Weekend Plans - Week 2 of Feb

[Ambers Echo]

I think lack of saddle time must really hamper moving forwards. If you want to get good at something you need to work at it for hours and hours every week. Most people just can't do that. I already get frustrated by Lottie's day off because it's a day off for me too!

Though I am also finding moving from horse to horse at Ingestre really hard in the group lessons. Last week I was started on a huge moving, forward Stage 3/4 horse and then switched to an arthritic Stage 1/2 horse. She wanted the 2 of us on those horses to learn how to adjust how we ride depending on the horse. It felt so difficult to adjust between polar opposite types. After I get my qualifaction (if I ever do!) I think I will focus on Lottie. I need to learn to ride HER better. And have the odd school master or lunge lesson to address a problem specifically related to how I am riding her.

 

[milliepops]

i used to find it really hard switching between Darcy and Kira, Darcy needed immediate and uncompromising corrections whereas Kira needs a split second to think about things. Getting it muddled up between them had terrible results!

I really like having a green horse coming up behind an established horse, for improving my riding - the established horse keeps you at a level or improving, and then you ride the green one at a higher level than its training, so drag that along too. Plus the saddle time of 2 really helps. Been weird having nothing at all, hopefully have lined up something to ride now before Frank is actually ready to back

 

[Ambers Echo]

Amber taught me to ride defensively as she had a tendency to take strides out and balloon fences. Toby always got in very deep as he was very careful. Riding him after her was hard. Lottie seems a nice balance: The boldness of Amber without her recklnessness.

 

[Bernster]

I’ve started doing x1 weekly pole work, to practice some jumping issues without the added wear and tear of actual jumps. I’m not jumping Finn much at the moment. I think I’d find it too confusing as they are polar opposites!

 

[Chippers1]

I'm going to take my pelham to try today, he's worked well in it before and if he has an issue with the poll pressure I can drop the bottom rein and just use the top. See if I can have the control for jumping (or even just the poles!) without the extreme freakout! If he still has a problem I'll probably get the physio out to give him a check in his poll area.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Edit: too long and probably requires its own thread ?

 

[Bernster]

Not at all, an interesting read and thought provoking. I only really post in weekend plans as I don’t think I’m a creative enough writer to post an interesting thread of itself. But I really enjoyed following other people‘s journeys, like AE with amber and Lottie. And lots of others on here.

I spoke to my regular flatwork trainer about my no so good lesson with someone else. It was obvious after the fact that Bertie was struggling with the exercise. It never really worked for us. I should have said something but I’m so focussed on trying to do it right/what I’m told, that I didn’t even think of it at the time, other than to realise it wasn’t feeling good.

 

[little_critter]

Well this morning's lesson went well. I'm finally getting the engagement back (a bit...but a bit is better than nothing).
We ran through tomorrows dressage test and if we manage to produce that quality of work tomorrow I'll be very happy (bar the random spook and scoot in the 2nd canter).
I will be mentally shouting at myself to ride diamonds instead of circles because that really helped me hold him together.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Sha

Edit: too long and probably requires its own thread ?

shame you deleted that as it was very interesting! Yeah the ‘you’re so lucky your horse…..’ annoys me too. My horses are super easy to catch, lead, load etc etc. Which might have something to do with the huge amount of time I invest in those things. I’ve never understood why a person who would work for months on something under saddle doesn’t spend a few minutes for a few days just teaching it to stand at the mounting block!

 

[Britestar]

Sunday will be my first lesson since my emergency hip replacement at the end of September.

Have been riding since Christmas, hoping that the legs will do what is asked of them.

 

[TheMule]

SJ Course hire with Nova tomorrow- first time for him at our most local venue, hoping it sets us up to head to his first competition there next month

 

[Michen]

Really pleased, had x rays done of boggle as a hind hoof had underun a little and I was concerned Re possible negative angles behind. Just goes to show you never know as they are actually better than they are this time last year (last year they were a little flat- I do yearly x rays just to keep an eye on things as he had problems as a youngster) and look pretty much perfect.

He’s also 100% sound post flexion having had a hock jabbed a week ago. That’s also good as there’s always the risk it would have flagged the other hock being problematic when you fix the obvious one.

Vet super pleased with him in every way so I’m going to get planning!

 

[oldie48]

DC I hope your cob is making a good recovery. MP I am so looking forward to seeing you back riding tbh you have had just about the crappiest time possible of late but this is all due to change, you certainly deserve a break! I didn't post anything last week as it was all a bit of the same.
However, this week I went to a talk by a list 1 judge, tbh I was tired and started to wish I hadn't bothered but driving home I suddenly thought about "suppleness" and a penny dropped, why not spend more time suppling before getting into the "meat" of a session, so that is exactly what I did. Older horse + old rider + lots of work in walk just getting everything moving = happy soft horse, more willing to work through and an even happier rider as I could sit to his very bouncy trot AND do properly shaped circles = result. For some reason it makes me think of the tortoise and the hare! Fab hack today in the sunshine and then Mr D got treated to a lovely massage, a few tight spots but basically she couldn't believe he was 22! He is such a lovely horse I am tempted to steal away with him. Usual 2 schooling sessions next week working on putting together Nov/elem work in preparation to (perhaps) competing? Also intending to join in some pole work clinics (am I brave enough to give him a pop? He loves to jump!). Miss F came 4th in PSG area festival!
Sunday I am returning the viz to my younger daughter who has been abroad for 3 weeks, Stanley the BT is almost on his knees trying to compete with such a high energy dog and OH and I are not far behind, he's lovely but!
Have a lovely weekend and I hope the weather is kind to anyone who is out competing.

 

[Chippers1]

Just popping in to say we had a little jump (in the school for safety ?) and Buzz was foot perfect I rode him in his normal bit (loose ring French link) as I thought the Pelham may be a bit much after yesterday. No stopping, no running off! Little bit strong but controllable, he felt great and even had a little excited squeal.
I'll probably just stick with my normal bit and try and use the energy differently.

 

[Accidental Eventer]

Thinking of you DC!

We had a jumping lesson yesterday. Henry was supposed to go, but still only has 3 shoes. Coolie did a super job, and was making some good shapes over the jumps which is what we were aiming for!

Day off today, trying to get in contact with farriers to get shoe replaced. Tomorrow will be an early hack with coolie.

 

[scats]

Poor Millie is really sore after her jab yesterday. She had it in her chest, which she’s never had before, and she’s shuffling around this morning walking like her front legs have been tied together. She did walk it off a bit on the way to the field but wasn’t her normal self at all.
I’ve put her out in the smaller field close to the yard where they tend to be a bit quieter and just graze (my larger field seems to encourage hooligan-like behaviour!)

 

[little_critter]

Well, let’s look on the bright side, T warmed up nicely, we had just the right amount of energy. And we did come away with 2 Petplan qualifying scores (in the case of one….only just)
After a pretty good warm up I was foolish enough to think today could be our day. I’d love to break the 70% barrier.
Today wasn’t our day.
It was a windy day, and despite warming up nicely right next to the arena as soon as we started the test we started spooking. We cantered up the first centre line, left the arena at one point and had numerous other silly spooks.
I was seriously disappointed and as we only had 15 minutes to our 2nd test we went back to the warmup resolving to get T focussed on me.
It felt like it had 75% worked so I hoped the 2nd test might be more rideable.
We cantered the centre line again (same judge so I just had to laugh), had numerous other spooks (one commend was tripped, spooked, stopped 3 - the stopping was me getting my s*** together, checking he hadn’t dislodged his bridle and throwing my whip away)
The spooks got my brain addled and I started a canter circle a C, realised it should have been at B, looped back to the track quickly and did a circle a B as well. The nice judge popped out at the end to apologise that she had to mark my first circle which was in the wrong place and the wrong size. She did say the 2nd circle was much better, but she couldn’t score it sadly.

Scores of 64% for the first test (amazingly not last, not sure how, the other tests all looked presentable enough)
And 60.08% for the 2nd test, unsurprisingly last.

The positives I can take away are that the warm up was good.
I guess the underlying paces are good enough to make up for the meltdowns. Generally when we weren’t having a ‘moment’ we were getting 7’s

I will now be looking for TRT or similar instructors in the Somerset / Wilts / Dorset area because this spooking is the main thing preventing progress now. Either I can’t school in the evening (spooky under lights) or we can school ok (mornings) but then we blow it in the test.

 

[TheMule]

Well, let’s look on the bright side, T warmed up nicely, we had just the right amount of energy. And we did come away with 2 Petplan qualifying scores (in the case of one….only just)
After a pretty good warm up I was foolish enough to think today could be our day. I’d love to break the 70% barrier.
Today wasn’t our day.
It was a windy day, and despite warming up nicely right next to the arena as soon as we started the test we started spooking. We cantered up the first centre line, left the arena at one point and had numerous other silly spooks.
I was seriously disappointed and as we only had 15 minutes to our 2nd test we went back to the warmup resolving to get T focussed on me.
It felt like it had 75% worked so I hoped the 2nd test might be more rideable.
We cantered the centre line again (same judge so I just had to laugh), had numerous other spooks (one commend was tripped, spooked, stopped 3 - the stopping was me getting my s*** together, checking he hadn’t dislodged his bridle and throwing my whip away)
The spooks got my brain addled and I started a canter circle a C, realised it should have been at B, looped back to the track quickly and did a circle a B as well. The nice judge popped out at the end to apologise that she had to mark my first circle which was in the wrong place and the wrong size. She did say the 2nd circle was much better, but she couldn’t score it sadly.

Scores of 64% for the first test (amazingly not last, not sure how, the other tests all looked presentable enough)
And 60.08% for the 2nd test, unsurprisingly last.

The positives I can take away are that the warm up was good.
I guess the underlying paces are good enough to make up for the meltdowns. Generally when we weren’t having a ‘moment’ we were getting 7’s

I will now be looking for TRT or similar instructors in the Somerset / Wilts / Dorset area because this spooking is the main thing preventing progress now. Either I can’t school in the evening (spooky under lights) or we can school ok (mornings) but then we blow it in the test.

I find spooky horses so frustrating- my mare is talented but so blooming spooky and it really does just ruin every thing that should be enjoyable. I used Jason Webb when he was in the area last year and did find his advice useful- he said pressure off when they're going in the direction you want and then quick to pressure on when they're not, he had me turn the spook into a small circle and pressurise her when on the part of the circle away from where she was spooking and then all pressure off when going past the spooky bit. It has worked quite well at home, but we haven’t tested it out anywhere yet as she has had an injury

 

[LEC]

Took the nightmares jumping today. I still haven’t got the balance between hand and leg right but was trying to be much more forwards and positive. I pulled her out twice when felt it was totally wrong as no point having a really bad jump as need to get it right and keep confidence up - it’s not normally my style. Sometimes it went well and other times it didnt - I actually improved my line after discussion with @TheMule and rode it like a dog leg which then came up better. It just needs more practice.

I put my decent vet student up to have a jump on her and it was very interesting to watch as it’s a fine line between forwards and too forwards which she doesn’t like at all and will stop. She is much harder to ride than she looks at times.

 

[daydreamer]

My exciting horsey plan for this weekend was to attend a "learn to massage your horse" day today. I must remember to check out people running a course more carefully and be really sure that the course will suit me. I walked out just after lunch. On the plus side that does mean I have more time this afternoon to go and spend with my youngster!

 

[Ambers Echo]

Interesting day showjumping. Lottie was very forward and I was not focused enough. We were doing a course which was quite twisty and we would land and I would be vaguely looking around for the next fence. But Lottie would be looking for it too, and she was generally quicker at finding one than me. Not often the right one! After my 3rd 'no not that one, Lottie' my RI bellowed "STOP TELLING HER WHERE NOT TO GO AND TELL HER WHERE TO BL00DY GO" at me. Regrouped. Looked ahead. And it was much much better. Lesson learned! My new mantar is FOCUS.

 

[Caol Ila]

Foinavon had a two-hour hack yesterday and was foot perfect. We did an hour today because we were unsure if the weather would hold.

Hermosa has decided that rugs are scary, and I formulated a whole plan for sorting it out, starting with some back-to-basics +R training. Then today, I had to bail on all plans. She's in paddocks located down a track from the road. You walk up the track, through a gate, onto the road, and that takes you to main yard and everywhere else. The livery turnout field is across the road from that gate.

Today was Caso's day in the field. This has not been a problem for the last month, since it's a huge field, and he's usually somewhere with his mates. But today, his best mate had been taken out of the field, and he was hanging around his gate (with one of his other favourite uncles and the rest of the boys; he was far from alone). But maybe he was feeling more insecure than the usual after being gelded on Monday. Anyway, as soon as he saw his mum emerge from her gate, he went bananas. So did she. Both whinnying like crazy. She was threatening to rear, but at least she took my correction and didn't. But I could see Caso getting more and more agitated, and I was worried he would try coming over the gate. He's not averse to that, unfortunately. I had better things to do today than untangle horsey mega-clusterf*cks, and I think his owner and the YO would have agreed. With both horses and mountaineering, sometimes, retreat is indeed the better part of valor. I turned around and retreated back towards Hermosa's gate, with the passing thought that I could take her on a walk up the road in the opposite direction, but Caso started racing the fenceline, and the road and the fence run parallel for longer than you want with that going on. I returned down the track, towards her paddocks, and once out of sight, they both settled. I settled for throwing the end of my 12ft lead rope at her and rewarding her for standing still while I did so. It wasn't nothing. But man, this foal faff is getting old.

 

[TheMule]

Nova enjoyed his little outing- it was a bit wild and windy there but he was very well behaved. I just need to remember to ride him forwards because he's bold and careful- the hangover from having a spooky one is that I tend to prop and hold for the short one.
He is gradually accumulating more life experience and isn’t far off being ready for a show now. He definitely needs a bigger fence so I've upped his height for his next few training things.

 

[ihatework]

TheMule don’t you just love it when the homebreds start to tick the boxes off

 

[ihatework]

Nothing in IHW world this weekend although I’m racking up the miles cheering on my 6yo. Was down in Devon last weekend watching him compete well, then trekking up to Leicestershire to watch him train at the crack of dawn on Thursday.

 

[Bernster]

I didn’t realise how windy it was until I got to the venue - slightly exposed on a hill, with a big digger working nearby aswell ?. Other horses in the car park proved far more interesting for Bertie so he was a bit of a fidget, neighing and distracted. Feels fine when you’re on though - doesn’t feel nervous at all, but kind of on alert. Worse when we loaded for home - kicked, pawed and neighed in the lorry. Settled once we got going so i didn’t hang around and headed straight off. Something to work on and he’s a lot better on his own. Any tips?

Riding wise he was fab. I need to allow him to go forward more. He doesn’t have a ‘correct’ jumping style but it’s worse if I hold him too much into a fence. From his prior owner’s videos, I don’t think this will improve much and he’s 12 so he’s not green by any means. We did have one run out which is very unlike him but he didn’t like the carrot top filler wafting about in the wind. The neck strap saved me!

 

[Britestar]

Lesson done. All went very well, even though left leg not always joining in as it should.

Pony was awesome, as she's only been ridden once or twice a month since September. Remembered everything we'd been working on. Even start of travers.

We both got tired after 30 mine so quit.

Even better, home now and no pain, let's hope that is the same this evening.

 

[TheMule]

TheMule don’t you just love it when the homebreds start to tick the boxes off

Almost makes all the hours of stress, sleepless nights and the vast expense worth it ?

 

[CanteringCarrot]

The dressage clinic went well and doing our homework paid off. Now we have new homework ? He's getting much more comfortable in the collected work and waiting and listening when it comes to flying changes. The canter pirouette's are also improving now that he's not going "omgomgthisishardomg" ? took a look at the half pass, which is quite solid and adjustable in both directions. We don't really have an extended trot #spanishhorseproblems but we did an exercise today that should help us improve and we also came up with some other ones as well. So that'll be part of our homework for next time. The weather was quite nice, so that made the weekend more enjoyable ?

I used the double bridle last time but I find that he works quite well in the snaffle anyway, and it's less to clean...because I'm lazy ?

 

[nikicb]

Hope all is ok DressageCob - thinking of you. Also hope that Millie is ok Scats - Maddie has her vaccination tomorrow, and she has reacted in the past. This is the second time since I have had her that she is being jabbed, and last time I gave her bute the night and morning before, then twice more afterwards and all was ok. I will try the same again, and fingers crossed she will be fine again, but it is definitely a worry.

We did a test practice session and I am really pleased with how it went, considering we haven't ridden a test for 6 months - 72.3%. We had quite a few 8s, but our marks were brought down by the walk, as she died on me a bit in the medium walk and tossed her head a few times in the free walk. She also took a while to establish the final halt, but we have been focussing on those recently and they are a bit of a work in progress. I find downwards transitions tricky to ride with Maddie, as she has a tendency to lose all forward momentum. We have been working on getting her to step through into the halt, rather than just go splat!! I was really pleased with the two canter to trot transitions though, as I felt able to get her to sit in the canter and then take the trot forwards afterwards.

This morning I spent a few hours writing at Wellington - the weather was atrocious - windy to start with, and then the rain came as well. I take my hat off to anyone riding there today - horses were scattering like nine pins, and I was very happy to be tucked away in a cosy judges box!

A quiet few days ahead for us now due to aforementioned jab.