2nd weekend in May plans

[CanteringCarrot]

Off to a competition this weekend. Saturday dressage and Sunday jumping. It's at a local riding club, so I think we're all going to just ride there. It's right off a hacking route through some forest and fields. I'm going to totally ruin hacking for my horse. Now he won't know if we're going on a relaxing hack or hacking to a competition perhaps he'll be able to differentiate based on fancy dress 😅

Going to be a hot one here! ☀️

 

[Jeni the dragon]

Hope you have loads of fun CC!

Bob is off to Chatsworth on Saturday to do the 4*! Very excited as it's years since we've been and it's such a lovely event!

 

[scats]

Working Friday and Saturday, then off to the Arc Fun Rides charity Chester Zoo ride on Sunday

 

[j1ffy]

I’m at AM Dressage with Nikicb! Had a minor panic this afternoon as my lorry battery was flat, but Niki kindly switched to the earlier lesson and I made it a couple of hours later than planned (good job I’d left a load of contingency time!). Dead chuffed with Chilli today, it was the most mature he’s been with no napping, breaking to canter or general silliness.

We have another lesson in the morning, probably a quiet hack on Saturday then there’s a yard dressage comp on Sunday. We’re doing the Intro as last time we attempted the Prelim and it blew his brains for the next six months..!

 

[Peglo]

Me and Tali had our first jumping lesson tonight. It was a lot of fun, hard work for both of us and learnt a lot. Tali seemed slightly more happy to see poles than she was seeing the dressage arena. 😂 She was so good. She tried really hard and had to do big jumps that we’ve not done before and she stood beautifully when other people had their turn. It’s just brilliant how she takes everything in her stride. She really is very fun. After a hard lesson she was delighted to get back to her haynet.

there’s a jumping comp on grass on Sunday but there’s been a lot of rain and more forecast so it could be slippy. So we might head up for that if the weather improves 🤞🏻

she looked at herself in the mirror every time she went passed it. She must know how cute she is 😂

 

[Ambers Echo]

Hope you have loads of fun CC!

Bob is off to Chatsworth on Saturday to do the 4*! Very excited as it's years since we've been and it's such a lovely event!

I’m there on Saturday doing the Arena Eventing. It’s such a fabulous venue. I’m super excited. I’ll watch some of the XC rounds too. I know quite a few people riding x

 

[Ambers Echo]

Was running a camp this week and took Lottie along so I could squeeze in a cheeky half hour XC and SJ with the instructors before and after camp lessons. Lottie was mega! Mainly focused on angles and tricky lines because Chatsworth is very twisty. There were a couple of times I rode really poor lines and Lottie had no idea what she was doing till she was right under a fence but she saved me both times. Such an honest horse.

 

[ihatework]

Hope you have loads of fun CC!

Bob is off to Chatsworth on Saturday to do the 4*! Very excited as it's years since we've been and it's such a lovely event!

Good luck, Chatsworth is my favourite!

Jiffy I’m jealous of AM weekend, miss my lessons there.

My little homebred weirdo is stepping up to Novice today I’m 🫣🫣🫣🫣🫣

 

[Chippers1]

Working Friday and Saturday, then off to the Arc Fun Rides charity Chester Zoo ride on Sunday

I saw photos of the Chester zoo ride on Facebook, i'd love to do it so i'm very jealous! It's a little bit far from me though

I'm off on holiday! Super excited, it's been ages. Buzz will be looked after by my fellow liveries and a friend is going to have a little play with him so he can have some time off from getting fat.
I'll ride today and tomorrow morning though. I've bought yet another new bit to try (after speaking to some bit consultants, i'm not convinced he's happy in a pelham) so waiting for that to arrive after i'm back and will give it a go.
Have a good weekend!

 

[Jeni the dragon]

I'll keep an eye out AE! I love Chatsworth, so excited about going!
Good luck to your boy @ihatework ! It's always fun when they step up a level!

 

[J_sarahd]

We have a busy weekend this weekend.

Tonight someone is coming to view pony for full loan. I am nervous but I’m sure it will be fine.

Tomorrow, pony has his first BS show with a junior rider. She jumped him last weekend and they did fab so I’m excited (and very nervous) for this weekend. I have no expectations as obviously BS courses are usually more full-up and technical than unaff. But the rider is very experienced and very good.

 

[Michen]

Combined training for Bog. Dressage lesson last night and SJ tonight.

Hoping three days in the trailer and working hard will put the little sod back in his box as yesterday he had far more humour than necessary about life!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I, on the other hand, am hoping some energy and adrenaline kick in at the competition this weekend. It'll be hot and sunny which equals siesta time for my horse 🤣

 

[Chippers1]

Ooo new bit has just arrived, what a great service after only ordering yesterday! Fingers crossed we don't have a repeat of the Beval experience

 

[Alibear]

Not much planned, Amber is a bit full of the joys of spring at the moment Sunday I'm going to watch a trail clinic day with an American clinician teaching which should be good and will hopefully give me the kick I need.

 

[dorsetladette]

Long reining the broken horse and in hand walking. He's so much better, but I don't want to rush or jinx anything before the physio and vet have seen him next week.

Reggie is going to be walked out for the first time in traffic, just to see a few things. He's already walking over tarps and walking in and out of the lorry so guess we have to bite the bullet and get out and about now. He's so much bigger than I'm used to dealing with (baby wise) that it feels a little daunting. OH is walking out with me just in case we need a spare pair of hands. I'm sure he'll be fine.

Enjoy your weekend everyone

 

[milliepops]

nothing of any great excitement, but another weekend of intense horsing I expect (no escaping it when there's 7 of them, d'oh)

Frank is getting his first shoes on. He really feels the horrible sharp stones on the yard and he's at a point in his development where i don't want "feeling his feet" to be the thing that stops him from feeling positive about his work. He needs to go hacking now he understands the basic aids so it's time to bite the bullet and put some fronts on.

Quiz is getting a handy pony course built as the racehorses have vacated the spare yard so there's a bit of space i can borrow. i am going to have the world's first Jazz handy pony He needs to learn to deal with things instead of just freaking out.

I'm going to try putting Auntie Millie with Hera down the grassy bank to eat it off a bit. they could both do with the grass and it will be a (hopefully) good low key way to help Hera grow up a bit more as she still looks to mum for comfort now and then. I want to be able to take Salty away later on without it causing a drama. so will have to supervise that for a bit if they get out of sight of each other. i think it'll be fine but my overthinking brain is worrying

plus normal riding etc. have fun everyone with actual outings!

 

[Roxylola]

. He's so much bigger than I'm used to dealing with (baby wise) that it feels a little daunting. OH is walking out with me just in case we need a spare pair of hands. I'm sure he'll be fine.

Enjoy your weekend everyone

Bon is only probably a hand bigger than Charlie but a bit narrower as well and so agile, there are a few rides where I am very aware of that extra hand so I sympathise with you.
Good luck to all competing- I fancied chatsworth to watch but I'm out at the grassroots at Somerford with Bon on Saturday morning, teaching all day Sunday and I'm going on holiday next weekend so I need to actually look through my stuff (and maybe sleep)

 

[Britestar]

Lesson in morning, then rest of day preparing to run a WH and 'fun' show on Sunday.

Not been much fun so far. Company I ordered all the trophies off told me yesterday morning they can't fulfill. Spent next few hours trying to find somewhere local that I could get 33 trophies from.
Then another couple of hours trying to find another company who could do engraving for them in 24hrs.
Then at 4pm the food van pulled out!

Due to the amazing generousity and determination of 2 companies, my trophy situation is solved, and overnight another food van has stepped in, phew!

With 180 pre entries, it's going to be very busy!!

Who was it said the local showing and fun shows were no more???

 

[ihatework]

I'll keep an eye out AE! I love Chatsworth, so excited about going!
Good luck to your boy @ihatework ! It's always fun when they step up a level!

We found a training hole. In the form of an owl hole 🙈
Such a shame because he was fantastic otherwise and stepped up super. Still he had a fun day and is completely unaware he got it wrong 🤣 We weren’t the only ones either, some choice words were flowing in the lorry park 😉

 

[Sheep]

Shoe going back on tonight. All being well, will maybe tentatively get back on board on Sunday and see how we are… it has been a loooooong 8 weeks. Keep everything crossed please!!!

Good luck / have fun / both to everyone else!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

We went to Royal Windsor show, on foot yesterday and returned with B Fuzzy today. She was exemplary in behaving in front of HMQ.
After a quite hectic last 2 weeks of Equicross, fun ride, sj lessons, plus filming for an ITV segment last week, today just knackered me lol, so am just going light hacking this weekend 😊

Good luck to those competing and whatever you are doing, have fun!

 

[DawnS]

Going out for first elementary test. I know I should focus on getting a baseline, not worry about the scores, etc, but ... how do people actually do that??

 

[stangs]

Wasn't looking but then saw something that ticked every single box twice over and isn't too far away to travel... So I'm off to view a horse on Sun!

 

[Peglo]

@Sheep all fingers and toes crossed

@stangs how exciting. Hope it goes well. 😆

it’s stopped raining 🙌🏻 And the winds picked up so perfect drying conditions.
Best of luck to everyone competing.

 

[RachelFerd]

I'm at Chatsworth! We've done our dressage today and looking forward to the jumping phases tomorrow morning in the 2*. Ground is great, setting us stunning - what more could you want?!

Although we're much closer to the bottom of the pack than the top, a 33.9 leaves us in touch with most of the field - and it's an improved score at an FEI for him anyway.

Out for dinner tonight in Baslow - all very civilised 😁

 

[dorsetladette]

Bon is only probably a hand bigger than Charlie but a bit narrower as well and so agile, there are a few rides where I am very aware of that extra hand so I sympathise with you.
Good luck to all competing- I fancied chatsworth to watch but I'm out at the grassroots at Somerford with Bon on Saturday morning, teaching all day Sunday and I'm going on holiday next weekend so I need to actually look through my stuff (and maybe sleep)

I think he's about 13.2hh at 10 months so probably will make 15hh maybe a bit more. But im only 5ft2 and have only really ridden ponies. He's all legs and really doesn't have a lot of control over them. Im sure it will all be fine just me over thinking as always.

 

[Roxylola]

I think he's about 13.2hh at 10 months so probably will make 15hh maybe a bit more. But im only 5ft2 and have only really ridden ponies. He's all legs and really doesn't have a lot of control over them. Im sure it will all be fine just me over thinking as always.

Same as me height wise. Charlie is about 15 and I make him look nearer 16. I only notice the height of bon when I get off usually though

 

[dorsetladette]

Same as me height wise. Charlie is about 15 and I make him look nearer 16. I only notice the height of bon when I get off usually though

Oooooo knees!!!!!

 

[nikicb]

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekends so far.

As @j1ffy said above, Maddie and I spent a couple of days at AM Dressage. We have struggled with contact marks in recent tests, partly because she has been a little spooky. Having analysed it (and overanalysed it, because that's my way of working through stuff), I realised that I really need to get her better at working over her back and taking the contact forwards. Hopefully she will then become more confident of what I am asking her to do, and worry about potential gremlins hiding in the trees far less.

That was therefore the focus for both our sessions. I am so pleased with the progress we made. It was much harder work for both of us in the first session, as I kept having to remind Maddie to remain 'through', but on the second day she was loads better and was carrying herself and using her back, without me having to keep asking her to do so every few strides.

I do enjoy competing, but a couple of back to back good training sessions just puts such a big smile on my face. Maddie will get the next couple of days off as I am busy elsewhere. On Sunday we have our PC AGM (I'm still Treasurer even though my two boys left many years ago!!). I have gifted a trophy in memory of Cassie for dressage endeavour, so it will be rather emotional to see that presented for the first time.