Wednesday 29 June 2011

Rocking Horse Dapples......


Our Grey Pony, now four years old, started life as a dark bay roan with a smattering of grey hairs. We wondered what colour he would eventually be. Every year has been different. Last year he was a dark iron grey. This spring he has lightened yet again, and at last he has some lovely "Rocking Horse" dapples on his summer coat. In a few more years , he will probably be completely white. Time will tell!

For New Forest Pony fans, there are photos of his sire on
http://nfstallions.info/P/PortmorePickle.php

There are real similarities between them. Pickle is now a gelding , being ridden and enjoyed in a private home. We know from his previous owner that he has a superb temperament, which he seems to have passed on to his son.


Here is J, another New Forest Pony. He belongs to the same friend who found The Grey Pony in the road, after his mother had been killed. It was J`s owner who had the foresight to save the Grey Pony`s life on that awful summer morning four years ago.

J , is staying with us and is the kindest pony I have met in years. We are gradually bringing him back into work as he was not ridden last year. He has settled in well and we love having him here.



Woody belongs to another friend. He was lame earlier this month and is thankfully getting better.



Woody`s half brother, the Chocolate Pony, comes over to have a word with me. We need to watch this one`s diet!




The Ginger One apologises for his hair. He had only just got up after a morning sleep.....



Enjoying the warm sun, which helps her arthritic old joints, the Golden Pony dodges the electric fence for a tastier bite of grass. She was not so well last winter, despite daily anti arthritic medicines. If we have another hard winter, we may need to make a difficult decision about this dear old girl. Always a character and not always easy, she has mellowed over the years. I don`t believe in keeping animals to suffer though, so if the pain gets bad when summer is over, we shall see.... At least she is doing well on the summer grass and we will take each day as it comes.



9 comments:

ChrisJ said...

Wish I had had the opportunity to get to know horses better. As a child their size scared me -- especially the big old Belgians that worked on the farms. But your ponies all have such interesting personalities and colors I'm sure I've missed something good.

Bovey Belle said...

Give them all a big hug from me. Not too long before I can get to do it in person!

Your lovely grey lad is going to be a super riding pony. Has he got his lessons booked in yet?

RDA Pony Tales said...

Such beautiful faces on these lovely ponies. My pony Spotty is almost white now, with only some grey and spots on his rear. And although he is only 9, he has some arthritis in his hind legs from pulling a trap before I got him. I understand how hard it is with your Golden Pony to decide what is best for her in the long term... never an easy decision to make.
For me, this post has been a joy, thank you! Abby

Kath said...

ooh lots of lovely pony pics, I love them. My Highland was born "chocolate" and went through various phases including a dark dun colour, before going grey. At 20 she was almost white.

Edward said...

Hi I am new to your blog, Abby at My Spotty Pony blog told me about your blog. I love all your ponies and your friends ponies, they are all real lookers. I do like your grey, I had no idea that they would change colour so much. Very nice post I look forward to reading more of your blog and I am now following you.
Regards
Edward

Rowan said...

I really enjoyed looking at all these lovely ponies, they have such nice faces. I've always liked horses though have never owned one - I have some I see regularly on my walks though and I always stop to speak to them:)

ted and bunny said...

hi there,
not sure how I landed on your blog but so pleased I did as we're sort-of-neighbours and I've really enjoyed looking at, and reading about your ponies

I think a grey with dapples is such a beautiful sight- many years ago I had a Connemara, and have to confess it was his dapples that swung the purchase- shame really cos it turned out he had navicular, but that's a story all of its own!

Bruce is my plump black cob and he has the most gorgeous dapples on his bum and neck.

An old groom told me once that they used to feed dead nettles to the horses to give them dapples; I've never tried it but I'm sure Bruce would like to be part of any trials as he'd happily eat his own (rather large) weight in ANYTHING!

xx

Dartford Warbler said...

Thank you for your comments. The ponies are hard work to keep but they are beautiful and give so much pleasure back.

Welcome to Edward, Abby, Ted and Bunny and anyone who has just found my blog! I will enjoy return visits to yours.

WOL said...

Interesting about Grey Pony lightening over the years. Puts me in mind of Lipizzaners, who are born very dark -- and it takes them at least 5 years to turn completely white. I think dappled grey horses are so beautiful. If wishes were horses, my wishes would be grey dappled Perches.