Weekday Plans - w/c 17th Nov

sheep

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Evening all

No doubt there are still a few weekends to report on, over on the weekend plans thread, but thought I’d pop the plans for the week ahead in here now.

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Monday - bit of flatwork for both lads. Ace will work in all 3 paces, and we will probably pick one of Miri Hackett’s ridealong podcasts. Charmer will be mostly walk, little bit of trot. Probably lots of transitions, some leg yielding and we will check to see if we still have rein back!

Tuesday- off to the ballet, so night off for both!

Wednesday - equibands - walk & trot for Ace, walk only for Charmer

Thursday - pole work - a repeat of today’s session for both

Friday - lesson! First in refurbed arena. Can’t wait to show it off 🤣 That will be with Ace.

OH has been travelling with work for an extended period so he is home on Friday, excited for him to see the arena as well 😆 with him back now, I will have more opportunities to hack etc. I am a bit of a scaredy cat to go out solo, more so because if something went wrong, that might be a bit of a problem! I’m just adding that in case anyone had concerns at how arena-heavy the planned work is - plans are afoot to add a bit more variety ☺️
 
Missed weekend thread but went to gallops and long hack Friday and show jumping clinic Saturday.
Monday - school
Tuesday - off
Wednesday - DTM run through and hack
Thursday - lesson
Friday - hack and gallops
Saturday - BD
Sunday - gridwork clinic
 
me and lily made the most of the blue skies this morning! bitterly cold but ground still soft, so we got some nice canter work in, in the park - after an argument because she kept trying to bugger off with me😂

tuesday - day off
wednesday- bit fitter
thursday - lunge or some polework, after work
friday - hack for lily, diva has shockwave & the water treadmill
saturday - dressage!
sunday - day off

i really hope we find a new bit, and that it comes in time, before saturday🤣
 
Thursday and Friday ended up being rest days last week with the weather so that has messed up my usual flow.

Monday - Will do groundwork and stretches- posting from the office where I am already getting low battery warnings from my brain
Tuesday - School - want to check if I can still canter 2No. 20m circles - simulated dressage test in an area full of poles and jumps
Wednesday - In office again - Likely another easy day - maybe groundwork - maybe low brain power trot poles
Thursday - Lesson (if weather plays ball!!)
Friday - All going well would like this to be a fitness session - intervals, transitions maybe

There is an opportunity to maybe do Prelim 1 at a local venue next weekend, I can maybe get a lift. This is why I need to check if I can maybe canter 2No. 20m circles 😂 I made a big show at the weekend of my friend being brave and going outside of her comfort zone (which she did) and my bluff will perhaps be called!! Have gone out to do dressage twice ever. Three years ago. One of the times she bucked me off and stood on me (and placed). Will be nice to see if there have been any improvements 😂
 
I've had a bit of a spanner in the works, for those who followed my horse buying process may remember in early Sept I went all the way up North to try a beautiful Anglo Arab who on the 2nd viewing for reasons I still cant fathom, chucked me off onto very hard sun-baked ground! No major injuries but I developed a large Gluteal Haematoma, which has been abating slowly but has suddenly decided to become infected, cue an emergency GP appt this morning and a weeks worth of penicillin prescribed hopefully to return my butt cheek to its normal pale coloured rather flat self rather than looking like I've had a brazillian butt lift!
Crikey its painful, and putting me off riding currently, I need to dig out a pair of hubbies padded cycling shorts to wear under jods.

Monday - long work day, so day off
Tuesday - same
Wednesday - Need to solo hack out for at least 1.5 hrs
Thursday - Lesson booked pm
Friday - day off
Saturday - Long brisk hack with friends
Sunday - Hack out with daughter leading coblet
 
Thursday and Friday ended up being rest days last week with the weather so that has messed up my usual flow.

Monday - Will do groundwork and stretches- posting from the office where I am already getting low battery warnings from my brain
Tuesday - School - want to check if I can still canter 2No. 20m circles - simulated dressage test in an area full of poles and jumps
Wednesday - In office again - Likely another easy day - maybe groundwork - maybe low brain power trot poles
Thursday - Lesson (if weather plays ball!!)
Friday - All going well would like this to be a fitness session - intervals, transitions maybe

There is an opportunity to maybe do Prelim 1 at a local venue next weekend, I can maybe get a lift. This is why I need to check if I can maybe canter 2No. 20m circles 😂 I made a big show at the weekend of my friend being brave and going outside of her comfort zone (which she did) and my bluff will perhaps be called!! Have gone out to do dressage twice ever. Three years ago. One of the times she bucked me off and stood on me (and placed). Will be nice to see if there have been any improvements 😂

Ooh yes go do some fancy prancing!!
I’m hoping to maybe go do the same on the 28th, although in fairness I have been out more recently than 3 years ago 😅

I've had a bit of a spanner in the works, for those who followed my horse buying process may remember in early Sept I went all the way up North to try a beautiful Anglo Arab who on the 2nd viewing for reasons I still cant fathom, chucked me off onto very hard sun-baked ground! No major injuries but I developed a large Gluteal Haematoma, which has been abating slowly but has suddenly decided to become infected, cue an emergency GP appt this morning and a weeks worth of penicillin prescribed hopefully to return my butt cheek to its normal pale coloured rather flat self rather than looking like I've had a brazillian butt lift!
Crikey its painful, and putting me off riding currently, I need to dig out a pair of hubbies padded cycling shorts to wear under jods.

Monday - long work day, so day off
Tuesday - same
Wednesday - Need to solo hack out for at least 1.5 hrs
Thursday - Lesson booked pm
Friday - day off
Saturday - Long brisk hack with friends
Sunday - Hack out with daughter leading coblet

Ouch!!! Speedy recovery!
 
Inflamed haematomas are awful - you have my empathy! It's taken years for mine to mostly go...and now my horse has one so we have some limits on what we can do.

Monday - rest
Tuesday - poles
Wednesday - inhand hill work (ouch in advance!)
Thursday - rest (poo-picking for me!)
Friday - groundwork or a walk out inhand if the traffic outside isn't awful
Saturday - rest
Sunday - lunge

This is very school-heavy as I have masses of work on this week and my yard hours are limited. Am starting to look at the Slow Walk Work exercises to bring a barely-ridden 19yo back to having more muscle.
 
Two good boys last night 😀
With Charmer, lots of walking, leg yielding and square corners (pole assisted!). Trying to really develop purpose and intention in the walk and get him working up over his back. He is naturally quite light in the hand but can also tip a little onto the forehand, which given his previous issues, I really want to avoid…
Ace did approx 100000 transitions 😃 walk into corner, halt, turn, halt. Then repeat but with trot, walk, trot, then adding a few circles. Finished with canter trans, half circle, back to trot for second half, back to canter and repeat. Good fun 🤩
 
There is an opportunity to maybe do Prelim 1 at a local venue next weekend, I can maybe get a lift. This is why I need to check if I can maybe canter 2No. 20m circles 😂 I made a big show at the weekend of my friend being brave and going outside of her comfort zone (which she did) and my bluff will perhaps be called!! Have gone out to do dressage twice ever. Three years ago. One of the times she bucked me off and stood on me (and placed). Will be nice to see if there have been any improvements 😂
I swear this pony feels me say Prelim via a psychic network. Cough is back with a vengeance and getting worse not better. So it's actually going to be more AB's and respiratory meds on the cards for this week instead of fancy prancing!

In between coughing the groundwork last night was very nice. We can cross all our legs in the right order going sideways and I'm putting "square" on a cue for a nice halt. Horrible mum making her work when she's not well but I'm not risking that painstakingly built quad muscle deteriorating!
 
Missed the weekend thread too but due to still feeling poorly it was just a 45 ish minute hack & lunging so nothing re

Monday: 45 minute hack
Today: 30 minutrs in-hand lateral work & raised polework
Wednesday: Planning to hack again
Thursday: Day off
Friday: Usual monthly classical/RWYM lesson
Saturday: Longer hack before bodywork for him
Sunday: Possibly a day off or hacking if we are allowed after treatment

Sending get well soon vibes to both @Kirstd33 & @smolmaus ' Sadie.
 
Ah I love the Equiniser app too 🤓

I got back off holiday on Sunday so last night was a quick lunge just to check horse A) still had 4 working legs and B) wasn't liable to kill me 😁

Tonight should be a flatwork session but I've felt horrid and fluey for the last 48 hours and won't be back from work until 7pm so will see how I feel :rolleyes:

Wed - water treadmill
Thurs - usual day off but if I don't ride tonight will do flatwork (45 mins - 1 hour)
Fri- WFH day so try to make the most of getting over in daylight and will likely hack for about 45 mins first thing in the morning

No weekend plans yet but I have a lesson booked for next Monday so need a kick up the backside to get going again, just not feeling very inspired while feeling so poorly 😥
 
It’s so cold here, so I got on Ace but realised the arena was in the process of freezing, so just had a walk for 15 mins and called it quits. Didn’t bother even trying to bring Charmer out, was worried arena would freeze more and concerned that the yard might get a bit icy too.
So that’s that for today 😅
 
Evening all

No doubt there are still a few weekends to report on, over on the weekend plans thread, but thought I’d pop the plans for the week ahead in here now.

View attachment 169320


Monday - bit of flatwork for both lads. Ace will work in all 3 paces, and we will probably pick one of Miri Hackett’s ridealong podcasts. Charmer will be mostly walk, little bit of trot. Probably lots of transitions, some leg yielding and we will check to see if we still have rein back!

Tuesday- off to the ballet, so night off for both!

Wednesday - equibands - walk & trot for Ace, walk only for Charmer

Thursday - pole work - a repeat of today’s session for both

Friday - lesson! First in refurbed arena. Can’t wait to show it off 🤣 That will be with Ace.

OH has been travelling with work for an extended period so he is home on Friday, excited for him to see the arena as well 😆 with him back now, I will have more opportunities to hack etc. I am a bit of a scaredy cat to go out solo, more so because if something went wrong, that might be a bit of a problem! I’m just adding that in case anyone had concerns at how arena-heavy the planned work is - plans are afoot to add a bit more variety ☺️
I am so envious of those HHO’s who don’t need to work all week. My life is rubbish I barely get to see my horse in the week…I made wrong life choices I think. In fact no, I have definitely made bad life choices 🥹. I still manage to compete weekends and be a mum so I guess it’s not all wasted
 
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I am so envious of those HHO’s who don’t need to work all week. My life is rubbish I barely get to see my horse in the week…I made wrong life choices I think. In fact no, I have definitely made bad life choices 🥹. I still manage to compete weekends and be a mum so I guess it’s not all wasted

I do work all week? I work 8-5 every day, get up at 5am most days and rarely get to sleep before 11pm.

Just trying to share my daily plans to keep myself accountable, it’s just meant to be a bit of fun.

Sorry you’re feeling rubbish, comparison is the thief of joy and all that, remember social media (forums included) is only a snippet of real life
 
I work full time with a 3 hour commute 🙃

I ride at 8pm on weekdays, rubbish in winter as we’re stuck in the school all the time but it is what it is. I finish at 4pm on a Wednesday so I can get back and whizz over to the treadmill for our 7pm booking. I WFH on Fridays or Mondays so make use of those days and weekends to fit in longer rides, lessons and competitions. I do give myself 2 evenings ‘off’ riding a week in winter as I get fed up. I wish there were more hours in the day but you muddle through don’t you, I try to plan my week and track everything to keep myself motivated.

I don’t have children though which makes things easier.
 
I definitely work full time too 🤣 I think most of us are just trying to make the best of what we *do* have. Pony isn't a good traveller so we can't get out competing - we'd be giving low level endurance a good bash otherwise. Most of my week day riding is done pre-work early in the mornings on my own, often by head torch so not glamorous at all!

For sure, it would be easy to get envious of those that can compete but they are all likely making their own sacrifices too.

I've decided with the cold to not give pony a day off if I can help it - we've reversed his EMS but he's still sensitive to sugars in the grass and with the extra bare paddock time due to frosts and not being able to soak hay, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Yesterday I didn't get up in time to hack so lunged with equi-bands.

This morning, we got out for a 3.5km hack - and ground was good enough for more trot than I expected after a v.chilly night.

Annoyingly, it's not letting me attach a photo of our sunny hack this morning :(
 
I work full time with a 3 hour commute 🙃
BRUTAL 😭

Not having kids definitely makes things easier. And only having 2 office days a week but then I don't have transport, I frequently don't have a 100% sound pony, yard is 40 mins away on a bad traffic day, all our hacking is road hacking etc etc etc
comparison is the thief of joy
this is it, really. You can drown in a puddle as well as the ocean and all that.

I did some in-hand stuff last night to keep phlegmy lungs working. Will do the same this evening if the arena isn't completely solid. Lesson cancelled again this week!
 
Hopefully a sunny hacking picture to remind myself that there is some upsides to this cold spell. Pony thought he had his own halo 😇 🤣

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Beautiful!

I think we can all agree that winter absolutely sucks… but those little glimmers, like your lovely hacking picture, are so uplifting 💕

@Spiderpig2009, I hope I didn’t come across as getting at you but I hope you can understand we all feel the difficulties of keeping horses, especially at this time of year, in different ways. But we do it, and we do our best, because we know there’s nothing else like it in the world.
Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t do as much as you’d like - your best on that day is good enough, sometimes your best might simply be knowing that your horse is being looked after by capable hands, other days it’ll be a full muck out, groom, ride, the full works.
As long as they’re fed, they’re happy x
 
I am so envious of those HHO’s who don’t need to work all week. My life is rubbish I barely get to see my horse in the week…I made wrong life choices I think. In fact no, I have definitely made bad life choices 🥹. I still manage to compete weekends and be a mum so I guess it’s not all wasted
I wrote a moaning, self pitying post yesterady also, so I think we're all entitled to a moan at this time of year.....
Most of us are sacrificing a lot that often doesn't get seen? Thanks to some kind, empathetic replies I gave my head a wobble yesterday and took my 2 boys out for an inhand walk round the 2 mile block. Not a massive acheivement to most, but is step one of my ride and lead plan to enable me to ride standie and get retired coblet out for an amble which he still very much enjoys :) We made it round in one piece with only minimal nervous sweating!

Today daughter is coming with me on foot so I'm hoping to ride standie and lead coblet for short periods knowing that I have an extra pair of hands and feet on the ground when needed.
 
BRUTAL 😭

Not having kids definitely makes things easier. And only having 2 office days a week but then I don't have transport, I frequently don't have a 100% sound pony, yard is 40 mins away on a bad traffic day, all our hacking is road hacking etc etc etc

this is it, really. You can drown in a puddle as well as the ocean and all that.

I did some in-hand stuff last night to keep phlegmy lungs working. Will do the same this evening if the arena isn't completely solid. Lesson cancelled again this week!

Exactly - I think we're all guilty of looking at the 'highlight reel' of other peoples lives sometimes! My job is a slog but pays well and allows me to have my ridden horse on full livery so I figure I'd have no extra time with a standard 9-5 and doing DIY (which I have in the past), plus they are super flexible with me most of the time which is great for the unexpected curve-balls that horses like to throw at you with vets appts etc.

I've got 3 friends just in my 'circle' at the moment with lame or rehabbing horses so frequently count myself very fortunate that all I have to moan about is having to ride in the dark and the rain or my horse being a bit of an idiot.
 
I wrote a moaning, self pitying post yesterady also, so I think we're all entitled to a moan at this time of year.....
Most of us are sacrificing a lot that often doesn't get seen? Thanks to some kind, empathetic replies I gave my head a wobble yesterday and took my 2 boys out for an inhand walk round the 2 mile block. Not a massive acheivement to most, but is step one of my ride and lead plan to enable me to ride standie and get retired coblet out for an amble which he still very much enjoys :) We made it round in one piece with only minimal nervous sweating!

Today daughter is coming with me on foot so I'm hoping to ride standie and lead coblet for short periods knowing that I have an extra pair of hands and feet on the ground when needed.

I returned from holiday at the weekend and threatened to sell mine within 48 hours of getting back to reality 😄 lucky for them I don't think anyone would buy them!! I think this time of year grinds us all down, it really is relentless. It certainly helps me to know I'm not the only one struggling and we're all in the same boat. 🙏
 
Oh totally. And the winter struggles is half the reason I started this in the first place! Just somewhere for us to chat, reflect and moan 🤣
yes I like this thread, as fundamentally I am a planner by nature but we have to remain adaptable and roll with the punches especially at this time of year.
 
I returned from holiday at the weekend and threatened to sell mine within 48 hours of getting back to reality 😄 lucky for them I don't think anyone would buy them!! I think this time of year grinds us all down, it really is relentless. It certainly helps me to know I'm not the only one struggling and we're all in the same boat. 🙏
I asked a friend to take Sadie to a boot sale and see if she could get a tenner for her
 
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