Introducing Toby

Haven't updated for a while as struggling with a major confidence crisis so have been faffing about and avoiding riding. Almost to the point of deciding that if I can't ride Amber I just won't ride anymore at all. But I have had a word with myself and a kick up the ar$e from a friend and all good again now. Well getting there anyway.

Took him to Somerford to do the farm ride and he was amazing. Totally chilled all the way round. Travelled well, stood in the busy carpark for tacking up. Did not mind Dolly cantering on ahead to a jump while he stayed in walk. Happy to lead or follow and never got strong or silly. I have never ridden such a laid back horse that was not a slug as well! So more Toby-Spam to come over the next few weeks.
 
I would say that he sounds a lot like Gypsum, except we did launch back to the yard when a new weanling in a paddock decided to race. Apparently me shouting, "Act your age, not your shoe size" was of great amusement to the other liveries.
 
Rode Toby today focusing on riding forward as he can get a bit stuffy and chuck his head up my nostrils. I videoed a short clip in w/t/c to give me a baseline from which I will (hopefully) be tracking progress! I flicked him to send him forward at one point as he was behind the leg and he jumped into canter for a few strides. it felt very dramatic till I watched the vieo and it was just so, so tame! He literally just cantered forward then settled back to a better trot. My mind is playing tricks on me at the moment: No wonder people say the pony that cantered a few slightly faster strides was 'bolting'. :rolleyes:

The good news is I did ride positively. And he did improve. And I have my Day Zero baseline footage. Strictly private viewing though - it is not pretty! So am feeling happy.
 
Dressage lesson today. I was much more confident today which is great. I am beginning to realise (at a biological 'fear centres of brain' level) that he is NOT going to chuck me off any second. So my threat alert levels are dropping to a more rational level! And so I am now able to focus on actally riding him positively.

The verdict from my RI is: he is weak, wobbly, unbalanced and crooked. Much more like a 4yo than a 5 yo. But he has a totally fantastic temperament, really tries hard and is very accepting. It was very wet and windy again today and he was pretty stoic about that.

I have tried to lunge him too mainly to get him moving forward without worrying about balancing a rider as well as himself. But I am not sure how much (if any) lunging he has done. He is a bit of an idiot on the lunge but he does nice work in between the silliness.

He is super shiny. There is no product on him but I think he looks great. He is basically a walking advert for Pink Mash and Haas brushes!!

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Ambers Echo said:
I flicked him to send him forward at one point as he was behind the leg and he jumped into canter for a few strides. it felt very dramatic till I watched the vieo and it was just so, so tame! He literally just cantered forward then settled back to a better trot. My mind is playing tricks on me at the moment.
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I completely get this, to me it feels like when my mare locks on to a jump she puts her head down and ploughs towards it and it feels so fast. When I watch videos back yes she does put her head down but she’s really not going as fast as I think she is and as soon as I actually use my seat and stop tensing she comes back to me straight away. The mind is an amazing but sometimes annoying thing!

Glad your confidence is on the rise, he looks and sounds a real petal, it’ll be the connie in him ❤️
 
So pleased you're getting on well, he is very shiny!!

Lacking a bit of topline so I can imagine he is quite weak but over a few months I'm sure that will build up.

I know you are currently looking for a saddle fitter and I think that's wise as that back has a lot of changing to do. I hope you can find someone who understands topline development because if you have a saddle that fits perfectly now it will not give the muscles room to expand, especially around the thoracic trapezius. If I were fitting a saddle to this horse I would go slightly wider and pad up but still expect to change saddles in 6 months time (proper work dependent)
 
He is a real sweetheart. It will be sad to say goodbye to him in a year or so. He was asleep when I went up to give him his tea. Hardworking hoss, bless him. x

Wheels - I totally agree. I need to make sure his saddles suit him over time. I've actually got too many saddles at the moment! I've got Amber's Equipe which is my pride and joy - I bought it for myself (with contributions from OH and parents) as a 50th birthday treat. Then I still have Deedee's Black Country Saddle which I have not got around to selling and also the saddle I rode Amber in pre-Equipe as they would not part ex. So I might hang on to them for a while....
 
Ambers Echo said:
He is a real sweetheart. It will be sad to say goodbye to him in a year or so. He was asleep when I went up to give him his tea. Hardworking hoss, bless him. x

Wheels - I totally agree. I need to make sure his saddles suit him over time. I've actually got too many saddles at the moment! I've got Amber's Equipe which is my pride and joy - I bought it for myself (with contributions from OH and parents) as a 50th birthday treat. Then I still have Deedee's Black Country Saddle which I have not got around to selling and also the saddle I rode Amber in pre-Equipe as they would not part ex. So I might hang on to them for a while....
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Does the equipe not fit this boy?

Collecting saddles is a must, you never know when you might need a different one lol
 
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