Weekend plans

Sounds like everyone had a somewhat productive weekend :)

Todays jumping was just an easy 50cm round and L and I ended up coming 8th :) Bonus to be top ten, not aiming for anything like that at the moment. She needs to learn to sit on her bum a bit around the twisty turns, so the round felt a bit wild but she was honest and jumped everything from any angle. Can't wait to get her fitter and over the bigger jumps in the coming months :)
 
Sheep said:
There are a couple of nice events coming up locally - some "garden eventing" (a mix of SJ and event type fences) at the beginning of April.
Click to expand...

I’ve never heard of garden eventing before, (is it similar to arena eventing?) gives a mental image of jumping garden fences and obstacles made from patio furniture etc - actually I think that sounds like great fun and someone needs to invent it.

Northern well done, I love your horse! and I’m so pleased that the fires are out.

Fiona - ouch!!! Hope you are feeling better.

Took mr H for a walk around the block yesterday before the winds got too bad and he was good as gold , especially as he has been at holiday livery and hardly hacked out in a month. Today it’s blowing a gale so mr H has the day off. He’s not even bothered about going in his wind swept bog of a paddock , normally he’d be out waving his hoof at the gate but he’s barely poked his nose out of his stable this morning.
Got a pole/jump lesson booked for Tuesday- wind dependant!
 
We had a great time on Saturday, placing 5th with a double clear in the 90. Harry was delighted with himself, pawing at the ground, stomping with his front legs as we waited for the lap of honour.

This pic captures him in a moment of unusual calm.

received_201188661236313.jpeg

Buoyed on a happy glow, I started, and finished clearing out our storage. How many saddlepads are too many? Asking for a friend ;)
 
Narrowly missed a spot of surface testing when I lost a pedal halfway down a grid, but we made it to the end and he kept going giving me chance to get back in the plate. Actually really enjoyed today- starting to feel like we might be making progress
 
Busy weekend!

Friday, post work hack. Rooni was hilariously bonkers! Even I’m mildly impressed I stayed on (it does take a lot to lawn dart me!).

5AA854FB-252E-4C9B-9E06-913A81310248.jpeg

Saturday, CDJ demo @ Myerscough which was awesome. Lots of little things I already do but learnt so much.

Sunday, competed Rooni and he was FAB. So settled and chill. I just really enjoyed it. N23 70.6% and 2nd/9 and N39 67.5% and 1st/10.

4626378F-8C8E-4705-94FA-3451186206BD.jpeg

I went wrong in the second test but we still won by a good margin. Very pleased with him.
 
Another dressage outing, another windy, cold and wet day!

I was a bit lucky I that I'd just finished my test when it really started peeing it down.

Dressage Ireland prelim 5 first and a few spooks down the long side lost us first place by less than 0.2% - 2nd on 68.something. The second test was prelim 17a and we were 1st with 67% so a very productive day and I had a camera man for once. Some lovely comments from both judges and some helpful comments which I will put into practise before the regionals in 2 weeks time. 8 for both halts :D Screenshot_20200301-152646_Video Player-01.jpegScreenshot_20200301-152601_Video Player-01.jpegSmartSelect_20200301-153316_Video Player-01.jpegScreenshot_20200301-152845_Video Player-01.jpeg
 
Didnt actually do a huge amount - had an ace lesson on Thursday night, Friday I was running, yesterday the weather was pants so we finally got newbie out again for a bit of work this afternoon. OH rode and had great fun, then our friend hopped on board to help us with the aim of getting him over a scary water tray. She popped a few jumps first, then tried the tray but he just wasnt confident. He's such a dude - we opted to just lunge over it in the end, and once he had done it once, he wanted to keep going back over it! So will get her back on board later in the week to do it, I don't think we will have any issues.

Couple of pics just cos he's handsome - 1 posing pic, and 1 of him jumping (approx 110).
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20200301-191803_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20200301-191803_Gallery.jpg
    916.2 KB · Views: 10
  • Screenshot_20200301-181542_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20200301-181542_Gallery.jpg
    967.1 KB · Views: 10
Wow, great to see so many out and about, actually the weather has been OK this weekend, just really cold. some super pics and results too, I'm feeling quite relieved that there's some positivity here, I was starting to get depressed!
Despite Rose having the weekend off I have been quite busy. I have totally failed to make a velvet browband (thanks Missidi, but I am clearly not a very "handy" person) Bought a secondhand tweed jacket locally but when I got it home and tried it properly, it swamped me, fortunately I can return it. A friend offered her jacket but it was a 12 and I'm a 14/16 so although I popped round, it was really for the coffeee and a chat but it fits me beautifully and looks super smart and is quite flattering ! I have a waist, who knew??? Best news though, is the woman who bought Rose as a foal contacted me out of the blue because she realised that she was still listed as the owner on the microchip. She is a proper "showing" person and when I said I wanted to take Rose to a show next weekend, she offered to come to help me with the prep and be my groom. I am soooooo grateful and very excited. So sorry to burble on but OH is completely disinterested! Oh and I have a lesson with my favourite trainer again tomorrow as she up this way prepping another client for the regionals.
Have a great week everyone, forecast is for cold sunny dry weather, I'll take that ! x
 
Blooming awkward day from start to finish but did make it to the show ?

Started with the field potatoes, millie was feeling unusually evil for some reason and was chasing Salty around, who was lame ?
Installed salts in a rested bit of field for a rest pending further assessment.

Rode kira in gale force wind... she was having none of it and got into some outrageous stand up rears. After 50 mins we could just about navigate around the school ?

Was absolutely not up for dealing with another over-fresh ridiculous animal but headed over to the show anyway as I didnt fancy another rodeo ride at home ?
Got on board and he jammed his spine up into mine but did settle and actually did some Dressage today ? not just steering ?. Sort of scramble-galloped into the arena for the first test as there was a terrifying sandbag lurking in wait by the fence but pulled it back nicely. second test was marred by a misunderstanding in the second canter but other than that all coming along in a more convincing way.
He was 2nd in the first test and while I normally hand his rosettes back I thought we had both earned it today ? tbf to him he showed the sweetness in his character today, he would have had every right to be a nob today and he thought better of it.

Back home to check in on the sick bay and I think it might be a check ligament ? FFS. The bloody mud claims another one! Fortunately the patient is happy in her grassy patch having some peace, she's very easy in that regard.
 
Got home Sat am, how on earth have you guys been coping with this weather :eek: I have a million layers on and am considering emigrating!

Jet lagged + weather = no riding Sat, but I did manage to get both round the forest yesterday and they're going to see Angela tonight from the Equine Wellness Clinic for a MOT before the season starts.

Pleased with how Skylla looks for nearly three weeks off, but potato pony is fat and fluffy lol!

87956747_1251925768326614_7528055536391028736_n.jpg

88014767_1251925838326607_2255400821640396800_n.jpg


Hope Salty is ok MP :( x
 
Oh Happy Day! Still hopping this morning so got OH to come and put the hoof testers on. Ouch OUch OUCH and we have a pus in foot :D She still has a fairly well defined swelling further up the leg but i'm hoping that's just a drama queen reaction to the infection. She's got a nice dry patch to amble about on and squeeze it all out. This never happens to me, I can count the number of abscesses I've had on one finger of one hand ;) so it had been a very distant hope.
 
Fiona said:
Did you go?

It was a lovely afternoon, and the café is lovely for afterwards :)

Fiona
Click to expand...

We did, but we left quite early - probably about 2ish - weather was starting to close in a bit, so only really saw the middle of the 85cm class unfortunately!
We did get a coffee in the cafe... I was drooling over the mushrooms they had though, they looked spectacular lol! Did you have fun?
 
Ambers Echo said:
Well I got on!! Then I got off again. The position of the foot in the stirrups is still too uncomfortable even just in walk. There's no way I could do rising trot or use my ankle in any useful way. Oh well. No stirrups for a while?!
Click to expand...


I did loads of gentle hacking with long stirrups, the movement was basically physio for my ankle and honestly helped so much to rehab it.

I think I was able to rise after about 2 weeks post op but I left it about 4, and I did a lot of time in a 2 point to build the strength back up.

If it’s that uncomfortable I’d be concerned something hasn’t healed correct? Or it’s stiffened up because it’s been immobile, in which case I’d be physioing the hell out of it and that would include lots of gentle walking with v long stirrups!
 
So in between all the house renovations I managed a ride yesterday, especially as the weather was so sunny! Well, until I got on, walked half way round the ménage, gathered my reins then the heavens opened. We got absolutely drowned! She was still happy to be ridden!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20200301_200909_554.jpg
    IMG_20200301_200909_554.jpg
    224.5 KB · Views: 8
Michen said:
I did loads of gentle hacking with long stirrups, the movement was basically physio for my ankle and honestly helped so much to rehab it.

I think I was able to rise after about 2 weeks post op but I left it about 4, and I did a lot of time in a 2 point to build the strength back up.

If it’s that uncomfortable I’d be concerned something hasn’t healed correct? Or it’s stiffened up because it’s been immobile, in which case I’d be physioing the hell out of it and that would include lots of gentle walking with v long stirrups!
Click to expand...

I'll try again today with longer stirrups. I've been told it is totally normal for it to be stiff and sore. The NHS is not offering me any physio though. The doc just said 'oh that will be your bad ankle now'. But I feel far too young and active to just have a body part written off like that! So I am paying for physio but can't get into an appointment till 13th March.
 
Ambers Echo said:
I'll try again today with longer stirrups. I've been told it is totally normal for it to be stiff and sore. The NHS is not offering me any physio though. The doc just said 'oh that will be your bad ankle now'. But I feel far too young and active to just have a body part written off like that! So I am paying for physio but can't get into an appointment till 13th March.
Click to expand...

I went to the NHS physio once and never went back again.. it was so useless. Found a great private physio. I also got a wobbleboard (£12 on amazon!)- that did it the world of good and lots of resistence bands but honestly I am very sure it was the riding that actually did the physio. The private physio gave me so many more decent exercises and really made sure it would "do" what I needed it to do. I was skiing perfectly fine within 3 months!

My ankle has not bothered me since with riding, never so much as ached after hunting. The only thing I notice is that if I'm jumping down from a gate I'll always throw the weight onto the other one... habit maybe.

I get the occasional sharp twinge but other than that it's completely normal.

But I really did get it moving quickly and that was one of the reasons I had it pinned rather than not..
 
Saturday was a write off. J stayed in all day due to rain and his field being very bog like. He had an hour each end of the day hand grazing around the back of the yard, and we had a mooch up and down the driveway too. Sunday morning was lovely and dry but J was a bit full of himself and just wanted to go out so I decided he could have a few hours out before I attempt to ride.

Went back up the yard and tacked up and decided to take him around some back roads to my home. Always wanted to do it. Neighbours were a bit surprised as well but he was such a good boy (with my OH on foot).

Yesterday I rode in the afternoon and thought about a solo hack up the road and to a local field where I was contemplating our first solo canter... barely got out the drive before he was refusing to move forward, trying to spin. I think initially he was worried but then it became a case of actually I don't want to go that way. I normally ride in the morning so I think maybe he just wanted to go and have his dinner!

Eventually got past the area, walked for a bit more and then I turned for home. He was joggy so I made him stand a few times. Then we met our normal hacking buddies and she made us turn around and go the route I had originally planned. J was not best pleased and was spooky and looky for most of it, and even spun and ran at some children on a trampoline (TBF I avoid kids as much as possible so can understand that!).

He did however go forward when I asked, he did go through a massive puddle and splish splashed his way along.

This morning I went in the school and he called and called and called, until I asked for trot and he settled. I find it odd that he calls in the school but not when hacking.

Anyway.... it was an interesting few days!

Johnny Home 1.jpg Johnny Home 2 crop.jpg
 
Sheep said:
We did, but we left quite early - probably about 2ish - weather was starting to close in a bit, so only really saw the middle of the 85cm class unfortunately!
We did get a coffee in the cafe... I was drooling over the mushrooms they had though, they looked spectacular lol! Did you have fun?
Click to expand...


The café is fabulous.....

Yes we did go, I was on just after 3... One pole down but a brilliant ride.

Fiona
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top