Post by dalesnfellfan on Jan 3, 2015 11:32:02 GMT -1
He was my lovely boy, the most wonderful, generous pony I've ever known, he could be handled and ridden by anyone from tiny tots to OAP's, he'd give an experienced rider a good fast ride or would plod with a novice, always looking after his rider. Everyone loved Spud he was just that sort of pony, our rides were often slow, especially round the village as everyone we met wanted to say hello to him which he always loved and obliged by pushing them with his nose.
He came into my life in 2009 after an unsuitable purchase of a young TB ex racehorse completely destroyed my confidence in 6 months, he belonged to a friend of a friend and when she heard he was for sale she thought he would be perfect for me, so Julia and I went down to East Sussex to see him. My first impression was not good, as we pulled into the drive there was this fat hairy black pony standing by the fence and he looked so small, after being used to Arabs and Tb's I thought he wasn't for me, he didn't look like the fun Fell ponies I'd ridden in my younger days in the Lakes.
However from the moment I got on him I was smitten, he was a real leg at each corner type and I immediately felt safe, my friend borrowed a 16.2hh ex eventer and we had a wonderful ride through Ashdown forest, Julia not known for going anywhere slowly set off at a gallop along twisty paths and Spud looked after me as we followed in her wake. Much to my surprise he didn't feel small until I got off and the ground met me way before I expected, he made me feel completely safe and confident and a week later he came home.
He was very over weight and after loosing 85kg and getting fit we started doing pleasure rides in January 2010, our first (Spuds first ever) was at Euston Park and was 18 miles, Spud was never very vocal, very rarely whinnied, but I think he thought he was never going to see home again, as when we finally came back across the park and he caught sight of the horseboxes he let out a very loud neigh.
In our first year we covered over 200 miles (360 km) and got our 200 mile rosette and came 4th in the Native pony section in the annual awards. We both loved every minute. We also had a go at most other disciplines and won many rosettes including red in our first ever class together, family pony, I cried as the judge handed me the rosette and said he epitomised a true family pony that could happily and safely take Mum hacking, the kids to Pony Club and Grandad hunting, that really did sum Spud up.
In early 2011 I took early retirement due to ill health and I looked forward to many years of wonderful riding with Spud however after just 2 pleasure rides he decided he wanted to retire as well and was diagnosed with advanced ringbone. For the next 3 years he was ridden gently when he was sound, usually when the ground was soft and gave Amy her confidence back over the course of 3 winters.
In May this year it was Spud I got on first after my accident and although he hadn't been ridden for 6 months he plodded round with me, only getting faster when I felt more stable. He remained sound and we had 6 wonderful weeks hacking in all paces before I got back on Em, including a trip out to the forest, it felt just like the old days, the last ride we had was a 5 mile pleasure ride babysitting Amy on her first ride with Silver and he loved it, what a way to finish our riding days together.
Sadly he never came sound this winter and it was time to say goodbye.
R.I.P my wonderful cheeky friend, we had such fun together and you always had a way of making me laugh, I shall never forget you, my pony of a lifetime.
