*Tentatively waves hello* - lurker braves the forum!

[Alfami]

Hello All,

It's no good - I needed to take the plunge! I have 'lurked' in CR for ever and ever and feel I know you all personally! I find CR really interesting and informative; the issues that some of you are kind enough to share really do help me to learn just by reading the posts. Just as well really, I'm currently on maternity leave with baby no.2 and I just don't have time to do my poor horse justice.

My 'speshul' horse (I just love that expression!) is a 16.3, TB 16yo that I've owned for nearly 12 years now. We've competed up-to and including Novice BE, but SJ isn't either of our strong points! Basically, he takes the p** out of me continually as he has a massive engine and I just can't channel it in the right way. Kerilli's posts about her grey mare sound EXACTLY like mine - just substitute a bay gelding! Leave him to sort it out himself and he'll fall over a x-pole. Organise him into a 'very' grown up frame and it's possible to make progress. The only trouble is a) I'm not that good a rider and b) I don't have a surface to work on and I can't box pony and two small kids anywhere to use one!

Anyway, just wanted to say hi. I LOVE CR and it's kept me sane and interested whilst I can't do much more than happy-hack (borrrring) and hunt if I'm really really lucky! I'll try and contribute a little now, but I'm a nice person , so no comment from me when the threads get a little hot! I'd rather run away........

 

[PorkChop]

"Hiya"

 

[Lolo]

Hello I lurked for ages until I joined, and even then it was only to ask if my mum was being unreasonable about a first aid fee A billion years later, I write many reports about my sister's pole-bashing TB (is there a theme?!) that bore people to tears

 

[Alfami]

Believe me Lolo, I've read every one of them..... Reggie is lovely

 

[Leg_end]

*waves* Hiya! Welcome, we're a pretty friendly lot

 

[Lolo]

Believe me Lolo, I've read every one of them..... Reggie is lovely

Aww, thanks It's odd to think that people will actually read my ramblings though- I don't get many replies so I merrily blather away thinking no one reads them! Might re-think that one...

 

[kerilli]

*waves* hiya, and welcome!
yes... speshul horses... jeez, god preserve me from speshul ones.
is your lad good at the xc part though? has he got good front-end style and a decent share of self-preservation? if so, prob a bit different to the Grey Weirdo...
also, does he think fast? if he's taking the pee, he probably does... the thing about the grey is, bless her, it wouldn't occur to her to do that, or how to, i think...
tricky to work them in that very condensed way without a. a school (or studs in on grass, i think) and b. someone with a good eye, encouraging you to get it absolutely right... also, not always easy to teach an old dawg new tricks or at least overlay the bad habits!

 

[Alfami]

The beauty of being on mat leave - all the time in the world, just not for riding! By the way, yes, i think the TB thing could be a contributory factor in SJ prowess...... (& in my case, the rider makes a pretty great contribution to our combined ineptness too!).

 

[MandyMoo]

hello!! *waves* glad you have braved us all - i'm sure we're not THAT scary? and don't forget to post your own threads as well as lurk, we all love to read anything horse related! no matter how boring it is (which i am sure most of my posts are... haha)

 

[Alfami]

Hi Kerilli,

He's endlessly honest; he'd jump a house if you remember to keep kicking and he's brilliant on a line (if you can find it in the first place!) but no, he's not a quick thinker by a very very long chalk! In fact he's really quite dense (I still love him though!).

He's actually destroyed my confidence to some extent, because I just don't trust him to actually think about the question - he just keeps on blundering through. He can be good in front (although he has a somewhat 'ordinary' technique - not much hint of a bascule, instead he relies on sheer power) so, it's a bit hit and miss. I don't think he'd be quite as 'leg leavy' as your mare, but then again he might! On the odd occasion he has stopped (more likely SJ at home than XC out and about) it's because he's arrived at the fence and gone 'doh! Really Mum, did you mean me to jump that?' - despite endless effort from me to indicate the question! TBF, when he was eventing regularly, he was pretty good, but I'm not the greatest at 'seeing' a spot and I think the combination of the pair of us, plus his natural tendency to either lurk slightly behind my leg or 'squirt' through the bridle when I do insist on him being in front of me results in some uncomfortable moments!

Shame really, he loves jumping (& he's out of a 4* mare, so should have some natural talent ;-) but I think the combination of him + me probably just hasn't been the right one. I suspect he'd have done a whole pile better with a pro.... Having said all that, he's turned his hoof to most things over the years and I wouldn't swap him for the world, he'll be with me til he dies. He's exceptionally low mileage, so what he really needs is to get back out there and doing things - my current circs don't make that easy though!

 

[LEC]

Hello and welcome - nice to see lurkers come out of hiding!

 

[luckyhorseshoe]

Hello. I lurk a lot my horse isn't out doing that much, she's an exceptionally low mileage 6 year old. But i love reading other people's reports and pick up a lot too.

Will look forward to reading some of your reports!

 

[NR99]

Hello

Good to have you on board

 

[measles]

Welcome and enjoy being out in the open

 

[VRIN]

Hiya

.. and welcome

..

 

[Nicnac]

Hello - I lurked for years and haven't even had the courage to properly introduce myself yet so I will to you as it's less scary than to everyone. Bit shy despite mature in years!
I recently lost my beautiful mare (27th April) and am a bit of a mess really hence why I didn't want my first post to be depressing
I have had to move my nutty ex-racehorse into livery as he can't stay home alone and I am not ready to have another horse yet, but getting there thanks to a very supportive forum member who I pm'd. Thank you Mrs Worried!
Am thinking that as I work full-time and more, this livery lark is kind of brilliant!
So welcome and I completely get your boy - mine is brilliant XC but can't be ar**d with SJ despite having tried almost everything. I have a lesson Monday evening with a new trainer and we are going back to trotting poles!

 

[Alfami]

Awwww, thanks guys, you really are as nice as you seem! IF I get around to getting out & about (I'm a fraudulent member of CR really) then I will endeavour to say 'Hi' to those I meet.

Nicnac, so very very sorry to hear you news. I've been there (twice) and know exactly how you feel. The worst for me was my gorgeous 8yo, nutty ex-racehorse (who I absolutely adored, he was the love of my life) breaking his leg. Chin up - it does get easier I promise. Having said that, even thinking of him makes me well up and he died 14 years ago!

 

[Nicnac]

Thanks Alfami

 

[Nats_uk]

Hi and welcome - glad to see you are finally braving posting

 

[Festive_Felicitations]

Hello! Welcome to the nut house

 

[Molasses]

Hi i'm a recent lurker who braved too *waves*
Also I'm new to the herts area so *extra wave* to a new neighbour in RL too