Weekend plans, 3rd weekend of February

[Ample Prosecco]

Thank so much. Really helpful. I think a transition every few strides is a really good way of keeping her a bit more on-side. One exercise that seemed a bit better was walk half a 20m circle from C. Canter at X. Come back to trot before reaching X again and walk before C then halt at C and let her stand on a loose rein for a few moments. Then pick up walk again and canter at X . Repeat. She never got to onwards as it was an exercise in coming down the transitions from canter to halt then a proper reward. So I might try that in trot. Going from halt to trot to rein back and back to halt smoothly in a circle the same sort of way. Lots of ideas to play with!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Really low key weekend here. Jumping on Friday was short and sweet in preparation for training with another trainer that comes to the yard every 2 weeks or so. Yesterday we walked with the dog and OH because the sun was out! A nice hilly walk, so good exercise for all of us. It was still windy but stopped raining and we actually saw blue sky...before it went back to wet and windy gloom today. I was feeling a bit off today, not ill, but not right so we just free lunged a bit, and worked on our in-hand Spanish walk and piaffe. Will ride tomorrow before the jumping lesson on Tuesday.

 

[racebuddy]

Somehow managed to get horses worked and out for a few hours in the field fed up of winter now , but I have managed to catch up some sleep ? 7 days of 430 am
Starts ?‍?‍??

 

[Chippers1]

Made it to the clinic it wasn't really too windy (rainy though!) so fine to drive in. Really enjoyed it, Buzz was great, I feel like i'm actually learning too which I often don't get at clinics. Even the other group members noticed a difference when I did something the instructor had said to do some i'm pretty pleased. I'm basically having to learn to stop firing him around courses (which is down to nerves from me) and hold him more. It's definitely making a difference

 

[Red-1]

Yesterday, baby horse finished the weekend with his first day off of the year. Looking outside, today will be his second.

Tomorrow was supposed to be our first ever XC lesson, outside. Unless there is a complete turnaround, I will cancel if it is still on, not least because he isn't studded. The trainer is trying to re-route to an indoor SJ lesson, which we will go to, even if he has had 2 days off. He is generally a sensible soul.

 

[Bernster]

Chippers - that’s one of my issues too, when I’m nervous or unsure of a fence, I fire into it with an awful pony club kick. That was ok on Finn as he’s a Diesel engine and would occasionally ‘prop’ before a fence, but not with pocket rocket Bertie! I’m learning to keep my leg on and hold, but not kick, into fences. Def a work in progress.

Everything is off so far - larkhill and chiltern xc both cancelled. Chiltern will refund as they cancelled, but I’ve lost the larkhill hire fee ?

 

[Chippers1]

That's exactly it, I have to learn to sit up and wait, hold with my legs too! Normally we end up just getting faster and flatter then we get out of rhythm and have a stop. It's so interesting to learn and i'm sticking to smaller heights to help with the confidence issues then I can apply to bigger heights, when they get bigger I just try and go faster! I don't know why it's taking me so long to realise it i guess as I was along the lines of...well we're going clear....
Buzz is definitely enjoying it more though, he was quite strong to begin with again but really settled into his work once I was riding properly, really using his hocks and pinging properly when I sat back and did some half halts.

 

[Season’s Bleatings]

Had my lesson yesterday! Weather was horrific ? but it was very good. We more or less picked up from what I’d been doing with Pammy on Weds and worked on securing and stabilising the contact. I can be a bit of a passenger at times and sort of let him do stuff to an “alright” standard but lack a bit of discipline in insisting on good quality lol! But he went brilliantly and it really felt like the engine was revving and the power was connecting through from behind. Delighted!
He’s been in today so I think we will have a nice, chilled pole session in hand this evening.

 

[blood_magik]

Well, Saturday didn’t quite go to plan but at least the sun was out and we didn’t get blown away.



Back out today to attempt AM96 which, while a total headache for me, seems to suit Raz.

Baby pony is doing his first ever test as well. I’m more nervous about the warmup than the actual test as other horses are still *very* exciting. ? It’s also super windy here at the moment ? so hoping it dies down a bit before we have to leave.

 

[blood_magik]

Show’s been cancelled so I’ll be taking advantage of having an unscheduled morning off and building a new course for tonight’s clinic instead ?‍?