Storm Goretti Weekend Plan

[Ambers Echo]

Anyone braving the ice and cold to get out?

I am very lucky that Myka is still at Somerford as they keep everything going if at all possible. The arenas are wax surface and are harrowed. Even the whole farm ride was levelled early this morning so although it was hard, it was smooth for a walk/trot ride. Lovely weather. Sun on frosty branches. Ducks waddling about on frozen ponds. And Myka was very well behaved.

She is leaving on Monday sadly. I will use the tech arena again before I go.

 

[SEL]

I was due to go on a 3 hour escorted ride tomorrow but it's had to be postponed as we're still icy on a lot of tracks. Quietly relieved because I hate driving on icy roads and I would have had a very fresh horse.

I did manage to take the hooligan on a very short hack today without any acrobatics but no idea if the weather gods will play ball tomorrow.

Is Myka going back to the yard you used to keep her on?

 

[Ambers Echo]

Yes nearer home and where Mylo is. She’s going back in with her old herd mates - including Lottie. I’m sure she’ll be happy to be home.

 

[Britestar]

Still sheet ice everywhere. Can't even ride at home.

 

[maya2008]

Frozen solid in Wilts.

We managed a walk/trot for those most desperate along the track by the field - long grass was soft enough, shorter was frozen solid. The most sensible ones went for a very careful road hack. That mostly went well but had a couple of places where the whole road was covered in black ice and we had to walk on the verge. I got good at spotting it and hopping off to go first to check the ground!

 

[Squeak]

Everything's too frozen to ride here unfortunately and not worth the risk of boxing out. Hoping the weather forecast is right and that we can all be out on Monday again.

Impressed that Somerford has managed to keep things going as well as they have. Hope you enjoy having Myka back home again. Will you plan to take her back to Somerford in the future?

 

[Kunoichi73]

I was supposed to be jousting on Sunday and Monday. Sunday is cancelled. Don't know about Monday yet. I'm hoping it's on or I've wasted 2 nights in an Airbnb.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Will you plan to take her back to Somerford in the future?

I run about 8 camps a year at Somerford with 2 friends. We bring our horses if there’s space so yes she knows it well! We don’t join the client lessons but there’s always time for a pootle. My usual XC trainer also does regular clinics there on both tech arena and 80 acres. She’s not ready for that but by Spring I’m hoping to start going to those again.

 

[smolmaus]

Went for a walk and a hand graze yesterday. Not because of ice but because I've hurt my back. We have a yellow warning for rain now apparently so will just see what we can manage today!

 

[Cloball]

Walk and trot lesson yesterday as the arena was a little firm but defrosted quickly during the lesson as the sun was lush. D hasn't been out in a week so she was cheeky and fresh but fun. She's particularly itchy under her mane so keeps lining up so I can scratch her at the most inopportune moments

Wet today so might try a hack

 

[Ambers Echo]

Final pro schooling session for Myka on the tech arena. 2 new horses arrived in the barn yesterday evening and all the horses were heightened this morning. Myka was alert and active as I groomed and quite spooky as I hacked down. Every slammed car door, every honk from a duck threatened to be the 13th rabbit! But she held it together and once we were down there the pro got on and quickly got her forward (‘yes please’ she said. Pros comment was ‘blimey we are off to the races’!) And gave her a job to do - Ie jump. She came out much more bold today and he said he loved the feel she was giving him. More balanced, more confident. It’s a bit of a clash of cultures I think as I’m fairly sure Joe would have wanted her mind with him more before upping the pace, whereas the pro directed the adrenaline forward while giving her a job to focus on. But it got to the same place - a calm listening horse. Something to mull over. Weather was horrific - wet and windy. She’s been in a couple of days because of ice. So she was on her toes but the pro said he’d wonder what was wrong with a fit athletic young horse if they didn’t come out a bit full of themselves on a day like today. I’ve got a lesson with Joe on Tuesday. He’s always up for a discussion so I’ll talk to him.

 

[SEL]

She's clearing those with plenty of air AE - all the talent. I very much had to take your Pro's view when the hooligan was young of "well just go forward then". I tried the calm, quiet, engage the brain kind of work and for him it just didn't work. It was a couple of clinicians I use regularly who just told me to get him trotting and that keeping him forward would get his head in the game. It worked but I had to find my brave pants!!

 

[TheHairyOne]

I had a super lesson on my young horse yesterday and this year he has kept his halo on which is nice. Working on baby lateral work and the delucate balance of him using himself but not loosing balance and rushing.

Only do half an hour as he isnt very fit, but super improvement in it.

With harder 'work' he is becoming much nicer to be around on the ground, which is where all the issues I have had have mostly been.

He is very sweet unless you are asking him to do stuff he doesnt understand, or doesnt fancy doing and a bit of a clown!

 

[j1ffy]

We had lessons at my trainer’s on Friday and Saturday - after a week of walk work and lunging it was heaven to have an indoor school! I was worried Sammy would be stiff after his quiet week but he felt fantastic - as soon as I asked for trot he floated along. Not bad for a rising 19yo!

I’d say they were the best lessons we’ve had. Hopefully that bodes well for Friday as we have our AM Area Festival. I’ll be on my own and my biggest worry is remembering to drop my whip before we go in!

 

[smolmaus]

2/3 people who rode at our place today fell off so I'm happy with my choice to do nothing was expecting rain but the wind has come from NOWHERE. My back feels better though so hopefully back in action this week. Had a good chat with our lovely vet last night, mostly social, but did get a talking to about consistency

We had lessons at my trainer’s on Friday and Saturday - after a week of walk work and lunging it was heaven to have an indoor school! I was worried Sammy would be stiff after his quiet week but he felt fantastic - as soon as I asked for trot he floated along. Not bad for a rising 19yo!

I’d say they were the best lessons we’ve had. Hopefully that bodes well for Friday as we have our AM Area Festival. I’ll be on my own and my biggest worry is remembering to drop my whip before we go in!

So exciting! Good luck! Look forward to the report!

You need a local Me, I love coming to shows just to hold the horse and take the whip and film!

 

[j1ffy]

2/3 people who rode at our place today fell off so I'm happy with my choice to do nothing was expecting rain but the wind has come from NOWHERE. My back feels better though so hopefully back in action this week. Had a good chat with our lovely vet last night, mostly social, but did get a talking to about consistency

So exciting! Good luck! Look forward to the report!

You need a local Me, I love coming to shows just to hold the horse and take the whip and film!

Lol - I would guess a flight over for a trip to Addington would be too much to ask
I hope your back is 100% again soon!!

 

[Boulty]

Took the baby pony out to a TREC clinic for his first outing yesterday.

He thought the car park was a bit rubbish due to limited snacking opportunities / my reluctance to let him climb on the beautifully maintained grass verges

He liked that the arena surface was nice and soft for rolling on (but think it could have been improved further by being made edible), enjoyed looking at himself in the mirror and was fascinated both by the “ shelf” created by the top of the arena wall and by the arena letters (arena belongs to local RDA so they all had pictures on). Also thought the mounting block was fascinating and dragged me over to have a look.

There was a lot less digging to Australia due to boredom of standing than I expected. He mainly wanted to sniff, bite and play with the obstacles and thought having to navigate them in a proper way was mostly a bit of an inconvenience to his explorations. Did grab and remove one of the pool noodles he was supposed to be shoving through as he thought the gap had become a bit too narrow and this was his answer for how to widen it. He was also perplexed by how many treats magically manifested on the tarpaulin for the horses who were afraid of it whereas he was only receiving one tiny meadow nut at a time for most things interspersed with larger treats when he was genuinely unsure about something… he seemed to think this was discrimination against horses who aren’t scared of stuff!

He mostly played nice with the lorry (occasional pawing but nowhere near as much as when I brought him home) although it’s still had a tantrum and decided that it’s protest at having a passenger to transport again was to illuminate the ABS light on the way back.

 

[smolmaus]

Lol - I would guess a flight over for a trip to Addington would be too much to ask
I hope your back is 100% again soon!!

Next time I'm in England for work I'll put a beacon out if anybody needs a foot soldier

Took the baby pony out to a TREC clinic for his first outing yesterday.

Well done baby pony!! 10/10 attitude, what a little dude

 

[rara007]

Up to thetford for indoor driving with Maestro and he was fab. Confident dressage, 2 down in cones 1 he was too onwards and not listening enough/I didn’t make the half halts clear enough, the other we lacked straightness for an oxer. 4 nice obstacles for the win

It was bitter cold hence the puffer fish look!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I had a lesson on Friday. It was less enjoyable than recent lessons because it was cold and windy. I could have done groundwork but I also want to make progress with my confidence, and that's not going to happen unless I push through and ride when I feel a bit nervous.

It actually ended up being quite positive, even though mentally challenging, because I was able to learn and practice some skills for 'riding when it's cold and windy and your horse is getting distracted so then your brain starts generating lots of lovely images of ways it could all go wrong'. So a valuable lesson for sure, even if not quite such a fun one!