Pony Week - Day 3

T

Thelwell_Girl

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Well, today has been kind of mixed as well!

Got to the yard and really wondered why I was there. Was pretty down the whole morning, though I helped everyone else get ready, helped tack up etc. Now THAT was fun.

Then, off we went to the field to practice the XC jumps. Well... The others went and practiced, while me and the other non-jumping girl watched and got soaked. Then, went back up to the yard, and was a bit confused, asked the YM "Was I supposed to be ready to ride this morning?", (to maybe have a canter in the field) What did she say?

Yes!

How on earth am I supposed to know that Im riding, if no one actually TELLS me?!

I was quite pissed off at this point, as i couldve actually ridden in the field then!

However, in the afternoon, me and the other non-jumping girl sat in a bush and fence-judged, as we watched our friends have a blast. This time, we were prepared! The YM's daughter kindly let me borrow a body protector, as they wouldnt let me go down to the field without it.

Eventually, after 12 riders did the course, (with only one fall!) we were called over to the middle of the field, and on I hopped onto BONNIE!

Me and two other girls then trotted down the edge of the field till we got to the bottom and off we went :D

It was FAB! I didnt let Bonnie go as fast as she wanted too (wish I had :o) but we had a good canter, and as I came to walk her off the YM said I looked I was going to fall off I was smiling so much :D

Then walked the horses back up to the yard, and gave Bonnie a HUGE hug, and of course a banana, for being so good :)

All-in-all, not the best day, but not the worst my any measure.

I am going to have a talk with the YM tomorrow about the jumping. How long would it take to just put two or so jumps down to my kind of height, and let me pop over?!

Also bringing my shirt and tie, as apparently the photographer will be available to take any sort of pics we like, so hopefully will get a nice one of me and Bonnifer :D

TG xx
 
Glad you had a good day, mostly!

As for putting jumps up and down, really it's not that hard and I can't see why they have made so much fuss. If several of you each hold two ponies and the "spare" people nip off and put the jumps down it will be done in no time - even better if you all put the jumps down to start and everyone pops over them as a warm up, including you then when it's time to put the jumps up half the people can hold two ponies whilst the others put the jumps up.

I've regularly helped out with several hour long sessions in a row where there has been someone who needs to do the exercises but at a lower height and all the jumps have been lowered for them and then put back up for the next person in the ride. Sorry but they really are NOT trying to help you here.
 
Ahem, hangin' with me was 100% cool though!!!

Wish I could be there tomorrow to fight your corner :-( but fingers crossed anyway!!

xxxx
 
Good to hear you got your canter round the field - and on the bouncy bonnie.

Good luck with the jump putting down malarky. If I was around I'd be up there putting them down myself for you.

Have fun
:D
 
Thanks guys!

And I do think the are being a bit mean tbh, I will be having a talk tomorrow.

Ahh Horeshead it was the highlight of my day (and Welly's too...)! :D xx
 
See I don't think they ARE being cheeky, TG has not paid full price (I know she offered to pay more if she could jump), the RS may have very good reasons for not wanting TG to jump, none of us are qualified to say yay or nay as none of us have seen her jump, the RS on the otherhand has and I am sure they are not letting her jump just to spite her!

TG, as I said on the other post, keep progressing and there will be jumps aplenty in the future.
 
nativeponies said:
Have you come away with a positive, today TG?
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Yes, I have. I cantered bouncy Bonnie Coblet in the field and had a blast, and have also made some lovely friends :)

SirenaXVI said:
See I don't think they ARE being cheeky, TG has not paid full price (I know she offered to pay more if she could jump), the RS may have very good reasons for not wanting TG to jump, none of us are qualified to say yay or nay as none of us have seen her jump, the RS on the otherhand has and I am sure they are not letting her jump just to spite her!

TG, as I said on the other post, keep progressing and there will be jumps aplenty in the future.
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I know... Its just that, up until monday, I was told I would be able to do at least some jumping, just not the course, then on tuesday i asked what to wear for the SJ and was told I wasnt allowed to do it. Its not about the height even - Id take poles on the ground! - its just the fact that when I booked I thought I was doing all three phases, and its just gradually diminished as time's gone on.
 
Well done. Frustrating re. not knowing could have ridden this morning.

I understand that you have paid less for the week, due to the cross country and the jumping, but like many others, I cannot see how it can cause them such angst to put even one jump down for you to go over. The timings cannot be that tight or they'll never get finished in time anyway (I've never yet seen anything equine run to time... I am ready to be proven wrong ;)).

The thing is, even though you have paid less, you are helping...

Many moons ago I got all my riding via RS, but I worked a day, I got a lesson. We also took the ponies to and from the fields, etc. Whilst I appreciate it won't be allowed these days, not the way we did it anyway lol, the net effect is that we rode quite a lot. I am surprised by the RS these days that will willingly take the work, but not provide the reward. Stable management, etc., is good to learn(!) and one appreciates, but we were cleaning the tack/tack up ponies/etc. etc. etc. that the RS needed to run its business.
 
MrsMozart said:
Well done. Frustrating re. not knowing could have ridden this morning.

I understand that you have paid less for the week, due to the cross country and the jumping, but like many others, I cannot see how it can cause them such angst to put even one jump down for you to go over. The timings cannot be that tight or they'll never get finished in time anyway (I've never yet seen anything equine run to time... I am ready to be proven wrong ;)).

The thing is, even though you have paid less, you are helping...

Many moons ago I got all my riding via RS, but I worked a day, I got a lesson. We also took the ponies to and from the fields, etc. Whilst I appreciate it won't be allowed these days, not the way we did it anyway lol, the net effect is that we rode quite a lot. I am surprised by the RS these days that will willingly take the work, but not provide the reward. Stable management, etc., is good to learn(!) and one appreciates, but we were cleaning the tack/tack up ponies/etc. etc. etc. that the RS needed to run its business.
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Thanks :) It was so much fun! And it really was, I was like, "How on earth am I supposed to know?!"

And thats what im thinking, so words shall be had! (in a very polite way of course :))

I do work bloody hard, but I'm just thinking that, at the end of the day Im showing that I have the dedication and drive to do things properly. When I do a job, I dont do it by halves, especially around the horses. They cant muck out their own stables, so if a staff member asks me to skip out/out beds up etc I will do it well! Ive often been spotted tossing stuff up on the muck heap, and the same senior staff member always sees me and comments on how hard I work. She has to tell me to sit down and relax!
 
CalllyH said:
Mrs M stable management is good to learn but not when it just becomes taking the mick and free labour!
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I concur wholeheartedly!!

Some places say that they are 'teaching stable management' and that is as good as lessons... Well, it don't take most folks more than a few goes to learn how to muck out, tack up, clean tack, so anything after that is bonus to the RS.

I'd love it if someone came to me and, in exchange for riding for one half hour a week, muck out my lot and sweep the yard and clean all the tack and groom the horses and plait and trim and do whatever else... :cool:
 
CalllyH said:
Mrs M stable management is good to learn but not when it just becomes taking the mick and free labour!
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I dont view it like this, as I am 'rewarded' so to speak with lessons etc.

nativeponies said:
There you go...focus on the positives...and the channel your enthusiasm into righting the negatives...

you can do it.
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Aw thank you :)

I know my OP was a bit negative, but on the whole I did come out smiling!
 
I'm sure someone would put a little jump up for you!! It takes my YO less than a minute to rearrange jumps for me :)
But you have had so many positives out of this week already - you survived a very good dressage test (I read your other report!! :D) and you have cantered down a field - takes a lot of guts :)
Keep it up!!!
K x
 
MrsMozart said:
I concur wholeheartedly!!

Some places say that they are 'teaching stable management' and that is as good as lessons... Well, it don't take most folks more than a few goes to learn how to muck out, tack up, clean tack, so anything after that is bonus to the RS.

I'd love it if someone came to me and, in exchange for riding for one half hour a week, muck out my lot and sweep the yard and clean all the tack and groom the horses and plait and trim and do whatever else... :cool:
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I do pride myself on being one of their 'reliable people' i.e. They can tell me to do something and know that it will be done, and done well.

And its not ever just me, theres at least 3 helpers, mostly 6 or so, and occasionally 8. And then we have the work experience people, and the lovely vet students! One has even offered to be my a-level Biology tutor!
 
KellysHeroes said:
I'm sure someone would put a little jump up for you!! It takes my YO less than a minute to rearrange jumps for me :)
But you have had so many positives out of this week already - you survived a very good dressage test (I read your other report!! :D) and you have cantered down a field - takes a lot of guts :)
Keep it up!!!
K x
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It was SO fun, just wish Id really let Bonnie GO! And my dressage test was far from very good, but I survived and Dawi was laavely, even if canter was... iffy... ;)

nativeponies said:
i meant what i said in my PM earlier.

chin up, eh?
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I know, I can get a bit down in the dumps sometimes when it comes to my riding... Next year the reports will be different, with less 'Omfg.' and more 'I JUMPED that ditch! I did a decent dressage test! Yay!' :D
 
MrsMozart said:
I concur wholeheartedly!!

Some places say that they are 'teaching stable management' and that is as good as lessons... Well, it don't take most folks more than a few goes to learn how to muck out, tack up, clean tack, so anything after that is bonus to the RS.

I'd love it if someone came to me and, in exchange for riding for one half hour a week, muck out my lot and sweep the yard and clean all the tack and groom the horses and plait and trim and do whatever else... :cool:
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If you were nearer to me in notts id happily help out!:D
 
Im afraid I can only do running plaits and abysmal tail plaits, nothing else!

I tried to do Bonnie's mane nicely the other day... I dont think the plaits worked...
12-19-horse3.jpg
 
glad you had a good time in the field :) i o have to say though- it seems to me that you work very hard and the RS aren't exactly falling over themselves to help you? surely there would be somewhere else you could go where they might let you do a bit more??? sorry if this has all been said already but i think its a real shame- you are enthusiastic and want to learn - you remind me a lot of myself when i was younger! i was lucky to work at a few RS that maybe didn't have the best horses to learn to ride 'classically' on....but i had a right laugh!
 
There might be somewhere else, but there arent many in this area, and the ones there are arent fab at all... I do really love it at my yard, and miss it something terribly, even when Im away for only a few days!
 
I know... Its just that, up until monday, I was told I would be able to do at least some jumping, just not the course, then on tuesday i asked what to wear for the SJ and was told I wasnt allowed to do it. Its not about the height even - Id take poles on the ground! - its just the fact that when I booked I thought I was doing all three phases, and its just gradually diminished as time's gone on.
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It's this bit I really don't get.

If you were my pupil, I'd teach you the two point seat and to stand in your stirrups at all paces, on the lunge, til your balance was perfect. Might take a while, but then you have the 'safety seat' whereby all you do in cases of an abrupt stop is close your knees. It has worked with everyone I have taught so far. I'll ask if I can post some pics of the most scaredy cat child with no seat in canter (when she came to me after YEARS at at really good RS) riding our very sharp pony over fences, galloping on the beach and winning proper classes. In style. Anyone who knows me, will tell you I don't dish out compliments like that unless they are totally deserved.
 
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