Recent content by Halfstep

Saw a vid on Facebook that made me wonder about something. My rising 6 yr old Hanoverian mare who is at elementary level dressage has always stretched her back legs when leaving the stable in the morning. But lately since her work has really increased (collection), she's started doing full on...

I had a dressage horse who as a 6 yr old fractured a front medial splint bone - came in quite lame with a egg sized lump on his leg. We thought it was just a splint forming so rested, iced, etc but he didn't come sound and x-rays revealed a fracture, and he had surgery. It was years ago so I...

Andiamo, I've PMed you! :D

Mine is dressage bred, aiming at the 5 yr old classes next year. She's schooling 4 days a week, lunging one, hacking one. One day off. Schooling is starting to get more serious and she's learning the beginnings of lateral work, counter canter, rein back, starting turn on the haunches etc. I've...

I know Jo, she is fabulous and I'd trust her 100% too. :)

Very interesting. My 4 yr old was broken in a mullen mouth, and when I bought her I put her straight in a lozenge, because that's what I use. It didn't take her long to start being unsteady in the contact. She's now in a dressage legal Myler mouthpiece with loose rings and feels a lot happier in...

I haven't read all this tread but there are some interesting nuggets here. My feeling is as follows (and this is dressage focused because that is what I do): Firstly, dressage done properly is fooking hard, and you need to be fit and strong and have a lot of coordination. Many people don't...

Also even when it was -15 that horrible winter the horse was always toasty in that rug, I only needed to layer when the windchill was particularly evil.

I was given a Bucas power full neck turnout seven years ago. It is still going strong, used every winter as a duel purpose rug and has never needed rep roofing. Three horses later it is still going strong. Size wise, they run true and accommodate big shoulders. Best rug ever, well worth the money.

Lee was lucky to get the score he did in the freestyle, seeing as his horse was unlevel in much of the trot work.....

She's fabulous and if I could, I'd be there in a shot. (with my 4yr old btw). :D

Grade IV para rider. I was totally blown away by him. He doesn't have the flashiest horse in the world (if he did, he'd be guaranteed a medal, someone buy that man a top horse NOW!), but for me he was by far the best rider in the grade IVs yesterday. He is completely missing a leg on one side...

I thought Charlotte's was a bit "cut and paste", but the quality of the horse and riding made up for it. In fairness to Sligs, Laura's was lovely, the composition was seamless and it made "sense" as an entire piece. Freestyles have changed a lot recently. I think Imke's Wibi Soerjadi Kur set...

I think there is an awful lot of over analysing going on here. Which is the curse of the one or two horse owner rider. Imagine if Star was just one of the x number of horses you had to ride per day, or to drive to a show to compete for an owner. What would you suggest then? Sometimes one gets so...

In this situation after ruling out physical problems, I think you've got two options: Drop down a level or two, ease the work and build his strength and ring confidence, keep playing psg movements at home but make comps super easy. Or: send him to a v experienced professional (preferably...