weekend plans

[racebuddy]

Nothing booked in ?

U getting a new addition

 

[DirectorFury]

We sacked off schooling and went for another hooligan hack! Galloping around the countryside will never get old . Maddie was a tad spicy as the spring grass has started coming through, but was pretty good at coming back when I asked.
Some videos (the long 5 min gallop won’t fit on there): https://www.instagram.com/p/CNyADcKsp1I/

 

[Season’s Bleatings]

Lovely day fence judging. Really gorgeous place, weather was beautiful and super standard of riding.
There was a 6.5 dressage also. Bumped into the scribe and she was almost in tears, it was so good apparently, I was sorry to have missed it!
Lovely view for me all day.



Boxing over to forest tomorrow morn for some off road hacking.

 

[Michen]

It looks absolutely fine. I think you are over analysing it all and I wonder if you are not riding in the present. If you are truly present then you are riding what you have, except that mistakes will happen and move on from them. I think it’s interesting when I have spoken to people about what makes Andrew Nicholson and Piggy French so good is that they are always present. They could have fallen off the previous horse but they get on the next and put it out of their mind and move on.

I think I would invest in a sports psych-
I had some help in 2019 and actually I found it really helpful. I now have strategies to help me when under stress and I use them a lot. I have also worked very hard at trying to stay present. Interesting in that I am incredibly good at it on flat and xc but allow my mind to wander in sj as the area that I am not so rational about.

I’m not sure what you mean by riding in the present? I certainly don’t think my fears can be compared to elite riders having a fall or mistake then getting back on and cracking on. I can have a lesson with *no* mistakes or rather awkward jumps and still feel it.

My fear is consistent, some days it’s better than others and I have yet to work out why that is, but it’s always there.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

I think LEC means staying mindful. Not what-iffing about the future, imagining or envisioning unwanted outcomes or remembering issues from the past. Just being fully in the present moment: focused, tuned in to each moment, responding to the horse who is actually under you and situation you are actually in, not a feared imaginary situation slightly in the future. It is very effective but is a skill that needs to learned over time not something you can just do immediately. Also it's only effective if the problem is driven by your thought process. Not if your fear is biologically based. If that's the case you need to rewire the emotion parts of your brain that currently believe jumping is a threat. You can't think your way out of brain-based fear.

 

[TPO]

We sacked off schooling and went for another hooligan hack! Galloping around the countryside will never get old . Maddie was a tad spicy as the spring grass has started coming through, but was pretty good at coming back when I asked.
Some videos (the long 5 min gallop won’t fit on there): https://www.instagram.com/p/CNyADcKsp1I/
View attachment 70072
View attachment 70073

Wow!! Your videos are great. What amazing hacking. So jealous!

 

[little_critter]

We had a brilliant lesson yesterday. T has felt a bit lazy recently so I was hoping that a change of venue might light him up a bit. It didn’t, but I did realise how lovely it is to have a horse who is charming and polite in all situations.
We ran through P19 which went ok. Nothing major of note, all ‘nice’ but could do with more sparkle.
Then we tried to wake T up a bit with some medium trot practice before trying N38. His medium trots have always been modest to date, this week it feels like we’ve turned a corner and they are getting stronger.
Going through N38 also went well until near the end when he got his tongue over the bit (never done that before). My trainer suggested the bit looked a bit low so popped it up and told us to start from the beginning again.
This run through felt better still and his medium trots were brilliant, they really felt like they had the sit and power.
I’m over the moon with T, if we can do that next week in the tests I’ll be ecstatic.
Oh, and it was such lovely weather, I think I caught the sun a smidge.

 

[scats]

DF- your hacking is incredible!

 

[scats]

I wish there was a magic potion (alcohol?) that would stop the sheer terror I feel coming down to a 60cm upright. This horse never puts a foot wrong and couldn’t be more simple to jump yet I’m still just a bag of nerves, especially today!


Anyway managed to avoid a meltdown and finished on a very tiny course, would help if I presented him at a fence straight in order to jump straight ? Landed disunited on the last but I’m not worrying about that as it’s rare now and he quite often lands on a clean left lead when he should be right so I don’t think the ligament is bothering him.

Bless the horse, he looks bored stiff of me. The days of low level BE feel a very long way away at the moment, I feel like a complete sack of potatoes.

You look great Michen!
The brain is a funny thing though, isn’t it? Sometimes you know that rationally you have no reason to be fearful, yet you are.
A number years ago I had a bit of a wobble after being launched into orbit by a broncing horse 5 years previously. Despite the horses I was riding having not done anything like that to me, if they tensed up, my first thought was that I was getting another flying lesson. It completely took over my thoughts. In desperation, I contacted a lady I saw on FB (I can’t remember her name off the top of my head but I can find out if you are interested) who does this NLP. Its not my thing at all and I genuinely didn’t really believe it would help but I was feeling desperate I thought I’d give anything a try. It was weird. We had a phone conversation and I had to do this mad tapping on my body and repeat certain phrases. The whole time I was thinking ‘god, I hope no-one walks in coz I feel like a right idiot’. Thanked the lady and prepared myself for the fact that I’d just chucked £45 down the drain.
Well I don’t know what happened but my confidence just grew from that moment in the saddle. Within weeks I was completely back to normal. Perhaps a coincidence, I don’t know, but if I was in a rut again I would happily give it another whirl.

 

[DabDab]

I think LEC means staying mindful. Not what-iffing about the future, imagining or envisioning unwanted outcomes or remembering issues from the past. Just being fully in the present moment: focused, tuned in to each moment, responding to the horse who is actually under you and situation you are actually in, not a feared imaginary situation slightly in the future. It is very effective but is a skill that needs to learned over time not something you can just do immediately. Also it's only effective if the problem is driven by your thought process. Not if your fear is biologically based. If that's the case you need to rewire the emotion parts of your brain that currently believe jumping is a threat. You can't think your way out of brain-based fear.

Without wanting to derail the thread, but just also mentioning in case it's of any use to M/others....when I struggle with anxiety riding (it's usually dressage tests that are my nemesis), it's actually because I am a terrible over-analyser and I am almost too in the moment. I'm so busy over-analysing everything that is going wrong right now (core doesn't feel very strong, what is my left leg doing, that contact feels horrible, this probably looks shocking...etc etc), that I forget what I'm supposed to be doing next, which makes the next thing I'm supposed to do bad, and on and on it goes.

People often used to say to me that you need to be more in the moment, which I tried really hard to do, and made myself 10x worse. I actually needed to zoom out from some of the detail, get a bit of perspective and develop a bit more of a jfdi mentality in those situations that set me off.

 

[Accidental Eventer]

Well, we had a great comp! It was pretty warm and he is getting very fuzzy so he felt a bit flat in the warm up so I kept it short both times. He has an on switch though in the ring and then he is all business!

The first round we needed to get a better rhythm before we started, he got excited and so it wasn't as smooth or as forward as it should be because I held him a little to prevent rushing. I should have half halted and then allowed him to travel, but I'm still trying to relearn how to ride him! I still expect him to rush and change the rhythm. We were clear and the jump off was fast and we took some good lines and placed 4th. The jump off was better than our round, because the canter was a much better quality.

The 80 was even better. I ride 80+ so much better, always establish a better canter and just take it all a bit more seriously I think. Anyway, he jumped a fantastic clear and then we nailed our jump off, making a brilliant tight turn no one else did and being the fastest horse by about 10 seconds. It felt really easy too. Sadly I let him get a little long to the last and didn't meet it quite right so we had the rail! We lost the win but still placed 5th!

It was a really great day to end our pre-baby season, I am so thrilled with him. It's been fun to get out and about with him again after 2 years. I really appreciate how easy he is, Henry being a TB is just a little less easy. He's given me plenty to think about what I want post baby for sure!

Today we had a really nice ride out with a friend, Coolie was happy to be out and full of energy which surprised me! But it was nice to see he feels good and he pulled up so well.

Henry is looking ok t me in the paddock so far, and is very happy to be home, though not happy to be the horse who gets to stay home and miss all the fun. Poor fellow, hopefully he gets what he wants by the end of the year.

 

[Sam_J]

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

@Ambers Echo how did Katie and Dolly get on at Eland?

 

[KEK]

Lovely hack today. Connie was pretty fresh at the start but I wasn't on him so all good! We did work out he canters way better if he is in the lead so that was useful. Love riding hubby's standy - she is just the most fun. Even when she surprised me by taking off after Malachy it was just funny as her canter is so smooth. So relaxing which is really what I wanted riding to be!
Cute dog pic for tax with their "winnings" (trial was a bushfire fundraiser).

 

[KEK]

Well, we had a great comp! It was pretty warm and he is getting very fuzzy so he felt a bit flat in the warm up so I kept it short both times. He has an on switch though in the ring and then he is all business!

The first round we needed to get a better rhythm before we started, he got excited and so it wasn't as smooth or as forward as it should be because I held him a little to prevent rushing. I should have half halted and then allowed him to travel, but I'm still trying to relearn how to ride him! I still expect him to rush and change the rhythm. We were clear and the jump off was fast and we took some good lines and placed 4th. The jump off was better than our round, because the canter was a much better quality.
View attachment 70081
The 80 was even better. I ride 80+ so much better, always establish a better canter and just take it all a bit more seriously I think. Anyway, he jumped a fantastic clear and then we nailed our jump off, making a brilliant tight turn no one else did and being the fastest horse by about 10 seconds. It felt really easy too. Sadly I let him get a little long to the last and didn't meet it quite right so we had the rail! We lost the win but still placed 5th!

It was a really great day to end our pre-baby season, I am so thrilled with him. It's been fun to get out and about with him again after 2 years. I really appreciate how easy he is, Henry being a TB is just a little less easy. He's given me plenty to think about what I want post baby for sure!
View attachment 70082
Today we had a really nice ride out with a friend, Coolie was happy to be out and full of energy which surprised me! But it was nice to see he feels good and he pulled up so well.

Henry is looking ok t me in the paddock so far, and is very happy to be home, though not happy to be the horse who gets to stay home and miss all the fun. Poor fellow, hopefully he gets what he wants by the end of the year.

Sounds fabulous! Where was the comp? Older horses are the best!

 

[Michen]

Took my ponies and my dog swimming!

 

[Accidental Eventer]

Sounds fabulous! Where was the comp? Older horses are the best!

Taminga this weekend ? I certainly think mine is and wish he could live forever!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Yesterday's jump lesson was a bit mixed, B Fuzzy had got v upset at xc schooling on Thursday and I'd had no idea how much she'd got worried till we started sj. Had retrograded back to 2 years ago in rushing without any control. Luckily I'd still got martingale and a drop noseband in the box, so a quick change from std hunter noseband and I had a little more control. Last few jumps were getting back to how she was last summer.

This morning I went to an adjacent RC (ours had a stressage comp on) for Equicross comp and I'd entered just the 60 for our 1st comp outing since last September.
Had left the drop and martingale on and did need them for the 1st 10 fences, then steadily B settled much better and jumped the remaining 15 efforts SO much better but occasionally leaning on my left hand still.
Cleared the final fence, the joker which was a hanging plank with pole at 70cm - with a grin on both our faces.
Was astonished to find we had won! ? Good B Fuzzy ?

 

[DabDab]

Congrats on the win TFF! ?
Shame she took a little knock to her confidence, but sure you will have her back where she was in no time.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Congrats on the win TFF! ?
Shame she took a little knock to her confidence, but sure you will have her back where she was in no time.

Thanks x
Her flat work had been coming on so well, we did a whp clinic last weekend and her jumping was pretty good so it was worrying and astonishing that she had reverted yesterday. She doesnt stop but grabs the bit and disappears like greased lightning over whatever she was steered at, which is bloody dangerous! V glad there were so many efforts today as this really helped slow her half way round. I think we will stick to sj for a while yet x

 

[Ample Prosecco]

@Ambers Echo how did Katie and Dolly get on at Eland?

Double clear with no time penalties!! We are still here so I'll do a full report later with pics and cat h up with everyone else's news. But I am so proud of them both I could cry. Well, did cry actually. What a pony. Her first 90, a very tough track, and she stormed round. Pretty happy with the rider too. She has worked so hard for this.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Double clear with no time penalties!! We are still here so I'll do a full report later with pics and cat h up with everyone else's news. But I am so proud of them both I could cry. Well, did cry actually. What a pony. Her first 90, a very tough track, and she stormed round. Pretty happy with the rider too. She has worked so hard for this.

Bloody well done to Katie!??

 

[Squeak]

Double clear with no time penalties!! We are still here so I'll do a full report later with pics and cat h up with everyone else's news. But I am so proud of them both I could cry. Well, did cry actually. What a pony. Her first 90, a very tough track, and she stormed round. Pretty happy with the rider too. She has worked so hard for this.

What a brilliant result. Well done Katie and Dolly

 

[Roxylola]

Well done dolly and Katie.
Our xc training today was inconsistent. My Mr reliable who never has the braves for a long one too a full stride out twice straight off the bat! He jumped well and answered every question with 1 run out where I just didn't line him up with the fence well at all, a few technical things too, angles etc but all went pretty well really

 

[iknowmyvalue]

Well done Dolly and Katie!!

Henry must have heard me on my other thread talking about giving up trying to jump him competitively... Went out today and jumped an absolutely foot perfect clear round in the 70cm, no match for speedy BS ponies, but I couldn’t care less. Little bit cheeky in the 80cm as had a stop at the 2 fences they’d changed the fillers in between classes. Tried to show him them before we started but don’t think he clocked them until the last minute but all things considered, I’m pretty pleased!

He’s never been to this venue before and it was pretty busy with lots to look at, especially for his first time out in about 7/8 months. But he was actually lovely and rideable, going forwards and taking me to the fences. Would have been nice to have no stops in the 80cm either, but these things happen. We didn’t get eliminated which is an improvement from previous seasons ? gives me hope that with a bit more experience and confidence he’ll be ok

 

[Sam_J]

Well done Dolly and Katie! Nothing wrong with a few mum tears, I cried the first time my daughter went clear cross country

 

[J_sarahd]

Feeling very deflated. We did our clear round today and well, we got one clear round. One he knocked a fence down because I pushed for 6 in a related distance but he chipped in a little one at the end so I’m not too upset about that.

But our first round was atrocious. They’d put scary fillers under nearly every jump and he just kept refusing. I felt like we had taken a step back from our lesson the other week. I forgot to use my legs and actually be with him. The jumps without fillers he absolutely flew. I’m annoyed at myself for just not riding him. I feel like I let him and my instructor down. He can easily jump round 90cm/1m but his confidence stops that, which I’m not helping.

So I’ve decided against going to Vale View’s ODE and instead I’m just going to spend the next month training before we go to a local riding club show for some show jumping. Again, we will probably go out at the 75cm height.

ETA: he got so many compliments - a few people watched us and they all said how lovely he is. I love how much people like him.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Just dropped my horse off at the clinic (a nice 4 hour round trip for his tooth extraction tomorrow. Hope all goes well and I can bring him home on Tuesday.

We only handwalked yesterday. My cat has come down with some stomach thing, so will have to go to the vet tomorrow, he seems better at the moment, but we will see. The dog is lame (paw injury). So 3 out of 3 pets all have some sort of ailment going on. Ah, the joy of keeping animals.

Most of you have far more exciting weekends. Nice to see that you can get out and about!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Without wanting to derail the thread, but just also mentioning in case it's of any use to M/others....when I struggle with anxiety riding (it's usually dressage tests that are my nemesis), it's actually because I am a terrible over-analyser and I am almost too in the moment. I'm so busy over-analysing everything that is going wrong right now (core doesn't feel very strong, what is my left leg doing, that contact feels horrible, this probably looks shocking...etc etc), that I forget what I'm supposed to be doing next, which makes the next thing I'm supposed to do bad, and on and on it goes.

People often used to say to me that you need to be more in the moment, which I tried really hard to do, and made myself 10x worse. I actually needed to zoom out from some of the detail, get a bit of perspective and develop a bit more of a jfdi mentality in those situations that set me off.

That kind of over analsying or going up into your head is not what mindfulness really is though. Sports people might describe it as being in the Zone or Flow. You aren't tinking 'what's my left leg doing, etc you are just aware and responding. And 'this probably looks shocking' definitely isn't mindful!! That is a judgement. Mindfulness is non judgemental, present moment awareness. But maybe we need a separate thread on Zen and the Art of Horse Riding.....

 

[Ample Prosecco]

MIchen, that looks amazing! Fabbulous. X

FF that's brillant. Very well done.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Eland Lodge OU18 BE90 Competition Report.

Well I have already said what happened upthread but here is a bit more detail. Dolly had rather an excitable dressage with the XC just the other side of the hedge. But she managed 35.3.
Then Dolly was super excited in the SJ - taking flyers at things, but getting away with it. She was beside herself with excitement circling the start box, cantering on the spot having to be very careful not to canter through and getting eliminated! But was fabulous round the course, jumping full of confidence. The only fence she was backing off was the ditch-hedge but Katie rode really positively and they were safely over.

I could not see all the fences from where I was standing so I had no clue what they had achieved till I got back to the box but they were clear in the time to finish on their dressage score for 9th place out of 41 riders. Which is far more than we dared hope for in their first BE90. So happy and off to the pub to celebrate!!