Weekend plans - end of July

[nikkimariet]

Fun weekend!

Arena XC on Friday eve. Rooni was MEGA and I jumped all the fences I declared ‘******* enormous’ when I warmed up!



He had yesterday off and then a lovely chilled hack today.



Fig has his trainers now - took a few goes to get the size and the pads right but he is a, happier barefoot again even if he went really very lame again and b, stomping about in his little flex boots like a king!

 

[Lexi_]

Fun weekend!

Arena XC on Friday eve. Rooni was MEGA and I jumped all the fences I declared ‘******* enormous’ when I warmed up!

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He had yesterday off and then a lovely chilled hack today.

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Fig has his trainers now - took a few goes to get the size and the pads right but he is a, happier barefoot again even if he went really very lame again and b, stomping about in his little flex boots like a king!
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I love seeing all your adventures! Would you ever take him eventing?

 

[ycbm]

He's got quite a pop in him hasn't he?! Are you sure you don't want to be an eventer ??
.

 

[nikkimariet]

I love seeing all your adventures! Would you ever take him eventing?

He's got quite a pop in him hasn't he?! Are you sure you don't want to be an eventer ??
.

Not sure I’d ever be brave enough! In all fairness to him he is absolutely GAME for jumping of any kind and the only time he runs out or stops is when I’m unsure and ride like a massive pleb… I’ve got my eye on arena XC pairs over winter!

 

[iknowmyvalue]

Slowly slowly catchy monkey ? (not me riding in the first screenshot, it’s from his ad) Have my sister here today/next week so got a little bit of video of little man!

 

[Sheep]

Went xc schooling today. I was groom/photographer. Same venue as I was FJ at yesterday. It was a beefy, up to height course but it rode really nicely and OH had a blast. Popped round the 90s and finished over a couple of 100 fences. Horse makes everything look small with his lanky legs ?

 

[Asha]

It didn’t go to plan at the breed show, as we never got there .
Got box and ponies already night before . Then this morning found that the top part of the ramp wouldn’t close . Whilst cursing the people who made it ( as it was clearly faulty ) resigned myself to not going and onMonday would give builders a piece of my mind . Turned them all out and went in for a brew and white toast and butter ( big thing that as I’m on a diet )
Went back out a couple of hours later .. to find a rather large build up of new shavings on the hinge of the ramp . Cleared it and the top door closed as it should . What a tool ???

 

[CanteringCarrot]

It didn’t go to plan at the breed show, as we never got there .
Got box and ponies already night before . Then this morning found that the top part of the ramp wouldn’t close . Whilst cursing the people who made it ( as it was clearly faulty ) resigned myself to not going and onMonday would give builders a piece of my mind . Turned them all out and went in for a brew and white toast and butter ( big thing that as I’m on a diet )
Went back out a couple of hours later .. to find a rather large build up of new shavings on the hinge of the ramp . Cleared it and the top door closed as it should . What a tool ???

I had to "like" this...because it seems like something that I would do ?

But, when this kind of stuff happens, I try not to be upset at my idiot self and think it happened for a reason. Perhaps something would've happened on the way or at the competition, and by not going, was avoided. Who knows, I just try to make myself feel better about my idiocy ?

 

[Asha]

I had to "like" this...because it seems like something that I would do ?

But, when this kind of stuff happens, I try not to be upset at my idiot self and think it happened for a reason. Perhaps something would've happened on the way or at the competition, and by not going, was avoided. Who knows, I just try to make myself feel better about my idiocy ?

So basically I’ve saved myself and the neddies a nightmare journey where I would have been stuck on the M6 for hours waiting for recovery .. like your thinking . Feel much better about it now ???

 

[HappyDayz]

No official photos up yet, but Finn did a super sweet test for 62.6%. Took everything in his stride, he just has the best attitude to life. Couldn’t have asked for a better first outing for him

 

[nikicb]

On Friday, Maddie and I had a lesson with our regular trainer. We worked on trying to maintain the canter - our homework is to push for a bit further each time without letting Maddie drop me. We also did some leg yield work along the 3/4 line - I need to remember to keep my body still and just use my legs to ask her to move over.

Then yesterday, we went for arena hire to see if I could get the music I had made for Cassie work for Maddie. I am really pleased to say that it does indeed work very well! I really love the music Gaynor Colbourn did for us, and we only got to ride to it a few times, so being able to use it for Maddie is very special. I still need to re-hash the canter part of the floorplan, but I am pretty happy with the walk and trot parts.

Here's a few snippets from our session.

https://www.facebook.com/DressageDiaries/posts/2080207245451625

 

[Jeni the dragon]

Knackered!
Up early yesterday morning to watch the eventing dressage, couple of hours of sleep, ponies done then away for a few hours at Burgham! Course causing mayhem! Nothing looking particularly difficult but loads of run outs!
Caught up with a couple of friends there and had ice cream in the rain as the food queues were enormous! Found out that the other stands had a falling out, packed up over night and left!
Then a bbq with family and plenty of wine. Up to watch the cross country this morning and a very lazy day. Organised tomorrow morning before the showjumping starts!

Asha that definitely sounds like something I would do!

 

[GinaGeo]

Nothing mega exciting here. But Pod went out on his own happy hacking and really made me smile.

He normally goes out with another, just because we box up to hack out and it’s far easier timewise to take two. He hasn’t always been the most forward thinking and certainly needed someone hold his hand when his feet got stuck, or when the unexpected happened.

But he’s been feeling mentally ready. And so today we headed off in the box to go exploring. He’s starting to feel like ‘my’ horse. You know that feeling when you know each other and you know they’re with you. He used to feel like he was out for himself, but it’s feeling more and more like we’re on the same page and I don’t think there’s much that helps that along better than you and the horse relying on each other out in the wide world.

He never questioned me and today carried me round the forestry tracks, read the ground and really enjoyed a bit of yee-haaing. We both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and he was good company.

I like competing. But I’m never happier than when I’m cantering along with the wind hitting my face, behind a jolly pair of ears, without a real care in the world.

 

[ycbm]

Got someone who sounds a perfect match coming tomorrow, cross fingers for us

Loved her, begged me to hold her for 2 days while they reviewed their video and consulted their trainer. I said no, as I have another viewer waiting to see her. So they asked for first refusal. I said no, as I have another viewer waiting to see her.

They really, really loved her and they got on like a house on fire in the arena and on a hack, so a wait now to see if they buy her.

They were such a match, and I'm a snap decision maker, so I find it difficult to understand people who risk losing a horse they are really taken by delaying a decision.

I think it would be a really good home for her, so fingers crossed please.
.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Sack the jockey day today at Frickley BE90 for Katie and Dolly. Sweet dressage test. Then rolled the 2nd element of the double SJ. She’s only had 2 SJ fences down all season and both were 2nd elements of doubles. Not sure if there is any way Katie can ride those better to help her out? They are built on horse strides and she has tried riding on to make the striding or holding for an extra stride but Dolly has had the back rail both ways. Though she has gone clear on most events so maybe it’s just coincidence it was the same fence?

Anyway after that they flew round for a fab XC clear well within the time. Or so we thought. Fence 9B had not been flagged during the course walk and so Katie ignored it. But she was meant to jump it. So elimination but at least Dolly thinks she was clear! Such a fab pony. Made it feel easy.

 

[RachelFerd]

Sack the jockey day today at Frickley BE90 for Katie and Dolly. Sweet dressage test. Then rolled the 2nd element of the double SJ. She’s only had 2 SJ fences down all season and both were 2nd elements of doubles. Not sure if there is any way Katie can ride those better to help her out? They are built on horse strides and she has tried riding on to make the striding or holding for an extra stride but Dolly has had the back rail both ways. Though she has gone clear on most events so maybe it’s just coincidence it was the same fence?

Anyway after that they flew round for a fab XC clear well within the time. Or so we thought. Fence 9B had not been flagged during the course walk and so Katie ignored it. But she was meant to jump it. So elimination but at least Dolly thinks she was clear! Such a fab pony. Made it feel easy. View attachment 76848
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We also had a sack the jockey day at Frickley! After a good dressage, and a really super SJ clear (putting to bed a few not great rounds recently) I managed to pick up our first XC penalties since 2016 by riding a very bad turn to the second water and causing him to momentarily nap because I KNOW I can't use too much left rein on him without causing major resistance. Gah! Super frustrating because he felt great around the rest of the course, we were on our minute markers and we'd have come 2nd without my moment of stupidity I just so hope that we finally get all three phases right on the same day soon - he's knocking on the door for a really good placing and I so thought we were going to manage it yesterday

 

[Alibear]

Had a good lesson on Saturday morning and 1 handed is the way forwards for us from now on. A short hack in company through the village in the afternoon and she was foot perfect. We met quite a few cars, a jogger and a cyclist. Then yesterday went for a lovely long hack with different company and had some trots and a canter up one field. Again all really well behaved and we met heavier traffic and a motorbike with no problems. We've been up early this morning for another in company hack around the yard fields before the flies start and had a lovely long canter too. She's been a little star again all weekend. The upside of the not great summer weather is that the going round here is lovely at the moment.

 

[Roxylola]

Had a good day out at Royal lancs yesterday, less shopping than I'd normally expect but under the circumstances it was great to be able to go.
If all of you are sacking your jockeys ill offer my services to go out and play on any of your fab horses - I don't think I can do a better job but I could probably make you all feel better about your rubbish moments ?
AE, what happens if Katie leaves Dolly alone and let's her make her own way through a double? Charlie doesn't have the most conventional (or consistent) striding over things but generally does best at doubles if I stay out of his way.
Related distances I can get more involved with

 

[Ambers Echo]

Roxyloa, she does get out of her way through the double but she has tried riding in with a ground covering canter or with a shorter punchier canter and Dolly either takes a flier for 2 or chips in for 3 depending on the canter on the approach. On surface she gets over safely either way but on grass she seems to find it harder to judge. Maybe just more practice on grass would help as she never jumps off grass apart from at comps.

 

[Roxylola]

Fair enough - she never looks to be in her way from what I've seen but was just a pondering. Mostly Charlie shuffles an extra one but occasionally he feels inspired to really commit to a long one. Little I do seems to make much difference ?
I hate sj on grass at the best of times, I think I'd expect him to prefer a short 3 on anything less than perfect ground so I'd probably ride in with that in mind fwiw. And then he'd likely surprise me by launching at it.

 

[Pippity]

Yard move went far smoother than I expected, but I'm still knackered! Blue's settled really well, which is reassuring.

We got our first video dressage results through - 63.64%, which I'm pleased with considering we hadn't had a lesson for a few weeks and Blue was at the point in her cycle where she just wants to sit on the sofa with a romcom and a tub of ice cream. I won't get the sheet for a bit longer, but I'm pretty sure I know what it'll say - needs more impulsion, more bend, fewer opinions from the horse!