AandK
Well-Known Member
Seem to be failing at getting a decent pic of my boy, he either moves just as I take it or looks like a right dobbin ? he is very handsome in the flesh! This was the best I could do this morning…
Retraining ex-racers thread
- Thread starter TheMule
- Start date
Barton Bounty
Just simply loving life with Orbi 🥰
He is gorgeous
AandK
Well-Known Member
He is gorgeous
Thank you! He gets admired wherever we go, he is such a lovely chap.
Barton Bounty
Just simply loving life with Orbi 🥰
I dont think I have ever seen an ugly tb! They all have a certain look about them, I am biased
J_sarahd
Well-Known Member
We hit a milestone today that I just had to share with you!
So Nova has been on holiday for 2 and a half weeks as we got to a good stage in our work. I brought her back yesterday and thought it was best to long-line her first. The school was hectic (even though I’d booked it for private use but that’s another story!) and she was so well-behaved. Honestly, couldn’t have faulted her. Once everyone left, I long-lined her down a row of poles that had been left out. Wobbly, but an absolute angel. I got on her for the last 5 minutes to just walk around. Again, perfect. So I decided to walk down the line of poles under saddle. ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE! She was responsive to my leg to keep her straight and very willing.
Obviously poles under saddle aren’t going to be a regular thing at her age and perhaps I was a bit impatient/greedy to do it yesterday but I’m over the moon with her. Especially considering that until less than 3 months ago, she’d never even seen a pole and asking her to walk over one in hand took a good 10 minutes.
So Nova has been on holiday for 2 and a half weeks as we got to a good stage in our work. I brought her back yesterday and thought it was best to long-line her first. The school was hectic (even though I’d booked it for private use but that’s another story!) and she was so well-behaved. Honestly, couldn’t have faulted her. Once everyone left, I long-lined her down a row of poles that had been left out. Wobbly, but an absolute angel. I got on her for the last 5 minutes to just walk around. Again, perfect. So I decided to walk down the line of poles under saddle. ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE! She was responsive to my leg to keep her straight and very willing.
Obviously poles under saddle aren’t going to be a regular thing at her age and perhaps I was a bit impatient/greedy to do it yesterday but I’m over the moon with her. Especially considering that until less than 3 months ago, she’d never even seen a pole and asking her to walk over one in hand took a good 10 minutes.
RachelFerd
Well-Known Member
Well done @J_sarahd - I don't think doing a bit of light polework on a 3yo is at all over the top, especially if she is finding it easy.
Meanwhile, here's a video of my older chap 7 years further into the retraining process than yours (really it isn't retraining any more, it is just training...) enjoying his spin around Cornbury novice at the weekend.
He's such an easy horse these days to ride around a XC course - he comes back to me very quickly and easily, and naturally backs himself off his fences, so I can just put my leg on and ride forwards. No pulling and fighting required - and all in dressage legal tack, no extras!
Meanwhile, here's a video of my older chap 7 years further into the retraining process than yours (really it isn't retraining any more, it is just training...) enjoying his spin around Cornbury novice at the weekend.
He's such an easy horse these days to ride around a XC course - he comes back to me very quickly and easily, and naturally backs himself off his fences, so I can just put my leg on and ride forwards. No pulling and fighting required - and all in dressage legal tack, no extras!
Elf On A Shelf
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I dont think I have ever seen an ugly tb! They all have a certain look about them, I am biased
I have ? we had one come through the yard that looked like someone found the box of spare parts at the Christmas party and decided that a great drunken game would be to make a horse out of those parts ?
JS -a 3yo walking over poles is not too much by any stretch of the imagine! Little and often with youngsters keeps their minds busy and occupied. These horses like thinking! Giving them something to think about males them happy!
TheMule
Well-Known Member
You can’t beat a ginger TB!
TheMule
Well-Known Member
What a good girl! Love progress like this, sometimes it's the seemingly simple things that bring us most joy
TheMule
Well-Known Member
Eagle has been to a couple of gridwork sessions now and his technique is improving rapidly. Once we get the strength bedded in to back it up he will be a lovely fun jumper I think. I'm still trying to convince him that dressage outings are extremely dull. I think he might end up being more of an SJer 
LEC
Opinions are like bum holes, everyone has one.
Point to pointer …..Eagle has been to a couple of gridwork sessions now and his technique is improving rapidly. Once we get the strength bedded in to back it up he will be a lovely fun jumper I think. I'm still trying to convince him that dressage outings are extremely dull. I think he might end up being more of an SJer
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TheMule
Well-Known Member
J_sarahd
Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone, I feel much happier about doing little bits like poles occasionally with her now. I’m just worried about breaking her as I’ve had people at the yard basically saying I will if I do too much. She’s very happy doing poles and I think even more happy under saddle as she felt more confident. She’s very keen to do be doing stuff so I think it will keep her mind occupied.
Last night we had our first little canter out on a hack. It was very short and with a sensible friend. I was expecting fireworks as I’ve not cantered her since I tried her due to just strengthening her up and her canter in the school being very unbalanced. But she was so calm - we had a little excited bunny-hop, but it was basically just an exaggerated canter stride rather than anything unsettling. And then straight back to walking like a sensible girl.
Last night we had our first little canter out on a hack. It was very short and with a sensible friend. I was expecting fireworks as I’ve not cantered her since I tried her due to just strengthening her up and her canter in the school being very unbalanced. But she was so calm - we had a little excited bunny-hop, but it was basically just an exaggerated canter stride rather than anything unsettling. And then straight back to walking like a sensible girl.
Barton Bounty
Just simply loving life with Orbi 🥰
Those are the ones I love, the ugly ones and the lunatic ones!
My boys very handsome he is an exception ?
Barton Bounty
Just simply loving life with Orbi 🥰
Sounds like you are going in the right direction, and doing well too, just keep doing little bits!
spacefaer
Well-Known Member
I've just read this whole thread and despite being known on here for our 17.2++ RID hunters, I can now confess that my OH came back the other day with a little whim of an acquisition....
I will put a pic up shortly but safe to say, he is nothing like the IDs .... he's the tiniest, most exquisite little thing I think I've ever owned. His pasterns are the diameter of my wrists and my 7'3 rugs are somewhat voluminous. I've had to go shopping for rugs, boots and a saddle. But he is the most laidback, easy to do chap, who has been out round the lanes with another horse for company and has proved to be the perfect hack - he's never set foot on a road before.
He turns out by himself, eats grass and doesn't hoon around and I took him round the local farm ride where he stood and watched my friend jumps fences all round him.
Very very long time since I've owned a TB and never one who last ran 4 weeks ago!
I will put a pic up shortly but safe to say, he is nothing like the IDs .... he's the tiniest, most exquisite little thing I think I've ever owned. His pasterns are the diameter of my wrists and my 7'3 rugs are somewhat voluminous. I've had to go shopping for rugs, boots and a saddle. But he is the most laidback, easy to do chap, who has been out round the lanes with another horse for company and has proved to be the perfect hack - he's never set foot on a road before.
He turns out by himself, eats grass and doesn't hoon around and I took him round the local farm ride where he stood and watched my friend jumps fences all round him.
Very very long time since I've owned a TB and never one who last ran 4 weeks ago!
spacefaer
Well-Known Member
Barton Bounty
Just simply loving life with Orbi 🥰
Oh wow!!! He is gorgeous!!!
spacefaer
Well-Known Member
Oh wow!!! He is gorgeous!!!
Thank you - I'm biased obvs but I do think he's very cute!
He's only just 16hh with growing to do. He's technically 5 but was a May baby and only has the teeth of a rising 5 yr old even now.
Barton Bounty
Just simply loving life with Orbi 🥰
Mine ended up 16.1 which is just right ?
Squeak
Well-Known Member
He's lovely. You can't beat a nice tb, they're just the most lovely horses. I hope you have a lot of fun and enjoyment with your new boy.
humblepie
Well-Known Member
Spacefaer. He is very smart and love your stables aswell
spacefaer
Well-Known Member
@humblepie thanks - Sadly that's the trainer's yard in the background, not mine!
Barton Bounty
Just simply loving life with Orbi 🥰
Is this your first tb?
spacefaer
Well-Known Member
Nope. Just the first in a while. Most of the horses I evented were TB or near - they ranged from ones I backed myself to others who went (old) 3* so plenty of historic experience of the breed!
Had a couple who had raced previously - I think both ex hurdlers. One was chronically unsound physically, the other temperamentally!
Barton Bounty
Just simply loving life with Orbi 🥰
I just find them the kindest temperament ever! They try their hearts out and will give you their all, cant wait to see what you get up to!
We are just hackers ?
spacefaer
Well-Known Member
@Barton Bounty
Thanks. I'm going to do various things, just to see what he'd like to do. He seriously loved his xc schooling - he was trying to cut back to the fence to jump it again - so more jumping is on the cards.
He'll go out and see hounds soon too. I've been told he's either a large hack or a small riding horse, which is seriously not my wheelhouse but means he could do some RoR etc type showing too as he's a very straight mover.
See what he thinks he'd like to do really! He was acquired via a casual conversation and a spare stable so not something I'd planned for!
Thanks. I'm going to do various things, just to see what he'd like to do. He seriously loved his xc schooling - he was trying to cut back to the fence to jump it again - so more jumping is on the cards.
He'll go out and see hounds soon too. I've been told he's either a large hack or a small riding horse, which is seriously not my wheelhouse but means he could do some RoR etc type showing too as he's a very straight mover.
See what he thinks he'd like to do really! He was acquired via a casual conversation and a spare stable so not something I'd planned for!
humblepie
Well-Known Member
Mine came from a beautiful courtyard stables to a converted cow shed. Took him a while to get used to hacking on non perfectly manicured grass. Now wades through anything.
Elf On A Shelf
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He should have been a staying chaser with that pedigree! I love a Presenting! Not so keen on Flemensfirth's though. They've all been soft as melted butter ?
Elf On A Shelf
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BTW the RoR has had a bit of restructuring and there are new RDO's (Regional Development Officer's) to get to know. They are there to really get in touch with everyone with a TB and help in any way possible. As well as organising clinics, camps, social things etc. So check out your local RoR Facebook pages!