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Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

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 · 10/04/2011 14:24

Hello. A friend got my result for me and I got 55%. Not great but better than my first test last year. Comments said I coped well which I don't quite understand? He was quite relaxed, bit taken aback by the flowers and the warm up place was a bit hectic for me with a pigeon flying around. Am so glad we went early as it must have been really busy later. But, the main thing is, I REALLY enjoyed it and am off again on 22nd. I didn't ride very well but he was really good and very well behaved on the back there and back so I feel we're moving in the right direction. For the moment .....

ManateeEquineOhara · 10/04/2011 19:48

EP - Someone at my yard was talking about the Pontispool camp today! She did it with her horse, didn't really say much about it, we were talking in the context of doing Xcountry and she was saying that was the only place where she had tried. Having just looked on the website, I think it looks brilliant!

Well done Sykes :)

No riding for me today :( I lunged her and then the DCs both had a little bareback ride around in the school.

Pixel · 10/04/2011 19:53

Well done Sykes, glad you enjoyed yourself and your boy behaved.Smile

olderyetwider · 11/04/2011 10:42

GD came first at Working Hunter yesterday. Her very first red rosette. She was so thrilled (we tried w.h. as the enter every class and win it girls don't do it)

ManateeEquineOhara · 11/04/2011 11:39

Yay, well done Olderyet's GD!!! I have never done working hunter but I would like to - I have always thought it looks like a nice class, a good mix of skills needed :)

olderyetwider · 11/04/2011 12:34

Thanks Manatee, she's really taken with the working hunter class, and got some really good feedback from the judge, who was fantastic with the kids. She's written it down to work on with her instructor, and it'll definitely improve her riding all round.

MitchiestInge · 11/04/2011 15:18

congrats on workers

it's a bit nearly impossible to hack mine, head shaking and concrete tracks and dripping sweat - is it August or April? Got head butted about 500 times, they are both like bouncy rocking horses crossed with windmills. The pony rodeo'd like mad on Saturday and Sunday but was good today

CailinBainne · 11/04/2011 18:36

Both ponies out today

Big B on a 6 mile road hack, 1 spook, almost unseated me but not quite...

Li'l B on a quick 15 mins round the block with DD on him to test his new front shoes. Bit spinny as Big B was shouting him from the field all the way round, but "heels down, kick him on" saved the day

MitchiestInge · 12/04/2011 11:18

PLAN: ride out with daughter (youngest) who lost her hacking nerve over a year ago, now we officially have the little dartmoor he can start earning his keep by giving her confidence. Hopefully. He's a bit nervy in traffic but at least he doesn't bolt and buck like some sort of crazed rodeo monster if he is out with more than one other horse Hmm

CailinBainne · 12/04/2011 14:38

Go for it Mitch !!!

2 hour hack today with Big B - roads and forestry tracks - forecast lashing rain tomorrow so may give them a day off

sykes · 12/04/2011 18:57

2 hour hack, "jumped" tiny ditch and rode up tiny bank. Eventually got down, took a few minutes. Apart from that horse was really good and am so much more confident on him at the moment. PLEASE let it continue. The sun really helps.
Hope everyone else enjoying the good weather and that little dartmoor behaved, Mitchy? Pixel/Manatee etc, have you been up to much?

MitchiestInge · 12/04/2011 19:30

ahhh Envy you two with your two hour hacks, the bad thing about school hols

daughter opted out of hack, did lots of schooling on dartmoor and I didnlots of feeling-more-relaxed-than-usual! It is so nice just knowing the pony isn't going to buck, bolt or rear now and then. I might push her a bit tomorrow or just leave it or bribe someone else to coax her out - I don't know. She's not at all afraid to get on anything, jump anything, x country etc really good attitude to her intermittently insane pony but hacking scares her. I blame myself Blush for just bombing around in earlier days.

Was ok though, horse did mock eventer trial thing and to begin with he was so slow I thought 'oats oats we need oats' but he soon perked up. There is possibility of lazy rider too. I am still thinking about the oats though. Maybe 1/4 scoop.

ManateeEquineOhara · 12/04/2011 20:01

That is great that the Dartmoor is being so useful! I am going to see my old Dartmoor tomorrow for the first time since she went!

Sykes...well done jumping a ditch...they scare me!

Callin - I am also jealous of the two hour hacks in Easter hols...not poss for me in the holidays.

But I did manage a little after work ride. Unfortunately the mare has really ballooned the last few days and it has had such an effect on how she is to ride. She normally pops over the little jumps in the woods, but today she really struggled, and crashed right through one of them. So from today she is going to be ridden or lunged every day.

Pixel · 12/04/2011 20:11

Hi, no it's a bit difficult for me to get to ride atm, what with school hols and dh is working away all week so I'm a single parent! Ds has been ill anyway and has only just perked up a bit today, so I've been doing boring spring-cleaning in between wiping up snot/providing drinks etc. My mum is normally very good and will watch ds for me while I have a quick ride but her dog had a stroke today so I wouldn't ask. Sad.

sykes · 12/04/2011 20:39

I got rid of the girls to friends today and am doing the same tomorrow - hence ability to ride. But have to work tomorrow, I HAVE TO (am freelance and awful at time management).
Manatee, the ditch was not more than a puddle. And when I say "jumped" I mean kicked him down the "bank" (ie, tiny, little incline) to it and then sort of lunged up the other side/slight incline.
Mitchy, oats? You're mad. Why? He sounds lovely at the moment.
I HATE being out of control on a horse and am increasingly wimpier the older I get. But am trying to make my horse as sane and calm as possible as can only afford to run one and my older dd (younger one doesn't ride any more) will borrow/inherit in the next few years. I want her on a quiet as possible horse, for my nerves rather than hers. I don't like "nutters" any more - am sure she'd love to bomb around, though, but I want it to be as safe as possible and have brakes.
God, I sound dull.

Original poster
SupersonicDave · 12/04/2011 21:02

Envy at you all riding

School hols means i have DD with me the whole time, and DH is working later than usual so evenings aren't free either.

OP posts:
MitchiestInge · 12/04/2011 21:07

That is a good point, about children riding (although my older one is 20! Youngest 12 next month, middle one hardly ever rides but has asked for lesson and it would have to be him) although he is careful with certain people. He would never do anything like the pony does, he can just be a bit strong and fast but it's as if the bad bits of middle of summer are here already - podgy and slow. I don't want him to go mental, it's just weird having to nag him so much and bloody unheard of when jumping.

It was filmed each time, maybe can upload somewhere for some honest views. Maybe he is really getting older? :(

ManateeEquineOhara · 12/04/2011 21:14

Mitchie - I have fed the mare oats before, made no difference whatsoever. Some horses will react to them and some wont. If he is slow because of being podgy, chances are the oats will just add to the podge!

MitchiestInge · 12/04/2011 21:30

Oats usually bring back a bit of sparkle, I wonder if the 'problem' (it's not actually a problem is it) is that his whole life is Favourite Things now - no more plodging round in riding school but living out 24/7, loads of hacks, jumping so maybe it just isn't as exciting as before?

CailinBainne · 12/04/2011 22:03

ahh - mine's not on school hols till next week, hence the riding.... we'll be back to the 20 minute wonders next week Grin

MitchiestInge · 13/04/2011 09:41

Day off today, I think, except pony will have his schooling session. Dropped it (the proper ones, not schooling in general) to two a week because £ugh but am wondering if this is not something to scrimp on.

olderyetwider · 13/04/2011 10:58

Mitchie, my GD went through a scared of hacking stage last year (aged 10) I don't know how old your DD is, but what broke through and got her out was giving her pony a top to toe groom, made him look utterly gorgeous, then just casually said that it was a shame not to show him off. It resulted in a ride around the village, just at walk with me on foot, and then up the bridle path at trot (I lost loads of weight last summer!). She got her confidence back, and hacked out happily after that.

GS (not that horsey and doesn't want to come with us every day) is away with the school this week so we're riding every day. Tis lovely, but I ache

Pixel · 13/04/2011 15:51

Ds seems a lot better today (apart from a nosebleed this morning) so we took dshetland for a little ride which he thoroughly enjoyed. Didn't trot in case it started the nose off again!

Original poster
SupersonicDave · 13/04/2011 18:35

Hello.

Mitchy - i used to give my mare oats sometimes if i felt she was a bit 'meh' Blush tbh, it was probably just lack of fitness as the oats did bugger all.

The girl at our yard (who is taking Mare to PC soon - yay!!) rode Mare today. I had a very proud mummy moment at how beautiful she was going in trot Blush Grin canter leaves a bit to be desired, but hey ho, it will come.

Apart from really not having time to ride, my back is so bad atm, that schooling leaves me unable to walk. Got an app with the chiro next week though so hopefully i will sorted.

OP posts:
MitchiestInge · 13/04/2011 20:36

She was about ten, older, when her nerve mysteriously went (a few too eventful hacks too many) but will be twelve next month. I might try your approach tomorrow!

Glad your son is better pixel. Alice what has happened to your back?

Pony was v grumpy. It's weird how I can watch him in a not great schooling session and simultaneously melt at his beauty and feel a bit cross at his stroppiness.

My favourite thing today was mucking out! Am sure the novelty will wear off but aren't rubber mats NICE?

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