A bit of a self indulgent post I’m afraid.

JoBo

JoBo

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Well I have had a wonderful weekend and have had a couple more ‘firsts’ with my sexy boy Bodey.

Firstly yesterday I took Bodey into our fields at home and rode him round, even felt brave enough for a little trot, went up and down the hill. Currently I have only ridden him in the school and hacked round the block.

Then today was even braver and went out with GinaGem on Gem and actually went out hacking out around the fields. We only walked but I wanted to keep it as calm as possible the first time. We had up until then stuck to the roads and only down the little block (30 mins) and the large block once (1hr).

I have to say he was a star and didn’t put a foot wrong, had a little look at a log (of all things) but didn’t spook and was very good when I told him to walk on.

So fingers crossed if we can keep this up and get to the point were we can canter calmly around the field then maybe my goal of doing a sponsored ride in September may not be to unrealistic????

Oh and I got on in the yard instead of getting on in the school, not much I now but it was quite a big step for me, getting on on concrete and where it is open space.

Note: For those who don’t know Bodey was first sat on at the end of Feb, by me and is only just 4!
 
Well done Jo - you're doing marvellously!

I was very brave on Sat & went to the Markus Bauer clinic with K - we had a super time & I really felt I got something out of it (although a little embarrassed that N at twice the age of K's youngster, was NOT the best behaved out of the two! It looks as if Bodey is soon to over-take N on the behaving yourself stakes too..!)
 
Hey well done Sally! I’m sure we will here all about it tomorrow on our lessons! What did you work on in the clinic? K’s youngsters are stunning, aren’t they?!!!!? You can see why Gina wanted to get Rubin from the same place.

Thanks, Bodey is everything I could have wished for! Not that I could have done it without K, she has given me and Bodey so much confidence!
 
On the clinic - hmmm, well the guy was quiet, sympathetic & prepared to work on ME, not just the horse. He got me using lots of shoulder-fore to slow N down into a better rhythm (tempo) (by sitting her down on the inside hind - double benefit!), then got me working on doing leg-yeilding whilst in shoulder-fore (you should have seen my face when he first said that - it's not something I had ever considered doing before & I was a bit like 'eh???', LOL!).

He picked me up on raising my hands too high, putting too much weight in the balls of my feet, leaning back, using too much rein to slow her. Lots of things - nothing new but good to hear it in a different perspective & with a different way of thinking about it...

Best of all, he rode her for a little while which was super! J videoed it but I haven't had a chance to watch it yet...

I think he'll be doing them fairly regularly, you MUST do one as soon as you feel ready.
 
Oh god no, I’ll be laughed at, you lot with your WBs and you TBs and me on Bodey! I would if it was TL, but only because I know her. K said that me and Bodes won’t start lateral until next year once he is stronger and older.

I don’t think me and Bodey will ever be at that level (even though K did say Bodes moves well enough to do Elementary, unfortunately though I don’t think I will ever have the talent to).

That sounds a really interesting lesson though! I would have been really confused at what point of the horse was meant to be bending what way etc.
 
Hey Jo, you are doing soooo well with him! Can I send my 3 yr old to you and your sister to break for me?! LOL.

I reckon that's a very achievable aim of a sponsored ride by September
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Sally, sounds like you had a good clinic too
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Oh you, you are a better rider then us too so you can back your 3 yr old yourself! Saying that Gina(GinaGem) is doing fantastically with Rubin and it won’t be long until she is on!

Big thanks, I really do hope so. The only thing I can’t really prepare him for is all the other horses. Saying that I rode him in the school yesterday while Gina was galloping Gem around the field and he was a little on his toes but soon settled.

How's your new one doing? Coming over to Cobham anytime soon?
 
Hey JH - yes, fab lesson - I do recommend him!

Jo - don't be daft - we're hardly a top dressage combination, far from it!!! We're certainly not 'flashy'!!! There were all shapes & sizes, ages & abilities there on Sat - why not come & watch a few of the sessions next time, I reckon you'd realise you'd be ok, once you're out & about. If you tell him you're not ready for lateral work, he's the sort of guy who would totally respect that.

Jo - I'm still dead keen to go out hacking - let me know as soon as you're ready (J can box me over to you now as well!)
 
Yes I will come and watch next time. Still think I would look a bit out of place though!

Just give us a few more weeks and then I think we will definitely be up to hacking out with you and N. Just want to do a few more off-road hacks first.
 
Don't be silly, you are doing a sterling job with your lot, should be proud of what you have achieved so far
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New girl, Chloe, is doing v well thanks. Only had her a few weeks but been out twice and she's been great! Did a william plunkett clinic last week, he was excellent if you ever see one advertised - cheap too which helps, LOL!

Rubin looks SUPER, tell GG to put some more pics of him up soon!
 
Well done - you seem to be progressing well from the sounds of your posts, I really like your coloured. I also had my first hack with my new one (she's just turned 5) and she behaved herself too (a bit joggy on the roads) only had one tiny spook at a board and just stepped one step to the side so I was really pleased with her.
I know how you might feel about not wanting to go to the clinic - I feel embarrassed going into the menege with all the others prancing about doing all these dressage moves on my yard (I do like to watch them though because they're so good!). Good idea to go and see what happens at the clinics and maybe you'll not feel so out of your depths after all. Look forward to reading more of Bodey.
 
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