My A, B, C of DJ

ADORABLE
When he first was learning how to react around a busy yard, he used to be tied up in a small coral that everyone walked past.  He used to presume that they walked that way to speak to him ... and most people did.  He thinks he is adorable ... so tends to get people believing him!

BROOMHILL
The name of the Holiday Complex that had the stables where we worked.

CONNEMARA
This is the breed of pony that he is ... He is not registered as such, but is a "Mountain and Moorland".  However when you look at him and read about them, he really is a Connemara pony ... They are the native-breed ponies of Ireland.  More information can be see at their Official Web Site

DAPPLED
Every new coat he grows becomes more dappled ... which basically is the posh way of saying the colour of his coat is blotchy!!

EATING
One of his favourite hobbies ... grass, carrots and mints being his best selection ....

FAT!
.... Which is why he tends to be a bit fat.  It doesn't help that I don't ride him as much as I shuld and that all native breeds can live on very little!  It's a "pony problem"

GREY
The actual colour he is!
As you saw in his baby pictures he was black at birth ... iron grey by the time he was 4 and is now dappled.  His coat will slowly lighten every year.

HAPPY
He is a very happy-horse.  He just seems to enjoy himself all the time.

IN-HAND
When DJ was 5 1/4 I took him to the only show we have attended - and we competed "In-Hand" ... which means that I led him into the ring.  He came 5th out of 7 in a "Mountain and Moorland" Class.

JOUSTING
I have never seen this, but both Toni and Ros tell me that he and Conrad do this most days.  They are up on their back legs battling out who is the best ... Stll no winner!

KICKING THE BUCKET
Another of DJ's hobbies!  When he is fed (just pony nuts) he always finishes by giving the bucket a good firm kick ... to make sure there are no crumbs that he has missed.
Whenever he is in a box I rarely leave water in there - just make sure he is offered it regularily as he has a habit of realising it isn't food, so kicking the bucket over.

LAZY
If there was a prize for laziness he would win.
I have been known to walk up to him while he is still lying down and then clip on his rope ... and still have to persuade him to stand up!
When we used to have lessons I would be shattered by the end ... sometimes in just keeping him moving!

MUD
He loves the mud ... rolling in it - muddy puddles and the best to drink from (much better than from the trough or a clean bucket)

NINE
His age - he was born 13th May 1999

ON-LOAN
DJ stilll belongs to Toni.  When Jaykub died, the family gave me DJ on-loan for as long as I wanted him.  Which means that other than in name he belongs to me - I care for him, keep him ... but I can't sell him.

PONY
Ponies are measued by height, not age!
He measures 14.2 hands (where a hand is 4") at the whithers.  So he is the exact break between pony and horse.

QUENNIE'S DAD
Yes, before the vet paid a call he went and "chatted" to Stacey's pony called Kinky and so DJ is a father.  His daughter is called Queenie ... she now lives in the North of England ... and enjoy's competing in pony-club events.

ROLLING
Another favourite hobby.   Once, when someone else was riding him, he got down to roll when in the sea!!!

STUBBORN
That's DJ.  You ask him to walk on and he doesn't want to ... well either get 3 friends to help you pick up a leg each ... or come back next week!

TOUGH
I have seen him walk "through" post and rail fencing ... without really slowing him down!

UNIQUE
Well - how many other ponies do you know that are allowed to blog?

VERY LUCKY
...To be alive!
When he was 5 1/2 he contracted Strangles ... and spent 44 days in boxed isolation quarentine.  Followed by a slow re-integration into the yard, the herd and then life in general.
Then 6 months later the whole stables caugth another strain of the same disease and spent another couple of months feeling fairy sorry for himself ... at least this time he had company.

WORK
A four-letter word ... just ask DJ ... another one that is a bad word in DJ's dictionary is DIET

X-COUNTRY
When DJ and I worked at the stables, Toni used to arrange small in-house competetions for us ... dressage, show-jumping and croos-country.  The cross-country was DJ's favourite of the 3 ... I just used to get nervous about them all!

YAMMER
DJ is the most voacl pony you are likely to hear!  If he feels he is being ignored, or if he thinks the ride is going to far me mumbles and mutters away ... And will keep going fro 3 - 4 minutes without stopping!

ZZZZzzzz
The final of DJ's hobbies ... and if he thought he could get away with it I could see him sleep walking out on our trips.