Bad Hair Days

September 2013 - April 2014 continued

Flip kept an ear on the little one.


And I continued my spook busting (you meet a lot of tarpaulin covered monsters out and about hacking you know.)


Flipo dropped to his lowest weight ever (with me). 650kg - and yes, he's still cresty and has fat pads, but he's a heavy who was probably cut late. I don't think they'll ever go.


But the grass is now starting to grow so I'm sure that will change soon.
 
We went exploring some new trails - in high winds and dismounted and remounted (after a wee fight)



I am currently embracing a willy cleaning extravaganza, but not going to take pictures of that. We're currently trialling an old Clydesdale remedy with just salt water to clean it after the piles cream failed unfortunately. I don't hold out much hope and think I'll be settling into a fairly regular cleaning schedule to keep it at bay, but in the meantime Flipo is very very coothie. Well wouldn't you be too when you're getting some action every bloody day!



And a final action shot from the blonde one


Last weekend my mate who came along with me to view Flipo and rode him before I did, came back for a lovely sunny hack. She was impressed with how far we've come, and how happily flipo hacked, but he's still as sensitive to the leg as he was when I got him - I forgot to tell her I ride with my voice most of the time these days. Just as well no one else generally gets on him! Love my boy.
 
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lovely story and pictures, you've come such a long way together in so many ways. I feel the same about Suze, she wasn't what I thought I was getting, or wanted, but I've learnt an awful lot more on the way of sorting her out and it's really been life enhancing.
 
What a lovely end to a lovely story (still maintain you should turn this into a book!!) You really have overcome mountains with him and should be very proud of you both.
I have looked through your posts when having issues with womble for a bit of inspiration. Though PLEASE DONT STOP POSTING PICTURES OF YOUR ADVENTURES WITH YOUR HANDSOME BOY
 
Oh no, not the end! This diary has been a highlight of my whole membership of NR. Thanks for all the lovely pictures and stories and please keep them coming, pleeeze!

By the way I missed the new pony arriving. He is cute. What is his provenance?
 
I know we'll see more pics of the blonde god, but if will miss your diary. You've got a real talent for writing (and horses too). Give a big hug to Flip from me.
 
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us over the years. It has been wonderful listing to you ups and a learning curve for all when there were downs. Now as most predicted the ups are a constant.

The pictures and comments nearly brought me to tears see the gorgeous flipo but more seeing your smile.
 
Thankyou for the lovely replies. It took me ages to write the last bit cause I kept stupidly crying lol, it's meant a lot to me over the past four years to be able to shove all my Flipo angst in this diary and I hope it can help someone else that comes along with a stupid horse like mine and is racking their brain wondering if they're doing the right thing keeping him.
I am forever photographing the big lump so will do the odd photo dump in here and as I say, less rambling. Maybe one day I might try polishing it and see if someone is stupid enough to consider publishing it. But I fear the photographs are more of a draw lol.
Jane - the wee youngster is three and he's a highland cob mix. He belongs to the cousin of the Arab owner and used to be in the field next to ours one winter. He needed to get away from his dam so came down to ours for the winter and at first Flipo was keeping him in check and it was amusing to watch but now the youngster is bullying Flipo. We thought he'd be going back but looks like he's staying for the summer - but we've agreed he's being separated from Flipo and the Arab, so flip gets some peace. He's such a youngster - you go into the field and he's practically ontop of you, he stands so close and follows about, tries to lick you at every opportunity. I like him, but hate seeing my boy being bullied!
Trewsers, you should be ashamed not knowing what coothie means with your love of scots! I think it sort of means very snuggly, very clingy. But I might be wrong!! Flipo becomes my best friend when I willy clean regularly!
 
Well, you have updated, just as I demanded .............. but it isn't the same!!!

I am fantastically pleased that Flip has become all that you want, and you have worked long and hard to achieve that, and you certainly have and deserve the fab horse you have made.

But I miss the old Flip updates ............. couldn't you just pretend and write more things? After all, if you are going to write a novel, reality doesn't really figure largely does it??!!
 
Time for some more Flipographs I think.
May - August 2014

Love this photo of my friend’s little one saying hello to massive Flip. Its uncharacteristic for him to bother coming over to the fence. Carrots help though.


We didn’t get to ride often between April and june as I was away with work for a month and studying for exams at any other time. Flipo thought all his birthdays had come at once and thoroughly enjoyed his semi retirement.



But I still found the odd couple of hours to sneak in a lovely hack – bluebell wood is always worth a visit in late spring. I’ll just need to brush up on my photography skills. Awful blurriness.


We segregated the youngster as Flipo and him weren’t getting on – but he still continued to have fun over the leccy fence (and sometimes came through it!) Eventually he was suffering so much with the midges round our marshy field, that his owner had to move him back to the hill field, and Flipo visibly relaxed. It was nice having the extra horse in the field over winter, but it made me very aware of my limitations as a horse person. Youngsters are very challenging...even the nicest ones are cheeky!
 
I was really happy with his weight….but then I’m always the pessimist so had him worm tested just incase.


In preparation for the better weather, I finally invested in a ride on fly mask to stop them irritating Flipo’s poor ears. He looked hilarious in it with the long nose, but hated it tickling his whiskers so it got whipped off and has been an absolute godsend.




Despite dressing him up in some ridiculous gear, he still loves his mum and regularly tries to nosebutt me with kisses.


The great washing extravaganza began


And luckily there was no pooing on my head this time
 
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I couldn’t take Flip to the grass sickness show as it was so close to my exams, but we managed the local show a few weeks later – much to Flipo’s disgust.








The folk with the umbrella were given a wide berth every time we went round the ring. I was initially frustrated with them as I did mention that my horse was scared and they continued to stand there. But then we trotted round and boy did flipo step out, all snorty and awake – helped us get our red rosette!!
 
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1 second, 1 first place and reserve champion – in our section. Shame they don’t have any more specific classes for us to enter, other than ‘any other breed’ and ‘local horse’, but its just an excuse to give him his yearly bath and expose him to more noise and chaos.




In true heavy style, Flipo had periods of angelic behaviour, followed by devilish strength where he’d sniff around the ground as if he was about to eat grass, and then motor off at speed with me dragged along behind. I think we’d just been through one of those episodes when these three photos were taken. I have no idea what I was saying, but im sure there were some swear words involved. Like he even cares!!




 
At the end of the day we were both thoroughly fed up and I slung his reins over his head and let him stomp on infront on the way down the lane to our field. Its lovely to think I can trust him to plod on himself…..but it’s a shame I was so fed up of fighting him in the showfield that I couldn’t be bothered leading him home!




His blonde locks were short lived however, and by the time my mate and her kids came to play with Flipo, he’d returned to his mucky self. Have to laugh at this photo. Friend is quite allergic to horses yet happily jumped on for a photograph. Flipo didn’t do me proud that day – my mate’s 11 year old daughter was coming for a little hack on my boy, but when I tacked up, it started to rain so I made to put the fleece cover back on flipo’s saddle. He freaked, pulled back and broke the leadrope and then pranced around the pen like a stallion. Not the best advert for a safe plod, but im so glad these days that I know he may have a moment like that, but will be calm as ever two minutes later. It doesn’t scare me anymore.


Friend and I ventured out a couple of times together


But after five miles of having to turn her head to chat because we were so slow, I suggested she lead flipo home. (weird to see someone else dealing with my horse!)
 
I had a week off in July to recover from exams and working at the same time…..and it would be the week of 25+ temperatures, so I ended up sunbathing in the field and periodically pouring buckets of cold water over Flipo rather than catching up my riding like I'd hoped.


At times we even snuck in under the open barn and Flipo stood snoozing untied, while I sat and read my book.


We did some more spookbusting….because you never know when you’re going to meet a pink inflatable squeaky hammer.


And Flipo yawned some more. I don’t think I’ll ever work out what he likes doing, other than eating.
 


We even visited the youngster in the hill field - it was obvious there was no love lost.


A fellow livery employed our efforts to help her calm her spooky young welshy, and while Flipo was the calming influence when a scary tractor whipped past, he wasn’t too keen on the long reins and I couldn’t stop laughing when friend’s efforts to encourage her own horse to walk on, resulted in Flipo shooting forward.


All in all, its been a lovely summer. I’ve now owned Flipo for five years (on 1st August) and he continues to be the only horse for me. He’s not perfect, neither am I, but we’re very happy together (well I am….I’m sure everything Flipo has to do, is under duress). Thanks for looking!



 
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