Weekend plans :D

[BenvardenRach2]

Loads going on this weekend it seems hope everyone has a good one!

We’re going out dressaging for the first time since August! I sort of fell out of love with Dressage for a little while I put too much pressure on myself and it stopped being fun so we had a break and went out jumping and had some real fun. Now my head is screwed on again and I can’t wait to get back out there. We’re doing N28 and then our second elementary E44

Photos of us out jumping last weekend and prancing about in that glorious sunshine yesterday!!

Best of luck to all who are competing x

 

[milliepops]

Well, the public cantering debut went as well as i could have hoped, really
The intro was in a different arena, and he went a bit green about spooky things piled up against the fence but more or less did everything quite reasonably, and eventually remembered that he was supposed to respond to my inside leg so I was quite happy with 67%.

Managed to get a quiet moment in the warm up to have a canter both ways and off we went for prelim 18. He got his spook on again and this time rather forgot about my inside leg so the test was the very definition of steering around but we did canter in the required places (sort of, anyway) and wobbled round being very distracted! He finished on a fairly generous 59% but the aim of the day was achieved and I feel like he's on the cusp of realising that the lessons he's been learning are supposed to be applied at all times, not just when he feels like it his work is really messy sometimes but his understanding is improving vastly, so I feel like any minute now it is all going to fall into place.

Being able to canter without wiping out the opposition will mean he can do 2 tests all the time now. He's mentally ready and physically strong enough. Onwards and upwards

 

[Snowfilly]

Today we achieved...wearing a bit for the first time and standing under a measuring stick!

He was sold as broken and hacking out, but as he was at an auction, I didn't see any of it. Anyway, he knew exactly what the bit was and opened his mouth for it, so that was good.

He was less impressed with the measuring stick, but he's currently 14.3 and a smidge at the front and about 15 and a half behind - incredibly bum high! He's 3.5 years now, so I'm thinking he might make 15.2 as he's growing like a weed.

I honestly don't think I'll bother with saddles for a few more months, he's only going to grow again.

 

[milliepops]

Measuring stick is definitely a good milestone! none of mine have been that cooperative about them.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Numpty award to me for 2nd weekend in a row..... did not go to get my lorry from garage till half an hour after it shut for the weekend. Arghhh. No transport = no playing at Somerford and a load of money down the drain

 

[milliepops]

oh bugger! what a PITA

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Had a fab hack round farm ride this morning with old friend. B Fuzzy had her well behaved head on but was a very willing partner for a few fast sprints up hills ?

Well done MP on your outing x
AE, I think you'll have to set reminders on your phone x

 

[milliepops]

AE, I think you'll have to set reminders on your phone x

good plan

I still have a post-it note saying "STIRRUPS" in capital letters stuck on my lorry dash after 2 consecutive episodes where I went on a trip leaving my pedals behind (I take them off to take saddles home at night). I'm all about the reminders, my phone calendar is rammed with them!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

good plan

I still have a post-it note saying "STIRRUPS" in capital letters stuck on my lorry dash after 2 consecutive episodes where I went on a trip leaving my pedals behind (I take them off to take saddles home at night). I'm all about the reminders, my phone calendar is rammed with them!

I even put shopping list things on my calendar! Lots of reminders too, a week before, the day before, even an hour before lol x

 

[milliepops]

I even put shopping list things on my calendar! Lots of reminders too, a week before, the day before, even an hour before lol x

Yup I have alexa managing my shopping list ?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Grr, we are 60+ miles from the ehv outbreak that's been officially noted. Local big comp centres have prudently closed.
However, a few local yards have closed and forbidden their liveries to go out hacking.

I've just had a very snotty message about going out today (a further 15 miles away from the zone) and how I should be stopping movements anywhere.
I completely understand biosecurity, my vets are giving prudent advice about comps and suchlike. If there are more cases then yes, I'll stay home as I did before when flu was doing the rounds previously, but now???
I fired back an equally snotty message asking if they were from defra and were they contacting every equine owner, or just targeting those who have gone out this week? (its the local DIY yards queen bee, who doesnt ride but waves flags at her horses instead)

 

[oldie48]

good plan

I still have a post-it note saying "STIRRUPS" in capital letters stuck on my lorry dash after 2 consecutive episodes where I went on a trip leaving my pedals behind (I take them off to take saddles home at night). I'm all about the reminders, my phone calendar is rammed with them!

Forgotten the stirrups twice last year as I've been using the same ones on two saddles. I got organised this week and found a pair of stirrups and leathers to put permanently on my GP! I am also very forgetful.
MP, hats off to you for braving the weather this morning, I didn't ride as it was too cold and blustery. Rose came in this evening plastered in mud and minus yet another over reach boot, they had been shooting in the woods behind her field and had forgotten to tell me!

 

[nikicb]

Grr, we are 60+ miles from the ehv outbreak that's been officially noted. Local big comp centres have prudently closed.
However, a few local yards have closed and forbidden their liveries to go out hacking.

I've just had a very snotty message about going out today (a further 15 miles away from the zone) and how I should be stopping movements anywhere.
I completely understand biosecurity, my vets are giving prudent advice about comps and suchlike. If there are more cases then yes, I'll stay home as I did before when flu was doing the rounds previously, but now???
I fired back an equally snotty message asking if they were from defra and were they contacting every equine owner, or just targeting those who have gone out this week? (its the local DIY yards queen bee, who doesnt ride but waves flags at her horses instead)

I had to laugh at your post as this is what we did today.....

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2424123717901082

However I do also ride!! I'm also a bit peeved as I had booked arena hire for tomorrow, but because I went to the treadmill at Wellington yesterday, I now can't go. I do understand, but it's just annoying as they would have been happy for me to go from my private yard, but not now as we have been somewhere else. If I'd known yesterday I would have cancelled the treadmill session.

 

[milliepops]

MP, hats off to you for braving the weather this morning, I didn't ride as it was too cold and blustery. Rose came in this evening plastered in mud and minus yet another over reach boot, they had been shooting in the woods behind her field and had forgotten to tell me!

Oh no! How irritating. ?

It got progressively more wild while we were there! Wimped out of using the old severn bridge which is the most direct route to get home as that feels very dicey in the gusts ?

 

[Red-1]

Yay, Finn now has shoes! It was blooming windy on the motorway, not my favourite. I am going to do very little this week now as she is not very fit at the moment, and now has unfamiliar shoes to boot (ha) with extra weight, so slow and steady wins the race. I am very cautious!

I am so happy Northern that you have rain. Praying for muddy ponies.

Also sorry AE that you did not have the lorry, so frustrating.

Because I am forgetful, we have boots, jodhs, hat, gloves, whip, and many other bits that never leave the lorry. It saved me last week with out first arena hire, I forgot my boots, and the lorry ones are from when I was a lot bigger - so it looks like I was wearing wellies!

I ride but I also wave flags, good education.

 

[DirectorFury]

Hacked yest and briefly considered murdering my horse. I’m really missing having a school as we could do with several weeks working on schooling and manners in a controlled environment but ho hum. Looks like I need to find a better way of dealing with cantering sideways at half walking speed for a whole hack ??.

Today was spent clearing my late FILs flat. He was a hoarder and compulsive spender so it’s a nightmare job. We’ve made a dent in it but there’s a lot left to do.

Tomorrow I’ll be catching up on work that I’ve slipped up on since dealing with FILs death.

I’m very jealous of everyone out having fun!

 

[Roxylola]

Our canter went well too - in fact it was our dressage debut altogether. We are trialling some ulcer treatment and it's made a massive difference in 2 days! So we had no rodeo practise only a couple of minor objections when I asked for trot then canter right after our walk (which was super and got a 7)
But because he wasn't quite on the aids and got a bit tense we missed left canter and did the ling side on the wrong leg for a 4, corrected in the corner for a 5 on our circle.
Canter work was the only let down on a sheet of 6s and 7s otherwise so I'm delighted with that. Nice walk tomorrow for a stretch (in the stinking rain)

 

[nikicb]

Today was spent clearing my late FILs flat. He was a hoarder and compulsive spender so it’s a nightmare job. We’ve made a dent in it but there’s a lot left to do.

Tomorrow I’ll be catching up on work that I’ve slipped up on since dealing with FILs death.

I’m very jealous of everyone out having fun!

I feel your pain having cleared out three houses pretty much single handedly over the past few years. My paternal grandmother was a shopping addict. I'm desperately trying to clear out the clutter so my boys won't have to do the same. xxx

 

[Roxylola]

Oh DF that sounds rough - think of the hacking as half pass practise, I've spent many hacks centering sideways too it's better than being bogged off with I guess.
Hopefully you'll be back to some normality before long

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Oh no AE, is there anyway getting round it? If I had the payload I’d offer to take you .

If no way it don’t read below...

amazing clinic! Jumped loads of big scary fences, from canter no less! Feeling super ready for the season ahead ?.

 

[nikkimariet]

Pretty chill weekend here. Rooni had a lesson Saturday and did some really great work!




Hacking this morning and he was just excellent. We had a lovely 5 minutes canter which was so much fun.

 

[dorsetladette]

Really windy here. B2 worked OK on long reins but everything was ultra scary today so didn't do any de sensitising.
No hacking for me this weekend either as a lot of people locally compete at crofton and my hacking routes pass their fields/yards. The fields to slippy to ride in at the moment so B2 just had a good groom and cuddles. He really is a lovely boy.

 

[mle22]

Outing yesterday for daughter and her mare, doing a couple of dressage tests. 68.5 in pre-novice and 62 in novice test. A bit of tension in both, but happy enough for the first time out after a couple of months off.

 

[Ambers Echo]

AE, I think you'll have to set reminders on your phone x

Honestly I have lists all over the place. And timetables. And reminders written on walls. I'm just completely scatter-brained

 

[Ambers Echo]

DF that like was for the hacking part of the post not the rest which sounds very stressful.
FF that is so frustrating.
Thanks for the offer HP. I am gutted to have missed it but hey ho. Third time lucky next weekend?

I am very pleased with my plan B - there was a clinic booked on our yad but it was cancelled due to wind. but it dropped a bit late morning so I took Amber in for some jump schooling.

I've attached a photo as this worked really well! Basically the exercise started with cantering a 20m circle over 2 cross poles till she was rhythmic and did not change rhythm before or after the jump. After the x pole nearest the fence you could also go straight to an Oxer. After that you could keep on the right rein and get back onto the circle or you could do a dog leg to a wall. After the wall you could turn right to get back onto the circle or circle left and come to a skinny. After the skinny you could stay on the left rein either just bending back to the jump or going all the way round circling till she felt good then back to the skinny. Or you could dog leg from the skinny to another wall and then pick up the right rein 20m circle again. You could do the whole lot off the left rein too. And basically keep Amber guessing the whole time. It was all quite tight so she was always landing and turning. By the end she was cantering the 20m circle then popping through the 4 jump exercise and back onto the circle really calmly and with no change of rhythm. Hurrah!

Maybe we should set up a favourite pole or jump exercises thread? I'd love to get ideas off other people.

Anyway was not as fun as a clinic at Somerford but at least we got something done.

 

[Wheels]

We had dressage today - our first show back after Ms injury and subsequent shoe removal!

BD prelim 17a for 63.something and 4th place then under a different judge dressage ireland prelim 8 - 61.something and 1st place. I really just wanted a nice relaxed outing and we got comments about needing to be more forward in all paces - I agree with that, neither test was particularly inspiring and I played it safe so our goals of relaxed but clean tests were reached. I was deep down hoping for a qualifying score for the nationals (64%) - so close yet so far but we will do better next time

 

[rosiesowner]

Chilli being a babe this morning out jumping! 6th in the 80 due to me riding like a sack of rubbish! Then a big improvement in the 85 where I actually let her go forward with a clear round and 3rd! So proud, no refusals and I got out and did it which is a big achievement as I usually avoid pure show jumping at all costs (much prefer xc as she is less sharp).

 

[Wheels]

Lovely pics rosiesowner

 

[BenvardenRach2]

Super duper start to 2020 for us today!
My boy was an absolute star, lovely and forward with the right amount of energy to give me everything in both tests!
We scored 8s for every medium trot as well as some other lovely 8s for canter work which we have been working on

He was an absolute dream and we only went and won both classes

 

[Chippers1]

Moved my lesson to Sunday due to the wind, but still rode on Saturday in the gales! I never would have done that usually, Buzz has got so much less spooky.
Lesson was good too, he was quite tired by the end but he worked really hard for me and we haven't done anything that taxing for so long and he tried even when his energy was going a bit. Such a good boy

My new ramp is still not hitting the floor though, even after I had it out and weighed down for a few hours. Will it drop or should I take it back to the garage?