a very cold lesson report and snowy pics..

Am VERY jealous of the fact you are still able to ride and train, i can't with the school under a foot of snow, and am VERY grumpy because of it.

But fab pics and lovely work, even if i do officially hate you!! :-)
 
Wow, he looks totally gorgeous, as usual.

Jealous that you're riding as we're frozen solid here & riding is a distant memory. The last time I ventured into the school, I had to venture out again 10 mins later as I was bitterly, bitterly cold...& I'm quite hard & stubborn!
 
Looking lovely as always. I agree with the 1st trot picture looking good.

I also agree with this

Did you forget to include the snowy pics? . What was in your photos was seived icing sugar

We have a foot of the damn stuff!! and lorry cant even get out of yard on to drive so I'm guessing it is frozen shut.

Thankfully I'm not a fan of winter competing as it is too frekking cold!
 
Loving the leaping pic at the start showing off his attitude :D

He is really starting to come into his own, you can see it every time you post pics that he is improving :)

joining the jealous gang that you can ride! we were doing ok til another load of snow fell on friday and covered the clear (thank to the slight thaw the previous week) rideable arena in another 4 inchs of white fluff! still looks very cold, but your inspiring me to try and get on pony this afternooon so that can only be a good thing! even if we only walk and think about trying to do some baby lateral work!
 
Many thanks for the tips, think we are working along the right lines - long process. As you said she isn't very good of the seat at the moment.

As soon as i can ride again will be trying them out:)
 
Paladine-yep just dresage.(do jump at home but only little bits and bobs, to keep the interest, and may one day do some indoor SJ over winter but thats a long way in the future i think!). he competed in the 5yo classes and elem last year, will do elem, medium and 6yo classes in 2011, maybe an adv med at the end of the year if all is going well.
schooling adv med at home, bit of piaffe and passage here and there,just baby steps etc.finds the actual technical work easy, and is very balance, but gets tense at shows, so can be too sharp to show off his paces in the ring, esp in the first test. he was a lot better as a 5yo than a 4yo. so hoping as a 6yo he will be even better.

what about you? :nosy: welcome to HHO BTW :)


I'm in the US, so different tests, but with my young TB (7, but not off the track overly long) we are doing Elementary? WTC tests, but our next one in a month will be our first level, with lengthens and leg yields. He's a resale project (I always seem to have at least one) so he kind of does a bunch of all around stuff- I've evented him twice, and he's a wonderfully athletic jumper- better than me!

My main competition horse, Riley (Hano x TB), in my sig, is extremely talented, but alas, VERY accident prone, and has ringbone. It's always a struggle to keep him sound and progress at the levels. So he was schooling our 4th level (lead changes, half passes, extended gaits) with some half steps, but he's coming back from injury # 1 million. Hopefully we can show this spring, and I want to then lease him out to teach someone the lower levels so I don't push him anymore. :(

I'd like to go be a working student in a dressage yard when I sell a couple, whether in the US, Canada, or possibly the UK.




Sorry to hijack!! I might introduce my ponies in another thread and spare yours. ;)
 
He looks lovely! Can see a real improvement! he just looks so stretchy and supple!!

Quick question. We are looking into maybe having the same rubber surface as you have at your yard and was just wondering if to keep it rideable in Huuuuge freeze, do you harrow the night before? Does it need a lot of maintenance?
Thanks :)
 
needs very little maintenance, mine has 3 horses going over it, maybe 4 times each a week (each), so not much traffic, but only needs harrowing once every two months at the MOST, i never do it before a frost/freeze/snow and its always fine but there arent any bare patches as we are all careful to use the inner track and not just go round the fence,to circle in diff areas etc. i would advise you to put netting round the perimetre fence to stop the rubber being kicked out, makes a huge difference.

paladine-ooooh yes please, intro and piccies :)

so mine is schooling the equivilant of your 3rd level, and will be competing 2nd and 3rd (without changes), and then the 6yo tests are like an easy 3rd (with changes).
fingers crossed for your boy xx
 
Nice pictures and I'm also jealous you are able to ride in your school! I missed your elem reports I think, what scores did he get?

Paladine your chestnut looks stunning, please tell us more!
 
Gorgeous pics but I do think in the interest of all thing matchy matchy you need to get the quarter rug in mushroom- http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1803354&l=0fe97fad93&id=896000047

I had one but gave it to someone for a swap. I have an under saddle exercise sheet floating about like brand new though ;)
Taz my chocloate Dun/buckskin has just had a new full rug for when he starts competing next year hopefully (fingers crossed) http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=15610296&l=7d5e31983b&id=896000047
It looks a bit beige in this pic but it's not- it's really lovely :)
 
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i cant remember them all off the top of my head, he didnt do many,there was one day mid season he was too sharp and judge was mardy and he got 62 and 58 i think, but other than that i think 64,65, couple of either 66 or 68's and finished the season with a 70+ in E59. area festivals went to pot as he hated the loudspeakers (that were really far too loud), but i was happy with the progression over the season, considering he started in march and finished in oct.might not have remembered them all, but was happy with the nice handful of shiney points he collected!

law-a little bird tells me that santa might be bringing me a new matchy quarter sheet!!!
 
Yes points (and money!) are always good :D
I want to have a go at some elementaries beginning of next year but I am sooo scared to let his %s go down if I mess it up! But I also don't want to do what some people do and retire if they think the test didn't go well. Maybe will do the Training section just in case!
 
I am so very jealous of how you make dressage look easy!

Plus the fact that he looks so soft and trainable (apart from the Spanish movements you have incorporated into your schooling - I assume for variety? :p) and happy!
 
Where do you live?? I am coming to steal your horse and horse-rider outfits!! ;) ;)
I love the pics, espesh the 7th and the shoulder-in one, wow :) I am SUPER envious.
Where are your overreaches from, are they eskadron??
Oh and btw, that is NOT snow. If you think that's snow try riding in my arena atm!!
 
love your methodical approach to these pics!! and nice pics too- never seen any of your pics before but by the sounds of everyone else- is improving all the time.

cool report :) xx
 
True. Although with all this snow and lack of riding we will be going backwards and competing in Walk and Trot instead :eek:


MMmm think I will be joining you!!



Prince33Sp4rkle - Lesson looks great and well done the photographer, the pictures are lovely :D

The lesson I was supposed to have with the same instructor (but couldn't due to 'adverse weather' conditions) went well for a friend who'd never had him before. So he comes highly recommended and I will be giving him a go, maybe in the not to distant future? :(
 
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