Weekend Thread Early August

Alibear

Alibear

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I can't see a post, so I'm starting this one. What's everyone up to this weekend?
For me, it's hack this evening and tomorrow, a lesson on Sunday, and then on Tuesday, I'm going to a three-day clinic with a new person, so we'll see how that goes.
This hopefully sets me up for the WES Nationals the following weekend, as we're not quite where we need to be for it. We have a little too much squirrel energy going on at the moment :D
 
We're clipping tomorrow and trimmer coming so not much else after that!
We have a lesson on Monday, our first since April! I'm excited but also aware my riding is pants at the moment so I'm likely to get a tough ride from trainer.

However, we've just been selected for BD Senior Home Nations champs at the end of the month, so better find my mojo and get a bit fitter so I can do the pony justice!
 
Another joyful lesson for me today with the lovely big ID who I adore. My strategy of top goal being 'have a lovely time' and sort of ignoring that I have other goals is really working to get relaxed and then of course I end up working on something which moves me towards those goals anyway. Then some grooming time with him after my lesson whilst he had a snooze - heaven!

I arrived home to an unexpected e-riders rosette which was a nice surprise. Already we're doing so much better on the feedback points from the judge. My favourite comment being 'needs more oomph' 😂 I'm so pleased because I think I still haven't actually had that much time riding this horse (maybe 10 hours if I add it up, possibly not even that). I watched a bit of video from today back which is helpful as part of my brain is going 'ah! faster! doom!' while another is going 'now this is the trot I wanted in that test!'
 
I had a mid week lesson, focussing on getting our proper dressage trot and me not riding defensively into canter. My head knows he is less likely to buck if I push him on but the rest of me goes AAHHHH and checks him - which leads to legs everywhere.

Put that into practice at home this morning. I've got some poles and cones set up to guide me round a couple of the Ritter 'prepare for canter' exercises in my marked out 20x40 but I took down the electric tape into the next field and once we'd warmed up with some of the Ritter exercises I used the full area (its about 1.5 acres) to work on canter. Still weaker on the right rein but its getting so much better and I also need to watch my left leg drifting which I suspect isn't helping that strike off. Think leg yield him out on the left rein then no bend on the right to try and keep him straight.

Then hacked the microcob who has been feeling very flat. We have a feather mite issue and I suspect that isn't helping. Grumped and stomped her way around a shorter route than I'd normally do, then stuck her head between her legs on the field margin and bogged off. At which point all my worries over 'hope she's ok' vanished :rolleyes: Tomorrow or Sunday will have to be an attack itchy legs session though. Probably Sunday as its looking very warm.

I swear our ground has gone from bog to concrete in the space of 4 weeks. Tracks I couldn't canter on because they had leg breaking mud on them in July now have leg breaking holes in solid ground.
 
Had a short fast hack this evening, which was good fun.

Working tomorrow, then on Sunday we're going to a polework clinic. We're having a private lesson this time, in the hope that Bo will concentrate better if he doesn't have other horses to ogle at.

Monday I'm off to beautiful Edale for a day of hiking.

Wednesday we have our very first farm ride hire at Farnley! I've booked the last slot of the day so it should be quiet. 🤞
 
Must be a quiet weekend, not many replies! Was for me too, just went on a lovely hack up on the South Downs yesterday morning. We’d been out the last 3 weekends and it was the first anniversary of my lovely grey boy passing too. Quite busy up there though, passed 4 lots of horses!
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Gosh I can’t remember the last time I rode, maybe 6 weeks ago on Beau. I am always surprised at how little I actually care about riding these days- even on a horse who I really enjoy. I had thought I’d splash out on a nice proven eventer but at the moment I think any horse let alone an eventer would be totally wasted on me. I’ve been travelling a lot, and have only had the odd 24 hour stint in the last four weeks with the horses. I’m en route back to Denver now and counting the hours until I can kiss Boggle’s nose! And no more travel for a while.

A lot to figure out over the next few weeks. But for now Boggle gets a carry on bag full of polo mints, his fav, worth the long haul flight just for that ;)

Photo of him from a friend whilst I’ve been gone



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AandK said:
Must be a quiet weekend, not many replies! Was for me too, just went on a lovely hack up on the South Downs yesterday morning. We’d been out the last 3 weekends and it was the first anniversary of my lovely grey boy passing too. Quite busy up there though, passed 4 lots of horses!
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Sorry to hear. The anniversaries are hard. What a lovely ginger set of ears to be behind though!
 
We've had a pretty terrible week D has decided the world is out to get her so went back to ground work for a bit which didn't really help either of us. Group hack yesterday which we just about survived 3 cars drove right at us and we had 3 big spooks at rattly trailers passing too close and 2 fast 😭 trying to decide it it's the wild windy cold weather we've had or if it's seasons as I feel like I come on here at regular intervals with a similar story? Plan for a quiet evening hack Monday and lesson Wednesday 😕
 
I’m melting today, instead of doing anything constructive. Then a few days of quiet hacking before Fergus and I head over to Wales to play medieval games in a castle.

Which should be fun…
 
Polework lesson was great. Highly rate the instructor (Ruth Baxter), who spotted that Bo needs to go down another gullet on his saddle.

Ended up riding bareback. Really useful actually, and gained a better understanding of how he moves, and how that changes when I relax my hips and stretch down with my legs.

Best thing is that Bo was super chilled about the whole thing, even with a coffee and cake morning right next to the school. Very, very proud of him.

Clipped him out this afternoon to make him more comfortable. He is ridiculously ticklish so it's a bit messy! 🙄
 
No horse outings for me, we went to Edinburg for The Fringe and Military Tattoo.

Had loads of outings, saw loads of performers but my favourite was visiting The Royal Yacht Brittania. It felt almost intrusive, seeing HM Queen Elizabeth VII's bedroom!

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Fetching Rigs home tomorrow and BH the day after, unless his foster parents fancy doing something with him at the weekend. There is a hunt ride but I haven't ridden him for about 2 months, and have only strolled Rigs out a couple of times in that time, so I'm not really feeling riding fit enough to take him myself.
 
Normal service resumed today 🤷 halo back on 😇 the wind has gone and they stopped shooting all the pigeons 🤷🤷
Practised and intro test and then when I loosened up we did some smashing left canters, and a couple of good right canters before she got an bit tired. She finds right harder and used to get disunited and pop her back up so I'm pleased we're getting some improvement and the work we're doing is helping her way of going.
 
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