Third Weekend of January Plans

SaddlePsych'D

SaddlePsych'D

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How is it only mid-January?!

Chilly lesson for me today but not icy. Not feeling well still so another mostly walk lesson with loads of lightbulb moments re: using seat and leg aids. I'm finding turn on forehand a great exercise for feeling this. We added some poles in this time and I learned the horse I ride seems to really enjoy those. Possibly a mistake on his part as I learned 'hang on, you really can walk out much more!' and also that it's not scary. At the end of the lesson I asked to do trot. Just a couple of long sides. Mindset is to 'slow down to progress faster' and I do think that is helping.

Tomorrow going to watch a Working Equitation lesson with a view to have a go myself another time. Two days of horse things this week - woop!

Hoping weather improving for others and able to get out to do a bit more than with the snow and ice :)
 
First outing of 2025 for us tomorrow as the last was cancelled due to the snow storm (that never actually came to anything).

Jack is stepping up to novice gold and then attempting his first elementary. Zero expectations - I’ll be happy if we get through without any major bobbles at this stage as the horses have barely been ridden since Christmas and have been on the spicier side the last few days
 
blood_magik said:
First outing of 2025 for us tomorrow as the last was cancelled due to the snow storm (that never actually came to anything).

Jack is stepping up to novice gold and then attempting his first elementary. Zero expectations - I’ll be happy if we get through without any major bobbles at this stage as the horses have barely been ridden since Christmas and have been on the spicier side the last few days
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Ooh best of luck! :)
 
Went to Sparsholt BD for first show of year and practice tests for areas and regional. I forget my first test (as usual) and second went well. We have had major construction works at home for 5 months nearing completion so day off for horse tomorrow and doing tip runs! I love Saturday shows because I can actually been at home on a Sunday. Working full time and living on a building site hasn’t been easy to get everything done. Looking forward having my own time at weekends again
 
A bit like groundhog day for BH on Thursday, more jumping. He can be wary of fillers so I am making sure we go regularly. We did put them up a bit, and he knocked the first bigger one down as he hadn't calculated the extra effort. Clear over everything else tho, and he was good down a grid which isn't something we've done much of.

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7460539760273100064

Friday BF and I went to London and did tourist things. The trip was my birthday present to him. War of the Worlds experience on Friday was great, I didn't know he would know it word for word! Slept on the Sunborn yacht, Parkrun just outside on Saturday morning, then Churchills war rooms and Parliament. I visited once before for an awards ceremony but we didn't get to see the House of Lords or Commons that time.

Back late last night.

Lazy day today, I think!
 
My weekend plans were to get Curly into the arena both days to practice, and perhaps record, our test for the online dressage that we’ve entered.

However, I ended up having a nasty fall off him yesterday when we had to hack instead of school, because lessons went on later than expected. Landed heavily on my backside, and today I can barely walk, so I’m not riding at all today and someone else up at the yard is going to feed him for me.
 
@AthenesOwl look after yourself.

Had a lovely dry weekend nice hack about in the sun and very nice forward schooling session with lots of stretching, working on trot leg yield and she offered some nice little canter transitions. We haven't done much canter with the ground and the weather but she seemed keen and I just let her bowl along for now.
 
AthenesOwl said:
My weekend plans were to get Curly into the arena both days to practice, and perhaps record, our test for the online dressage that we’ve entered.

However, I ended up having a nasty fall off him yesterday when we had to hack instead of school, because lessons went on later than expected. Landed heavily on my backside, and today I can barely walk, so I’m not riding at all today and someone else up at the yard is going to feed him for me.
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Oh dear. Hope you less sore tomorrow
 
After a cracking jumping lesson on Thurs - you know when a horse has finally worked out how to properly spring over them - I went back to the same venue for clearing round.

Came off twice in 5 mins. Ouch. Landed bum, shoulder and then head - twice - so think it'll be a new hat.

He has a thing about black fillers or posts and this fence had a small black water tray under it. He's done a cat leap with me before over it but I just didn't land on his back this time. Went again and thought he was going but the brakes came on so I cleared it on my own. The organiser kindly popped it to the floor but even then I had to get off and lead him over. So some at home practice needed because I don't bounce!!
 
Despite the the chilly and grey weather, it's been a good weekend for baby Winston, even with a bad start on Friday.
Was a little pushed for time so decided to just quickly lunge, it's still quite a new thing for him so good to do it occasionally. However, there were people next door sorting through some sheds, just the other side of the trees. And that just sent him into meltdown. First we had a great dragon impression as he stared at them, he then tried running away ( doesn't really get you anywhere in a round pen), then we went back to standing, staring and snorting. So ended with just being led around as he refused to move without me by his side.
Saturday, headed out for a hack with his field buddy, and we were going to try the loop hack that includes woods and open fields (he's only done it once the week before with a more confident jockey). I was a little apprehensive after the lunging incident, but off we set. And well he was brilliant - other then the odd little spook or jump at animals in the undergrowth, he didn't put a foot wrong. Even when we rounded the corner into the big field to see they were shooting on the next field over - so had beaters and guns going off right in his eye line.
Sunday, we decided to head out again, and this time went round the field the shoot had been on. He's never done this bit before, and again he was spot on. Found the big hill very tiring so coming back down it was interesting, but really can't fault him.
Super pleased with how he's progressing as at times I wondered if he would take to hacking, but looks like he's getting the idea. 😊
 
Went to see someone to talk about breaking Robin and Reggie (in the future) to drive. Really interesting conversation and an awful lot to think about. Mostly which one of us is selling the kidney! Obviously people who drive all the time will have preference an a working experience of what works for them. We are not driving people and it's all very daunting. We aren't in a rush to send Robin away tomorrow we just need to know it's the right person for the job, so aiming for May/June so we have the lighter evening to carry on his work on returning home. But on the whole the package on offer with the lady we spoke to is very robust.
  • typically 8 weeks
  • teach us with school master and then with our pony when pony/we are ready.
  • worked everyday so will need shoe's (currently barefoot)
  • we have a 2 wheeler and they prefer a 4 wheeler (and build/sell their own) which I understand.
  • our harness isn't the best fit so we will need to source something better (they sell their own too).
  • They will use their kit to start with. And then set up our kit when pony is ready.
  • Have agreed to come to our place and help us go out the first time from home.
  • They are on the British Driving Society committee and do a lot for the local driving community (which is odd as I've spoken to a lot of people and only one person has mentioned this person)
If there are any driving people on here that could give us a few pointers I'd be eternally grateful. I'm feeling very out of my depth.

I think I need to speak to a few more people. There is a local carriage driving event locally next weekend so we will pop along and watch and maybe have a chat to a few people.
 
humblepie said:
Oh dear. Hope you less sore tomorrow
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I'm a little less sore, thank you, although my nose is looking more purple, as my "I told you riding was dangerous" hubby just delighted in telling me. Like I didn't know falling off was possible, after doing it for many years (and many falls!).
 
Stormze went storming :D, gave me a lovely drive in all phases again, even his rein back was beautiful (he tends to forget he's no longer a gypsy cob and chucks his head up to push the carriage back)
We may have peaked as I then beat Rara in the obstacles 😳 (she took a rather ambitious line in obstacle 1 🤣), won my novice class and on overall score had the 2nd best result of the day (to rara in first) beating all of the other open competitors.

So might retire now 🤣, its possible she was right to do contact drilling yesterday instead of us going for a nice chill hack 🤣.

I also remember to turn the camera on for my own driving not just backstepping.

 
Tbf we don't have a thread for this weekend. I id t want to start one as I've had no plans apart from a weekend away to see Biffy Clyro
 
Joining in, re-use recycle and all that ;)

Just a brag on how awesome Amber is, hacked both days and yesterday merrily marched past a car that had just pulled in as a train came past one side and a big machine was pulling sugar beet on the other side, on a tiny single track country lane. This is after having had two weeks off.
 
We survived a hack the first day after every hedgerow along every road had been cut back. You can see everything, we both hate it 😂 spooky and every trot was at maximum speed like she's asking for a sulky cart for her birthday but we don't ask for perfection.

This would not have happened in January 2025!!
 
In spite of the weather being wet and cold at the weekend, we managed to get out both days, teen daughter on standie boy and I riding punky endurance pony; 12 miles on Saturday and a shorter 6 yesterday. Mainly at walk, as per the training plan but lots and lots of long, hilly climbs, so much so that at the top of one arduously steep climb, we stopped to admire the view over all North Wales and punky pony decided he was that sweaty that he needed to get down and roll despite me being on top - cue an extremely quick and ungraceful dismount consisting of me flinging myself off the side!

Plans for this week:
Monday - long day for me at school so day off
Tuesday - as above
Wednesday - 2 hour hilly solo hack, introducing some trot sections totalling 15 mins
Thursday - shorter solo hack, aiming for 8kph
Friday - day off
Saturday - going to hire a trailer, practice loading and box out somewhere locally for a 2 hour hack with teen daughter
Sunday - 3 hour walking hack planned with a few pals
 
Lol - I went through the whole thread without realising it was a year old 😆. But as others are posting here I'll do the same....

We did our Adv Medium AF on Friday and came second, even with two very stupid mistakes from me (one satnav error, one half halt that was too firm and resulted in a transition from ext canter to walk instead of to collected canter and change! Got 2s for that...I do like to make sure judges use the full range...). That means we're off to the Winter Champs again! We've also got Regionals next month for Medium and Medium Freestyle so with a bit of luck and hard work we can hopefully get to another class there as well.

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We did our first mounted prize giving together - Sammy enjoyed himself!

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