weekend plans

[rara007]

For anyone with time to spare I do have films of the test:

cones:

And a few obs thanks to Ester who stewarded:

He’s 13 now and this is our third season and I’m finally getting to really get a tune out of him. Very proud of him!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Just sneaked a peak at those videos. So cool! What a lovely horse.

 

[Sprat]

Loving all these posts, it seems like everyone has had a great sunny weekend!

We trundled off to Onley for BD on Friday, the first one for us since lockdown lifted as the last comp was cancelled. The set up was great actually, a warm up outdoor, then a shorter warm up just before test in the small indoor and into the main indoor for the test. It didn't feel crowded and all of the competitors were very chatty and lovely which was great, I think everyone was pleased to be out.

I was dead proud of Bean for not losing her head when we trotted up the centreline as there was a table for the judges rather than a car (usually this creates a meltdown). A sweet enough first test if a little tense and un-supple which is common for parties. Our reader went wrong which threw me off kilter so I sort of steered around rather than actually rode the test, but a win for our section with 66.something%. A quick break and then back into the second novice test where I went wrong, with a caller! Sack the jockey. Still managed to pull a 2nd out of the bag though so it can't have been all bad.

We then had a lesson with Super-Instructor on Sunday where we talked about the tense feeling we get when out and about. Strangely, Bean gets like this even if we go to arena hires so next lesson will be at an arena hire, hopefully we can get some tools in the box to fix it. The lesson was great, started working on half pass which totally cooked my head, I just couldn't get the positioning right and made a right faff of it. Really interesting though and lots to work on. Had another crack at the canter leg yield into a change and WOW! My little mare is just super, and so expressive with it. Going for a hack in the sunshine this evening so all in all a good few horsey days

 

[milliepops]

sounds great Sprat

Kira gets the fear with judge tables too, it's daft, so top marks to your girl for overlooking the issue!

 

[palo1]

For anyone with time to spare I do have films of the test:

cones:

And a few obs thanks to Ester who stewarded:

He’s 13 now and this is our third season and I’m finally getting to really get a tune out of him. Very proud of him!

Wow! What a very beautiful, smart and sharp horse I am in awe of anyone driving a horse let alone with such skill. What level was this competition? (sorry for my ignorance - it all looks quite technical to me!! ) .

 

[Sprat]

sounds great Sprat

Kira gets the fear with judge tables too, it's daft, so top marks to your girl for overlooking the issue!

Funny little things aren't they! Though I do understand in some circumstances; we went to Vale View ages ago and not only did they have the judges table with an array of stuff on it, they also had whacking great big patio heaters that were kicking out quite a bit of noise either side, we just couldn't cope!

 

[milliepops]

oh jeez no I think that would have Kira high-tailing it out of the door!

 

[rara007]

Wow! What a very beautiful, smart and sharp horse I am in awe of anyone driving a horse let alone with such skill. What level was this competition? (sorry for my ignorance - it all looks quite technical to me!! ) .

This was a club competition vaguely equivalent to riding club level, and we were in the open class which is the highest level. The cones are the same course for all classes just wider for the more novice and the marathon is always take your own line. Our ‘affiliated’ is national level and he’s advanced for that and hoping to become established at 3* FEI level- that was the FEI 3* dressage test as they let you PYO test at some of the club events. So he does have quite a few extra moves and buttons to the novice driving horse

 

[ester]

Mute the last video if you don't want to hear a long and complicated discussion on toilet breaks. . .

 

[j1ffy]

For anyone with time to spare I do have films of the test:

cones:

And a few obs thanks to Ester who stewarded:

He’s 13 now and this is our third season and I’m finally getting to really get a tune out of him. Very proud of him!

It's amazing to watch! Do you teach the dressage moves under saddle first then transfer to driving? And how big is the arena - it looked wider than 20m?

 

[Karran]

I'm going to stick my head in and share my attempt at joining in the yard clear round, I haven't really jumped much in the past but my new year resolution is to be comfortable jumping 70cm on ShareMare. I started with poles at Christmas and doing a little bit once a fortnight have slowly built up. My comfort zone is around 55cm but the fear of people watching is real, even if everyone is very supportive so we popped around 45. I deffo need to remember to keep a contact and BREATHE! I'm also disturbed at my flapping legs! I promise its not normally that bad! Now restrictions have eased and we can have lessons, having someone on the ground yelling at me might help improve my position a little!

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View this content on Instagram

 

[Sam_J]

Well, we did all the things we set out to - Lucinda Green clinic, dressage lessons for both horses and a trip out BS showjumping for Simon.

If you feel like posting a write up of the LG clinic, I'd be very interested to read it!

 

[ycbm]

For anyone with time to spare I do have films of the test:

cones:

And a few obs thanks to Ester who stewarded:

He’s 13 now and this is our third season and I’m finally getting to really get a tune out of him. Very proud of him!

That dressage is amazing!

 

[DabDab]

Oh Rara those videos, just wow.

Those sound like pretty nifty percentages from a slightly tense test Sprat. Your horse is beautiful.

Congrats on your round Karran - your legs really don't look that bad to me in that vid!

 

[McFluff]

Amazing videos and gorgeous horse Rara

 

[racebuddy]

I worked the weekend but went to
Somerford
Today had a ball despite breatsplate snaping and a very fresh horse , was so much fun but no
More grass runs now until wheatjer softens a bit ?? few hours out to chill out and one very tires pooch ??

 

[rara007]

It's amazing to watch! Do you teach the dressage moves under saddle first then transfer to driving? And how big is the arena - it looked wider than 20m?

80x40m for everything other than 4 in hand and pairs of horses Yes most if not all at top level of singles are schooled under saddle but there is quite a bit you can do ‘just’ driven too but it has its limitations.

 

[j1ffy]

Fascinating - thanks Rara!

I had a bit of an interesting evening... Chilli has been so good that I thought I'd try him on his own around part of the farm tracks. There's a short loop (less than 10 mins) that we've walked around in-hand and in company so ideal as a little test as he's not hacked alone since he was backed last year. Tacked up fine, mounting he kept swinging away so we spent 20 mins on that.

Headed up to the woods and Chilli was lovely. Very forward but happy to do some halt transitions. Watched with interest as some other horses were caught and taken to the yard. "This is nice and relaxing" went through my head as we watched a rabbit potter past and heard birds fluttering in the branches close to the end of the loop.

And then...

I looked to my left and realised that what I had initially thought was a log lying on the undergrowth was actually a roe deer lying on the undergrowth, two metres from the path. Its eyes met mine. Chilli hadn't seen it.

"Oh f&*K."

The deer leapt up and ran.

Chilli leapt sideways and up. Noticed I wasn't moving as fast as him, leapt back and lost his footing. His belly hit the floor and I was on top thinking a multitude of four-letter words. Somehow he got his front legs up, I sat forward and kept still, he got his back end up and walked on, snorting.

Huge pats, cuddles, wither scratches! I have no idea how he kept me on top or how he stayed upright. We finished the loop but I went a bit further to settle both our nerves - he was back down to earth incredibly quickly and seems none the worse for the drama. I needed a drink when I got home...

 

[KEK]

Fascinating - thanks Rara!

I had a bit of an interesting evening... Chilli has been so good that I thought I'd try him on his own around part of the farm tracks. There's a short loop (less than 10 mins) that we've walked around in-hand and in company so ideal as a little test as he's not hacked alone since he was backed last year. Tacked up fine, mounting he kept swinging away so we spent 20 mins on that.

Headed up to the woods and Chilli was lovely. Very forward but happy to do some halt transitions. Watched with interest as some other horses were caught and taken to the yard. "This is nice and relaxing" went through my head as we watched a rabbit potter past and heard birds fluttering in the branches close to the end of the loop.

And then...

I looked to my left and realised that what I had initially thought was a log lying on the undergrowth was actually a roe deer lying on the undergrowth, two metres from the path. Its eyes met mine. Chilli hadn't seen it.

"Oh f&*K."

The deer leapt up and ran.

Chilli leapt sideways and up. Noticed I wasn't moving as fast as him, leapt back and lost his footing. His belly hit the floor and I was on top thinking a multitude of four-letter words. Somehow he got his front legs up, I sat forward and kept still, he got his back end up and walked on, snorting.

Huge pats, cuddles, wither scratches! I have no idea how he kept me on top or how he stayed upright. We finished the loop but I went a bit further to settle both our nerves - he was back down to earth incredibly quickly and seems none the worse for the drama. I needed a drink when I got home...

What a good boy for looking out for you despite his fright!

 

[j1ffy]

What a good boy for looking out for you despite his fright!

I know, especially for a very green 4yo! I know his bloodlines well and his temperament is a reason I bought him, but that was above and beyond. Danny (my loan horse) is pretty bombproof with wildlife but I don't think it would have come off so well if it had happened while hacking him.

 

[KEK]

I know, especially for a very green 4yo! I know his bloodlines well and his temperament is a reason I bought him, but that was above and beyond. Danny (my loan horse) is pretty bombproof with wildlife but I don't think it would have come off so well if it had happened while hacking him.

Yes very impressive! Pretty sure my 4yo would not do the same for me ?

 

[little_critter]

We had our first jumping clinic since lockdown 2 this evening. Just a really baby class to get back into it.
I was kind of hoping that a pony party might wake Theo up a bit because he’s been rather lazy recently. I forgot that I turn into a wet blanket when he wakes up. He didn’t do anything nasty, but was rather more alert and on edge than usual which meant I turned into a passenger rather that being positive and actually riding him. We had a reasonable session but I’m annoyed with myself that I was so wet. I’m hoping that a few more sessions will get back into the groove and give T the confident riding that he likes.

 

[shortstuff99]

I know I'm kind of straddling the weekend but baby Spanish has had the bandage off for 2 days now and has been able to start going in the field. But look at this amazing healing from 2 weeks after the incident to today!