Weekend plans

[Roxylola]

I think I can sneak this into this weeks rather than last weeks just about!

Went to Kelsall yesterday to ride over the BE course (massive kudos to all those who competed, it was a horrible twisty course

). Started badly, finished flying over the 90 fences (even that mahoosive hedge!).

It was such a positive session overall, she started off as she has been doing recently, sticky and saying what's the point (she 'might' have got me to test out the first fence solo

). But after some discussion on speed + control, plus the addition of another horse as a lead (this did raise the napping issue again but we used it to our advantage in this case), she got the message and actually started enjoying herself and pulling me to fences again

.

Ended with her being somewhat cocky of the 90 drop (it was massive, the 80 was bad enough!), the 90 house/ ditch combo (Skylla doesn't fear ditches at all apparently, and 'may' have legged it at it causing this face >

luckily she did just pop it without a moments hesitation) and the 90 hedge + blue thing, it was such a nice feeling to have her so confident and thinking it was all super easy!

I thought it was much less twisty than eland had been lol, although I had a couple of moments of ooh turn turn turn! Well done with the 90s, the 80 felt savage enough ?
I was very wary of the start as I felt that could cause napping with it being so close to the working in. Hed had a fraction of a moment at eland but once hes got his job he forgets to nap so it was over and done well before the start box so I just flapped a lot at kelsall ? til he was over the first.
I'd love to go back and school as I would try some of the 90s but I doubt we will get time

 

[ihatework]

I’m abandoning any idea of yearling taming in this weather and will give them a quick pat only!!

Sunday I’m Xc fence judging at Dauntsey. Secretly hoping it will be abandoned if I’m honest ?

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I think I will be building an Arc. I was going to Adam Hensons but have decided it’s too wet, B has just been diagnosed with hock arthritis so I don’t want to put him in lots of deep mud unnecessarily until he’s had his course of cartrophen so it will be quiet hacking for me if it ever stops raining.

LP Happy 18th Birthday, enjoy your lesson.
GG side saddle hunting in full attire sounds amazing.

Enjoy lessons, hunting, hacking, Trec, fence judging and all other horsey pursuits.

 

[Sail_away]

Just had the assessment lesson - on a gorgeous mare trained up to advanced medium. I think I would’ve been happy with just that!! She was absolutely wonderful and gave me some lovely half pass and changes. I’m on an ex GP horse this afternoon who is apparently very good at his piaffe and passage. I’ve got Pippa Hutton again this afternoon - she was great and has helped some of the newer stuff for me ‘click’. Which is what I really hoped to get out of it as both me and my horse are learning at the same time currently, I’ve been teaching him half pass and changes and walk pirouettes without having ridden them before myself. So it was great to feel how they felt on a really established horse. Can’t stop smiling!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

I thought it was much less twisty than eland had been lol, although I had a couple of moments of ooh turn turn turn! Well done with the 90s, the 80 felt savage enough ?
I was very wary of the start as I felt that could cause napping with it being so close to the working in. Hed had a fraction of a moment at eland but once hes got his job he forgets to nap so it was over and done well before the start box so I just flapped a lot at kelsall ? til he was over the first.
I'd love to go back and school as I would try some of the 90s but I doubt we will get time

Oh I'd definitely see if you can grab a slot if you can! The ground is still holding up well .

I think it was the turns I didn't like, you seemed to go up-down-turn next fence and less just letting them flow in a rhythm, but it could have been Skylla being firstly a nappy pest and then a gung-ho rebel so that might have clouded my judgement ?.

I had an interesting chat with Tuffy afterwards about I know if I ride Skylla strongly enough I can probably get her over most fences, but I don't feel that she learns much from it. The missing piece for her has been getting her to want to jump the fence for me, then even the scary 90 fences come pretty easily for her!

 

[Roxylola]

I had an interesting chat with Tuffy afterwards about I know if I ride Skylla strongly enough I can probably get her over most fences, but I don't feel that she learns much from it. The missing piece for her has been getting her to want to jump the fence for me, then even the scary 90 fences come pretty easily for her!

I totally get this - I'm capable of getting most things over fences (within reason) it might not be pretty etc but I can make it happen.
But I want to enjoy myself and that involves a horse who wants to do the job

 

[McFluff]

I think I'm going to research whether humans can hibernate.

That failing, I have a lesson on Saturday and otherwise very quiet.

 

[Chippers1]

Nothing for me this weekend, did have arena hire (SJ/XC) for tomorrow but have wimped out and moved it to next weekend!
Enjoy your weekends everyone

 

[milliepops]

nothing on here, hiding in the indoor school i reckon

Hope people out and about don't get too soggy

 

[Upthecreek]

We were off to Bricky for the ‘fun’ hunter trial tomorrow, but thank goodness the organisers have decided it will not be much fun in the weather predicted and postponed it. I hate having to make the decision to drop out (and usually don’t), so quite relieved it’s been made for me ? The boys had an intense grid work session this evening, in beautiful sunshine, so they can enjoy a day off tomorrow.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Well if the weekend is anything like today I am staying indoors all weekend, it has rained heavily all day my field is underwater already!!

 

[Upthecreek]

I totally get this - I'm capable of getting most things over fences (within reason) it might not be pretty etc but I can make it happen.
But I want to enjoy myself and that involves a horse who wants to do the job

Makes such a difference doesn’t it? And it’s such a great feeling to go from really babying a horse to them working it out for themselves and taking you into the fence. My youngster has just ‘got it’ and I can now sit quietly and let him get on with the job without feeling I need to set him up, though it has been a hard habit to break.

 

[scats]

No plans for the first weekend in ages. Saw the forecast and decided I had no desire to be out in that!

 

[oldie48]

The weather is dire here and looks to be pretty vile over the weekend too, so I hope it's a bit better for those of you with outdoor things planned. Wouldn't fancy a marathon in the dry but in pouring rain? Dauntsey is cancelled and I guess there will be a few more events that go the same way. I am so pleased with my sharer, she is lovely and rides Rose really well. We hired an indoor school today, thank goodness as it was tipping down, Rose did some super work and is carrying herself so much better than she did. Sharer is also keen on pole work and that's been getting Rose to use her back end. I am, however, feeling a bit guilty about Rose and Fatty being out tonight as it is going to be very wet overnight, no doubt they will be keen to come in.

 

[ScampiBigMan]

Nothing for us, watching it rain outside. Can't see the mountains today. Hoping we'll get some hacks in at some point...

Can't travel outside our county for the next 2 wks so we'll enjoy being here

 

[TheHairyOne]

I'm supposed doing an eventers challenge on sunday ...on grass...over real XC fences with no stud holes. I am seriously thinking of not going. I am no fair weather rider but its horrible out there. This is supposed to be a fun hobby right?

 

[Curly_Feather]

I had a catch-up lesson. In a very rare occurrence, I have video snippets.

I am stuck in flying change purgatory. I asked my instructor to take video, and it was a relief to see that it looks much safer than it sometimes feels to ride.

Attempt 1:

Attempt 2:

The more he kicks out, the more rigid and holding I tend to get to try and protect my fragile neck. Which doesn't help the situation. But these kicks are more rideable than they were a few months back, and he's also stopped hollowing and taking off after, even if he's thrown me off balance pretty badly.

 

[blood_magik]

Well I finally managed to get Miss Fleur back out after our disastrous outing two weekends ago. Granted, it was only 70 but she went super green on me so it was obviously the right decision to step back down.

Four faults as she locked onto the wrong fence and we circled. At least she looked good ?



came home and rode the new boy, and now I have a couple of hours before I need to head back for the 1.05m.

I’m not on until 1644 so plenty of time to sit back and relax ? Not looking forwards to getting soaked warming up though ?

hope everyone has a good weekend

 

[blood_magik]

Well, I ended up forgetting that Blue is 18.3hh and not 15.3hh, and tried to add up along one of the distances. ?‍

Shame, since he was really pinging and felt amazing.




lesson on the new boy today. The real test will be loading to come home ???

 

[Bernster]

18.3 wowzers!

I think most things are rained off today. non stop for 3 days so far.

 

[milliepops]

had such a pants day yesterday, no reason other than the totally crappy weather was just a reminder that winter is on the way and urghhhhhh it's just a horrible slide down into the endless darkness and mud. Last winter just about finished me off.

Anyway, today, clipped Kira and rode indoors, whooop (what a blooming godsend, that is one thing that will be better this winter). I thought we needed a confidence boost so set to riding through the Inter 1 test. Bits that need a tidy up but all the main questions were really secure and comfortable, tempis felt really engaged and punching upwards, half passes supple, extensions right there. It's been a bit of a slog this year as we are not going to shows so we never get the validation of a test sheet, we're just constantly looking up at the mountain ahead. I think I need to do bits of test riding periodically just to keep a bit more objective about things.

finished by inventing an exercise that will both tune up our test rides and help develop some other stuff, riding a box on an inner track to really assess straightness and quality of turns, and then when we are heading towards the mirrors riding tempis (ones today) maintaining the straightness and collection. really effective and K was super clever. A well timed pick-me-up

 

[shortstuff99]

I ended up not going to the horse agility due to the weather . I had planned this outing as something low key and fun for her after her attack last year which had made her very nervous of travelling/competing. However, for a horse that doesn't like rain at the best of times asking her to stand outside for 2.5 hours was asking a bit much! Disappointing but there will be another day (hopefully ?).

 

[blood_magik]

Jack could not have been better behaved today. He loaded like a dream, travelled well, jumped nicely and then loaded to go back home.

I did find that the travel took a bit out of him and I had to work quite hard to keep him forwards but we managed to string together a few fences so I was happy enough with that. I keep forgetting that he’s only just turned 7.





Overall, a good weekend of jumping ?

 

[dorsetladette]

I didn't ride this weekend. Well, I didn't ride horses this weekend. I did accidentally ride a sheep. We both tried to go through the same gate way at the same time. Unfortunately she no longer fits through my legs as I'm only 5ft2. So I got carted off across the field. OH thought it was hilarious. But my gymkhana practise as a kid came in useful as I did manage to decant the sccop of feed I was carrying into the tough it was aimed for. Victory was short lived as the sound of the ewe nuts on metal caught my mounts attention, so dropped her shoulder and I dismounted very unceremoniously in the mud. ?

 

[Bernster]

Brilliant D!

i should probably do a whole new thread for this but I only have a few pics, so I will do a sneaky introduction to this lovely lady who arrived today...on loan with an option to buy, and it all came together so well. Heard of her through a mutual friend (thanks Aus). she’s way bigger than I would have put in a search term but her owner is the same height so that makes me feel better.

Penny - 8yo Oldenburg 16.3 giantess - seems like a real sweetie. Hopefully she will be a fun all rounder who will help me with my jumping confidence and, if she’s as quiet as she sounds, can even be a horse for the OH to hack. For now, I’ll just let her settle in and we can get to know each other and see how it goes.

fortunately, she’s the right way up in real life, so that’s good too!

 

[Roxylola]

Woohoo, another one for team cowpony! She looks lovely Bernster.
Blood magick I'm glad you've had a less eventful jumping weekend, hope your back is all ok by now.
Boo for rain stopping play for so many folk this weekend! Although I think sheep rodeo sounds potentially good fun, you should market the concept ?
Milliepops that sounds like a really productive session, and Kira looks fab in her pic. I need to clip again soon, whipped his neck off in time for kelsall last weekend but I will have to turn it into a blanket at least I think as poor dude was drenched after his flat lesson today.
We worked some on the canter, counter canter, walk to canter, and then a bit of shoulder in to renvers and travers/half pass work too in walk and trot. It's hard for him, but massively useful so he will have to keep niggling at it as it improves him so much. We finished with a little look at some lengthened strides in trot - looking towards medium trot but he was a bit tired by then and I'd shelved the medium trot for a bit as he started getting a bit cocky about it over diagonals and as our most recent tests dont require it weve neglected it a bit. Lots to work on, but so much improvement from where we were

 

[Auslander]

Brilliant D!

i should probably do a whole new thread for this but I only have a few pics, so I will do a sneaky introduction to this lovely lady who arrived today...on loan with an option to buy, and it all came together so well. Heard of her through a mutual friend (thanks Aus). she’s way bigger than I would have put in a search term but her owner is the same height so that makes me feel better.

Penny - 8yo Oldenburg 16.3 giantess - seems like a real sweetie. Hopefully she will be a fun all rounder who will help me with my jumping confidence and, if she’s as quiet as she sounds, can even be a horse for the OH to hack. For now, I’ll just let her settle in and we can get to know each other and see how it goes.

fortunately, she’s the right way up in real life, so that’s good too!

I'm so happy she's come to you! I think you're going to have loads of fun, and I'm very jealous!
She is one of the very few horses I've known that I've thought I'd rather like to own

 

[Pippity]

Penny looks lovely, Bernster! Best of luck with her.

I've been incredibly lazy all weekend and haven't ridden once. However, I did bite the bullet today and do my first ever clip. Blue has form for getting halfway through and then deciding she's had enough so I was half-expecting to do half today and half tomorrow. However, she stood good as gold, even while I fumbled around her undercarriage, and the result isn't entirely disgraceful (as long as you don't look too closely at her fluffy elbows). The Liveryman Harmony stood up well, easily sliced through cob coat, and did a full clip (except for legs and head) on a single charge. I'm very glad I bought them.

 

[Season’s Bleatings]

OH had a decent round at arena eventing. Pole down at a fence shortly after some steps, now he knows he has to react quicker to gather him up again. Horse took a dislike to a filler, 3rd fence from the end - still, a decent round in flipping awful weather.
Marathon also done - 16 miles first thing, went to watch jumping, then did the last 10. Now demolishing a huge pizza ?

 

[Reacher]

No lesson after all but on Sunday I rode to the beach with my friend. I’m getting better with my beach phobia and mr H is getting more relaxed.(doesn’t feel like he might explode)