weekend plans

[SaddlePsych'D]

Holy guacamole - rider frightener indeed!


Nothing so daring for me (phew!) but have a RS lesson tomorrow which I'm feeling very up for. Then Saturday I'm going for a hack with a friend on her mum's horse. We've talked about it for a while but I wanted to get my confidence back a bit with RS lessons before venturing out again. I've missed going for hacks since ending share so I'm really excited about it!

 

[shortstuff99]

Wound update it is getting there!



The big fat potato is being a bit uber hot to ride at the moment ?.

The big man is home and doing well after his surgery, eating well and cheeky, hopefully all will keep being well!

 

[Michen]

Sulking a bit, lost motivation as the forecast between now and the event I'd entered in 2 weeks (Bog and I's first one in 2 years) is completely dry. The ground is already hard, there's no way it's going to be acceptable for me to run him even pre injury.

Everyone seems to get away with it/not be bothered by it but I know if I run I won't

 

[little_critter]

First jumping session for yonks went really well. We weren’t established at jumping before lockdown, so I thought we might be back at square 1. We started tiny and in trot but he was fab, so the jumps went up to give him a bit more to think about.
He even went over the horse eating yellow barrels.
We tried some bigger jumps at the end and while he was good and gave them a good shot, he kept clattering them. I figured he was probably tired and using muscles he’s not used in a while so we put them back down, popped a couple of nice clean jumps and called it a day.
Very pleased ?

 

[Roxylola]

Katie is a nice little jockey, she's not an all out to win type and Dolly is a sensible soul. They have been out already so will be at an advantage to lots of others. They'll be fine.
Gutted for you and Bog Michen, that's so frustrating.

 

[ycbm]

Had a lesson yesterday with Ludo and he had recovered the bounce he lost when I let him run short on vitamin E. His big issue is consistency in his contact and therefore in his outline, so it will be more of that tomorrow and Sunday probably.




Deza has her second fun ride on Saturday, forecast is good so I'm looking forward to that.
.

 

[TheMule]

Had a lesson yesterday with Ludo and he had recovered the bounce he lost when I let him run short on vitamin E. His big issue is consistency in his contact and therefore in his outline, so it will be more of that tomorrow and Sunday probably.

View attachment 69942


Deza has her second fun ride on Saturday, forecast is good so I'm looking forward to that.
.

What a super picture- what everyone should be aiming for in an outline

 

[rara007]

Brrr forgot how cold camping in April is. Training into a 2 day event here

 

[TheMule]

Saturday looks like nice weather so a nice long hack. After last weekend's disaster we're off to see one of our trainers on Sunday for a jump and proper chat through what we do now.

 

[ycbm]

What a super picture- what everyone should be aiming for in an outline

I just need to be much, much more disciplined, and sharper, about when he tries to shrink back from it or lift his head to balance. It's his only weakness, so far. I need to stop him before he loses it, not correct him after he's lost it. Easier said than done!

 

[Sprat]

Feeling very unprepared for tomorrow. Had a quick schooling session tonight in advance of tomorrow’s tests, just aiming for a bit of stretchy work and touching on the mediums. Bloody horrible, the whole lot. Not sure why, but she was hanging on the right rein (this is new, and not normal. Perhaps a bit of tightness somewhere or a saddle tweak required? I shall keep my eye on it). Not forward, stuffy and generally crap. Wouldn’t be worthy of a decent prelim let alone a novice ??‍ Not to share too much, but it is my time of the month and I am really suffering, I wonder if I’ve made her uneasy because I’m feeling so wretched.

Tack is all clean, but I am now not looking forward to my 6am alarm and the prospect of wearing white jods for the morning. I’ve set myself up with a large gin and I’m hoping for the best ??

 

[racebuddy]

Toby and Dolly having a massage today. Vet for Toby tomorrow making it 4 appointments in 10 days for him (Tom Beech, dentist, massage, vet). So he's a bit high maintenance at the moment but fingers crossed all is well and I can stop worrying and just crack on with the work Tom recommended.

Then eventing at Eland Lodge for Katie and Dolly in the OU18 BE90 class. Their first 90. Eek.

Have fun at eland

 

[racebuddy]

Day of eyebrows and nails done Saturday with hacking working sunday and then off to Somerford monday for a school round the cross country xx

 

[Season’s Bleatings]

Have a lesson tomorrow, the first in absolutely ages - can’t wait!
Then off to EI at Tyrella on Saturday to fence judge.

 

[catembi]

I have a new boy! Lesson Saturday & maybe our first hack on Sunday, which will be my first hack in about 18 months... Half yay & half eeeppp...!

 

[rextherobber]

I have a new boy! Lesson Saturday & maybe our first hack on Sunday, which will be my first hack in about 18 months... Half yay & half eeeppp...!

Have i missed the pictures?!

 

[iknowmyvalue]

AE I’ve always thought that fence looks horrible, but doesn’t seem to actually cause too many problems? Not that I’d want to ride it myself ?

I’ve got actual plans this weekend! XC schooling tomorrow afternoon, then SJ on Sunday. It’s our first comp since lockdown and I’m bricking it. Only doing 70 and 80 but they always look plenty big enough ?

Had a lesson Wednesday to give me a good kick up the backside before Sunday. As proven below, we managed to actually stretch over an oxer without either of us bottling it. This was 85/90cm and looked enormous riding to it, but somehow he makes everything looks so small in photos...

 

[Accidental Eventer]

We have had a tough week this week. Both boys got their teeth done Monday morning, then Henry was off to the vet for a lameness work up. He was there until Thursday, lame in both front legs and blocks and radiographs show changes in the coffin joint on both legs and the navicular on the right. So that was great. He will now have until after baby is born off and hope that he comes back in sound after we treat. We have a few options and the vet is optimistic so we will see.

Coolie has been missing his buddy all week so he was sad but we had a few good sessions! Tomorrow we have our last competition this side of baby. I am very, very sad about it, I am NOT ready to be done! I am also excited, we have made so much progress this year and it has been great to be back out there with Coolie. He is such a gem and I am lucky to have him. I have been reminded how special he is. He also loves being back out and about and seems to be thriving.

Hopefully we will have another 2 good rounds to finish our season, then Sunday we are off for a hack with a friend.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Hope you feel better soon and it goes well, Sprat.
Happy new horse Catembi. How exciting!!
Hope Henry recovers well, AE

 

[Chippers1]

XC schooling for me on Sun, will just take it easy and see what the ground is like but i'm excited to go.

AE i always find Eland are on the harsh side, they've got loads of nice fences but then do stuff like put the ditch/brush combo up by 20cm in a 50cm class...
Can't say i've ever jumped the broken bridge, far too scary! Dolly will be fine though
Looks like they've got a few new jumps too so i'll hopefully go for a school round soon!

 

[Jeni the dragon]

No horsey fun this weekend but we've had an early release up here so meeting my Aunt and Cousin for a picnic today and then doing the same with my Aunt and Uncle on Sunday! Couple that with 4 hours in the hairdresser yesterday and it'll be pretty busy!
Good luck to everyone who is out and about! Looking forward to pics of your new boy @catembi and hope the time off does Henry good @Accidental Eventer

 

[Callieann]

Moving to a new yard this weekend. So excited, I will finally have off road hacking after nearly three years. Am so looking forward to my first canter on my little mare ?

 

[Ample Prosecco]

AE i always find Eland are on the harsh side, they've got loads of nice fences but then do stuff like put the ditch/brush combo up by 20cm in a 50cm class...!

Yes that really was ridiculous last year. 50cm is surely aimed at kids, nervous or novice or super green. Otherwise why add it in when they already had a 70? It should be inviting, encouraging. If they are going to add a 50 class to their existing 70/80/90/100/110 options then surely it snould have no unpleasant surprises!The bush/hedge 50 cm combo with 20 extra cm of brush and a ditch in front is a very imposing looking fence. It was probably one of the harder 70cm fences.

I think my view of the broken bridge is coloured by a friend breaking her shoulder coming off there and my friend's horse's legs buckling on landing at hunter trial there. I just think it's a horrid fence onto a hardish landing. But it generally does not cause too many problems. The horses pretty much all jump as it is very inviting on the jumping side. The issues are on the landing! Amber did it but typically she ballooned the jump so we landed from a LOT higher than we needed to!! But Dolly is a hardy, tough native pony. She will skim the palisade and I bet for her it jumps fine.

 

[Chippers1]

It's apparently because they can brush through it...never seen any horse brush through a brush fence! It was unfair to put it in a class aimed at kids etc, and is not a nice jump the further up the heights you go. Even doing the 70 you're faced with a 90cm jump.

Oh that sounds horrible, i'm always worried about jumping drop fences because i'm not sure how horses are supposed to know there's a lower landing ha ha. Their legs buckling is my worst nightmare! I'd be a bit worried about the ground too but I know Eland are pretty on it with ground maintenance.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Yes that brush is up at 110 for the 90. And I have not seen horses brush through - maybe because of the ditch? They do brush through other steeple chase type fences but not that one.
Just a quick look at the results last year. Under half the 50cm riders jumped clear: 24 out of nearly 80. I am not sure what the percentages should be for a 'fair test' but for a beginner try out event I think it clearly caused all sorts of problems. I do like challenging courses. I love the course at Somerford but it is just big and bold with a few more technical lines and it rides well and there are plenty of clears! Eland just seems a bit odd how they put in these outlier fences in that aren't really a test of the rider nearly as much whether the horse happens to be ok with weird looking things. Like that whale. Tine but totally freaked SO MANY horses out!

Oh well we will see how they get on. On paper, the course suits Dolly as she is bold, hardy and careful.

Sorry for de-railing with my ELand rant. Anxious mum moment. I do like the venue generally!!

 

[oldie48]

Good luck to everyone who is out competing, (especially Katie and Dolly) Also hope everyone with an injured horse sees some progress. Rose has done 5 weeks of ridden work now with 2 weeks including trotting. Now she's off the sedalin she's very full of herself but hasn't misbehaved just has to be ridden very tactfully and kept focused. Yesterday the big shutters down one side were opened , the views are completely stunning and it keeps the indoor cool but it was first time Rose has experienced this, with the expected gawping and fizziness! Time on the walker is taking the edge of her and she's getting fit really quite quickly. Looks good too, so I think the enforced break in training might have done her a lot of good. this weekend is more of the same with perhaps a hack out.

 

[milliepops]

But Dolly is a hardy, tough native pony. She will skim the palisade and I bet for her it jumps fine.

this is what I was getting at earlier I know amber used to launch herself over things but Dolly seems to be more economical, so I'd have expected it to jump quite well. it looks horrendous but if the ground was filled in all around and it was just a normal palisade off a step or bank it wouldn't be half as imposing. Hope they have a good run. the brush thing is annoying but it happens all over IME and once they've got their blood up I'm sure it won't be a problem

 

[Bernster]

I have a new boy! Lesson Saturday & maybe our first hack on Sunday, which will be my first hack in about 18 months... Half yay & half eeeppp...!

Now this deserves its own post and picture, when you feel ready ofc ?. Congrats!

 

[Chippers1]

Yes that brush is up at 110 for the 90. And I have not seen horses brush through - maybe because of the ditch? They do brush through other steeple chase type fences but not that one.
Just a quick look at the results last year. Under half the 50cm riders jumped clear: 24 out of nearly 80. I am not sure what the percentages should be for a 'fair test' but for a beginner try out event I think it clearly caused all sorts of problems. I do like challenging courses. I love the course at Somerford but it is just big and bold with a few more technical lines and it rides well and there are plenty of clears! Eland just seems a bit odd how they put in these outlier fences in that aren't really a test of the rider nearly as much whether the horse happens to be ok with weird looking things. Like that whale. Tine but totally freaked SO MANY horses out!

Oh well we will see how they get on. On paper, the course suits Dolly as she is bold, hardy and careful.

Sorry for de-railing with my ELand rant. Anxious mum moment. I do like the venue generally!!

I think you're right, the ditch makes them jump the height rather than brush through.
Although those numbers aren't great for a beginners course it makes me feel very proud as I came 5th in one of the 50s last year it's my most favourite rosette/placing as i'd not managed to go clear yet (brush fences are normally our nemesis in the 70!) so had a first run around the 50 and went clear! I'm also smug as Buzz was never bothered by the whale only the more normal looking fences...
It's my favourite venue ever and I wish it was slightly closer to me so I could go more so I won't moan about them too much but I sometimes wish they would be a bit nicer on the courses!

 

[Michen]

Any tips on how to tame Bears fuzzy mane!?

He’s had a week off and I love that even though he’s not yet 5 I can just hop back on for a solo hack and he’s great.

Bog has an sj lesson today, then a yard clinic tomorrow, then boxing out for a hack Sunday so busy weekend to keep his busy brain occupied. I am determined to tire him out..: