Pictures Producing 5/6yr olds

@Asha it sounds like we're at a similar stage!

Giant ginger is still working on canter depart, getting the right leg and the right speed at the right time is very, very hard.
I think he'll be better when the ground dries up a bit and we can do more canter in the field and out hacking.

Pony is doing a super job and his canter transitions today were DELIGHTFUL 🙂 So smooth and on the aid, it felt amazing.
Just need a bit more repetition so they are still reliable in new places and show atmospheres.

Giant ginger is also now in his second saddle. He doesn't feel wide to ride at all, however his M/W saddle was definitely getting tight! I wonder if we might need an XW before the year is out.
 
Canter is tough for the big ones for sure . I’m looking forward to getting her out to some farm rides . That’s going to help
 
We took Amara to the gallops last year , took a buddy to give her a lead . It worked , I’m not sure she would have understood without someone to follow
 
Giant ginger had another party to attend today, third outing and third different place.

He was a little excited about the horsebox etc.
It's hard because he can't have hay when travelling due to his wind op, I'm a bit worried about his tummy so think I'm going to get him some Protexin Quick Fix to try.
He settled as soon as we arrived, was a dream to tack up etc and walk around before getting on.

It's a working farm so there were sheep and cows and flappy bales, quads and sheepdogs etc but he was great. VERY cute, he neighed in reply to the lambs in the barn 💗

Working on teaching the half halt, getting him to think about rocking back a little on his bum. Thankfully he finds it easy however I got a comment I have had many, many, times before - that I am too easily pleased with my horses and don't ask enough 🙈 When I do ask for more, he offers it straight away, I'm just rubbish at asking 🙅‍♀️ Does anyone else have this issue??

Anyway, he was a superstar and did great work. Don't want to brag but we also got the right canter lead on SIX transitions in a row, it's getting pretty serious now 😂

Ignore my outfit, it was baltic!
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millitiger said:
Giant ginger had another party to attend today, third outing and third different place.

He was a little excited about the horsebox etc.
It's hard because he can't have hay when travelling due to his wind op, I'm a bit worried about his tummy so think I'm going to get him some Protexin Quick Fix to try.
He settled as soon as we arrived, was a dream to tack up etc and walk around before getting on.

It's a working farm so there were sheep and cows and flappy bales, quads and sheepdogs etc but he was great. VERY cute, he neighed in reply to the lambs in the barn 💗

Working on teaching the half halt, getting him to think about rocking back a little on his bum. Thankfully he finds it easy however I got a comment I have had many, many, times before - that I am too easily pleased with my horses and don't ask enough 🙈 When I do ask for more, he offers it straight away, I'm just rubbish at asking 🙅‍♀️ Does anyone else have this issue??

Anyway, he was a superstar and did great work. Don't want to brag but we also got the right canter lead on SIX transitions in a row, it's getting pretty serious now 😂

Ignore my outfit, it was baltic!
View attachment 173769
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Nice pic

Ive got some trousers like that, i chopped em off short because of the mud
 
Nocturnal said:
Recently I bribed my rising 6yo to trot. This is not what I imagined when I bought him 😭😂 I thought we’d be out eventing this season. Aaaah horses…
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It is one hell of a journey from my pair of rising 3 to rising 5 yr olds that has certainly taught me a hell of a lot! Not sure I would have the patience to do it again. I have a renewed enthusiasm for the older horses now! 😆
 
Giant ginger is just fabulous. We had a lovely hack yesterday and then schooled today and he is really starting to feel like he understands more how to sit and push a little. I'm asking with quite big half halts and then powering up and it just feels very easy.
Left canter has been a work in progress for a while. Firstly the transition itself was always very sluggy and then inevitably, with me flapping around, he would pick up the wrong lead.
Now with a bit more hock engagement, the transition is a bit quicker and then the correct lead is easier.

Following brave @Ambers Echo, I thought I'd add a video, mainly as I like looking back at our progress.
Anyone who wants to be rude can stick it. Anyone who wants to offer constructive feedback is fine. I am aware of my current lovely chair seat! 🙈
Anyone who wants to share the love of giant ginger is more than welcome 😂

 
He looks lovely and comfy.
He looks quite well balanced as well

I struggled to get a young large horse to canter in his first year a few years ago and was told it’s easier from Walk. It did seem to work quite well.
 
Zero criticism from me! Lovely quiet hands, lovely still lower leg. Trot looks fab and forward and a very smooth transition to canter. No flapping about at all. Far better than my efforts! :D

Maybe I'll brave showing you all a jump at home. Felt like a big milestone and Myka looks fine, but I definitely bounce and flap....
 
millitiger said:
Giant ginger is just fabulous. We had a lovely hack yesterday and then schooled today and he is really starting to feel like he understands more how to sit and push a little. I'm asking with quite big half halts and then powering up and it just feels very easy.
Left canter has been a work in progress for a while. Firstly the transition itself was always very sluggy and then inevitably, with me flapping around, he would pick up the wrong lead.
Now with a bit more hock engagement, the transition is a bit quicker and then the correct lead is easier.

Following brave @Ambers Echo, I thought I'd add a video, mainly as I like looking back at our progress.
Anyone who wants to be rude can stick it. Anyone who wants to offer constructive feedback is fine. I am aware of my current lovely chair seat! 🙈
Anyone who wants to share the love of giant ginger is more than welcome 😂

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Oh what a handsome ginger lad - and you ride him so softly and well too x
 
Thanks guys, in so proud of him.
He is very comfortable, especially canter, although I don't fancy sitting that trot just yet!
He has lovely natural balance, I'm pleased it's showing now as it's taken some time to get him confident to take me forwards and loosen his back up a bit.

I definitely need to work on the chair seat I have developed and keeping my hands still as a pair, as sometimes it looks like I'm knitting which must be very distracting for him 🙈

@Ambers Echo please post your jumping video. Hopefully this thread can be a safe place we can all share our progress and works in progress 😁
I am hoping to install take off in both kids this weekend if all goes well.
 
Well this is her canter from about 10 days ago. Just working on being able to get the transition reliably in different parts of the arena as at the moment I build up the trot till I feel her ready and then ask. Whereas I need to be able to say 'now' at any time and have a response. I am sort of in light seat at points to try and take the pressure off as I just ask her to travel.


The jump video is really quite bad. Urgh it's frustrating. It looks like I am pulling but actually I am not - it's just my hands are bouncing because I can't keep them still unlesss I bridge my reins, press my hands into her withers, slip fingers under a neck strap - anything that allows me to focus on KEEPING THEM STILL! But she is so wibbly wobbly that I was focusing on steering and keeping her straightish and forgot about my hands.

But as you say this is meant to be a work-in-progress thread, not a 'my-olympic-debut' thread. So hopefully it's safe to post. And I feel pleased that she is willing to a fence and jumps neatly. This was my first 'jump' at home with nmo instructor which I find much harder than jumping with eyes on the ground. Tiny but she gives it pleny of room and I am sure the scope will be there once we have balance and steering.


The 5/6 year old thread covers such a range of experience! From those just getting going to those already out eventing! So I need to keep reminding myself that she's not yet 5 in real money and I am taking it very slowly with her too. And not to compare her to other horses on the thread. Or compare myself to other riders. I'm happy with her progress. And I can't ride better than I can ride. I wish I could!
 
I think she looks great AE, main thing is happy with ears pricked and there's the start of a nice shape over the second fence.

Comparison is hard!
I find it somewhat useful, mainly to ensure we are making progress. However I find comparison to ourselves is better- I can't believe Thomas' improvement from last month and even from our lesson at the weekend!
I was talking to someone just this morning about competing and how some pros already have 4yros out doing BD Novice and BS Novice and Discovery.
Realistically 90% of those horses aren't even 4 yet and they're more advanced than my 5yros. That sort of comparison isn't useful, firstly as I'm not as good as a pro and secondly my livelihood doesn't depend on showcasing or selling my horses.
I love pottering along with them at home and appreciating the tiny improvements and wins we have.

So long story short, celebrate your jump at home!
 
That wasn’t too bad AE!
Some unasked for but hopefully useful advice, one it took me quite a while to really ‘feel’ and get - that good elastic contact comes from the elbows. You need your thumbs consistently on top and you need more elbow bend and the elasticity comes from the elbow
 
Constructive advice is always welcome and yes that does make sense. I had a series of lessons with Brian at Talland last year and he kept saying "imagine you are drawing a bow back" which was very helpful. My hands are the bane of my ridden life! Especially the right one. Even when I am just wallking around or running it will automatically tighten into a fist and grip thin air for no reason. It's very odd!
 
Ambers Echo said:
Constructive advice is always welcome and yes that does make sense. I had a series of lessons with Brian at Talland last year and he kept saying "imagine you are drawing a bow back" which was very helpful. My hands are the bane of my ridden life! Especially the right one. Even when I am just wallking around or running it will automatically tighten into a fist and grip thin air for no reason. It's very odd!
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That’s a great analogy, one I’m going to bank!
 
Shout out to Myka today who was amazing out hacking even though she was faced with a LOT of quite scary stuff - 4 motorbikes, a refrigerated lorry, a fuel tanker, a flat bed truck with loads of stuff in and a Land Rover pulling a wood trailer!!!

Very proud of her. Yard groom has started hacking her as Im going on holiday and want her to keep ticking over.
 
Nocturnal said:
Recently I bribed my rising 6yo to trot. This is not what I imagined when I bought him 😭😂 I thought we’d be out eventing this season. Aaaah horses…
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This made me laugh.. but still it’s an achievement! I feel similar to you. I bought a barely handled, very nervous 4yo in October last year from the breeder, she’s 5 in a couple of months. I’ve been slowly showing her the world and gradually backing her, she would shake at the noise of the motorway from half a mile away and freak out in the stable..

In the last 3 weeks we’ve done our first hack around the village and our first ridden trot out hacking.. she now walks alongside the motorway (our hacking is lovely but has a motorway right up the middle of it) without much a bother and regularly crosses the motorway bridge.

She will now stable happily and regularly see her led down.

It’s been a challenge.. but it’s so so rewarding.

Its lovely to read how everyone is doing.. they all progress at different stages, that’s what I’m telling myself!
 
Hormonal Filly said:
This made me laugh.. but still it’s an achievement! I feel similar to you. I bought a barely handled, very nervous 4yo in October last year from the breeder, she’s 5 in a couple of months. I’ve been slowly showing her the world and gradually backing her, she would shake at the noise of the motorway from half a mile away and freak out in the stable..

In the last 3 weeks we’ve done our first hack around the village and our first ridden trot out hacking.. she now walks alongside the motorway (our hacking is lovely but has a motorway right up the middle of it) without much a bother and regularly crosses the motorway bridge.

She will now stable happily and regularly see her led down.

It’s been a challenge.. but it’s so so rewarding.

Its lovely to read how everyone is doing.. they all progress at different stages, that’s what I’m telling myself!
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Congrats, it is so rewarding when all the hard work starts to pay off and things come together ☺️
 
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