Weekend plans :D

[ester]

obligatory ears photos.. pre and sweaty after , fab morning she was much more polite than Frank ever was but my calves definitely found the hour and a half mostly up in two point cantering a bit of a struggle!

 

[Mule]

I had my second xc lesson on Saturday morning, hubby says it went ok, but I was the one riding, and I'm not convinced.

Despite not jumping anything over 70cm, it felt like driving a car with the handbrake on, and he was never really taking me into the fences.

The ones he jumped were normally off a short backing off stride, and we had 4 or 5 stops... A small log jumped at an angle, and a small corner built out of poles.

So I'm a bit meh now, and feeling ĺike I've broken my pony.

Especially as he jumped grand at home on Friday so it's not a physical issue. In saying that though, I've sent the physio a message to see if she can come this week...

I really really wanted to do an arena event in 2 weeks and our first hunt in three weeks, but at the moment neither are looking very likely 😣😣

Fiona

Mabey take it slowly until you get your confidence back. Hunting is great for getting both horse and rider going forward but you need your confidence to be in top shape for the first time.

When I lose my confidence I do tiny jumps/ ground poles if necessary until my confidence comes back. You'll be more confident to ride forward and really put you leg on when the jumps aren't intimidating. It happens much quicker this way than trying to push through fear. That doesn't work for me. You mightn't need to do it at all but I do find this approach helps me.

When what you describe happens me it's when I'm apprehensive and don't ride the horse to the fence. I stop using my legs and seat and my horse isn't sure that I want to jump the fence.

I doubt that your pony has lost confidence and he definitely isn't broken☺️ You'll get back to where you were. Try not to be hard on yourself.

 

[Mule]

obligatory ears photos.. pre and sweaty after , fab morning she was much more polite than Frank ever was but my calves definitely found the hour and a half mostly up in two point cantering a bit of a struggle!

Ugh, an hour and a half cantering in 2 point 😱I envy your fitness.

 

[ester]

well we did do some trotting, and short bit of walking too but we did seem to do most of it in canter and as previously said I last rode on hols in september, prior to that did a walk hack on F in May.... it's a good while since I've ridden like that so we will see how well I get up the stairs to work in the morning, I'm not sure I'm going to make boot camp anyway

 

[Fiona]

Good luck getting out of bed tomorrow ester 😉😉

Fiona

 

[Mule]

well we did do some trotting, and short bit of walking too but we did seem to do most of it in canter and as previously said I last rode on hols in september, prior to that did a walk hack on F in May.... it's a good while since I've ridden like that so we will see how well I get up the stairs to work in the morning, I'm not sure I'm going to make boot camp anyway

Christ, if I did that after that long off riding I'd slide off from exhaustion!

 

[Fiona]

Mabey take it slowly until you get your confidence back. Hunting is great for getting both horse and rider going forward but you need your confidence to be in top shape for the first time.

When I lose my confidence I do tiny jumps/ ground poles if necessary until my confidence comes back. You'll be more confident to ride forward and really put you leg on when the jumps aren't intimidating. It happens much quicker this way than trying to push through fear. That doesn't work for me. You mightn't need to do it at all but I do find this approach helps me.

When what you describe happens me it's when I'm apprehensive and don't ride the horse to the fence. I stop using my legs and seat and my horse isn't sure that I want to jump the fence.

I doubt that your pony has lost confidence and he definitely isn't broken☺️ You'll get back to where you were. Try not to be hard on yourself.

Thanks mule x x

I'm definitely going to stay small for a while, hence ruling out the arena event, as it starts at 70.

I am useless at riding backwards horses, I can't see a stride so I freeze and lean forward...

Been looking forward to the hunt all year though... 😣😣

Fiona

 

[Wheels]

I had my second xc lesson on Saturday morning, hubby says it went ok, but I was the one riding, and I'm not convinced.

Despite not jumping anything over 70cm, it felt like driving a car with the handbrake on, and he was never really taking me into the fences.

The ones he jumped were normally off a short backing off stride, and we had 4 or 5 stops... A small log jumped at an angle, and a small corner built out of poles.

So I'm a bit meh now, and feeling ĺike I've broken my pony.

Especially as he jumped grand at home on Friday so it's not a physical issue. In saying that though, I've sent the physio a message to see if she can come this week...

I really really wanted to do an arena event in 2 weeks and our first hunt in three weeks, but at the moment neither are looking very likely 😣😣

Fiona

Oh no, I'm sure you have not broken your pony!! We all go through bad times but that makes the good times all the more sweet!

I went to Eric Pele's today, it's the first time I've been and I thought it was brilliant. I had the opposite problem to you and couldn't stop my bloody pony! We were ok with single fences but combinations and a few fences in line and he was away. Will go back soon and properly train rather than just blasting around.

Where is the arena eventing Fiona?

 

[Mule]

Thanks mule x x

I'm definitely going to stay small for a while, hence ruling out the arena event, as it starts at 70.

I am useless at riding backwards horses, I can't see a stride so I freeze and lean forward...

Been looking forward to the hunt all year though... 😣😣

Fiona

I'm the same and I lean forward too. It's the worst thing 🙄. I'm getting so much more interested in dressage that I think my lack of jumping ability won't matter soon.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Frustrating when it does not go to plan Fiona, but riding always seems so up and down. I am sure you will be 'up' again soon.
1 and a half hours in canter Ester!!! Wow. I am knackered after 6 or 7 minutes round a XC track.

Rather a successful pony/unicorn viewing with Katie today.... Unexpected as we weren't yet really looking but were just tipped off about a pony about to be advertised. But it feels right. More importantly Katie feels absolutely right on her. So fingers crossed for the vetting. x

 

[Mule]

Frustrating when it does not go to plan Fiona, but riding always seems so up and down. I am sure you will be 'up' again soon.
1 and a half hours in canter Ester!!! Wow. I am knackered after 6 or 7 minutes round a XC track.

Rather a successful pony/unicorn viewing with Katie today.... Unexpected as we weren't yet really looking but were just tipped off about a pony about to be advertised. But it feels right. More importantly Katie feels absolutely right on her. So fingers crossed for the vetting. x

Brilliant, that's good news.

 

[DressageCob]

Fantastic weekend. I enjoyed judging our yard dressage; some of the clients really rose to the challenge and there were some fantastic tests.

I then did my novice class, judged by my instructor. Toby went brilliantly (the lesson in the morning had certainly helped). I fluffed the change the rein in canter, change leg through trot over X bit, but otherwise it all went well. And we won 😊

I had a meltdown in my jump lesson today, when Toby was having too much fun and switched off the brakes and steering mid air on quite a technical string of jumps. Rather embarrassing!

But the best thing of the weekend was getting back on my little cob. Albert was fabulous. Very brave and he tried very hard. He had a little look around when there were noises on his eyeless side, but went straight back to concentrating afterwards. We did a little walk, trot and canter on both reins then called it a day. He’s lost a bit of fitness since being out of work so I didn’t want him to overdo it. It was lovely to be back on board 😊

 

[Ambers Echo]

Thanks Mule.

Katie is having 'disloyalty to Ginny' wobbles. I have tried to reassure her that her grief and sadness about Ginny doesn't end just because she is happy and excited about a new pony. Emotions are complicated and one set of emotions does not cancel out another set. She still misses the pony she had BEFORE Ginny! She felt better when I pointed out that my mum never lets herself be without a dog - always buys the next puppy when the older dog is 5 or 6 so she is never left with no dog at all.

 

[Mule]

I had a good dressage lesson yesterday. It was my first proper one in a long time. My feel still isn't back after a long time spent hacking on a loose rein and not using my seat properly.

I have it some of the time but then I lose it. Although he is on the aids, he's not properly through. His back isn't up a lot of the time.
When I get it and he moves with that lovely suspension he has it feels so nice I know I'll keep trying.

I had forgotten how difficult I originally found learning to ride with contact. I remember after plugging away at it for a while it sunk in so I reckon the same thing should happen again. It's not easy though..

 

[Snowfilly]

A blimming cold day at the jumping, and the old boy was feeling the cold a bit so we did a much longer warm up than normal.

They had loads of entries today, especially in the bigger classes so lots of hanging around. Flew round the 85 for a clear, then there were 9 of us in the jump off and I was last to go, so I rode a short route and sadly we just got too close to a spread and took the top pole down. Our time was pretty good - we'd have been third on a clear - but we came away unplaced.

Onto the next class, which was meant to be 90, and there were some seriously good riders with young horses entered. After a quick consultation, the organisers decided to make this one 95 and the final class 1.05 to make it bit more challenging (joys of unaffiliated but it works when your course builder knows everyone!)

We jumped a lovely round but my old issues with planks came back and I practically pulled the poor lad up at fence three! He stopped very politely, circled away and I growled at myself the rest of the way round. 4 faults was good enough for a 6th place, and the deep satisfaction of beating two local semi pros with their young horses!

 

[Mule]

Thanks Mule.

Katie is having 'disloyalty to Ginny' wobbles. I have tried to reassure her that her grief and sadness about Ginny doesn't end just because she is happy and excited about a new pony. Emotions are complicated and one set of emotions does not cancel out another set. She still misses the pony she had BEFORE Ginny! She felt better when I pointed out that my mum never lets herself be without a dog - always buys the next puppy when the older dog is 5 or 6 so she is never left with no dog at all.

That was clever to say about your mum. Its a good way of explaining it. It's so hard losing a horse. It's such a big responsibility to act when you know their time is coming to an end but naturally we have lots of conflicting emotions (and that's just us adults)

 

[Chippers1]

Oh I just read the published results and I was the quickest! I could've won if it was fastest 😂 pay attention in future..

 

[rosiesowner]

Sounds like some great weekends for people

Yesterday Chilli hacked and then got SCRUBBED to be clean! Then today she went dressaging for the first time since January. Tension spoiled the first test and the second one was a bit better! So that left us with 4th in the P2 and a 5th in the P7.

SO PLEASED to be back out to a competition.
Attached some photos. Hopefully we will have some photos from the tests from the photographer. Makes me realise I might need a new jacket, this one is a bit short for me...

 

[Fiona]

Oh no, I'm sure you have not broken your pony!! We all go through bad times but that makes the good times all the more sweet!

I went to Eric Pele's today, it's the first time I've been and I thought it was brilliant. I had the opposite problem to you and couldn't stop my bloody pony! We were ok with single fences but combinations and a few fences in line and he was away. Will go back soon and properly train rather than just blasting around.

Where is the arena eventing Fiona?

It's an amazing venue isn't it 😊😊

Meet me there some Sunday?

The arena eventing is at Lusks on Sun 9th.

Fiona

 

[Denbob]

Dressage to music was not a disaster!

Started with a poles-40cm class to get warmed up and he was a little bit backwards but managed to pick up canter leads right first time both ways so big positive takeaway there but by the time dressage rolled around I was feeling sick and very VERY uncertain as we hadn't had time to ride the whole test through to the music so it was anyone's guess whether my first attempt at audacity editing would go to plan.

Beastie was a bit unsure about his costume (a bed sheet with a pirate boat painted on and some pirate flag bunting on his reins) so we did a quick w/t/c in the warm up and he felt fine, if a bit tense, so I agreed to sacrifice my dressage whip for the plastic sword to complete my look. (BIG mistake)

When we went in I completely went through pieces, looking back at the video I was tense and asked him for too much trying to keep up with my partner so he promptly (and rightly so) told me to jog on with a big by his standards buck. I stuck it but on the 20m canter circle he just charged through his outside shoulder and with no whip I had nothing to correct him with other than a couple of pony club kicks so we just had to catch up at the next movement.

The rest of the test went almost perfectly and aside from slightly mistimed walk music (doh!) We finished bang on, and I even won a special rosette for my creative ending of jumping off and lying on the floor.

In hindsight he dealt with a LOT today, and I should have expected he'd feel insecure and a bit nappy especially with the extra horses standing around, loud music and a tense rider. Bonus points for coming second (just 0.5 points behind the pair who came first) so another frilly to add to the collection and a great learning experience.

Have a gratuitous picture of us!

 

[Fiona]

Frustrating when it does not go to plan Fiona, but riding always seems so up and down. I am sure you will be 'up' again soon.
1 and a half hours in canter Ester!!! Wow. I am knackered after 6 or 7 minutes round a XC track.

Rather a successful pony/unicorn viewing with Katie today.... Unexpected as we weren't yet really looking but were just tipped off about a pony about to be advertised. But it feels right. More importantly Katie feels absolutely right on her. So fingers crossed for the vetting. x

Sounds great AE... When is the vetting? Fingers crossed .

I've a RC group SJ lesson tomorrow night with an instructor I see a lot of, I'm really hoping she can help.....

Fiona

 

[Wheels]

It's an amazing venue isn't it 😊😊

Meet me there some Sunday?

The arena eventing is at Lusks on Sun 9th.

Fiona

Would love to meet up will let you know when I'm planning my next trip - can it be hired at other times do you know?

Oh yes lusks, I am thinking of doing that, will wait to see the weather forecast I think

 

[Fiona]

Would love to meet up will let you know when I'm planning my next trip - can it be hired at other times do you know?

Oh yes lusks, I am thinking of doing that, will wait to see the weather forecast I think

The entries only close a few days beforehand.......

Eric's is open by prior arrangement on Saturdays too I think...... and bank holidays and stuff.

Fiona

 

[Wheels]

The entries only close a few days beforehand.......

Eric's is open by prior arrangement on Saturdays too I think...... and bank holidays and stuff.

Fiona

That might be preferable, Sunday's are a bit erm.. free for all and gung go lol

 

[Phyzelda]

We did, we managed to face our fears. A slightly under dressage compared to what we could have done and due to my nervous I didn't ride to the first fence so an unfortunate pole. But 2nd in the BD combined training. 🤞 there's a possibility of a wildcard