Riding log - anyone interested?

[SupersonicDave]

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.

Mirage - that is fantastic news, sounds like a great pony. Older ponies are fantastic confidence givers.

My friend's 13 year old DD came to ride Dmare today. She used to live at the old stables so rode Dmare quite a lot, but hasn't ridden in a while and was quite nervous. I persuaded her to canter as she was doing really well, only the mare bucked, only a little slightly confused about different rider type buck, and friend's DD sat very well, but I was still a bit at Dmare for that. I got on and made her canter and she was fine. Then we went for a walk around the woods. I have never walked in the woods before, always been on the mare. All the hills seemed so much steeper!

Great news Mirage - it's wierd how things turn out sometimes! I bought my new horse from an ad but when I went to see him realised that I had worked with the owner about 10 years ago, and my boss knows him quite well and the trainer was also an acquaintance of an acquaintance and they live only about 5 miles from my sil. I too felt much better about having a connection with them, even a vague one.

I hope new pony settles in well and look forward to some more uplifting news.

Fantastic horsey weekend, lovely pub ride Friday (although DH's mare is now known as 'Nell The Inappropriate' as she stuck her tongue down a woman's top whilst being fussed). Big road ride around the villages on Saturday as trying to dodge the flies, then fast ride out yesterday morning and jumped logs. Rode out with GD and new pony yesterday evening, she was lovely. I've posted a new thread for advice re getting new pony fit if anyone's got time

Dhorse is supposed to still be in quarantine but so many people have come over to give him a pat it seems a bit pointless . Took him for a bit of a walk around away from the yard and he didn't trample me was very snorty but quite good.

Took ds over this evening to have a ride on dpony as my sister is away and has left his tack for us (ds only been on him once before, bareback). Ds was so excited when I asked him if he wanted to ride he was nodding his head frantically, which was lovely as he only learnt to nod for yes a week ago! He sat beautifully and looked so proud and happy but dpony was being so horrible that I could barely hold on to him. Mum and I chickened out and got ds off before there was an accident and he looked so disappointed I could have cried for him. We let him on dshetland for 5 mins even though she isn't yet 100% sound which was probably awful of us but she didn't seem to mind. She got a nice big carrot and dpony didn't!

Good Morning All
Mirage - congratulations! keep us updated to how things are going with your new pony.
Frosty - shame your new horse has still got the spooks! i'm firmly in the 'never get angry with a spooked horse' camp, however you know your horse best a perhaps a bit of a telling off might just sort him out, my husband takes this approach and even though i'd never admit it to him it does actually work sometimes!
Pixel - Hope your enjoying your new yard (sounds like your son is) i'm sure dshetland din't mind a little walk around for a carrot!

I'm rather pround today as managed to get new horse to canter on both reins without jamming his head down between his knees, doesn't sound very amazing but he's built so arse-above-withers (he's 10 but built like a 2 yr old) that getting him off his forehand defies the laws of mechanics (IYSWIM )

I've just had a very interesting experience, even before I'd left the blooming yard! Walking past the house to get on to the road dhorse decided that actually the flower pot with the newly flowering petunias in was in fact a horse eating thingy and he couldn't possibly go past. I laughed (big mistake) and kicked him on at which point he sort of leapt, reared and twirled about all in one fancy movement. It gave me a hell of a fright, and DH who was watching was very impressed that I stayed on (as was I), and then asked was that a particular dressage movement or had I made it up!

I think it was just high jinks as he's not been out since Sun, and it's a bit colder today - but lordy he made my heart race for a moment. The rest of the ride was fine, and thankfully only a few horseflies. I'm going away for a week and think I'll lunge him for a while before I get back on. He's obviously fitter than I thought and feeling very well thankyou.

Dappleton - chin in the chest is one of the hardest things to deal with - it makes them so strong. My old horse used to do this, and I put him in a Waterford snaffle to try and stop him leaning - it did work but wasn't perfect.

Forgot about waterfords, was pondering what next and could almost open my own bit bank. Think might as well go back to snaffle and martingale and Learning How To Ride as could put barbed wire in his mouth for all the good any of them do. Vaguely remember there are ways of using your seat as brakes too anyway he has been lovely to jump in the school and it's just a few places on hacks where we can't stop but it's not a major problem usually. It would be bad if someone who didn't know him rode him out but it's just me and his sharer so am not going to worry. Although sponsored ride might be interesting this month!

where is everyone?

rode in school today, odd that enjoy it so much now when used to be least favourite thing, love having so many things to jump already set up - there is always something new. Am a chicken until we have cleared it once though, don't know what I think will happen, except it's much smaller than our old one and the turns are very tight for an unbalanced horse with an ungainly lump on his back

I haven't been riding much :( I am just fed up with the yard, fed up with having to lead her along a stony track to catch her in, and to hack out, I am sick of having to ride along a busy road for 20 mins first. Fed up that there is another way out of the yard that goes onto quiet lanes but can't go that way because there is a bull in the field you have to go through!
I am considering working livery at the agricultural college. It is free and will really take the pressure off for me financially and in terms of time, for the next year while I complete my masters. I did equine studies when I first left school, I know how fussy colleges are about how they do things so it won't be like RS working livery. And there is fab hacking in the area there. So I am waiting to hear about whether they would want her, I am paranoid about our saddle situation!

Sorry to hear you are so unhappy there, that sounds a great plan though - free livery and competent riders to keep her in work? They probably have an indoor school too? (Am already feeling irrationally anxious about winter, but it is AGES away!) Anyway, hope it works out. What is the problem with the saddle?

Oh Manatee, it really sounds as though this new yard is not for you if its put you off riding your horse. College livery sounds fab though, these yards always seem to be run to the highest standards imaginable and to find working livery for free sounds a good deal if you can still go and hack her out! What's your saddle situation?

I think I remember now, something about a treeless saddle?

Yep! Rubbish treeless saddle!

I did ride today just in the school. One of the other liveries was also riding in there at the same time. Perfectly nice women, perfectly off her rocker. She is trying to school her new horse to respond 'to her breath'. She was doing the most bizarre random walking around in such a way that it appeared aimless - possibly was! She looked quite concerned as the mare and I came charging past Dmare-mad-canter-style! (Charging past as in not literally charging, just appeared that way compared to her walking only schooling with her breathing!).

Haha, that is the sort of thing I get caught doing - never tried 'schooling with breath' but have done hands free course of jumps with reins knotted using 'the power of my mind' to steer him round which really means he just jumps the ones he likes. Have never ever pretended to be anything other than an idiot though.

Had best ever race at end of long ride out today, discovered that what I always thought was flat out was at best a mere two thirds of potential speed. But then usually once we are ahead I wouldn't spur him on so had no idea how much more there was. In awe of their power. They don't have to do anything for or with us really, they could kill us if they wanted to.

Having a lovely time with horses. New pony is getting fitter every day, and looks cared for rather than scraggy now. I think she's going to be a real diamond. We might try a small class at a little show next weekend to see how she likes it.

My mare, though is terrified of cats! She doesn't mind tractors, has accepted that cows won't kill her, coped with going past a maruee on a windy day but she tried to leg it in the opposite direction today when faced with a cat in the road. FFS!

Manatee, livery sounds fantastic! Would you retain set times when you could ride?

Dhorse is out of quarantine so I thought I'd take him in the school. I timed it badly though and had to wait for ages while a boy on a mini tractor drove round and round raking it all to perfection. It did look beautiful when he'd finished but the time was getting on so I decided to just lunge instead. Oh dear, dhorse dug a hole in the middle of the pristine school (despite my shouting and waving arms/whip etc) and then had a lovely roll. Then he dragged me to the side of the school so he could eat the weeds growing throught the fence. Oh the shame. Luckily I don't think anyone saw us.
I used to think I was quite good at lunging until I got this awkward character!

Well I wouldn't argue with a cat either! Nice mental picture of Pixel's horse rolling in freshly raked school though.

Waiting excitedly for footage of today's activities to appear on YouTube - it's 'what happens if we let them both loose in the school with lots of jumps'. Bit scary!

I've been feeling really rough for the last 3 days with my first cold in 18 months so I've not been up to riding, and the horseflies are still swarming as well. I'm going on holiday to Spain tomorrow and sincerely hope that this sodding cold goes away before Tuesday. I do not want to spend my week lurking in the shade sniffing instead of reading rubbishy books by the pool. Hope you all have a good week, despite feeling half dead and having to get up at 3.30am tomorrow I AM looking forward to my holiday, and a horse free week. No poo picking for a whole 7 days (even if I do have to catch up when I get back!).

Frosty, hope you feel better but surely you won't be lurking in the shade? Bit of sun the best thing for a cold I'd have thought! Sweat it out . Enjoy your holiday.

Mitchy, can you believe it he did it again today, in front of everyone this time. Honestly, his belly looked bigger than Queenie's as he went over and over, snorting and grunting like a pig.

Remind me never to lunge him in his tack. Or take him to the beach...

You should film it next time! WISH had captured horse bucking today, he got very excited about jumping without a rider and there's a pic on FB of him soaring about 3' over a pole on the ground. So they definitely do jump for fun!

Hope you enjoy miraculous recovery in time for holiday ff - why do you have to get up at 3.30am tomorrow though? Are you swimming to Spain?

Woke up this morning feeling a bit down, just had a read through all your weekend horsey stories and so much cheerier now. I think we can always rely on our horses and sometimes their riders (LOL riding to breath) for a bit of a smile! - thank you for brightening my day

Oh I never manage to catch the good bits on camera, I'm not that organised!

Had a lesson in the school today, hurrah! Had to keep moving the whole time as every time we passed a sandy bit dhorse thought it looked like a nice place to roll. He is such a comedian. He did eventually start listening to me instead of gawping at the ponies in the next field and did a nice trot, starting and stopping where I wanted. Believe it not that's an achievement. . Have discovered that my newly-adjusted saddle is still not right and is tipping me forward so saddler is coming out again on thursday, it looks like it needs some flocking. More expense, plus that's nearly another week where I can't get on with things properly. The children will break up soon arrgghhh!

Dhorse is being very sweet and cuddly though.

I had a dream that Barney rolled on me, you just reminded me. It didn't hurt in the dream but still hope it doesn't come true. They both keep doing that, if you stop for any length of time, paw the ground and start to buckle.

I got told off today , it was a bit mortifying but not undeserved. There are some things you mustn't jump and it really shouldn't have to be said. On plus side someone is taking me to a race track tomorrow! Not a proper one, but a thin bendy overgrown one. So at least my adrenalin junkie ways are understood and accommodated, hope I don't get ripped to shreds by prickly things.

Erm, dare I ask what you were jumping?

Let's draw a veil over the whole episode, pretend it never happened!

Lots of riding today, am aching all over. Might be getting too old for it? Or am suffering some sort of pizza deficiency? Anyway, hack number 1 was thrilling. Galloping up a track that runs parallel to a road, through the trees could see some weird white thing hovering next to us. Suddenly going faster and faster and then I realised it was a van and we were racing it! It won but I think we had the most fun.

Hack number 2 was the race track, very narrow, very overgrown, and most of the time I honestly thought I was going to die. It was great. Except I was with someone on a 12hh pony and where she could duck to avoid low branches I was 3hh taller and had lost both my stirrups which has never happened to me in gallop before, so I just wrapped myself round his neck and hoped we didn't part company. He almost completely lost his head and if we weren't galloping flat out across farmer's fields and up footpaths (argh) we were cantering on roads (triple argh) and even had a mini rodeo with the excitement of it all - reared, danced sideways on back legs when I tried to turn him away from main road. I'm not sure it will be a good idea to take him hunting, unless someone who can ride rides him! I finally got him to walk most of way home when he suddenly had a surge of excitement and bombed to our x country field to do a jump, which was a detour, then he walked home. I am so glad hardly anyone else rides him now, they might not like it.

Tonight I just took him in the school, make sure he was still alive and sound, he was quite keen to jump. Obviously new brakes (actually an ancient Pelham) rubbish so back in Dutch gag. I hope it works.