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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:

sykes · 04/04/2011 15:07

Ouch. Hope you're not too sore - did you manage to get back on okay? I have a feeling that my horse isn't too keen on sheep.

ManateeEquineOhara · 04/04/2011 16:57

Yes, got straight back on and made her canter to the end of the field, then trot all the way up a huge hill because I was annoyed with her! I am going to try and work on the sheep issue!

Ponks · 04/04/2011 22:35

Manatee, you do have lively rides! Hope the buttock subsides soon!

Miserable weather here so we just had a quick wander round the yard down to the fields then a quick schooling session in the arena. Nothing that would be recognised as dressage :) but enjoyed myself anyway.
So pleased that my mare has kept her condition really well over the winter - this time last year she was quite poor in comparison. But she is getting some nice topline.

olderyetwider · 05/04/2011 11:04

GD's pony is a bright bay welsh/arab cross who is very pretty, looks really sharp, and is really safe but fun. Do you think it would be possible to get a 14.2 version, or are they all on the diddy side?

Pub ride was fab, but DH's mare ALWAYS does a giant poo as soon as we get there. They don't seem to mind too much and it does amuse the children in the garden

We rode Saturday and Sunday as well, long hacks with lots of trotting and a couple of canters. My new girl is just a dream, and a total confidence giver. Best present I have ever had.

First show of the season next Sunday. Gd practising her individual show for Working Hunter. She'll enter the novice SJ class as well, but doesn't stand a chance as a number of girls always enter, and always win (they always also win the open classes, and one is affiliated). I think it's mean of them to enter (and the club shouldn't let them), but maybe that's just sour grapes!

Good warm up for the club we've joined's shows though.

Original poster

SupersonicDave · 05/04/2011 12:50

Our local Riding Club has lots of jumping shows, but so many of the classes have quite strict requirements eg. Nursery jumping - combination not to have won more than 3 SJ classes, Horse Novice, Under 18 (over 14.2) Under 18 (under 14.2)

i think if you get enough entries it is a good way of doing it as it is very fair, the course is set up appropiately for the entrants and people are willing to come back if they have a chance of coming home with a rosette.

Gelding lunged in side reins yesterday. No exercise today due to DD not at preschool/rubbish weather/crap night last night.

OP posts:

CailinBainne · 05/04/2011 14:31

20 minute road hack today past the "super scary pony-eating STOP sign" (though we cheated a bit, got DH to walk alongside and Big B danced a little bit then decided to follow him, then he turned and walked home as I did the rest of the ride)
Really windy and cows with calves in the fields so a bit of a jumpy ride but we walked through the massive puddle no bother, and beside the whooshy stream.

Well done Manatee for getting back on.

ManateeEquineOhara · 05/04/2011 18:52

Olderyet - that does seem a bit unfair

I rode the mare around the woods after work, to just have a nice fun ride together after yesterday's not-so-fun ride. It was lovely, we just played around with little jumps and stuff. I also made sure I kept her attention though and didn't get too complacent, I would hate to fall off two days in a row!

elephantpoo · 06/04/2011 13:57

Manatee - I know the day will come that I fall off again......not looking forward to it. Got a feeling it'll hurt a bit more now I'm older

Well, 1 week on from our first sit on, and I rode around the block with yard owner today!

We met 2 tractors and scarey sheep / cows hidden behind hedges and he was an angel. Had one little spook when he saw his own shadow
but apart from that he was brill.

Our aim now is a "ride for life" near the end of May. Low-key, but a big thing for us.

Sounds like everybody's having fun ATM.

ManateeEquineOhara · 06/04/2011 14:38

OMG EP that is brilliant! What a fab little horse you have got! :)

We went on a bit of a sheep familiarisation ride today :) Went out with another of the liveries which I don't often do. She was good, there were no sheep in fields we could go in, but plenty in fields by the road that we stopped to admire for all their cute, non-threatening qualities :)

elephantpoo · 06/04/2011 15:12

I nearly choked on my tea when I read sheep familiarisation ride

Original poster

SupersonicDave · 07/04/2011 08:26

Morning

at sheep familiarisation

Rode Gelding last night. When i first got on he felt like a bloody giraffe! Was definitely thinking that the show on Easter Sunday was way too soon. Brought everything back to basics, walk - halt, make him stand, when he softened scratched his neck and asked him to walk on again, then when he fought against me, brought him back to halt again, and so on. Then at the end i asked him to trot, and he did a lovely trot, so finished up very pleased with him.

Today i am hoping to lunge both over poles.

OP posts:

MitchiestInge · 07/04/2011 09:37

haven't been here for a couple of days and missed so much!

we have been doing lots too, did free schooling over jumps (horse) - he has obviously done it before because while I was thinking 'ok, loose horse in bridle, now what?' he showed us how it goes :) it was exciting at the time anyway

yesterday I think he fell asleep on our hack oh and I rode the dartmoor for first time, it was hilarious trying to rise to his trot. He is really speedy but have severe 'am going to break his back and legs' anxiety because he is so so tiny, even though I know they are sturdy.

Other pony is incredibly athletic now he has got the hang of using himself correctly a bit more. Thinking about doing BSPA things but scared to find out in case £silly?

MitchiestInge · 07/04/2011 09:51

Horse might need a few days off, he did the 'fuck off with that saddle' thing and I had a feel of his withers and there is a little bald patch :( has done really really well to get through winter living out under about a hundred rugs so time to go naked overnight. Which is a huge relief because they are both being so silly about having rugs taken on and off each night/morning

ManateeEquineOhara · 07/04/2011 20:42

Mitchie I totally know what you mean, trotting on a little pony is very silly!

I rode the mare around the woods again tonight, it was lovely. :)

ManateeEquineOhara · 07/04/2011 22:02

Tonight...what am I talking about!? It was in the afternoon

Pixel · 07/04/2011 22:58

Took dhorse out today, we saw everything, lorries and diggers and stuff and he was very bouncy but I was brave(ish). Think I might have to try a stronger bit though, I didn't want to but he is getting quite difficult to stop at times.

Manatee, stop going on about your woods, I am so . All we get is the odd bramble or gorse bush!

ManateeEquineOhara · 08/04/2011 07:31

Pixel, But I am so excited about the woods!!! You see for the last 8 years I have had an hour hack to get to any woodland! Now we have these little woods right on the yard! They are lovely, albeit very muddy...water seems to run about an inch under the ground in places, but I do appreciate having them there!

I recently changed bit, I was also very apprehensive about it but it has made such a difference, I don't know who I was kidding having her in a rubber snaffle before

sykes · 08/04/2011 16:00

Am doing a baby dressage test tomorrow - walk and trot. It's only his second test. Hoping a friend will hack there with me but if not will go solo. Hadn't looked at test until a lesson today and have since found out I did the wrong one so am tanking up to the yard tonight to try to run through. It doesn't really matter but as no one is around to call it for me I really need to learn it. Am not plaiting up - seems OTT and have a weekend of hell with the girls dancing in shows so don't have much time at all as the shows involve 24 drop offs and pick ups. Quite mad.
Well done Pixel, sounds huge progress. Don't like not being able to stop. Horrible feeling. Anybody else up to much? It's a bit pathetic that it's only walk and trot, I know, but have hardly schooled him because of an injury and am massively crap at the moment. Hopefully, will do prelim next month. I've only done one on him since I've had him and got a pitifully awful mark.

Pixel · 08/04/2011 19:05

Nothing wrong with walk and trot. I rode my instructor's pony for some lessons (he is sooo well schooled, as different to dhorse as a sports car and a truck!) and I had a go at a walk trot test. It was my first attempt ever and it was definitely harder than it looked!
I would like to try it with dhorse but we are a long way off that as we've nowhere to school. I spent some time nagging the farmer this week to at least level off some ground as I happen to know he has a digger. He says he will but now the trough has broken and needs mending, and calving is about to start, then it will be lambing... Always an excuse!

Rode today but can't say I enjoyed it. Spring grass and no rugs is having an effect, think I'll have to rename dhorse Tigger! Every little thing was an excuse to have a bit of a buck. Even dpony who has spent the winter plodding about, grumbling about his arthritis and generally giving the appearance that he's a bombproof old gent was hyper and got himself all sweated up. Normally when I get nervous of dhorse I make the person riding dpony swap with me but today I didn't think I'd be any better off so stayed where I was.

Ponks · 08/04/2011 21:06

Good luck with the dressage tomorrow Sykes. Nothing wrong with a W&T test! My DH is taking my mare to a dressage comp tomorrow too. He rides her a lot better than me at the mo as rides her forward, whereas I put the handbrake on all the time if you know what i mean.
I had a lesson and had a little jump on my mare. I was so scared. She loves it but I don't know what has happened to me, in last couple of years I have lost my nerve completely. We were only jumping a tiny tiny x pole too.

ManateeEquineOhara · 08/04/2011 21:15

Good luck Sykes :)

Ponks, just keep having fun with your mare - the best way to get confidence back IMO.

No riding today :( However I have ridden the last 5 days in a row, I haven't ridden that often in ages and I am loving it at the moment :)

MitchiestInge · 09/04/2011 16:58

pony rodeo FREAK this morning, grrrrr

Pixel · 09/04/2011 17:25

My sister is cross, she actually likes it when dpony is a bit feisty but she can't ride atm because she's having physio on her back.

I haven't ridden today because I have a poorly ds who wants his mum. Not a great start to the school holidays!

Ponks · 10/04/2011 10:31

How did the dressage test go sykes? My DH did a couple of dressage tests on my mare yesterday. She went very well for her and no spooks which is good. Not placed but also not last yay!(I spent a year entering lots of comps and coming last every bloomin time so even second last is an achievement!)

elephantpoo · 10/04/2011 10:51

Manatee-I've also ridden 5 days in a row - loving it Sounds like you're having fun.

OK, so the 9th time I sit on Dpony and we rode around the block with DD on her pony yesterday and Dpony was a superstar. Led the way all the way and we even met 2 dirt bikes along a byway and he didn't flinch. I've also replaced voice commands for stand and walk on with actual aids and it's working

This pony is the best!!

I wonder how sykes got on. You all sound very active with dressage, jumping and competitions............

Another aim for this year is a beach ride that there's whispers of and this www.pontispool.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=10 (maybe

Anybody been to this one, or similar?

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