is it too cold in the tack room?

[MitchyInge]

if I put the mulled wine kettle on, will you all come back in for a chat?

what are you all DOING anyway?

[skihorse]

Bursting with pride mostly - my little girl is being amazing right now and my confidence is soaring to the point that quite possibly I won't make an utter tit of myself out our first ODE next year. I'm fine on x-country and SJ but I get the heebie-jeebies during dressage due to "being watched".

[skihorse]

Tomorrow we're going on a long ride through 2 countries!

[gunpowdertreacleandplot]

I had my best ever lesson last week - my instructor said I made it look easy!

Did canter from halt and all sorts. Am a bit scared to go to my next lesson because I know I won't be as good... I'll probably fall off or something, that'll show me!

[bumpsoon]

mainly picking up poo ,which is taking longer due to the camoflague effect of all the leaves

[bumpsoon]

oh and standing around swooning over my new horse

[bumpsoon]

havent had a ride on him yet ,being 34 weeks pregnant and struggling to get socks on never mind a foot in a stirrup

[skihorse]

I'd imagine poo picking is less than easy right now too bumpsoon!

[MitchyInge]

ooh gunpowdertreacleandplot - that sounds fun

I might have to be suicidal to ask mine to canter from halt though

at skihorse's long ride and when do WE get to swoon over new horse bumpsoon?

[horseymum]

just hd lesson from new instructor getting some more experience in coaching for her UKCC level 3 and though I think current one is great (also boss and close friend) it was good to have a breath of fresh air and someone who didin't know all my hang-ups. I told her what i had done in past, what I would like to do, so she put up jumps appropriate to that instead of the tiny ones i normally start myself off if I ride on my own. Managed to do a decent (for me) size and be happy and confident. Much better to just get on with it! Was quite encouraged so looking forward to next few lessons. Want to buy a new horse but vaguely ttc so maybe not best time!

[mummydoc]

hello everyone , i have been absent for 2 weeks as on holiday , can i please come back in it is chilly out here, i ma in depth of despair as haven't managed to sell first pony i bought for dd2 which turned out to be a little too much to mange and have bought new new pony who is much gentler , calmer etc, very pleased with thought of new pony arriving next week but sick with anxiety over unsold pony as now have to pay 2 lots of livery fees....any advice on how to sell pony gratefully recieved

[mummydoc]

Mitchy can I cosmic order a buyer for the pony ? or can oyu only cosmic order stuff

[bumpsoon]

Yes the poo picking is a bit troublesome now and can only get the barrow half way up the muck heap ! Will take some picks at the weekend of my gorgeous boy

[MitchyInge]

I suppose a lovely new owner and home for the pony counts as stuff!

Where are you advertising?

[mummydoc]

horsequest at moment - had lots of calls ( well lovely friend who is helping with pony has) several people came to try, but 2 not suitable despite being told pony was not sutiable for beginner they brought along tiny tots who are just starting and third lady has come 3 times and loves pony but her child doesn't - oh pants . think maybe just lower price and put add in local rag.

[bumpsoon]

How about horsemart ? thats where i got mine from ? or how about loaning it out for six months and trying again later ?

[TurkeyLurkey]

Well my new boy is over his cough/ cold so finally after owning him for a month I can get to ride him. Yahoo!

Am going to take him out later today - not sure how he'll be or if he'll even want to leave the yard after 3 weeks with no work......

[Pixel]

Hi Turkey, did you have a nice ride?

[TurkeyLurkey]

Yes thanks Pixel - he was full of himself but sensible underneath - not surprising after 3 weeks chewing his head off in the field though with his mates - think he thinks he's come to the good life!

He's not been ridden for 3 weeks and considering I took him out on his own today and he's only been with me a month I think he did well - tried to turn round and head for home once while I was trying to adjust the girth whilst moving but apart from that he was a good lad.

What I like about him is he's a cob, but defintely not a plod! Nice and forward without being scary. Seems brill in traffic so far too. Its strange these early days isn't it? I'm still getting to know him, what he'll spook at, what he'll find too much to cope with etc, so far he hasn't done anything that makes me feel unsafe (no doubt that time will come).

Think he needs a small clip though - v sweaty when we got back, and we only walked for an hour.

On another subject I am thinking about making my own hay steamer out of wheelie bin and a wallpaper steamer. Anyone done this and does it work?

I just hate soaking hay with a passion - I get wet through and the haynets weight a tonne.

[mummydoc]

noddy came for a visit today from shooling yard, oh my goodness he looked fantastic ridden by very very competant 7 yr old and then ridden by a less confident but still capable tiny 7 year old and went sooooo well even jumped little course. i wish we could keep him for a few yrs while my 5 yr old comes up to that level but just cannot afford too. am giving some serious thoguht to loaning him out on long term loan for 2-3 yrs . will wait and see if the cosmic ordering works and brings me a buyer

[CMOTdibbler]

I'm not sure if I belong in here yet, but you have all been so helpful, thought I'd drop in.

DS totally excited today as they put some poles down for him to go over. He thinks this is jumping . He also wanted to join in with the assorted girls who spend the day on a Saturday as they were fussing over him (he does look cute in his jods), and he thought mucking out would be exciting.

It's my turn tomorrow

[MitchyInge]

of course you belong cmot!

is it too early to hand round some mince pies?

great to read all these chirpy updates, don't want to lower the mood by asking why new pony thinks canter = rodeo when hacking but am trying again today while daughter is at a friend's house, in the school not Out There in the Real World

am going to need a copy of Pixel's and Owl's hypnosis cd if this carries on for much longer

[gunpowdertreacleandplot]

Never too early for a mince pie, Mitchy!

[CMOTdibbler]

Def never too early for a mince pie. Personally, I'd eat them all year round.

Lesson went well today, although it was chucking it down. I am feeling slightly less incompetent now at least...

[MitchyInge]

'slightly less incompetent' !

I didn't even ride yesterday, need a bit of a boost I think - this buckaroo business is slightly demoralising

[skihorse]

Oh I am becoming a crabby old bint.

We rode out on Saturday on the 2-country ride, but one of the group is quite nervous. She's a perfectly competent rider and she got the horse in April. Now I always assumed because she was so nervous that the horse was a youngster, but no, it's 11. Every time we trotted it was "too fast", the walks were "too fast" . I really hate dawdling and my girl starts falling over her feet if she's taking pigeon steps. Anyway 3.5 hours later I was just about ready to murder someone but very pleased I'd managed not to snap... 50m from the yard gates when a motorbike went past, backfired and she hit the deck... I know how easy it is to topple off if you're nervous and off-balance and actually I think she handled it pretty well - when I come off there are tears, sniffles, running mascara and the works. The only redeeming part of the entire ride was when we came through a new path in a forest with loads of fallen logs so me and one of the other girls had a little canter around popping over them.

I think I'm going to have to apply the "discretion is the better part of valour" thing and not ride with her again.

Rode out yesterday on a 1.5 hour hack with a couple of other girls and that went great.