Weekday Plans - w/c 3rd Nov

[sheep]

Just for fun, and to create a bit of accountability for myself during the week… I thought I’d try out creating a weekdays plan thread

Our arena refurb has finished, so I’m now in a position to be much more consistent.

So here are the plans for this week…
Monday: pole work for Ace, long rein Charmer
Tuesday: stretchy session for Ace, day off for Charmer
Wednesday: day off for both - I’m away to a conference in Birmingham all day, so will have an early start and a late finish
Thursday: longrein Ace, stretchy session for Charmer
Friday: water treadmill for Ace, pole work for Charmer

I’ll leave it there so as to not encroach on the weekend plans

How does everyone else plan their week, if at all, or do you just wing it? I normally do, but I think planning will be my friend esp when I am busy and have a lot going on!

 

[MuddyMonster]

I try to plan but often end up winging it I have a whiteboard I write my ideal week on and then see what happens! I aim for 1 day off a week but two isn't an issue at this time of year.

My plan is roughly:

Monday: Relaxing, flat hack (we've done two days of hill work hacking so just want a laidback stretchy outy hack)
Tuesday: Day off
Wednesday: Interval hack
Thursday: Brisk non-interval hacking
Friday: Polework/jumping or flatwork in the school

We'll see how close I get to it by Friday

 

[smolmaus]

I try to plan but often end up winging it

Same! Its a do-your-best plan

We are off games atm but look forward to posting SOON. Thread has come at a good time as I always flounder this time of year when I can't hack for an easy choice on a weekday after work

 

[sheep]

Yeah this time of year is tricky, it’s dark & the weather is so unreliable!
I tend to ride alone as well (OH travels a lot with work), so I have to be a bit careful about what I do.
Very excited to get my lads back into a more consistent routine though.
I am pondering whether I need to get up earlier in the mornings to muck out before work, to save a bit of time in the evenings

 

[MuddyMonster]

Yeah this time of year is tricky, it’s dark & the weather is so unreliable!
I tend to ride alone as well (OH travels a lot with work), so I have to be a bit careful about what I do.
Very excited to get my lads back into a more consistent routine though.
I am pondering whether I need to get up earlier in the mornings to muck out before work, to save a bit of time in the evenings

I do it t'other way around.

I ride first thing so it's done. If I don't get all my jobs done, I have to finish mucking out but could easily persuade myself not to ride on a wet, dark evening when I'm running late and work was stressful.

Would that work?

 

[sheep]

I do it t'other way around.

I ride first thing so it's done. If I don't get all my jobs done, I have to finish mucking out but could easily persuade myself not to ride on a wet, dark evening when I'm running late and work was stressful.

Would that work?

I’d probably have to get up at 4am to ride before work unfortunately I leave for work at 7.15am at the latest so by the time I got them sorted & turned out, I’d need at least a couple of hrs. Then would need to shower & get ready etc, and sort the dogs too. I don’t do too badly with early starts, but I am a menace for staying up too late

That said, it might work well on the days I WFH, so I’ll give it a bash on Thursday all about maximising time as much as possible!

Going to try mucking out tomorrow morning anyway and see how that leaves me for tomorrow evening!

 

[dottylottie]

love the idea of this, as someone who works weekends and can’t always join in!!

i have a beautiful emily cole planner that i use to plan what im going to do - and i use friction pens to rub it out and change it when i can’t stick to my own ideas

monday - day off
tuesday - hack
wednesday - saddle fitter coming
thursday - lunge after work
friday - day off

eagerly awaiting the following weeks thread, lots of midweek plans in that one!

i work 12 hour shifts so on my days off i tend to throw them out & do all my jobs so that all i have to do in the pm is ride, but im debating riding in the morning and doing my jobs before i bring them in, as it keeps being nice all day and raining as soon as i tack up!

i also ride first because ill never not do my jobs, but ill easily not ride - but then if i get wet riding, im very cross whilst doing jobs!

 

[sheep]

i also ride first because ill never not do my jobs, but ill easily not ride - but then if i get wet riding, im very cross whilst doing jobs!

This is a good philosophy tbf, you are right that the jobs will always get done regardless!!

Managed to get up a bit earlier this morning & got horses fed, turned out and stables done by 6.15am so at least later I just need to bring in & ride! I organised my poles for my pole work last night as well, so it should really just be a case of brushing the muddy bits & throwing the tack on

 

[Alibear]

Love this thread, I get Amber back next week and she's coming with homework for the winter so I need to be on it. Planning is the way forwards.

 

[Squeak]

Yeah this time of year is tricky, it’s dark & the weather is so unreliable!
I tend to ride alone as well (OH travels a lot with work), so I have to be a bit careful about what I do.
Very excited to get my lads back into a more consistent routine though.
I am pondering whether I need to get up earlier in the mornings to muck out before work, to save a bit of time in the evenings

I'm trying out using my pivo for when I'm riding alone and could do with someone keeping an eye out. You can put the pivo on, send someone the link and they can watch from wherever they are. They don't need to watch continuously just check every now and then to make sure you're still in one piece. It does rely on having someone available at the time though.

 

[sheep]

I'm trying out using my pivo for when I'm riding alone and could do with someone keeping an eye out. You can put the pivo on, send someone the link and they can watch from wherever they are. They don't need to watch continuously just check every now and then to make sure you're still in one piece. It does rely on having someone available at the time though.

I was chatting to my bf yesterday about getting a pivo actually, normally I text my mum to let her know when I’m getting on or off, so that’s a good shout!

 

[sheep]

Currently standing filing a water bag to go down the field, so thought I’d update!

Stuck to plans for today - had the 3 horses in before 6, and was on board for 6.20. Made a complete hash of my trotting pole distances for Ace, so abandoned that, and will revisit tomorrow instead
Long reined Charmer, who was very civilised. He can get a bit upset if he can’t see the others, but was happy to humour me this evening.
Mucking out early doors worked well. Had everything done by 8pm without rushing, will do the same tomorrow except I’ll only ride Ace, Charmer is off the hook until Thursday now.

 

[sheep]

Managed to get Ace out for a quick stretch last night, just 20 mins of walking, leg yielding etc - nothing too exciting!
Just landed in Birmingham so they’ll have today off, I will have neither the time nor the energy to do anything with them tonight when I get home

 

[sheep]

After a long day yesterday - left house at 5.15am, got home at about 9.25pm - I was SO relieved that the weather was nice and mild so horses stayed out last night in our sort of all weather / trash paddock with a load of hay. It was a good day all the same, out at a conference for a system we use in work

Alarm went off at 6am, and I’m working from home today… temptation was to set the alarm again for 7.30am, but I gave myself a kick up the backside and got Charmer ridden first thing.



Just a lot of walk work, stretching, bending etc but glad I did it.

I finish work at 5pm, have a yoga class at 6pm so I’ll give Ace a quick long rein straight after work. They can stay out tonight too, I think. Might as well be outside eating hay than standing in then they can go back in the proper field tomorrow afternoon, after Ace has his treadmill session.

 

[smolmaus]

You can feel so accomplished all day now!

I was also up at 6 to go give meds. Lovely seeing her in the morning but the hours drive before breakfast is getting old on day 2 Did some groundwork stuff last night and had a very enthusiastic pony. Think she is bored out of her brain now she clearly doesn't feel poorly anymore but I'm not riding a horse on anti-biotics so will be groundwork for the rest of the week!

 

[sheep]

You can feel so accomplished all day now!

I was also up at 6 to go give meds. Lovely seeing her in the morning but the hours drive before breakfast is getting old on day 2 Did some groundwork stuff last night and had a very enthusiastic pony. Think she is bored out of her brain now she clearly doesn't feel poorly anymore but I'm not riding a horse on anti-biotics so will be groundwork for the rest of the week!

Oh goodness, that is a long drive early in the morning
Glad she is sparky and in good form though, hopefully whatever was ailing her is 100% sorted very soon!

 

[MuddyMonster]

Well done Sheep You can feel smug all day now

We've mainly achieved everything I wanted to, just not in the same order

Monday we did a stretchy lunge session instead of hacking
Tuesday was interval session
Wednesday was day off
This morning was polework

Hopefully pre-work hacking tomorrow

 

[dottylottie]

tuesday me and lily had a lovely hack round the park, lots of dramatic spooking because she’s never been that far up before but very brave on the whole - big sighs when we got back to the path she’s used to! revolutionary hacking in the morning and just doing my jobs before i brought them in and i went to the gym!

yesterday was saddle fitting day, balance was completely off but now fixed and good to go!

 

[Kirstd33]

Loving reading what everyone is up to, its so enlightening and reassuring also that in these dark days not everyone is actually achieving a great deal!

I currently look after 3. 2 of mine (1 retired coblet and my new standie boy) and I weekly ride my friends endurance pony who I've had lodging in the field since September. They all live out 24/7 on approx 4 acres of rotated paddocks and a hardstanding area. I don't poo pick currently but do bucket feed twice daily, fill haynets and do feet, rugs, water and whatever else needs doing. Generally morning at 8am on the way to work, occasionally in my lunchbreak and then do the way home again at 4.45pm, although the failing light is making this visit very much chuck the buckets at them and make sure they're still standing!

Mon - long day at work so essentials only
Tues - long day at work so essentials only. Had a round bale delivered and had to do some fencing and clearing acorns!

Wed - Half day working so took Standie out for our first solo hack! A short 35 min bimble round the small block, which was plenty for a confidence giving first trip out. We saw a few cars, a few dogs, passed some exuberant horses in fields and discovered that he DOES NOT like crazy paving drive ways or in fact tarmac of any differing colour or texture, soft lad! Had 2 episodes of pacing and then a nice, trot when I gathered him up and gently asked him to use a little more hind end.

Today - Half day working so we're hacking/walking in hand the 800m to a local trainer for our first lesson together. It will certainly be his first time in a school so I have absolutely no expectations other than a nice hack there (including a short 200m stretch of busier road) then meet and greet trainer, some mounting block practice, some walking and gentle stretching. I'm a little apprehensive but keeping expectations on the ground should set us up for success?

Friday - long day at work so essentials and friend is doing the PM check. Day off for Standie

Sat - have a longer block (1.5 hr ish) hack planned with friend which will be nice, her endurance pony is only coming back into work so will be 90% walking finding some gentle hills to march up getting their cores working.

Sun - Hoping daughter will ride Standie for the first time and I'll walk alongside with coblet, who despite being retired still enjoys a mooch and a munch from the hedgerows

 

[smolmaus]

Today - Half day working so we're hacking/walking in hand the 800m to a local trainer for our first lesson together. It will certainly be his first time in a school so I have absolutely no expectations other than a nice hack there (including a short 200m stretch of busier road) then meet and greet trainer, some mounting block practice, some walking and gentle stretching. I'm a little apprehensive but keeping expectations on the ground should set us up for success?

Hey now, the expectations aren't on the ground! You're just planning a nice relaxed day which is perfect! Good luck with the lesson, plz update

 

[Kirstd33]

Hey now, the expectations aren't on the ground! You're just planning a nice relaxed day which is perfect! Good luck with the lesson, plz update

Thankyou, will do later, I do worry what the trainer will think of him being a standie with his different way of going, but I've chosen her for locality meaning we can hack there and she teaches a friends daughter so comes highly recommended but hey if she's not right then we'll find another

 

[MuddyMonster]

Thankyou, will do later, I do worry what the trainer will think of him being a standie with his different way of going, but I've chosen her for locality meaning we can hack there and she teaches a friends daughter so comes highly recommended but hey if she's not right then we'll find another

Hopefully it all works out

I used to have regular lessons with an event rider (I still do have lessons with them we're just so local anymore so less frequently) and I was worried they'd be bothered I have a native instead of the big, athletic horse's they are used to - especially back at the start, he was a very err, challenging youngster. But, honestly they didn't/don't care at all! They actually really like him, especially these days when I pose less of a risk to their insurance

 

[smolmaus]

Any instructor who can only, or only wants to teach big scopey sports horses isn't worth giving money to imo. How boring!

 

[j1ffy]

I'm enjoying the mid-week motivation! We've been out competing and training quite a lot so we're mostly taking it easy during the week - Sammy is 18 and plenty fit enough for the work so I like to keep him fresh. He had Monday and Tuesday off after competing Sunday, then yesterday we did some basic schooling with a lot of transitions. 5 strides of one pace, 5 of another etc. He did learn to count after a while so I varied the number of strides but it still had a great impact on his responsiveness to the aids.

 

[sheep]

I'm enjoying the mid-week motivation! We've been out competing and training quite a lot so we're mostly taking it easy during the week - Sammy is 18 and plenty fit enough for the work so I like to keep him fresh. He had Monday and Tuesday off after competing Sunday, then yesterday we did some basic schooling with a lot of transitions. 5 strides of one pace, 5 of another etc. He did learn to count after a while so I varied the number of strides but it still had a great impact on his responsiveness to the aids.

I love the counting game! I did a bit of that this morning too actually!

 

[Kirstd33]

So first off we made it to the trainers yard safely, with hacking to the end of the lane and then jumping off and leading him the short distance along the 40mph road. Then we had a fab first lesson for his first time in an arena. Lots of walking large on loose rein, some 20m circles and then even some walk- trot transitions. He can strike a trot and maintain it along th E long sides but breaks back to pace on the corners. We finished with walking over some poles which we will use in future to help with his trot. But the main thing was he was relaxed, attentive and tried really hard and she really liked him and has experience with another standie which you could tell. We walked/rode back to the field and I couldn’t be more happy!

 

[sheep]

So first off we made it to the trainers yard safely, with hacking to the end of the lane and then jumping off and leading him the short distance along the 40mph road. Then we had a fab first lesson for his first time in an arena. Lots of walking large on loose rein, some 20m circles and then even some walk- trot transitions. He can strike a trot and maintain it along th E long sides but breaks back to pace on the corners. We finished with walking over some poles which we will use in future to help with his trot. But the main thing was he was relaxed, attentive and tried really hard and she really liked him and has experience with another standie which you could tell. We walked/rode back to the field and I couldn’t be more happy!

Fabulous!!! Well done!

 

[Boulty]

The cobgoblin is definitely seeing what he can get away with now he’s all settled in (other horses that are currently pushing him around you have been warned as I think you’ll be next)

I dared to have a quick chat with a transporter that was taking another horse to a vet appointment as I used to hire her box before I got my own.

This is what my pony decided to do to entertain himself whilst my back was turned (I was literally about 10 metres away)



He made direct eye contact with me and instead of doing the “it wasn’t me” act of innocence (which the Highland was an expert at!) proceeded to continue to paw at the things he had tipped everywhere. Apparently he woke up & chose violence!

He then went out on his first solo exploration mission (after pausing several times on the driveway… tbf I think the sudden disappearance of his friend in the horsebox confused him).

Was a good boy on the very brief bit of road followed by an absolute piglet when we got to the grass. Apparently he thought that the outing has now turned into a picnic.

As he’s been relatively polite up until now / has listened when told no when diving for grass it took a moment for it to dawn that the tug of war was achieving nothing useful and that unless I wanted to spend a lot of time being dragged about then the volume needed upping to match the the extent to which he was going “grass if waaaaaay more interesting than you are and why on earth would I want to leave it?” (Nothing awful just a few firm corrections on the rope rather than the lighter requests that up to now have been respected)

Order was restored and sensible walking without trying to drag me was resumed.

Did let him stop for a nibble before turning for home as politeness had returned by that point (& with what I’d like to eventually do with him some snacking will be acceptable but only when I say it’s ok)

 

[Cloball]

Lesson last night, trot is really starting to swing more over the back and the neck is really starting to relax and take the contact forward instructor was very pleased with her and she was very pleased with herself.

We then got buzzed by an a400 it was so low I swear we could have hopped up the ramp. D gave me a somewhat alarmed look I wish I had taken a pic! It was so low, we get a fair few low planes up the estuary but this was unusually close. At least now I know I could ride up a military runway if I chose

 

[smolmaus]

The cobgoblin is definitely seeing what he can get away with now he’s all settled in (other horses that are currently pushing him around you have been warned as I think you’ll be next)

I dared to have a quick chat with a transporter that was taking another horse to a vet appointment as I used to hire her box before I got my own.

This is what my pony decided to do to entertain himself whilst my back was turned (I was literally about 10 metres away)

View attachment 168909

He made direct eye contact with me and instead of doing the “it wasn’t me” act of innocence (which the Highland was an expert at!) proceeded to continue to paw at the things he had tipped everywhere. Apparently he woke up & chose violence!

He then went out on his first solo exploration mission (after pausing several times on the driveway… tbf I think the sudden disappearance of his friend in the horsebox confused him).

Was a good boy on the very brief bit of road followed by an absolute piglet when we got to the grass. Apparently he thought that the outing has now turned into a picnic.

As he’s been relatively polite up until now / has listened when told no when diving for grass it took a moment for it to dawn that the tug of war was achieving nothing useful and that unless I wanted to spend a lot of time being dragged about then the volume needed upping to match the the extent to which he was going “grass if waaaaaay more interesting than you are and why on earth would I want to leave it?” (Nothing awful just a few firm corrections on the rope rather than the lighter requests that up to now have been respected)

Order was restored and sensible walking without trying to drag me was resumed.

Did let him stop for a nibble before turning for home as politeness had returned by that point (& with what I’d like to eventually do with him some snacking will be acceptable but only when I say it’s ok)

View attachment 168910

How do you say no to a face like that Look at his stripey feet

I also had to put "okay snacktime" on a cue before my arms permanently exited their sockets. It's so useful! Should be in everyone's toolbox!

We just did a little tiny lunge last night over some ground poles. Might do the same thing tonight then get out on the road for some long walks over the weekend. Can't really lunge for long with her dodgy knees. I don't know how this pony went from the vet saying she was in great shape last Tuesday to looking like an overstuffed dumpling in just 10 days but hey ho. It's come off before, it will come off again