Weekend plans

Lesson for me in the morning! It was originally planned for Monday, but instructor is away so she's coming out tomorrow instead. So I should probably lay off the wine soon...
Rode today, he was great. Played around with gear changes in canter and popped a couple of small xpoles. I hadn't ridden since Monday - my friend has kindly exercised him for me - hit the deck on Monday night and still a bit sore!!!
 
Well we had the sarcoid surgery. What a pain. She was a total knob, wouldn’t let the vets handle her at all, wouldn’t let them inject her, wouldn’t let them take her into the stocks. I had to take over and slowly slowly catchy monkey get her in, all ended up fine. Turns out there were 3 sarcoids to remove, one just above the girth line which I had thought was a calcium lump, but all have been taken off quite nicely. The wounds are very tidy and I’m expected to be back on board in 3-4 weeks, routine as normal from Monday so at least she can go out. The wind had picked up by the time we were leaving so had a really awful testy drive home, not an experience I want to happen again. If anyone has any groundwork guru recommendations that I can YouTube that would be appreciated, I am pretty established in the basic lateral work but anything to keep her entertained would be welcomed.
 
Good luck surviving the weather this weekend everyone!

Saturday: Off to pick up some new boots as the zip on mine has gone and will be a couple of weeks till it's replaced! Then riding Chilli and trying on the le mieux gifts my boyfriend kindly bought her!

Sunday: Our event at Osberton has been cancelled due to the weather we've had this week :-( So we might head out and jump somewhere.
 
Quick sj lesson report
Set off in blustery winds, got in arena (outdoors) and started to warm up and 3 wings blew over.... finished warming up and then wind dropped a fair bit. I do like this arena as it's a v good size of 40 x 90, lots of room to run around in.....
Today's plan was building on control between fences, not jumping big stuff. B was pretty attentive but over half way through she got a little too gung ho and started to try and tank into fences. I was sweating buckets perspiring like a lady by this point as I had a rain jacket over my BP as it was drizzling on and off but warm at 12 to 13 degrees.
Got her to settle a bit better, tho she was still locking onto anything jumpable if it came into sight! Happily tackled filler boards, ladder rail, spreads etc. She never appears to want to stop or duck out, her 'alternative' is to do a sudden balloon over a fence on take off, baby fashion.
1st time popping a little white wall with pole over top, came in...3,2,1, boinnng, big leap, grandma on board apparently looking jockey fashion on board, there is no way I'm tipping off these days!
Finished on a good note of sewing 6 fences together, all of them across diagonal or off short corners. Pretty naffed off tho as last lesson here with sj trainer as he is moving next week.
Good B Fuzzy ?
 
Your pony sounds fantastic TFF.

We took child and new pony to SJ again last night, DC in first class, clear and 4 in the next one. Much better than last week where steering completely went out of the window.

I've got toothache though so we didn't go to flexi eventing this morning, hacked at home instead in the howling wind ?

Fiona
 
Anyone want to see mini me and his number 1 pony at the Pony Club XC rally on Tuesday?

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FIONA
 
I reluctantly went to the pole work clinic that I thought was indoors but wasn't. Billy no mates again so on my own. So glad I checked directions as it wasn't easy to find and through some very narrow lanes, I wouldn't have wanted to have got lost! It was very windy with some huge gusts but at least it wasn't raining, I was a little dry mouthed to begin with as there was loads for Rose to look at including a small group of mini shetlands that were running around like shetlands do! However, Rose was great, didn't put a put wrong except for a bit of a buck going over a fan of canter poles. I did a shared lesson and the trainer kept it fairly easy, both horses were a bit behind the leg and she gave us some useful ideas to get them going, a variation of what I would normally do as she used lots of very light irritating taps with the schooling whip, which I have to admit worked rather well with Rose and we soon got a nice bouncy trot on her hind leg so the canter transitions (which I still struggle with a bit) came from a very light aid. I also got some super walk to canter trans too which I was particularly pleased with. Yet another trainer who loved Rose and me probably rather less but she did work nicely considering the wind, strange venue and my initial nerves! I am trying to keep setting myself little challenges designed to try to build my confidence.
I got home to find Fatty in his stable happily munching at a haynet so thanked OH profusely for being kind and thoughtful (especially as Fatty tried to kick him yesterday) to be told that Fatty had pushed his way through the hedge galloped through the garden and put himself in the stable, clearly he doesn't think there's enough grass in the field to keep him properly fed!
 
I managed a pole work clinic on Friday night. It was indoors, which was a bonus. I'd had some more bad news about my mum that day and was feeling less than resilient.

One of the horses was nappy and backed into my mare, despite me being at a good distance and walking away as soon as I realised there was a problem. The rider started kicking and my mare was startled, but did nothing worse than take herself (and me) to safety.

Later in the session I was parked up and the other horse napped too close again (half way through its round), but this time my superstar mare did not react at all, good girl. Just moved away at my request. In fact, she was ace while people were jumping round her, and we did the course in trot and canter over the poles, but not actual jumping as we have not jumped (other than 2 fences), since September and I would rather get her going on jumps in an arena on our own. It is not her fault that she has been picked up and put down so much with mum not being well. She only started work again over Xmas after some more months off whilst I tried to get life working again, so she is gaining fitness, ready to start jumping now.

She was absolutely Miss Perfect throughout. Even at the end, we loaded up and I was crawling round her legs doing boots etc while the other horse was not loading right next to us, and there were rattling feed bowls, whip taps and fuss, right at the bottom of her ramp, and she was so calm and gracious. Just tucked into her hay and ignored the stuff that was going on.

Today was awful with the wind and rain, so she was just turned out and had a session in the grooming parlour under the lamps with a massage pad, whilst I cleaned tack.

I have been rather down, and have been considering a new bridle, a Quantum, after the recommendations on here.

Tomorrow, if it is a bit less windy we will hack. If it is still very windy I may lunge and then hire an arena to actually jump on Monday. I am missing my hacking!
 
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I can finally join in! Today was supposed to be the debut of my new dark green show jacket at an unaff dressage but alas it was not meant to be and we were rained/winded off an hour before we were due to leave. Quick rethink as didn't want to waste the money that we had spent on hiring the box so we hired a local indoor. Now if you had told me a month ago that I would be quite happy to go to not only a brand new venue, but an indoor (having never ridden in an indoor!), in gusty winds I would have laughed in your face and trotted off to lunge my horse because I was still too scared to actually get on. But I have persevered and with the help of an absolutely wonderful instructor and yard friends (and actually Storms Ciara and Dennis which forced me to ride at home in horrible conditions!) and today we practiced our dressage tests, cantered over some poles and had a jolly good time without feeling like I was going to die or get thrown off once. Roll on Summer with super cob!

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Sorry to hear about your mum Red :(.

I am super jealous of everyone managing to ride - if you can all bottle up a small % of your motivation and send it to me that would be very appreciated. I've not actually left the house today, I sat down to do some quick work for 5 minutes at 10am and fell down a rabbit hole so have only just finished (excl regular H&H breaks). I've also somehow ordered a new iPad?!

I'm going to try and get to the yard tomorrow, even if it's only for 5 minutes. It just seems a shame to drive an hour each way to give her a quick brush though I suppose I need to get out of that mindset.
 
Well done to all out and about. we were due to due a clinic tomorrow but I’ve had a horrid virus all month and not up to driving lorry and riding properly so they kindly moved us to another date. Have been out for a hack - our yard is on the top of the hill and so windy. Is it possible to be blown off a horse?
 
Sorry to hear about your mum Red :(.

I am super jealous of everyone managing to ride - if you can all bottle up a small % of your motivation and send it to me that would be very appreciated. I've not actually left the house today, I sat down to do some quick work for 5 minutes at 10am and fell down a rabbit hole so have only just finished (excl regular H&H breaks). I've also somehow ordered a new iPad?!

I'm going to try and get to the yard tomorrow, even if it's only for 5 minutes. It just seems a shame to drive an hour each way to give her a quick brush though I suppose I need to get out of that mindset.
It's so utterly grim I can't imagine wanting to go and do horsing if I didn't have to.
I always, always feel better for doing it though ;) does that help? Even just getting blown around the field with the old crocks is nicer than I expect it when I'm trudging up there :p Especially as I'm pretty certain i'm feeling foal feet booting around in Salty's belly <3

Sending a dram of motivation and some carrots, cos listening to ponies crunching carrots is just fab :)
 
Love them pics fiona.

Well done everyone going out and about especially on their own!

I made it to my dressage show, drove through wind, hail, snow and rain. As I was trying to get ready it heaved it down but by the time I was mounting the rain had stopped but it was still very windy. Anyhow, the judges were being very kind, we won both of our classes (although there were lots of withdrawals!) with some lovely comments and got a 66.something and a 70.something so my qualifying scores for the nationals are most definitely now in the bag.

I really felt for a couple of competitors where the roller doors of the indoor shook very loudly just as they were trotting down the centre line and that was really off putting for them. M was super well behaved, was a little spooky and tense in the outdoor test but totally on it in the indoor, really rideable. We got an 8 for one of our canter transitions which I'm so happy about as we've worked super hard on them this week after having difficulties in our lessons last week. Hard work definitely pays off.

Now we need to work on more jump in the canter and more over track in the FWLR and we should be well on track
 
Well done Wheels and Emfen!
Red-1 very sorry to hear about your Mum, I hope it's not too serious, your mare clearly knew you needed her to be good. I'm sure they pick up on our moods!
I really just want the weather to improve, I am so sick of being cold, wet and wind blown. The trainer today was lovely, she has competed at a high level and is well qualified but it is such a hard life, so hard to make a decent living and yet a career that requires so many skills which so many people (riders included) don't seem to appreciate. I drove home today and thought about all the people who make their living from riding and training and how much worse the winter must have been for them!
 
Lesson ended up being cancelled this morning - sort of!
Decided that OH would take the reins first, weather was pretty grotty and horse wasn't enjoying it either - a couple of nappy moments, but focused on working forwards and keeping him moving. Instructor arrived after we had been warming up for about 10 mins, and managed about 15 mins of work before calling it quits - horse was working really nicely, but the wind and rain were making it impossible to hear anything and we were all soaked by that point!!
We've rescheduled for next week...!
 
It's so utterly grim I can't imagine wanting to go and do horsing if I didn't have to.
I always, always feel better for doing it though ;) does that help? Even just getting blown around the field with the old crocks is nicer than I expect it when I'm trudging up there :p Especially as I'm pretty certain i'm feeling foal feet booting around in Salty's belly <3

Sending a dram of motivation and some carrots, cos listening to ponies crunching carrots is just fab :)

Thanks mp <3. Full livery is both a blessing and a curse when the weather is like this! I'll take a carrot for M tomorrow.
When is mini-Salty due and do you have a selection of names yet? ;) You must be so excited!
 
Thanks mp <3. Full livery is both a blessing and a curse when the weather is like this! I'll take a carrot for M tomorrow.
When is mini-Salty due and do you have a selection of names yet? ;) You must be so excited!
I am, but equally I won't really let myself get carried away until its born and healthy. A pessimist is never disappointed ;)
Due late may so a while to go yet.

No names yet! I did try having a think but I'm fairly useless. Will be appealing for help when the time comes ?
 
[QUOTE="MuddyMonster, post: Sunday: I want to hack, but suspect most of our hacking routes are underwater still. So I might set up some polework instead, ad I've been following a polework group on FB and they have some really innovative ideas.[/QUOTE]

what’s the pole work FB page please?
 
Mine went to the treadmill to keep o. Top
Of hos forness his canter worm just been incrrased at hpme and lucoly have fab hacling bit wheather is horrendous have had a birus last few days so had few days of lungong xx
 
After the wild wind yesterday and lashing rain overnight, I was ecstatic to find mild, still weather this morning and was out before 8am. Only did an hour's hacking, but it felt good.

Booked in to an indoor tomorrow for a jump. Finally getting something done!

Well done Wheels and Emfen!
Red-1 very sorry to hear about your Mum, I hope it's not too serious, your mare clearly knew you needed her to be good. I'm sure they pick up on our moods!

Mum had a fall in 2018 and everything has changed. My poor horse, who was only 5 at the time, has been picked up and put down ever since so we have not really ever got going. Just as we start doing some work, everything goes wrong for mum, her shoes come off (the horse's, not mum's) and we are all stop again. This time she came back into work at Xmas, things are not any better with mum but I feel so much grrr at having a beautiful horse that is turned away, and have decided that she is, in fact, a stress busted so good for mental health.
 
I woke up yesterday really not fancying the travel and competition in 40mph winds and driving rain, but I’m pleased I persevered!

Danny was great - I got on in the worst of the weather and headed into the spooky warm-up arena while the storm continued to blow us sideways. His owner walked round with us then I cracked on. Danny was holding his breath to start with, then did a big snort and knuckled down. It’s only his second dressage competition and fourth ever in total so he’s still figuring out his job!

The sun came out as we headed into the indoor, leaving a scary strip of light along the centre line. When he was jumping, Danny was well-known for ballooning fences so I was a bit worried about what would happen if he decided to leap over it ?. I let him have a sniff and thankfully he figured it out. The test then went smoothly, just an early break to trot in the first canter when he backed off a terrifying (!) broom leaning in one corner. He still goes very short in the neck when he’s worried so plenty to work on there, but I was delighted with his attitude and trust.

We ended up with a shade under 67% and a red rosette, but the real success today was his increasing confidence. A couple more unaffiliated comps and hopefully we’ll affiliate around Easter ?

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Very envious of all those managing to get out and compete. My showjumping has just been cancelled for the third week in a row :(

Maybe dressage is the way forward....
 
We also braved the weather today, OH came with me as I was flapping about the wind and wasn't sure if I ought to take the box out. We took a pretty sheltered route and it was fine actually :)

Prelim 15 first - Darcy felt the most grown up yet in the warm up, actually connected properly leg to hand and really concentrating. The test was actually starting to feel like dressage rather than steering, until he tripped over his own feet in the first canter and scrabbled to get his balance back o_O got it back together again so he had a funny score sheet starting with 6s and 7s, then a bunch of 4s and a 2, and then back up to 6s and 7s :p Bit of a shame really, that was just bad luck.

Back on the lorry and the heavens opened :rolleyes:

Prelim 18 for the second test and he warmed up well, and then found they were running 20 mins late:( If I'd been on my own I would have got peed off at that point and gone home but I just tried to keep some petrol in the tank and then went and did some steering ;) He was tired and a bit fed up, which always means his behaviour goes a bit to pot but I thought it was worth trundling round so he learns that it's not all unicorns and rainbows. A few months ago it would have been too much to ask which does show me that he's making progress, even if it was a bit sad to finish on a bit of a crap ride.

So I think we came last in both again but I was super pleased with the feeling he gave me in the first test and I think a properly sensible outing is within touching distance now! his concentration has come on hugely in the last couple of weeks, as well as the standard tractors and sirens at Summerhouse we also had a bird scarer going off every 2 mins and he didn't really try to spook at any of it :)

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Busy weekend for me!

Friday I was out with work and my priority was not being too hungover to hack on the Saturday morning lol.

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Smashed it! Blew some cobwebs away. Rested up with takeaway and the gf Saturday night whilst I learned my tests for today.

Was a tiny bit nervous as hardest novice he’s done etc. But he rocked it! Had a baby mistake in n22 which just dropped us first place for 69.16% and second but then was a total star in n37 for 70.18% and first!

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Utterly thrilled with him. All felt so so so easy. That’s nearly all our regionals points in 3 tests! Revision for some work stuff tonight!
 
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