Weekend plans!!

[Baccara]

Nothing this weekend after a very busy week of hydrotherapy, two lessons, one test riding clinic for AM.. very pleased with comments from judge. Plus trying out new saddle on the wild child. OH birthday tea party on sunday, day of rest on saturday.

 

[j1ffy]

There are loads of good updates already - Kira and Skylla look like they're making good progress, and TheMule I love your mare's grumpy face around corners! Looks like a good lesson, good luck on Sunday. Good luck to everyone else who's getting out and about too.

I'm off to the in-laws for the weekend, somehow a trip away feels hugely exciting even though it's only a few hours up country! We've had a good week though - the saddler came on Wednesday and had to put the next gullet up in Danny's dressage saddle, and I've started Danny on a new vit / min supplement as he's been feeling flat and I don't think his teeny amount of grass, soaked hay and half-scoop of happy hoof has been providing the nutrients he needs! He still has a tummy so definitely need to keep the calories down.

We had a really good schooling session last night, he feels perkier and much freer in the adjusted saddle. The canter work felt really different, I could actually collect him and felt him start to sit more. We did some counter canter loops and on the right rein I played with asking for a few steps of canter half-pass and he gave it a good go. He finds travers and half-pass tougher to the left so I left it there and we did some fun medium trot around the arena, which also felt fab. Time to affiliate and get him to some BD next month I think!

 

[Bernster]

Hacking this weekend. Will have an explore as hacking seems very limited but spoke to a local who assured me there’s loads so we’ll see what we can find.

Have been quiet on here lately as have been working on some little niggles with finnegan, who steadfastly refuses to tell me which bit is a bit ouchy. Have chucked pretty much everything you can chuck at a horse to help identify and work though it and hurrah, he’s loads better! Seems pretty much back to his old self, we’re just both a bit rusty and need to build back up again. So it’s now about stepping up the work and seeing how he goes.

 

[TheMule]

There are loads of good updates already - Kira and Skylla look like they're making good progress, and TheMule I love your mare's grumpy face around corners! Looks like a good lesson, good luck on Sunday. Good luck to everyone else who's getting out and about too.

She is just the most dramatic of ginger mares- if I dare to use any leg I get mare face in return ?

 

[SEL]

Took the microcob for a lovely long back with one of the other liveries. Forgotten what its like to hack something without wondering if it's hurt a leg or is going to spook at warp speed - very nice, that's what it's like!!

She's getting a lot more relaxed and balanced in her short schooling sessions too. Bending left no longer equals meltdown! Even a few steps of baby leg yield yesterday.

Getting fitter is highlighting the saddle fit issues though so I think my credit card needs tocome out ?

 

[Pippity]

Today was my first time riding Blue after her hock injections, and WHAT a difference! We normally have to trot to keep up with our regular hacking companion, but today I had to slow her down to avoid overtaking him in walk. She feels bouncier, her stride is longer, and she's just so much happier in herself. It seems weird to say, but her ears are much more mobile, too!

We've got a week of hacking in walk, then it's time to bring in the trot and really start to push her. Judging by today, I think she'll enjoy it.

 

[scats]

Canter poles for Millie tonight. She loves canter poles, but isn’t great with trotting poles. She’s not got the best trot and has on occasion nearly decked us both doing trot poles, but canter, she absolutely pings over them!
Then a little walk around the tracks to cool off.

 

[Ambers Echo]

 

[Ambers Echo]

Sneak preview!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

View attachment 51834

Exciting!!!!

Skylla had the biggest meltdown at this fence ??, this is where I got told to stop being nice to her and tell her to get in with it ?.

 

[oldie48]

Yesterday I did poles with Rose, she was v lazy, quite hard work but I realised she's in season which is why she was probably a bit naughty on Wednesday (but who knows!) My little lorry went into the garage this morning with a few niggles but came home late afternoon with a biggish bill and hopefully no niggles, but we'll see. I arranged for Rose to be schooled here and she was a good girl although it was warm and humid. I was busy with an estate agent, really don't want to move so feeling rather conflicted! Rose is having tomorrow off, I have a pilates session and I am hacking with a friend on Sunday. Monday we are going to AM Dressage for our weekly lesson with Justine Sole, Tuesday I am out on TROT again. Yet another busy week ahead.

 

[JDChaser]

XC schooling tomorrow and dressage outing on Sunday with my four year old project, his first party (although he's been as a nanny before.) So excited!

 

[Nicnac]

First ever DTM tomorrow eek. It's not BD but BD venue and judge and come as you are so relaxed. I have run through it this week for the first time and last night did it 3 times in a 60 x 20. Knackering! We were 3rd last Friday evening in our novice test. I was happy with it as hadn't competed since December and haven't had a lesson since March.

 

[rosiesowner]

Horse agility, arena hires, hacking, DTM, cross country, camp... we're all starting to get busy again! I've been back on Chill for a couple of weeks now getting her fit again. The rapid rate she healed at was incredible so fingers crossed this evening we will manage to get out to the beach without incident!!!!

 

[GinaGeo]

Pod went to his first competition today. I usually try and take mine out as 2-3yr olds to see the world and do some in hand classes. But we haven’t been able to because of his Hives.

So he had his first plaits in. And went to a new place that wasn’t hacking. And was very brave indeed. Especially because the warm up arena had jumps in and one of those jumps had huge great dolphins ? for wings.

He was worried, but he’s learning to control his emotions and didn’t have a Pod scale break down.

The test was wobbly, but showed moments of how he will be able to go in the future. I need to work on stopping the left side of his body popping out on the Centre Lines, but everything happened in the right place and he’s looking very proud of himself indeed. Well chuffed with my baby horse.

 

[Sheep]

Dressage for me today! One prelim, one novice. The two tests felt very similar, not sure if that was a help or a hindrance tbh...

Horse went nicely. I feel like I didn’t do him justice - his work hasn’t been as consistent the past couple of weeks, and I haven’t ridden as much as normal, so I was a wee bit disappointed in myself because I know I can do better. Scores were grand, 65% in the prelim and 63% in the novice. Once I had seen all the scores I felt a bit better though, we were 11/26 for the prelim and 6/10 in the novice so actually not too bad at all. Horse was his usual polite self, he felt a wee bit lacklustre though. His grazing isn’t great atm so wondering if that’s part of the problem! Time for a new field methinks

Pictures because he’s handsome:

 

[doodle]

Since no competitions allowed yet and I don’t tend to do them anyway, we will be hacking!

 

[little_critter]

we had a bit of a disaster in a group jumping clinic last week, nothing really nasty but T was wired enough to make me lose confidence and stop riding forward. (Which was exactly what he needed, clear riding). So we are doing as much jumping as possible for a month to settle him and rebuild my confidence.

i roped a friend in to do poles and shout at me yesterday.
We reached the heady heights of 50cm, but it was the session we needed because I really needed to work on riding forward positively and giving a bit more with my hands over the jump.
T was well behaved, no silliness. Next session is grids on Wednesday (another group session so fingers crossed he will stay settled).

 

[Ambers Echo]

Toby was fantastic at Eland camp for me and Izzy. Took it all in his stride and did a lovely mock ODE at the end - staying focused(ish) in the dressage on grass and happily cantering round the XC track without getting silly, nappy or strong. I think he really enjoyed it!

The only thing that bothered me was the XC instructor asking Izzy to take on the Newborough Leap - This one.

I don't think it was a fair question for Toby - too many new things at once. It's made full use of the 'brush' rule so it's 70cm not 50 (I measured it!). There is a ditch in front. And a drop on the far side. I like to add in 'firsts' one step at a time: So the first 70 should be inviting, the first jump with a ditch under should be very easy with the option to jump the ditch on its own first etc etc. Anyway predictably Toby slammed on the brakes and then would not go anywhere near it but that was literally the only blip in the whole 3 days. At the ODE Izzy just skipped that fence.

I'd like to do the team ODE there in September so I will need to tackle it one day. Buyt he needs a few more XC outings first I think. It's a challenging fence for a 50!

Couple of pics:

 

[J&S]

Sheep, I notice there are two cars at the judges end, is it one for the judge and one for the writer to social distance? how do they communicate with out having to shout at one another?? Well done on your tests!

 

[TheHairyOne]

I had a good day out jumping yesterday for the first time in a long time and a first time in even longer at 80 and 90! The 80 went really well, just a run out in the JO to blip an otherwise great round (and it was a sack the jockey for this awful line moment). Warm up for the 90 was great, but my brain fell apart in the ring and I stopped riding forwards. In fact it was more like asking him to be backwards. Lovely horse climbed over fences 1 - 3 but at the double he rightfully (and politely) said 'cant jump out of this from this backwards canter and gently stopped.

I gave myself a good mental slapping and then rode properly and funnily enough it then got a lot better. Big pats and many polos for my horse who just wanted to get on with his thing and was just happy to do it when I started riding. Very educational day and I am hoping that its sorted me out a bit for the next one

 

[Ambers Echo]

Looking great The Hiary One!!

 

[ihatework]

Little fella had a jump, hasn’t left the floor for a few months

 

[Accidental Eventer]

We had the best day ever today. We tackled our first ever cross country rounds at 80. Henry was bold, forward and went out and and did his job. He thought he was very clever and strutted home after two clear rounds. No placings, we were too quick for optimum time, which was slowed down due to very wet conditions.

I am so proud of him and how far he has come, for him to make it feel so easy is the most incredible feeling.

 

[Sheep]

Sheep, I notice there are two cars at the judges end, is it one for the judge and one for the writer to social distance? how do they communicate with out having to shout at one another?? Well done on your tests!

yes I think so! They were next to each other in their respective vehicles with windows down

OH was horrified at my hat yesterday lol. It’s actually one of his - horse kindly ate the harness from my Ayr8 so have been riding in one of his spare hats. Anyway, he said it looked crap and since it’s my birthday next month, we’ve just been hat shopping. I now have a less crap looking hat ? btw no offence to anyone who does have one the same as the one in my pics. I thought it was fine but I won’t complain about getting a shiny new one ?

 

[TheSpottyCobby]

Fab polework clinic yesterday working on straightness, I and Gambit really enjoy these. And today we came second in novice 24! Also got my favourite ever comment on a test sheet for our medium trot ?

 

[Roxylola]

Ooh sounds like lots of confidence building this weekend and happy outings for all.
We stayed home but teaching went really well, lots of tired ponies and happy riders today.
Supercob had an incident with the ride on mower on the way to film our dressage.
In true me style I decided as hes fine with traffic and not generally spooky hed be fine with the mower running in the field with us - the arena had been mowed and they were just going round the jumps. Well he was fine, so fine that I didnt really have much rein contact or anything else as we walked in to the field. So when he decided maybe he was a bit concerned and hed like to give it a wider berth I went along with it. And then suddenly we really weren't fine with it at all and we were hurtling across the field in a humongous trot; I gathered my knitting and regained control while I laughed at him, mostly I was just hoping he produce something similar with our medium trots!
Medium is a work in progress for us, it's there on hacks and we get lengthened strides but the true gear change to medium has been hard. The tests arent perfect but it's all consistently improving, thoughts welcome

 

[rosiesowner]

It was more than a bit nice to blow off some steam yesterday!

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[Ambers Echo]

Brilliant pics!!!

 

[GinaGeo]

Solo went Cross Country today, first time since he made it clear Eventing wasn’t for him Three seasons ago. We were both a bit rusty to start with, but once we got to the more technical stuff he came into his own like he always used to. I’ve always found going Cross Country in cold blood a little difficult - I end up sitting a bit still and he needs me to be more positive.

But we had a pop round the BE100 Course at the end and I think we both finished with a smile. We’ll go and do some Show Jumping next and see what he has to say about that. He’ll make it quite known if he doesn’t want to play. ?


They’ve had a tough weekend and even my partner and the dog sneaking down the field to get a photograph of them snoring didn’t stir them this morning ?