Yay! Super news!
Expecting an exciting delivery...
- Thread starter Ambers Echo
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What wonderful news indeed!
Great !! 😀😀
Blooming great update! 👏🍾🥂
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Sat here with a glass of fizz in my hand and a silly grin on my face 🥂😁
Wonderful news. You two have lots of fun times ahead.
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Wonderful news!
I have also been to Mark Rashid in USA. And use his advice on RS horses.
I am a solo hacker of horses ridden by numerous other people. There is a distinction between intent and significance.
Once we have turned out of the drive and crossed the road for which I use conventional aids, my next move is to tell her that she is being ridden by me. i.e. a Rashid rider.
On this particular mare, I have not yet found it possibe to ride the very first transition to trot wthout using some leg. But once I bring her back to walk and ask for trot again, I can just think it, i.e. raised energy.
But the thinking needs to accompanied by something else. The removal of any obstacles to forward movement. And her willingness to work her hind legs so she doesnt stumble. There is a big difference between what one can hopefully do in a sand school and what works well on rough ground out in the open.
I am a solo hacker of horses ridden by numerous other people. There is a distinction between intent and significance.
Once we have turned out of the drive and crossed the road for which I use conventional aids, my next move is to tell her that she is being ridden by me. i.e. a Rashid rider.
On this particular mare, I have not yet found it possibe to ride the very first transition to trot wthout using some leg. But once I bring her back to walk and ask for trot again, I can just think it, i.e. raised energy.
But the thinking needs to accompanied by something else. The removal of any obstacles to forward movement. And her willingness to work her hind legs so she doesnt stumble. There is a big difference between what one can hopefully do in a sand school and what works well on rough ground out in the open.
Wonderful news! Being sound is a great place to start, now you can start from scratch and build her up. Look forward to hearing more as she progresses!
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Lottie progress report.
We have cracked on with core work using a pro core trainer and lots of poles. Have also started schooling her, trying to get her to engage her core and work over her back. And have started hacking which is a lot easier now we are in hacking heaven
To start with Lottie was jogging towards home but finally she has stopped doing that and today we managed to walk home on the buckle in a nice relaxed walk. Huge progress. So much nicer not to be sat on a joggy, spinny Lottie for half the hack. She is also now striding out much more confidently on the way out. So far all my hacking has been solo because arranging things with others just hasn't worked out. I can't do when they can and vice versa. But she is becoming much easier to hack. And I am loving the views:
She is working well in the school and giving me moments of nice work but is not at all consisent yet.
I also think she is also defintely getting stronger. The saggy belly, ‘pregnant lady pose’ pic was taken on 20th November and I took a progress pic today. I think there is a clear difference. Her coat is shinier, smoother and softer and she is looking more toned.
She gets very sweaty when ridden and the plan is to clip her but she was deeply unimpressed by that. She has spent years on the SJ circuit so she has obviously been clipped before but her fairly explosive reaction suggests she has been sedated to do it. I don't want to go down that road if I can help it so instead we got her used to the noise and the touch of it separately till that was ok and are taking off a very small amount at a time, with her 'permission'. I think after 2-3 more goes she will be ok with it.
So all in all, feeling pretty good about things. Long may it last. I never count on anything anymore but just appreciate these little victories, and hope we get some consistent progress now. I have hopes and dreams for us..... But they are locked in the 'maybe one day' part of my brain and for now I am happy to just get her fitter, stronger, mnore trusting and more educated, both ridden and in terms of handling.
We have cracked on with core work using a pro core trainer and lots of poles. Have also started schooling her, trying to get her to engage her core and work over her back. And have started hacking which is a lot easier now we are in hacking heaven
To start with Lottie was jogging towards home but finally she has stopped doing that and today we managed to walk home on the buckle in a nice relaxed walk. Huge progress. So much nicer not to be sat on a joggy, spinny Lottie for half the hack. She is also now striding out much more confidently on the way out. So far all my hacking has been solo because arranging things with others just hasn't worked out. I can't do when they can and vice versa. But she is becoming much easier to hack. And I am loving the views:
She is working well in the school and giving me moments of nice work but is not at all consisent yet.
I also think she is also defintely getting stronger. The saggy belly, ‘pregnant lady pose’ pic was taken on 20th November and I took a progress pic today. I think there is a clear difference. Her coat is shinier, smoother and softer and she is looking more toned.
She gets very sweaty when ridden and the plan is to clip her but she was deeply unimpressed by that. She has spent years on the SJ circuit so she has obviously been clipped before but her fairly explosive reaction suggests she has been sedated to do it. I don't want to go down that road if I can help it so instead we got her used to the noise and the touch of it separately till that was ok and are taking off a very small amount at a time, with her 'permission'. I think after 2-3 more goes she will be ok with it.
So all in all, feeling pretty good about things. Long may it last. I never count on anything anymore but just appreciate these little victories, and hope we get some consistent progress now. I have hopes and dreams for us..... But they are locked in the 'maybe one day' part of my brain and for now I am happy to just get her fitter, stronger, mnore trusting and more educated, both ridden and in terms of handling.
I’ll admit sometimes when I see before and after photos on here I can’t really see a lot of difference 🙈
But there’s a clear difference between those 2 photos, well done you putting the work in.
I’m also a tad jealous of your hacking!!!
But there’s a clear difference between those 2 photos, well done you putting the work in.
I’m also a tad jealous of your hacking!!!
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Huge difference! So glad she is working out - you deserve a run of good luck. Totally jealous of your hacking. I miss really good "get away from it all" hacking.
What a lovely progress report!
Definitely can see the change, she's looking good..!!! So pleased it's fi ally coming together a bit more for you x
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Another day, another hack! Not done the same one twice yet. I am really impressed with Lottie's attitude. She is sure footed, non spooky, polite. Today we went on a faster hack for rhe first time and had 4 canters. She didn't lose her head or hot up. She went from canter to on the buckle to walking with no problems at all. Also coped with about 30 dirt bikes. She's a little star.
The only problem we had was the first canter was across a field and then turning right uphill at the wall and she needed a lot of persuasion to turn. I think she thought we were going wall hopping. Nooooooo!
The only problem we had was the first canter was across a field and then turning right uphill at the wall and she needed a lot of persuasion to turn. I think she thought we were going wall hopping. Nooooooo!
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So we have started jumping - well just raised poles really - laid out as a 'course' and she was very stressed by it all. She was ok in the summer but she had been jumped regularly by the schooling livery person. I have just messaged her and she said she rushed the fences at first but got better so when I first started riding her she was ok. But she then had several months without seeing a pole ib a jumping context. (She walks oer poles as part of rehab). When we re-introduced x-poles/ raised poles that she viewed as jumps it was like she just closed her eyes and ran at them! She also sweats up immediately though she can do fast hilly hacks without breaking a sweat at all.
Looked online again at her record and discovered she started competing affiliated at THREE YEARS 8 MONTHS! Technically 4 but actually just 3. Started at 90 then stepped up to 100 at 4 years 1 month and was out almost every weekend till she was shipped off to Sweden.
So I think she has been rushed/overjumped and the whole thing just stresses her out. So we are taking things right back to basics with the aim of changing her perception of what jumping is all about. It depends how she gets on but my absolute priority with her is to fill the many, many gaps in her education and I am in no hurry at all to compete her.
Looked online again at her record and discovered she started competing affiliated at THREE YEARS 8 MONTHS! Technically 4 but actually just 3. Started at 90 then stepped up to 100 at 4 years 1 month and was out almost every weekend till she was shipped off to Sweden.
So I think she has been rushed/overjumped and the whole thing just stresses her out. So we are taking things right back to basics with the aim of changing her perception of what jumping is all about. It depends how she gets on but my absolute priority with her is to fill the many, many gaps in her education and I am in no hurry at all to compete her.
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I guess all the 4 year old classes have 3 year olds in them till summer. Which is why I hate young horse classes! To be ready to compete at 3 years 8 months, when did they start jumping her? And how much time did they take to get her ok with each step? Makes me sad and angry. Just no need.
I agree, I don’t like 4yo classes.
But to play devils advocate, for a talented natural jumper with a good jockey it doesn’t take much to prep some for 90/100 at all. You also can’t be sure what has gone on between Ireland-Sweden-Ireland and it’s more than possible it’s this period in her life that is that problem, not her jumping as a young horse. I find amateurs very quick to blame ‘done too much as a young horse’, to try and explain issues in new ownership. Sometimes they are valid, sometimes they aren’t!
But to play devils advocate, for a talented natural jumper with a good jockey it doesn’t take much to prep some for 90/100 at all. You also can’t be sure what has gone on between Ireland-Sweden-Ireland and it’s more than possible it’s this period in her life that is that problem, not her jumping as a young horse. I find amateurs very quick to blame ‘done too much as a young horse’, to try and explain issues in new ownership. Sometimes they are valid, sometimes they aren’t!
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Maybe it was Sweden but this is a horse who is scared of/dislikes people but super willing under saddle. Intelligent, great work ethic takes everything in her stride. You can really see her thinking, trying to work things out, wanting to please. Apart from jumping which makes her switch her brain off and just run. So something has happened and I feel if she had been produced with confidence in mind she would be fine now. She isn't so it makes sense to me that she did too mucn too young and just finds the whole thing very aversive.
She was competed by a pro at a metre just before being sold at auction to the dealer I bought her from. But was rushing and tense when ridden by a pro as soon as she was in England very shortly afterwards. So I think she has probably always been willing to try and therefore a good enough rider can mask the gaps. I can't and I would not want to even if I could.
She was competed by a pro at a metre just before being sold at auction to the dealer I bought her from. But was rushing and tense when ridden by a pro as soon as she was in England very shortly afterwards. So I think she has probably always been willing to try and therefore a good enough rider can mask the gaps. I can't and I would not want to even if I could.
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How old is she now? And where are you in her rehab? I do a lot of ground pole work aiming for back strengthening.
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She is 9 this year. She has been signed off by the vet after 2 months of a vet -directed rehab plan for SI injuries. So we are back in full work. But with a focus on on-going core work ro strengthen her back. So lots of hacking, hills, poles etc and just starting to jump again.
We have done loads of poles/raised poles as rehab both inhand and ridden which she does not consider 'jumping' and is totally fine with. But at some point she thinks 'oh this is jumping' and gets tense. So now we are mixing up loads of flatwork stuff with the odd jump. Today was a Warwick Schiller bend to a halt from trot exercise - so a single x pole then bend to a soft halt with her attention on the rider. Took 4-5 goes before she landed and reconnected immediately and softly came to a stop. Before that it was land and run off. She's getting there.
We have done loads of poles/raised poles as rehab both inhand and ridden which she does not consider 'jumping' and is totally fine with. But at some point she thinks 'oh this is jumping' and gets tense. So now we are mixing up loads of flatwork stuff with the odd jump. Today was a Warwick Schiller bend to a halt from trot exercise - so a single x pole then bend to a soft halt with her attention on the rider. Took 4-5 goes before she landed and reconnected immediately and softly came to a stop. Before that it was land and run off. She's getting there.