I DEFINITELY need 27-plus hours in a day; I know as I have just muddled through half-term week when all things equine have dominated - hacks, Farriers, rallies and practises and cabin fever from doing about 150 miles in the truck!

Last week the empty fridge was noticed and the children asked if I was using them as guinea pigs for a new cookery bible called '101 ways to cook with eggs' - with 160 chucks what else do you do? Hubby Charles wants to know why the lorry never passed a supermarket all week but had managed to make plenty of expensive visits to the tack shop.

The worst thing for this PC mum's sanity is that daughter Eugenie needs a new pony. Okay, so I have sold two ponies in the space of a month so the budget is on track, but selling Storm, Eugenie's dapple grey, was a shock to us all. I have been on the hunt for the right pony that requires scant input from me, not a grey, and with the personality of a saint so it can be dragged out of a field after three days and still behave at a rally.

I have eventually found one, subject of course to the vet. She is great with all the attributes I was looking for and she's not even grey (well she has some grey on her in patches; she is coloured), can jump a house and has manners to burn, and I have a child who beams like a Cheshire cat when on board. Bliss, all is back to normal, for now at least.

It has been hard choosing a pony for this mad house because our pet pig and 160 chickens also live in the stables. Temporarily, Brandy the Kune Kune pig has been doing his sleepovers in Jasper Carrot's (Charles' hunter) vacated stable. But Brandy is also a 'free-range' pig with his own mind and exercises his 'right to roam' daily, if we are not careful with the doors he is inside the house like a shot.

When we tack up, Brandy wanders over to have a noisy rootle around the horses' legs. Dawn and Jasper are cool about this new addition, but my mare Sadie is most upset, well actually terrified of her grunting stable mate! Since she was a 'city slicker' hailing from Sheffield it was traumatic enough and took time to introduce her to the sheep and cows, so intros with a snuffling Kune Kune might take quite some doing. As you can see temperament; a tolerant one, is a must here and this new pony fits the bill.

Fingers crossed it passes the vet examination and then I'll gain that extra time I need to also be a domestic goddess for the husband. He is complaining that I spend all of my time putting the kids onto the backs of ponies when I could be spending more time on mine! Better shape up quick or else he may threaten to put me up for sale too.

Emma Ropner

New centre aims to please

A NEW equestrian centre near Potto, Teesside, hopes to offer something for everyone.

The proprietor of Potto Equestrian Centre is Janet Valks, who has owned and run a successful riding school for a number of years, as well as producing top class show jumping horses and ponies - often from complete novices. Some of these ponies have carried her sons, Brad and Adam, to Hickstead and HOYS winning gold medals for Great Britain - five of which adorn her walls.

"Success has been down to a number of things; hard work, dedication, a passion for horses and, very importantly, teamwork. I have taught my sons throughout their jumping careers, sometimes we disagree, but we do all agree that in to order to be successful we need to work together as a team," Janet said.

"This is where our staff come in; they have all have owned and worked with horses for most of their lives. Their experience and quiet expertise is invaluable to us here, not only for our jumping horses and ponies but also for the breaking and Schooling service we offer.

"As far as the riding school pupils are concerned, there is no greater pleasure for us than watching children progress from wobbly beginners to accomplished riders. Whether our clients aspire to be medal winners or happy hackers, our aim is always to please," she said.

"We have a good selection of school horses and ponies and great facilities, including an Olympic size mnage, and all of our staff are experienced and friendly. We even have a unique nervous rider's clinic with no upper age limit. With half, full and three-day courses, we try to offer something for everyone."

For more details, call the centre on 01642 706060 or 07841416970.

Horseball group set to form in region

FOLLOWING the third fantastically successful year at the British Open at Sheffield, Horseball has sparked a massive interest from Northern horse riders, all keen to have a go at the sport.

Recognising the logistical problems for riders in the North, British Horseball Association chairman Mary Pettifor is arranging for all interested groups to meet to form a Northern Region Horseball Group that can oversee the development of new teams, training of coaches and referees and the organisation of some Northern horseball competitions.

Anyone interested in starting horseball at their home, livery yard, riding school, RDA group or Pony/Riding Club, or would like to help with the development of Horseball in the North, can contact Mary on 07808 908 252.

Published: 01/07/2005