Onwards, upwards and adventures with Fig

nikkimariet

nikkimariet

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So much progress this week - schooling with another horse :eek:, vaguely recognizable leg yield, much calmer canter transitions :o and HACKING!!!

Our livery schooled her bog pony at the same time that I was working Fig on Monday night. I thought he might be a little funny about it, but *shrugs* he's got to get over it, and the quicker he does, the easier he will cope with a competing atmosphere. Whilst he went tense, and star gazed fairly sporadically....he was otherwise fine!! ...That horse is running, I must run too....you don't want me to run?!!... :rolleyes: No leaping, napping, kicking, spinning, running off etc etc.... Phew!! Today he very happily schooled with PS on Bruce, 100% concentrating on me and didn't kick up any sort of fuss or bother when Bruce left us on our own! :cool:

Last week PS helped me and Fig differentiate between our long and low frame and our more 'up and out' frame. This week we worked mainly in long and low so I could focus on getting him to relax and soften his neck to open the shoulder in the lateral work. Very pleased to say that he is starting to let me help him, and is really trying to respond accordingly :D

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(I know I'm doing insane things with my leg here, but I'm more bothered about him bending and staying relaxed for the moment)
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Have gradually been increasing the time spent working him in canter this week and my god do I have one clever little pone!! Each time I've got on he has felt calmer, more supple and more confident! Getting the right lead is still slightly dodgy. But now, once we've got it, he doesn't strike off wrong again (and will even correct himself with a perfect, straight and true flying change.....unasked for :p )!!

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A half halt really shows how much sit he has:
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Testing the inside rein self carriage:
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Must mention that on Saturday we had one 'sit and launch' moment, and all I heard was PS go '...sssssshhh*t!!!'. When he goes, or goes to go, the automatic reaction is to take more hold....but if I relax and lower my hands, remember to steady with my seat and weight instead, little pat, he reaches down for the contact and it so 'Oh, okay then' it just makes my heart sing! It makes me smile that he still wants to gallop though, and that he has been retired whilst still loving his job, and not sour about it :)

Today, me and PS went for a little wander down the road.....

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Fig left Bruce for dust, even in walk!!! He was such a good boy! I needn't have worried for a second about his fairly new barefeet, he went stomping along without a care in the world (although I did keep him on the verge where possible). Didn't bat an eye when a car zoomed by, or a cyclist or a super speedy and enthusiastic runner! :) So a hack at the weekend will be added to our schedule, and it will do him good to get used to different terrain barefoot too.

Me and PS went to watch a few friends compete at Vale View this weekend, one of them being a girl with an ex racer who, along with CS is very much my inspiration for Fig. This all reminded me to prod Father T about *finally* installing one of mine and PS' Christmas presents....

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And whilst it may be pretty empty at the moment, I can't wait to full it up with loads of competition dates come July!! :D;)
 
He's looking great, well done to the team. It's great that he's hacking out ok barefoot, he's learning a lot at the moment so the opportunity to chill out will benefit him greatly! I'm sure that planner will be full up in no time at all!
 
lol, i spend a good % of my time browsing the web for bargain TB's, the sort where people really dont know what they are sitting on!

and just to big up the Bruce-mobile...this was the first time i had hacked in a year (ish) due to CS inability to cope with the outside world, and i worked out the first time ive had a safe horse to hack in over ten years!!!!! how smug did i feel, mozeying down the road, on a long rein (in my pelham and flash noseband and GP saddle, not very DQ!!!), safe in the knowledge that even in the event of a nuclear explosion, Bruce would do no more than sigh :smughappyhacker:

i am excited for bay TB shows this summer.

CS will start his campaign shortly, with a couple of arena hires, with mirrors so i can see hows its going, and hopefully be back out competing end March, with Fig following on in July.
cant wait :)
 
BLY - I will inform Fig that he has one official club member! Thankyou! Massive tyvm to PS indeed!

db - He is such a try hard, looks so chuffed with himself after each session which is great that he's happy in his work.

SC - Sure....gimmie some money ;) I'm always browsing classifieds. As PS says, some people have no idea what they're sitting on. There were a number of TB's & ex racers that I was prepared to go and look at prior to Fig, plenty out there!! Can't say I'd be very good at choosing one that can jump though!

NR99 - Massive relief he's coping barefoot. He's actually feeling better under saddle schooling too, really pushing down and off rather than pottering over the top :)

Prince33Sp4rkle said:
safe in the knowledge that even in the event of a nuclear explosion, Bruce would do no more than sigh :smughappyhacker:
Click to expand...

Hahaaaaaaaaa!! Well jel ;)
 
He looks fab again :cool:. Nice to see that he's enjoying his hacking too and the sneaky unicorn ears at the bottom :D I really like that blue on him and I'm deffo setting you and your sis the task of finding my next po when I'm looking.


Secretly laughing at the image of brucy dressage diva happy hacking but still very dissapointed that I didnt get a chance to fit a satnav to bruce, maybe he needs one for hacking? Then I can send the yellow one up for a week of boot camp? :D
 
Thanks luckyhorseshoe!

DH - Thanks! Yellow one welcome for boot camp, but he will be dressed up in (some form of) pink....no arguments ;):cool:

FF - One helluva expensive boot camp trip that'd be!! Hahaaaa I have coined the phrase 'canter lord' with another HHO-er. Diva suggests misbehaviour!

Mandy m- Hah!!! Thankfully, that seems to be his attitude to most things :) Except trying to roll at every available opportunity :p
 
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Did he flat race, or race over fences? He's very lovely and very much a fledgling member of the 'I'm an ex-racehorse who thinks he's a beach donkey' club: Reg came in this weekend, and was being prepared to be lead in-hand home (only 2 miles). His donkey chum was taken away and he started his dance of the seven veils, so tack was shoved on and Al was suited and booted to hack him home. As soon as she was on, he took a massive sigh of relief and pottered off!
 
Wow, can't believe how much he's come on in shape and schooling in such a short time. He's looking much more shapely already!

He's going to be a lovely dressage pony! :D
 
Actually ridiculous how quick he is progressing. Done better in a couple of weeks than I've done with mine in 4 years. Hmmmph.
 
lolo-flat raced, but did some hurdle training. They never raced him over hurdles as was clear didnt have the stamina.

apparently he does love his jumping though, so thats something else we can do a weeny bit of!
 
DH - Manly pink of course ;)

Felicity - If you're paying!!

Lolo - As PS has said, he mostly did flat racing. He did hurdle a few times. Previous owner said he loves to jump, and will go XC. I guess I'll be finding out how carefully and successfully he jumps!

Pucci - Thank you!!

JustMe - I shall pigeon post you PS??! The biggest help is the knowledge and experience from her. Of course, the matchy/bling/dead sheep etc is half of it... :rolleyes:

Booboos - Thankyou! He is so much fun! Fingers crossed he will prove sane enough to have a play with SJ and XC :)
 
He's adorable. I can't believe you've only had him a short time. :)

You guys obviously have the magic touch - unlike me, who spent 45 minutes trying to get the perfect trot :rolleyes:
 
wow, really lovely, so much freer through his shoulders and WHAT A CANTER!. I love the fact you can include hacks to let him see life and relax, makes such a difference. Great post, thank you.
 
What an improvement, well done!
Hacking will do both of you the world of good.

Did you buy him straight off the track or through a rehoming/rehabilitation centre?
 
more or less straight from track, he last raced Oct 2011, landed back in Uk at dealers yard in Nov, we saw him Dec. They didnt do much with him at all, rode him a handful of times if that :) which is fine and in many ways better.

it is lovely to have something to hack, i went on Bruce and it was so restful, none of CS prancing passaging broncing and leaping nonsense!!!!!
 
He looks lovely, working very well :) I have to admit though, if I was your livery I wouldn't be all that happy if you called my horse a "bog pony":o
Unless of course its a known nickname/joke :)
 
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