What have you done with your horses this week?

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atropa

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Let's face it, Christmas and New Year are well and truly over. It's cold, it's dark, we're all skint and summer seems a lifetime away. I personally am in serious need of motivation after a crap horsey 2016, having 2 horses now in very little work and losing my confidence.

For some reason, hearing and reading about what other people have done with their horses really motivates me to get on with and work with mine, so let's hear about what you've done this week.

On Monday, I tacked up my younger horse and hacked down our farm road on her with my OH on foot for company. She was a tad spooky and snorty but stepped out in a lovely free-flowing walk. We then did a very small amount of schooling and to finish I picked out all 4 of her feet with no major issues. This might not sound like much but it's the first time she's been hacked since September, and we've been having real issues with picking up her legs since then.

Yesterday, I spent a lovely half hour giving my older mare a good groom, doing carrot stretches and starting work on her mental winter mane. I was the last one at the yard, it was -2, I was starving and I wanted to go home but I forced myself to actually spend some quality time with her for once and I really enjoyed it. Again, it doesn't sound like much but we've been having serious 'relationship issues' over the past little while, so it was nice to rebond a little bit.

Tonight, I plan to either ride or lunge one of them in the indoor school, and I'm planning some hacking and schooling again at the weekend.

I think my resolution this year is to make small, positive contributions to my relationships with my horses every day and hope that it adds up to a big change in my horsey 2017.

What have you been up to?
 
Very little for the past 3 months with various issues. Last ridden 6 weeks ago (when he had about 2 weeks in 'work') since then I have been ill, he has been foot sore so he has had a good groom most days and feet seeing too (he has wld so scrubbed and sprayed every day). However Tuesday I lunged and then yesterday I rode! Today everything is frozen solid again so he did nothing.

Oh and yesterday we did a boot trying on session so I can order him posh eventing boots for the summer rather than borrowing chance's ones.
 
We've three....

My TB mare - she has been getting fit again after a hind sesamoid injury a year ago today. At the weekend I put my brave pants on, and copied a grid OH did in his lesson last week - got up to the heady heights of 60cm and I was so chuffed with me and her..

Hubbys ID mare - Hubby has been on the injury list most of the year, but I booked him a place on a Karen Dixon clinic last week, and surprisingly he loved it and so did mare, and he wasn't even too sore the next day.

5yo's tiny pony - he's been riding away, jumping out of canter and having fun, but had a couple of falls on Boxing day when normally angelic pony decided to practice last min swerve in front of jump.

However we followed up with 2 PC forest rides in company, and a good session in the manege (jumping from trot)...

Seems we've all finished 2016 on a good note, and I'm just hoping all stay sound and healthy into 2017....

Fiona
 
I have put them in the field in the morning (well, friend has) and got them out of the field in the evening and put them back in their stables. School is frozen, it's too dark to ride out after work and local roads are scary in the morning due to being used as a rat run. Instead, I've made the most of non-muddy legs to trim their feathers and addressed the scabby bits on the legs of the one whose sugar allergy has inexplicably flared up. There's something quite satisfying about removing scabs to reveal good healthy skin underneath. Sorry that's probably not very motivating is it! I've been to the gym twice before work though.
 
Kamikaze said:
Very little for the past 3 months with various issues. Last ridden 6 weeks ago (when he had about 2 weeks in 'work') since then I have been ill, he has been foot sore so he has had a good groom most days and feet seeing too (he has wld so scrubbed and sprayed every day). However Tuesday I lunged and then yesterday I rode! Today everything is frozen solid again so he did nothing.

Oh and yesterday we did a boot trying on session so I can order him posh eventing boots for the summer rather than borrowing chance's ones.
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Strangely comforting to know I'm not alone in having had a crappy 2017! Sounds like he is being totally pampered and fingers crossed things are on the up for you both.

Fiona said:
We've three....

My TB mare - she has been getting fit again after a hind sesamoid injury a year ago today. At the weekend I put my brave pants on, and copied a grid OH did in his lesson last week - got up to the heady heights of 60cm and I was so chuffed with me and her..

Hubbys ID mare - Hubby has been on the injury list most of the year, but I booked him a place on a Karen Dixon clinic last week, and surprisingly he loved it and so did mare, and he wasn't even too sore the next day.

5yo's tiny pony - he's been riding away, jumping out of canter and having fun, but had a couple of falls on Boxing day when normally angelic pony decided to practice last min swerve in front of jump.

However we followed up with 2 PC forest rides in company, and a good session in the manege (jumping from trot)...

Seems we've all finished 2016 on a good note, and I'm just hoping all stay sound and healthy into 2017....

Fiona
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Sounds fab Fiona, certainly some busy equines in your household. I too have been pulling brave pants off and on for the past couple of months, seems it doesn't take very much to knock my confidence at the minute.

annagain said:
I have put them in the field in the morning (well, friend has) and got them out of the field in the evening and put them back in their stables. School is frozen, it's too dark to ride out after work and local roads are scary in the morning due to being used as a rat run. Instead, I've made the most of non-muddy legs to trim their feathers and addressed the scabby bits on the legs of the one whose sugar allergy has inexplicably flared up. There's something quite satisfying about removing scabs to reveal good healthy skin underneath. Sorry that's probably not very motivating is it! I've been to the gym twice before work though.
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Don't be silly AA, I'm counting even being able to bring mine in from the field without any of the 3 of us having a nervous breakdown as being 'motivating' for me, so don't knock gym before work and a good grooming session. At least you'll be fit to ride once the weather gets more suitable.
 
Monday: Rode one, lunged t'other, mucked about with the mule
Tuesday: Rode both
Wednesday: Rode one, lunged t'other (t'other other one..)
Today: Rode both, did muley civillisation routine

They are getting at least 4 days schooling/riding a week - I ride at least one every day, we have jobs coming up for all of them and they have to be kept ticking over. Usually at this time of year they have a bit of down time and I might leave them off for 6 weeks or so, but not this year.
 
Cortez said:
Monday: Rode one, lunged t'other, mucked about with the mule
Tuesday: Rode both
Wednesday: Rode one, lunged t'other (t'other other one..)
Today: Rode both, did muley civillisation routine

They are getting at least 4 days schooling/riding a week - I ride at least one every day, we have jobs coming up for all of them and they have to be kept ticking over. Usually at this time of year they have a bit of down time and I might leave them off for 6 weeks or so, but not this year.
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Cortez I absolutely salute your motivation! I really need to get my bum in gear and get mine into a consistent level of work but I'm currently great at finding excuses! So counting the little victories instead.
 
atropa said:
Cortez I absolutely salute your motivation! I really need to get my bum in gear and get mine into a consistent level of work but I'm currently great at finding excuses! So counting the little victories instead.
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It's not so much motivation (I have NONE) as it is being part of the day job....Just Do It is my motto; stopped being fun a long time ago :-(
 
Very little. Chest infection for me before Christmas meant no riding since about 18th December and family emergency / bereavement around New Year means I have no idea when I will ride again. Frozen solid here too which means horses pottering about on icy ground during the day and not getting much exercise. Hoping for better in the rest of 2017.
 
My brave pants got lost years ago OP after a few falls off my TB, I seem to have recently located them and I'm really enjoying it, even if it just means pottering about jumping cross poles with my 5yo son :)

I completed a dressage competition in October, and might get out to another one or even mini SJ in Feb again :)

Fiona
 
Holding on for dear life whilst my horses decide it's boring to do walk work only this week to go and they can start trotting!
 
I had grand plans to use the Xmas break to beg a babysitter and get the naughty one out hacking now she's nearly sound. Ice put a stop to that idea! The only days that were riding safe seemed to be one's spent visiting relatives. #sigh.

We have a small indoor arena so we've been doing a lot of free schooling over raised trotting poles to get her hind end muscles strengthened. This morning I let her off the lead rein and she trotted straight over the poles, spun round, trotted back over them and looked at me to say 'ok. Done it. Breakfast now?'. She did look good tho & after a 2016 of leg & muscle problems it was nice to see her striding out.

The big hairy boy hasn't done anything since a plod on boxing day. I've been watching a few masterson method videos and had a go at some massage points on him. He loves it! Thinking of doing a weekend course in 2017.
 
Monday: schooled both
Tuesday: Schooled Kira , Millie should have hacked but roads still too frozen
Wednesday: clipped Kira, Millie off
Today: schooled both

Tomorrow... kira will do a low key transition session in the school as has a show on Saturday.

I find the winter quite a motivating time, I've usually got regionals or similar to come early spring, and it's a good time to move the training on or consolidate something.This year is a bit sad because Millie is still in rehab, but Kira has made up for it by being mega clever with her flying changes and (hopefully) getting everything sorted to go up a level this year.

we end up doing more in the school than I would choose when it's icy as it is now - I don't mind hacking in wind and rain but the icy roads are just lethal. lucky for us that our school surface is almost unfreezeable so they can still get worked.
 
Not a lot!
Hacked once and lunged once. She had the Physio today so didn't get ridden and now conveniently needs day off tomorrow post Physio.
Blooming cold and miserable and mojo is somewhere through the floor!
 
Monday - Hacked to two beaches (circular route on bridleways), we were out for about 3 hours. 12-ish miles, up and down hill, with lots of walking!
Tuesday - Day off
Wednesday - Interval work at our nearest beach because tides were playing ball (about a 15-20 minute hack from the yard through the woods, no roads).
Thursday - 45 minute stroll through the woods with a nice canter over the cliffs.
Friday - Off
Saturday - Long ride up the common, through the big woods, up the cycle path, around the small woods, and back. Again about 12 miles. We'll canter on the dry bits of the common and through the big woods, walk the cycle path and trot through the small woods.

There's no school at our yard so my only option is to hack, though when tides are convenient I can usually school on our nearest beach. The trailer is going in for 5 new tyres in a few weeks <expensive> and then we can start going to lessons again :). Good thermal breeches, coat, snood, and gloves are essential in this weather.
 
I feel for you as I'm often in need to some positive contributions:-)
There are times like now when I cannot do anything, and when these times comes, I recourse to positive reinforcement training.
It may seem like a nonsense, but it greatly helps with issues like "my horse don't want to do this and that", "my horse/I cannot do anything due to health problems", it's fun, doesn't take much time and also does wonders to connection with your horse, greatly improves relationship (hope it doesn't sound too zealot, I'm quite normal otherwise:D).
Here are some short videos (not mine, my friends) about what you can do using R+ like basic ground manners and preparing an unbroken horse for riding (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtL3nvjNyMk), taking a bit (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDVWQA65sYw), drinking on signal (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7O4NF5A2TE), despooking or just playing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk9SSDrYX6c)... sorry it's in czech, but there is almost none talking anyway.
Just a bit of inspiration if you are seriously demotivated:-)
 
This is what we've done just today ;) other days have been similarly busy :D

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Rejoiced that the Draft mare's hoof abscess, which started in early October, seems to have finally cleared up,- she has been sound since Christmas. I might even get to ride her soon.
Found a NS Trans bit which young cob*might* like better than the sweet iron bit which she definitely does NOT like.
Gasped at the vet bill, which included a box of Prascend for the Draft horse. However as it is working, it is worth it!
 
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Nothing. She lives out 24/7 as she's having a winter holiday to hopefully cheer her up so all I do is throw some hay at her and her field mates everyday. Though today I held her in the field while the farrier trimmed up her feet and then I lifted her rug and prodded her belly. For a TB just being fed hay she's put on a lot of weight and her belly is huge!

Even though I ride out everyday at work rising racehorses just isn't the same as schooling or going for a hack or attending a clinic... I'm really missing it :(
 
I've given up on having motivation in the winter, so mine spend 2-3 months roughed off in the field now. Sorry not much help!

My daughter (5) did manage to walk up to her pony in the field and give him a hug this week though. This is actually quite a big deal for them, he was not easy to catch when we got him and even after that was sorted remained firmly of the opinion that he only needed to put up with little ones if he had a headcollar on, but he seems to be coming around and actually followed after her when she finished saying hello.
 
On monday we moved to a new yard and got ourselves settled in! This is the last move we'll need to do for a loooooong time to come, fingers crossed. On tuesday we had fun getting to know the others and being social. Then on wednesday we had a massive snow storm, it dropped a few decimeters of snow during the course of the day, then carried on overnight. This morning when I woke up it was -25C on the thermometer, so I went to scrape the ice off the car and then do the same again for my horse. Tomorrow is set to be -20C, so we'll ride out on the field and do something easy, plough a few rings in the snow and play a bit :) So far an excellent, if freezy cold week.
 
eased off a bit in the run up to christmas as the monkey took off a shoe. however have since been working her again 6 days a week and have been exercising 1 or 2 others for various friends. Going jumping this weekend! Has been very calm where I am with maybe 2 days of rain total this winter??? and no wind!!
 
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