Perfect_Pirouette
Well-Known Member
Well, he PASSED 
Ginger Ninja is now mine. I thought I would tell you a bit about our journey these past 5 months.
Have had ginger beast for 5 months now
He wasnt what I was looking for at all as I wanted something to take me up the levels in dressage and I was going to probably get an ex-racer from one of the charities.
However, I kinda knew his owner and she contacted me saying she had a horse I might be interested in, she wanted to sell him but would also loan to right home. He was only in the next village and after a few disastrous viewings, I thought what the hell.
Up until a couple of weeks before I went to see him he had been on loan to the local equestrian college, however got expelled for chucking all the students off
His owner also said on the phone that she was scared of him and never gelled with him so I was a bit apprehensive lol.
Turned up, viewed him, rode him and said there and then Id have him
He was overweight, unfit and stiff and incredibly lazy to ride HOWEVER, he moved nicely, had a good hindleg and seemed a real sweetie especially as I got after him A LOT to try and get him to move and he just accepted it and didnt try and confront me!
So, he arrived a few days later.
This is him on the first night
In the past 5 months I have worked VERY hard with this horse. He has been ridden 5/6 times a week a mix of schooling and hacking. He was VERY stiff and unyielding in the school and incredibly LAZY. So took it slowly at first, had physio out, dentist out and just took it slowly in the school, lots of bending, stretching and lateral work to supple him up. Also concentrated on getting him going FORWARD off my leg. Lots of hacking. His owner said she didnt really hack him on his own so Im not sure how much hacking in the past 6 years he had done previously on his own but on our first hack I thought right, put spurs on, took long whip. He was hesitant but got lots of praise when he went past scary things and gentle persuasion from me when he found something scary. Didnt take him out with another horse for weeks. He isnt much of a jumper, is scared and has no confidence. This is still the case unfortunately, although he IS getting better and more confident so this is a work in progress.
5 months later and he is a different horse in the school, he is now 90% more forward and in front of my leg, he is SO much more supple, he takes the contact forward so much more. He has lost a lot of weight and fattened up considerably. He doesnt bat an eyelid at being hacked out alone, never spooks or is silly. He is an absolute gem to ride.
I have competed him twice since Ive had him, first time we came 3rd in the Intro with 67% and first in the Prelim with 61% and second time we came 1st in the Intro with 68% and 3rd in the prelim with 62%.
Here are some pics of when I first got him
And latest ones at our last dressage comp and also jumping the other week
So yes, very happy
Ginger Ninja is now mine. I thought I would tell you a bit about our journey these past 5 months.Have had ginger beast for 5 months now
He wasnt what I was looking for at all as I wanted something to take me up the levels in dressage and I was going to probably get an ex-racer from one of the charities.
However, I kinda knew his owner and she contacted me saying she had a horse I might be interested in, she wanted to sell him but would also loan to right home. He was only in the next village and after a few disastrous viewings, I thought what the hell.
Up until a couple of weeks before I went to see him he had been on loan to the local equestrian college, however got expelled for chucking all the students off
His owner also said on the phone that she was scared of him and never gelled with him so I was a bit apprehensive lol.Turned up, viewed him, rode him and said there and then Id have him
He was overweight, unfit and stiff and incredibly lazy to ride HOWEVER, he moved nicely, had a good hindleg and seemed a real sweetie especially as I got after him A LOT to try and get him to move and he just accepted it and didnt try and confront me! So, he arrived a few days later.
This is him on the first night
In the past 5 months I have worked VERY hard with this horse. He has been ridden 5/6 times a week a mix of schooling and hacking. He was VERY stiff and unyielding in the school and incredibly LAZY. So took it slowly at first, had physio out, dentist out and just took it slowly in the school, lots of bending, stretching and lateral work to supple him up. Also concentrated on getting him going FORWARD off my leg. Lots of hacking. His owner said she didnt really hack him on his own so Im not sure how much hacking in the past 6 years he had done previously on his own but on our first hack I thought right, put spurs on, took long whip. He was hesitant but got lots of praise when he went past scary things and gentle persuasion from me when he found something scary. Didnt take him out with another horse for weeks. He isnt much of a jumper, is scared and has no confidence. This is still the case unfortunately, although he IS getting better and more confident so this is a work in progress.
5 months later and he is a different horse in the school, he is now 90% more forward and in front of my leg, he is SO much more supple, he takes the contact forward so much more. He has lost a lot of weight and fattened up considerably. He doesnt bat an eyelid at being hacked out alone, never spooks or is silly. He is an absolute gem to ride.
I have competed him twice since Ive had him, first time we came 3rd in the Intro with 67% and first in the Prelim with 61% and second time we came 1st in the Intro with 68% and 3rd in the prelim with 62%.
Here are some pics of when I first got him
And latest ones at our last dressage comp and also jumping the other week
So yes, very happy
