Late weekend first of December weekend plans

[Cloball]

I'm guessing everyone is either very busy or has no plans. I didn't really have any either as the forecast was wet and wild again but the forecast was wrong dragged a muddy and feral D out of the field (she's only hacked once this fortnight) and braced for a wild windy ride in the sunshine.... She was an angel. A bit backwards and lacking in energy so I just worked a bit on loosening everything up and stretching things out and we had a nice trot leg yield and 4 stride of shoulder in by the end.
Hastily arranged a lesson this morning preparing for the full waterproof with my new coat when I woke to the rain but it was also dry and sunny and the wind had died!! Really cracked the canter figure of 8. First attempt we just got a full flying feathers medium adjacent trot. Second attempt I got a good transition and then she just 'got' the idea and we were flying. Going to up her meagre rations a bit I think just as I'm asking more of her muscles now and she's out 24/7. For a native though convincing her to eat (the ideal healthy option) is difficult. She prefers hay/grass and being rugless
Nice little hack tomorrow and then 3 days off where I shall only see her in the dark.

 

[Britestar]

I videoed a test for the BRC Christmas Cracker yesterday.

Small was rather lively shall we say. Combo of a little too fit, but forced time off due to a cough and snow/ ice.

I hope the judge has a sense of humour, lol!

Bruce Springsteen in the background playing santa clause is coming to town, I think she's firmly on the naughty list .

Oh well, every team needs a discard score .

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Hacked both days. There was a show near by, we won resechamp there last year, I just couldn't be bothered to get him all tidied up this year! 2 lovely hacks though so that will set me up nicely for the week!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I had a lesson on Friday. I still need to make myself write down the things that went well about it. I'd set out to record my e-riders entry for this month and then got in my head. It's probably nothing to actually do with the horse or the riding, more that life is feeling particularly 'lifey' at the moment.

 

[Cloball]

Do people prefer e-riders, dressage anywhere or dressage online? I've been meaning to start ages ago.

 

[mavandkaz]

It's been a busy weekend for baby Winston.
He had a ground work lesson on Wednesday to try and get him leading on the left side which he really doesn't want to do. Was very interesting to watch, starting by getting him to move his shoulders and front feet ( he's great at moving the hind quarters). By the end of the session he was leading on the left, although a bit rushy and tense.
Thursday took him back in the school to practice and he was spot on. Obviously just needed time to process.
Friday did a few poles in the school..
Then Saturday one of the other liveries offered to hack him round the big field (she rides out race horses and is fearless) with a nanny horse. Apparently he was brilliant and had a little trot. Just a couple of spooks at partridges flying out the hedge.
So today I found my brave pants and took him for a little hack with jockey on her ex-racer. We went along the field then out a little way up the lane, and then headed back the same way. Other then a couple of little jumps he was brilliant, and foot perfect up the road for the first time. Even with cars splashing through puddles on the other side of the hedge.
So super proud of baby horse, and he can have a well deserved day off tmw.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Do people prefer e-riders, dressage anywhere or dressage online? I've been meaning to start ages ago.

I've only done e-riders and only once but had good experience. Lots of options for classes and tests to enter, clear instructions, and you get the test sheet back electronically on results day. I believe all classes marked by BD judges. I also got an unexpected rosette which was a really nice one and it looks like they have different prizes for people who place. Also have championships/teams/leagues to aim for.

-

I've been doing some mindset stuff with my rider psychology book this eve, to turn things around from Friday. It's really helped and I hope to take this into my lesson this coming week.

In the name of keeping it constructive/learning opportunity - what is the correct thing to do if you turn the wrong way at C at the start of a 'live' test? Do you have to go back and do the whole CL again? My guess is yes as it's all in one mark?

I also realised I watch my riding videos back with a laser like critique, which is not helping. I'd missed that actually our turn on to the CL was pretty good and we were also really quite straight! I also missed how beautiful the sunset was in the background and that the 'scary' trot was our best yet, and certainly the sort of thing we'll need if I'm ever going to canter again.

 

[SEL]

Do people prefer e-riders, dressage anywhere or dressage online? I've been meaning to start ages ago.

I like e-riders. The classes are big enough to be meaningful and the tests are marked by BD judges. They do them online now so your sheet is available as soon as the month's entries have been judged. You can choose BD tests or their own.

 

[blood_magik]

I had my first lesson in a while on Friday, then we had the finals of the dressage series we sponsor yesterday - the venue dress the arena up and usually have their Christmas tree out so it’s a bit special for everyone that’s managed to qualify.

The less said about the warmup going into the first class, the better... Thankfully he’s pretty consistent once in the actual arena and he did a nice job to win the warmup class on 69.51%.

Unfortunately we had a couple of mistakes in the championship class as he was getting tired and starting to drop me/come btv a bit but he still managed a super consistent 69.62% which landed us in 2nd. Bit disappointed we didn’t win back our sponsored rug but overall I’m very happy with the scores

He’s qualified for Petplan but we have one final outing booked for next week to see if we can scrape those final points for regionals

 

[Red-1]

The past 3 weekends I have been travelling with my boyfriend and both boys have been at my friend's getting muddy! They have returned, smart and clipped, but TBH I have no immediate plans.

Happy for everyone who has been doing horsey stuff.

 

[millitiger]

I'm late to this late thread!

We were out competing at the same venue twice in 3 days.

Job achieved and we got the freestyle scores we needed to qualify for Regionals BUT we got the worst scores I think we've ever had.
On reflection we think he just really hated the surface, he is a little sensitive now he is barefoot and some surfaces he really likes and some he doesn't. Anything really hard or waxed seems to be a no-no for him,.
I'm wondering if it will be less of an issue once he is longer out of shoes (they came off in May) but for now that venue is off the list for future!

In better news, I rode at home today and he felt beautiful, really through and uphill.
So much so, we practiced changes and got 5!
3 of them a teeny bit late behind but 2 of them super clean. So exciting!

 

[j1ffy]

I'm late to this late thread!

We were out competing at the same venue twice in 3 days.

Job achieved and we got the freestyle scores we needed to qualify for Regionals BUT we got the worst scores I think we've ever had.
On reflection we think he just really hated the surface, he is a little sensitive now he is barefoot and some surfaces he really likes and some he doesn't. Anything really hard or waxed seems to be a no-no for him,.
I'm wondering if it will be less of an issue once he is longer out of shoes (they came off in May) but for now that venue is off the list for future!

In better news, I rode at home today and he felt beautiful, really through and uphill.
So much so, we practiced changes and got 5!
3 of them a teeny bit late behind but 2 of them super clean. So exciting!

Well done!

Going back many years to when Pocholo was first out of shoes, he hated some surfaces as well. Once he'd been rehabbed at Rockley Farm (and I knew a bit more about managing barefoot hooves) he was absolutely fine with anything. TBH I'd completely forgotten about his early surface struggles until I read your post!

 

[millitiger]

Good to know @j1ffy , I was hopeful he would improve with more time.
He is now landing heel first, very happy at home and in all other outdoor arenas. Fine in car parks and on gravel and tarmac.
He approves of the indoors at Hartpury and Bromyard but the one this weekend was a firm no!
It probably doesn't help that our arena has no sand at all and is really quite different to a waxed 'dead' surface.
It's a shame you can't use hoof boots for BD but heartbars with huge 3D pads etc. are apparently fine.

Hopefully he approves of the place I have earmarked for our Regionals!

 

[j1ffy]

Good to know @j1ffy , I was hopeful he would improve with more time.
He is now landing heel first, very happy at home and in all other outdoor arenas. Fine in car parks and on gravel and tarmac.
He approves of the indoors at Hartpury and Bromyard but the one this weekend was a firm no!
It probably doesn't help that our arena has no sand at all and is really quite different to a waxed 'dead' surface.
It's a shame you can't use hoof boots for BD but heartbars with huge 3D pads etc. are apparently fine.

Hopefully he approves of the place I have earmarked for our Regionals!

They are a conundrum! It was sharper sand that P hated, even though he was fine on all sorts of other surfaces out hacking. Fingers crossed for Regionals!