Weekend plans.... :p

Guess how many days between the two pictures?

Hmm, I wonder if this is a trick question, lol, as it doesn't look like she's had her feet done yet in the 'after' photo ;)

She looks like a sweetie, Wimbles - i hope you have lots of fun with her :D

HOT start to the weekend for us, boiling lesson this morning but very productive so worth the buckets of sweat. I have drunk loads of water but now feel a bit diluted though still thirsty, perhaps I need some of the horses' electrolytes, :lol:

Finally twigged that Kira is totally taking over in the changes, quite politely but she pops them in whenever she spots a weakness... they just slip through! on a short diagonal that weakness typically appears at or near the centre line so it's not that noticeable, just seems like she is slightly in front or behind the aids. Did long diagonals today as I'm struggling with the change after an extended canter diagonal.... that's why! there are SOOOO many opportunities for her to exploit, if she grumbles at the contact/goes crooked/goes behind my leg/ etc
Can't believe neither of us noticed that until now. Really useful session and this should make a big difference :D
 
Hmm, I wonder if this is a trick question, lol, as it doesn't look like she's had her feet done yet in the 'after' photo ;)

She looks like a sweetie, Wimbles - i hope you have lots of fun with her :D

HOT start to the weekend for us, boiling lesson this morning but very productive so worth the buckets of sweat. I have drunk loads of water but now feel a bit diluted though still thirsty, perhaps I need some of the horses' electrolytes, :lol:

Finally twigged that Kira is totally taking over in the changes, quite politely but she pops them in whenever she spots a weakness... they just slip through! on a short diagonal that weakness typically appears at or near the centre line so it's not that noticeable, just seems like she is slightly in front or behind the aids. Did long diagonals today as I'm struggling with the change after an extended canter diagonal.... that's why! there are SOOOO many opportunities for her to exploit, if she grumbles at the contact/goes crooked/goes behind my leg/ etc
Can't believe neither of us noticed that until now. Really useful session and this should make a big difference :D

Sounds good! I'm having AK withdrawal symptoms, really missing my training.
When this Irish chap is sold I might get something more dressage orientated to produce and head back for an AMD fix.
 
Sounds good! I'm having AK withdrawal symptoms, really missing my training.
When this Irish chap is sold I might get something more dressage orientated to produce and head back for an AMD fix.

I LOVE having a lesson on a Friday, looking forward to it gets me through the week :D I doubt many other people would have been interested in helping me get this kind of work out of a horse like her, it's a rare talent I think, being so good at training people as well as horses... as well as the experience and open mindedness to see the potential in everything.
 
I LOVE having a lesson on a Friday, looking forward to it gets me through the week :D I doubt many other people would have been interested in helping me get this kind of work out of a horse like her, it's a rare talent I think, being so good at training people as well as horses... as well as the experience and open mindedness to see the potential in everything.
That's it isn't it, being able to tap into what makes the rider tick as well as the horse.
Certainly the best trainer I've had the pleasure to be taught by. Glad you had a good lesson.
 
Mega successful day with the boy. Won our first class back SJ after various problems keeping us from competing. 4th with 1 down in the next class (was my fault). Jumped off in both classes and he was super amazing. Even when I didn't get things quite right he did all he could for me and didn't knock anything. He felt so happy as well so the break has probably done him good.

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THEN (drum roll). I did it. I rode him on grass in the field at home. Faced my biggest demon. He was the perfect gent, of course.

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Love this horse.
 
Mega successful day with the boy. Won our first class back SJ after various problems keeping us from competing. 4th with 1 down in the next class (was my fault). Jumped off in both classes and he was super amazing. Even when I didn't get things quite right he did all he could for me and didn't knock anything. He felt so happy as well so the break has probably done him good.

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THEN (drum roll). I did it. I rode him on grass in the field at home. Faced my biggest demon. He was the perfect gent, of course.

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Love this horse.

Well done FW x x

I'm glad to hear you are both out and about again :)

Fiona
 
Well done FW, that's great news

We had a fab day. Took 3 to a local BSJA comp. Finn ( grey) started off great but whinnied to Aria the whole way round. So although jumped great at first ended up with a cricket score. Lesson learned, he goes by himself in future. Aria ( chestnut) my 5 yo was a super star. Her first BSJA outing went double clear and would have come third ( jumped on a ticket ). Then Harry stormed around the newcomers. Just had an issue with the satnav!

We are supposed to be going to the gallops today, but not sure if we will make it. Monday off xc schooling with Aria.
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Sounds like some good times being had... ;)

We had a sizzling hot trip to Mount Ballan, far far too hot for both of us, hehe.

Good lesson with Sally Williams in the morning, struggled a bit to get Kira thinking forward but the surface was really very firm and it was super stuffy so she can be forgiven. She did some good work on straightness and then some nice changes which was what I really wanted from the session - she can do good ones at home and in our regular lessons, but strange environments tend to make her go really green so hopefully she will move on a bit from that with practice.

Afternoon test riding M73 with Sue McMahon, really useful session with some encouraging comments and a few gaps plugged :) Feel a bit more sorted for the area festival on Friday :) Hopefully it will be a bit cooler - there was no respite today so I feel a bit fried now!

Hot cob

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Sounds good Asha (love the look of your chestnut) and MP....bless little Kira's face.
Well the big lad was very good out facing his showjumping demons. He popped everything quite sweetly, even sorting the job out when I stuffed up the striding into one, rather than having a breakdown as he would've before. I can still feel him fretting a little when everything isn't perfect, but he's staying positive and in front of my leg now, so his new found confidence this year is working wonders.
This is course means that I'm all out of excuses and should probably think about trying round a kind 80 at some point this year (problem with that is that I know I'd get hooked if I do one and eventing is just so expensive)
 
Well done everyone - looks like another successful weekend for those out and about!

Sorry to those of you who's horses are out of action, I hope they are back up and running again soon for you.

Well done for getting back out there FW!

Good luck for Friday MP!

Saturday It was my turn to play groom at Borde Hill, for those of you who have never been, i can assure you the name 'Borde Hill' is not in vain! The best thing was the fresh made Pizza's for lunch, and waffles and crepes for pudding <3 - after walking up and down the hills all day we definitely deserved it!

Today made an impromptu trip to our favorite turf at Tweseldown to spend our fence judging voucher and play around the course from the BE last weekend. We had the whole place to ourselves and had a lovely leg stretch on the race course! We've just stepped up to 90 and i think Ruby was making a point that she doesn't want to hang around there too long as she bossed the whole 100 course <3

In exciting news we've also just registered with BE for the first time, something i have literally dreamed of since a small kid. We have another UA run at Aston next week and then off to Rackham for our first BE :D

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After a horrible week, I decided to take the hooligan to his first (and subsequently last) party to do some inhand after his diagnosis of kissing spines and retirement from ridden work this week. I just wanted to take him out once to have something to show for our 6 years of nothingness.

Didn't get off to the best start when he exploded in the car park while I tried to put his bridle on and promptly galloped off. By some miracle he let me catch him and once I finally got the bridle on the ridiculous creature, he behaved extremely saintly.

No luck in the classes, he floated around beautifully, but the judge picked up on his lack of activity behind and we got 2nd (out of 2) in both. Qualified for something, but we won't be going.

I was very proud of how well he behaved anyway. He will enjoy a wonderful retirement out in the field.
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Also agreed a price on a new pony, collecting her on Thursday.
 
Thanks all. Rode in the field again this morning and it was all FINE :D

Looking great LP.

Daughter is doing her first event in a couple of weeks so thought we better have a practice. He's not always an easy ride but she is really getting to grips with him now, so proud of them both. Daughter is 8 and he is 18 and 14.1 (very fine). He has evented up to 1m10 very successfully as well as done some BS and is now with us for his retirement (not that he thinks he's ready to retire in any way!).

https://www.facebook.com/LLPRponies/posts/1953746481524222
 
Sounds like everyone who's been out has had a successful and fun weekend! Lovely photos from all! FW, Dutch is such a cute pony, and your daughter looks fab!

Had fun at our XC clinic today. I'd like to retract anything I've ever said about Henry not taking me to a fence, I'd rather have liked him to back off a little today :p He's loving life at the moment and seems to have recently figured out both going forwards and real jumping. Nothing too exciting as still working a lot on my confidence, but I really feel that now he's ready to start stepping it up when I am. Had one spooky baby moment where it all got too much, but gave him a minute and he came back nicely. Our aim of doing an 80 by the end of the season doesn't seem so far fetched now, just have to sort out my confidence and see what he's like away from home! Excuse the rather interesting jumping technique in a couple of the photos, he was rather keen and I think I perhaps didn't release as much as I should.




 
It sounds like lots of people have had successful weekends - well done all!!

Well we also had a great time at our first ODE. We came second!!! 28 dressage, one down SJ (smallest fence on the course - I think Pocholo felt it wasn't worth any effort) then clear inside the time XC. It was such a buzz! The starter was lovely, I told her it was our first ever XC so she talked me through what to do. Pocholo seemed to know exactly what was going on, although he got a bit distracted coming to the first so he got a slap down the shoulder then absolutely flew round. I think he wants to be an eventer instead of a dressage pony ;)



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW3QR6GDJog
 
Argh so many happy photos this week! I'm loving them - especially that first one, iknowmyvalue! Hopefully rara will come back and share some of hers, because she has super photos too ;) Well done, FW, huge progress for you, and good luck to L in her first event!

I'm super proud of Fergus today - gave a lesson to my YO's little grand daughter, including her first jumps (not something Fergus enjoys, but he took her round very safely and sensibly!) like a saint, and then ramped up the gears and behaved like a proper polocrosse pony for me to do some skills practice in the rain. Even if we did get utterly soaked :p

Yesterday I was down in Kent at the Kent Target polocrosse tournament watching the real, awesome polocrosse people doing their thing... Incredible stuff, totally inspiring.

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Super weekend, well done everyone!!

We had a great day at Bishop Burton. 37 dressage, we're just so inconsistent. Good bits and bad bits different each week but I knew what we would get pulled on this week and I was right so at least I know I have a good feel for what's going on underneath me.

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Showjumping, we had one down when I saw a flier and he just couldn't make it but TEN TIME PENALTIES!!!!! We spent all winter practicing slow jumping and was in complete disbelief to find out we had ten time. Balls!

Photo with thanks to Matt Nuttall Photography

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Then xc just as it started torrentially raining, G stormed round clear in the time finding it all very easy. So much love for my little racehorse.
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Ready to move up to BE100 now :D
 
We went to the boys first attempt at Novice. He has been rehabbed for the last 18 months with endless issues, we didn't think he would be ridden again. He went fab and came home with 70.2%. Thrilled with him!

 
Had such a super pony weekend with Dangerous Brian. Cannot stop grinning!

Saturday we went to do Team Quest with the other ROR's. We warmed up and I was completely amazed to feel this wonderful responsive horse underneath me, he gave me some of the best canter transitions that he's ever done and my nerves didn't surface once. We did our test and other than a bit of napping towards my other horse as they had left him by the open school doors, he went really well and we had lots of 7's coming in this time. Really feel like we're getting somewhere now.

Sunday we went for a lesson and I really, really enjoyed it. Was able to take away lots of things to try at home and I'm hoping to make it a weekly thing. We then got home, grabbed a couple of the other horses out the field and had a go with the polocrosse rackets that we bought in a random sale we saw (we're going for a have a go session soon) and had just the best time watching videos on Youtube and trying to recreate with very little success!

Yesterday we went showing. It's usually about this time of year where we decide that we fancy a day out showing so we pick a nice venue (always has to have a nice cafe) and take our chosen victims. Due to shoe losses with the other horses it was Brian's turn again. The in-hand wasn't his best as he was so laid back he was horizontal but once the ridden classes started he really came into his own. It was our first time showing him in a double and he really surprised me by going beautifully. He won the racehorse class and then, much to my surprise he went on to take the riding horse class too. Overall he came away with two firsts and two seconds but we didn't stay for the championships as he was feeling very tired by this point and it wasn't worth ruining a great day just to try and win a scarf!



 
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Well done everyone - looks like another successful weekend for those out and about!

Sorry to those of you who's horses are out of action, I hope they are back up and running again soon for you.

Well done for getting back out there FW!

Good luck for Friday MP!

Saturday It was my turn to play groom at Borde Hill, for those of you who have never been, i can assure you the name 'Borde Hill' is not in vain! The best thing was the fresh made Pizza's for lunch, and waffles and crepes for pudding <3 - after walking up and down the hills all day we definitely deserved it!

Today made an impromptu trip to our favorite turf at Tweseldown to spend our fence judging voucher and play around the course from the BE last weekend. We had the whole place to ourselves and had a lovely leg stretch on the race course! We've just stepped up to 90 and i think Ruby was making a point that she doesn't want to hang around there too long as she bossed the whole 100 course <3

In exciting news we've also just registered with BE for the first time, something i have literally dreamed of since a small kid. We have another UA run at Aston next week and then off to Rackham for our first BE :D

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fantastic Leannepip, looking super.

we were there friday for the first of our BE training days and had a fab time
 
Big donkey was fab on Sat. I was so pleased it wasn't nearly as hot as it had been on Friday, still warm but I didn't want to stick my head in a fridge after walking a lap.
She gave me a lovely double clear in the 85cm and then another in the 90cm which placed us 5th. :biggrin3:
Still loads to work on, she isn't front of my leg as much as I would like and is still lacking fitness, both things I can sort thou. My riding is pants at the moment (griping with the knee, tipping forward, getting ahead of her, no brain function when jumping. Normal stuff...) and I've got to sort my fitness out as well, again things I can sort!

No pics really as the photographer wasn't great (or our jumping was just that bad!) and my oh was videoing.

Did get this thou! Looking really impressed with her rosette!
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Just to show she doesn't always look like a donkey
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And we did make a start on the local hacking, lots of hills...
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Oh that sounds great - who was the instructor?

We always seem to miss each other by a couple of days, maybe one day we'll catch up!

LOL yes we do !

we had three different trainers, Eloise Mayhead for dressage , Russell Cooper for SJ and Justin Clubley for XC
had a great day, learned loads, can't wait till next one in June now!
 
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