shortstuff99
Well-Known Member
If you're interested in pics it went from this (2 weeks healing)
To this (about 4 months)
Backing 3/4yr olds
- Thread starter TheMule
- Start date
To this (about 4 months)
j1ffy
Well-Known Member
That’s a shame, I hope the niggle clears up quickly either way.
j1ffy
Well-Known Member
A quick update on our 'attack of the Kevins' this week. I was keen to reinforce the learnings from the lesson so did a quick 15 mins back in the school yesterday. I was pleased I did as we had some foot-stamping and going-backwards when I asked him to stop so I could sort my gloves and tighten the girth. After that the work was much-improved. I did a quick run through of our Intro test for Sunday (sort of - we had a small foot-stamp so I added a 10m circle, and also forgot the test and added another circle at the end).
Lots of improvement and fluency still required, but it's the first time I've run through a test with him so I was pleased! The oh-so-Spanish foot stamp is at 2:45ish if anyone just wants to laugh at that:
Lots of improvement and fluency still required, but it's the first time I've run through a test with him so I was pleased! The oh-so-Spanish foot stamp is at 2:45ish if anyone just wants to laugh at that:
TheMule
Well-Known Member
He looks like he has grown?! But looking super, well done, great progress
TheMule
Well-Known Member
Well, Nova is not quite right still this morning so that's decision made, he will go on his holidays now until February. He has achieved more than I had hoped this year as a 4yr old anyway and I was due to stop next week as he's the sort that would be really easy to just keep pushing on as he does find the jumping so easy, but he needs to finish growing and strengthening in a nice big hilly field.
To cheer myself up the mule did her first proper bit of course jumping this morning as she's so sweet. Not quite the same level of ability ? but she'll come out better and stronger next year too. She'll go on a stay away trip next week to see another place and then she too will have the winter off. She has done everything a couple of months behind Nova as she is a bit more sensitive and has needed to understand each step more clearly than him, but she has still come on really well and I'm chuffed that they both hack out alone no fuss.
To cheer myself up the mule did her first proper bit of course jumping this morning as she's so sweet. Not quite the same level of ability ? but she'll come out better and stronger next year too. She'll go on a stay away trip next week to see another place and then she too will have the winter off. She has done everything a couple of months behind Nova as she is a bit more sensitive and has needed to understand each step more clearly than him, but she has still come on really well and I'm chuffed that they both hack out alone no fuss.
CanteringCarrot
Well-Known Member
The mule looks great! Sort of reminds me of my PRE (I would say he is part donkey, but alas, his passport says horse) in that he often uses just enough effort to get the job done. Efficient, he says ?
windand rain
Well-Known Member
Kitten was superstar
managed a few seconds of walking too
managed a few seconds of walking too
TheMule
Well-Known Member
Her mother was a very nice type- should have been PRE but bit of a dodgy stud so sadly she's unreg. She shows a lot more jump when loose so I am confident it will come. I still haven’t actually cantered her yet ??
RachelFerd
Well-Known Member
love the mule jumping - she doesn't look quite as comfortable to sit on as Nova though! I think that counts as cantering her too - that was at least 3 strides of canter in a row!
TheMule
Well-Known Member
j1ffy
Well-Known Member
Quite possibly - I need to get the stick on him again as a few people have said the same. If he has, he’s avoided any awkward gangly phases.
Sorry to read that Nova’s still not right but a few months in the field are well-deserved, he’s looked fantastic this year! The mule looks like fun too, and I agree with RF on the canter ?
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
Managed to get a snap of Frankie standing like a horse instead of a 3 legged stool 
Took my taller steps to their yard so today I had a proper lean over. He was mildly interested (which is reassuring, he's paying attention to his lessons now ) but not at all concerned. will find some stirrups to add to his wardrobe tomorrow I think was planning on waiting for OH to be available to help but he's busy haymaking again. so figured we'd quietly potter on as F is perfectly happy about it all so far.
Took my taller steps to their yard so today I had a proper lean over. He was mildly interested (which is reassuring, he's paying attention to his lessons now
) but not at all concerned. will find some stirrups to add to his wardrobe tomorrow I think was planning on waiting for OH to be available to help but he's busy haymaking again. so figured we'd quietly potter on as F is perfectly happy about it all so far.
alsxx
Well-Known Member
I haven't don't a huge amount with my 3 years old since show gate ?. We've been on holiday and have just let him be in the field with some coming in and having a roller and saddle cloth on, which he's been totally chilled about.
I've been looking at places to send him for backing, narrowed it down to 2 places, both big yards (which is going to be an education for him coming from being kept at home) one with a dressage rider, the other with an eventer. It's really tough deciding, think I'm going with the dressage place... but how do you really know what's going to be best? I am also possibly overthinking it because of the rearing and trying to work out who will be best to manage that and not potentially make it worse.
I've been looking at places to send him for backing, narrowed it down to 2 places, both big yards (which is going to be an education for him coming from being kept at home) one with a dressage rider, the other with an eventer. It's really tough deciding, think I'm going with the dressage place... but how do you really know what's going to be best? I am also possibly overthinking it because of the rearing and trying to work out who will be best to manage that and not potentially make it worse.
lannerch
Well-Known Member
Well Layla’s first ever competition local unaffiliated dressage was a success she was such a star , apart from a few unscheduled movements in the test and the fact she tried to impress the judge with a leap and huge buck before she entered the arena she was a little star . 66.9% and 2nd place . So pleased with her
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Northern
Well-Known Member
Loving all these updates, they are all such smart (and different!) horses. Loving Chilli and the mule, both breeds aren't common here in Aus, so super interesting to follow progress. MP I think Frankel is going to be a great horse for you, he's already a lovely stamp at his young age.
Thanks for posting these pictures, very useful
Bellas hole is giant but has already granulated very quickly, now for the skin to start healing over. She doesn't seem too bothered by it so I will finish her bute while she's on her own and throw her back out onto the field to finish healing. She will let me hose it with carrot distractions which is something at least. Next step is to sneaky deposit some honey onto it. Can only try...! I've just acquired another 4 acres of grazing so am needing to sit on my hands to stop buying another youngster to fill the gap. I suspect the crocked TB will get some light work in the near future to aid in not acquiring more
Thanks for posting these pictures, very useful
Bellas hole is giant but has already granulated very quickly, now for the skin to start healing over. She doesn't seem too bothered by it so I will finish her bute while she's on her own and throw her back out onto the field to finish healing. She will let me hose it with carrot distractions which is something at least. Next step is to sneaky deposit some honey onto it. Can only try...! I've just acquired another 4 acres of grazing so am needing to sit on my hands to stop buying another youngster to fill the gap. I suspect the crocked TB will get some light work in the near future to aid in not acquiring more
j1ffy
Well-Known Member
She's so pretty! I am also glad that I'm not the only person who makes funny faces when competing ?
Chilli did his first competition too, it was at the yard so very low key. He was brilliant in the warm-up, very calm and steady despite a pony in there having a meltdown about a baby in a pushchair. We headed up to the big arena, which looked very different to usual with the jumps cleared out, a 20x40 set up and the judge's car. He barely breathed through the test but did nothing wrong - we had one break to canter as he was too tense to do a stretchy trot, and all our centre lines / diagonals were very wibbly-wobbly! But a great first attempt and some lovely comments from the judge, who's been listed in the past, for 72.6%.
Video:
lannerch
Well-Known Member
He looks fabulous jiffy well done , can’t zoom in to compare faces ?, same test we did inti B ?
j1ffy
Well-Known Member
Thank you!
I think it's about 10 years since I last did an Intro. I think it took me longer to learn than the last Medium I did - it's amazing how many variations of 20m circles and changes of rein you can fit in..!
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
More rug practice today. This time, Hermosa was very chilled about the big stripey cooler. I threw it on, got it in a tangle, faffed, and she didn't bat an eye. Huge improvement from trying to move away from it last week.
It was helped by my friend holding Caso this week. The stripey rug excites him in an age-inappropriate way. Very age-inappropriate. He's two and a half months old! He took us by surprise last week when he tried to mount his mother while she was wearing it, and that was unhelpful. Wound her up a bit. He even gets excited by sniffing it when it's hanging from the fence. Weird! So we restrained him, practiced rug on-and-off with her, then removed offending (porno??) rug from the premises.
It was helped by my friend holding Caso this week. The stripey rug excites him in an age-inappropriate way. Very age-inappropriate. He's two and a half months old! He took us by surprise last week when he tried to mount his mother while she was wearing it, and that was unhelpful. Wound her up a bit. He even gets excited by sniffing it when it's hanging from the fence. Weird! So we restrained him, practiced rug on-and-off with her, then removed offending (porno??) rug from the premises.
TheMule
Well-Known Member
She looks absolutely fab- she's such a stunning colour! Pleased to read she was generally good. Great start!
TheMule
Well-Known Member
Super, well done! He looks such a little trier, I think you're going to have a lot of fun with him
Marigold4
Well-Known Member
Introducing Boogie, 3 year old NF. When we bought her in December she had had a difficult start and you couldn't touch her, catch her or lead her without her bolting off in fear. This is her at a show on Sunday. Loads well, leads calmly, loves a cuddle. Very proud of her. Only 5/8 in a youngstock class but all above places were flashy Welsh. Now I just need to lose a stone to back her. Lockdown has not been kind! 
rara007
Well-Known Member
windand rain
Well-Known Member
almost time to turn away Dentist on 5th October some steering training and turn away
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
Forgot to take a photo, but we stood for the farrier today without requiring drugs or trying to squash humans. Super proud of her.
RachelFerd
Well-Known Member
Booked a last minute space onto a Lucinda Green clinic at Somerford yesterday when someone cancelled. Isaac was extremely well behaved again. We spent lots of time in the water complexes which was no bad thing considering the extreme heat!
lannerch
Well-Known Member
Wow you would never guess his age from those photos looking like a grown up seasoned campaigner.
rara007
Well-Known Member
I have a question…!
‘Schooling/small trot’ vs swinging forwards. Lottie has (almost) unlimited trot which means even very green you have a huge choice of gear. With the ponies/cobs/jumping bred WBs this young phase has always been about forwards forwards forwards. For her that means we look like we’re taking part in a young dressage horse class (who’d have thought it!) but the balance is not there so the rhythm is super fragile and we get a lot of breaks into canter. To stop the hind leg over powering her she needs to be at only 25% power which then helps her control her body, but you totally lose that ‘flare’ (and the lateral balance is still quite weak).
thoughts?!
‘Schooling/small trot’ vs swinging forwards. Lottie has (almost) unlimited trot which means even very green you have a huge choice of gear. With the ponies/cobs/jumping bred WBs this young phase has always been about forwards forwards forwards. For her that means we look like we’re taking part in a young dressage horse class (who’d have thought it!) but the balance is not there so the rhythm is super fragile and we get a lot of breaks into canter. To stop the hind leg over powering her she needs to be at only 25% power which then helps her control her body, but you totally lose that ‘flare’ (and the lateral balance is still quite weak).
thoughts?!
ihatework
Well-Known Member
Rhythm rhythm rhythm. Slow it down a fraction and let her find her balance.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
My instinct would be to stick with small trot and add the flair back later when she has the strength, control and balance. You could play around as time goes on with adding more experimentally and then going back to a quieter trot to consolidate.