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The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

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Original poster

Favourite horse activity

19 replies

horseylady · 14/06/2012 21:50

do you prefer games, dressage, eventing, jumping, hacking etc?

I love games and hunting my pony!! I also enjoy jumping but bought my big horse for showing and eventing (thought she doesn't do jumping ATM and I'm expecting) I've also become quite disheartened with showing (not for my results - other people's) that I've started doing lots more dressage!! It's so rewarding and there's so much to work on!!! Much less of a beauty contest but I've built a stronger relationship with her since working at a higher level than ever before??

Once baby arrived I hope to start drag hunting her, and hope it helps with the jumping issue. It may not though, and I may well lose my nerve!!

I also enjoy hacking but not the traffic!! Most of my riding is done on the roads and bridlepaths!!

I also like mucking out, grooming, bathing but not plaiting as much :)

OP posts:

serotoninbutterfly · 14/06/2012 21:55

I love anything horse related. mucking out, skipping out fields, grooming...

Hacking dressage cross country hunting jumping gymkhanas, lunging, whispering

Only issue I have is that I don't have my own horse

Original poster

horseylady · 14/06/2012 22:03

:( :( I have two I'm so lucky :) but when dh keeps asking which ones going (I was supposed to sell one) I just smile!!

My pony lives with me but is on loan, looking for a new loaner!!

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bonzo77 · 14/06/2012 22:08

Anything. Sniffing, grooming, cleaning tack, making feeds, hacking. Missing it all massively as pregnant and nervous about riding as I had a mc at Xmas. Daft really as rode till about 30+ weeks with DS. Was exercising for someone else, so really not much horsey access as the moment.

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 14/06/2012 23:36

Turnout. I love bathing, trimming and plaiting. I love making them glow and shine. I don't ride any more, but I love being the useful behind the scenes person.
I also love tack. Cleaning, oiling, polishing it and bringing it back to life. leather fetish

Mirage · 15/06/2012 08:25

I love watching the dds ride,it doesn't matter what they are doing.DD1 going hunting for the first time was one of my proudest moments though.I don't really ride myself,but do love being with the ponies.We have our first show next weekend and I'm really looking forward to it,we are hoping to do lead rein,first ridden,fancy dress,veteran and minimus jumping.[if the weather doesn't spoil it].

Callisto · 15/06/2012 08:44

Taking the pointers to the gallops. It feels like I'm flying, the feeling of all of that amazing strength underneath me and the speed. It's just breathtaking.

I also love seeing DD with her pony, she totally adores him and it reminds me of how I felt about my ponies when I was younger.

serotoninbutterfly · 15/06/2012 09:15

Am so of all you lucky ladies! Would give anything to be back in the saddle just can't afford it at the moment and despite living in leafy Oxfordshire there doesn't seem to be anyone that wants a horse mad girl to exercise their horses near me!

CMOTDibbler · 15/06/2012 09:23

I love doing my (v v v low level) dressage, and just having a nice bimble out hacking. I very much enjoy turning dpony from muddy monster to pretty boy, and trick training him

Original poster

horseylady · 15/06/2012 09:27

Callisto I'd love to do that!!!! My tb has only galloped with me once, and she scared herself so much it took me four weeks to make her canter again!!

My pony though loves going fast!!!

OP posts:

Treblesallround · 15/06/2012 14:25

Everything you've all said, I love it all really but especially putting them to bed. I love evening stables in the winter, there's just something so lovely about a nicely put to bed pony

otaku · 15/06/2012 15:57

Sounds weird but I just love looking and taking thier beaty in
love that moment when they accelerate and take off, such strength!

Backinthebox · 15/06/2012 16:00

Horseylady
"I've also become quite disheartened with showing (not for my results - other people's) that I've started doing lots more dressage!! It's so rewarding and there's so much to work on!!! Much less of a beauty contest"

Just a thought, but are you sure you understand showing? If you have a big horse, it should be ridden by the judge, and at that point the work you put in at home will become evident. If you think it is just a 'beauty contest' and reading between the lines, you are disappointed in other people perhaps beating you, then maybe you haven't explored the full extent of training and preparation required for a successful outcome in showing!

Back to your question though. I mainly hunt and show, but have been known to dabbled in eventing, hunter trials, SJing and dressage. I am also looking forward to getting my daughter's pony out in M&M in hand classes (for me!) and gymkhanas (for her.) I also seem to have got the job of taxi driver for the young girl who rides my horse occasionally, taking her to Pony Club and hunt stuff.

cazboldy · 15/06/2012 16:11

gaining their trust

have taken on a lovely girl who has been badly treated in the past and so has various issues.

with some help from a fab natural horsemanship practitioner, she is starting to trust me - in fact i would go as far as saying she is starting to like me

the sense of acheivement is immense

and also the knowledge that she was starting to become labelled as dangerous, and I have managed to save her from a nasty end

Butkin · 15/06/2012 19:57

Horseracing foremost - prefer jumping to flat (love Point to Pointing most of all) but flat racing is my job and I love it.

Showing is my favourite hobby and although I've always enjoyed riding myself now get a kick from DD's successes.

Love to go hunting and look forward to buying myself a new show hunter that I can take out this Winter and show next season if I'm not too decrepit by then.

Have enjoyed endurance in the past and that was great when we had the right horses.

Not that keen on tack cleaning and positively dislike poo-picking!

AllPastYears · 18/06/2012 23:25

Feeding my horse . He has such an excited look on his face, it's so sweet. Actually, I love just about anything horsey!

SoSad007 · 19/06/2012 00:56

I love most of it, but best of all is cross country. Its the feeling of a TB at a gallop, then the bunching of the muscles as they prepare to fly over a jump. So exhilarating! And once you've finished, you feel like going back to the start box and doing it all again .

I also love the discipline and training required in dressage as well. The feeling of the horse being really 'with you' - its like both your brains are melded and he is doing your will from telepathy. Just magic.

dappleton · 21/06/2012 09:44

Dressage - I wish I was much, much better at it than I am, but I love trying!
The chance for a really good gallop when hacking, reminds me of being 10-12yrs ish and flying across stubble fields in the summer holidays without a care in the world.

Original poster

horseylady · 21/06/2012 13:41

Back in the box- it was more a Tongue in cheek comment sorry! I know how much work and preparation goes into showing, having competed in it for years!

Perhaps it a change in instructor but I'm getting loads out of dressage and enjoying not hanging about a show for hours on end while classes over run. I still love watching it and grooming for people i just don't get any enjoyment out of competing in showing currently.

It will hopefully return!! All my friends do it!! Some are doing brilliantly others are having a tough time, it's horses!!

OP posts:

Backinthebox · 22/06/2012 14:13

Ah, I see. I used to get fed up of standing in line ups at shows hearing people saying "ooh, I didn't realise the judge would actually RIDE my horse, no one but me EVER rides my horse, I don't think I want a stranger on him, he might be naughty, etc, etc, etc." I used to bite my tongue and refrain from commenting that making sure your horse was immaculately schooled and capable of carrying any kind of rider with perfect manners and comfort at all speeds from a halt to a gallop are part of showing preparation. So many people do think it is a shiny pony contest. My show hunter carried the fieldmaster at one of our biggest meets, but I was also happy to put a 7 year old child on him at a showing clinic. Everyone always had the biggest smile after riding him, and that was down to the years of schooling I put in. He could also do good enough dressage test to get him well placed at Elementary level, and we were working on flying changes and passage.

He liked his hunting and dressage much more than his showing, and eventually went on to a hunting home for a slightly doddery chap, where his manners and schooling were essential for the chap to enjoy his hunting. My new lad is very young and green, but already he is getting used to carrying everyone from a novice to a whipper in. He's not the best looker, but in a couple of years I am sure he will be fab in working cob classes ('pah' that the BSHA mixed them all up with the riding horses and hacks!) as his jump is fab and he will be so comfy and well schooled. Rome wasn't built in a day, though. So no big shows for him till he's ready!

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