hapless hacking and Actual Riding log

[Mitchy1nge]

is the riding log full now? Haven't seen it for ages.

Anyway we (well, me and the horse) are back in very light work at last, 2013 can finally begin!

What are your goals?

am with you Mirage! would enjoy the horses at this time of year more if I was hunting twice a week like Frosty instead of as and when people take pity on me! I don't want it enough to arrange my own transport and so on, so £££y

but someone else is coming to try the rodeo machine tomorrow!

have described him simply as 'not a novice ride' but will give more details at the actual time. Not A Novice Ride, to me, says rider must be very experienced and sensitive and quiet and mentally tough but I wonder what other people understand by the term? Able to ride off the lead rein?

Day 3 completed without too much mishap, although we had a sticky moment at a tiger trap, on a slope out of a sown field and with a big drop. The 2 horses in front of me refused out to the left and dhorse had a moment of confusion caused by rider ineptitude and thought he was meant to be going left then realised he was meant to jump. He leapt almost from a standstill and caught me out, luckily as he landed I managed to stick on - much to the amusement of the others, but it was a long way down and I wasn't going to fall off if I could possibly help it!

It was a busy day, with a few long waits and sharp canters which had him well revved up at times - but he was better. I'm worn out, and I think he probably is too, we'll aim for Tuesday again and then I might give him next Saturday off as I'm worried about overdoing him.

Hope the test ride goes well tomorrow Mitchy, perhaps "needs rider with experience" would be a more direct way of wording it.

That's good but perhaps it should say what exactly they need experience of? Some people who have ridden more than one horse at the riding school think they have experience!
Hmm, let's see... experience of feisty ponies? experience of rodeo riding? In fact, experienced bronco buster and handsome cowboy required might do Mitchy very well as an ad .

Yes, hadn't really thought that through had I? The possibilities are endless when you start to think about it!

mmmmm that sounds good (have got a new handsome cowboy actually - well I think he is handsome, has a very youthful sort of cheeky charm at least)

I thought of you today Mitchy.We drove into the field with the trailer and dpony went berserk,galloping around doing handstands,winding up B who joined in with gusto. DD1 who was taking B to PC for only the 2nd time went pale at the sight of him bronking,but dpony was something else.We all stood there like this ,especially DH who has never seen her move so fast or buck as high.Goodness only knows what had gotten into her.

yikes, it really doesn't encourage you to get on them does it

how's everyone getting on? such a yucky time of year if you are not hunting but on plus side Old Horse has great new lease of life and has even been jumping fallen trees on hacks

I'm thinking of moving yards, as wonderful as it is where we are there is grazing available within walking distance. That could be wonderful couldn't it? Maybe not so many long gallopy hacking routes but for how long can an old horse benefit from those anyway?

Hi there .
I haven't ridden for a couple of weeks, what with no one to ride with, weather, and feeling rough after being savaged by the cat. Dhorse is putting on all the weight I got off him in the summer when he was away from my mum's influence .
It's possible we will be moving in the spring too. There is a field right next to my mum's house and about 15 mins walk (quicker on my bike but uphill so would get fit!) from me, which would save a lot of time and petrol and get us away from the crazy people. I don't know though, if I'm going to give up my paddock and shelter which really are ideal, then I'd rather gain some facilities out of it, not just go to something not quite as nice just because it's nearer. Dsis and dmum are really keen to go so I get the feeling I'm going to be outvoted anyway!

hello :) there's a lot to weigh up isn't there? it's really really cheap where we are and we don't have to do anything (poo picking or hay or water or whatever) and there's amazing hacking and the dog can run freely and the people are lovely and there is a horsewalker and sometimes the lights work in the school and it's very secure and sort of hidden away

but I do spend about an hour a day in the car going to and fro

I probably won't move but it won't kill me to look at some fields closer to home

Sounds great . If I lived nearer I'd be advising you to leave so I could jump in there quick .

my car recently cost £650 plus a further £300 ish just to MOT so I was daydreaming about life without it

wish you were a bit nearer, I could ride with you, I would be good I promise :) would be nice to meet dhorse having heard so much about him!

It would be fun wouldn't it? Funnily enough when my friend rides out with her scatterbrained mare it actually makes me braver because dhorse and I then have to be the sensible ones. So if you were riding RodeoJoe I'd probably be fine ha ha.

Um, just so you know this isn't me!
I did have the tetanus jab and antibiotics and 8 deep puncture wounds, but it was my arm and I didn't cower in a bedroom I picked him up and 'escorted' him out of the front door a bit quicker than he intended . I saw this today and thought 'I hope Mitchy doesn't think I'm the sort of person to send a vicious attack-cat to be rehomed by some unsuspecting old granny' .

Dhorse has been busy hunting, we've managed 6 days so far and I'm going once a week at the moment as I'm frightened of overdoing him. We either go uphill or down and some of the places we go are incredibly steep and last week involved walking up the river for about 1/4 mile!

He absolutely loves it and although he's calmed down a bit (or I'm just getting more used to the leaping about) it's still fairly exciting most of the time.

Dpony is absolutely filthy, he's found a rider who can come and hack him out occasionally which is fab, but trying even to clean a small patch of is monumental job. He thoroughly enjoys his little outings - we're just wandering about the fields at a walk, but I suspect that once he's done it more than a few times he may lose some enthusiasm!

of you hunting frosty.I've not even followed so far this year.Hopefully the dds will go over Christmas on dpony,we daren't take B as he'd probably end up in the next county.He is one of those who can't stand seeing other horses ahead of him and has to be in front.DH can't understand why I don't think it is a good idea for whippet like DD1 to take him out.

Poor DD1 has had a few wobbles with him.He is so different from dpony.We've had to give up the lessons until the nights draw out a bit,and have no school,so any schooling or jumping has to be done in a big field.He is very keen,especially jumping,and when he gets going,tends to flatten and tank.He can be strong in company and DD1 has found PC Rallies fairly nerve wracking.His bit he came in was a baucher/hanging cheek,which when I read up on it,was suggested for ponies who carry their heads high and help bring them down,not a good idea for one who likes to put his head down and lean/tank.Her instructor suggested trying him in a Waterford to see if that would help,and it has been fantastic,great brakes and steering,and yesterday she was cantering over jumps and with no stirrups,which she'd never dare do before.I'm no fan of strong bits for little ponies,but he is a big strong boy,she has light hands and he seems really happy in it.She has been warned that if I catch her sawing at his mouth,I'll stop her using it.

Dpony was a swine yesterday,she is in season and has rubbed her bum raw again after not doing it for months.DD2 had to keep circling her yesterday as she just wanted to go,then she decided that,thank you,but no,I don't fancy jumping that jump and DD2 nearly went out the front door.At the last 2 rallies,she has been the only one who didn't fall off,and didn't want to break her record.

Oh the joys of riding in winter. Actually Mirage you'll be glad to hear that Saturday was a rubbish day, we got stuck in a horrid dingle negotiating steep and deep tracks with fallen logs, there was absolutely no scent even when we knew we were right on top of the trail and I wasn't sorry when home was called. To cap it all we got filthy from top to toe!

Sorry to hear about the struggles with bitting, I'm a great fan of the Waterford snaffle as it was a lifesaver with my first horse who stuck his chin in his chest and set sail where and when he liked. I was also advised that it is better to have a stronger more effective bit than have to fight all the time with a more gentle one. A child permanently fighting to stop is going to do more harm to the pony and her hands than one who knows they have more control.

Hopefully there will be time in the holidays for more riding, and then the days start to lengthen fractionally. I think now is about the worst time of year for all things horse.

hahaha pixel I would never have accused you of grey striped wallpaper and a beige sofa the horror the horror

also of hunting, quite severely so actually, went to see a lovely pony yesterday who would be perfect for us (and has hunted a few times) - another Irish one, only 6 and still a bit green but co-operative and very sweet. Wish a bit closer so could LWVTB but hopefully will see/try her SJ this weekend :) excited!

the not so great things about her are: she is a she, she is quite small (14.2)

am glad you are ok though pixel!

pixel can you give your attack cat a job guarding your yard?
Sorry to hear that the hunting wasn't up to much frosty.I'm hoping it doesn't chuck it down on the 2 days the girls are out.The pony sounds lovely mitchy,can you ride her with long stirrups?

I have been washing dpony's backside with dettol and applying sudocreme for the past 3 days,and today found the spot of fence where she has been rubbing herself.The crafty old thing saw me heading along the hedge looking for her spot and went and backed herself up against another bit and looked at me as if to say 'look,this is my bum scratching spot here'. She was hoping to throw me off the scent as I found the real place a few yards further along,complete with piles of white hair and have barricaded it off.She was not happy that I didn't fall for her trick and took it out on poor B by squealing and chasing him around the field.The poor boy has a permanently hen pecked expression on his face.

Happy New Year to all, I hope horse wise things have gone well so far. Any hunting Mirage? I've just completed our 10th day of the season today - not much on really as it was so wet and the only place we could go was shrouded in mist so we finished at 2.30 and whilst dhorse ate his hay in the trailer we had a proper hunting tea - crumpets from the aga, scones and jam and chocolate cake - delicious!

Dhorse has settled down greatly although he does have a tendency to whirl about still. We've had some good days, even on Wednesday in the pouring rain and he's jumped really well, giving our Field Master (on a new horse) leads a couple of times too. I've been very pleased with him so far, fingers crossed that it continues. I'm about to organise a session with the physio to make sure that he's still comfortable. He does love hunting so much it will be such a shame when he can't do it.

I'm afraid I've forgotten what 'actual riding' is. We've all had THE COLD and I've still got sinusitis so as far as I'm concerned dhorse is having the winter off! There is nowhere to ride, everywhere is underwater or flying about in the wind and it's just too grim for words.
Update on attack cat/guard cat. Discovered he had a bad tooth which had broken (probably when he bit me ha ha) and was stopping him closing his mouth. Was removed the day before Christmas eve so it's been his turn for the antibiotics! He went for me again when the vet stuck the sedative needle in and then managed to rip the vet's arm when he was still supposed to be sedated. He now has a bright red warning screen that comes up on the computer when his name is typed in, and a lurid description of his methods of attack .

When I mention I have a horse people tend to say "Oh you are brave, I'm scared of the great big things" but they happily stroke the cat without a second thought. If only they knew!

Sorry, back to the serious hunting madness talk!

Dhorse sounds a hunting superstar frosty.How wonderful that all the hard work and treatments have done their job!

DD1 didn't get to go as it was so windy that it wasn't safe.I just thought that windy weather plus excitable horses wasn't a good combination for little ponies.

DD2 went to the PC meet on NYE.I told her to keep near the back as there were some very green horses there,one reared over backwards and several others were bronking. Dpony was her usual saintly self,despite everyone galloping up the field past her.She was complimented on her manners by a lady who looked a bit familiar,and I recognised her from H&H,they are very well known in the showing world.Dpony,who lives out and had that morning,rubbed a bald patch on her bum,plus was sporting some terrible plaits,is about as far from a show pony as it gets.The lady was very interested in her,wanted to know where we'd got her from ect,and said what a fabulous hunting pony she was.

We were out for 4 hours,I kept up with DD2 all the way and was shattered by the time we were done.We had to hack an hour back to the trailer too.I've put some pictures up.

That's a shame Pixel, sometimes it is just best to write things off and start again - I noticed tonight that it was a little less dark at 4.30 than it has been so hopefully once/if this rain ever stops it will be lighter later! My vet told me that he specialised in horses & large animals after he'd been bitten by a cat - I'm sporting an impressive scratch from my cat from a little rough play, it's very swollen and a bit yukky and hurts like hell and is much worse than anything dhorse has done to me (so far)!

DD2's outing sounds exciting Mirage, love the pictures. Dpony looks positively white, I'm impressed. My white dpony/dhorse's nanny is very definitely 50 shades of clay, only a pressure washer will change that I think. 4 hours is impressive, you can get an app called "Map My Ride" - I use the mountain biking version on my phone which tracks your mileage (and calories.....) and is great fun to look at when you're finished. You probably have better things to think about, but my plaiting has improved no end since looking up "How to plait" on YouTube. (I'm of the old fashioned opinion that it's unnecessary to plait ponies.)

Thanks for telling me about that app,it sounds right up my street.I must have walked about 30 miles with the ponies over the holiday.I agree with you about plaiting and never do it,hence the hairy golf balls.I only did it because the DC said they had to be plaited and correct hunting dress.I was most put out to get there and find a lot of unplaited ponies with riders wearing bomber jackets.

I was heartened to see it wasn't quite dark at 4.30 tonight,especially as our brook has broken its banks and the stupid sheep had marooned themselves on an island.The water was rising too fast to go and get a torch or the dogs so I had to wade over and herd them off before it got too deep.Gah!