Ed the ex-racer

[timbobs]

Sorry mammoth post coming!

Ed and I have had an absolutely amazing few days at the Retraining of Racehorses South East Camp at Hickstead!

He was an absolute superstar and took everything in his stride. We got down there on Wednesday evening after work and settled in.

Everyone brought picnic food Wednesday night so we sat outside our lorries watching the (disappointing!) football.

Thursday morning was a saddle fitting session and then the afternoon was a 1-2-1 Horsemanship session with Tom Mitchell. No pics of this but it was a really insightful session which really helped Ed and I.

Friday morning we went for a hack around the show ground with our new friends and dreamed of one day being in the main arena!

Friday afternoon was a fabulous flatwork lesson with a trainer we had last year who was very complimentary about the changes in Ed vs. last year. We worked on opening up his medium trot as well as some lateral movements whereas last year we worked on cantering without having a mental breakdown!

Yesterday was the highlight for me; we had a polework lesson which really got Ed bending and opening up his trot and then a jump lesson in the afternoon.

[video=youtube_share;myigQ0M0nko]https://youtu.be/myigQ0M0nko[/video]

For the jump lesson our group went in wanting to jump 60cm max and we ended up jumping 85 in places! I’ve never jumped that big and absolutely loved it 😀 It was fairly technical too and we jumped out first bounce, spread, wall, corner and arrow head! I can’t wait to see the proper pictures as we had an awesome time. We did part ways when Ed put in a bigger jump than I was expecting but we got straight back to it! From the video you can really see our confidence grow from start to finish.

Learning from the group beforehand

[video=youtube_share;OjCdyJW7aBc]https://youtu.be/OjCdyJW7aBc[/video]

This is the fourth RoR camp I’ve done and the training you get is fantastic. There is such a supportive atmosphere and everyone wants to help where they can and is wishing you well in all your lessons. It’s lovely to go back each year and see some familiar faces as well as meet a brilliant group of new friends.

If anyone is hesitant to go on one of these camps or to an RoR event don’t be! There is something for everyone at each level of re-training.

It was such a fun few days but I think Ed was glad to get home and have a roll 😂

 

[timbobs]

Got the Pro pics today so thought I’d share (they are mine to share so no copyright issues!)

Love this one!

He was so awesome jumping and likes to give them some air 😂 I definitely need to work on giving with my hands 🙈

He was just so awesome for the whole of camp, I couldn’t have asked more from him!

 

[limestonelil]

Wow, looks like an awesome time and really beneficial. I just loved the relentless even rhythm in the polework video. Great. Congratulations to you and Ed.

 

[timbobs]

Wow, looks like an awesome time and really beneficial. I just loved the relentless even rhythm in the polework video. Great. Congratulations to you and Ed.

Thanks! We’ve really been working on our rhythm as he likes to go between snail pace and rushing along so I’m pleased we’re looking more rhythmical

 

[Accidental Eventer]

It looks like you had so much fun. I love hear your stories with Ed, he seems lovely!

 

[Floofball]

I do enjoy reading your posts 😊 you and Ed are really coming on. This camp looks fab - bet you were itching to ride over the Bank!

 

[timbobs]

It looks like you had so much fun. I love hear your stories with Ed, he seems lovely!

We had an amazing time! He is such a sweetheart, I’m so lucky to have him

I do enjoy reading your posts 😊 you and Ed are really coming on. This camp looks fab - bet you were itching to ride over the Bank!

I really was! 😂 Aside from not being allowed, think if we’d gone up we would never have got back down and we’d have been stuck there forever!

 

[timbobs]

Ed has been awesome over the last week, I think camp really helped him mature mentally.

We’ve had a fun week of hacking and decided last minute to enter dressage today.

Our warm up was lovely and he was really chilled but forward. As soon as we went into the first test I just stopped riding which meant a pretty rubbish mark but I can’t fault Ed for his behaviour.

Into the second test and we were much more together for a PB at Prelim (our fourth attempt) for 64% and 11th place (midway in the class).

Ed was such a dude today, standing and chatting when I wanted to but switching back on as soon as I asked. ❤️❤️

Lots to like from the day; I’m particularly pleased with his canter but we really need to work on the trot!

Video of some of the canter
[video=youtube_share;L8V5BKemJ8k]https://youtu.be/L8V5BKemJ8k[/video]

 

[timbobs]

Another busy few weeks for Ed! We’ve been having an absolute blast 😀

I fulfilled a childhood dream of taking a horse to the beach! Ed was mostly chilled about the whole thing which I was so impressed with. We went to Bracklesham Bay with a friend and had the best time!

After all this glorious weather, we went on the wettest, windiest day and there were so many kiteboarders (people riding surfboards attached to massive parachutes!) to navigate but Ed took it all in his stride.

[video=youtube_share;YM57PiU2URE]https://youtu.be/YM57PiU2URE[/video]

We also had another lovely friend come and do a photo shoot and she got some stunning photos of Ed.

We’ve been working on our schooling at home and I’m focusing on getting some more bounce into the canter and bringing him into a more upright frame, rather than the long and low we’ve been doing previously. Still a work in progress but we’re getting there.

Finally, today we had our first ever SJ competition! I’ve never done a jumping competition and neither has Ed so we weren’t quite sure what to expect. Ed was absolutely fantastic and I was so proud of him. We kept the jumps tiny so we had a positive first outing, but I’m so pleased with him.

I feel like Ed and I are really becoming a partnership and I’m getting more confidence in myself that I’m not ruining him!

I sometimes feel such pressure to get everything right for him. He such a honest soul and I’m so happy that I took the leap of faith to get him.

 

[Floofball]

Lovely update, so nice to see you both having fun. Definitely becoming a partnership, the photos are stunning and that lovely relaxed canter on the beach, such a good boy. Really don’t think your going to ruin anything - looks like your doing a fab job. Well done to both of you

 

[Mariposa]

He looks amazing! So jealous of the beach ride!

 

[Dave's Mam]

Amazing photos & what a gorgeous boy he is.

You're doing amazingly with him.

 

[timbobs]

Lovely update, so nice to see you both having fun. Definitely becoming a partnership, the photos are stunning and that lovely relaxed canter on the beach, such a good boy. Really don’t think your going to ruin anything - looks like your doing a fab job. Well done to both of you

He was so awesome on the beach, really wasn’t sure how he was going to react to it all and we picked the worst day to go but he took it all in his stride

Was such an amazing moment cantering along the beach together. It was so exhilarating and relaxing at the same time- very good for the soul after a long week at work!

 

[timbobs]

He looks amazing! So jealous of the beach ride!

It was so much! I really recommend a beach ride if you ever get the chance 😀

Amazing photos & what a gorgeous boy he is.

You're doing amazingly with him.

Thanks! I can’t take any credit for him really, his attitude is brilliant. He just seems to get on with whatever I’ve asked, even if I don’t get it quite right.

 

[timbobs]

Ed’s had a busy few days having fun so thought I’d share some pictures and vids 😀

Had a friend come over with her ex-racer for a hack. Her boy was a successful racer in his day and left Ed and I in the dust 😂

Then today we went to a local farm/XC ride and Ed was absolutely awesome ❤️

[video=youtube_share;7c8fM0gtYVk]https://youtu.be/7c8fM0gtYVk[/video]

Some work to do with both of our confidence but we had good fun.

I love this horse more and more every time we go out as he just get better and better.

 

[kimberleigh]

Just read through your thread from start to finish and have thoroughly enjoyed watching you and Ed progress!!

Gives me lots of hope for my new ex racer - she's only 4 and will be turned away until next year now, but I cant wait to have some fun with her 😀

 

[timbobs]

Just read through your thread from start to finish and have thoroughly enjoyed watching you and Ed progress!!

Gives me lots of hope for my new ex racer - she's only 4 and will be turned away until next year now, but I cant wait to have some fun with her 😀

I’m glad you’ve enjoyed following our story

Exciting about your new girl! How long have you had her?

 

[kimberleigh]

I’m glad you’ve enjoyed following our story

Exciting about your new girl! How long have you had her?

Only 2 weeks now! She never raced but has been in training, she is 17hh and still growing 🙈

I have another baby due beginning of January so thought it best to turn new girl away to let her mature and grow up a bit, before restarting once Ive had the baby!

 

[timbobs]

Only 2 weeks now! She never raced but has been in training, she is 17hh and still growing 🙈

I have another baby due beginning of January so thought it best to turn new girl away to let her mature and grow up a bit, before restarting once Ive had the baby!

She’s going to be tall 😱 sounds like a good plan to let her chill until you’re ready after the baby! Any photos?

 

[kimberleigh]

She’s going to be tall 😱 sounds like a good plan to let her chill until you’re ready after the baby! Any photos?

Shes a big girl! Only a 6' rug though - no idea how that works haha. Photos of the day she arrived, day after and once she had a bit of a mane trim.

Dentist is coming out Tuesday so hopefully she will be a good girl - she windsucks a fair bit so managing as if she has ulcers; 24/7 turnout, lots of fibre and as little stress as possible!

 

[timbobs]

More cross country fun today!

Our first time doing proper XC schooling, rather than just a hack with some fences popped in.

Ed was brilliant and after one hair raising moment where I had my right foot in the stirrup, facing Ed’s side with my left leg sticking straight out behind me like a ballerina on horseback but much elegant, we had an amazing time! I actually managed to save myself from the ballerina moment and not fall off which I was very proud of- my seat is improving!

We did water, ditches, steps, a chair fence, a corner, logs etc. And he did everything I asked. I’ve finally realised that As long as I ride properly he jumps whatever I ask!

Super proud of him today 😀

[video=youtube_share;jIwb_AkCoUc]https://youtu.be/jIwb_AkCoUc[/video]

 

[kimberleigh]

Great update! Lovely to see his ears pricked the whole time

 

[timbobs]

Great update! Lovely to see his ears pricked the whole time

He loved it! I’m hoping we’ll get to do a bit of eventing one day.

 

[kimberleigh]

He loved it! I’m hoping we’ll get to do a bit of eventing one day.

That will be my ultimate goal with my girl too - a long, long way off yet but its nice to watch others progress in the mean time!

 

[timbobs]

Some more updates on Ed’s progress over the last few weeks

Today we had the RoR South East Championship show which was great fun!

It was a good excuse to catch up with loads of my RoR friends from camp and it’s definitely the most supportive show I’ve ever been to!

I managed to leave my riding boots at the yard but luckily my sharer managed to bring them over with 5 minutes to spare before my first test 🙈

Ed was great as always and we had a PB at Prelim of 66.48% in Prelim 12. Prelim 7 was a bit of a fail with 61.59% where Ed just ran out of steam.

We went for a jumping clinic with Tintin vsn rijckevorsel a couple of weeks ago which was brilliant! Ed jumped his socks off and was absolutely awesome.

[video=youtube_share;oSIlX8ddQF4]https://youtu.be/oSIlX8ddQF4[/video]

 

[timbobs]

Thought I’d do a little Ed update

After the RoR championships we did our first ODE! It was a rubbish day on paper, but a fantastic experience.

We had a fabulous dressage for 29.9 which I was super pleased with, especially as it was our first test on grass.



The SJ was a bit meh as it was smaller than we’ve being sj-ing so he just didn’t respect the fences.

XC was interesting, with the first jump being out of the SJ arena which Ed was quite confused about and we had a refusal at first.


We had a couple of stops XC meaning technical elimination but we were allowed to continue and we had a fantastic time! I just had to buy this picture as Ed looks so happy ❤️



Since then, he’s had a quiet couple of weeks as he slipped over in the field having a hoolie and pulled some muscles.

I was trying to explain to someone at work about how he’s quite bouncy in the field and found lots of photo evidence to back it up🙈 no wonder he has managed to hurt himself!



He’s had Physio and is ready to go again so we’re off on our first fun ride tomorrow!! Eeek! Fingers crossed he doesn’t find it too exciting 🙈

Oh, and just a couple of pics from the RoR champs to finish off the post as he’s so handsome and it’s much easier to attach pics now!

 

[limestonelil]

Lovely post and pics. You and Ed can be justifiably proud of yourselves.

 

[timbobs]

Lovely post and pics. You and Ed can be justifiably proud of yourselves.

Thanks 😀 I’m so proud of Ed, he’s such a pleasure to own.

Well, we went out for our fun ride today. Started off a bit stressful as my lorry refused to start but was lucky enough to borrow a friend’s lorry! It’s a lovely 3.5t but Ed was a bit confused loading onto it as I have a 7.5t and he looked massive in it 😂


The ride itself was lovely with beautiful scenery and brilliant sand tracks for a good gallop 😀😀

Both mine and ed’s first fun ride and we loved it! So proud of Ed as he is absolutely fantastic; will go at whatever pace you ask and is nicely forward but never silly ❤️

 

[timbobs]

Proud owner alert!

Went out last night on a bit of a whim to have a go at our first Novice test and Ed was a superstar!


6 months ago we were just learning to trot a full long side of the arena without wobbling and I feel like we’ve come such a long way! Lots to work on still, obviously, but I’m so proud of Ed and how far he’s come.

I know it’s not exactly the biggest acheivement in the world but I’m so pleased as I’m not the most experienced rider and Ed and I are learning together.

I was very spoilt for my 30th birthday last week and got bought a Dressage saddle which I feel we’ve earnt now and I can’t wait to try out!

 

[Pinkvboots]

Proud owner alert!

Went out last night on a bit of a whim to have a go at our first Novice test and Ed was a superstar!
View attachment 26396

6 months ago we were just learning to trot a full long side of the arena without wobbling and I feel like we’ve come such a long way! Lots to work on still, obviously, but I’m so proud of Ed and how far he’s come.

I know it’s not exactly the biggest acheivement in the world but I’m so pleased as I’m not the most experienced rider and Ed and I are learning together.

I was very spoilt for my 30th birthday last week and got bought a Dressage saddle which I feel we’ve earnt now and I can’t wait to try out!
View attachment 26397

Lovely to hear an update on you both your doing so well together, am loving the dressage saddle.