Heatwave weekend plans?

Had a very productive dressage lesson on Friday. I hate to think how long my last one was (rider and instructor who are mutually bad at organising!). Definitely worth making the effort to get hold of him though as I feel like we have a breakthrough almost every lesson! I was a sweaty mess, Pepsi was mildly sweaty under his saddle/girth. At least he’s ok in the heat

Today was a morning hack onto Dartmoor. Temp was lovely, still spongy enough in places for a good canter. Did some proper off roading up some quite interesting “tracks” (was following someone else’s hacking route they’d posted!)

SJ tomorrow was cancelled, temp looks much cooler tomorrow here but not where competition was being held. We would have been about 1-2pm I think so right decision not to go


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Honestly some people.
Went back to areas to help and read late pm. Was approached by a couple who stated that their daughter's horse wore pull on overreach boots that take 4 people to remove. I said she would be eliminated if they were left on. Dad told me that was harsh and unfair. I told him I don't make the rules. He tried to argue with me.
They removed the boots!
 
Had a lovely hack out after work on Friday evening. Skipped yesterday then up early this morning for a fab hack with YO we temporarily have some more fields to ride round and one is soft enough for a canter :) Amber was great , track was wide enough to go upsides and both mares seemed calm and happy bowling along. Then I went back over and started on the packing but most of it will have to wait until Saturday as I don’t want it to sit and cook in the trailer all week.
 
Nicnac said:
Honestly some people.
Went back to areas to help and read late pm. Was approached by a couple who stated that their daughter's horse wore pull on overreach boots that take 4 people to remove. I said she would be eliminated if they were left on. Dad told me that was harsh and unfair. I told him I don't make the rules. He tried to argue with me.
They removed the boots!
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Its not like the easy to remove ones are particularly expensive either! I was at an NPS qualifier last year where a lady moaned at the top of her voice at having penalties for her horse not wearing a noseband. I'd even heard another competitor mention it to her in the warm up...

Managed to hack everyone this morning because there was cloud cover - yay!
 
We started the weekend early with a trip to Great Yorkshire Show. Horse was super and got a good placing in a strong class. We were lucky we were earlier in the week before the heat fully hit so it was hot but not unbearable and perfect weather for camping. Had a lot of fun as we had friends who were also there and I think it's taking it's place as one of my favourite shows.
 
Squeak said:
We started the weekend early with a trip to Great Yorkshire Show. Horse was super and got a good placing in a strong class. We were lucky we were earlier in the week before the heat fully hit so it was hot but not unbearable and perfect weather for camping. Had a lot of fun as we had friends who were also there and I think it's taking it's place as one of my favourite shows.
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Well done. Had thought of a road trip up there for the veterans but just too far.
 
My baby horse faced his fear over water! The lake has finally shrunk enough to make a nice exit rather than a drop.

He’s just the sweetest, he was trembling from head to toe and I put absolutely no pressure on him down the rope but he wanted to follow me in and did, in his own time. Once he was in he thought it was the best thing ever, couldn’t stop splashing me and had a great time watching people paddle board past him 😂


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Michen said:
My baby horse faced his fear over water! The lake has finally shrunk enough to make a nice exit rather than a drop.

He’s just the sweetest, he was trembling from head to toe and I put absolutely no pressure on him down the rope but he wanted to follow me in and did, in his own time. Once he was in he thought it was the best thing ever, couldn’t stop splashing me and had a great time watching people paddle board past him 😂


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My Ginge had a paddle in water at the weekend too. He wouldn't go in the first time I took him there but I think the heat helped encourage him in. He nearly got down and rolled with his saddle on :oops: 🤣
 
I gave both boys a good hose down to try and keep them cool as they're not used to the temperatures.

Rabbit the 2 year old - never seen a hose in his life - tied up beautifully (tied lead rope loosely to break away equi-ping thing for safety reasons!) in the wash bay area, stood stock still as I gently introduced him to the hose. Proceeded to stand beautifully whilst I gave him a hose down and sang his praises to the livery a few stables down. Gave him lots of praise and a few cookies.

Baggs the 20 year old - used to baths by sponge, hose and hot horse shower - tied up beautifully (again to the equi-ping thing for safety reasons) in the was bay area. Proceeded to hurl himself around like he was pole dancing whenever I went near the hose pipe. Each time he reacted, I stopped what I was doing and went to gently reassure him that he was fine. Not having any of it - 20 minutes later he's still going ape and there is no way he's letting me hose him down with the hose pipe. Decide it's not worth the battle in the 24 degree plus heat, so go and grab sponge and bucket from grooming area. Come back to find the spotted t**t merrily playing with the hose pipe and not showing any signs of worry at all. Calmly put the sponge and bucket down and decide that now was as good a time as ever, and eventually managed to hose him off. Cue livery a few stables down wetting herself with laughter 🙄 🤣
 
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Reactions: SEL
@AppyLover1996 a memory came up on my FB feed of my "scared of the hose would tank off at a walk" draft horse plonking himself in the wash area and refusing to move when temps got over 30 one year. Hosed down from head to toe.

Went back to being terrified that winter 🙄
 
Well, our "relaxing bank holiday hack" was a bust. Ended up leaving both mares in the field all day on Sunday as the hard standing was like standing on a hot plate and 12 hours of extra grass (although muzzled!) along with 3 days off sent pony's brain leaking out her ears 😂 Turned into a hand walk then came back into the arena for a couple of trot circles on the lunge and ridden by which point she had stopped behaving like she was going to melt into goo from anxiety.
 
SEL said:
@AppyLover1996 a memory came up on my FB feed of my "scared of the hose would tank off at a walk" draft horse plonking himself in the wash area and refusing to move when temps got over 30 one year. Hosed down from head to toe.

Went back to being terrified that winter 🙄
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It's sods law isn't it - I tried him again last night - the daft spotted idiot stood there as quiet as a lamb for me to hose him off. No meltdowns, no bellowing for someone to save him - just stood there. Part of me was livid and part of me found it ironically funny :rolleyes:🤣
 
Bit late to the party, being smack bang between weekends, but we actually did something!

Bo and I had our first proper jumping lesson! We've been having lessons at my place, getting the basics in place. This time we hacked down to the yard where my instructor works and had a lesson in the big grass arena (rained all day yesterday and the ground was perfect!).

The arena is surrounded by fields and the yard, and their were a lot of horses calling to each other, so Bo was a bit excitable to begin with - our first attempt at trotting over a line of poles ended with him tanking off up the field with me. He desperately wanted to go and talk to the big horses and we had the odd grumpy buck when he was told No.

He actually did settle very quickly and worked really well over the poles. Lovely instructor thinks he moves really nicely when he's working properly.

We had a look at canter, and established that our canter transition goes fine if I don't think about it and just let it happen. If I start overthinking and overworking it, it falls apart a bit. Also, if Bo doesn't like how I ask he puts in an buck to let me know. He got a bit giddy once or twice and we had some handstands, but again he settled pretty quickly.

So then we moved on to trotting over a little cross pole. All was going well until we moved up a gear and he seemed to have trouble understanding what to do with his hindlegs. So we went back to trot and went over it a couple more times and left it there.

We finished by having a good canter around the outside of the arena as a reward, which he really enjoyed, then hacked home.

So, so proud of him. He's a cheeky wotsit sometimes but he does work hard once he understands what the task is.

He had a big sloppy mash when we got home as a reward. 🙂
 
Very late to the party but Jack went to our favourite local venue for a bash at E4 on Sunday.

It was hot but thankfully not horrendously so and he coped pretty well considering he’s not the best traveller on a good day.

The first halt went pear-shaped (got a well-deserved 4 for that) but he pulled his socks up after that to finished 2nd OA with over 68%

So first sheet towards areas ticked off. Still lots of polishing to do but happy enough as only his 3rd test at that level and a nearly 6% increase from the last attempt back in February.

Back out next weekend and a new venue for him - probably my favourite not-local as they’re so lovely and accommodating.
 
Still recovering from camp, travelling Sunday was warm but OK, bought a portable fan for in the box. Somerford park is amazing ! POD brilliant. Never been before, pony settled well and was happy in the stable. Pole lesson Monday am first thing, formation ride training late am and late pm. Tues lunchtime group photo, 24 Dales ponies 🥰
Pony had been perfect until we set off en masse to the arena for the FR comp, she bounced the whole way, then threw in a very mini front feet off the floor! Then perfect again
It was scorching, then just hot then rain, but had fab time
 
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