Weekend plans

Despite it being effing freezing, I did this today with the new mare:
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j1ffy said:
She looks sweet! Does look bloomin’ freezing though...
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^^this! Unless you've just been careless with the cotton wool, Cortez :p rather you than me.

Good day here, started with a bang (not in a good way) as Salty kneed me in the eye while I was putting her boots on. It's going purple now and will be an attractive shade of yellow-green by the time I have to see people in work I'm sure.

Putting that aside, she was 100% better at arena hire this morning than last week... last week felt decidedly iffy as she absolutely couldn't take her eyes off any horses coming and going, so we kept having little tantrums. This week I've been a bit firmer about being in charge of where her attention is all the time, so she was able to mostly knuckle down to her work.
Was a bit apprehensive as she's been a cheeky sod at home, standing on her back legs in hand etc so I actually got her to be tired and bored, hurrah! And quite sweaty, which is a first! She did all her sideways and then some civilised canter with hints of shoulder-fore... feeling a bit more positive now.

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And then Kira, who ended up skiving off yesterday so she had to go to skool today... just love this pony so much! This week I've felt the penny dropping about canter piris more and more, so today we got proper little tight ones, cantered in, prepare, turn, canter out, change. Both ways. Amazing! :o :D When we first started the quarter turns a year ago she couldn't fathom how to turn without pushing against the outside leg. Today she just sat and turned :D Followed it up with four 2s, awesome.

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She's got a hacking date tomorrow so will be glad of the down time.
 
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Not our day today.

The boy warmed up beautifully and we made it round the outside of the boards without any spooking. The judge is known for being tough but this was a new low for us - 62.68% and 5th. Only one mistake but a few tense moments, which we were crucified for.

Anyhoo... test sheet will be going in the bin once my trainer has had a look at it. Onwards and upwards.
At least we don’t seem to be getting ‘behind the vertical’ comments any more ;)
 
Bernster, that all sounds really good! My mother got me an equestrian planner for Christmas and I'm absolutely loving using it every day!!

Mum and I had a tack shop trip today to get Trapper (mum's horse) all his own grooming stuff and a few small bits and bobs. Chilli got some Light Berry Eskadron bandages because, you know, she's spoiled! I can relate to the 'after Christmas but before payday' feeling though!

j1ffy, good luck with the CT. Also, will the magical wonder boots be making an appearance for the Ele tests?!
 
Looking good JFTD and MP! Shame the score wasn’t what you were hoping for BM :(.

RO - I hope we’re going to get pics of Chilli in the new matchy ;). And yes the boots will definitely make an appearance for the Ele tests! Sadly not for the CT as there’s no way I can jump in them. They force me to keep my legs long, I’m discovering muscles I didn’t know I had (and a few bad habits that I knew I had and am now having to fix..!).
 
AdorableAlice said:
Dim Tim is doing 2 long arena prelims, where he will find the energy from is anyone's guess, I may have to rush in with a can of Red Bull and a banana.
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A 66% and a 65% for Timmy's first try in the long arena in very poorly supported classes. Just 3 and then 5, where is everyone !

I didn't go and am very grateful for a friend stepping in. I had dental surgery on Tuesday and still feel a bit delicate ! Apparently he was a very good boy and acted way beyond his 4 years. Lovely comments and the judge picked up on his walk which will be scoring a 10 when he is grown up, it is phenomenal.
 
No action shots but a great time a cob school :) Frankie was a star as always. Really need to up my fitness if I want to do some of the qualifiers this year- it was shockingly embarrassing!

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Very pink matchy there, RO!

j1ffy said:
And yes the boots will definitely make an appearance for the Ele tests! Sadly not for the CT as there’s no way I can jump in them. They force me to keep my legs long, I’m discovering muscles I didn’t know I had (and a few bad habits that I knew I had and am now having to fix..!).
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I fear your boots are very different from mine, which as you can see, are filthy in that photo (although at least not held together with bandage tape like the rider in the background :p ). What are these pain inflicting beasts anyway?
 
rara007 said:
No action shots but a great time a cob school :) Frankie was a star as always. Really need to up my fitness if I want to do some of the qualifiers this year- it was shockingly embarrassing!
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He's a smart chap :) I sympathise on the fitness thing. I am attempting the running thing again. It's painful and unpleasant, but it's got to help, right?
 
I’ve always taken it for granted that whilst not a marathon runner I’ve always been young and fit enough to do anything I wanted to do. Until now. He’s quite responsive but hip splittingly wide and needs quite a bit of riding to ensure he stays off the forehand. It really isn’t his fault I’m just like MrBlobby after 10min of trot! It’s a whole body experience unlike my comparatively sharp little guys. Going to try to ride Frankie atleast once a week for a good hour... I really need this blinking darkness to lift before running as I’d need to take the dog and that’d be a bit lethal in the dark :p Has it even got light in the last few weeks?!
 
I understand that - schooling Fergs was always a whole new level of work out (mostly because we were always pushing for as much out of his paces as he could give - he's easy to work if you don't do that :p ). I run in the dark with the dog, but mine's loose and, other than nipping at my heels because I'm too slow (damn collie!) it's alright. But running with leaded dogs is a pig in the dark - and it's gone from dark to grey back to dark again for weeks :(
 
Met owner of potential share pony, she is lovely and just grateful for any help! So I now have a very sweet pony who I'm going to be riding 2-3 times a week (maybe more) to help bring him back into work and give him something to do. His name is Sebastian and he's a 14hh New Forest. Looking forward to getting out and about on the Wirral !ay, which has a beautiful bridlepath that I have been absolutely dying to use since I moved here! :)
 
M went to oudoor arena eventing yesterday with her young jockey on a very cold day. I didn't manage to go along to spectate, but heard reports back later from a delighted jockey. They came 2nd in a class of over 50 in the BE90, 0.5 sec outside the optimum time.

Maybe I should stay home more often :D!
 
Currently freezing the proverbials off at showjumping. Everyone has crawled out the woodwork, huge classes so resigned myself to an hour in the gallery watching. Horse is tucked up in a spare loose box.

Stay warm people!
 
Recovering - pile driven into arena floor on Thursday night. God knows why but properly knocked out, ambulance, CT scan, the works. No serious damage but v. Concussed, today is the first day I've been awake for more than 3 hours in a row!! Was just getting all prepped for our first dressage comp as well 🤕
 
buddylove said:
Recovering - pile driven into arena floor on Thursday night. God knows why but properly knocked out, ambulance, CT scan, the works. No serious damage but v. Concussed, today is the first day I've been awake for more than 3 hours in a row!! Was just getting all prepped for our first dressage comp as well ��
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Ooooooh not good! take it VERY easy, hope you feel better soon :(
 
buddylove said:
Recovering - pile driven into arena floor on Thursday night. God knows why but properly knocked out, ambulance, CT scan, the works. No serious damage but v. Concussed, today is the first day I've been awake for more than 3 hours in a row!! Was just getting all prepped for our first dressage comp as well ��
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Ouch, hope you are feeling better soon
 
buddylove said:
Recovering - pile driven into arena floor on Thursday night. God knows why but properly knocked out, ambulance, CT scan, the works. No serious damage but v. Concussed, today is the first day I've been awake for more than 3 hours in a row!! Was just getting all prepped for our first dressage comp as well ��
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Very not good. Definitely take it easy, hope you feel better.
 
Reacher said:
Just seen saddler for check up now waiting for lesson. Tomorrow arena eventing (65 - 75cm) horse has no problems except for rider who finds it hard to remember course of 18 jumps!
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Well, we arrived in good time for me to learn the course. Left Mr horse in trailer. Blooming cold wind so you'd think he would appreciate it, but he was VERY CROSS and kicked up such a stink that Mr reacher had to phone me to come back and sort him out!
A bit excitable in the warm up, felt a bit unbalanced, falling in on left rein. (This is his weaker side due to historical atrophied back muscle).
19 jumps, first 8 were SJ, rest were Xc including a water jump. Round was a bit unbalanced and got too close to a couple of jumps and knocked one down, but other than that Mr horse enjoyed it. At least I remembered the course!
Am wondering whether the shim the saddler told me to try (saddle was twisting a little) might be having an effect on his movement? (Saddler did say some horses don't like it). Saddle felt more stable but he didn't feel quite right. Will see how he goes in next lesson
 
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Super pleased with my boy. 69% in the dressage and a clear round jumping, to win our class. Only 3 entrants but I'm still proud of him, as he just felt great, and we haven't jumped since September.
 
Went for a gridwork lesson today with M

on top of a very very windy hill. M was supercool - he really loves his jumping, had one oops moment when he went very green on me on jumping the grid in the opposite direction to the way we started but that's babies!! Super pleased with him.

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It was a day of 2 halves for us. I’m our first class all going well until we approached fence 4 and Pie spotted an alien death ray just behind it and saved both our lives by running out. After a small discussion he realised it wasn’t in fact going to kill us, it was merely a bright sunbeam. The runout and subsequent time faults saw us out of any placings.
Into the second class. Eager to make amends he jumped a super double clear and I was both surprised and delighted to be called in first!
Then managed to scrape my lorry on the way home and now I’m waiting for recovery to come and help as my car has overheated.
Perhaps I should have stayed in bed!!!
 
buddylove said:
Recovering - pile driven into arena floor on Thursday night. God knows why but properly knocked out, ambulance, CT scan, the works. No serious damage but v. Concussed, today is the first day I've been awake for more than 3 hours in a row!! Was just getting all prepped for our first dressage comp as well ��
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Jeeze, hope you're feeling better soon! Hat shopping time?

I had a very naughty ride last Wednesday and again today (because it took 3 days for me to stop hurting so much after the Weds ride!) - just a stroll up the road and then 5 minutes in the school but it's good to be back on board. My back isn't great but, equally, isn't awful when I'm riding - it's the aftermath (and getting off) that's not good. Maddie is being practically saintly in her behaviour but is quite confused as to why her rider seems unable to sit straight or use their right leg properly! We're having a lot of unrequested lateral work moments; it has been suggested that I use a schooling whip as replacement for my right leg a la sidesaddle so I might be tempted to give that a go next time I get on board, which I estimate will be Thursday :p.
 
The dear funny fjord jumped his little heart out today. Clear in the 75, and there were loads of us in the jump off so I decided to gamble on seeing if our work on sharp turns had paid off and go for a dog leg into a related distance. It hadn't, and bless him, he stopped dead. Turned round, represented and he popped round the rest really nicely.

80 went well, made the one stride double feel really easy and we had a lovely clear. First to go in the jump off and it was a long running track - he doesn't do speed, so we just cantered round for another clear. I think we were 8th from 13 in the jump off but he went so nicely and it's not his fault he's got little legs and build more suited to pulling a plough!

It was freezing though and there were close to 30 entries in both classes - feet havent thawed out yet.
 
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