Christmas Bertie - The Appaloosa multi-talented jumping polo pony (with festive tendencies)

It has been a long, long, long time since I had my own horse. It must be 4 or 5 years now. In all that time I have been playing polo and riding at various riding schools.

But now, after all this time, I once again have a horse all of my own ... and how I have missed it.

Yes, I know ... I am very naughty ... no hat, no saddle and no bridle ... but I do it cos I love it :)

Bertie bows, takes polo's from my mouth and just generally loves his dad ... or so I like to think :-)

Bertie is a 15.2 hands Appaloosa Gelding. I like to think of him as a multi-tallented jumping polo pony. The story behind Bertie is a convoluted one.

	09 September 2003 Update		02 December 2001 Cuddles
	25 August 2001 Dinner time - Yet more food!		16 August 2001 My world caves in - The worst news you can get
	08 June 2001 Disaster strikes again... poorly Bertie		22 December 2000 Disaster strikes... poorly Bertie
	01 September 2000 New shoes - Do you have those in Italian leather?		26 July 2000 Nothing like a roll in the dust to finish a day.
	19 April 2000 Bertie n George - A bailer twine of polo ponies!!!		Jumping Bertie - I just love to get my feet off the ground.
	Festive Bertie - Where's my pressie!!!		Handsome Bertie - How could you not love me?
	Polo Bertie - Hardly high goal ... but I get to run!!!		Trailer Bertie - Why walk when you can ride?

I have been riding at a riding school called Belmont Riding Center. Its near Mill Hill in London. I had been riding there for about 3 months, when a new horse arrived from somewhere.

The instructor gave him to me for one of the the class lessons, and I was one of the first to ride him. In fact only about three of the schools clients rode Bert in his time there.

Bertie was highly strung. The first time I got on him I daren't put my feet in the stirups for fear that the contact of the stirrups on his side would send him into gallop.

By the end of the lesson, I had come to the conclusion, that Bertie resembled a polo pony, and on those grounds I had an affectionate spot for him. I later found out that he was a reject from the polo school and had been sent to the riding school to see if he was good for anything.

I rode him in lessons for about five months ... I often thought that if I were to have a horse again I might like something like Bert. Then one day I turned up at the yard to be told that Bert was being got rid of ... this was the last ride I would ever have on him ... and then the ultimatum ... buy him or say good bye !!!

The descision was frought with panic ... I was unprepared for such a dilema ... but another five months on and I am the happiest I have been for a long time.

And how exactly do you expect to feed me a carrot from all the way up there?

Bertie has a new friend ... George. I now have a bailer twine of polo ponies !!!

13 May 2001
After all the recent trouble with Bert's lip and his lack of brakes I have aquired a cool new bit for him. We are breaking him into it slowly. It is a western combination hackamore with comfort snaffle. This is a very clever design of bit and has many interesting mechanical features. Fingers crossed and lets see how it goes.

Yum yum, polo mints ... I think I will keep these for later.