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The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

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Original poster

Riding log - anyone interested?

999 replies

SupersonicDave · 26/03/2011 11:25

Saw this on a horse forum and thought it would be a good idea.

Basically i need a bit of help with motivation (too much to do, not enough hours in the day etc) and can get a bit stuck in a rut wrt schooling/hacking/lunging.

So, today i am riding out my mare, a friend is riding my gelding, and we are going to ride through the village and back across some grassy tracks. Want to concentrate on keeping my mare calm, especially on the grass.

OP posts:

Pixel · 23/05/2011 17:16

Frosty, mine isn't keen on drains either. I can't work out if maybe the sun reflects off them sometimes? Or can they hear water running underneath? I don't think he's afraid of slipping as he's not shod. Unless they look like holes to them, so perhaps we ought to find a quiet road and get off and let them see us walking to and fro over them!

Mitchy, that's great that you've found a good place to go to. Will it be easier to get your boys in and out of the field without being squished?

Elephant, our old boys got cured of pig phobia. We rented a field that had stables inside a barn and a few of weeks later the owners put a couple of pigs in the spare stable without warning us. You can imagine the excitement that caused, they used to make an awful racket, especially when the farrier thought it was funny to throw the hoof parings in to wind them up. Anyway, the result was three very laid-back horses!

I just wish I could borrow a cow so I can cure dhorse of his cow-phobia.

frostyfingers · 23/05/2011 17:34

I'm not sure what it is about drains - the culverts and cuttings in the side of the lane are enough to make him snort, and on the ride through the village there are so many it must have looked like we were doing some fancy dressage movement as he wiggled away from them. The coloured tarmac on the road was scary yet the level crossing didn't faze him, as long as he didn't tread on the actual tracks. I'm not sure that TB's have a rational thought in their heads - ever!

I'm learning to love him, but having ridden 1 horse only for 8 years, it's strange to not be totally in tune with him yet.

Original poster

SupersonicDave · 23/05/2011 19:53

Frosty - good to see you Was very sorry to hear about your Dhorse, my mare has a couple of sarcoids and although mild they still worry me.

My mare used to be on a yard where there was a free range pig who used to stand in front of the stables and have the horses lick his back

Mare is pretty much sound now. 1 dose of bute, 3 days of AB's and she is ok. Planning on taking her out for a quiet hack tomorrow evening to see how she is.

OP posts:

elephantpoo · 23/05/2011 20:00

Pixel - DD's pony has a fear of pigs too. He was turned out in a field with a huge, pot bellied beast pig fenced off in one corner. Thought we were getting somewhere, until I hacked him out one day and came face to face with the beast - she'd managed to escape from her field and was off on a jolly! Let's just say progress has been limited since then
Would consider turning my Dpony out in that way, but apparantly when he was entire he'd clear gates and hedges to get to his mares. I think the pig may give similar motivation to jump!

frostyfingers - it must be very hard to form a new relationship with another horse after so long. Sounds like you're doing well though

Pixel · 23/05/2011 20:14

Ha ha, if you ever want a fabulous jumping photo, all you need is a camera and a well-timed pig!

ManateeEquineOhara · 25/05/2011 18:28

4 and a half hour ride today :) was really fun :)

elephantpoo · 25/05/2011 20:01

4 1/2 hour ride - wow!!
You know how to do it Manatee !!
Dpony just about managed the 2 hour ride when I got me and DD lost
Pixel - I really want that photo now!! Dpony has had me confused for a week or so now. They're on strip grazing ATM, which was going well.....until Dpony realised the fence wasn't live. So, I've been dutifully catching him and putting him the right side of the fence each time I see him out (enjoying the lush grass that's meant for later on). He's been so sneaky about it that I haven't yet caught him in the act. I really wanted to see how he gets across without damaging the fence-I thought he was jumping. Tonight I saw him stand on the bottom tape with one front hoof, the top with the other and then doing the same with his backk feet Cheeky boy

Pixel · 25/05/2011 20:27

They are so clever aren't they? I caught my friend's welshie in the act of getting through the fence. He ran at it full pelt, ducked his head at the last minute and dived under the bottom strand of the electric fence. One of the poles pinged up but when it fell back you couldn't see that it had moved which was why no one had worked out how he was getting through. Goodness knows how he'd discovered that if he went fast enough he was less likely to get a zap.

Four and a half hours, very impressive! I did more like four minutes today. Not as bad as it sounds, we had the saddle fitter and she just needed to see us have a trot round .

Dhorse has filled out considerably and I've narrowly missed having to replace his saddle. He's not allowed to grow any more! My mum brought along her saddle that used to belong to her part-shire and even that was too narrow for him. It's funny, but a few weeks ago when we had the vet to check teeth, the vet looked at him and said "was he that big last time I saw him?" (six months ago). I thought he was joking, but no, dhorse has has a massive growth spurt.

Pixel · 25/05/2011 20:29

Actually, I don't know why I'm surprised. My old pony was the same age as dhorse is now when I got him and six months later he'd grown two inches.

ManateeEquineOhara · 26/05/2011 07:52

How old is hour horse Pixel? What breed?

4 and a half hour ride was lovely. I got in a bit of a pickle because I couldn't quite remember the route I had done before, I am still sure it was different - EP - do you ever ride on the Teign Valley road up to Spanish Lake? - it was that bit, I'm sure we went through gates under a bridge before, but this time that seemed all different.

I am child free this weekend as DCs are going camping, so I am planning an even longer ride. These rides are definitely making me want to move yards. I do really need to stay here for a while longer though :-/

MitchiestInge · 26/05/2011 08:24

nice to catch up on everyone's news, I still haven't ridden - must be well over a week? but hacking today hopefully

mostly in state of growing excitement about move, the enormousness of their new field, the never ever ever ever having to poo pick again (they just harrow and worm regularly), wondering how they will cope with cows and or sometimes sheep in with them, how nice it will be for them to be in a little herd again with others - maybe pair bonding will be cured? How embarrassing it might be if I have random panic attack in field or at gate but also how nice it will be to hack to Topthorn and daughter's house and go on all those bridleways :) Anyway we are not going for about three weeks. So must remain calm and level headed!

Pixel · 26/05/2011 20:41

Mitchy, I'm getting all excited for you! It sounds lovely, especially the hacking. Dhorse and I are going on our 'holidays' after half term, to another yard so we will get to ride somewhere apart from on the roads, and there will be a school and jumps and everything.

Manatee, he's rising 6, don't know breeding exactly but were told he was out of a gypsy cob and has a TB grandsire. That's all! Would love to trace his history and find out more. There are pics on my profile, he certainly looks like a gypsy cob but he can look quite 'leggy' in comparison with others I've seen so the TB part could be true.

frostyfingers · 27/05/2011 16:24

How on earth did your bum feel after 4 1/2 hours - I did 3ish last week and getting on the next day was agony. I'm taking new horse for a saddle fitting next week, ostensibly to check the fit of his existing saddle but I'll hopefully find a newish, more comfortable one.....

I did an hour today, to a different village to try and get him used to drain covers (which failed) and he also discovered a new thing to be frightened off - speed limit lollipop signs...... Perhaps when the wind goes away he'll be less jumpy, but it is a getting a bit boring, and I'm starting to jump before he does!

ManateeEquineOhara · 27/05/2011 17:39

Mitchy - your new yard really does sound so good, especially the hacking!

Pixel - he looks lovely :) Can see how he has gypsy cob in him :)

Frosty - My bum wasn't tooo bad! I have a treeless saddle which I generally hate, BUT it is quite soft.

It is my birthday today so I had the day off. One of the liveries has a mare in foal, I put my birthday as my guess on the sweepstake and got there this morning to see the foal had been born, so I won :) It is soooooo cute!!! Then rode out for about an hour today with one of the other liveries which was nice. Nearly got knocked off by a branch across the track though when we wer cantering, I didn't see it until the last minute, I really should wear glasses to ride out .

Pixel · 27/05/2011 19:32

I have to wear my glasses, I can't see a thing without them. Never mind low branches, I wouldn't see the tree.

Have ridden dhorse today in the newly widened saddle. Have to say it's not as comfy for me as it was, damn my dodgy hip and my very short legs! Dhorse was much much happier though. He still felt a bit strong but there wasn't that unexploded bomb feeling. I suppose I will get used to the saddle and obviously it can't be helped. Probably a different saddle would still feel wide on such a lardarse horse! He is very unfit atm so hopefully things will improve when he tones up a bit (or I do! time to get out the 30 day shred dvd and knock the large amount of dust off it...).

ManateeEquineOhara · 29/05/2011 20:50

Just back from a 6 hour ride. :)

Original poster

SupersonicDave · 30/05/2011 10:08

6 hours! I would die

Rode mare.out yesterday. She was very good, she is sound and felt very well (there were cows!)

Half term here (already) so riding could be limited again. Saddle fitter is coming next week, there is part of me that feels I may get told off as the saddles aren't a great fit. (must remember I am now an adult :o )

OP posts:

olderyetwider · 30/05/2011 10:11

Can't ride for at least two weeks as had a small operation on Friday, so I'm very jealous of you all. Still, went for a long ride on Friday before I went in, and popped over a log (first time I've left the ground in 30 years) DH's mare grabbed a mouthful of tree and ripped off a giant branch. She was happily walking along munching, carrying 10 foot branch upright. DH was mortified, I nearly fell off laughing. My mare was a bit at walking tree.

dappleton · 30/05/2011 12:48

So glad I can finally join in with this now!

I have not been able to ride for 7months due to pregnancy and finally started to ride again last week! So exciting....

I was supposed to wait until next week (doctors orders) but couldn't wait any longer. I rode my Dpony for 15min on Thursday - we have a lot of work to do, I think he's forgotten everything in the last few months but I still spent the whole time grinning to myself that I was finally back in the saddle. On Friday I rode Dhorse for 30min, so happy!

ManateeEquineOhara · 30/05/2011 14:35

Went out again this morning for a shorter ride :) I thought she might be tired after yesterday but she wasn't at all. She is going so well atm, and looks very nice with a bit of muscle. I am getting a bit more confident about the road by the yard too, which is good, because hacks that avoid it are limited. I don't know why I have been quite so scared about it, by the old yard there was a very similar main road. It is just that although the mare is fine with the traffic, sometimes she spooks at things at the side of the road which is not good if a car is coming past at such a speed that they cannot just stop. But she is fine really, I am just good at envisioning accidents

SSD - Is your mare okay with cows? I always thought Dmare was okay with cows, because she doesn't tend to spook at them or anything, but I think she is scared, because when we ride through cow fields she sweats up in seconds!

Olderyet - great about the jumping, 2 weeks is nothing, you will soon be riding again :)

Hello Dappleton :)

Original poster

SupersonicDave · 30/05/2011 18:47

Yes she is scared, she puts her head up and does medium trot past them :o

Welcome Dappleton, and congrats on your new baby :)

OP posts:

elephantpoo · 31/05/2011 08:53

We did it! Took Dpony on the sponsored ride yesterday and he was great
We went with a group from the yard (8 of us) all dressed up with fairy wings, bows and streamers and he even let me spray his legs pink (with coloured hairspray.......thanks for the link Pixel)
We had a great day. We were out for about 3 hours. DD coped well with her Dartmoor (who's food obsessed atm ) Dpony was a little strong, but not naughty, and stood like a gent at the end when we had a much needed hotdog. He didn't put a hoof wrong. He coped with littlies (4 of the 8 were kids) trotting up his backside and coped well being amongst all those ponies. I'm so proud of him.
frostyfingers - "I'm starting to jump before he does!"
It does get boring when they spook all the time.
SupersonicDave - I can't believe half term is here again. I'm going to try and fit in a couple of evening rides when DH gets home from work.
dappleton - I only restarted riding recently and was ill last week so didn't ride. I was so jealous of others riding (like olderyetwider's feeling) Such a great feeling to get back in the saddle. Well done you.
olderyetwider - hope you recover quickly and well done on your jumping
ManateeEquineOhara - are you an in-training endurance rider?! 6 hours?! Where did you go? Glad you're feeling happier about the road near the yard. Sounds like it makes things a lot easier for you.

MitchiestInge · 31/05/2011 20:08

hello everyone

was so nice to go out on SOFT tracks again, thank you for raining! hadn't got far when thought (quietly, in my head, not out loud) 'might trot for a bit then try a canter' and suddenly was enjoying flat out gallop - thought was high spirits or mind reading but was COWS. Which does not bode well for future life sharing field with one does it?

MitchiestInge · 31/05/2011 20:10

(poss rethink oats situation)

Original poster

SupersonicDave · 31/05/2011 20:41

Hey Mitchy.

My mare does not like cows, but once had to live in a cow yard (with cute baby cows!) and it did help her a lot. Just means that now she does a medium trot past them with her eyes closed

OP posts:

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