Baydale's Boys: An update and Lionel Dunning lesson vids

Baydale

Baydale

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Just in case you thought I'd disappeared off the face of the earth, nope, I'm alive and well and being kept busy with - in order of importance - hunters, the Cheeky Boys and chemotherapy.:rolleyes:

Cal and Jupiter had a holiday after Oasby, 4 weeks for Cal and 10 weeks for Jup as he decided to scare us, pretending he had strangles.:eek: In fact it was strangles' distant cousin who found fun in spewing custard-like stuff out of his jawline, but meantime we were in isolation, all dressed like something out of a post-nuclear apocalyptic scene. Once he had the all clear I donned all the body protection I could find, but was surprised, disappointed even, to not have a major buckaroo on my hands. However, he and Cal must have been formulating a plan between them as Cal has discovered a better way of making me eat dirt:mad:....more of that later.

So, it was back to the salt mines for the CBs, but Marty's stayed in work the whole time as he had a quiet season and doesn't need any opportunity to expand his waistline further. He's improved hugely on the flat and does lovely work for something that's not built for stressage; his jumping has been good too, efficient albeit with a slightly peculiar technique, not doing more than he has to but leaving them up more often than not.

I had lessons with Lionel yesterday and as it was a sunny day, bloomin freezing but sunny nevertheless, got Fran to video some of it. We had a line of 4 fences of about 1m on the centre line, on varying two-stride distances (between 10m and 11.5m), partly to make me more proactive and partly to make them use themselves more.

Jupiter was first, full of it as usual, and it was a perfect exercise for him as he sees a line of fences and does an impression of an Exocet missile.:rolleyes: First, circling after jumping 1, then after jumping 1 and 2, and so on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqWyIOUfKLw

Then when they'd gone up to 1.10m/1.15m:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3C-IlPgoDg

Getting a bit casual::mad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PjrCGIHQHc

Better going away from the arena entrance than towards it::rolleyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgol7ocl_ZY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHAF9LiXiKA

Getting a bit gobby when we started putting a few of the others together:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zyMqbR0j6o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmGWLLk_keM

If I could contain his ebullient character I think I'd have quite a good horse...;)

FYI Lionel's "take a pull" isn't literal, he means half-halt, reconnect the front and back end etc.

Next up was Cal who henceforth shall be known as The JA Pony - you'll see why in a moment. We've had to change how I ride him as the canny beggar discovered, no doubt egged on by Jup, that in the millisecond I softened my hand as he was about to leave the ground he could change his mind and dump me, sometimes on the fence, sometimes clean over it.:o I thought that keeping his head up and having a more snug contact would ruin his jump, but not at all. On one or two of these he cramps behind but he still needs to gain some strength behind; it also shows up his lack of straightness but again that's a strength issue, it's just more obvious when he comes out feisty and "let me at it" like he did yesterday.:eek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMGlSc3KklI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQsWKC_lEKA

Note to Self: sit up quicker on landing.:o

Doing 1 and 2, circling away, then the whole line:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v02K1cqr8Wk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BH-Tp1ELgQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8SNPPYGog0

Jumping the oxer off a circle, three times off each rein - again this shows up any one-sidedness:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAOhUFLEimM

Putting some of the others together once they'd gone up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtvcIs9YQ8o

Thiese were the best two, hence my enthusiastic "good boy" and big pats::o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVpyoMdKWHI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pug9D_Nzr5U

Finally Marty, who got lucky as Lionel had to be somewhere else so it was a very short session, of which this was the best bit in a typically Marty don't-you-tell-me-what-to-do" way::rolleyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75zIIa4LzR4

Excuse the blonde moments (or they would be if I had any hair;)) when my brain can't process where Lionel is telling me to go - he's very long-suffering, thankfully. Also, I'm not wearing a burka,:D it's my neckover pulled under my hat as being bald and riding in temperatures of 2 degrees ain't much fun.:eek:

CC if you like, I'm broad-shouldered, mentally robust and utterly:p convinced that I'm on the right track with them all, so you won't upset me. ;) :D If TarrSteps comes on here and says they've got nice tails then I'll know I need to reassess my training methods. :(

Porridge and coffee, probably with whiskey on/in (discovered this whilst skiing last weekend :D) as it's so damn cold and you deserve it if you've got this far.
 
You are a naughty lady!!!
I have just been distracted from my tidying the house to watch these for about 20 minutes :o
Very jealous of your arena - how fab!
All 3 boys look like they are going fab and Lionel looks like a great mentor :)
No cc required!
 
You can hold the porridge - YUK! :eek: But I'll take the whisky ;)

They all look lovely and pingy - especially Jups. Not sure how you absorb all that bounce he has - he looks a little bit like those inflatable bananas you see being towed behind speedboats. I am obviously referring to his bounce and not his shape :D

I'm loving Lionel's speaker system on the front of his car! I had visions of him in the corner with a megaphone - but that is brilliant!!

Enjoyed watching - thanks for posting.
 
Baydale, I have no CC, I just wanted to say how massively inspirational you are. I couldn't ride 3 in succession for a lesson, never mind in the cold and with a naked head :)

My sister is going through a similar situation to you (and no, she doesn't have any CB's!) and I love your determination. Skiing as well?!
 
:D Wow at Cal!!!
Jup is looking fab as ever, but not as cheeky as I would like!
Not a criticism at all, but the head chucking IMO although not ideal, is a means to an end, if you 'take a pull' and they chuck their head at least you are getting a reaction!
A lovely old lady who trained me (who Lionel will know!) used to say 'I don't care what happens just get a reaction'
Looking good, and not being soppy but you do have my utmost respect and admiration.

Oh bugger that will teach me to read to the end, just noticed the porridge and coffee on offer!
 
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That was brill thanks for posting.
No cc form me:D just loving seeing all the CB' in action, is there any chance I can send you my cheeky lad, you would make a much better job with him than I do:)
I am another one who is in awe of how you manage to do all of this, even fully fit I would be on my knees jumping all three:)
Having watched that I am determined not to give up jumping.

Am now sitting with a large bowl of porridge in front of me cursing you for ruining my diet, does the whiskey go in the porridge or coffee?
 
Fab vids, very educational, and all the ponies are looking fab! As always you look sickeningly effective and poised ;) Jupe and Cal look SO much stronger than last year, I love Cal's little JA bounces :p :D Thanks for posting them :D
 
looking really really good. Cal in particular looks twice the horse he was last year (and i'm not just talking about his waistline), when he learns to listen a bit more i think you'll have a serious pony there. interesting that he needs that bit more hand security to stop him taking the pee, and that it doesn't destroy his shape at all.
 
Great to see you all in action, and fascinating for me as I am going through the process of learning to ride the grumpy bay one like you ride Cal, which is a complete change for me, but he too jumps better from being ridden like that, even if it isn't text-book stylish (me not you!).
 
All three looking very good N and I thoroughly enjoyed Lionel's commentary. You're doing a great job woman - b****y brilliant :)
 
A lovely old lady who trained me (who Lionel will know!) used to say 'I don't care what happens just get a reaction'
Click to expand...

That's one of my friend's favourite sayings too - 'Smack it, I don't care if it bucks, at least it's a reaction!' - A saying I now use in my own lessons, except basically warning small nervous children that their ponies may buck just convinces them they definitely shouldn't be smacking it!

The more I see of Jup, the more I'm convinced I actually have his little sister and not an irish pony at all! She does the idignent tail swish and the gobby head toss too! Would you like another one? I'll have it back when it's a super duper winning pony :D :D
 
The boys are certainly doing very well!

They look amazing, and Cal appears to just be quirky,dont cha know, cos all those seriously talented horses have their quirks ;) :p

I am also of the opinion that at least get a reaction from everything you do :)Thats what I did - at least if the horse bucked he had to move forwards :p

Ps. I am glad to see that someone else "borrows" roadwork things ;)
 
they all look fab and full of attitude which I love :) I like the bit where you saying something like 'it's hard' about the exercise and Lionel says 'it's not supposed to be easy' :) Love that approach to teaching :)

Well done Kermit and thanks for posting the vids
 
DarkHorseB said:
You are a naughty lady!!!
I have just been distracted from my tidying the house to watch these for about 20 minutes :o
Very jealous of your arena - how fab!
All 3 boys look like they are going fab and Lionel looks like a great mentor :)
No cc required!
Click to expand...

Sorry, that's 20 minutes of your life you'll never get back. ;) I love my arena and it made the 18 months of riding in the field in the dark worthwhile.:rolleyes:
 
icestationzebra said:
You can hold the porridge - YUK! :eek: But I'll take the whisky ;)

They all look lovely and pingy - especially Jups. Not sure how you absorb all that bounce he has - he looks a little bit like those inflatable bananas you see being towed behind speedboats. I am obviously referring to his bounce and not his shape :D

I'm loving Lionel's speaker system on the front of his car! I had visions of him in the corner with a megaphone - but that is brilliant!!

Enjoyed watching - thanks for posting.
Click to expand...

I thought you might.:p Have you been drinking already as that's an interesting comparison, Jup and a banana boat? ;)

Lionel is a card, isn't he? Such a interesting character.
 
mil1212 said:
Baydale, I have no CC, I just wanted to say how massively inspirational you are. I couldn't ride 3 in succession for a lesson, never mind in the cold and with a naked head :)

My sister is going through a similar situation to you (and no, she doesn't have any CB's!) and I love your determination. Skiing as well?!
Click to expand...

Thanks mil1212, I'm stubborn which I think helps. I hope your sister is coping well too.
 
Yaaaay for the Cheeky Boys - and brilliant, bald Baydale ;) All looking fab, although Jupe still, to me, has the megastar quality :) :) His canter looks much stronger than when I sat on him (or perhaps you are just doing a far better job ;) ) I think it's a problem sometimes that he finds things so easy - you have to keep challenging him to make him try... Cal is certainly pinging up into your hand - isn't it funny how some of them need that? And Marty looks full of verve in his inimitable way, I do think you do an amazing job on him, he doesn't look easy!

Glad everyone is on such good form, sooo looking forward to Oasby :) :) :)
 
Baggybreeches said:
:D Wow at Cal!!!
Jup is looking fab as ever, but not as cheeky as I would like!
Not a criticism at all, but the head chucking IMO although not ideal, is a means to an end, if you 'take a pull' and they chuck their head at least you are getting a reaction!
A lovely old lady who trained me (who Lionel will know!) used to say 'I don't care what happens just get a reaction'
Looking good, and not being soppy but you do have my utmost respect and admiration.

Oh bugger that will teach me to read to the end, just noticed the porridge and coffee on offer!
Click to expand...

All the cheeky Jup bits were in the 30 minutes it took to get some sense out of him, little s0d.

I was certainly getting a reaction but you'd think I was taking his back teeth out, wouldn't you? :o
 
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