Titchy - flying solo

OMG, she puts me to shame - I get confused about which jump comes next ! And I love the way that Titch is so forward going - what a cracker he is. I just love these videos :D
 
Omg .. Way to cute !!! Love them :) u must have your heart in your mouth watching them both !! She really is a fab little rider .. And titchy a super star !! :)
 
What a speed demon little titchy is! They just look wonderful - she's going to be such a fab little rider, by the time she's 8 you'll have the owners of small ponies falling over themselves to give her a ride.
 
She's very cute. Looks difficult for her to rise though as her feet are so far in front of the hip, or the stirrup bar is too far forward. Is it possible to lift the rear of the saddle a bit or shorten her stirrups to help her have more balance when she rises?
Well done to them both though.
 
cheeryplatypus said:
She's very cute. Looks difficult for her to rise though as her feet are so far in front of the hip, or the stirrup bar is too far forward. Is it possible to lift the rear of the saddle a bit or shorten her stirrups to help her have more balance when she rises?
Well done to them both though.
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This is something you often see in small children. I think the problem lies in the hands - reins slip through the fingers and get long, hands and arms come back to try to correct it and the legs immediately go forward. I recommend pimple gloves! I always teach rising trot by holding the mane well forward of the withers as it gets the rider used to the slight shoulders forward feel without the legs going up and backwards. Once the rising is established they gradually hold less mane and practice rising without holding anything other than the reins on the lunge so that they can do hand on head or whatever. Its all about muscle memory in the end.

The pony is really good off the leg, no Thelwell kicks required here - what a poppet. The poor kid though, all that trotting - little legs must be knackered @)
 
Excellent but get the girl some gloves she will be able to grip better one thing I insisted on when teaching anyone. X
 
They're so lovely! I love your accent too, and nice views out of that outdoor arena!

I went to help at my friend's kiddy show last week, and there were two tiny children with mini shetlands. They were both cute as buttons and really well behaved, my opinion of the diddy Shetland is being changed lately!! One was the spitting image of Titchy, the other was a dark blue roan and really cute. I nearly took a pic to show you, then thought better of taking pics of other people's kids and posting it online, so you'll have to take my word for it! SOOO much better seeing kids with tiny ponies than bigger ones they can't come off the leadrein on or lead around solo.
 
OMG such cute videos!

And her balance is amazing - love the way she holds her hands and doesn't use them to hang on like so many little 'uns (and quite a few big 'uns) do.
 
Lovely video and so nice to see the progress daughter and Titchy are making. He really is a super star when you think what a short time ago it was when you first had him and he was such a novice to it all

Well done to you all.
 
Shysmum said:
OMG, she puts me to shame - I get confused about which jump comes next ! And I love the way that Titch is so forward going - what a cracker he is. I just love these videos :D
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Lol thanks, I also cannot remember the course so she is doing better than me already. :)

Jesstickle said:
Her rising has improved soo much! Clever girl :)

Love them jumping, too cute for words!
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Thanks yes she really has cracked rising now :)

Gracie21 said:
So cute! Titchy is the sweetest little thing!!
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Thanks :)

Lambkins said:
Omg .. Way to cute !!! Love them :) u must have your heart in your mouth watching them both !! She really is a fab little rider .. And titchy a super star !! :)
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I'm fine when she is riding alone, I was worried about her getting kicked by another pony in the group lesson. She spent a large part of it looking everywhere but in front of her!

SatansLittleHelper said:
Nick Skelton used to be my hero....but not anymore...I LOVE THESE TWO..!!!!!!! ♥♥♥♥♥
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Lol that's high praise!

ChestnutTinker said:
I love the videos! I also LOVE your accent :D It's lovely!!
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Thanks. You are too kind, I hate hearing myself on the vids!

cheeryplatypus said:
She's very cute. Looks difficult for her to rise though as her feet are so far in front of the hip, or the stirrup bar is too far forward. Is it possible to lift the rear of the saddle a bit or shorten her stirrups to help her have more balance when she rises?
Well done to them both though.
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Her feet are too far through the stirrups when she is finding it difficult, which is just due to her being only four, and having a lot to think about. I do not think there is a problem with the saddle which is was purchased very recently and is the best saddle I could get for a mini Shetland. A proper saddle with knee rolls etc would give her more support, but impossible for a mini Shetland. However I feel it will all come together and her balance improves every day.

GlamourPuss86 said:
Its those little legs going like the clappers that get me!
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Heh heh, he can fairly shift :D
 
SuperH said:
So cute! I want one :)
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Child or pony :p

montanna said:
Oh wow! I want to be tiny and have a titchy :) what lovely videos :)
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Thanks, so do I actually!

Wheels said:
total cuteness!!!
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Thanks :)

ridefast said:
I love how Titchy is so tiny but going faster than all the big horses! Too cute for words!
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I know, the instructor kept putting her at the back of the ride as well. I was really proud of her (mostly) remembering to turn a circle rather than get too close! She had to turn a lot of circles not helped by the fact they can do a 1 metre circle with ease lol

fatpiggy said:
This is something you often see in small children. I think the problem lies in the hands - reins slip through the fingers and get long, hands and arms come back to try to correct it and the legs immediately go forward. I recommend pimple gloves! I always teach rising trot by holding the mane well forward of the withers as it gets the rider used to the slight shoulders forward feel without the legs going up and backwards. Once the rising is established they gradually hold less mane and practice rising without holding anything other than the reins on the lunge so that they can do hand on head or whatever. Its all about muscle memory in the end.

The pony is really good off the leg, no Thelwell kicks required here - what a poppet. The poor kid though, all that trotting - little legs must be knackered @)
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Yes I think its all about balance. This is the only time in her life in that one video she has ridden without gloves by the way and it was because we were late and I couldn't find them in the car. I don't think it made the slightest difference, she is just young and still learning. We regularly hack for 2-3 hours and he trots most of the way so that was a picnic for her ;)

Elbie said:
I'm still chuckling remembering "faster Titchy faster!"
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So am I :D

kirstys 1 said:
They're both GREAT!!
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Thanks. I love you guys. I am not from a horsey back ground and its just her and me so I have no one to coo over her properly with except you lot (who completely make up for that fact incidentally by being so lovely!).

Mariposa said:
Love love love! This almost makes me want to have babies so I can have a Titchy!!
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Lol I'd recommend adopting one at approximately 5 yr old then you can miss out being pregnant etc lol

Kaylum said:
Excellent but get the girl some gloves she will be able to grip better one thing I insisted on when teaching anyone. X
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She has gloves and as I already mentioned it was a complete one off, she always rides with gloves and still slips the reins, her hands are small and not strong, she forgets to hold the reins properly.

rara007 said:
So cute, Titchy really is....titchy!
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Yes he is well named :D
 
ester said:
I love how titch is catching up all the longer legged ponies!
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I must say I didn't love that bit especially when the instructor told them to touch the tail, he is fine about this normally but I think he gets a big shock in that arena and thinks its another pony biting him. She did it and he shot forward 20 yards so I said to her not to do it again. She didn't do it but then the instructor said why aren't you doing it and she went to do it (!!!) at this point she was up the ass of my friend's daughter's 12.2 who was up the ass of the one in front who was also up the ass of the one in front of her!!! I shouted NO! And she didn't, thankfully :o. Was a bit embarrassing but could have been carnage. Must work on it on the lead rein when we go in next time. He's fine if he knows its coming and else where, just that one arena/situation.

Honey08 said:
They're so lovely! I love your accent too, and nice views out of that outdoor arena!

I went to help at my friend's kiddy show last week, and there were two tiny children with mini shetlands. They were both cute as buttons and really well behaved, my opinion of the diddy Shetland is being changed lately!! One was the spitting image of Titchy, the other was a dark blue roan and really cute. I nearly took a pic to show you, then thought better of taking pics of other people's kids and posting it online, so you'll have to take my word for it! SOOO much better seeing kids with tiny ponies than bigger ones they can't come off the leadrein on or lead around solo.
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Awww take a pic and send it to me privately then ;). They sound great. I didn't have much of a thing for Shetlands either til we had him (I have known plenty of rotters!) but to be fair to Shetlands most don't get much in the way of training. Titchy and your friend's pair really show what they can do if they are schooled, and he hasn't had all that much work really!

Honey08 said:
ps,
Position wise, it is coming, give her time. Its a vast improvement on when she started and will sort itself as she gets older.
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Thanks :) I think anyone would struggle to rise/balance/be 4 yrs old and do it all on him! I can literally see her improve every day as well. When things are calm out hacking, she is a lot better, but when there is more to think about it flies out the window. Rather like me :o

3OldPonies said:
OMG such cute videos!

And her balance is amazing - love the way she holds her hands and doesn't use them to hang on like so many little 'uns (and quite a few big 'uns) do.
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Thank you, I do worry about her hanging on to his mouth but she mostly doesn't.

OldNag said:
Just brilliant! One to watch for future Olympics I think :-)
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:D thanks!

Adopter said:
Lovely video and so nice to see the progress daughter and Titchy are making. He really is a super star when you think what a short time ago it was when you first had him and he was such a novice to it all

Well done to you all.
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Yes he has come on amazingly well, he was only backed in January! I have always said he has been here before (Milton maybe ;) ). I have had my 5 yr old who was backed before I bought her for longer than we have had Titchy and she has comparatively speaking achieved as much if not more than me in less time, and I (allegedly!) could ride before I got mine :D

Jesstickle said:
She's four?! :eek:

Holy carp she's doing well! I thought she was more like a small six. Go mini FW!
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Nah she is a very tall 4 yr old, not 5 until April and won't start school until this time next year (think what she can achieve in that time, lol)
 
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