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.

Oh no,what a shame and how frustrating.I hope he is on the mend soon.

We just had a hack around the block to the next village and back today.As we got back we got caught in a rain shower,only to find that another lorry was unloading and blocking the track back to the yard again.We must have really bad timing! There was no way we could squeeze past so we had to ride to the end of the village and over the fields to get in by the field gate.We were all drenched and cold after our detour.I just want a hot bath and bed now,but my parents and aunt and uncle have all gone to the hunt supper tonight and I'm the taxi on the way home.[I shall go a bit early and circulate though].

Ah-that's hard luck re. the winter champs Butkin :(

Mirage-this weather is so unpredictable ATM.

Took DD out to the children's meet yesterday (her first time and Dpony's first time too!!) Went dressed for the hail showers we were greeted by, but didn't account for the blazing sun in between!!! Still, worked off some Easter calories
Dpony behaved impeccably. DD had some good canters over open moor and even sneaked in some little jumps (the meet was at the local PC's cross country course)
All in all a good day.

Everyone's been busy then! I've not done much as we are completely consumed by house selling/renting problems. I did squeeze in a fun ride a few weeks ago which went well, I went on my own at the last minute but hooked up with some other solo riders and we did our 12 miles in about 1 hour with a fair number of jumps, although as the ground was a bit hard we didn't do them all. Other than that I've just done the odd hack out in between the showers and snow and hail!

I've now find myself a temporary job for the next month or so, so Dhorse will have even more of a rest, and will no doubt pay me back when he does go out!

Finally decided DD's pony had no heat in hoof yesterday so went for a pootle in the field and all well. Today she and DW, on the Connemara, went for a ride in Thetford Forest because the tracks are sandy and we knew the good ground would be ideal for DD's pony. They had a great time (narrowly missed the hailstorm) and all back safely. Now thinking of getting back on the search for a Royal International ticket two weeks today.

Yay, big success, gd got her pony to understand 'long and low' last night. She's spent hours building the quality of her pony's walk and got such a huge sense of achievement when she lifted her back and stretched down into the contact. GD can't wait for tonight, to do another schooling session in walk.

I want to go for a bomb around the fields. Might go out with a friend and leave gd to her proper riding

trailblazers SJ qualifier tomorrow :) nice to be doing stuff again

We're entered (28 quid down the drain) for the RI qualifer at BSPS 5 (Arena UK) tomorrow but have decided not to go because of the awful weather forecast. Will be on a surface but getting there in this wind will be horrendous and will probably get stuck when we arrive and working in could be tricky.

Just got to hope that things improve before next weekend and our next qualification attempt.

I don't blame you for not going Butkin if today was meant to be the nice day of the weekend,goodness only knows what tomorrow will be like.We have a ticket for the Point to Point tomorrow,but don't think it'll go ahead somehow.

We went to an equine table top sale today and got some real bargains,a brown velvet hat silk and a brown leather show cane for 50p each and some other bits and pieces.Apparently newboy was very successful at l/r showing so DD2 wants to have a go.I don't want to spend a lot of money as he is unregistered and it is only a bit of fun.I've got everything apart from a brown tweed jacket for her,some gloves and a leather lead rein,so am keeping an eye on ebay.

We went out on a hack today and I put DD2 on the l/r as I'd rather be safe than sorry on the road,but he behaved impeccably,even when dpony screeched to a halt and looked horrified because some ramblers were up ahead.It was just lovely to have both dds riding and not have one of them trailing behind.I was less pleased when I went to swap newboy's rug later on and he nipped off and rolled in the mud before I could stop him.

I've ducked out of going to arena uk tomorrow too Butkin (although hadn't pre-entered so no money lost!), it's filthy up here.

DD has had a major growth spurt and is looking a little long in the leg on dpony . We're not ready to let him go and it's not clear what DD would really want from her next pony but need to start looking. We know of a couple via word of mouth and there's some nice ponies on Horsequest but hard to judge what dpony would be worth in current market. DH was not happy when I floated a crossover period but will keep working at it....

Marialuisa, cross overs are the way to go! Very important that DD doesn't feel pressured to hurry to buy a new pony or to crack on with it when it is purchased. If she still has the old one for a while it takes all the pressure off. It also means that when you come to sell you can genuinely point out to prospective purchasers the bigger or more advanced pony.

what a disastrous day :(

Ooooo can I join in?! Horrid here had a hack yesterday and survived with no rearing!! Though both were mental!!! Today I think I'll lunge or just do nothing!! Dressage lesson tomorrow!!

Ugh,disgusting day.I am about to go to the yard for the 4th time today and thankfully it seems to have stopped raining.Newboy is in his stable and dpony is out in her field with a brand new rug on.The dds are full of energy as they aren't used to not riding and are bouncing off the walls.

I took the ponies to meet the dds from school yesterday.I walked them to the next village,where the school is and waited in the car park for the girls.The ponies were very very well behaved and didn't put a foot wrong,despite being surrounded by gangs of excitable children.The dds had taken their riding kit to school with them,so got changed,hopped on and rode home.I could see some of the teachers eyeing me and fully expect a letter home asking me not to bring ponies onto school premises, but I'm not the first one to do it and won't be the last.If they don't like it,I'll park them on the pavement outside next time and yell like a fishwife so that the dds can tell their teachers that mummy is there to collect them.

We hacked home,dropped off the school bags and then rode a couple of miles to some friends and hacked back with them.On the way home we stopped off in one of grandad's fields and DD1 and her friend did some pony racing.Newboy blotted his copybook a bit by trying to kick two of the other ponies because they were nearer dpony than he was and we think he is jealous and protective of her.I was shattered when we got home,I'd started out at 2.30pm and been walking until we got back at 6.50pm.

DD2 went to her first PC rally today and had a lovely time.However,I don't think the instructor likes dpony.The first time she saw her with DD1,she remarked 'I recognise THAT pony',with a look on her face that suggested that it wasn't a pleasant recollection.Today,she said 'Oh,that's dpony,better move her away from the others',now dpony has never kicked or bitten another pony or behaved badly at PC so I've no idea why she said that.Even my mum,who goes to PC with us,remarked that she seems to have a downer on dpony and has made a comment about her every time.Oh well,we love her to bits and that is the important thing- if we could find a smaller version of her,I'd be over the moon.

When I was at sixth form my sister was in 5th year and was allowed to go riding as her PE lesson. She used to come and pick me up after college on our mum's horse and as he was part shire we would both ride him home. One of the teachers would always beg a ride and take him for a canter round the school playing field.

Pixel

Hmm! Newboy's owner said that he is so worried about walking over things that he won't walk over electric fence tape if it is on the floor.Yesterday morning he had knocked it down and obviously got himself over it as he was in the big field with dpony.

After we rode yesterday,I was fiddling with the tape,extending the fence and he came charging over,leapt over it and galloped off across to dpony..He wouldn't let me catch him,so I herded him back and before I could get the fence back up,he'd done it again,the little swine.He must be feeling more confident.I emailed his owner and she just can't believe it because in the 6 years she has owned him,he has never voluntarily jumped over or walked over anything lying on the ground.

did some unplanned jumping today, trotting along the road thinking 'ah, blue sky, this is lovely oh look a green finch' etc when horse suddenly jumped up and over the verge and galloped along a field

it startled me but he had a point, it WAS fun

was thinking this morning that maybe he is too old for jumping and charging about and should we just hack quietly - he must be trying to prove something because he was about eighty times stronger and faster than usual

LOVE him, he is my absolute favourite person in the world

I'm glad things are going well,Alameda.Sound fun!

We had a lovely long hack down to dad's farm and over the fields,and newboy was very good at ignoring the sheep,tractors and loony sheepdog.On the way home I saw a friend who said that a mutual friend has a coloured mare she wants to loan and she wanted to know if I'd be interested.Apparently,she has seen me traipsing around after the dds and thought I'd be the ideal home for her.I can't though,we've already got two now and I've lost a days work a week,so can't afford any more mouths to feed.

We are off to see another pony for DD2 on Friday.We've had reservations about Newboy ever being a reliable jumper,and an instructor who has been working with him has agreed that he has been scared going over something in the past and may never get comfortable jumping.Even if he is fine walking over poles one way,he'll refuse the same poles seconds later.DD2 is very pragmatic and agrees that long term,he won't be right,so the hunt continues.On the plus side,DH has agreed to buy rather than loan if we can find the right pony.

Good luck, wish my daughter took that sort of view - her relationship with her pony is hard for me to understand. She is deeply attached to him but they very rarely get it together. She gets such severe stage fright :( I don't know if it's just an interactional thing, a dynamic they create together or something she would bring to every horse?

We went to see a pony today,but it is a no goer,when we got there we found that he is ridden in a dutch gag,can throw a buck when cantering and was coughing.DD2 did ride him after their groom had lunged him,but although she rode him extremely well,he isn't for us.The groom was an instructor for a nearby PC and both she and the pony's owner commented on how well DD rode and what a lovely seat she had,which was nice for DD2 to hear.So,back to the drawing board.

well done your daughter anyway, better luck next time!

we've acquired a lovely new loan pony, bit suddenly - as of today. wasn't actually looking but daughter has ridden her several times, a real confidence giver (I hope). This means I get the old pony and I am going to Get On With Him or die trying!

Horse is not getting any younger :(

That sounds promising!Some things are meant to be. I love confidence givers,dpony is one and I always think that if she was never able to be ridden again tomorrow,she has more than done her job and owes us nothing.

We are off to look at a mare tomorrow.I spoke to the owner about her a month ago,but we wanted to loan and she had to sell as her DH said she had too many horses.Now I've talked DH around to buying and she is happy to LWVTB to us if she suits.The only downside is that she hasn't hunted,but we could always try hound exercising in the holidays before we decide.

I really don't enjoy horse finding-if I could clone dpony I would.

Hi, does anyone mind if I join in? I got a horse on loan 3 weeks ago after a 4 year break. I've ridden him a grand total of 5 times so far and loving it! It would be really handy to have somewhere to record our progress. So far we've been in the school 3 times, once for a lesson, and out for 2 hacks. He is very green, and I am very unfit and out of practice, which I guess on paper is not a great combination but hopefully we will get there!

His biggest issue is standing to be mounted, he seems to get genuinely frightened when I get up on a mounting block. The first 3 times I got on him he either shot forwards, or spun round, once I finally managed to get close enough to get on him. We had a breakthrough a couple of days ago when someone was stood stroking him while I tried to get on. She covered his eye so he couldn't see me, and he stood like a rock. We tried the same again yesterday, with the same result, bizarre but seems to be doing the trick!

fingers crossed mirage :) let us know how it goes

hi notinmylife, that's very interesting about the mounting block - is it the same if you have a leg up or mount from the ground? we have to do stunt mounting on our pony, but he has a very wide range of rider evading techniques. The good thing is that am getting quite skilled at mounting from either side, with or without a block or any sort of assistance, at speed and in circles if necessary! what sort of horse is he?

new super pony means Return to Mucking Out, and shavings at that - hate shavings, but is small price to pay if it works out. Only worry is that daughter will feel pressured to compete, she has a very push/pull thing with competitions esp. SJ which is pony's thing and it is more stress than it's worth really hopefully can emphasise that it is just an extension of existing arrangement whereby she rides her when she feels like it, except now she sort of has to

project Love Riding The Coloured Pony continues this pm, want as seamless and painless a transition as possible for when the time comes to retire horse (which could be a few years anyway?) but that's my goal anyway