Sunny March Weekend Plans

SaddlePsych'D

SaddlePsych'D

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Spring is heeeere!! What are we all up to before the rain returns?!

I've had an interesting week. Went to view a horse for sale. I knew it probably wasn't going to be the one but it was local and seemed low risk to go and see. Folks, I found myself, a novice rider, at a viewing with a BHSII telling me to 'get out my angry voice, turn the whip over in my hand and wallop' this horse when it planted. This was a veteran horse, feeling his age, who with some care probably could do some gentle hacking/pootling around but the owners want to sell it as more than that (including still jumping, or trying to the poor thing) for more £££, so they can buy another horse to presumably not take much care of. They then got back on and told me they were having to ride it even more 'assertively' because of how I had ridden. Past/pre-sports psych me would have got overwhelmed/upset in the situation and thought it was my fault. I was pleased to decline the advice/bullying, nod along for a bit, and walk away knowing that while I do have many things to work on in my riding, bullying horses is not one of them.

I feel so sad for the horse. He was in a RS once upon a time, probably the highlight of someone's week to come and have their lesson with him, and this is how that and his lovely nature is repaid. My own BHSII instructor has encouraged me to think about reporting this experience to the BHS. I doubt it will do much but I should speak up anyway I think. Not going to name names on here but if this person happens to be reading this and recognise their self... do better!

Back to my lesson today and riding the smaller of the two horses I ride at this RS. Mr big ID is steadily being retired which is sad for me but right for him and he definitely won't be passed on like the poor horse above, so I will still get to see him.

It was one of those 'smashed it!' lessons again today, seem to be getting those fairly consistently now. Last time I rode this horse we abandoned plan to try trotting because he walked a bit quick when 'trot' was mentioned and my brain abandoned me 😂 so we took it back to walk to get my brain back in place.

Today exact same thing happened BUT I did not freak out. Boom! Was nervous, yes, but did what I've been using my sports psych to help practice (stay soft and grounded). I'm using an image from the Sally Swift book about imagining your feet gently dragging through the arena surface, which seems to really help. That and remembering to exhale. We had a tiny joggy bit and I managed that well, then we came back to walking serpentines and different shapes, which to me feels fast but is just the horse really walking properly!

It was all outside of my comfort zone while not going too far; I definitely want to work at it some more to get it into my comfort zone. Or beyond that, to actually enjoy a horse going off my leg and therefore being easier to ride (which I did a bit today, yay!)
 
Reaction for you and your successes ONLY PS'D. I hope the BHSII gets hit by a bus. That poor horse 😭

Funny, after my lesson last night was having a convo with my instructor about a similarly qualified person who both of us agreed wouldn't be within 50ft of our horses 👀

But! To do as you have done and focus on the positives, lesson was a huge success. First lesson at the new yard, Sadie's second, maybe third time being ridden in an indoor and she was soft, happy, focused and wonderful. Not many of our riding lessons actually get to be about riding tbh, they are mostly about Managing Emotions (mine or Sadie's) so this was such a treat, I felt like I was having a lovely dream 😭

Rest of the weekend to be about getting out on the lanes for some hacking. I don't think I will be brave enough for the road yet as it's very busy in comparison to what we have been used to, but there is an off road section 💕 Helping my friend at a show on Sunday!
 
Well handled SP'D!

Well I'm just continuing in my mid-life pony-club crisis style and planning on hooning my new pony around the countryside, cantering where ever appears canterable!
I noticed when dog walking the other day some kids had built a circuit of log/twig jumps around a local wood, so I might go log hopping too!
 
smolmaus said:
Reaction for you and your successes ONLY PS'D. I hope the BHSII gets hit by a bus. That poor horse 😭

Funny, after my lesson last night was having a convo with my instructor about a similarly qualified person who both of us agreed wouldn't be within 50ft of our horses 👀

But! To do as you have done and focus on the positives, lesson was a huge success. First lesson at the new yard, Sadie's second, maybe third time being ridden in an indoor and she was soft, happy, focused and wonderful. Not many of our riding lessons actually get to be about riding tbh, they are mostly about Managing Emotions (mine or Sadie's) so this was such a treat, I felt like I was having a lovely dream 😭

Rest of the weekend to be about getting out on the lanes for some hacking. I don't think I will be brave enough for the road yet as it's very busy in comparison to what we have been used to, but there is an off road section 💕 Helping my friend at a show on Sunday!
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Sounds like you are off to a good start at your new yard! :)

ihatework said:
Well handled SP'D!

Well I'm just continuing in my mid-life pony-club crisis style and planning on hooning my new pony around the countryside, cantering where ever appears canterable!
I noticed when dog walking the other day some kids had built a circuit of log/twig jumps around a local wood, so I might go log hopping too!
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I debated saying something at the time but didn't in the end because I thought it won't get me anywhere and it's just too easy for someone like that to talk their way around it. I did use the whip more than I really wanted to but realised quite quickly if the horse wasn't going to go forwards at that point, any more was absolutely crossing a line for me, and if I had done what was suggested I would have been completely ashamed of myself. I wish I had clocked it a bit sooner - it took me a moment to go, hang on, this is BS, and I don't care if they're in authoritative instructor mode, we are done here.

If this is what a mid-life crisis looks like, please sign me up. It sounds like you and new pony are having a blast!

Cloball said:
I'm still recovering from a chest infection if I make it onto my pony without expiring I will be happy.

Sounds very positive @SaddlePsych'D and well done for handling a difficult situation. You meet all sorts horse shopping in found it a very stressful experience without THAT. Poor horse.
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Hope you are feeling fully recovered soon and able to take it a bit steady while you're getting better :)
 
Poor horse. My friend lost her boy to colic this week - he hadn't been ridden for the whole time she had him because he was a sympathy buy and needed TLC. She would adore an older boy like the one you viewed for pootling around on and there will be others out there who would repay his service with bucketloads of love. How awful his owners and the instructor won't do what is right by him. Well done for how you handled it.

Quiet weekend as I was supposed to have minor surgery on Wed just gone. It was a car crash of an appointment and has left me pretty traumatised (& that's never happened before). It also had to be stopped so I don't have the wound i was expecting, although I feel like I've fallen off at high speed. Anyway, because of that i made no plans. Gently hacked both cobs today and (for once!) they must have picked up i felt delicate because they were angels.

May offload in the club house at somepoint but for now I'm in my favourite cafe with coffee and biscuits 😋
 
smolmaus said:
First solo hack complete! Took a little persuading but once she got going she was perfect. Even was good enough not to kill me when two cheeky little baby ponies galloped up to the hedge behind us while she had her head down having a snack 😂
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Well done to both of you! A milestone completed and hopefully the first of many lovely hacks to come.
 
SEL said:
Poor horse. My friend lost her boy to colic this week - he hadn't been ridden for the whole time she had him because he was a sympathy buy and needed TLC. She would adore an older boy like the one you viewed for pootling around on and there will be others out there who would repay his service with bucketloads of love. How awful his owners and the instructor won't do what is right by him. Well done for how you handled it.

Quiet weekend as I was supposed to have minor surgery on Wed just gone. It was a car crash of an appointment and has left me pretty traumatised (& that's never happened before). It also had to be stopped so I don't have the wound i was expecting, although I feel like I've fallen off at high speed. Anyway, because of that i made no plans. Gently hacked both cobs today and (for once!) they must have picked up i felt delicate because they were angels.

May offload in the club house at somepoint but for now I'm in my favourite cafe with coffee and biscuits 😋
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Really sorry to hear about your appointment, coffee and biscuits sounds like it was a good plan and I hope that helped a bit today.

I really hope the horse finds someone like your friend. I wasn't the first person to view that he did the planting thing with so I think their sales plan is going to have to change. I'd like to think not many people would turn up to a viewing ready to ride a horse in the way I was invited to.
 
Shorter ride than planned because we made a last minute plan to look at a trailer. May have bought one.

But OH got this photo.

Was hoping to run past him but some people with a pram appeared about ten meters in front of us, and Hermosa has an automatic emergency braking system. If you are trotting or cantering and people/dogs appear, even 10-20 meters away, you’re stopping, whether you want to or not.

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Sorry to hear about those of you who've had stressful things happening. 🫂

I've a weekend weapons on horseback clinic ahead. Had a flatwork lesson today with the same instructor. It was fantastic. I rode a flashy Spanish type, did some very basic classical riding with an emphasis on lateral work and got some fantastic pointers for things to work on.
 
Lesson this morning.

First in ages as was diagnosed with EMS in Feb, so had a bit of a battle getting her going again.

Was out last weekend at first comp since Sept. Three classes, which is more than I'd usually do, but was a DTM qualifier. Returned 3 plus 70% scores, so can't complain.

Hopefully can make trip to Arena UK in April, but keeping an eye on the fuel prices.
 
I have the best horse in the woooooorld 💕💕💕 we went out for another little solo hack up the lane, went perfectly and just as we turned to come back on ourselves we met someone I've spoken to a few times and she offered to take us round the road loop! So an hours walk, lots of traffic, completely new place, a horse she doesn't know and she just popped herself in behind him and dandered along like she had been doing this route for years.

I LOVE HER. She will get a break tomorrow, I can't believe how good she has been 😭
 
Big ponies hacked yesterday and small pony had a solo hacking today.
He had most of the week off as felt quite tired when I rode him on Monday. Back to his bouncing self today!

Then giant ginger had a mane and tail trim up.
Small pony had a tail wash and a mane trim.
One more to tidy up tomorrow.

Everyone is having arena day tomorrow.

Tomorrow afternoon I'm hoping to harrow the winter fields if they're dry enough, ready to muck spread in the week.

So nice to have a rare weekend where I'm home both days with no big plans, especially as it's sunny.
 
A ride up the lane to the woods with a friend. Baby horse led all the way, had a brief plant at a nasty junction, went further uphill into the woods than ever before, had a long trot and negotiated a number of fallen trees. These were of the leggy branchy sort not trunks, but still. She didn't bat an eyelid at any vehicles including a 4x4 and rattly low trailer going past a bit fast.
Back at the yard I washed her lower legs with a sponge and gentle spray on the hose nozzle. As far as I know she's never seen a spray before.
Another pretty good experience to add to Tuesday's following another horse across the 15 yard brook for the first time and to Thursday's crossing the brook again but this time as lead horse.
Another ride tomorrow, route not decided, before a restful week for her as I'm on holiday and she will probably be hacked quietly once.
 
I had my first canter on Shadow in nearly a year! He has been quite sharp recently, and I think he is feeling good and needs more work. He’s so much more forward than he was pre diagnosis, which I know means it’s unlikely that the sharpness is pain. So I tested it yesterday and just asked for a short canter along a grass verge.

He was honestly perfect. A bit like “are you sure?” when I asked for the canter but popped into a lovely steady canter with no silliness. He also pulled up perfectly and then was super settled for the rest of the hack. It was an almost boring hack, which is exactly what you want!

It made me excited for the next few months. Having spoken to the vet, our summer has the chance to be super exciting (for a horse with his history - no eventing or jumping big fences here, sadly)
 
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