Thank you HHO for giving me my pony back!

milliepops

milliepops

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Truly, deeply, thank you to everyone who suggested we took a sideways step into showing and then supported us with the numerous stupid questions I had :D

When it became apparent that Millie wasn't going to recover well enough from her SDFT tear to return to competitive dressage I really hit rock bottom - Kira is doing so well that she filled a hole but I was totally gutted to be facing retirement with Millie just at the point that things were starting to get exciting. She's been a fabulous partner over the last 14 years so she really owes me nothing but I do so enjoy training and working with her that it felt like a huge loss.

I'd never have considered showing, not for one moment until a few of you suggested it when I asked for ideas of what we could do instead of continuing her dressage journey.

Today we tested the water at a little local show and she won both her classes and took the championship :D We both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and it was so brilliant for her to be able to go to parties but not stress her old bones any more.

So thanks again, HHOers, because this feels like the start of a fun new journey for us both :) She is still working well at home, doing all her normal school work but no collection or extensions and this week we started to teach her tempis, so there's PLENTY of life in the old girl yet.

Application forms are ready to be posted to join VHS and we will plan some 'proper' veteran showing later this year.

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Fabulous!
I have been toying with the idea of doing some showing with Alf, although his current behaviour may rule it out. I do think it's lovely to give the old dears a job
 
Auslander said:
Fabulous!
I have been toying with the idea of doing some showing with Alf, although his current behaviour may rule it out. I do think it's lovely to give the old dears a job
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Definitely, I was a bit worried about how she would behave - true to form she started doing the tango on the lorry as soon as we drove out of the yard and she was a bit wired on arrival, but soon settled and got on with the job.

I've kept her going since she came back from horspital but it felt a bit like, 'what's the point' because I keep my horses to compete them so it had felt a bit like treading water with no goal in mind. She was so so chuffed to be the one going out today, I'm so pleased.
 
Well Done! Showing can be addictive! But it is a much gentler past time for the oldies than dressage whilst still getting them out to parties and keeping their minds occupied!
 
Fantastic. She looks super pleased with herself in the first pic!

(If anyone does have an safe sane sound oldie that maybe would enjoy showing, keep an eye out for RDA group requests. There's a now a separate SEIB Search for Star class for RDA riders :smile3: )
 
Thanks all :) she already knew she was the bees knees, the red frillies just confirmed for her that the foolish hoomans agreed! :D

Dear old bat :o
 
Ahh well it's all relative innit Cortez ;)

She was starting piris before she injured herself so after that it all feels like working canter :p
 
Thanks everyone, she is still looking very pleased with herself this morning so I think it's safe to say we'll do a bit more of this :D So nice to give her a bit of purpose again, and it means she won't be the scruffy old mare on the yard any more! Kira is quite put out, of course... she was beginning to get ideas above her station I think!

Hoof_Prints said:
I don't know the full story, but well done! what a great start to your new adventure :)
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Very long story short - my ex-eventer turned dressage horse has spent the last 3 years self harming in the field, resulting in *4* rehabs and subsequent returns to competition.. last summer she mangled her sdft and despite surgery hasn't come back QUITE well enough for me to feel comfortable really pushing her physically, as she was starting towards Adv/PSG and working quite hard. She's 20 and has been an amazing horse in between the injuries, so I asked HHO for ideas of what we could do. A few clever clogs suggested veteran showing so this was us having a go!


Pinkvboots said:
What a great start to your showing debut I bet you can't wait for the next one:) what did you do with her tail in the end?
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Thanks, yes, now I feel a bit impatient about having to wait until next month! I plaited it - had a little play with trying to squish it down but this is the tail in it's raw state :o bit huge!
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so I plaited it (feedback welcome!)

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