Bonfire Night Weekend Thread

[Ample Prosecco]

It's a Joe Midgley weekend HURRAH!

The timing is not great as I could really do with show-jumping. But these monthly lessons are the foundation for everything else we do, so there is no way I am missing one!

I'll update over on the Joe Midgley thread so as not to bore those for who this is not their cup of tea.

Plus Felix is moving to his new grass livery place tomorrow which is good but sad. Solves a problem and lets me keep him a bit longer, but he' will be 90 minutes away instead of 15.

Hope horses are all ok with the fireworks. Luckily mine have never veen bothered. Mylo I assume will take his lead from Amber and ignore them.

 

[shortstuff99]

Sounds like you have a lit going on AE! I hope it all works out.

I am off to Golega horse fair in Portugal on Monday. Going to ride some Lusitanos, drink port and eat hot chestnuts . Just got to get through the flight first as I'm deathly afraid of flying, which is ironic as I do fly quite a lot

I also need to sit on my hands and not buy anymore horses

 

[Accidental Eventer]

Wedding and bridesmaid dress shopping on Saturday (I'm bridesmaid!) and adult riders Sunday. It's hot here. Boo!

 

[Squeak]

Sounds like you have a lit going on AE! I hope it all works out.

I am off to Golega horse fair in Portugal on Monday. Going to ride some Lusitanos, drink port and eat hot chestnuts . Just got to get through the flight first as I'm deathly afraid of flying, which is ironic as I do fly quite a lot

I also need to sit on my hands and not buy anymore horses

I've always wanted to go to Golega, it sounds an amazing experience! Hope you have a wonderful time.

 

[Alibear]

Lesson on Saturday, which, just like last month will be getting me back on board after some time off.
Although currently, I have a mild concussion from cracking my head on the canal boat door lintel on Monday, so I might have to cancel if it's not better by then.
Sunday will depend on Saturday and the weather.
Amber is now sporting about a third of the tail she previously had after being an idiot whilst I was away and removing an entire strip of electric fencing along with most of her tail. Thankfully, the hair has snapped rather than been ripped from her dock.

 

[Taliesan]

My weekend is starting early with a Dan Wain lesson this afternoon. I normally have my lessons Saturday morning but the weather looks vile so we've moved it to today instead. I've entered a dressage competition (although I always have to go HC as I ride bitless or bridleless) at the end of the month so I'd like to try and work on some test riding technique and how to set Jack up for success for each part of it.

Saturday will probably be a bit of a write off as it is meant to be heavy rain all day here. However, where my yard is tends to have its own weather systems that defy the forecasts so I can hold out a bit of hope that the rain holds off. At least for the morning.

Sunday will probably be practicing stuff from my lesson on Friday so it is consolidated in my brain. Normally I'd take Apollo out for a long walk over both weekend days but he had his PRP treatment in his leg on Tuesday so he's having this weekend off and then it will be a very gentle return to in hand walking next week.

I hope your Jo lesson goes well AE - I always enjoy reading the updates on your other thread.

 

[DressageCob]

I have a lesson tomorrow then I'm at a local venue doing the two mediums, hoping to get either regionals or AF qualification finished so I can plan my winter

 

[catembi]

Lesson at 3 today. Hoping to do some pole work/jumping. According to my weather app, it’s currently sunny but it is in fact raining and blowing a gale, so could be interesting’…

 

[j1ffy]

I've been away in Spain for a few days (including a hack on a very cute 4yo 75% Arab x 25% PRE) so Chilli had over a week off thanks to the storm. Took him for a hack today and he was unusually spooky so clearly needs some work! He's also eaten all the pies...his girth was a whole lower on both sides

So plans for the weekend are to give him a decent school and a hack and start to work his belly off. I probably need to do similar for me

 

[millitiger]

Yard tour at Venetia Williams tomorrow and just pottering about with ponies at home.

@Taliesan do you have regular lessons with Dan? I am thinking of contacting him for some groundwork etc

 

[blodwyn1]

Recovering from concussion sustained last Saturday when I fell down my lorry ramp and got knocked out again! So I didn't get to do fun club and am struggling just to care for them all!

 

[humblepie]

Yard tour at Venetia Williams tomorrow and just pottering about with ponies at home.

@Taliesan do you have regular lessons with Dan? I am thinking of contacting him for some groundwork etc

That should be good going to Venetia’s.

 

[Taliesan]

@millitiger - I have lessons with him every month and have done so for nearly three years now. I can't recommend him highly enough. He has improved my riding, and my horses immeasurably in that time. If you are wanting someone to help with groundwork I'd definitely recommend contacting him.

​

My lesson this week was good. But it did highlight there are so many areas I need to work on for our dressage test in a couple of weeks time. I can only do what I can do though and it will be good to have a first test as a marker so I can, hopefully, use them to chart our improvement over the next year or more. It is always so tempting to never enter these things until I know I can do an excellent job, but if I keep waiting for that I'll probably never enter! I also won't then get the feedback needed to help both of us improve.

 

[Cherryblossom]

In the middle of a half term play date with 6 children on friday, I slightly lost my mind and hid in the loo while I booked to do my first ever pure dressage test. Had a very quick run through yesterday, only to discover I’ve learnt the wrong test! So I’ll be there on my scruffy, unclipped pony, wearing tweed and muddling through! At least it will hopefully get me out of my competing mind block!

 

[blood_magik]

Raz had a good outing yesterday. He won the elementary and then stepped back up to medium - a couple of blips towards the end as he was pretty tired but happy enough with 3rd in our section and I think 6th overall considering it’s been a couple of years since our last outing at that level.

Quiet day today then a lesson tomorrow.

 

[webble]

@blodwyn1 hope you feel better soon. Rest your brain as much as you can to let it heal

 

[SEL]

Very quiet weekend here trying to dig out a ditch which is flooding into my fields and fixing fences.

I got my first e-riders results back and happy with the scoring. It's reflected what I saw on the videos which is good - I critique myself better from video than how I feel just having ridden the test

I almost didn't upload Intro B because I allowed him to stretch for the final 20m circle and then didn't really pick up the contact so rest of the test was on a loose rein. Rider error - we've been doing stretchy work - reflected in scores but good to know I can steer off the contact! Must keep practicing those halts though. We'd nailed a square halt over the summer but for all 3 tests he wiggled

Now to find somewhere I can practice canter moves on a surface. Field ok for walk / trot tests but too slippery for prelim.

 

[scats]

Recovering from concussion sustained last Saturday when I fell down my lorry ramp and got knocked out again! So I didn't get to do fun club and am struggling just to care for them all!

Ouch! Hope you are ok.

No fun for me this weekend. I was grooming yesterday and got the most awful sudden back pain. I can’t work out if it’s kidney pain (I’ve done a urine test and I am positive for leukocytes, protein and blood) or I’ve pulled my back, or both.
I’ll drop a sample in at the doctors tomorrow to see if they’ll give me antibiotics, but in the meantime I’m just trying to get into a position that is relatively comfortable.

 

[iknowmyvalue]

Spent yesterday driving a couple of hours each way to look at a little lorry, which as long as it passes its inspection, will be coming home in 3-4wks. Will make our lives so much easier and mean we can box out to lessons/clinics after work! (Currently not doable due to having to swap cars etc.)

Today did some schooling, we’ve relocated and for the first time since I’ve owned horses the hacking is fantastic, so I’m ashamed to admit the flatwork has taken a back seat. And it shows. He was still good, but definitely rusty and not as supple and consistent as he can be. Gah. At least it’s the motivation I need to school him after work, even when it’s dark and raining (at least it will once the arena lights are fixed )

 

[rara007]

Just back from Holland All being well he’s coming to the UK this week. Even though I’ve owned him a while it’s like Christmas

 

[Jango]

Momentous weekend for me, had our first show jump lesson together (since I bought her in January!!). She's had a few issues over summer, a lot of box rest and rehab, but all good for now so just trying to crack on. She was extremely happy to be jumping again

I'd lost the love of everything a little bit with my old horse, even though we were getting great comp results. But I'm loving every minute with Desi (and Goose is v v happy on full loan with a friend hacking and giving a young girl confidence to jump). I don't care if I never do a competition again she just makes me smile every day. Just did a quiet hack this morning and had some sun too (which can be rare in this part of the world in November!)

 

[Cherryblossom]

Scruffy hairy pony did me proud today. The dressage was running about ten minutes ahead of time, and I wish I’d just taken the time and presented at my allocated slot, as I didn’t feel she was fully settled and moving off my leg, so should’ve just kept working her. The test (prelim 13) has a couple of pretty quick changes that bring you from from walking on a long rein to cantering, and she was unbalanced and struck off wrong, but otherwise went well. 73% and 2nd place, with really useful comments that I can work on, should I decide to brave the dressage world again!

 

[Red-1]

BH got his Garrocha on Friday. I, of course, have no clue what to do with it! I watched a video and we had a go though and could trot circles, ducking under to change rein. Getting on was the funniest bit, I stood him at the mounting block with the pole propped against his off shoulder, scurried round and mounted up and tra-la, it was there, waiting for me in the saddle! I didn't see a video about how to get organised with it at a mounting block, so improvised! Will do more this aft, I think.

Yesterday was another pub ride.

Tuesday an arena hire. We may do some jumping, which I'm looking forward to as his canter has improved immeasurably!

 

[TheMule]

Nova went to his second competition of the year having skived most of the year through various accidents and injuries. We just did a prelim test and didn’t get a great score because the tension exacerbates all the little weaknesses….. plenty of homework to do this winter!

 

[Ratface]

Remember, you always take the best horse home. You both look very smart.

 

[TheMule]

Remember, you always take the best horse home. You both look very smart.

Thank you. I wouldn’t swap him, that’s for sure!

 

[Marigold4]

Nova went to his second competition of the year having skived most of the year through various accidents and injuries. We just did a prelim test and didn’t get a great score because the tension exacerbates all the little weaknesses….. plenty of homework to do this winter!

View attachment 127241

Lovely photo! I do like a chestnut. He's absolutely gorgeous.

 

[TheMule]

Lovely photo! I do like a chestnut. He's absolutely gorgeous.

Thank you- I was so ecstatic when my very plain bay mare produced a bling ginger baby! He's frustrating only in so much as he has all the potential but so many little glitches mean it has been slow progress, but hopefully we'll get some consistency and go eventing properly next year

 

[Marigold4]

Thank you- I was so ecstatic when my very plain bay mare produced a bling ginger baby! He's frustrating only in so much as he has all the potential but so many little glitches mean it has been slow progress, but hopefully we'll get some consistency and go eventing properly next year

He is definitely bling! He has a lovely shoulder, judging by the photo. I understand the frustration: my 7 year old is very stop/start too. Finally did a sensible dressage test then promptly went down with a virus that has set off his asthma - this is week 8 of no riding.

 

[TheMule]

He is definitely bling! He has a lovely shoulder, judging by the photo. I understand the frustration: my 7 year old is very stop/start too. Finally did a sensible dressage test then promptly went down with a virus that has set off his asthma - this is week 8 of no riding.

Nova gets what I lovingly refer to as 'fat boy asthma' and is allergic to some arena surfaces- it's a good job he lives out because I suspect we'd have a problem with dust.
Good luck getting your back on the road