Weekend plans!

[milliepops]

Scorchio!!!

What's everyone got planned for the weekend? Hoping the weather backs off a bit as promised, it's stupendously hot here.

we've just got back from a mildly incinerating lesson, poor Kira I had sort of thought perhaps I should take Darcy instead as he does better in hot weather, but I really needed the session with K so she drew the short straw after all. Had to be washed off before we even started as it was so flipping hot she was already sweating, and then we could really only canter or piaffe because my back is still crocked and trotting is kind of agony

Good session though, chewed over how the weirdness of this competition season has left us kind of rudderless, nothing to aim for really and that makes training at home a bit wishy washy. So the gauntlet has been thrown down again and we have to get working on the bits of the Inter 2 test that we can do, improvising where we can only partly do movements (e.g. sets of fewer 1 tempis instead of 11 in a go) but learning the lines and piecing it together as much as possible. bringing forward the achieveable bits to *now* rather than waiting til the work is all established and THEN having to link it up. sounds like fun

Not sure i should make any more plans until I can trot again Darcy needs to do some work but tbh he can wait, ouch.

Have fun all
Kira in her iceboots to kick the thread off

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Didn't ride 1st thing today as had farrier and it's far too hot now.
Prob hack tomorrow, then have an RC polework clinic on Saturday morning 1st thing, the 1st one for RC since March.
No idea about Sunday yet.

MP, you are a better woman than I, riding in this heat! Car read 35 half an hour ago!

 

[milliepops]

MP, you are a better woman than I, riding in this heat! Car read 35 half an hour ago!

hard to get another slot if I cancel a lesson so...needs must

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

hard to get another slot if I cancel a lesson so...needs must

I understand, but phew!
Am v glad I didn't grab a polework clinic space that became vacant yesterday, for this afternoon at 3, v glad indeed!

 

[dorsetladette]

Its OH's birthday today, so BBQ on Saturday afternoon evening at the horses/field/farm (not really sure what to call it anymore, we've collected so much stuff over lockdown). He's invited a few friends to show his building handy work and new animals (sheep/turkeys/chickens).
I might try and get an early hack in with the livery before it gets to hot, really need to see how B2 will behave when left on his own with only the sheep for company.

Sunday will probably be a quick hack and avoiding the heat. I really hope it cools down a bit for everyone.

MP - your a braver woman than me in that heat AND with a bad back. either one of those alone would of made me reconsider my plans.

 

[GinaGeo]

You’re brave Milliepops - I’ve been getting up before 6am to get my lot ridden before the heat kicks in - and even then we were all a bit warm!

New to this... here goes!

My four year old - Pod (Darker bay)- will be wobbling around his first Prelim Dressage test for the E-riders league. It’ll be nice to have an outsiders opinion on him.

Also planning to take him to visit a friend and go on a proper road hack for the first time. He’s done plenty of hacking and met traffic, but the roads near me aren’t horse friendly anymore - so it’s one to introduce him to. A weekend of firsts for Podrick!

The older two will be boxed up to go hacking at the woods. Solo (Bay with bling) got our first Medium test in the bag last weekend. And Mickey (grey)will probably do a good canter hack to burn some fat off!

 

[smolmaus]

Currently figuring out how few clothes I can wear to my lesson this evening and not get arrested. Could Kira lend me her iceboots?

Was going to be cheeky and book another lesson at a different RS for Saturday but the OH is taking the car down to his dads. Maybe next week.

Sunday I was planning to do 5-6 hours on the yard but if it's that weather again I will probably just pass away at about noon.

 

[Cloball]

@GinaGeo I adore the name Podrick

 

[milliepops]

Currently figuring out how few clothes I can wear to my lesson this evening and not get arrested. Could Kira lend me her iceboots?
.

hehe, they are back in the freezer getting frosty again! i was tempted to just wrap them around my head tbh I am on my third set of clothes so far today, urghh

 

[Roxylola]

We had somerford farm ride booked today so I rode my owners pony again and supercob jumped round under his owner. It's getting tricky though - pony doesnt pace himself well so he was flat by two thirds in and we'd mostly walked, whereas supercob could have done with a bit more cracking on really - still sweaty but full of energy.
Painting stables tomorrow, and a xc training session on saturday afternoon

 

[oldie48]

Rose had today off, she needed it! Tomorrow I am doing a pole work/schooling session, Saturday we are off to a very local arena for a RC Flatwork clinic with a trainer I don't know but I'm keen to get Rose out and about a bit before we start to compete again. Sunday I am hoping to hack with a friend, Monday we are going back to AMD for another lesson with my fave trainer and Tuesday (if I don't bottle it) we are hacking with another friend who is kind enough to nanny the elderly and we are doing a bit more off road work.Wednesday she is being schooled by a pro rider. So a busy and rather expensive week. Pandemic has forced me to think about priorities and being viewed as "vulnerable" I have found rather shocking so if I am on my last legs I might at least go out doing what I love and bugger the cost of it all. I've also finally agreed with OH that we need to down size (rushes to get a box of tissues) so I am enjoying every minute in my beloved garden, I honestly need to move a family of 8 in to eat all the veg and fruit. Daughter also thinks it's sensible, I am surrounded by bloody sensible people

 

[GinaGeo]

Thanks @Cloball. He came called Patrick as a yearling. But he‘s neither Irish or a Patrick. So I called him Pod after my late grandfather’s car. And it morphed into Podrick. Which really does suit him ?

 

[McFluff]

I finally have plans...
Saturday is a lesson, and Sunday we are off on our first trip off the yard for nearly four months... Just an arena hire, but I am disproportionately excited.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Dolly is out competing. Hurrah. Hunter Trial at Eland Lodge on Saturday.

I've got a lesson on Toby on Sunday.

Shame I'm not able to take Amber on adventures this year but I love watching Dolly so I'm very excited to be getting back out. And Eland is one of my favourite venues.

 

[little_critter]

Yay, we have plans. I’m having a lesson on Saturday for some butt kicking and goal setting. I’m switching from going to group clinics (which are good, but you can’t have the 1:1 focus) to private lessons in order to push me on and see how far we can get.

 

[scats]

No riding for me today, far too hot for my girls (and me). My car read 38C this evening!
Hopefully I’ll be back on board over the weekend.

 

[Wheels]

I think we are in for some hacking as it's too hot for me to do anything else really

 

[Wheels]

And M is a wee bit cresty even though my grass is shite so him and his companion winston are in at night and fenced into the yard during the day with triple bagged haynets! Unimpressed as they are

 

[Accidental Eventer]

We are in for some lovely winter weather this weekend, lets hope we get the rain we have forecast! Though it will mean I get wet riding, but I'll make that sacrifice

Last night Henry and I had a great jumping lesson. We have been working (and struggling) hard recently and it's been tough. Lots of me feeling like I don;t have a clue what i am doing, Henry feeling like a plank of wood, my coach gradually increasing her levels of frustration. Just an all round mess (probably not as bad as it feels, but it feels pretty bad!).

Last night though things clicked, I ride properly and the jumping happened as it should. I made decisions, rode forward, Henry was much more pliable and we even got some decent changes. Feels like our first event of the season wont be a total mess!

This weekend we have a clinic put on by the Off the Track organisation we have here. My coach is coaching so thats cool, I have antoher jumping lesson and then we are heading out to the XC course to have a play. Really looking forward to it and hopefully we wont get too wet! Sunday will be spent hiding from the rain. Might ride if we get a break in the weather.

have fun and stay cool all!

 

[Northern]

-1C here this morning, stay cool over there

Not much on this weekend as I'm working, but looks like some jumping days will be back in the near future which will be nice!
Bit discouraged this week, my TB has destroyed 4 fences in the last 3 weeks - how she hasn't ripped her legs to absolute shreds is anyones guess! The behaviour is identical to my last girl before she was put to sleep, I suspect she is not comfortable in the paddock and in chronic pain of some level. There is nothing I can do about the fencing unfortunately, I would love to put up a temp electric offset fence off the wire, but despite the vast majority of Europe using it successfully for all sorts of stock, it's "evil" and banned at my yard...
I'm moving her to spell out with a friends gelding for a few months next week (better fencing), and I guess I'll have to gauge how comfortable she is afterwards. Sad .

On a happier note, the new girl has settled in well and has quite the personality. I have just about decided to send her away to be backed next year - the people I am looking at backed my friends mare and did such a good job, they don't use an arena and take them out on their vast property droving their cattle and sheep. Just the start I like! Still a while away but excited to start on her.

Have a good weekend all, hope you have some cooler days and no big heatwaves...

 

[Red-1]

Had our first dressage lesson on Wednesday, phew, it was indoor with doors both ends open, but so hot, we achieved very little. She kept asking for a break, so we had lots of breaks, but even they were hot and humid. What we did was ace though, better frame, lateral work was a bit rusty after a summer hacking, canter was better.

Yesterday I felt a bit lightheaded so I will be taking it easy over the weekend. Mr Red wants to go shopping for a new car (end of his PCP looming) so just some hacking early or late, I think.

Good luck t the brave should competing in the heat!

 

[TheMule]

Had a jump lesson last night on the ginger at a new venue which went well, we're just trying to push out of my comfort zone a bit and adjust to jumping a course of 1.05/1.10 rather than our safety blanket of 1m! Horse jumped well. She is out again for a jump lesson on Sunday but this will be grids/ technical lines rather than coursework.

The 3yr old is starting to do his futurity preparation so is scheduled for a bath and a practice film to see if the Pivo is up to the challenge.

 

[greenbean10]

Had a jump lesson last night on the ginger at a new venue which went well, we're just trying to push out of my comfort zone a bit and adjust to jumping a course of 1.05/1.10 rather than our safety blanket of 1m! Horse jumped well. She is out again for a jump lesson on Sunday but this will be grids/ technical lines rather than coursework.

The 3yr old is starting to do his futurity preparation so is scheduled for a bath and a practice film to see if the Pivo is up to the challenge.

I am also in this position. Have been doing more jumping to get ready for shows again...1m firmly in my comfort zone so now we are stepping it up - which means I completely change my riding! Horse got me out of some very sticky situations at arena hire yesterday (we jumped first thing). Just have no idea how to keep the same mentality when coming to something bigger and wider!

 

[little_critter]

lol - I'm wanting to push on with jumping this summer, however my comfort zone is currently 2' max!
I have no doubt that my horse could clear higher than that, but I don't know how much jumping he did before me (he was a show horse) and I'm rusty / inexperienced with jumping so we are starting small and building up gradually to make sure no one has confidence problems. He's a lovely boy and really wants to do the right thing...which can mean he gets a bit worried if he thinks he's done something wrong. I'm trying to set him up to succeed and also tell him that mistakes are ok, as long as you give it a try.

 

[Chippers1]

I'm also at Eland lodge on Saturday! But only doing the tiny course thought it would be a fun, confidence building round for our first xc since July last year. We can do the 70 or 80 next time!
Buzz has had the whole week off as I was too hot to ride so hoping he'll be full of energy.

Edit to add: I now have read back and seen everyone else's comfort zones for jumping - wish I was as brave as you!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Nice to see so many HHO will be at Eland .

Comfort zones can always be expanded Chippers1 just keep going . I'd got myself wobbly about anything higher than 70cm after a long break and riding a young horse, however, we're pretty confident up to 90cm now and I can feel the confidence trickling back for the higher fences, now me and Skylla are gaining experience.

 

[TheMule]

I am also in this position. Have been doing more jumping to get ready for shows again...1m firmly in my comfort zone so now we are stepping it up - which means I completely change my riding! Horse got me out of some very sticky situations at arena hire yesterday (we jumped first thing). Just have no idea how to keep the same mentality when coming to something bigger and wider!

I find it helpful to get very used to jumping a fence a fair bit bigger at the end of a grid and then your eye starts to adjust to thinking that's normal!

 

[Ambers Echo]

What's your number Chippers? I'll look out for you and give you a cheer. We will be walking the course when you are on probably.

 

[Chippers1]

What's your number Chippers? I'll look out for you and give you a cheer. We will be walking the course when you are on probably.

Woo! That would keep me going i'm number 14. Start time is just after 10. Looking forward to it!

 

[TheMule]

Edit to add: I now have read back and seen everyone else's comfort zones for jumping - wish I was as brave as you!

It's all relative... I can be very confident jumping 1.20 courses on a horse I know well and that is established, but every time I've gone back down to a young horse you start again from scratch- 80cm looks massive on a green 5yr old, then you achieve that and 90cm looks really daunting but that happens ok and 1m becomes impossibly big...... I only have one horse up and running at a time so constantly cycle through this!