1st weekend in June: Weekend plans

[j1ffy]

Ok, own up - who told Danny that he was going to a Medium then due to be sold?!

After three years without a lame day he has an abscess ? Of course I was relieved the vet said it's just that, but very frustrating timing-wise!! I'm hopeful that it all comes out soon but Sunday's comp is almost certainly out.

 

[milliepops]

So enjoying Kira's work again bit of work to do on her fitness still as it's a hard slog being an advanced horse when you are 14 hands square. She's got a tiny bare pen in the field now so I can strip graze her which is working better than the muzzle as I really know exactly what she's getting. Hopefully another week of bootcamp and I will be able to feed her go-faster food without worrying she'll go off her feet

she was a massive sass this morning, I have been mainly riding outdoors to practice test movements as the arena is the correct size (indoor is a bit short) but we really needed mirrors today so indoors it was. ALWAYS there is a discussion on whether she can just piss around flicking her hair about or whether it's *really* important for her to do her work anyway she did agree so we did lots of the advanced stuff, so much fun. When she was poorly in the winter i couldn't really imagine getting back to this, it seemed to be drifting further and further away. we got eight 1 tempis this morning, then i had a lightbulb moment about how to ride them better. Those lightbulbs are addictive

 

[milliepops]

Ok, own up - who told Danny that he was going to a Medium then due to be sold?!

After three years without a lame day he has an abscess ? Of course I was relieved the vet said it's just that, but very frustrating timing-wise!! I'm hopeful that it all comes out soon but Sunday's comp is almost certainly out.

oh no! danny!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

MIlliepops, how much do you think a determined, greedy pony can get through the muzzle? For the first few days we were met each day by an outraged Dolly at the gate neighing her head off whenever we appeared. But recently she has been head down, hoovering up the grass even through the muzzle. Strip grazing is not an option for us. So not sure what to do really.

 

[j1ffy]

oh no! danny!

I've just been up to the yard (YO had been there for the vet) and it's not as bad as I feared - it sounds like he's trodden on a flint that's gone between the bar and frog, leaving a slight crack. Consensus is that he's being a bit of a wuss and it's likely to be ok in a few days. Fingers crossed ? I'm not withdrawing yet.

MIlliepops, how much do you think a determined, greedy pony can get through the muzzle? For the first few days we were met each day by an outraged Dolly at the gate neighing her head off whenever we appeared. But recently she has been head down, hoovering up the grass even through the muzzle. Strip grazing is not an option for us. So not sure what to do really.

I know this was directed at MP, but thought I'd put in my tuppenth worth! I've found they can eat as long as the grass has decent stalks. Grazed down paddock + muzzle = muzzle removed on a fence post as soon as I walk around the corner after turning out. Mr P even manages to throw it halfway across his neighbour's field just to be on the safe side!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

The paddock is very grazed down but she has managed to find a way to eat quite efficiently. I swear that pony could suck a gob stopper through a straw if it was grass flavoured! She polishes off a trickle net in no time at all. She's a nightmare.

 

[milliepops]

i think when they get the technique they can still get a fair bit in, Kira doesn't come up for air. I had her on a better patch for minimising intake but she swore blind that she couldn't possibly use the water trough in that paddock so I had to swap around.

 

[j1ffy]

Greedy ponies (and horses, in Pocholo's case) are too clever for their own good. Last summer I had a fairly snug head collar over the grazing muzzle (very non-BHS) and somehow he'd always get the muzzle off but the headcollar would still be on. Literally 5 minutes after turning out, every time.

The issue with very short grass is that it is full of sugar as it grows and they manage to eat it before our eyes can see it, but I'm still not able to reconcile that knowledge with the idea of turning out in a field of long grass!

 

[palo1]

I kept this quiet as I was absolutely bricking it- but we toddled off to our first ever Hunter Trial at Foresterseat yesterday. Entered the dizzying heights of 50cm, but it included a scary wall with a little drop which was just giving me utter nightmares for irrational reasons. We arrived and there was a 2 hour delay due to a pretty bad faller- but once they got things going again they scooped it back to only an hour so not so bad.

She did some of her signature 'why are we waiting' moves in the lorry park and warm up which always gets a good gasp or ten from on lookers- once we were walking towards the start box she was the consummate professional and patiently waited for the countdown. Once she was off, she was off and I was just there for a passenger ride.

I must have backed off the wall slightly as she took a look, but still went. I rode like a sack of shi*t to it and over it so I am surprised she went but was very grateful for her honesty. Apart from that, she made it so much fun and we went clear.

Massive pats and home for the clever big mare. Wish I'd been brave enough to do this 4 years ago when I first bought her.

Results were posted just as we turned into the yard, and she'd only gone and won her class. I am still buzzing and can't wait until the next one- she just came to life and it was the most amazing feeling.

No pro pics yet but here's a finish pic and a couple of videos.

Here is my sack of rubbish riding to the wall. I did have a good support crowd to encourage me over it as I'd threatened to leave it out

That looks brilliant and this picture just sums up what weekend riding should feel like!

 

[palo1]

So enjoying Kira's work again bit of work to do on her fitness still as it's a hard slog being an advanced horse when you are 14 hands square. She's got a tiny bare pen in the field now so I can strip graze her which is working better than the muzzle as I really know exactly what she's getting. Hopefully another week of bootcamp and I will be able to feed her go-faster food without worrying she'll go off her feet

she was a massive sass this morning, I have been mainly riding outdoors to practice test movements as the arena is the correct size (indoor is a bit short) but we really needed mirrors today so indoors it was. ALWAYS there is a discussion on whether she can just piss around flicking her hair about or whether it's *really* important for her to do her work anyway she did agree so we did lots of the advanced stuff, so much fun. When she was poorly in the winter i couldn't really imagine getting back to this, it seemed to be drifting further and further away. we got eight 1 tempis this morning, then i had a lightbulb moment about how to ride them better. Those lightbulbs are addictive

She is so pretty and that sounds amazingly positive!

 

[palo1]

Greedy ponies (and horses, in Pocholo's case) are too clever for their own good. Last summer I had a fairly snug head collar over the grazing muzzle (very non-BHS) and somehow he'd always get the muzzle off but the headcollar would still be on. Literally 5 minutes after turning out, every time.

The issue with very short grass is that it is full of sugar as it grows and they manage to eat it before our eyes can see it, but I'm still not able to reconcile that knowledge with the idea of turning out in a field of long grass!

Yes, I am more worried by short grass so have been muzzling Alw to graze the longer grass that the others are on. We try to only feed longer grass here but of course the quantity (and quality) of that can be difficult. So far though, Alw has lost plenty of flab - vet is impressed even and so occasionally, after harder work she can go without the muzzle.

 

[palo1]

Today I have been working on those lovely canter transitions - but we have done that out hacking and they are getting snappier thankfully. M Alw finds it hard still to concentrate on corners and transitions which can be the situation in the arena and if I ask for a canter transition on the long side of an arena she seems to fire herself out of a canon only to find herself at one of those dratted corners again - we get rushing and very much on the forehand at that point. Knickers get twisted by both of us then!! I think it is all about true balance and confidence; she understands the aid perfectly but needs a bit more time than I give her to get everything in place for a decent transition. So I think I have been asking and not waiting that millisecond enough for her possibly. Today though as we were out and about I could really give all the right information in the right sequence with enough time (and no corners lol) for her not to be boggled into rushing and losing her balance so we had some lovely accurate transitions. And much congratulating of her for them too!! Well this is the story I am telling myself today. We also had some lovely calm jumping of ditches and little hunt jumps on the common. Hooray!!

 

[WelshHoarder]

Baby Welshie and small child had a whale of a time at agility, and are begging to go again next time there’s a local clinic ?
Then in Sunday’s lesson the brave pants were firmly on, and they had their first canters together. This is the child who last autumn would only walk baby Blaze solo, and had to be begged to trot if someone would hang onto them. By the new year they were trotting solo again, but still very nervous, and had to be cajoled into anything like polework. Now in a week they’ve done a mini XC, all sorts of crazy spooky stuff at agility and popping jumps and cantering. Long may this confidence and partnership continue ?

 

[shortstuff99]

First trip out for nearly 2 years went well! Working on thinking passage throughout the trot work to keep more expression and a better rhythm. I've also got to remember to start and finish all of my moves and not be lazy ?.

Doing a low key evening dressage on Friday so will see how that goes. And a couple of pics!

P.s yes she is a fatty potato

 

[sportsmansB]

Great work everyone, wasn't it nice to get a weekend in the sunshine!
We went off to sunny Glaslough, for our second eventing ireland run of the season

Almost fell off before the dressage as we ended up last to go (should have still been 3 arenas running, but the other two were running early) and he was proper devastated at everyone leaving him. Thankfully my new best friend (!) Eimear who went before me agreed to stay until my test was done as I was spinning and whinnying like a lunatic by that point..
It gave us the bit of oomph we are sometimes lacking though, and despite a couple of carefully ridden parts when faced towards the lorry park and full of beans we ended up on a 29 for 3rd.
Jumped the best clear round in a not very flat arena which was causing lots of probs, absolutely delighted as no misses at all and really nice and smooth
Lying second going out on XC but wary of the ground, he's 16 now and I don't normally run at all if I'm unsure but friends in the earlier classes said it rode better than it walked and he had jumped super in the SJ on the same ground so gave it a blast.
We were slow last week for the first one this year- I don't know why I can't retain the speed from one season to the next, its feels so fast the first time!!- and I knew I needed to up the pace
We only went and flipping won!
Hes such a dude and I am grateful for every day with him

 

[humblepie]

Lots of fun things and well done everyone. Sportsman B what a lovely horse. Love the agility photos above and Jenni amazing outing. Our weekend competing was yesterday. Horse got his second qualifying score at medium. Very kind judge. There was one very funny moment (it was only medium 63 so quite a basic one) where after the second canter half pass to D, you then turn right at A. I had though, gosh we managed that (the half pass or at least managed to get to D in a sideways fashion) then thought eek we have to turn right as we are about to head out of the gap where you come into the arena at A. Do you get extra marks for handbrake turns in dressage? I was killing myself laughing for the rest of the test.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Wow that's fanatstic SportsmanB!!!! Woop woop. Lovely pic too.