First weekend of March plans

Ambers Echo

Ambers Echo

Still wittering on
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13 October 2017
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Myka has been dropped off at Big School with Joe Midgely to start her ridden career. Loaded well, traveled calmly, ambled into her new stable and started munching hay. Good start! Can’t wait to see/hear updates.

And Felix is home - back on the yard where he was born. He also traveled well, demolished most of a net in a 45 minute journey! The worlds most laid back horse 😅

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Excitng having baby ponies starting out on their grown up journey AE - looking forward to the updates.

I've started speaking to a few people about Reggie going away for a few weeks consistent groundwork and potentially backing/bringing on. I'm just not able to be as consistent as I'd like, which wasn't a problem with Robin, but I think Reggie will benefit from repetition. I've got a couple of options -
  • He could go to the lovely lady that B went to for groundwork only for a couple of weeks. Learning all about being on a different/proper yard and stabled as it's not something he's used to along with the long reining, lunging and maybe some dummy work. I'm not happy with her sitting on him as he is weak and immature physically, but her way of doing things is pretty close to how I do things. The cost of this is easily affordable - but the outcome would be 'at the point of riding away' (I've sat on and been lead round a few circles at home). But she would hopefully fill in all the gaps I've left in his education. I'd only be able to visit at weekends due to distance from home.
  • He could go to a showing producer up the road from us. She does breaking and schooling as a side line. I like the way she rides and she has good results in the show ring with her arabs. This is the sphere I have most interest in too. I'd be happier for her to get on and get going. He's also benefit from all of the above mentioned in Lovely ladies yard. This is more costly so time here would be a little limited - but hopefully the outcome would be 'riding away ready to hack when returning home'. He is would be closer to home here so I could probably visit a couple of times a week.

I think I know my answer - writing it down has helped process this.

This weekend I'm getting ready for my practical driving test (C1) so I can drive the horsebox. I'm really excited, but a little bit nervous too. In true over thinker style I'm now panicking about lifting the ramp on my own rather than passing the test :eek: 🤣 - it's a hydraulic ramp but the last bit doesn't close all the way as the ram is a tiny bit to short (previous owner had it adjusted by a cowboy who did it wrong) so you have to press the button and give it a bit of help at the same time and being short and uncoordinated gives me a massive disadvantage here.
 
AE - exciting times! I look forward to following the progress of them both.
DL - good luck with the test! I'm sure you'll be fine with the ramp, and people are always willing to offer a hand.

Very little here. Sammy's had a week off post-Areas (somewhat unintended but I've been a bit under the weather + lots of London days). We've got a lesson this afternoon then we'll pootle about, he's having his hocks injected on Tuesday.
 
Ambers Echo said:
Good luck DL!
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thank you 🙂
j1ffy said:
AE - exciting times! I look forward to following the progress of them both.
DL - good luck with the test! I'm sure you'll be fine with the ramp, and people are always willing to offer a hand.

Very little here. Sammy's had a week off post-Areas (somewhat unintended but I've been a bit under the weather + lots of London days). We've got a lesson this afternoon then we'll pootle about, he's having his hocks injected on Tuesday.
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Thank you - I'm sure I can grab someone to help if needed - funny how our brains work though.
 
I've got a long weekend luckily, so can fit in an extra play session as I call it with my rising 2 year old (I don't call them training sessions as like to keep things light and playful/open :) )

He's at that age where the cheekiness is starting to appear and he enjoys figuring things out, so going to exercise his smart little brain and set up a "spook" type obstacle course, let him negotiate it and tell me what areas need improvement. He's already fine with wearing a roller, me patting over various parts of his body, rugs being thrown over him casually, adores being groomed, backs up softly and nicely, yields himself away from gentle pressure, being rugged and un-rugged in the field, leads and ties well, behaves for the farrier, turns out on his own and in company, happy to walk out on his own and in company, happy with things being draped over him and his head, me standing above him on a mounting block, random loudness (in the form of some liveries children yelling, randomly running around, popping up in unsuspecting places and asking if they can cuddle him and then proceeding to cuddle his legs) and is a general good egg so it's a fine balance between doing bits with him, but not pushing him too far too fast as he's the sort who will be very easy to push too far and too hard.

I have all the time in the world as he's my next ridden horse to take over from my retired lad, so I'm in no rush to produce him - I'm loving the process of training and teaching him new things though - all the little things such as tackling his concern over things randomly popping up next to him to helping him become more confident walking out - they all feel like such massive wins and I feel like a proud Momma with her baby at nursery when he's learnt something new 😆

Both of my lads are overdue a bloody good groom however, so I shall also fit that in alongside re-shaping the muck heap which seems to be mutating outwards at an alarming rate.......
 
My rising 4 year old is also properly starting this weekend. Last year we got to the point of sitting on and walking around a little bit, but he has been mostly left to be a horse all winter. Got a great combo coming to me, a very experienced horse woman to do the ground work for a month before her yard rider comes out to do the riding away bit when the clocks change. Very excited to see what he is like! Right decision to not do much im his 3 year old year as he has grown up so much over the winter. Looks like a proper horse now rather than a leggy baby.
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I'll be trying to keep busy and distracted as was supposed to be seeing a consultant this afternoon to discuss blood/scan/biopsy results of my omynous thyroid nodule but it got cancelled just before we set off for the 1.5 drive and rescheduled for Monday.
So I'll be watching the younger daughter play football tomorrow morning, followed by a long hack out tomorrow afternoon. Then Sunday the eldest daughter wants to go the Equine show at the NEC.
 
I was away last week, after a couple of weeks not riding because of a pulled groin/hip.

The holiday was fab, as others shared some holiday photos, I will too!

Trekking through a rainforest to swim in a waterfall.

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Swimming off a catamaran with stingrays, turtles and puffa fish, amongst others.

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Rafting on a rainforest river...
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And on board ship, pro photos!

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Got home Wednesday morning, took BH for a jumping clinic on his way home from his holiday livery. I hadn't ridden for a month, he hadn't jumped for a month. I did too much warm-up and killed the canter with the unexpected heat in the indoor. I rode in just a T shirt!

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I know it is always same-old same-old with BH but, after the last few years, I have no ambition to do any 'progress' and just enjoy playing with BH. I never did do holidays much before, so that is new too.
 
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I had a lesson this morning. I know the sun being out doesn't logically make a difference to anything other than 'it's a really nice day!' but my goodness does it help the confidence!

I missed last week due to being ill and week before that I think was ground based so I haven't actually ridden in a few weeks. I'm still not 100% and am also "menstrually challenged" so odds not really in my favour but it was by far my best lesson in a good while!

We have second gear back :D And I hit my Feb goal to do at least a lap of trot each way, which we did and a little bit more. All things considered I'm super chuffed with that. Big smiles today and hopefully next week when I'm feeling a bit stronger it will be better again and we can have an even better trot. I need to get better at not tensing when I use my legs because it's when I relax he actually moves forwards fairly easily.
 
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The sun being out really does make a difference. I booked arena hire yesterday morning & it was freezing fog - not what I expected! Canter is getting more rideable, although transitions need to sharpen up but improving all the time.

Thought I'd tired him out before today's jumping clinic. I was wrong. I'm not sure he's ever going to stop turning into a squealing, plunging idiot in a group - I'll be banned at this rate! New instructor & she was excellent. Most of our problems are me, so if I can just remember not to drop him before the fence and ride him on firmly afterwards (ignoring any broncs) we'll be fine. Just so rusty after years and years of having horses that couldn't jump.

Also need to clip because the big shed has started suddenly
 
3 hour hack yesterday with Hermosa and a couple foot soliders (OH and a friend). First long hack since the stupid clocks changed. You know it's spring when....

Fin and Hermosa went out together on a short hack today, for her to stretch her legs and for his bringing-back-to-work plan, now that I think we've got to the bottom of his recent issues.480733883_10101387636093045_8037457388696210391_n.jpg480857643_10101387635913405_4276084282613893827_n.jpg481480753_10101387654027105_3347060632854141698_n.jpg
 
Just ticking over here.

Poles lesson on Thursday night. Very well behaved for a change, hopefully finally settling in this particular indoor.

Hacking until Tuesday, then away to work at Crufts , so tiny will be on ride and lead. A friend might come over and have a hack on her. Need her kept going as fine balance now grass is coming in.
 
Myerscough high profile yest/today. I was really pleased with how well he settled. Hes only done 1 overnight show in his whole life before. Gent to stable/handle/hand walk/arena walk. I loved my hotel room a mile down the road, cosy as sin and I wasn’t in a rush at all this morning so a nice lie in for both of us.

Our PSG today was tricky, he gave me a difficult ride. Not acting out but we were not speaking the same language at all. We had agreed on the chosen tongue for the inter 1 later on though, not our best but good and mistake free for a win in our second and third overall.

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Very good pony, he’s having a few days off and thoroughly deserves it.
 
Looking through a pair of black plastic ears on Thursday.


Looking through a pair of black fluffy Friesian ears on for two hours on Friday afternoon. Kitty the Friesian.

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Then through a pair of chestnut spotty ears this morning. Baby the 17hh Knabstrupper.

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It’s fantastic to finally be back in the saddle after 8 months off with Covid/long Covid then a knee injury. I did wonder if it would ever happen. I’m so much better prepared after the simulator sessions, which I’m going to continue with. Even the mounting and dismounting was much easier.
 

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Quiet weekend off here in the sun and it was lovely!

We've had a week off since Regionals where we came 4th but just didn't feel great in the arena.
So some time off in the sun for both of us, we have no plans in the diary now so quite nice to take the pressure off.

I do have someone coming today to help with some groundwork with the young boys, hopefully with the view to them being my floor person for backing as my other help at home are distinctly non-horsey!
 
We came second! He felt a little flat but it's that time of year with coat changes and less grazing but other than that he jumped everything perfectly and was a little star :)
We've qualified for the Eland Lodge Championships as well so extra pleased and we have that to look forward to later in the year.
Good boy!
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The weather certainly played ball and I managed to keep busy and my mind off tonights rescheduled hospital appt. 2 hour hacks both days on my friends wonderful geldings I'm lucky enough to ride.
 

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