Weekend plans :D

[DabDab]

Arty was fabulous jumping yesterday, and we got a gold star from instructor for our homework ?. Also managed to get a couple of flying changes in course, with good rhythm before and after so super chuffed with that (also got one change in front but not behind, but that was my fault). Love my little mare ?.

It was raining but not too dramatically when we were out and about yesterday, but then last night was a fairly apocalyptic style thunderstorm. Lots of flooding locally. Took the girls out for a gentle hack this morning and about half way round a beautiful, warm sun came out...it was lovely



Hope everyone is having a good weekend

 

[RachelFerd]

We went to Somerford - was on v late yesterday. Another solid dressage for 31.8 but then a very unfortunate poor round in the SJ for various reasons which I won't go into here.

NHOH talked me into going XC when I was feeling undecided and I'm so glad I did - had a super bold and confident round.

Just wishing we could get all 3 things right on the same day. Last time out at Frickley we had a perfect SJ and a silly error on XC. Today we had a brilliant XC but a terrible SJ round. Both times we'd have been well within a shot of a very good placing but for our random inconsistency ?‍

 

[Lexi_]

Ah that’s a shame about the SJ! You looked awesome through our fence (8 up in the woods) and the other FJs were very complimentary about your round!

 

[RachelFerd]

Ah that’s a shame about the SJ! You looked awesome through our fence (8 up in the woods) and the other FJs were very complimentary about your round!

Thank you - and thanks for volunteering in the rain all day - it must have been a bit miserable!!

 

[Ambers Echo]

The SJ did cause a few issues. That line off the bend: - brown and white to green double - was falling all day.
The pics of the XC looks great!

 

[RachelFerd]

The SJ did cause a few issues. That line off the bend: - brown and white to green double - was falling all day.
The pics of the XC looks great!

It was a tight arena with a lot of related distances. Due to an annoying misunderstanding I didn't get to walk the track and had to jump it without walking any distances which really rattled me and caused me to ride like a bit of an idiot. The location of the arena meant you couldn't even walk all the way around to see it from different angles.

 

[WelshHoarder]

A distinctly smaller course than RachelFerd (you look fantastic by the way, well done!) but baby Welshie and small person survived their mini eventers’ challenge today, had a lot of fun, and managed to cap it all with a win! Last time out she really wasn’t sure why she was being asked to jump all sorts of random things, and small person was a rather nervous passenger - this time they had a lot more faith in each other, she flew round with her ears pricked and he was all smiles for a lovely quick double clear, assisted by the ever reliable daddy.

Small one now can’t wait for camp (at the same venue) so he can have a lesson over the XC jumps; their goal for the next event in October is to get him off the lead rein out on XC as well as in the arena…

 

[nikkimariet]

A truly awesome week for us!

We went off to field house for our last area festival on Tuesday, just for our second shot at the medium music silver. Really put my foot down as knew I rode on half power at Sheepgate and was scored accordingly.



Rooni won’t give you 100% unless you ask (but willingly gives you ‘nice’ work). But when you ask for 100% he willingly gives you 150%. I like that about him, he makes me actually ride.

We absolutely stormed round our floor plan and I was really pleased with how it’d gone. Best I’ve ever ridden it. And ecstatic to see 72.11% go up and we WON by a clear 5%! Very good lad.



He behaved in his second ever prize giving (I only take the horse in if they win), although still was a big pussycat about being left on his own right at the end (nothing dramatic just hopping about like the floor is lava lol).

So two tickets to the nationals in October!

A few well earned days off and then we went jumping yesterday! I was soooo excited to get him over some poles again. He feels incredible and is getting so much braver.




We did a little work with some A frames to start before going round the course. Didn’t look at a single thing which meant I could work on sitting back and up and starting the process of half halting and getting him to wait for a decent stride.

And as a treat (and because all the tractors are out round mine) we went hacking at marston lodge today. I have really wanted to get him out before this but just run out of time etc.



And Figs feet are really improving, he’s stomping across the gravel again and pulling some serious shapes in the field. Chanced a little hack today in his trainers and he was perfect after two months off.



So happy to be back out again, he loves his work!

 

[Wishfilly]

Not very much to report after some of these amazing posts, but went for a lovely hack yesterday- Blue led about 75% of the way and was very good with all sorts of traffic including some high speed cyclists flying round the bend into his face, just got a little impatient on the way back.

Lovely soft schooling session, and practised waiting and being patient around the tracks on the farm today.

Sounds like lots of awesome weekends have been had!

 

[milliepops]

Had a little lean over today ?
Tootling along very slowly as we are so limited in facilities and I'm always on my own but so far I'm really pleased with his attitude to it all.

 

[Roxylola]

Slow tootling is a good way to do it imo.

I fell off a school pony ? today. I had a couple of lessons at ingestre, one flat, one jump and my pony had a stop because I was a bit in front of him due to over-thinking. I cartwheeled off beautifully ?
I popped back on and carried on fine though. It was ridiculously comical. If I had video, the jump before was pretty good, I then cartwheeled, remounted and did a third exactly the same as the first. Hes a little dude of a pony, just not as clockwork as I thought ?

 

[lar]

The forecast for today! It rained Quite A Lot.

That'll teach me check the date stamp on a post - sorry!
There was much nervousness about getting us out on course early this morning so I'm guessing they were very close to abandoning.
Good decision to go ahead though as after a morning of mizzle it was warm and sunny this afternoon and the ground dried up a treat.

 

[Sheep]

Dressage for us today, two novice tests. First felt quite nice, was a wee bit disappointed with 64.something% but we haven’t been out dressaging since June and I haven’t had a lesson in about 6 weeks. Second test surprised me with 67.something%, I thought the first test was better but who am I to judge ?
5th in both (first out of 6, second out of 12) so not too shabby really. He def needed to pee though which didn’t help and some tension crept in where normally it wouldn’t- think I’m going to have to teach him to pee on cue!!!

Some flattering video stills:


slightly wild canter transition…


square halt for once. Woohoooo

 

[milliepops]

Slow tootling is a good way to do it imo.

The breakers I've done before have always been for other people so it's been a case of get cracking. But we just can't, I've got a steeply sloping field and a shelter to work with, plus a nosey yearling to contend with so cracking on is just not going to happen ? I'm really only getting ahead for next year, if I get into the saddle and be led around for a bit that'll be plenty and we can pick up at the yard in the spring ?

 

[Roxylola]

The breakers I've done before have always been for other people so it's been a case of get cracking. But we just can't, I've got a steeply sloping field and a shelter to work with, plus a nosey yearling to contend with so cracking on is just not going to happen ? I'm really only getting ahead for next year, if I get into the saddle and be led around for a bit that'll be plenty and we can pick up at the yard in the spring ?

I've always avoided doing breakers for anyone because I like to just mess and tootle tbh. It's always worked well for me though

 

[SibeliusMB]

Over the moon with Sig, we had our first little jump school since we moved to the UK. ? Neither of us have jumped since the end of May or early June. Today was just for me to see how he was feeling and for him to be thinking about his feet.

He was completely perfect, like he never skipped a day! He was his usual, sleepy self and perfectly rideable the whole time. So looking forward to us getting back in shape and getting back to flying together. ❤?

 

[Chippers1]

Buzz and I had a good day at the local charity show. Came 2nd in the WH (big class), the judge asked me how I felt my round went and I said "A bit messy" (i've decided he just doesn't respect smaller jumps and is a bit all over the place!) and he said it was one of the better rounds they'd seen that day so I was feeling a bit smug obviously then someone else was better...

He then stood with me rest of the day whilst we watched my friends in their classes, nibbling on the grass and sleeping. I was so pleased with him as he used to get so worried at busy shows and now he's just so chill. Someone even came over to say they had to come and say hello as he was such a good boy just snoozing at the side of a busy ring
Our box was parked quite far from the ring and he wouldn't have liked to be over there on his own.

A couple of pics too, just because he's handsome (and never puts his ears forward..)

 

[Ambers Echo]

That's brilliant Chippers!

 

[J_sarahd]

Chippers - was that Jasmine’s show? If so, I was going to pop down to that one on foot. Looked very, very busy!

 

[Bernster]

Ah well done chippers, that great! nice to hear he’s settled tied up at shows now. That must be a relief.

 

[Chippers1]

Thanks @Ambers Echo and @Bernster at least no one is telling me he's too thin at the moment he's too fat really...
Yes @J_sarahd it was! and yes it was very busy, we were there for hours waiting for classes to start. Good day though, they must've raised so much money.
This is how chilled they were:

 

[Asha]

Our weekend started off fab. The lesson with the pro was amazing. Came away with lots of homework, he basically gave us both a much needed kick up the backside and said if we take it seriously and focus we both the ability to move up through the levels.
Felt really good after that , then came the breed show . Basically the atmosphere got to us both . The inhand was good , apart from the fact she got a little obsessed with the foals and the yearlings and showed them ‘airs above the ground’ . I had hoped the inhand would settle her for the dressage , as for the first time ever I actually thought we where in with a shout . Pip had other ideas , was super stressed , as we went past the judges box she spooked , bucked and ran off out of the whiteboards . My mind then went blank and the judge had to remind me of where to go next . Then Pip decided she wanted to get the test over and done with so wouldn’t listen and I had no brakes . So a series of cowboy whoas / slam on brakes where required . I couldn’t get out of there fast enough . Mortified ! Apart from that I genuinely loved the show , everyone was suoer friendly. I can’t wait to go next year .
A fair bit of desensitising is required before we attempt any bigger shows

 

[Bernster]

Ah she looks lovely though asha, hopefully with more experience she’ll settle!

 

[Asha]

Ah she looks lovely though asha, hopefully with more experience she’ll settle!

Thanks Bernster , I hope so , I guess since lockdown we haven’t really been out that much so hopefully get her settled at a few local shows and then gradually get her out to some bigger ones . She’s usually such a trier , I think all the foals just frazzled her brain

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Asha, she's lovely! When she settles with more experience hopefully you can look back upon this experience and laugh a bit. The joy of bringing along young and/or green horses

 

[Bernster]

Maybe she’s feeling maternal ?

 

[Asha]

Asha, she's lovely! When she settles with more experience hopefully you can look back upon this experience and laugh a bit. The joy of bringing along young and/or green horses

Thanks CC , doesn’t help when the owner is green as well ! Just been laughing about it with a friend of mine . The only time I take a show seriously it goes belly up ???

 

[Asha]

Maybe she’s feeling maternal ?

She really is , I’ve promised her a foal at some point ?

 

[LEC]

I have had a good weekend - the grey pony was very good to pull out a 27.8 dr and jump double clear. Sadly I am very slow so dropped down the placings considerably from being in 2nd. I am thrilled as not evented this horse since April to sort out the basics. I have learnt a lot in the process and managed crawl back from it which is what counts. Now just to keep going, keep polishing and keep working hard.

 

[iknowmyvalue]

We had a good weekend! XC schooling on Sat was much improved from the last time, still some sideways moments but less, and some lovely moments too!

Then SJ yesterday, pole in the 75cm due to a dodgy line (must remember his steering is not fully installed yet ?) but a cracking clear in the 85cm to come 5th! He’s so bold SJ, and I’m hoping with practice it will come in the XC too. I don’t think I’ve got his bitting for jumping quite right yet, but I’ve got some ideas to try ??

Scarily apparently this is 1m, think he’s telling me he’s ready for the 1m20 classes?!

First trakhener