September Solstice Weekend Thread?

[Ample Prosecco]

Is there one? I am excited because I have CAMP!! And one for me to go and have fun at, not to work at. Hurrah!

Somerford Camps are just the best ever. And this one is one we have run for years for friends. So it's basically a huge social with some ace riding in between. Work is doing my head in right now. I feel very burnt out. So I really need this.

What are others up to?

 

[SEL]

I'm taking baby cob showing. Last time we were the entertainment for the spectators and the judge kindly said to keep trying and bring him back when he's calmed down. I'm not sure we've got to 'calmed down' yet - he does find parties very exciting. But its all good experience even if the photos have me bright red pulling all kinds of faces as he boings about like tigger.

My biggest challenge before then is getting him clean. Yesterday's rain has created mud and he's had a great night rolling in it.

 

[tda]

Not competing, just training, hoping to get one of my mares out driving in the carriage, we did a little 3 miler last weekend and she was 98% just a couple of little things to work on.

 

[PSD]

I’d love to come to a somerford camp next year when I have upgraded my transport. I didn’t realise you ran them AE! Will keep a look out for some next year.

I’m off to North West Champs this Saturday to watch my boy do what he does best. I say watch because there is no way I’m running a welsh out in hand, only for the crazy folk that stuff

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Not competing but I am going to have my first proper hack on my baby horse.

I have previously ridden him around the yard with a safe sensible (turbo) shire and with a friend on the ground for moral support, on a 10min walk. I've walked him to the school and back and I've schooled him for 10 to 15mins including poles but this is my first proper hack on him. His trainer is coming with me on one of the many horses she is schooling. Equally terrified and excited, training wheels will be off for the first time.

She will take him on the route the day before to make it less exciting when he does it with me. He only started under saddle in Feb and I didn't think I'd ride him 'properly' until next summer (because baby horses need better riders than me for their education)

Then Sunday I'm off to a Suffolk owners club day to catch up with other owners and practice my plaiting skills.

 

[Nicnac]

Pleasure ride Sunday over private land that I don't get to ride across. 8 miles with cake at the end and carrots for the horses. Saturday day off as having hocks done tomorrow and I need to spend the day cleaning my pigsty house!

Weather looks favourable - have fun all.

 

[Chippers1]

Eland hunter trial championships for me on Saturday just aiming to have a fun day as there's 74 in the class!

Then packing as moving house on Monday

Have a good weekend everyone.

 

[blood_magik]

Packing the lorry as we have an early start tomorrow. Aiming to be at kelsall for 1.30 so we can chill for a bit before everything gets started

 

[RachelFerd]

hoping I might get to ride again this weekend - at least one horse, maybe two. Bloomin' things both going wrong at once!

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

I'm taking Little Madam show jumping. We're moving back up to 85cm after the success of a couple of weeks ago. I'm hoping she's just as enthusiastic as she was then. Closer venue this time as well, so I'm hoping for a civilised wake-up time.

 

[j1ffy]

Pootling about at home this weekend and packing for a camp next Wed-Fri - can’t wait!!

 

[dottylottie]

we’re showing this weekend, and lily has finally trotted up sound and been cleared to start some trot work! so the plan is both both tomorrow, show saturday, hack lily sunday and then clip the pair of them because it’s like a brown blizzard as soon as i touch them

 

[Kunoichi73]

Had a lesson this evening. Thought it was going to be a flat session but turned out to be jumping. I didn't die, so that was good and I actually enjoyed it as well. Worked on a small 2 fence dog leg. I've never done that before. Have another lesson on Sunday.

 

[Cortez]

I’m off to the Great Global Greyhound Walk with two of my sighthounds on Sunday, in Dublin for us, but there are 100’s all over the world on the same day. The puppy’s jacked a toe looning around the yard but hoping she’ll be sound by Sunday, if not I’ll just take the whippet and pray it doesn’t rain or I’ll have to carry her, wrapped in a silken blanket, probably.

 

[Accidental Eventer]

We are going for a hack with my coach tonight, looking forward to a nice ride out and a chat!

Tomorrow I have an Off the Track clinic, just having a jumping lesson. Sunday will either be flatwork or hacking, same as monday since it's a public holiday! Need to check on our bees too.

 

[blood_magik]

And we’re off…

 

[WBGG]

Going to take my friend's horse to the Cotswold fun ride on Sunday...very exciting. I actually fell off her jumping just this morning (100% my fault, she's a lovely mare) so hopefully I'll stay on this time!! Had to buy a new riding hat as well...(Charles Owen MIPS skull cap)

Have good weekends all!

 

[Bernster]

Ooh BM where are you off to? That’s a whopper of a lorry!

Well done on the champs qual chippers that’s great. Enjoy.

Ive got a test riding lesson off the yard tmrw. It’s on grass so I’m hoping it’s not slippy as we don’t have studs!

 

[blood_magik]

@Bernster were at the Senior Home Nations at Kelsall until Monday.

Cas travelled great and has settled into his stable nicely, although he was a bit wired going into the arena familiarisation last night (he’s normally super chilled to the point of being lazy ).

First test late afternoon so at least we have lots of time to chill and watch some of our team mates.

 

[Kunoichi73]

Your lorry is awesome!

 

[Chippers1]

Well we didn't have that much fun as we got eliminated! I'm pretty disappointed but that's horses for you, we all have off days. It's a shame as he was raring to go, even spinning in the start box, jumped the first two beautifully then the third was slightly different to normal and we had a disagreement on where to take off and he ended up skidding into it with me nearly coming off and after that I couldn't get him back concentrating so we had two more stops.

He really loses confidence quickly plus the ground being really boggy didn't help. Luckily there they let you continue so I hopped over some of the 50cms to finish.

Can't win them all!

 

[millitiger]

Cute baby pony LOVED his day at the show, he is so well behaved and just laps it all up.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

First hack on my 4 year old (he has hacked with his trainer) and he was perfect. Our buddy spooked, turned and ran at one point and he just flinched but didn't move. Buddy horse went to school and we walked back alone for the last 500 yards or so. As we turned towards the barn we saw two people dressed in inflatable rubber duck costumes practising a pas de deux while being recorded. He stared, I waited for them to finish and he walked past them too. Couldn't have asked for better.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

A tale of 2 lessons. Where’s that ‘safe place to make mistakes’ thread ….




Good news is Lottie is fine. Me slightly less so but nothing paracetamol, wine, tiger balm and a hot bath cant sort out.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Totally muppet riding by the way. Lottie was mega.

 

[TheHairyOne]

I actually did something exciting (for me) and went to a hedge jumping clinic. Horse was fantastic and we both had a great time!

 

[Caol Ila]

Double long rides today because tomorrow looks pants, so they are both getting the day off. Fin did a couple loops he's done many times, but pinned together into a longer one. Hermosa went on a whole new ride, for her, down to the West Highland Way and then into the Milngavie town centre. Some big questions, like a weird ford and a bridge and general weird town stuff, but she took everything in her stride beautifully and did not question our decisions at all. Between both rides, I spent about 5 hours in the saddle.

OH and I concluded that the sport of endurance would be far more tempting if there were beer stops in the middle. Why has no one thought of this? In both pics of the horses grazing, I'm holding a tinny. Because that's how we do all our longer rides.

 

[SEL]

Ouch AE - hope you're ok!

 

[Tracking_up]

Totally muppet riding by the way. Lottie was mega.

Ouch, that looked very painful -a proper 'face-plant', so hope you are feeling better.

 

[Bernster]

Oh AE I hope you’re ok. That photo is .

Chippers it’s fab that you qualified and, as they say, yesterday was a learning day then.

BM love the reports and you flying the flag in your lorry!

Dressage practice on grass went really well. Picked up a couple of really good tips - mostly about me relaxing and sitting into the saddle and magically (hah) Bertie responds and relaxes, and to think forward from the back end into the downward transitions from canter to trot and walk to halt. He coped brilliantly on the grass arena.

I had a little wobble in the morning as I hadn’t seen this trainer since camp (fell off, hurt myself pretty badly, haven’t jumped since) and she’s my usual jump trainer. Persuaded OH to come with me in case I needed the support but actually managed to use the logical front brain to talk to the irrational brain that was doing laps around my head and that seemed to work! Another good day to go into the confidence bank.