LauraWheeler
Well-Known Member
Herbie has had a very buisy August.
It started on the first with a dressage show.
He was very good on the 2 hour hack to homelands. He even went over the killer speedbumps that caused him to have a rearing fit the day before
.
He was super chilled once we arrived and we even had a little ride in the warmup area as the show was running late.
He remained calm when we entred the arena and was feeling quite forward (For him at a show LOL )
All was going well till the first canter when my hip desided to go into spasam (I broke it very badly in 2008) Herbie was such a good boy he could have used the situation as an excuse to break the canter but he kept going. We finished the canter early but thats because I just couldn't keep going. The second canter was on my better rein and although I was uncomfortable we managed to keep going. The rest of the test felt ok to.
Herbie was very very good on the 2 hour hack home. Even though there was so much traffic on the road.
I had to wait for my sheet to be sent out to me. It was an agonising wait and when it arrived sadly my hip had let Herbie down. The comments from the judge sugest she thought he may be a little lame and we only got 60.68%. I was still proud of my little man he could have used my hip as an excuse but he didn't and for us it was a fab test despite the score.
A week later we had Ellingham show where we did 3 ridden showing classes.
Afew days before we did some loading practice.
He had not loaded in the lorry since the new forest sponsured ride (when he took 1hr to get in) so thought I had better practice before Ellingham on Sat.
I Led Herbie up to the ramp and first time he took 5 mins of minimal pressure to load.
2nd time he walked streight in.
3rd time he trotted upto the ramp and lept up it.
4th time he jogged upto the ramp I throw the rope over his neck and he loaded all on his own
Hard to believe only afew months ago it took 4 hours and 11 mins to get him in the lorry.
Going to have another practice tom. Will try to remember my camera and hopefully he'll load himself again.
Then it was show day.
Herbs was fab to load in the morning just afew minuets.
He travelled well in a diffrent box and next to a horse he's never met before.
We arrived at the show and Herbs stayed on the box while we waited for our class.
I got him off the lorry and he became a little tence so I led him over to the ring and walked him inhand for a while. He soon settled and I got on.
We didn't have to wait long for our class ridden coloured and we went into the ring.
He became tence again and had a little leap and a buck. I growled at him and he behaved himself with just one more leap when I asked him to trot. The rest of the class felt awesome. We were called in for the initial lineup in any order so I quickly made shore I was right at the top.
He did a lovely little show and I felt so proud of him. It was a big class with 18 horses with 16 coloured horses and us and one other roan.
I was going to chalk the class up for expereance but was very surprised to be called in 6th place
I was so proud I was fighting back the tears. I think I was the happest person on the showground at that point.
I got off him after the class and he patently waited for our next class Ridden non show type. Once again he behaved realy well and except for stopping halfway through our indevidual show for a poop he was foot perfect. Sadly we were unplaced in that class but I was super proud of him anyway.
We had a long wait for our next class so we just wandered round. He was getting bord and hot by this point and threatened to start leaping but I just kept walking him round inhand each time he thought about being naughty.
He behaved so well even when an exracehorse backed into us at 100mph
He wasn't happy but I just moved him away and we managed to avoid WW3
Our final class was ridden new forest 13.2hh and under. He felt a little tence on the initial go round and we were called in 6th place.
Our indevidual show felt amazing and I was so pleased to be moved up to 4th place in the final placings
Herbs loaded ok once again only taking afew minuets and he travelled realy well inbetween two horses he doesn't know.
All in all a fab day. No napping in any of our classes and he behaved realy well waiting around inbetween our classes.
And finaly the next weekend we had a riding club show where we did one inhand class, A dressage test and 2 ridden showing classes.
The day started well when Herbie loaded streight into the lorry. Infact he was at the top of the ramp when I was still at the bottom, silly mummy.
We got to the show and our first class was Mountin and moorland inhand. It was a farley big class with afew foresters, welsh, a highland and a shetland in. Herbs behaved realy well in the class even though Inhand showing is not are forte. I was so thrilled to be place 3rd behind a gorgous new forest stallion and a stunning section a.
Next we had our prelim 12 dressage test. I took him back to the lorry and got changed and tacked him up. I had about 30 mins to wait so desided to take him into the warm up area(something I very rarely do). He was so good and we trotted round and didn't try to kill anyone.
In the test he was alittle tence to begin with but did a very nice test. He picked up canter when I asked (and the correct lead) and didn't break the canter. his walk was more relaxed than it normaly is and he didn't jog. So I was pleased even before I found out we got 3rd place.
After our dressage we had a wait till our ridden classes so we just milled about. Herbie remained calm and although got fidgety sometimes he didn't threaten to leap once.
We headed back to the lorry for a quick bridle change ready for our ridden classes.
First up we had ridden coloured. Herbs was a star, behaved beautifuly and was placed 2nd.
Our next ridden class was the ridden mountin and moorland. again he went beautifuly and even took me by surprise when I asked him to gallop and he went for it. we were placed 6th in that class.
We had no more classes to do but had to wait for the ridden championship. I desided to take a gamble and try to load Herbie back into the lorry. I figered we had only come second so even if he didn't want to go in and we missed the championship it wouldn't be a great loss. But I needn't have worried he only took a minuet or so to perswade to go in. I offered him some water and left him munching on some hay while I went to get myself something to drink and some cake.
Soon it was time for the ridden championship. Herbie once again behaved realy well but as I thought (having only come second) we didn't get anywhere but it was good expereance for him anyway.
After the championship I loaded him into the lorry again he only took afew minuets to perswade to go in.
So all in all the shortarse nutjob pony had a very very good day. He once again did me proud and proved all his doughters wrong. Today it would have been hard to believe how hard the last 5 and a half years have been but I can honestly say it's been worth it.
Sorry thats a bit of an epic post. I'm so proud of my shortarse nut job pony. He's having a few weeks relaxing just hacking and having lessons and then we are going to another sponsured ride in September and have another dressage show the week after.
Thankyou to all those who follow our story and a big thankyou to those who have supported us from the very start.
Here is a little video with resent pics and video clips of my little man.
https://youtu.be/8aNzK03Ry7E
Thankyou if you read all this mamoth post and also if you watched the video. Hope everyone is having a nice bank holiday. xxxxx
It started on the first with a dressage show.
He was very good on the 2 hour hack to homelands. He even went over the killer speedbumps that caused him to have a rearing fit the day before
.He was super chilled once we arrived and we even had a little ride in the warmup area as the show was running late.
He remained calm when we entred the arena and was feeling quite forward (For him at a show LOL )
All was going well till the first canter when my hip desided to go into spasam (I broke it very badly in 2008) Herbie was such a good boy he could have used the situation as an excuse to break the canter but he kept going. We finished the canter early but thats because I just couldn't keep going. The second canter was on my better rein and although I was uncomfortable we managed to keep going. The rest of the test felt ok to.
Herbie was very very good on the 2 hour hack home. Even though there was so much traffic on the road.
I had to wait for my sheet to be sent out to me. It was an agonising wait and when it arrived sadly my hip had let Herbie down. The comments from the judge sugest she thought he may be a little lame and we only got 60.68%. I was still proud of my little man he could have used my hip as an excuse but he didn't and for us it was a fab test despite the score.
A week later we had Ellingham show where we did 3 ridden showing classes.
Afew days before we did some loading practice.
He had not loaded in the lorry since the new forest sponsured ride (when he took 1hr to get in) so thought I had better practice before Ellingham on Sat.
I Led Herbie up to the ramp and first time he took 5 mins of minimal pressure to load.
2nd time he walked streight in.
3rd time he trotted upto the ramp and lept up it.
4th time he jogged upto the ramp I throw the rope over his neck and he loaded all on his own
Hard to believe only afew months ago it took 4 hours and 11 mins to get him in the lorry.
Going to have another practice tom. Will try to remember my camera and hopefully he'll load himself again.
Then it was show day.
Herbs was fab to load in the morning just afew minuets.
He travelled well in a diffrent box and next to a horse he's never met before.
We arrived at the show and Herbs stayed on the box while we waited for our class.
I got him off the lorry and he became a little tence so I led him over to the ring and walked him inhand for a while. He soon settled and I got on.
We didn't have to wait long for our class ridden coloured and we went into the ring.
He became tence again and had a little leap and a buck. I growled at him and he behaved himself with just one more leap when I asked him to trot. The rest of the class felt awesome. We were called in for the initial lineup in any order so I quickly made shore I was right at the top.
He did a lovely little show and I felt so proud of him. It was a big class with 18 horses with 16 coloured horses and us and one other roan.
I was going to chalk the class up for expereance but was very surprised to be called in 6th place
I was so proud I was fighting back the tears. I think I was the happest person on the showground at that point.
I got off him after the class and he patently waited for our next class Ridden non show type. Once again he behaved realy well and except for stopping halfway through our indevidual show for a poop he was foot perfect. Sadly we were unplaced in that class but I was super proud of him anyway.
We had a long wait for our next class so we just wandered round. He was getting bord and hot by this point and threatened to start leaping but I just kept walking him round inhand each time he thought about being naughty.
He behaved so well even when an exracehorse backed into us at 100mph
He wasn't happy but I just moved him away and we managed to avoid WW3
Our final class was ridden new forest 13.2hh and under. He felt a little tence on the initial go round and we were called in 6th place.
Our indevidual show felt amazing and I was so pleased to be moved up to 4th place in the final placings
Herbs loaded ok once again only taking afew minuets and he travelled realy well inbetween two horses he doesn't know.
All in all a fab day. No napping in any of our classes and he behaved realy well waiting around inbetween our classes.
And finaly the next weekend we had a riding club show where we did one inhand class, A dressage test and 2 ridden showing classes.
The day started well when Herbie loaded streight into the lorry. Infact he was at the top of the ramp when I was still at the bottom, silly mummy.
We got to the show and our first class was Mountin and moorland inhand. It was a farley big class with afew foresters, welsh, a highland and a shetland in. Herbs behaved realy well in the class even though Inhand showing is not are forte. I was so thrilled to be place 3rd behind a gorgous new forest stallion and a stunning section a.
Next we had our prelim 12 dressage test. I took him back to the lorry and got changed and tacked him up. I had about 30 mins to wait so desided to take him into the warm up area(something I very rarely do). He was so good and we trotted round and didn't try to kill anyone.
In the test he was alittle tence to begin with but did a very nice test. He picked up canter when I asked (and the correct lead) and didn't break the canter. his walk was more relaxed than it normaly is and he didn't jog. So I was pleased even before I found out we got 3rd place.
After our dressage we had a wait till our ridden classes so we just milled about. Herbie remained calm and although got fidgety sometimes he didn't threaten to leap once.
We headed back to the lorry for a quick bridle change ready for our ridden classes.
First up we had ridden coloured. Herbs was a star, behaved beautifuly and was placed 2nd.
Our next ridden class was the ridden mountin and moorland. again he went beautifuly and even took me by surprise when I asked him to gallop and he went for it. we were placed 6th in that class.
We had no more classes to do but had to wait for the ridden championship. I desided to take a gamble and try to load Herbie back into the lorry. I figered we had only come second so even if he didn't want to go in and we missed the championship it wouldn't be a great loss. But I needn't have worried he only took a minuet or so to perswade to go in. I offered him some water and left him munching on some hay while I went to get myself something to drink and some cake.
Soon it was time for the ridden championship. Herbie once again behaved realy well but as I thought (having only come second) we didn't get anywhere but it was good expereance for him anyway.
After the championship I loaded him into the lorry again he only took afew minuets to perswade to go in.
So all in all the shortarse nutjob pony had a very very good day. He once again did me proud and proved all his doughters wrong. Today it would have been hard to believe how hard the last 5 and a half years have been but I can honestly say it's been worth it.
Sorry thats a bit of an epic post. I'm so proud of my shortarse nut job pony. He's having a few weeks relaxing just hacking and having lessons and then we are going to another sponsured ride in September and have another dressage show the week after.
Thankyou to all those who follow our story and a big thankyou to those who have supported us from the very start.
Here is a little video with resent pics and video clips of my little man.
https://youtu.be/8aNzK03Ry7E
Thankyou if you read all this mamoth post and also if you watched the video. Hope everyone is having a nice bank holiday. xxxxx
