Accidentally pity purchase

Meredith said:
re your wonkiness in the saddle. I suggest a lesson with your saddle on a simulator / mechanical horse. I thought either the saddle was wonky or I was. The lesson showed it was the pony. It was most interesting, informative and worthwhile.
If the wonkiness is you the instructor can see how to correct position and balance that would be so useful coupled with physio or chiro help
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Thats an interesting suggestion!

I think I'm wonky in both saddles as I've struggled to get Robins saddle 'feeling' right even though the saddler is more than happy with it. Obviously there is a lot less space for my wonkiness in a 15 inch saddle.

I think I sit with my left hip further back than my right as in Robins saddle I always feel like I'm sat on the edge of the seat on my left side. Sports massage friend/lady I spoke with at the weekend said my left shoulder is a good inch higher than my right too. She didn't want to do any work on me until a chiro had done a posture assessment.

I did have a pretty bad car accident a few years ago which finished off my already dodgy hips so I am aware I'm not built as per the original drawings, just didn't think it was as bad as I'm now realising. Sat at a desk 8hrs a day probably doesn't help much either.
 
dorsetladette said:
Thats an interesting suggestion!

I think I'm wonky in both saddles as I've struggled to get Robins saddle 'feeling' right even though the saddler is more than happy with it. Obviously there is a lot less space for my wonkiness in a 15 inch saddle.

I think I sit with my left hip further back than my right as in Robins saddle I always feel like I'm sat on the edge of the seat on my left side. Sports massage friend/lady I spoke with at the weekend said my left shoulder is a good inch higher than my right too. She didn't want to do any work on me until a chiro had done a posture assessment.

I did have a pretty bad car accident a few years ago which finished off my already dodgy hips so I am aware I'm not built as per the original drawings, just didn't think it was as bad as I'm now realising. Sat at a desk 8hrs a day probably doesn't help much either.
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The simulator has so many sensors I was amazed at the things it picked up.

Every instructor I've had with this pony said I was wonky. The saddler shimmed the saddle to fit pony's slightly unlevel shoulders, that should've been a clue!
On the simulator on my saddle I was perfectly straight and level. A ridden lesson with the simulator instructor showed my pony's small uneven striding behind. His hips push the saddle sideways no matter how I sit. We are working on helping him to strengthen the near hind. I hope this will mean more comfort for us both. It can't be nice for him to feel me forever shunting the saddle over.

I hope you can find a solution that helps you and your horse.
 
Meredith said:
I went here with Nicky.
www.racewood.com

RACEWOOD ACCREDITED COACHES

The coaches listed below have all been accredited by Racewood to train on the Racewood Eventing or Dressage simulators. Please contact your chosen coach directly to arrange a lesson at the...
www.racewood.com
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Thanks - that a bit far for me to travel, but there is this one more local to me.

tilefieldequestrian.com

Riding Simulator | Improve Your Riding Position

Tilefield Equestrian features a Racewood riding simulator, offering tailored sessions to improve rider confidence, balance, and technique
tilefieldequestrian.com tilefieldequestrian.com
 
Reggie went for a walk out with another horse today. My friends mare. We met part way round the village and he was very excited to see them when we first saw them. He did expose his extra leg for a few moments but soon sorted things out once reminded of his manners. He went in front, next too, behind and was mostly polite. In fairness friend pony isn't social so he got told off by her ever time he even thought about looking at her. She wouldn't even tolerate an ear flick in her direction so he is now firmly aware that saying hello is a no no.
We went down a narrow bridleway which has been mostly washed away by the bad weather (I didn't realise it was so bad). He jumped a few puddles and slipped about a bit but it was to narrow to turn round so we kept going and he navigated his way through behind me (on foot) and my friends mare. He did get himself in a bit of a pickle but didn't panic and just waited for me to untangle him. I'm pretty proud of him and his calm, trusting nature.

He was very tired on the way home once he had left his new 'non' friend behind.
 
Reggie's had a few outings since I last wrote. Doing various things but his last 2 FL sessions have been a little eventful.

Saturday FL was foot soldier. We've worked out we can up the pressure more and expose him to a lot more with a person on the ground. So we went past road works, a tanker and a lady vacuuming her camper-van. then we went up through the village where we found a under 12's football tournament was taking place a the rec. Reggie called to the children a few times on the way past, there was a lot of traffic and he saw his first ice cream van. He took it all in with his usual bouncy stride, high head carriage and pricked ears. This pony properly loves life at the moment! We got told off by a parent/grandparent of the children (I'm assuming) as reg left a present in the road. This guy shouted at us twice and once he realised we weren't going to bow to his superiority decided to shout profanities at us in front of all the children and parents. It was quite embarrassing - especially the bit when he told our 'reasons' for riding horses :oops: I mean I'm not sure a guy like that should be at a children's event.

This morning we thought we'd ride out early before work. FL picked sensible cob up from his owner and we met in the village before 8am. Big mistake!!! It was drizzly. I walk Reggie a short way normally before I get on to let him settle as he is a bit excitable to start with and can sometimes have a bit of a humpy back until he settles - it works and I'm sure it's not forever. There is a really handy bench (on a verge) about a 10-15 min walk from home which is usually a perfect place to hop on from and ensure a nice uneventful/good experience ride. Not today! I was just siding him up next to said bench as a woman with the biggest umbrella I have ever seen walks round the corner. Reg jumped, sensible sid panicked and exploded. We had 2 ponies panicking with no where to go to get away from the approaching brolly. The woman and darling child thought it was funny that the ponies we 'frisky' and continued to walk towards the horses. FL had hopped off by this time and I had whipped Reggie's reins over his head. FL and I had been pulled in opposite directions so brolly woman walked between the 2 ponies. Even with both of us saying loudly to our ponies 'it's only a brolly' the woman was oblivious to the fact she was the issue. She got passed us and we moved out of the way of the traffic which had built up while we had little control of 2 scared ponies. Only for the woman to walk back with her brolly still up. Luckily a couple a drivers saw her coming back and stopped so we could cross the junction (small, usually quiet village) and get a bit of distance between us. The rest of the 'ride' was pretty uneventful but Reg was wired the whole way round so I stayed on the ground for a good amount of time today and probably only got on for about the last 10/15 minutes. On the way home Reg was pretty hesitant at 'brolly crossroads' so we need to get past that.

Honestly the general public are just stupid!
 
stangs said:
I can understand why someone non-horsey wouldn’t realise that their umbrella could be so upsetting to a horse, but surely no one in their right mind walks closer to two panicking horses, especially when they’ve got a child in tow?
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To walk back passed us after depositing child at the bus stop had us both gob smacked. We looked at each other and said 'she's coming back' I can imagine the colour would of drained from our faces if they hadn't been so beetroot red.
 
Reggie is loving life right now. HE's hacking in the forest near us, barefoot with zero worries on the stony forest tracks. Ears pricked and marching on, mostly alone. He going over logs in walk and trot (hopping a few from a trot as it's fun for him). Down ditches and through low tree's. Life is a big adventure for the ginger ninja at the moment.

He's off for an arena hire with 2 other horses next week for a bit of a change and a new experience. And then he has his first in hand show on Sunday. Just a local show. We're entering the best grass kept class and the M&M large breeds class. first class in and the third class in a different ring then home to tell his mates how clever he is :p.

He's got such a busy mind that we can just keep feeding him with new stuff and loves it and takes it all in his stride.

I'll get some photo's of 'show prep' this week for you all. He is looking a little 'hobo' at the moment.
 
Little Reggie did a thing!!

He was so well behaved. Wanted to say hello to everyone but resisted the urge. He had some lovely comments from judges.

2nd in the best condition grass kept class and unplaced in the m&m large breeds class, but he stood nicely in the line up and didn't panic about ponies trotting behind him.

Stood tied to the lorry without an issue and ate his haynet. Super proud of the ginger ninja.
 

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Well Reggie had the best day ever. He is just taking life in his stride.

We took him to a local riding club in hand show. He came home with a rossette from every class and some lovely comments from the judges.

I'm so pleased he's happy to stand by the lorry, eat his haynet and watch the world go by. It means so much to be able to just chill out between classes and not have to worry about a stressed pony.
 

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Reggie went to another little fun show yesterday. He's was very excited and bouncy. I struggled to keep up with him a few times. But he came home with 2 2nd places from 2 classes. Lovely show and very busy with kids flying round the collecting ring on their wizzy ponies and big classes with novice handlers. So much more of a buzzy environment for him to deal with. He experienced an indoor school for the first time too so a good learning experience and outing for Reggie.

we've also worked out that our ramp is a little bit steep for Reggie (he's slipped a couple of times on it so not the most confident on it) so we have a little run up and he's happier to load. Obviously with a bucket of goodies once he's in and settled always helps.
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