Pictures Producing 5/6yr olds

Myka meets show jumps.... She had a session last week, mostly poles, x-poles. Then came in today a lot more positive. Green and overjuming to start with but then relaxed. And maintained a good frame of mond all the way through. So I hopped on at the end and popped a couple....

Feeling very pleased with her. Somerford has been a great experience for us both.

 
Well done!

Pony is really starting to get the idea of school.

Plan tomorrow is giant ginger having a canter, with rider. It has been a bit delayed with crappy weather but he is now feeling ready 🤞
 
Well we cantered 🎉
And we had no broncing 🎉
And we trotted after 1/2 a 30m circle of canter, had a pat and a sugar cube and got off 😂

So pleased with him and his attitude. Also need to be aware he is a giant, weak, horse and mentally needs a bit of cajoling along- he definitely does things because he likes me, rather than because I'm an amazing rider!

Small pony is still perfect and had a pole work clinic in an indoor school this weekend.
 
My Connie has now progressed to this thread and I am slowly working him out. He behaves like a prey animal. Like he thinks he is going to get jumped by a lion from behind. He is the only equine i have ever owned that prefers to be in a stable than outside with the herd. Very interesting. He seems to be bonding with me a lot more scince being in more. A million times more relaxed hacking if another horse is behind him. He is happy to lead, just doesnt want to be at the back bringing up the rear!
I am feeling a lot more sympathy for him. I wonder if he had a fright as a little youngster?
Also much happier in an indoor arena rather than outside exposed. He really needs his confidence building but I’m seeing hope now I understand his fears more and can work with him to give him that confidence. Bless him. I’ve worked with a lot of horses, never seen one so committed to being a prey animal before xx
 
Canter is definitely established in giant ginger and no airs above the ground at all.
We're still mainly hacking but the arena work is coming on slowly- 20 mins max with lots more transitions and he is becoming more forward of his own accord and then his neck and topline are relaxing.
Slowly, slowly...

Small pony is doing exceptionally well.
He went to a polework clinic today, first time in an indoor, first time seeing more than one pole in a row. He was green as grass to start but progressed lots just absorbing the session and his 'can do' attitude shone through.
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And giant ginger can now add solo hacking to his CV.
We went round the village this morning and he was a complete star.

Funny story... As we approached the area where the primary school is, I could hear children's laughter and talking so decided to take a different route and go past the village shop instead, to avoid playtime at the school with hordes of screaming kids.
As we turned into the lane with the shop, we were greeted with the sight of about 40 small children, all armed with clipboards, on an escorted adventure 🙈
Thankfully giant ginger was unperturbed and sauntered straight past them all, good boy!
 
Baby thoroughbred had his first outing of 2026 (other than a spin to the gallops on new year's day) to a combined training show at my favourite competition venue. He's been there before schooling and to do a working hunter but this was his first dressage test and his first 90cm show-jumping round. He's been a little fresh since his Christmas break and ended up having the three days before off due to me being tied up with other engagements/kids activities so it could have gone either way really 🤣
Luckily he was on his best behavior, did a nice text for 68%, with judge's comments being exactly what I expected (needs to be more into the contact and we need to work on his canter so he's less quarters in).
He warmed up beautifully for the show jumping, just got a little cocky when we got in the ring and decided he didn't need my input, he was jumping well though and only had one down so couldn't be happier with him 😊


 
Myka has been fine since coming home, Very on her toes and spooky the first the few rides. Then feeling more normal. I am still wary of 'firsts' so it's slow and steady progress. But no mishaps and some lovely work at times. I was looking forward to a Joe lesson yesterday but have been visiting my daughter in hospital so had to cancel and Myka has had some time off. Today I did some liberty to get the kinks out before hopefully riding tomorrow. My gorgoeus 'Year of The Fire Horse' girl.... Her mane looks like flame and the steam coming off her looks like smoke!

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Amaras winter break is now over . The sarcoids she’s had removed all seem to have healed well 🤞🤞. So her rider asked me to pop her on the lunge before she gets back on next week .
I expected broncing etc . But she was fab.
Sorry about the quality of photo it’s off the CCTV . I attempted to take a photo while lunging and dropped the blooming lunge line . Amara carried on trotting without a care in the world , and calmly trotted back to her stable 🙈
She’s only grown again as well . Not too impressed about that !
 

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Gi has had 2 weeks of schooling livery whilst I've gone back to uni for the start of semester 2, I'm picking her up on Sunday and she's joining me back at uni then.
She's been really good and started jumping some slightly bigger fences with them and working on flying changes and improving her knee technique.
I'm also planning on booking her in for our first dressage together in a few weeks once she's settled back in at uni, will probably just do the intro so she can see some white boards.

Little pic attached of her jumping the other day
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And she’s back under saddle . 3 months off and it’s as if she’s never had any time off . Just popped on and away , Super chilled on the hack . She’s just like her mum and grandma . They were both the same when coming back into work after a break .
 

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Pony is still smashing life.
He went to his second pole session, third trip out. He was positively full of it! Cantering around the box and whickering at me when I was getting the lorry ready, ears so pricked they nearly fell off.
He was a bit sharper when I got on at the venue but not a toe out of line, just forward and keen.
He was super at the poles. He has now seen raised poles which took him just 1 pole to understand, then feet were SNAPPED up!
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Giant ginger definitely catching up. He was meant to go to an RC clinic for his first outing this week but my work was manic so had to postpone.
Sometimes he can still be a little difficult in the contact, much better than the block of wood he was, but quite stiff through his neck and topline.
However today, for the first time, I really felt him connected between my leg and hand and it felt amazing.
He naturally has good balance and finds it easy to work correctly in his body, he can get a mental block though and just working on how to be relaxed over his topline when he connects as I think the power from his hindleg can overwhelm him a bit.
Hopefully get some photos and videos of him soon- looked back and realised I don't have any since before his wind op.
 
The overgrown baby thoroughbred had an outing to some arena eventing this weekend. Did a nice dressage test, with a bit of work needed on the consistency of the contact, right canter and free walk but scored a pretty generous 29 so pretty happy with that 😊
Jumping he was an absolute star, there were a few funny looking skinny brush type things, a corner and some bendy lines but he took it all in his stride ans pinged around like a pro. Kept off the top spot by my unfortunate navigational failings but a fab day out with delicious cheesy chips to finish it off 😋


 
Finally had someone to video giant ginger, I haven't seen what he's looked like since September!
Since then he's had 10 weeks off with his larynx infection and his wind op and then mainly hacked.
I've spent a lot of time getting him going freely forwards, as he was SO stuffy and stiff over his topline. Watching the video, I think I'm almost a little over tempo now 🙈 so really helpful to see that and know I can pull back a little from revving him up.
He does now go off a light leg and his frame isn't as long and stiff as it feels so that is really positive.
He also has the most comfy, uphill canter 💗 just working on getting the transition a bit quicker but it's a lovely smooth transition when it does happen.
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