Start of Advent weekend plans

[Wishfilly]

I don't really have any exciting plans, but saw no-one had started a thread, so thought I would.

It is very cold here tonight (dropping to about -4, and we are very far south so that is cold for us!). Lesson in the morning, hopefully late enough that the school will have thawed! Then a non-horsey yard social which is really nice!

This is the first time in the three years I've owned him that I've managed to have anything like consistent lessons with Blue (bad owner, I know) and it is really great to have eyes on the ground, someone to encourage me to just persevere and ask that little bit more, and to give me different things to try. Last week we managed to get a really nice, soft trot that really felt like the beginning of collection! I believe the plan this week is to bring in some more canter work, now the walk and the trot have really started to improve.

Hope people have a good weekend even if it's too icy to do much!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Hope your lesson goes well!

No plans for me this weekend. I've paused my RDA volunteering and am thinking about doing the same for riding lessons over the winter, to help me manage fatigue. I think it's having an impact on my confidence as well and I just don't see the point in flogging on not enjoying it or making any progress. If I get a better energy week I'll pop in to the more local RS but the schoolmaster one is nearly an hour drive away and the whole thing is too much just now.

I do have my first simulator lesson in the week though which I'm really looking forward to. I might do some more of these over the winter too so I can keep working on my riding without worrying too much about the confidence bit.

 

[humblepie]

If Newbury is on, then be watching the racing tomorrow pm. Rode my horse briefly today - just at walk as coming back off a holiday. Think be too frozen to do anything tomorrow.

 

[Wishfilly]

Hope your lesson goes well!

No plans for me this weekend. I've paused my RDA volunteering and am thinking about doing the same for riding lessons over the winter, to help me manage fatigue. I think it's having an impact on my confidence as well and I just don't see the point in flogging on not enjoying it or making any progress. If I get a better energy week I'll pop in to the more local RS but the schoolmaster one is nearly an hour drive away and the whole thing is too much just now.

I do have my first simulator lesson in the week though which I'm really looking forward to. I might do some more of these over the winter too so I can keep working on my riding without worrying too much about the confidence bit.

This is the first week they've been in overnight, so I'm expecting possibly a bit of overexcitement, but I'm sure we'll get something positive out of it!

I've never had a simulator lesson, but it's something that I'd love to try- I'd be interested to hear what it's like. I've got a dodgy shoulder, and I think we've established it does impact Blue's way of going, but it would be good to know how crooked I actually am on a horse, or if my rain pressure is uneven etc.

Winter fatigue is definitely a thing! We didn't do much at all last summer as I was moving house and just too stressed to ride well, so trying to keep things going over the winter this year, which I'm not very good at!

 

[millitiger]

Not too much horsey for us this weekend.

We had a great jump lesson in the week, I was really pleased with the videos which doesn't happen very often!

Then we have BD next Tuesday, assuming it doesn't cancel with frozen arenas.
Reading through Elem 57, blimey it's all go in this one!

 

[Bernster]

Getting into the Xmas spirit with a visit to family for an early Xmas weekend of presents, games and turkey dinner. No horsing for a while as Dec is a bit busy so they’ll get a little break.

I did have an awesome time last week taking Finn out hunting for the first time in 2 years. He had time off and rehab from surgery (melanoma) last year, which was pretty traumatic for us both. wasn’t sure he’d make it, let alone come back to work, so to be out doing what we love (and what he’s brilliant at) was very special. That’ll keep me going for a while!

Oh, and I also did a confidence mindset workshop in the week, to assess where I‘m at mentally with jumping Bertie since a fall in the spring. Very interesting session, with some really unexpected moments. I now have a plan which I’ll work on with my instructor at home.

 

[Wishfilly]

Sounds like people have been having positive weeks!

My lesson was really good, but feeling pretty ropey now!

 

[SEL]

I've got some kind of flu / cold bug so could do without sub zero temperatures. Hacked this morning with a friend and I swear it got colder & foggier as we rode. My toes are MIA and the pony came home with frosty ears and an icicle on her tache

E-riders results out today and Babycob placed again in both his Intro tests. So 1) I need to be less critical of myself and 2) I need to work on canter so we can crack on with prelim. We're a bit more "charging into battle" than dressage horse at the moment. We also had an icky left canter strike off earlier in the year and it took a while to sort that - so obviously now we can only do left canter and he has no idea how to make his legs work in right canter.

Supposed to be at a polework clinic tomorrow. It's indoors but I'm sneakily hoping for a cancellation. I'm wheezing like a chain smoker, pony hasn't done anything all week and I didn't feel well enough to clip. How many weeks until Spring????

 

[Kunoichi73]

Had my lesson tomorrow cancelled because the outdoor school is too frozen.

 

[Wishfilly]

I've got some kind of flu / cold bug so could do without sub zero temperatures. Hacked this morning with a friend and I swear it got colder & foggier as we rode. My toes are MIA and the pony came home with frosty ears and an icicle on her tache

E-riders results out today and Babycob placed again in both his Intro tests. So 1) I need to be less critical of myself and 2) I need to work on canter so we can crack on with prelim. We're a bit more "charging into battle" than dressage horse at the moment. We also had an icky left canter strike off earlier in the year and it took a while to sort that - so obviously now we can only do left canter and he has no idea how to make his legs work in right canter.

Supposed to be at a polework clinic tomorrow. It's indoors but I'm sneakily hoping for a cancellation. I'm wheezing like a chain smoker, pony hasn't done anything all week and I didn't feel well enough to clip. How many weeks until Spring????

Congrats on the placings!

I also have a bit of a chesty thing which was definitely worse after being out in the cold this morning.

Please can it be spring?

 

[SEL]

Congrats on the placings!

I also have a bit of a chesty thing which was definitely worse after being out in the cold this morning.

Please can it be spring?

Thank you. I'm a bit surprised actually - I was underwhelmed watching my own videos!!

 

[southerncomfort]

Nothing. We have snow.

 

[TheMule]

I actually took Nova somewhere! He has been and done 3 lessons with my regular trainer just working on basics, then I did arena hire to have a jump last weekend so today I braved the weather and went for an SJ lesson over a bit more of a course. Nova hasn’t jumped a course since June due to various ailments, so I was so pleased that our homework is paying off and he felt super. No big jumps yet, he has a lot more strengthening up to do, but this makes me very excited for next year

 

[Squeak]

The weather looks set to have beaten my weekend plans, I was trying to stay hopeful for show jumping tomorrow but it's just started tipping it down with snow so I think I can probably give up on that at this point

Envious of all those who have managed to get out and about this weekend but hope everyone else has managed to stay snuggled up in front of a fire.

 

[j1ffy]

Nova looks amazing @TheMule!

Chilli and I went to my trainer’s for lessons on Friday and Saturday. It was bitterly cold but thankfully the heating in my little lorry worked well!!

We had what felt like a breakthrough on our right canter strike-off problem, and I had a lot of little lightbulb moments about how to ride him. He’s far more sensitive than anything else I’ve sat on and some ‘standard’ ways of doing things make him very tense. He’s teaching me a lot of subtlety and will certainly teach me how to ride with my seat above anything else! He feels amazing when we’re in tune, I suspect it will take a long time for me to learn enough to ride him consistently well but it’s been a fascinating journey so far.

 

[SEL]

Those jumps look plenty big enough to me Mule!

Did polework clinic. Thankful it was indoors because it's torrential here. Pony behaved beautifully despite having to work in ride order (that's a new one for him). Was not expecting a photographer there or I might have made more of an attempt to clean him up!! White legs & mud aren't a great combo right now.

 

[MuddyMonster]

Saturday's ride called off due to frozen ground and freezing fog so had a city day of Christmas markets, shopping, daytime drinking and chocolate fondue for lunch. Can't say I missed not feeling my toes for the day

Sunday it warmed up and rained so we ventured out for a few hours hacking with a mince pie and hot chocolate stop. Pony approved on all fronts!

 

[Pippity]

Unfortunately I'm still flat on my back in hospital, but have now been transferred to a specialist spinal unit. There are hopes that I'll get a new back brace in the next few days that MIGHT be enough to get me back on my feet and avoid surgery. I'd really appreciate the HHO fingers being crossed on that one!

 

[MuddyMonster]

Unfortunately I'm still flat on my back in hospital, but have now been transferred to a specialist spinal unit. There are hopes that I'll get a new back brace in the next few days that MIGHT be enough to get me back on my feet and avoid surgery. I'd really appreciate the HHO fingers being crossed on that one!

Will be keeping everything firmly crossed for you X

 

[Squeak]

Crossing everything for you Pippity.

 

[Alibear]

Fingers firmly crossed for Pippity.

I took Amber over for a lesson at Sovereign on Saturday. Nothing mind-blowing but useful work and I got some helpful homework to try and improve on a few sticking points. I'm very glad my youngest son came with us as it was quite the drive in the freezing fog.

 

[SEL]

Unfortunately I'm still flat on my back in hospital, but have now been transferred to a specialist spinal unit. There are hopes that I'll get a new back brace in the next few days that MIGHT be enough to get me back on my feet and avoid surgery. I'd really appreciate the HHO fingers being crossed on that one!

what a nightmare for you.

You must be totally fed up of it all at the moment. Will keep everything crossed they can find a back brace for you. Would surgery be pinning you back together with metal bits?

 

[Nicnac]

Sorry to read that @Pippity
@TheMule Those jumps are huge!

Got back from Iceland late Thursday night to find the UK even more frozen than Iceland! (highly recommend as a wonderful place to visit). Friday morning pre work lesson was in walk as school frozen bar the outside track but we achieved half pass in walk on both reins so chuffed.

SJ indoor clinic Saturday morning and think it would have been warmer outside and dressage yesterday where we won the Team Quest so fingers firmly crossed we'll make it into the top 10 of the Winter league despite only starting in late October.

Now back at work and need a holiday to recover from my holiday and weekend.

Bar Pippity, those with frozen ground and winter lurgy there lots of positive reports around

 

[Wishfilly]

Unfortunately I'm still flat on my back in hospital, but have now been transferred to a specialist spinal unit. There are hopes that I'll get a new back brace in the next few days that MIGHT be enough to get me back on my feet and avoid surgery. I'd really appreciate the HHO fingers being crossed on that one!

Sending healing vibes your way, I really hope things improve for you soon!

 

[Bernster]

Pippity, so sorry that you’re going through this right now. Really hope you recover soon and that you’re not too uncomfortable!

 

[SEL]

I know it's last weekend's thread but I'm not going to start a midweek one.

Day off. Ponies need hacking but it's now 2:30pm and the fog hasn't lifted. Sensible microcob did an out and back but Babycob has had to school in field / lake / bog. I am cold.

Pippity I hope you're getting better news by now. I keep thinking of you because I'm so very well aware that your accident could happen to any of us xx

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Popping back to the thread to say 1) @Pippity I am so sorry to hear about the situation with you and your horse, and that I'm really wishing you well for your recovery and 2) for @Wishfilly I had my simulator lesson yesterday - it wasn't very technical (I think some places have really high tech versions that tell you all sorts) but we did a couple of Franklin ball exercises/stretches which were very ouchy initially but then felt great! Interesting to see how much difference they made to position and stability in the saddle, and I liked being able to just focus on myself for a bit.