Another May bank holiday - any plans?

SEL

SEL

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Well cross country training on Monday has been postponed as the ground is concrete so my weekend plans are up in the air. We were given the choice because the venue says they have good grass cover - but so do my fields and I'm not jumping on them. Rain please!

Impromptu jumping lesson last night at my friend's farm. Her "arena" is a random shape tucked into a small corner of the farm but we have an amazing instructor who deals with whatever is thrown at her. So impressed with my little cob. From struggling with right canter not so long ago he was pretty much jumping off a 20m circle on both reins. Lots of physio polework too so superb lesson in an interesting space! I'm just jealous she's got a surface.

In fact he's been a star all week. Our Tuesday trip out for his Trailblazer qualifier was a new location and he took it all in his stride - apart from the letter E which had a monster behind it. Maybe he's growing up!
 
Long may it continue SEL! 😃

Well we had another shared lesson on Tuesday, which was great fun. Shared lessons really work for us. Bo usually runs out of steam after 30 minutes, but this way he gets to have little tea breaks throughout, and is still working happily until the end of the lesson.

We focused on improving balance, practicing jumping position in walk and trot, and finished with some work over poles. Fairly basic stuff, but I very much wanted to go back to basics.

We had one rather unsuccessful hack, mainly because the roads are like glass at the moment and the poor boy kept slipping.

This morning was much better and we had a lovely long fun hack, just me and my boy. One of those rides that makes you want to stand on a hill and shout 'I LOVE MY PONY!' and make everyone look at photos of him. 😆
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sarcasm_queen said:
In theory we’re doing a fun ride on Sunday, but the ground is so hard around here I’m not sure there’s much point.
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That's a shame. Hope you get some decent rain soon.

Our weather is changing to wet and very windy from tomorrow so I doubt we'll actually do anything over the weekend.
 
We have arena hire booked again for Sunday and it looks like it might be raining for that 😂 Pony isn't 100% so will likely just walk down, do some familiarisation while friend schools, and walk back.

Saturday will maybe have the lesson that was postponed from last night, will be groundwork or walk only and in the rain!! But we still need to be doing bits and pieces!
 
I have family visiting so not much as need to play hostess with the mostest.

Fun ride on Sunday, I'm happy to walk around and only canter if the ground is ok, so we'll still go.

We have a dressage camp next week from Thursday onwards which I am partly looking forward to and partly a little nervous as haven't had any training with these people before and I am very fussy!

Current dilemma is, do I enter Broadway for first weekend in June? 🤔

Will it rain enough between now and then?

Only planning the 80 as we didn't do anything last season and won't be going schooling beforehand and happy to just trot and pop for a bit of fun... Argh, who'd have thought we'd all be so desperate for rain!
 
Just hacking for me I've also pulled my right elbow somehow (just crocked) so should probably be resting it 🫣🤠
Had a fab impromptu lesson Tuesday night doing lots of sideways managed a couple of strides of a baby half pass. Shoulder in and travers starting to click. Canter work remains a mystery I'm sure it will click at some point but she's not a natural canterer 😅
Might try to do a longer hack Monday, most of my hacking companions only like to go for an hourish.
Its currently raining 😆
 
I’m done with horses for the weekend 🤣

We were at somerford high profile Thurs - Fri. Thurs we joined Fran & Olly on the farm ride and they were both super. Really good lads and seemed very comfortable in each others company.

(I have tried for 10 mins to add a hacking picture and it keeps saying the file is too large 😣)

Rooni settled into his stable and I enjoyed my hotel room and pub dinner with a friend!

PSG didn’t go to plan. I made a mistake in my 3’s and then think I flapped for the change at the end of the ext canter and he quite rightly said wtf you on about! I was dragging myself for an awful test but it actually really wasn’t that bad once I’d got my sheets back. I just hate letting him down. I raged about our halts but it turns out the judges quite liked them lolololol… Lord knows I’ve been working over time getting this horse to show immobility when required! 64%+ in a big class.

Back out for the Inter 1 and he surprised me with a tricky warm up but he rose to the challenge in the ring. Lots of things we can do better but delighted to win our section with 66%+.

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A long long long day and I am really feeling it this morning so he’s having a few days off and so am I.
 
Was supposed to be show jumping with Enormosaurus this Sunday, but competition cancelled due to EHV in the area. My riding school are doing an internal practice competition instead (no horses coming in or out). It's probably for the best really as Enormosaurus was NQR last week and I've been ill this week, so we can both take it steady.
 
RC camp this weekend. Saturday was beautiful and hot. Lots of horses getting showers after their lessons!

Then in poured all night 🌧🌧.
No one got a good sleep, it's really noisy in horse box/ trailer when it's raining that hard!

Stopped before 1st lesson, but very strong winds.

Great weekend, lots of smiles everywhere. Mine was spicey after having light work for a few weeks, but did produce good work.
Absolutely knackered tonight.
 
rara007 said:
Maestro went water confidence building Friday, then dressage and cones phases of an unaffiliated event Saturday- good progress from his last outing.
Sunday Stormy got to play show ponies at Herts county- no placings but pleased with how he went.

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I think Storm is stunning! (but I'm glad I'm not responsible for keeping all that lovely long white hair clean)
 
We went eventing! 31dr, storming clear XC with 0.8 time pens (expected, more setting up/slowing down to give no excuses for run outs) but an annoying and unlucky pole SJ which cost us the win 🙃 I did fire him at it a little bit, but watching the video he still makes a lovely shape but just clips it lightly. Shame but it’s his first pole this season, we can’t be perfect every day!

Was absolutely thrilled with the XC. I think it’s the first time since September last year we’ve felt this confident. He felt super up for everything I put in front of him and didn’t feel a moment of wobbliness or hesitation (in fact perhaps could have done with a little more hesitation at times!)

I was a bit dubious about how the ground would be, and kudos to the organisers because it was excellent. Yes, a little on the firm side but with enough give in it, which is actually Pepsi’s favourite ground to run on. It did help that they had some rain the last couple of days and then heavy rain this morning

Think his face in this screenshot sums up how he looked the whole way round!
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Did a fab farm ride in the week. Loads of fences to jump and the ones in the woods were on soft ground.

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7506891136514952470

On Friday BF and I did Go Ape. It was huge fun.

Today, H did his first ever Arena Eventing. I did the very small class as it was things he hadn't got much experience with. He only went and won 🤣 . Apparently, he has qualified for Hickstead in the Sunshine Tour. Crikey, they haven't half made that 'accessible' to anyone! I'm not planning on going.

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7508827388269038870
 
SEL said:
@Red-1 great photos!

What a place to have an arena - does it go right up to the rockface?
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Yes, it is in a spectacular old quarry. No rocks have dropped on anyone's head yet 🤣

Lovely venue, 45 minutes away. It drains really well, is protected from wind, has an indoor warmup, a cafe, toilet etc. They pulled out all the stops for everyone to have a great time.
 
We lost one of our dogs last Monday - he was a hopeless dog but one of the most wonderful animals I’ve ever known. It happened very quickly (which is both a blessing and a curse) so last week was a struggle.

An overnight stay on Friday at AMD for a couple of lessons with my trainer was a perfect antidote - Sammy felt great and there was even talk of doing an Advanced this year as long as he feels happy and up for it.

The rest of the long weekend included some therapy hacking on trusty P, walking our other dog and the yard’s summer bbq. And maybe a little more alcohol than the NHS would have liked…

RIP Whisky dog.
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Brilliant photos @Red-1 No wonder you bought them!

I didn’t even see my chap last weekend, as I’ve been away on holiday, but my YO sent a pic through today of him enjoying his feed in the sunshine. We’ve been worried because he’s been struggling to maintain weight for the last few months, for a variety of reasons, but he’s finally starting to look better and I’m so relieved. I’m really looking forward to getting home and seeing him.
 

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Red-1 said:
Yes, it is in a spectacular old quarry. No rocks have dropped on anyone's head yet 🤣

Lovely venue, 45 minutes away. It drains really well, is protected from wind, has an indoor warmup, a cafe, toilet etc. They pulled out all the stops for everyone to have a great time.
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Where is this??
 
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