End of July Weekend Thread

[Ample Prosecco]

I had 2 Joe lessons - and I was very grateful for my endlessly compassionate mentor this week! Our lesson with the youngsters was visible to passers by who were filming which felt quite intimidating.

Lottie was fab - there is a write up on the Joe thread.

I was entered for showjumping at Southview this weekend - a 2 day show to try and secure my final qualifying round for National Amateur Champs. But a date for surgery for my daughter was unexpectedly offered for this morning so we are heading to hospital soon instead. And instead I will be shlepping 2.5 hours away on Sunday - assuming she is recovered enough by then not to mind me going. I am limiting Lottie's jumping so that is just for 1 class too. 5 hours driving for 1 min 30 in the ring..... Slightly crazy but I desperately want to qualify and I am seriously running our of time as have loads of other commitments on. If I go clear it will definitely be worth it!

 

[SEL]

I managed to get my lowest dressage score ever yesterday!!

Nothing really went wrong either so it wasn't like I could pinpoint a particular move. Ironic as my prizes from the e-riders league turned up based on tests many, many marks higher.

I think for starters Babycob was tired. He'd hacked the day before up hills and was more enthusiastic than necessary so possibly feeling a bit stiff, although felt fine to ride. It was also a 9am test and a sulky teenager came off the lorry.

He actually warmed up nicely but in the test was "yawing" so pulling the reins out of my hands with his mouth open and just not wanting to move nicely into the contact. I've had that behaviour before at the end of a clinic and at the time I put it down to tiredness but he shouldn't have been like that after just a warm up.

I still have a niggle at the back of my mind about that injury in January despite vet and physio not finding anything. If there is something there it's going to be hard to pinpoint.

 

[Cloball]

Sounds hectic @Ambers Echo. Hope babycob is just a tired teen @SEL.

Cramming in the lessons before work, wedding, honeymoon madness.
Super sweet tonight lot of energy but direct able getting some really nice trot work now much stronger and rhythmic rather than frantic flying feathers. Right center transition is getting much crisper and consistent on the correct leg, left is on the correct leg but still needs to run into it a bit. Trying some baby shoulder in and Travers to work on the straightness and manoeuvring the shoulders about. She's always had a really good attitude to work but when we started 18months ago her tendency was to become quickly anxious and boil over and go faster and faster. Now I feel like she feels mores secure in her environment and what she's being asked and generally much more chill. I think that's my favourite improvement even though it feels like someone better maybe could have got to where we are now a lot quicker and easier

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

@Ambers Echo I hope surgery goes well for your daughter and you can make it to your competition on Sunday.

@SEL I couldn't really "like" that you got your lowest score, but hope that Babycob was just tired and will be back to his usual self soon.

@Cloball It sounds like your pony is doing really well. Have fun with the lessons and all the following madness.

This weekend is full up for me. Hosting the pony camp in my garden will mean lots of kids and obviously ponies around I just hope every one behaves. Last year we had a broken ankle due to someone hiding in a tree for hide and seek in the dark... and that was an adult! Saturday I've got two jumping lessons, one will be on Enormosaurus and the other on a riding school horse or pony. Sunday, starting off with watching the Olympics Cross Country at the riding school, dashing off to have lunch at the village fete, dashing back to sort out Little Yellow for the carousel, then back to the fete to actually do the carousel... I'm exhausted already! I also need to make sure my dogs don't get neglected in all of that.

 

[lottiepony]

Busy weekends for some of you by the sounds of it!

For me tomorrow I'm hopefully off to compete at the area festival. I say hopefully as Harn is currently in a very delicate mode so struggling to get a decent run without chiropractor intervention it seems. Think premier league footballer toughness, wish he was more of a rugby player lol.
Just looking for that pro pic and a plaque as we certainly won't be troubling the placing spots.

Sunday Frank the Shetland will be taking part in mini member training with my nieces. It's great fun and will be nice for the girls to have a ride. My sister is terrible and bringing them over regularly to ride.

 

[DressageCob]

I was supposed to be at Area Festivals today but my work got in the way! so I've withdrawn and entered one next week instead, with the day becoming free in my work diary! hopefully the weather will be a little cooler because my black horse doesn't enjoy the heat.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I have a lesson today and really looking forward to it. Main goal is 'have fun'! But also I hope to work towards cantering again as it's been a while. I think it has been right to wait as the work my instructor has been getting me to do in walk and trot is so valuable and this added to the physio exercise I have been doing will hopefully add up to nice smooth transitions (no naughty grippy knees or a seat that says 'please god no don't actually canter'). But if not, as long as it's fun and the horse has a nice time too I will be well pleased.

Also writing for dressage at Dauntsey BE tomorrow. First time at that venue so nice to get out again to a new place.

 

[Chippers1]

Buzz is feeling great after his hock injections we are going to have a little play at xc on Saturday, just for a change of scenery. I will be keeping it very low level though! The vet said he will be fine to jump at the small level we were doing but to be honest I have no aspirations to go higher any more so I will be sticking to 50/60cm hunter trials and smaller SJ just because he loves jumping so much but if I stay small I can preserve his hocks longer. Obviously I will stop as soon as it becomes too much for him but hopefully this will help.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

We did a sneaky mid-week outing, trying to get that work life balance sorted!

New instructor who I’ve heard of, but not used before, trains classically and rides to GP and has Lusitanio’s but that’s all I knew going in. But it was a local clinic and I’m always open to new ideas!

Beryl has been somewhat of a new challenge for me, the last two have been very sharp (good and bad) and sensitive. Beryl is more woah than go and can be so laid back she’s horizontal . Although she has looked quite mature even from being three, she has taken time to develop behind and strengthen, which has meant her canter has been more challenging. She also, always been more behind the leg in arenas which doesn’t help!

So the lesson! Gave her loads of time to warm up in walk and see the white boards. Obviously now she’s seen white boards once she’s all cool with them now. There were even flowers in pots! These got looked at but Beryl said actually they’re all good too.

Picked her up and got told off for my wayward hands... Hands together (just wider than the bit) will help her stay straighter and keep her into my outside hand better. A half bridge of the reins fixed it brilliantly! Looked at our transitions and making sure I’m using my weight and legs to get that downwards transition, rather than using too much rein aids. Luckily something I do always aim for, and Beryl is coming on a treat for stoping off the seat.

In the trot I need to think slower rhythm but longer more swinging steps, rather than trying to generate more energy by chasing forwards. On a circle in the middle and use a leg yield coming off the track to really get her into my outside hand and get her hind leg underneath. Repeat three times then ask for the canter out of this much better trot.

Her canter was so much better! Honestly I don’t know if I’m just mean about how bad I think her canter is or Beryl just likes to show me up but it felt so together and grown up. She was even willing to keep the canter going even on a 20m circle! So she is definitely getting stronger and obviously the better the trot the better the canter I’ll get .

Really, really productive lesson! It was great to have some new tools to use to get her more willing to take me forward. I had been using transitions to sharpen her up, but that can introduce more tension and shorten the steps more, so showing her how to use her body more effectively and stop her blocking herself was great for her.

 

[J_sarahd]

I’m trying out a couple of horses to potentially part loan for a couple of days a week! I need something I can have fun on again

 

[Cloball]

Had a spa day (washing feathers, sorting the poo ringlets and single recurrent mane tangle, I swear half her not inconsiderable body weight is hair) today preceded by vaccs and dental. Need to lop a bit more tail off it grows so fast. Quiet Sunday hack this weekend I think then practising a dressage test for online on Tuesday.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Oooh my lesson was a goodie! No canter yet, but horse is huge and it is scary But my sitting trot is coming along, just a little bit grippy on my bad side which I think I fairly quickly corrected. Also learning my diagonals by feel instead of looking down. We were more forward today, a tiny bit out of my comfort zone at points but also part of me thinking 'dang, this is the trot I wanted for e-riders!' and I was able to keep focused when little doubts were trying to come in with 'are you sure you're not nervous about...?' I came back with 'shush SPD and walk over there and then trot over there'. Job done.

I did get brave and ask for some 'big trot' of my own accord, which was fun, and a sign of building trust with horse that he will come back and letting my brain know speed =/= doom! I'll be coming for those canter transitions soon enough

 

[millitiger]

We're off to a short fun ride tomorrow - first outing without shoes but it's only 4.5 miles and I'll take his trainers with me.

Apart from that, glued to the telly watching the Olympics!!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Bone rebroken, 5 mm section removed, ligament repaired, bone repositioned and screwed/plated in place. Ouch!

 

[SEL]

Bone rebroken, 5 mm section removed, ligament repaired, bone repositioned and screwed/plated in place. Ouch!

View attachment 143577

I'm wincing looking at that. Will the screws come out at some point or are they permanent?

 

[SEL]

I got bucked off today. Again.

Last time I came off twice in a month I think I was the right side of 30. I don't bounce any more.

Ibuprofen needed. And wine.

 

[J_sarahd]

The horse I tried on Friday was successful. He’s a fun little 16 year old 15.2/15.3hh bay ISH (completely my type). He’s not done a great deal but he’s forward and fun. I didn’t jump him on Friday but I have a very good feeling I’ll have a great time with him. Owner says he can be quite spooky, but he didn’t put a toe out of line when I rode him. Hoping to get to know him over the next few weeks/months and then get him out and about.

Feeling guilty about having fun on a new horse but equally, Nova will always come first.

 

[Chippers1]

Buzz had a nice time at xc, I kept it super small but rode terribly so it wasn't quite as successful as I'd hoped! I was very nervous for some reason and just stopped riding, never a good idea! Buzz was so chilled though and now I think that all the times he used to rush at the jumps was probably because his legs hurt well now I know.

 

[MNMyShiningStars]

I have just spent the most fantastic weekend at the beach with my sister, friends and our horses. We were so lucky with the weather and the beach and camping facilities were fantastic.It was our horses first time and he absolutely loved it x

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

The weekend was great, but I am still a little sleep deprived! The pony camp was fun, all the ponies behaved (as in they were still where we left them in the morning!). We left the kids to it and watched the opening ceremony on TV. One kid had to leave early straight from mine to catch a flight, so I rode her pony, Washed-out Mini Madam, back to the riding school. I even got to play ride lead as unfortunately half way back we had a not quite right pony and a not quite right rider, so they did a quick pony swap to put the unfortunate pair together and my instructor took them back at a walk via the shortest route while we carried on and had a couple of canters.
Jumping lesson went well. I rode Old Goat and Enormosaurus who were both on top form. We did a small course at 85cm with Enormosaurus.
I had a last minute invite to dinner after that and had to plead off early to get some sleep.
Sunday also went really well, it was great to watch some of the Olympics cross country on big screen (I watched the rest in the evening) and our carousel went to plan (slight worry one of the horses might get a bit excited at being on grass in front of 250 people) and was well received, so really pleased there too.