Last weekend in January plans

[CanteringCarrot]

Already the end of January! Spring is closer.

Going to do some light dressage schooling today and tomorrow, and a hack or something relaxed on Saturday. On Sunday we're going (and I can't believe this) cross country schooling! The jumps will be in an outdoor school and there is some rain forecasted today and Saturday, so hopefully the footing is fine and it's still on for Sunday. Never in a million years did I think this horse would be jumping like this.


What do you have planned?

 

[j1ffy]

XC schooling sounds fun!

I was hoping to school today following Chilli being hacked by the yard yesterday, but he had a cut on a leg and a bit of swelling so the hack didn't happen. Hopefully it's ok today and I can get on him, but the weekend with him will depend on how the leg is. I'd like to do some schooling and maybe an 'away' hack on Sunday.

Away hacks are a bit trickier than usual as there's been a spate of car break-ins at a number of the usual parking spots. My Mum was a victim yesterday - she went for her usual one-hour walk on the Ridgeway and came back to find two windows smashed and her nice coat taken (luckily she rarely has a handbag with her any more), and two other cars also targeted. Horse lorries have had diesel stolen. It means we'll only park at private property now, which is a bit limiting as it depends on us knowing someone with space. First world problem...

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I hope he heals well J1ffy. That's not good re the car break-ins. People are such sh*t. I've heard of that type of stuff happening here from time to time, and also other places where I've lived and hiked. Easy targets I guess.

 

[J_sarahd]

Pony was given another month’s worth of cytotec on Tuesday so hopefully this weekend he will be happy again. I’ve got a lesson booked in for Saturday (this was booked before he went downhill again). Hoping he feels better but vet said it would be okay to ride him again by the weekend. I will also be talking to my trainer about what we are planning to do this season. I already know my first event will be the 80 at Aston but we will make a bit of a plan.

Sunday I am, again hopefully, going to an arena hire. It depends on how he is feeling and transport issues.

 

[scats]

I’ve taken the day off today as the saddle fitter is coming to do a check on my new saddle. It’s heaven having a day off that’s not a Sunday! I’m so excited to have a free afternoon.

As for the weekend, I’m working Friday and Saturday, but will hack out at some point.

 

[dorsetladette]

That sounds exciting CC - have fun.

Jiffy hope he heals quickly. What rubbish luck your mums car being targeted. hope she isn't to upset by it.

We will be doing more fencing this weekend. It was exciting buying all the new posts and rails but its hard work putting it all in. Does look lovely though. Will also try and do a couple of 10 min sessions with Robin with his roller and cavasson. He's getting really good at understanding pressure (stop, left and right) and voice commands. I'm going to take B out for a hack in walk as per physio recommendations.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

 

[Alibear]

We've got our first clinic of the year on Saturday. I think I know what we'll be told to work on, we had a break from schooling in December to work on hacking which was very worthwhile. But now we're back in the school I can see that I've let her get a bit flat and on the forehand. That said 6 short sessions back in the school and things are already improving. It will be lovely to see everyone again and get some western eyes on us to make sure we're on the right approach for the year. It's been fun to have a read back over what we were working on this time last year and where we are now. She's learned so much and is so grown up now in comparison. She's been muscling up in front over the last month or so, so it should be interesting to see where we are by summer. I have tomorrow off to prep and drive over, so very muddy pony will be getting a bath in the morning. I'm struggling to remember how I fit all the packing in and timings for getting ready. I'm sure it will soon come back to me.

 

[milliepops]

No plans, as usual.. though forecast looks like it will continue to be reasonably dry so might get Hera to pull up her big girl pants and combine the gang, they are still currently separated with Hera and Salty in one paddock, and Millie and Twiggy in another. It appears that relations are thawing. and it would save the ground if they weren't wandering up and down the dividing fenceline chatting all the time.

Will try and get Kira out in the field again too. Darcy shouted so much for her last sunday that i had to cut it short :/ horses!!!
make the most of it while you can guys. Not long ago i had 2 out competing every weekend, now the highlight of the week is filling up the next few days' haynets. ugh

 

[Bernster]

I’m always a bit reluctant to make plans too far ahead as horses do have a habit of throwing those off !

Parents visiting this weekend so I will entertain them on Friday and saturday. I had already planned an indoor sj/pole session in Surrey so I’ll do that on Sunday.

Had a good pole work session at home on Monday. Inspired by some tips on here in fact, to do poles rather than the wear and tear of jumping. A lot of our issues show up even with poles, so I was able to practice a lot of what I’m working on with our jumping. And then had a good lesson last night working on basic dressage test movements and grappling with the canter to trot transitions. Still all a bit hairy but getting there steadily. We tried the end of prelim 18 where you canter down the long side, trot at the corner and then turn up the center line. We whooshed around the corner at top speed and did an emergency halt, which made me laugh as it was so ridiculous, but we did at least do it accurately ?

 

[SEL]

The vet sedated the microcob yesterday so I could clip off her feathers - cute little skinny legs under all that hair! Still not sound so we've decided to keep her out, farrier next week then reassess. I have to confess I was hoping for some nasty mudfever lurking under the fluff, but nothing obvious to blame the ouchy leg on.

Then the sedation wore off and my clippers got a wee bit warm so this weekend will be me finishing off her haircut so the donkeys don't laugh at her. Looks fine from one side then she turns round and you definitely think the hairdresser should be sacked ?

Horse owning definitely doesn't mean horse riding does it? ?

 

[AandK]

Tomorrow a hack round the village and then Saturday hopefully going for a hack up on the downs for the first time in about 9 months, might even have a tiny canter...

 

[j1ffy]

Just been to see Chilli and his leg's still swollen - he's clearly had a kick on his foreleg but thankfully nowhere near a joint, and he's only a tiny bit sore when trotting with the sore leg to the middle. I'll keep hosing and letting him move around and fingers crossed he's ok in a couple of days. He's been getting a bit cocky in the field so I suspect one of his herd mates has put him in his place (my money is on Pocholo - good job he's barefoot).

He had a pamper and hoof tidy instead of today's planned ride, and decided to take self-trimming to a new level:

 

[iknowmyvalue]

Quiet one for us as I’m on call. The next month is going to be fairly quiet between work and other things, which is no bad thing. If work not too manic might start tentatively planning our event season…

 

[nikicb]

Sorry to hear about Chilli, and also your Mum's car. j1ffy Having my lorry broken into a few years back while parked in a public car park, along with quite a few walkers' cars, was the nail in the coffin as far as hacking goes for me (along with the busy and dangerous roads and complete lack of interconnecting bridleways where we live). Hope Chilli is on the mend soon.

Trainer's daughter (who is an advanced rider) schooled Maddie today - I love watching her being put through her paces, although sometimes she comes round the corner with a 'can we go home now' look on her face as she is made to work harder than I make her!!

Tomorrow and Saturday we will do some in hand stuff and try to get our videos done (both Cam and Maddie) for an online groundwork competition. I think we will book arena hire on Sunday and try and run through a test ahead of a test practice clinic we have booked in in a couple of weeks. Monday is farrier, then treadmill in the afternoon.

I hope everyone has a good weekend, whatever you are up to.

Picture of Maddie taken yesterday. I am really pleased with how she is shaping up at the moment. It’s so lovely to have a pony I have to feed to look like this, rather than starve. That and she’s not grey. Pony goals!!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Fingers crossed for Chilli, J1ffy.
She's looking great Nikicb.

MP, I know exactly what you mean about enjoying it while it lasts. Horses are so heartbreakingly fragile and you can go from flying high with huge dreams to just nothing overnight. The 'like' was an empathy like not a 'hurrah for haynets' one.

I have managed a consistent spell of work with Lottie, though I am beyond paranoid about her now. But so far so good.

I am off to Somerford on Saturday for a XC lesson with a friend. Just the 2 of us so we have far more control over what we do which suits us because I feel like Lottie needs a long, long warm up and lots of gaps between each jump or line, so going in a group lesson would probably not be quite right yet. Soon though I reckon.

 

[scats]

Saddle fitting went well. Millie has muscled up (my winter training has paid off!) so a fair amount of adjustment was needed.
My wagon also passed its MOT -well, it needed a new screenwash pipe- so that’s a weight lifted as I always dread a hefty bill at MOT time.
Productive day! And I got a couple of hours to myself this afternoon to have a chill. It’s amazing how a little bit of free time can really lift your spirits.

 

[Caol Ila]

Well, tomorrow I'm biting the bullet and having a lesson on Foinavon with a trainer called Stuart Christie. All my friends at the yard worship the ground this guy walks on, so I'm nervously seeing what he will do with funny little ex-feral. Best case scenario, he gives us some tips and momentum to get going in the school. Worst case scenario, he expects too much of the horse and makes it worse. Or we don't achieve a whole lot one way or another. I will explain the horse's issues and make it clear that you can't push him past his threshold. It doesn't work. He just shuts down. You have to help him realize that doing what you're asking is both safe and possible, and that he understands exactly what it is. The poor little guy can be so easily misunderstood -- assumed to be stupid or stubborn, but he's neither. He was just wild until he was 7 or 8. The last pro really ballsed it up, but he didn't have me advocating for him then. And this guy is, by all accounts, very gentle and sympathetic.

On the Hermosa front, I have bought a lunge line. This is the first step in teaching her to lunge.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I had a lovely longer hack with hacking chum 1st thing this morning.
A quick one tomorrow, more hacking on Saturday, then an RC jump clinic Sunday.
This clinic differs from usual as we are allowed to warm up, then have to jump a full course, then dissect it in discussion and work over individual fences. Only 2 to a session this time yo allow more time. Good prep for going out competing.

Good luck to those competing and have fun whatever you are doing x

 

[rara007]

One special delivery has left has base in DK. Should be with us tomorrow afternoon/evening! It’s felt a long time coming.
And working Sunday night of course….!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Rara, v excited for you!

 

[racebuddy]

horses enjoying a relax week this week uusally get two days off a week but having three this week chill days in the field after there week away last week and got worked every day , my dad even hacked out the 6 year old , the 20 year old tried to place him over the post and rail , 6 year old little angel xx

 

[LEC]

One special delivery has left has base in DK. Should be with us tomorrow afternoon/evening! It’s felt a long time coming.
And working Sunday night of course….! View attachment 86513

Lovely looking

 

[Roxylola]

Ooh @rara007 that's lovely ?
I thought I'd missed the boat - waiting for Charlie's owner to decide what suited her better I missed out on BD entries.
I've arranged to borrow a little box though so I'm going to do a couple of farm rides I think.
Anyone fancy somerford at all? @ycbm I know you've said you would in the past?

 

[Chippers1]

Little cross pole clinic for me tomorrow, just keeping it all pretty low key to get Buzz back into the swing of things. Lucky really as he hasn't been ridden all week due to various reasons! Hopefully he'll be as fun as he was last weekend.

 

[rara007]

Not actually been collected yet… arrgghh.
Should be with us Sunday morning now, though in Dover Saturday.
By sounds of it they’ve not kept the seller much more updated than me, gah! Stressful. Vet papers run out 7am tomorrow…!

 

[RachelFerd]

Hacking hacking hacking (and teaching) tomorrow, then both boys at Kelsall Hill doing some BS in the humongous indoor arena on Sunday!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Hacking with share horse. A few weeks I go I had a real confidence wobble for no apparent reason, then piled on the shame because they don't come any better for confidence giving than share horse so I thought maybe I'm not cut out for riding. Thankfully I ignored my brain, let owner know, and chatted to others at the yard. All super supportive about it which helped massively. I'm just hacking in company at the moment - either riding companions or OH and Ivy hound. This time going out with riding companions again which is nice as I don't have to think about where we're going. Share horse engaged a gear and level of enthusiasm I didn't know she had last week so I'm hoping to keep on top of that because she was a little cheeky really!

 

[Pippity]

Blue has just been officially diagnosed as PSSM1, so I'm still absorbing that and trying to decide what to do. Unfortunately my vet went on holiday the day before I got the test results through, so I'm floundering a little without having her to talk things through with.

Short term, I've whacked Blue onto 8000 iu natural vitamin E, so I'll see how that goes.

Medium term, I've got no idea how I'm going to keep up with the exercise requirements. Hock arthritis means I can't take her in the school every day. Even if I could get her to hack alone, the roads are too dangerous to take her out on winter evenings. The saving grace is that she's a hooligan in her field, and probably gets 20-30 minutes of trot/canter a day just from that.

Longer term, she won't be able to do what I want to do. Currently, I could afford two horses money-wise, but not time-wise, and no guarantee I could afford it money-wise past the end of this year. (Ah, the uncertainties of contracting.)

It's all left me a bit shaken and upset. I love this little cob to bits and I just want to do what's best for her, but it's sad to have to put all my (extremely limited!) ambitions aside.

 

[Caol Ila]

We did it. Our first proper under saddle schooling session in the presence of a trainer. He didn't offer life changing advice about bringing on green horses, but he was kind and supportive, and told me what to do, which got me out of my own head a bit. Foinavon, for the most part, did everything I asked. He walked and trotted in some straight lines and 20m circles, and was quickly getting the hang of staying in trot until I requested otherwise. Only wobble came when trainer asked us to trot over some ground poles. He's done them in hand and on the lunge line, but doing it with a rider is different! He got a bit overwhelmed and did his planting thing. I cajoled him out of it, and we lurched through the poles. But then he understood the task and trotted over them perfectly the next time. At which point, we ended the session.

Sometimes, I think it would be nice if he were younger, but he's got a lot going for him. He doesn't have a scatty baby brain; he has a lot more natural balance and self-carriage than many horses, and he understands lateral seat and leg aids pretty well.

 

[DressageCob]

Blue has just been officially diagnosed as PSSM1, so I'm still absorbing that and trying to decide what to do. Unfortunately my vet went on holiday the day before I got the test results through, so I'm floundering a little without having her to talk things through with.

Short term, I've whacked Blue onto 8000 iu natural vitamin E, so I'll see how that goes.

Medium term, I've got no idea how I'm going to keep up with the exercise requirements. Hock arthritis means I can't take her in the school every day. Even if I could get her to hack alone, the roads are too dangerous to take her out on winter evenings. The saving grace is that she's a hooligan in her field, and probably gets 20-30 minutes of trot/canter a day just from that.

Longer term, she won't be able to do what I want to do. Currently, I could afford two horses money-wise, but not time-wise, and no guarantee I could afford it money-wise past the end of this year. (Ah, the uncertainties of contracting.)

It's all left me a bit shaken and upset. I love this little cob to bits and I just want to do what's best for her, but it's sad to have to put all my (extremely limited!) ambitions aside.

I'm sorry to hear about Blue's diagnosis. It's a shame your vet went away so you can't talk it all through. Once you have a management plan at least you'll know where you stand.

I used to tend a QHxTB polo pony that had PSSM1. Once the feed was changed she stopped tying up and managed to return to normal work. Try not to worry until you've managed to talk all of it through with the vet. Easier said than done, I know!