.2 but either way I'm happy.

He's done a little work toward backing but as I'm now 28 weeks pregnant I must confess I've lost my 'bottle' a bit when it comes to going into the field if the other horses are nearby or doing actual 'work' with Thunder. I know he won't hurt me, but his fieldmates are TB's who are 'quick' at kicking so Graham has been turning out and and bringing in for me most of the time now.
Thunder is enjoying his 3rd year 'chilling' mostly! lol
I do think I'll bring him into work early next year with a riding instructor who visits and helped with peanuts. And then perhaps get Erin riding (she's 10 now but doesn't ride generally anymore so will be lead rein work). And then perhaps I'll be fit enough but will likely need some lessons for my own sanity first. lol

So.. next year will be slow and at a leisurely pace but 'on track' still. Saddle buying after xmas as he's measuring xw on a wintec gauge so may well stick with an adjustable gullet wintec for a couple of years to get us through the baby changing shape stage.



Hugs, Jane and Thunder