Wet & windy Weekend plans!

Glad some folks are getting out and about despite the weather. Well done Embo on cracking the change.

Im not quite ready to come out of hibernation. Planned to go hunting tmrw with a friend but remembered the lorry has a wiggly gear stick. Want to get that sorted before we venture out. So hacking, chores, maybe a tack shop visit, and putting up a small course at home again to keep us on track with our jumping.

Did have a good lesson last night working on canter aids. Ins. has twigged that I don't do them right on the left rein, but I get away with it when I ask on a corner as F understands what he's supposed to do there. Finnegan dobbed me in by picking up the wrong lead when I give the aid on the straight! Pah.

Hopefully better plans will come soon, now that my Leroy and bongo planner has arrived. Will trawl the internet for hours looking for events - takes me forever ��
 
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Very exciting Embo!!

I took P for arena hire this morning. I think he was shocked at how short the trailer journey was ;) Lovely new, bright indoor arena at HEROS with a few jumps up. He was a bit snorty to start with but settled well and I did most of it without stirrups...weirdly the lateral work seemed easier?! Worked on the collected trot, which is coming but he did get stuck in piaffe at one point (when trying to spook at something outside) and had to have a minor tantrum in the other direction. Half passes were better but still need a lot more bend and angle...half passing with flexion towards a jump was amusing as I think he fancied the jump rather than the tricky lateral work!

Indio had the vet yesterday, who was pleased with him overall and happy that it had taken 6 months for him to need his next injections. He'll have the weekend off then crack on again from Monday. I'm pleased to say that I've got not just one but two trips to AMD booked, hopefully it will be fourth and fifth times lucky after the last three attempts being cancelled!!
 
Never commented on one of these threads before but thought I'd join in this time!

Saddles getting checked tomorrow for both horses and then Sunday off to a RC dressage clinic (provided the roads aren't too icey).
Really looking forward to the clinic as you have a joint lesson for an hour working on movements from the test and then, ride the test and get judged. We are just moving up to elementary so find this so useful!
 
I've got a lesson and a saddle fitting on Saturday - my mare has muscled up really nicely (saddler was v impressed) - the downside - we need a new saddle.

Have a clipping lesson on Sunday which I'm looking forward to - figure that if I learn how to clip then I can get her trained so she doesn't need sedated...(my long-term goal).

Then I've got to work out how to get a mud ball cleaned up for our first 2018 outing in a fortnight. And I need to check the trailer over as I haven't moved it for a couple of months. It does feel like things are starting up again, and love reading about everyone's plans.
 
I've got a lesson and a saddle fitting on Saturday - my mare has muscled up really nicely (saddler was v impressed) - the downside - we need a new saddle.

Have a clipping lesson on Sunday which I'm looking forward to - figure that if I learn how to clip then I can get her trained so she doesn't need sedated...(my long-term goal).

Then I've got to work out how to get a mud ball cleaned up for our first 2018 outing in a fortnight. And I need to check the trailer over as I haven't moved it for a couple of months. It does feel like things are starting up again, and love reading about everyone's plans.
 
The elderly gentleman and I are hopefully pottering off for a spot of geriatric jumping tomorrow. I am not looking forward to trying to get a mainly white horse who currently resembles a warthog in its wallow presentable enough to be seen in public 😱

I hope everyone has a fun, successful weekend!
 
Whoop whoop, go Embo :D

Hope everyone's having a good weekend so far...
We survived a freezing trip to Summerhouse yesterday, did the Medium in her snaffle bridle which was an experience not to be repeated as she just got the upper hand a few times. Having watched the video I am pleased with her work overall though, she's definitely grown up in the last few months and looks more 'together' and was more responsive than in the past. So I'll overlook a slightly crummy 60% score ;) actually it's one of the rare occasions where I don't see what the judge saw to give us some 4s (incl a shoulder in which felt OK!) :o but hey ho, that's life :o

The judge for the Advanced was really late to arrive so it was hard to keep both of us on point for A100... the tests were nearly 2 hours apart in the end so we were both slightly flagging by the time we went up the centre line. However, I felt that the trot work was better than before, she went for herself more than before :) and while we had some mistakes in the canter work I felt like she was getting closer to the *feel* I have at home, quicker off the ground, not being too clever and anticipating things she wasn't meant to be doing :p I'll take the duff serpentine on the chin because the last couple of weeks have been about learning to go from a quieter aid and that has resulted in some errors, but it's all in a good cause!

Despite everything we scrabbled 62% and a win :p Scores aside it's nice to know we can have a pants day and still come away with some positives in the way of going, onwards and upwards.

[video=youtube_share;uXUhoX3_4gg]https://youtu.be/uXUhoX3_4gg?t=34s[/video]

(videoed on a tripod in the lorry! no tails today :( even the bods in the PSG weren't wearing tails so felt a bit silly to put them on :eek:)
 
Well thankfully not wet and windy today, but blummin cold so having a soak in a hot bath to warm up!!
I can report back that we all thoroughly enjoyed our clinic with Jake. I would class myself as hovering around the remedial level of riding due to my inability to concentrate on more than one thing at once!!! But even rubbish old me had a really successful lesson. Jake is fun, really good at explaining things and mixes everything up to keep it interesting. He has given us all lots to work on and is really clear about setting goals. Will definitely be having a lesson with him again 😊
 
Well done MP! Hope everyone else has enjoyed their plans. Today has been a quiet one; took the girl out for a hack and then had a proper sort through of our bit of the tack room. Looks nice and shiny and clean now! Looking forward to getting on and schooling again after work tomorrow as although I don't mind hacking it's a bit boring around us at the mo. Really wet and not a load of off road opportunities to be had right now! Mrs enjoyed it though. The physio came for her last night and is really pleased with how she's looking and feeling which is fab! Here she is enjoying herself...
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buddylove said:
Well thankfully not wet and windy today, but blummin cold so having a soak in a hot bath to warm up!!
I can report back that we all thoroughly enjoyed our clinic with Jake. I would class myself as hovering around the remedial level of riding due to my inability to concentrate on more than one thing at once!!! But even rubbish old me had a really successful lesson. Jake is fun, really good at explaining things and mixes everything up to keep it interesting. He has given us all lots to work on and is really clear about setting goals. Will definitely be having a lesson with him again 😊
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Good to hear buddylove :) I think I'll try and book in when he's doing a clinic here then. Be good for Salty to be given a kick up the bum :lol:
 
I somehow managed to get the ancient one clean last night and we went off jumping today. The idiot on top screwed up the jump off in the 70, but we managed a nice round and jump off in the 80, to come second by less than a second so redeemed myself!
It was blumming cold though - it took a long stew in a hot bath to warm up!
Hope everyone else has had a good day.
 
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First ride for the new baby here! Tiny bit nappy but he is a bit of that character in everything he does :p But otherwise foot perfect. Just walking, steering and a few laps of trot and that was him done. Nb. For all anti pony squashers his main job is to be pairs Driving but we have plenty of basics to install which can be done under lights without help once he’s riding independently. Hacking plans off due to ice so Cheeri had a schooling day, moves 1-6 of the 3* test were order of the day today, but of confusion about the yielding but didn’t take him long to ‘get’ it, he’s such a pleasure. Everything fun is a bit on hold as my sister is in hospital so we have her dogs (including a flyball collie who lives in!) and 5 day old baby to cover for. Hopefully will have time to do the same again tomorrow and that’ll be a result!
 
Yay - finally got to my lesson with new instructor. I've asked her to help me build my jumping confidence up a bit so had a good first lesson with pole work and a small grid.

Ponio was super as always and I'll look forward to the next lesson next Saturday.
 
Show jumping plans thwarted by time of he month issues so back to docs this week. I'm really hoping I'll get someone to listen to 'I can't walk without feeling sick from pain,' and suggest something rather than the blow off responses I've received the past two times :-(
 
that sounds miserable snowfilly, hope you can get some decent help this time :(

Salty and I made it out to slightly icy arena hire... yesterday she was a bit of a tit... I might have caused it because I ran out of grass nuts so she had to have Kira's feed (minus the oats, I'm not a complete moron :p) and she was incredibly jolly. It's not even anything high octane so it rather took me by surprise, but put it this way, I was clinging on the side of her, with saddle at 90 degrees having a buckaroo at some trotting poles... so we will not be repeating that any time soon!

She then proceeded to stand up and fall over backwards at catching in time last night, so all in all I had low expectations today!

Pleased with her loading, she got on without hesitation at both ends. She was really really distracted by other horses coming and going but in between, she did some better work - the shoulder-in is getting more established and with plenty of room to spare we had another look at the leg yield which was babyish but improving. There's always too much debris in the way of poles and jumps to do much LY at home, so all my horses have always had to do most of their lateral work on the track and it's SOOO nice to come to a big empty space :o

I'd hoped to get her out to a new venue really, but it didn't seem like the ideal time to be an hour from home on my own with a loopy horse... :o next week!

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boring trot video

[video=youtube_share;tYc4ilh5z6U]https://youtu.be/tYc4ilh5z6U[/video]
 
I'm just envious of anyone who is feeling healthy, hubby and I have both got a flu like bug, and even missed PC awards night on Friday. We did get out on Saturday afternoon (Pony on trial for 6yo son so I had a lesson booked for him) but hubby spent the evening puking and I went to bed at 7, so even that was obviously too much :(

Fiona
 
Wahoo Embo!

MP - :( about the tails! Otherwise sounds like a good trip out! Salty is looking fabulous - when do you think she'll make her debut?

Hope you are feeling better soon Fiona :( That bug really is grim, most people in our house have had it in the last few weeks, i've managed to avoid it but start a new job in three weeks so no doubt it'll him me then.

Had to call my instructor for an SOS lesson on friday as just couldn't get a handle on anything! We've been on alternate day turn out since boxing day as the fields are so wet and won't last till March at this rate so on her in day's i've been lunging her in the AM, sometimes she goes on the walker after lunch and then i ride her in the evening - the flip side of this is she's actually quite fit and being a bit 7 (how is she not a baby 4year old any more!? 4yo's are much nicer!). Then took her to a 20x60 arena hire yesterday so we could run through the tests in full size.

We had a rather Jolly outing at Crofton UA today :D the wind was up, the temperature was down - all in all a very feisty little Ruby! what she lacks in stature she more than makes up for in opinions. And today apparently was not a day for doing any trotting! :D Despite the fact she was a little bit on the wild side, it was a welcome change from being meek and mild - today she was forward and fiesty!

Nov39 started really well, she literally bounded round making it really easy, lines of 7.5's/8's/8.5's. . . until just before the 2nd canter when some horses hacked past on the bank behind the judges box, which was far too interesting. We stopped dead, span around, jogged sideways and launched a bit before managing to get back on track. Dropped several marks there, couple of 5's/5.5's but managed to nurse her back without too many more hysterics. Final judge comment was 'Lovely horse producing some super work with some interesting moments!' :D
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Quick Pootle in the warm up and then check the sideways buttons for our first Ele (53) :) Started really well again, really forward and listening few 7.5's and 8's got a couple of 7's for our first leg yields and even an 8 for a medium trot :O Until the 2nd canter (theme?) when we had a BIG disagreement about going into the corner, got a lovely -2 because i had to add a circle in to gain some control but managed to get home un scathed! Medium trot down the center line is fun! :D

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Amazed to win the Novice (wasn't expecting much after the outburst!) on 74%!! :D:D And 2nd (out of 3! :D) in the PYO - 1st of the (2) Ele's with 64%!

Still so far from where we need to be at this level but it was fun to get out and give it a go.

Starting to feel a bit bad about having to put the dressage down a bit when BE starts again, but maybe i won't be saying that when i get to leave the start box again on March 11th :D
 
Well done LP :)

53 isn’t the nicest test for your first elementary - everything comes up rather quickly so it’s hard to get back on track if things go a little pear-shaped (speaking from experience ;))
 
Great result LP, Ruby looking fab as usual <3


LeannePip said:
MP - :( about the tails! Otherwise sounds like a good trip out! Salty is looking fabulous - when do you think she'll make her debut?
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Hmmm we need to have slightly more consistent good behaviour first! When she's concentrating, she's brilliant - but I lose her entire brain and body in a split second when she spies something she wants to look at :o Will carry on with the arena hire weekly so she gets to see some different sights, have joined the riding club as thought we could do some group lessons and then we'll see. Training-wise she is ready to do a prelim, I would just rather we don't have 3yo-esque explosions at her first show ;) so no rush :p
 
Well done everyone!

I love salty MP- what's her history again?
I got back on board a rather lively Diva and took her hacking Friday and Sunday. It was rather like sitting on a tourist, as her eyes were everywhere other than where we were going. She's never any bother though.

Excuse the hairy face, it's the compromise we have to make when clipping.

Dentist was Saturday so they had the day off. Proud of them both really, as I was largely dreading it.
P starts long reining again this week so I can start getting back to normal.
 
"sitting on a tourist".... love it! :p

scats said:
I love salty MP- what's her history again?
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Bought her at the cheapy sales at Leominster in November, her breeding caught my eye in the catalogue as she's related to Millie. She'll be 8 this year but has the education of a just-backed horse and the muscles to match! She looked a bit of a sad case at the sale but has perked up no end ;) I have managed to speak to her breeder who was unaware that she'd passed through a few homes and was a bit sad that she'd ended up at auction, but she sent me some photos of her as a foal etc which is nice to have.
 
milliepops said:
"sitting on a tourist".... love it! :p



Bought her at the cheapy sales at Leominster in November, her breeding caught my eye in the catalogue as she's related to Millie. She'll be 8 this year but has the education of a just-backed horse and the muscles to match! She looked a bit of a sad case at the sale but has perked up no end ;) I have managed to speak to her breeder who was unaware that she'd passed through a few homes and was a bit sad that she'd ended up at auction, but she sent me some photos of her as a foal etc which is nice to have.
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She's really smart, I'm looking forward to watching her progress with you.
 
blood_magik said:
Well done LP :)

53 isn&#8217;t the nicest test for your first elementary - everything comes up rather quickly so it&#8217;s hard to get back on track if things go a little pear-shaped (speaking from experience ;))
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It was not the nicest but it really highlighted a lot of things for us so glad I just pushed on and went for it, I'm not afraid of a bad score so happy to just go out and do what we can - i think you learn as much from that than when it all goes swimmingly!

milliepops said:
Great result LP, Ruby looking fab as usual <3

Hmmm we need to have slightly more consistent good behaviour first! When she's concentrating, she's brilliant - but I lose her entire brain and body in a split second when she spies something she wants to look at :o Will carry on with the arena hire weekly so she gets to see some different sights, have joined the riding club as thought we could do some group lessons and then we'll see. Training-wise she is ready to do a prelim, I would just rather we don't have 3yo-esque explosions at her first show ;) so no rush :p
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Thanks! Wish someone had caught footage of her naughty ness! She's becoming a bit of a drama queen in her old age ;)

That's more than fair and sounds like a very good plan she looks super in all the pics video's :)

Bernster said:
LP great pics, Ruby is looking really well. She's muscled up nicely and looks like a proper little powerhouse. Well done.
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Thanks B, I'm really starting to notice the difference this year, I dont think she looks like a swan in photos anymore :D she'll be 7 in June so although she hasn't grown up I think she's finally starting to fill out - her dad is a chunky Hannovarian so i was hoping it would happen at somepoint!
 
Slight change to our plan in that we decided to put the saddle fitter off as both horses are going well so no need to meddle.

Really good clinic, lots of work on straightness which is something we need at the mo. Ran through Elementary 42 and scored 66.56% which I was well chuffed with as trainer is a listed judge and its only our 3rd attempt at and Elementary. Took away lots to work on.
 
Well done all, sounds like a successful weekend.

My boy was very well behaved at Summerhouse. White boards were no sweat, and the advertising banners were got over pretty quickly.

Idiot here forgot to take portable steps home and having spoken to the show secretary they aren&#8217;t where I left them, drat!! They are a vital bit of equipment with a giant.

Now he needs a bit more grub as energy levels are getting zapped pretty quickly!
 
Technically not weekend plans as am now back at uni for the semester (though planning a sneaky trip home on the 27th for some combined training!), but had a lovely last few days despite the wind and rain doing their best to cancel my plans!

Was meant to go to the beach on Thurs but friends horse pulled a shoe and it was so windy that I didn't want to risk towing, so that plan was scuppered (boooo!). Instead just schooled at home, and Henry was foot perfect despite the gale force winds which is a win in my book! He's really starting to come on in his schooling now, his trot is lovely and we've started some work on mediums now he's a bit stronger. His canter is so much more balanced and adjustable, but he still gets quite low and heavy on the forehand. I've started introducing more direct transitions (walk/halt to canter, canter to walk etc.) which I hope will help him, although it's difficult to do often as he starts anticipating and jogging/fidgeting.

Friday went to the forestry commission place for a hack with another friend, which was lovely, especially since we managed to avoid most of the rain! Again, Henry was a complete pleasure to ride. Perfect brakes and accelerator, not bothered by all the loose dogs, joggers, treecutting noises, random logs, other horses... was even well behaved and went in front when friends horse decided to spook! nice contrast from last year when he spent his whole time there on edge, refused to go in front and looking for things to spook at! Does this mean he's finally starting to grow up?!

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Looking smart in his matchy christmas presents and bargain dressage saddle! :)

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Clearly growing up doesn't mean being any less of a joker :D
 
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