Second weekend in August plans.....

[mavandkaz]

A little disappointed with the outcome of my weekend plans.
Despite having an awesome lesson last week, Shambles wasn't quite right at his dressage. He warmed up well enough but when in the ring, he got very tight through his back, his lateral work was nowhere near as it normally is, he got a bit stuck in one of his piris, and kept changing legs in the canter. So I put my hand up and retired him. Vet has seen him and nerve blocked, thinks it's his hocks. So he's booked in for x-rays and steroids next week. Vet seemed pretty positive so hopefully I will be able to get him back up and running ?
Belle went to her fun ride on Sunday. It was much shorter then advertised (only 6.5miles) and not many opportunities for a proper canter, so came back feeling a bit 'meh'.
Have managed to have a good outing today. Hired a new to us venue which has a multi purpose field. 20x40 dressage arena, a course of show jumps, a small course of working hunter fences and some portable/arena xc fences. So we went and popped some jumps, including all of the xc fences. My confidence over solid fences is really growing thanks to turbo cob, and we finished over a set of tyres at about 85-90cm which I never would have jumped a few months ago.
Pic from a previous fun ride, just because she's such a cool little coblet ?

 

[ycbm]

It looks like some excellent weekends have been had!

Trying to work out what mine would make of rhinos! And RaRa the driving looks fabulous - congrats on the PB Dressage score!

We’ve had a wonky weekend. It was Side Saddle Nationals.

Bit of a mixed bag results wise, but had a fabulous time! We kicked off with a win in the Open Novice Dressage on 69.2%. Followed closely by me getting lost not once but twice in the Elementary ? Looks like I’m a bit rusty at the whole multiple tests in a day thing ?

Saturday was Equitation and after winning the Novice in 2019 we were up in the Intermediate. This is what we really wanted to do well in. And what all the preparation and polishing was in aid of. My boots were wrapped in shower caps, his socks were white and the Saddle flap was polished to within an inch of its life.

It didn't quite go to plan. We made some expensive mistakes (broke to canter in the Medium Trot and had a wonky final halt) in the Equitation Test which battered the heavily weighted submission collectives too.

And I noticed I find it really hard to sit as correctly as I need to whilst riding a dressage test. In a show class (which is how the equitation is judged the rest of the year) I can glue myself in, tuck in my elbows, hold my right shoulder back, keep my right toe down and keep everything looking serene. But all he needs to do is glide around doing basic transitions and maintaining the direction and pace unless otherwise notified and he’s well schooled enough that my input is minimal in such situations. Giving me plenty of time to think about me.

Unfortunately, when I’m concentrating on all the normal things one juggles whilst riding a dressage test, but trying to do it on the wonk and whilst looking effortlessly elegant I’m not quite succeeding in ticking all the boxes which was reflected in the scores. It’s one of those, way harder than it looks things. And the Intermediate Test, rightly, requires that much more of you than the Novice did.

And then we went in to jump. I’ll admit that 84cm has never looked so enormous (the jumps were airy and the arena very tight) and I knew I wasn’t sat on the most consistent jumper. I did regret entering the bigger section, but he has jumped 110 in the past and doesn’t always jump over small fences. But his prep outings were great and he warmed up very well.

As it was Solo was having one of those days that he just wasn’t feeling Jumping, so I put my hand up and retired him. They aren't machines and he doesn't always enjoy the jumping, today was one of those days. A shame, but lessons learnt.

We did manage to finish the weekend on a high. I am fortunate to have an incredibly talented Aunt who usually makes gorgeous TuTu's. When we started Side Saddle she started looking into Habits and asked if she could make me one. Of course I said yes and then gave her free rein to be as creative as she liked. The end result was stunning and we got to show it off on Saturday.

With some last minute help from some fellow competitors we got suited and booted, worked out where to attach our number and then waited for our section. Solo hasn't done an Evening Performance before, and certainly not with a billowing bright purple skirt. But he was flawless. Gave me the best ride of the weekend and loved the attention. It was made even better as we were pulled in first, against some other stunning horses and brilliant costumes.

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Very proud of him. But we have come away with lots of homework. And I definitely need to get back to Test riding on him regularly so I have less to think about ?

Wow, is that stylish, or what!
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[ycbm]

Schooling Ludo at home, which is just pure pleasure. He's got the idea of flying changes, just late behind most of the time at the moment, he's having trouble getting his brain and legs coordinated ?

Chewing the ends off my fingers before Deza's vetting on Monday. Keep your fingers crossed.
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On the theme of weekends not going to plan. Picked up my mare, who 2 weeks before had been vet checked as fully sound with "excellent" back mobility, from 9 days of trial where she had gone locally at my suggestion because of the special circumstances of the buyer, drove her to the vets for a sales vetting, where she was failed with a very sore back and a left hind flexion. To say I am angry is an understatement, but I've learnt my lesson. On the plus side, I'm pleased that I didn't have to return her to the "full livery" filthy, smelly, dark stable with almost no bed that I took her out of, with no food (against my specific instructions and having provided the food! ) and both dusty on top and greasy underneath the dirt, in spite of requesting she be clean when I picked her up.

Thankfully she is sound today, and since she was head nodding lame on Monday this was almost certainly an injury she picked up recently at the livery, but the loins of her back are still sore and that needs to be got right before I can sell her to one of the dozen other people asking to view her.

I'll never do a buyer a good turn ever again! Poor sweetheart, she is such a gentle creature, she did not deserve this, She called out when she saw me, it almost broke my heart
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[GinaGeo]

On the theme of weekends not going to plan. Picked up my mare, who 2 weeks before had been vet checked as fully sound with "excellent" back mobility, from 9 days of trial where she had gone locally at my suggestion because of the special circumstances of the buyer, drove her to the vets for a sales vetting, where she was failed with a very sore back and a left hind flexion. To say I am angry is an understatement, but I've learnt my lesson. On the plus side, I'm pleased that I didn't have to return her to the "full livery" filthy, smelly, dark stable with almost no bed that I took her out of, with no food (against my specific instructions and having provided the food! ) and both dusty on top and greasy underneath the dirt, in spite of requesting she be clean when I picked her up.

Thankfully she is sound today, and since she was head nodding lame on Monday this was clearly an injury she picked up recently at the livery, but the loins of her back are still sore and that needs to be got right before I can sell her to one of the dozen other people asking to view her.

I'll never do a buyer a good turn ever again! Poor sweetheart, she is such a gentle creature, she did not deserve this, She called out when she saw me, it almost broke my heart
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Aren’t some people just utterly awful.

Glad she’s out of that situation, back with you and is looking on the mend - poor girl is lucky to have you.

 

[Bernster]

That’s such a shame, hope things work out. Must be such a worry when you’re selling a horse you’re attached to, to try and make sure it goes to a good home. Saying that, I’m a bit surprised sellers don’t ask more about the home when I’ve been looking in the past - ime anyway.

 

[Bernster]

Weekend went ok for my two. Sponsored ride on Sunday around the stunning stratfield saye estate. Weather was glorious, warm and dry but not too hot. Ground was good so we had some fab canters. Both horses quite jolly to start, and the new boy (ridden by my friend who’s horse is a loon so she can’t normally do these) did find it all a bit exciting at first but kept a lid on it. Both settled after about 30 mins and we had a lovely day out.

 

[geeksur]

Tried the orbitless bridle attachment on the microcob this morning. One of the gardens by the arena had kindly put one of those bird scaring kite things up and given it was windy and she's not THAT bombproof I decided to try out the new bitless option in the field.

 

[geeksur]

Tried the orbitless bridle attachment on the microcob this morning. One of the gardens by the arena had kindly put one of those bird scaring kite things up and given it was windy and she's not THAT bombproof I decided to try out the new bitless option in the field.surveyzop

No Brakes At All.