Little successes that make you proud

[Jambarissa]

I'm not one to gush about how fab my horses are on social media but two of mine have come on so much recently, I'm really proud and no one to tell who will get it.

Little cob was bought as a bomb proof happy hacker, she certainly is but absolutely no schooling or concept of bending. I decided to tackle this last summer and my god it was painful, felt like such a struggle and next to no progress. Didn't really ride over winter yet she's great this year with no extra work, responsive, willing and forward going (still not bendy tho).

Draft horse is quite new and came with a million minor issues. Really no time to try to tackle them all so worked on most important - catching, leading, tying up, farrier, bridling - and it was very hard and slow work. I've been avoiding other known issues which owner had told me caused violent reactions - injections, fly spray, hosing, loading, dentist, clipping. All of these have been needed the last few weeks and not even a flicker from him. It appears he trusts my judgement and that is that. Blummin marvellous.

Shout out to big cob who is always an angel, I can't leave him out.


Anyone else want to share achievements that sound too minor to mention?

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

My mare has been struggling with left canter transitions for a while (she wasn’t broken in until just before I had her at 14 and is 16 this year and we are only just knuckling down a bit more with the schooling) but yesterday she got the correct leads every time and did some nice lateral work too it’s the small things!

 

[Equi]

I’ve remembered how to canter

Clob had a mystery injury I spent several months rehabbing with walk and upping it gradually. By the time it got to canter I’d totally lost it. He is very short and pony like in his canter and I’ve only ever had long rocking horses so it took a long time to get used to it..but I’m back to remembering and my muscles will stop hurting, I hope.

 

[Jenko109]

My horse is now out on loan to a teenager who had completely lost her confidence.

She was at the stage where she would not leave the arena after being sold a completely unsuitable horse.

She has been hacking and recently took him show jumping out in open fields and came away with a ribbon.

I'm so proud of him for being such a gentleman and taking such good care of her, allowing her to rebuild her trust in horses.

 

[Lucky Snowball]

My horse with massive separation anxiety and numerous physical issues. Could nap for England. Was also skinny and nervous. After 3 years of hard work, last weekend did a fun ride alone including travel. Passed others without issues. I’m buzzing.

 

[tristars]

Fabulous!

 

[YoLaTango]

Going 5 minute hack on own. Tried last year - disaster… napping spooky nightmare. Today for first time left the yard. Only five minutes… and very “looky” but no spooking, no napping. Success!!!

 

[Ifmpw]

When you rock up at the stables, and your sleepy horse, softly wickers at you, then drops her head so you can scritch its ears.

 

[SantaVera]

Love this thread. I too have lots of little success. Getting cob past the lush vegetation on a hack,letting me clip feather, coming to call and not fussing at the fly spray.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

My mare who is returning to ridden work and has been finding it exceptionally exciting, walked on a long rein with her head down and not in demented llama pose for a whole 15 min session. Was happier than if I’d won badminton

 

[blitznbobs]

Cobbo who has not been ridden for over a year due to hock issues and I have started playing with some liberty work with him cos he has come sound … learned side passing in one session - to the right anyway … he looked really please with himself

 

[Boots*McGruber]

Pony picked up a relatively minor injury earlier in the summer so he had a bit of time off and help from our vet. Today was the first ride I’ve had since he did it where I really felt that he was back to his old self- fit, forward and a joy to ride

 

[feesh]

The nervous, herdbound, bolshy fat cob that I've been trying to exercise since November can now leg yield, and canter on purpose! And we're now up to 5K walking with a bit of trot in our couch-to-5k quest!

(Still working on the challenge of being out of sight of our friends, though... )

 

[dorsetladette]

My 4 year old gave me a lovely circle of trot on each rein yesterday.

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

Love this thread!

I started riding Enormosaurus back in October and all these small things are slowly adding up to make big changes. There's still a long way to go, but no hurry.
She now accepts rein contact without shaking her head or trying to yank me out of the saddle.
I can put her bridle on without needing a handful of barley and extendable arms.
She's fidgeting less and less every time I tack her up, same for mounting.
I can't remember last time we had a rear.
We haven't been stuck at the arena gate while her friend shouts like mad from the field in a while.

This great big horse has been slowly growing on me and I'm getting rather attached to her. Despite only ever having had one owner and still being young, she has a bit of a checkered past that I keep hearing different versions of but hopefully we can make something of each other.

 

[Dontforgetaboutme]

Another solo hack success. This time last year paid instructor to walk out with us as horse was so nappy yet flighty on her own. Bought & am following Tristan Tuckers training and couple weeks ago thought I’ll just see if could hack 10 mins and see how we go. Beforehand she’d nap up to the gate, plant & spin going into first field and if I did get her away from yard she’d power walk back. Amazingly this time she’d pause to have a think but walk on with a bit of encouragement and flinch rather than shy at a bird in a hedge. Fast forward to last night, she walked out 45 minutes round the field calmly passed a tractor threshing the hay in the neighbouring field, not bothering that there was another horse coming in opposite direction and relaxed walk back.

 

[SEL]

My saddle fitter came out today and was full of compliments for how well Babycob was going.

Comment of the morning - his thoracic sling is really up and strong now, under the blubber

 

[First Frost]

Returning my beautiful 20 year old Connie to work after he suffered spectic laminitis caused by a blood infection.
Riding through a field of sheep on my young horse, who was so terrified of them he trembled with fear. It has taken be 12 months to desensitise him.

 

[maya2008]

This week:
-Finally finding a bit my son can stop little cob in, so we can begin to do more exciting things than hacking with a horse in front he could use the backside of to stop!
- Finally getting ex feral massive project pony’s back feet picking up reliably, and being able to tackle her massively overgrown frog!
- Finding a lovely home for little Miss perfect pony with another little girl to give confidence to. She’s a slightly tricky one to manage (but beyond a dream to ride) so the right home was very important!
- My cobxtrotter has achieved a 3 beat canter with head down. I couldn’t yet trust her to make a corner in an arena, as we’d need more ‘sit’ for that, but we’re definitely heading in that direction!

 

[MereChristmas]

I got a ‘well done’ from my instructor today for recognising the simple walk exercise I was attempting was worse than the previous try.
I think I’ve had 4 or 5 lessons with him and have trotted on one occasion only ‘to loosen up’ but I’ve never been bored or disheartened.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Mimosa is fractionally less fat today.

 

[Tarragon]

First time my pony stopped while out riding for a wee! He was a devil for doing the entire ride with his legs crossed and then having a huge wee when he was untacked, even weeing when still tied up! I think it is a breakthrough when they realise they can wee out on the ride. I really hope it isn't a one off!

 

[TwyfordM]

Mysti, despite having not refreshed her skills at all lately, still remembers how to bow, Spanish walk and back up with just a hand signal
Started teaching her to spin on the spot and she caught on in about 10 mins. Clever pony

 

[3OldPonies]

Getting my big boy to stand at the mounting block. It's taken a long time but now the penny has dropped as to what I want him to do he does it first attempt 9 out of 10 times! Which considering we were 0 out of 10 without help I think is amazing

Absolutely loving this thread, it's inspirational what we've all worked our way through.

 

[little_critter]

I’ve never done enough jumping to say I’m any good at it. It always feels like we are starting from scratch on the rare occasions we try.
This evening we jumped 3 jumps in an S shape up the school.
The fact we landed on the correct leg is entirely fluke, but I’m so pleased we didn’t demolish the jumps and T showed no sign on refusing or ducking out.

 

[magicmoments]

The last time I loaded my last horse in a trailer, virtually walked straight in. Couldn't have been more proud, and brought a tear to my eye. I can totally understand why they wouldn't enjoy going in a trailer. Was only done in her best interests, for treatment, etc, and not often, but each time got better. Only used pressure and release, oh and carrots.
Same horse who would not set foot in water when ridden by previous owner, put her foot in water for the first time. Again only pressure and release, not much pressure and certainly not whip.
Previous loan horse, whose owner said tried to kill them when they used spray fly spray, accepted spraying normally. Lots of small incremental stages got us there, and trimming the protruding ear hair, again along process. Was still working on putting on bridle on normally a year later though, when I gave up the loan due to the owner.
I think these things, and that other posters have mentioned wouldn't seem much to none horsey people, or indeed those that have always had straight forward horses, but are massive to us.