Last weekend in November plans

[ownedbyaconnie]

Go over dressage test tomorrow, hack Saturday and then dressage Sunday!

Going back to an arena we have been to before so I’m really hoping I can get pony a smidge more forward.

 

[Red-1]

I have a busy one organised, but...

Baby Horse was full clipped last weekend, and he is a lot more spritely than before. On our dressage lesson on Wednesday, he was going beautifully except when his saddle slipped forwards against the velcro fuzz that now passes for hair under the saddle. It was an exciting moment, our first!

However, today he hacked fine and had a short canter round the school, so tomorrow night he is off to his second polework clinic. Last week was very steady, I suspect it might not be quite as steady this time. That will be a pity, as he has his first show on Sunday, a X pole clear round. All very low key, but maybe would have been better if I had done it before the full clip!

He is generally very laid back though, so fingers crossed for a fun time.

 

[racebuddy]

I’ve got tommorow off ?? so long weekend , heading to kelsall indoors to give the baby horse a jump indoors , still getting to know each other so not rushing him , canter fitness today in the sunshine

 

[Pippity]

We had our first lesson for weeks yesterday, albeit still just in walk, and our instructor managed to clear up a whole bunch of little niggles in half an hour. We can move at a reasonable speed, rather than trying to beat the world record for fastest walk by a short fat cob. We can walk in a straight line, even on the side of the school that has a scraggly hedge and then wide open fields which are very scary when the school's lit up and the fields are black darkness. We can halt lightly, rather than ploughing into the ground and finally staggering to a stop. We can do free walk on a long rein without turning into a bloodhound. We can do a light, straight rein back, rather than doing a reverse serpentine. And we even managed a couple of strides of leg yield.

I'm almost dreading getting the okay to start trot work again, at which point our instructor will expect me to do all that in trot.

 

[Chippers1]

Yay I have plans! Doing our first ever combined training competition on Sunday. I was hoping there would be a prelim/70cm but it's prelim and 65cm but that's ok. I don't think we'd be capable of doing Novice for the higher jumping I was also hoping to get Buzz clipped on Saturday but the weather says no to that so he will just have to go looking like a hairy mammoth.
After all the hassle with my horsebox I finally have it back (albeit with a broken door lock..) and now my car has decided to give up the ghost I have a lift on Sun but was planning on walking down on Sat to do a few bits - probably won't now!

 

[DressageCob]

I'm out stressaging tomorrow for the first time in what seems like ages. doing the two short arena mediums. Should be interesting since I rode like a drunken potato with legs made of wet spaghetti in my lesson today ?

 

[Xmasha]

Won't be riding due to having serious dizzy spells. Was very bad last night, felt like I was steaming drunk

Saw doc this morning who ruled out everything except for neck injury or heart problem.

I had a fall a couple of weeks ago due to a rogue gust of wind (over 50mph) and I did feel like I might have a bit of whiplash at the time. Then day before yesterday I had to move a load of hay from one outbuilding to another and my neck started really hurting again and I've had dizziness ever since.

So I'm being referred for a neck xray as doc wants to rule out any kind of fracture, and I'm booked in for an ECG next week as a precaution.

Upshot of all that is OH insisting I take it easy. ?

Weather looks snowy and windy though so it's not a bad weekend for taking it easy!

Have a good one everyone and I hope the weather doesn't scupper anyone's plans.

Didnt want to like your post. Definitely do as you OH says and take it easy. Hope you are ok and feeling better soon.

Absolutely nothing happening here. Will be tucking all mine up tonight and will see what the weathers like tomorrow. Have to do a bit of shopping for a new girth as Pips waist has expanded a little. So if anyone knows of any well priced brown 54inch girths let me know

 

[iknowmyvalue]

We’ve got a dressage lesson tomorrow, though looking at the forecast minority regretting cancelling the one at home where we have an indoor in favour for a new venue with my regular instructor ?

Sunday we are going SJ. Sadly warm up is outdoor, but rounds are jumped indoor so not too bad. Entered 85cm and 95-1m but might only do the 85 depending on how vomit inducing the 95 looks…

 

[mavandkaz]

Shambles has the vet out tomorrow to re-assess him. Things are not looking great, and I keep switching back and forth between retiring him and giving him one last chance. Hopefully the vet will give me a final answer, even if it's not the one I want. Might be interesting trying to do a lameness work up in the wind and rain though!
Belle is off to a jumping clinic on Sunday. New venue for us, but know the instructor well. She has taken to running out at fences with her junior sharer so will be interesting to see if she does it with me.
Good luck to those out and about, and hope the weather isn't too hideous

 

[Season’s Bleatings]

Hope you’re feeling better soon southerncomfort- take it easy!

Folks I have just joined DI ? first aff test next week. After last weeks’ forgotten test shenanigans, I will be doing one test only while I get to grips with it all ? long arena prelim I think it is.
Anyway that’s next week, just needed to share ?

 

[nikicb]

Haven't posted in a while as Maddie ended up having the best part of three months off after she bashed herself in the field. Thankfully no lasting damage done and the extension in time off was largely due to me, not her. I don't think it did her any harm though as we had a busy summer. We are now a couple of weeks down the line and had a lesson today which included plenty of exercises incorporating 10m circles and changes of direction. I was looking at my FB memories earlier, and it’s one year to the day that I took Maddie out for a lesson on my own for the first time. Back then I commented that tacking her up was like wrestling an octopus as she was so desperate to look at absolutely everything around us. Now she stands calmly while I get both of us ready. Sometimes it’s important to remember our progress even with just the little things. I think it will be a duvet day for my lot tomorrow. I, on the other hand, am dressage writing at Wellington - 2/3 degree weather forecast, with rain/snow and 50 mph gusts of wind - rather them than me!!! Hope everyone has a good weekend whatever they are up to, and you don't suffer too much from storm Arwen. Pretty picture from when we arrived for our lesson late this afternoon..... xx

 

[Bernster]

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0W2Iz-f1vuEeu2clQrOVjvUZg

The weather held out again today. Don’t care that the fences are teeny, I’m happy with our progress. Last week I struggled to put 2 fences together and wasn’t confident enough to go forward with him. Today, we managed the whole course calmly and steadily. I’ll bank that!

 

[Red-1]

It was only breezy on the way to our clinic last night, but it blew a hooley while we were there. Baby horse managed the rain on the tin roof, managed the wind vibrating the side panels and managed the cold. He was, however, still frisky from having a full body close shave. He did nothing wrong, but had to be reminded to stay polite in the hand.

Today it is just a day to be turned onto the arena, I think!

Tomorrow, I have withdrawn from his first show. Simply not the right time for maximum chance of a nice day out :-(

Hoping everyone is keeping safe and warm. X

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Horses safely moved just in time as it is blizzard conditions round here today. Hurrah for full livery!!

 

[southerncomfort]

This was the view from my yard this morning. Very pretty but I'd quite like the sun to come out and make it all go away now please!

 

[Chippers1]

Spoke to soon, comp has been cancelled! Seeing if I can find a last minute arena hire, weather is looking fine for tomorrow so I'm hoping to do something!

 

[RachelFerd]

Managed to get out BS today as we were thankfully snow-free and venue (Kelsall) was 100% indoors and local.

My first time riding in the new indoor and very impressed - it's HUGE with a great surface.

4yo jumped his first British Novice and was very surprised to go double clear. Simon placed 3rd in the disco and just rolled an unlucky pole in the 105 - so not a bad day out at all!

 

[DressageCob]

My dressage ran but there were a lot of withdrawals. Great organiser - I gave her a call to see if it was going ahead and she invited me to just come when I was ready and do my tests. It was the most casual BD feeling ever. I went 2 hours early and managed to get home in daylight which was a treat.

I made silly mistakes in both, both in the right canter half passes. I over cook the straightening afterwards and get a change. I need to be less dramatic with my change of leg position I think!
Anyway, just under 63 and just under 64 got me the points I needed for winter AFs so a good outing all round ?

 

[J_sarahd]

I love my pony. Took him to the gallops and he was amazing. He was very excited as soon as we got there and we definitely had some nappy/excited moments but nothing bad at all.

We popped some BE80 jumps and a few of the BE90s and then when for a well-needed gallop. We arrived late so didn’t have time to do all the jumps or all the gallops we wanted but very happy with him.

I am excited for next season now. He’s just so much fun.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Dressage clinic went well. I really like this clinician. I rode with him once before. The first day was a bit more stressage in the beginning, but I think my horse was a bit cold. It was one of the coldest days and he had a fresh clip 2 days prior (3rd clip this year ?) so I think he just wanted to get moving and mentally was a bit hot. He settled into the work nicely once his brain slowed down.

The second day was great and I was more active in the warm-up. We've been working on creating more air time because he has exactly zero natural suspension. So keeping him straight, supple, and with more power from behind. This will improve a few small details in our other work (flying changes, canter pirouette, and the beginnings of passage). Would possibly be easier to just buy a horse that has more natural suspension in his gaits ? but he travels well and self loads which is nice.

Fortunately the snow held off when we were driving with the trailer.

A collage of some of our efforts ?

 

[Caol Ila]

See the backing 3/4 year olds thread for report on Hermosa.

Being about 100m higher in altitude, Mugdock was iced up. Blah. But we took a punt. An ex-feral Highland from Aberdeenshire ought to be able to handle himself on some ice. The pony was excellent and found grip. But it still took a lot of concentration from both of us. If we get another winter like the last one, I am going to find him some horsey crampons for his boots.

 

[scats]

Busy day today. Knew that moving a few stables down would be a fairly big job, but you never quite anticipate just how big it’ll be.
Factor in shifting a years worth of deep litter banks, too (and our muck heap is a long walk from the stables).

Rubber mats, beds, fixtures and fittings all moved down to the other end of the barn, plus all my stuff with it. It took 6 hours altogether. Did manage to hack out first thing, too. Girls a bit perplexed that they are in different stables, but all good.

I’ve just had a hot bath and my first meal of the day. Think I’ll be headed to bed in a minute.

 

[iknowmyvalue]

Decided not to trailer out for an outside lesson yesterday given the weather, so the instructor at home managed to fit me in instead. We have an indoor, much more pleasant! Was a really productive lesson, and got some lovely work towards the end. Much more to work on but she really likes him.

Today we braved the cold for some SJ! I’d entered the 85cm and 95-1m, but wasn’t pressuring myself to do the bigger class if I didn’t want to. I only jumped my first 90 in 6 years 3wks ago!

85cm did a clear if slightly messy round, it was an indoor but there was a patchy puddle at one end of the arena which took him by surprise (and whilst he is fine with XC water and the sea, he does not like puddles he can avoid). So a bit slower that I’d have liked.

Put my brave pants on for the bigger class. Good job the course was the same as I don’t think I could have looked at the fences before we went in without being sick. Had a small panic coming into the first fence and rather threw him over it, having a pole down. Also had 5 down after a dodgy line from 4 due to above puddle of doom ? but I honestly don’t give a toss because WE DID IT. He made them feel so easy, and was so up for it. Feel like we’ve got the tack right too for now, he’s so much better in the grackle.

self indulgent photo of him making a full up 95-1m fence look tiny

 

[southerncomfort]

Dressage clinic went well. I really like this clinician. I rode with him once before. The first day was a bit more stressage in the beginning, but I think my horse was a bit cold. It was one of the coldest days and he had a fresh clip 2 days prior (3rd clip this year ?) so I think he just wanted to get moving and mentally was a bit hot. He settled into the work nicely once his brain slowed down.

The second day was great and I was more active in the warm-up. We've been working on creating more air time because he has exactly zero natural suspension. So keeping him straight, supple, and with more power from behind. This will improve a few small details in our other work (flying changes, canter pirouette, and the beginnings of passage). Would possibly be easier to just buy a horse that has more natural suspension in his gaits ? but he travels well and self loads which is nice.

Fortunately the snow held off when we were driving with the trailer.

A collage of some of our efforts ?

View attachment 83383

Wow CC, he's looking amazing!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Wow CC, he's looking amazing!

Thanks ?

 

[racebuddy]

Took my new boy to kelsall indoors today had such good fun and come out to snow lots to learn still and getting to know each other but such good boy for a 6 year old xxx ???

 

[Season’s Bleatings]

We’ve had a busy couple of days! Lesson yesterday afternoon with Heike was brilliant. Very much focused on fine tuning, getting the basics right and getting the big horse to listen to me - and getting me to actually RIDE instead of being a bit of a polite passenger (our last horse was a bit erm tricky so I was always very diplomatic riding her lol). Really felt improvements and have taken a lot away to practice!
Dressage today at a small local venue. Novice 24 and Elementary 44 for me. V pleased with 69.57% for 2nd in Novice and 66.8% to bring home a red rosette in Elementary. Still have a long way to go but v happy with his attitude, i think he likes to be kept busy.

 

[nikkimariet]

I’m working my way back to up to full fitness after some time out. Rooni feels MEGA. Our first go at a ride on Saturday didn’t go to plan - we got caught in a hailstorm a few minutes in. I couldn’t get a word of sense out of him so called it a day very quickly.

Later on the weather settled (the same but without the killer hail) so I attempted take 2. He was HOT but very good. I was tired by this point having ridden for my showing yard in the morning etc so didn’t do much but he is showing such amazing promise for the pi/pa work now.



Figgy is now back in work too, Angel for my best mate and his hacking partner today. Just makes me burst with pride how happy they are on their adventures! Rooni loved his jaunt too.



It was a chaotic and cold adventure!

 

[oldie48]

Lesson on Mr D yesterday and today. I'm getting the hang of the DB although i still find the whip change tricky! He's newly clipped and looking super smart in his Newmarket Q sheet! Ten metre circles in canter today, simple changes through walk, canter up the centre line keeping him straight, improving our corners in all three paces. I was totally exhausted by the end of the lesson with muscle ache and brain ache. His owner is pushing me to improve which is great. Off to pilates now, then to see Rose, then back to watch owner having a lesson with JS whom I haven't seen for nearly a year. Busy day but I am so happy to be doing horsey stuff again!

 

[Sprat]

How's Rose getting on Oldie?