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.

I can recommend riding on the beach at Hunstanton on the North Norfolk coast. You can park up really close to the beach (about a tenner I think) and then it is flat and wide although you have to watch out for little rivelets in the sand. Best to go at either end of the summer season though if you don't want to be bombarded by balls and kites.

That looks lovely marialuisa I'm glad that you have a good time.
Butkin that is useful to know about Hunstanton-it is one of our nearest bits of coast and the dds would love to ride there.

Our rally for tomorrow is cancelled due to bad weather. But on the plus side,we may have found another pony for DD2.I have asked her instructor to look at the ad and a film of him as I wasn't sure if he'd be 'too good' for her,but she says that dd2 would love to ride something as forward going as him and he looks a great little pony.I think I sometimes underestimate dd2's ability,because she is so tiny. I've spoken to the owners a couple of times and they have said that we sound the perfect home for him,so hopefully will go and see him next week.

We are eating our picnic that we had made for the rally,looking out at the rain.I've just had a phone call from the owners of the 'perfect pony' that we missed out on last week,apparently the people who said they wanted her have found a loan pony instead,but didn't bother telling the vendor,so she is back on the market.We are going to see her next weekend,and the other one in the week,my poor head is spinning.

Good luck with "perfect pony" Mirage.

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday we went to Suffolk Show in lovely weather. DD rode the grey SHP and finished 2nd - with the judge saying she did the best "show" and giving her the BSPS Best Rider qualification card. We were highly delighted with their whole effort. If it had been a RI qualifer she would have been ok because the winner has already qualified for both Ri and Hoys this season.

Then today Suffolk is cancelled due to bad weather and we've also lost the show jumping competitions she was going to do on the palomino.

hooray sponsored ride tomorrow

on one hand I'm thinking 'what a good way to introduce pony to concept of going out with lots of other horses and NOT doing handstands with excitement'

on other hand I'm thinking 'I could just enjoy myself on the horse instead'

decisions

Excellent result Butkin.

Hope it goes well tomorrow Alameda whichever you decide to ride.

We went to try the pony I thought might be too good for DD2 today,and was right.He was lovely,couldn't fault him,but he'd be ideal for her in 18 months-2 years,not now.I'd hate to put her off by overhorsing her at this stage,or ending up spoiling a good pony because he isn't getting what he needs.So we said there and then that he wasn't right for her.We still have to see 'perfect pony' next weekend though and I have a gut feeling that she is the right one.Fingers crossed anyway.

We had a lovely ride today,and the dds were racing each other over one of my dad's fields.DD2 cantered newboy in an open field for the first time and was grinning fit to burst.In their last race,newboy got so excited that he put in a little buck,then a bigger one ,but DD2 stayed on,although minus her stirrups.It was hilarious watching him and by some miracle,DH managed to film it. DD1 managed to fall off dpony sideways when the naughty old thing stopped mid canter to put her head down and snatch some grass,so it was comedy riding day in the Mirage household.

I want to ride with the mirage children!

There is very little skin left on my hands what sort of person goes on such a long ride without gloves? Very glad I rode the horse though, think it would have been asking a bit too much of fatso, in distance and all the company.

I've just come back from a fun ride - and it was fun! I rode Dhorse yesterday and could happily have throttled him, he was shying at new tarmac, fallen twigs, every rustle in the hedge and anything he could think of as well as doing a vertical lift off every time a bike came past (I wish they'd make more noise as they approach). It made me wonder whether it was wise to go out today, but I'm glad I did.

He was very bouncy and his eyes were on stalks but he was generally pretty good - he lit up when he saw some showjumps that had been put out! I went on my own but manage to link up with somene going a similar pace and we had a very enjoyable 15 miles up hill and down dale - it was beautiful.

Dhorse was so tired he ambled into the trailer like a lamb, and stood stock still when we got home and I washed him off, normally he leaps about and waves his legs at me!

Now he's dry and had a roll I shall go and brush him down, and then go and have a hot bath, my backside is a bit sore!

Mirage Is this too far away for you? Perhaps worth considering if next week doesn't work out (I don't know the pony, just found it on our local website - Hereford Equestrian)? There may be others there if you trawl through!

ULTIMATE CHILDS PONY FOR SALE OR LOAN

Only re advertised due to complete timewasters. 13 hand black Welsh section C 9 years old. We have had this pony since she was a foal, professionally backed and schooled, she has tutored many children and small adults to be at the top of their game. She excells hunting, pony club, juniors, sj, xc, dressage, ode and of course whp. This pony will take any rider to the top. Although forward going, she is not strong or difficult to handle. She has been hunted with the Ledbury. For more info please call

Details
Name: Emma Launder
Email: Make an enquiry
Phone: 07800770556
County: Gloucestershire
Price: £2800 or loan
Date added: 15/02/12

Jumped for the first time in two years today! Was brilliant fun but really relentless! I jumped everything at really flat forward going canter and jumped a four jump jumping lane with only two strides between them. I also managed to get chucked as well He stumbled and I lost a rein, I leant forward to get it and hit the ROCKET BOOST button he bucked big and I flew off. I know now why I loved tearing round on the little welshie as a teen, he is a real pony with an awsome jump and is real fast

haha at rocket boost, I hit that button today on rodeo boy but did not fall off - just a cheeky buck and a bit of a gallop

love him as much as I love the horse, although in quite different ways, didn't think that would EVER happen. Probably helps that I'm fairly easily pleased :) has taken quite a long time though

oi, poor thread had drifted on to page 2

wanted to record today's amazing achievement of Doing Walking (where would normally gallop), I feel quite horrible doing it but it is a good thing isn't it? Once was sure he was listening we had a surprisingly collected canter. Why doesn't that ever happen in the school or when people can see?

I've been so good for so long you can't imagine how nice it was to let pony gallop full pelt up the hill of the disastrous fall for the first time since the disastrous fall - but not until we had ambled for two hours around the village and paddled up the river, love long shadows and evening sun

finally finally think have got as perfect a pony, for me, as I could wish. So glad I didn't give up on him :)

Well done Mitchy, so pleased that you've persevered! Keep us informed...

:) thank you

I suppose it IS ok just to hack him? pretty much forever? you CAN jump a course, do a test or show or whatever on him but he is happiest hacking, sometimes worry it is a waste but it's not like he has masses of talent for anything in particular. He can't jump sideways (yet)

We went to our second show today and had a lovely time.It was surprisingly good going considering the dreadful weather we've had.DD1 came 3rd in First Ridden and DD2 5th in Lead rein and DD1 got 2 clear rounds jumping and DD2 got one,so we came home very pleased if shattered.

We said a sad goodbye to Newboy and dropped him off at his owners.We pick up DD2's new pony on Wednesday,so it'll be interesting to see how she gets on with her.

oh well done finding a show that wasn't cancelled! and for the rosettes

am just squelching everywhere, all our bridleways are like paddyfields (if paddy is short for paddling) - riding them each a lot, every day, but barely breaking even in the war against podge so will be making a fat camp partition for them sometime this week

I've been reading through this log as we've had dpony for just over a year now and it is hard to remember the milestones and how far we've come/setbacks ect.It has been really useful to refer back to so I thought I'd better start logging Blueberry,our new pony's progress.Hopefully I'll be able to look back at it in the future and see how we've improved.

So far,we've had her just under 2 weeks,but only ridden her 4 times due to waiting for the farrier as she was foot sore,then her losing a shoe less than a week later.DD2 has had a lesson on her and B was a bit silly going into trot,our instructor thinks it is her being a bit fresh as she hadn't been ridden since May.We have put DD2 onto the lead rein for the time being until B settles in and gets down to regular work.We have PC Camp in 3 weeks so that will be a good opportunity to sort her out.

Mirage, I hope you don't mind but I am going to shamelessly copy you! Good luck with getting to know your new boy, he sounds lovely! Having read your post yesterday I realised I have now had William nearly 3 months! He has settled in brilliantly, and is a lovely natured chap, there have been a few bumps along the road so far though.

As I don't have Alameda's mounting at speed skills, (and he gave me plenty of chances to try them out!) we have had to do a lot of work to get him standing to be mounted. We are definitely getting there now. He will stand outside his stable, and let me get on, from an upturned bucket, without moving a muscle, even if no one is holding him, which is a huge improvement! I have even managed to get on at the mounting block twice now, although he is still less keen on that, and needs someone on the ground at his head to re assure him.

I have also had to change his bit, and get his teeth checked after a spectacular display of bucking and spinning, which I failed miserably to stay on. I think his bit pinched him, and thankfully we have had no repeat since I changed it for an Egbutt snaffle, and he is now a lot more relaxed.

My latest issue, now that he is going well, is a torn thigh muscle, which is driving me nuts. I have had a painful thigh, on and off since I got him, but I decided to go for our first gallop, a couple of weeks ago, and felt something snap. The next day I developed a massive bruise, the size of a saucer. Doctor says it is a torn muscle, and to rest it, which I am not doing particularly well at, although I have been trying to take it easy.

So all in all, I think we are getting there. I have been having lessons, and the instructor has said we could think about doing some jumping, in a few weeks, once I have got my seat a bit more sorted, so am very excited about that, I just need to get my bloody leg right first! He is hacking out happily in company, and will go out on his own, although he is a little more nervous. How is everyone else getting on??

you are having an eventful time of it! hope you get better at resting so your leg can get better

horse has been lame but apparently well and truly on mend now, miss him quite severely (away on holiday) and also miss pony to lesser extent

It's just under 3 weeks until dpony goes to his new home and we "complete" on new pony. DD trying very hard to focus on the positives of new pony but gets very sad and quiet at bed time. We're trying to wind down how much time she spends with dpony and make the transition, so opting for a riding club open show for gymkhana games and handy pony rather than our area BSPS show this Sunday.

DD had a

...whoops the cursor ran away from me....

Was going to add that DD had a fantastic ride on new pony this afternoon after a very trying 45 minutes with dpony, who just wasn't in the mood for serious flatwork. She said afterwards that she loves new pony already so the time they've spent "hanging out" is paying off.

Nice to hear others are having fun and making progress too.

Notinmylife ouch! That sounds really painful.Well done on the progress with mounting though-I remember you posting about it before and it sounds a real improvement.

Alameda glad that your boy is on the mend! I'm of you being on your hols though.

marialuisa I'm glad that your dd loves her new pony already,and that you found a good local home for dpony.Keep us posted on her progress on the new one.

The girls both had a lesson with the PC instructor yesterday and B was very good for the first 25 minutes,then twice tried to buck when going into trot after that.Our instructor thinks that she just doesn't want to work and is sticking the equine equivalent of two fingers up at us,but that she has to learn to do as she is told.Luckily she had grassreins on so couldn't get her head down to buck properly,so DD2 sat it out and made her get on with it.After a bit DD2 went onto the leadrein as B's other trick is to plant and refuse to move,and she did some trotting and jumping on the lead and behaved perfectly.

Today we went in the school again,and kept her on the lead rein,she was good as gold,no bucking thank goodness,but planted and refused to move the minute I left her side.That doesn't bother me as dpony tried that trick and we got her out of it-I'd sooner that than bombing off.The farrier is due back out again tomorrow to put back the lost shoe,so we can go hacking again which is what we really enjoy.

Back in the show swing at the moment after a few weeks off. Area 15A on Saturday (which despite being called Mid Herts is actually at Keysoe in Bedfordshire) to do HOYS class and possibly ride SHP off the LR for the first time. On Sunday we're off to Mid Shires (Milton Keynes) with Sec B just to do FR for fun in preparation ofr BSPS Summer Champs which are just around the corner.

We're not doing NPS, PUK or Equifest but look forward to hearing updates from anybody who is.

Alemeda, hope you are enjoying your holiday, glad to hear horse is on the mend!

Mirage, it sounds like you have a tricky customer there, but it doesn't sound like she will be allowed to get away with it for long! As my instructor keeps telling me, they get to do their own thing for 23 hours a day in the field, so it is not a lot to ask for them to do as they are told for the half hour or so in the school!

marialuisa, it sounds like the transition is all going well, although I'd imagine it will be tough for your DD when the old pony goes!

Butkin, sounds like you have a busy weekend coming up good luck.

I have been managing to resist the temptation to ride for the last couple of days, and I got a call from our local hospital yesterday to say I can have a physio appointment on Tuesday, so hopefully that will help. I am pleasantly surprised as the doctor said it would be 6 to 8 weeks until they could see me, so fingers crossed I will be fixed before too long.