flurryjuno
Well-Known Member
Had Juno a year today! I know I've posted loads of threads recently but have to do this one then I'm done
I had six/seven horses lined up to go see, I don't know why because I was a nervous wreck who hadn't rode in a year and Juno was the first and the cheapest. I don't know what it was but I knew I had to have her as soon as I saw her. I rode her and she was awful, no badness but she couldn't bend, picked up the wrong lead on canter and flung herself over jumps. She had an upside down neck, tilted to the side, has a big scar on her neck and had mahoooosive feet but I felt like we just clicked and she was exactly what I wanted and needed. Before me she was used mainly as a hack for 3 years, and the same 2 years before that and hadn't done much else other than master the perfect 'dirty stop' when jumping.
The first three weeks were bad, she lost more weight than I was comfortable with and turns out her saddle had a broken tree and was hurting her back. Fourth week we had new saddle, and started from scratch! She could not for the life of her figure out the sand school (its very deep sand and she came from only rubber) and was shocked by the fact she was turned out with two babies. I took her to my friends for the first time where she was rode by 5 different people are varying in ability and jumped for the second time with me. Did her first ever cross country at the beginning of the summer, I learnt that she was terrified of water and loved to leap off drops and 'pretending' to go and jump the massive tires as a joke means we ARE going to jump the massive tires and do a buck because wayhey, look what we did.
Come summer we hacked out every other day for miles, stayed at my friends for a week which was heaven for Juno and her bf, didn't know horses cuddled before I saw them. Went to the beach for the first time and got trapped in thick fog so talk about scary ride home but she trusted me and I trusted her. Schooling was still going awfully, she was gradually lowering her head and was becoming more responsive to the leg but it was a lot of work. Then one day after cantering around fields bareback and dandering about country roads all week at the end of summer I stupidly got kicked and fractured and tore all the ligaments in my foot which I only learnt of three days after again, stupidly putting weight on it. She had two months off other than lunging mainly because I couldn't fit my foot in any of my shoes! No harm done just had a fat unfit horse to deal with coming into winter then. Started having lessons with the lovely Wheels on here (hiya!) who helped me LOADS, dropped my stirrups two holes and lifted my hands about a foot
But then some family stuff started happening, then the possibility of moving to Australia and I could hardly see my horse let alone ride.
Now coming out of winter, we're doing loads of fun things. We go on pleasure rides every other week and shes a star, new experience for her each time. She had never galloped on a beach before, and I had never done it on purpose(!!) so that was a mega achievement for us, she now jumps super scary fences and loads into the trailer in one go AND doesn't come off a sweaty mess anymore! We can now go through puddles, waves and water jumps, pass tractors (as long as they're turned off) at an enthusiastic walk, jump 1.10m straight with no stops and basic schooling is improving every day. I feel like I know her inside and out, after three months she was whinnying when she saw me, I know she hates white bread but loves brown bread, will eat apples like theres no tomorrow and decides if she wants carrots or not, I know when shes not confident and needs encouragement or to follow me (seeing a 16.2hh horse hiding behind someone is hilarious) and know how to deal with her when shes trying her luck. Definitely my horse of a lifetime, I will never sell her if I can help it and now roll on summer so we can start competing!!(Pics in order)
[Content removed]
Last two were taken this week...thanks for reading, needed to get it outa me!
I had six/seven horses lined up to go see, I don't know why because I was a nervous wreck who hadn't rode in a year and Juno was the first and the cheapest. I don't know what it was but I knew I had to have her as soon as I saw her. I rode her and she was awful, no badness but she couldn't bend, picked up the wrong lead on canter and flung herself over jumps. She had an upside down neck, tilted to the side, has a big scar on her neck and had mahoooosive feet but I felt like we just clicked and she was exactly what I wanted and needed. Before me she was used mainly as a hack for 3 years, and the same 2 years before that and hadn't done much else other than master the perfect 'dirty stop' when jumping.The first three weeks were bad, she lost more weight than I was comfortable with and turns out her saddle had a broken tree and was hurting her back. Fourth week we had new saddle, and started from scratch! She could not for the life of her figure out the sand school (its very deep sand and she came from only rubber) and was shocked by the fact she was turned out with two babies. I took her to my friends for the first time where she was rode by 5 different people are varying in ability and jumped for the second time with me. Did her first ever cross country at the beginning of the summer, I learnt that she was terrified of water and loved to leap off drops and 'pretending' to go and jump the massive tires as a joke means we ARE going to jump the massive tires and do a buck because wayhey, look what we did.
Come summer we hacked out every other day for miles, stayed at my friends for a week which was heaven for Juno and her bf, didn't know horses cuddled before I saw them. Went to the beach for the first time and got trapped in thick fog so talk about scary ride home but she trusted me and I trusted her. Schooling was still going awfully, she was gradually lowering her head and was becoming more responsive to the leg but it was a lot of work. Then one day after cantering around fields bareback and dandering about country roads all week at the end of summer I stupidly got kicked and fractured and tore all the ligaments in my foot which I only learnt of three days after again, stupidly putting weight on it. She had two months off other than lunging mainly because I couldn't fit my foot in any of my shoes! No harm done just had a fat unfit horse to deal with coming into winter then. Started having lessons with the lovely Wheels on here (hiya!) who helped me LOADS, dropped my stirrups two holes and lifted my hands about a foot
But then some family stuff started happening, then the possibility of moving to Australia and I could hardly see my horse let alone ride. Now coming out of winter, we're doing loads of fun things. We go on pleasure rides every other week and shes a star, new experience for her each time. She had never galloped on a beach before, and I had never done it on purpose(!!) so that was a mega achievement for us, she now jumps super scary fences and loads into the trailer in one go AND doesn't come off a sweaty mess anymore! We can now go through puddles, waves and water jumps, pass tractors (as long as they're turned off) at an enthusiastic walk, jump 1.10m straight with no stops and basic schooling is improving every day. I feel like I know her inside and out, after three months she was whinnying when she saw me, I know she hates white bread but loves brown bread, will eat apples like theres no tomorrow and decides if she wants carrots or not, I know when shes not confident and needs encouragement or to follow me (seeing a 16.2hh horse hiding behind someone is hilarious) and know how to deal with her when shes trying her luck. Definitely my horse of a lifetime, I will never sell her if I can help it and now roll on summer so we can start competing!!(Pics in order)
[Content removed]
Last two were taken this week...thanks for reading, needed to get it outa me!
Last edited by a moderator:
