reindeerlover
Well-Known Member
I hired the menage next to my fabby new yard yesterday, dragged poor NNS (nice new sharer) away from her cosy home and list of things to do to make her school my horses and have her on hand in case I got flung into next week by Copper in his first schooling/jumping sesh.
First took the big lanky boy in as he needs to learn about doubles, he always jumps too far out over the first and lands too close to the second part and either crashes through it with sheer momentum or screeches to a halt and therefore his showjumping career has been rather... hmm.... inconsistent? He was a star, we had a couple of hairy moments (well, NNS did, I was fine stood on the ground laughing, I mean helping) but he ended up jumping beautifully and at the end allowed him to jump a lovely 3' 3" single spread with a wall filler at a canter- his reward for managing a controlled canter and jumping both elements of a double. Videos coming soon!
Next we took lovely mare in for her first schooling in a nice menage, NNS managed to get some lovely work out of her although there was still a fair degree of head flapping (horse not rider!
). She had her teeth done on Tuesday so I think she may be just getting used to them (again- horse, not rider). Followed by a LOVELY canter the whole way around the school- starting when asked, striking off on correct leg, going around the corners without falling on her face. Brilliant. 
We then started jumping- the mare has only really jumped a few cross poles and small, maybe 2' uprights in the field before and it's been more luck than judgement if she didn't knock them down! I was really expecting her to have no scope at all. Anyhoo, she had some ridiculous refusals at the scary x poles, smashed through a few etc. Then she started to enjoy the feeling of flying over the jumps and a lovely new horse emerged!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IVPu0AxNGc
I know she knocked the last one down but look how happy she looks! She even makes a nice shape over them and sorts out her legs- ignore the flying change for now, it was a little unnecessary! What a superstar girly.
After I had tortured poor NNS on my two numpties I was then forced to get on Copper and try him over some poles despite various excuses- I have no girth that will fit (What? Here's one), I can't find my hat (Here it is), I'm not wearing jods (You never wear jods!), I have broken my leg (Shut up and get on). Gaa
she even tacked him up for me! I got on and rode him in the school at last (after broken feed bag panic) and he was of course as good as gold on the flat, although NO bend at all from his poll- bimbling around like RS pony with nose waving around in the air. We managed to trot and canter in something resembling a circle and managed rather a fab counter canter at one point. Started over x poles a couple of times and he deigned to stumble over them with some gusty sighs and pointed looks (I am a multi race winning posh thoroughbred DON'T you know- horse, not me). We then put the jumps up to small uprights and he ground to a halt. Several times. I had my schooling whip but jeez is that horse LAZY 
! He wasn't scared, he wasn't tired, he was just being an arse so I told him he was going back to the sales and he then jumped. Not particularly well I must admit but he got over it and managed to not knock it down. We did ok, he realised that I am not to be denied and although there is a much easier way to get to the other side of the jump (around it obviously) that it was not the "done thing" and he must lift his dainty fairy feet and hoik my fat arse over the thing.
All in all, I think all horses learnt something and it was £20 well spent! Three cheers for the horses! Hip hip....?
Oh, Champagne for everyone dahhlings!
First took the big lanky boy in as he needs to learn about doubles, he always jumps too far out over the first and lands too close to the second part and either crashes through it with sheer momentum or screeches to a halt and therefore his showjumping career has been rather... hmm.... inconsistent? He was a star, we had a couple of hairy moments (well, NNS did, I was fine stood on the ground laughing, I mean helping) but he ended up jumping beautifully and at the end allowed him to jump a lovely 3' 3" single spread with a wall filler at a canter- his reward for managing a controlled canter and jumping both elements of a double. Videos coming soon!
Next we took lovely mare in for her first schooling in a nice menage, NNS managed to get some lovely work out of her although there was still a fair degree of head flapping (horse not rider!
). She had her teeth done on Tuesday so I think she may be just getting used to them (again- horse, not rider). Followed by a LOVELY canter the whole way around the school- starting when asked, striking off on correct leg, going around the corners without falling on her face. Brilliant. We then started jumping- the mare has only really jumped a few cross poles and small, maybe 2' uprights in the field before and it's been more luck than judgement if she didn't knock them down! I was really expecting her to have no scope at all. Anyhoo, she had some ridiculous refusals at the scary x poles, smashed through a few etc. Then she started to enjoy the feeling of flying over the jumps and a lovely new horse emerged! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IVPu0AxNGc
I know she knocked the last one down but look how happy she looks! She even makes a nice shape over them and sorts out her legs- ignore the flying change for now, it was a little unnecessary! What a superstar girly.
After I had tortured poor NNS on my two numpties I was then forced to get on Copper and try him over some poles despite various excuses- I have no girth that will fit (What? Here's one), I can't find my hat (Here it is), I'm not wearing jods (You never wear jods!), I have broken my leg (Shut up and get on). Gaa
she even tacked him up for me! I got on and rode him in the school at last (after broken feed bag panic) and he was of course as good as gold on the flat, although NO bend at all from his poll- bimbling around like RS pony with nose waving around in the air. We managed to trot and canter in something resembling a circle and managed rather a fab counter canter at one point. Started over x poles a couple of times and he deigned to stumble over them with some gusty sighs and pointed looks (I am a multi race winning posh thoroughbred DON'T you know- horse, not me). We then put the jumps up to small uprights and he ground to a halt. Several times. I had my schooling whip but jeez is that horse LAZY ! He wasn't scared, he wasn't tired, he was just being an arse so I told him he was going back to the sales and he then jumped. Not particularly well I must admit but he got over it and managed to not knock it down. We did ok, he realised that I am not to be denied and although there is a much easier way to get to the other side of the jump (around it obviously) that it was not the "done thing" and he must lift his dainty fairy feet and hoik my fat arse over the thing. All in all, I think all horses learnt something and it was £20 well spent! Three cheers for the horses! Hip hip....?
Oh, Champagne for everyone dahhlings!
Well Done
Heheeehe