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?

[Pixel]

It's rained solidly all day here. The ground was finally starting to dry up .
And the shelter roof has sprung another leak Grrr! I'm fed up with wearing wellies and my coat is still sopping wet from this morning. I can't take any more .

[headlesshorseman]

i've only had a week out of the saddle and i'm having serious withdrawal symptoms!
going on a pub hack with the local school next sunday weather permitting
£15 for an hours hack! bargain!!
oh pixel its awful isnt it, you just think its drying up and then it starts again!

[carabos]

I'm trapped at my desk today, so no riding. However, we are going to Myerscough Premier League to watch the Grand Prix tomorrow (means no riding again but at least it's a horsey outing). Fed up with the weather - need a

[mrslaughan]

Week before last - had an amazing week , made real progress with my position - I naturally ride crooked, so am working on straightening myself out.
So was really looking forward to this week. Tuesday was a glorious day , but was stuck at home with DS who was at home with a committing bug. Earlier in the week I has started a cold and woke on Wednesday with such severe asthma that my husband was as close as he would ever be from forbidding me from doing something. So I had. Lesson on how to lunge - learnt so much, though was very close to passing out at one stage. Anyway I have a new thing to practice.
Thursday - still asthmery , but hopped in and did some nice walking and trotting..... Couldn't do to much , but nice to do something.
Meant to be doing a hack tomorrow - mothers day treat!

[Butkin]

Still no calls about the grey pony so took him up to Area 4B's show today (Lincolnshire) and DD won the SHP FR on him, reserve champ and got his Winter Champ ticket. Something to add to his "for sale" CV. Probably rebrand him and push him to the top of the sales list just before Easter hols.

[issyocean]

My little rider had her first canter today on her last day of being 5.The smile on her face was priceless but I thought the poor instructor who ran along side, just in case, was going to have a heart attack

[frostyfingers]

Wimped out yesterday (and we had a lunch date to watch Wales beat Scotland (yippee!) as it was so horrible. Rode this morning and dhorse was a snorty prancy monster - screaming for his friends so much that he made all the lambs panic and run for their mummies! He came back frothing and foaming and very pleased with himself. I'll get him out again tomorrow then I'm afraid watching Cheltenhame takes over and he'll have to go out in the field,which hopefully won't be too wet!

[Butkin]

Well done Issy's DD - hope you captured it on video. Magic times...
Yes Cheltenham this week - can't wait. Not going this year but will be glued to the TV and particularly looking forward to Sprinter Sacre in the QM Chase.

[TheLoneRanger]

I'm assuming my lesson this week will be in the indoor school...hoping the riding centre won't be snowed in... It's touch and go for Cheltenham, isn't it?

[mrslaughan]

Was meant to ride today, but i have an ear and sinus infection ..... Started antibiotics yesterday, so hope to be well enough tomorrow. However ground in and out of school is rock hard , so not sure about hacking tomorrow.....

[mrslaughan]

Finally rode again on Tuesday - it was fantastic to get back on. Arena nearly afloat though.
Need to work on deepening my seat and sitting trot.
Was hoping to ride today (a hack) , after the farrier , but that took so long that I didn't have time.
Lunge lesson tomorrow - so hopefully I can walk again by the time I rude again next Tuesday!

[frostyfingers]

Glad you're back on board mrs - we're back to slopping about in the mud again. Our farmer just doesn't get that horses are not meant to be standing in the mud and has refused to open up another field on the grounds that the grass is too long. It's so frustrating, I'm hoping that the weather improves enough for me to bring them home to our paddock at the end of April - I daren't yet as there's no stabling here and I just feel with scabs still on his legs it would be asking for trouble.

[mrslaughan]

Where I ride, they have 3 outdoor arena's. The one I was in , RI instructor found a really boggy patch - its like the water was starting to bubble up through the surface.....the ground is so waterlogged.......I am so pleased I ma not a farmer.

[Mirage]

I'm getting really worried about the state of my field now.I have sectioned it off into quarters to try and salvage some of it from the endless mud.There is no grass in the bit they are in now,and no where to stand out of the mud.I was going to ask my dad if I could put them in the dutch barn for a week,just to give them a break from being up to their hocks,but the fields are so bad that we can't turn the sheep and new lambs out,so they are occupying every spare shed and arriving thick and fast.I'm praying for some warm dry weather,or just no more rain and snow.

We hacked out with some friends today and Brandy was very silly,trying to rush off,pulling and very on his toes.Luckily DD2 wasn't bothered,but I'm glad I had him on the lead rein.We are meant to be taking him to the PC bunny hunt over Easter,so I'm hoping it was just a bit of excitement and he calms down.His owner is going to lead him off her hunter so DD2 can go with the big children for a change.On the plus side,he seems to have gotten over his fear of bikes and is better with tractors and buses.

[frostyfingers]

It's so grim isn't it Mirage - I kept dhorse in yesterday and am turning him out today - there's nothing to eat, it's mostly mud but he needs the fresh air and exercise from skipping about and rolling. Snow is forecast tomorrow (great, I'm due up in B'ham to have my facet joint injections), so it's probably going to be more indoor time for them both.

The fun ride I was contemplating has been postponed for 3 months because of the ground, it feels like groundhog day really. Brandy is probably feeling spring like! I think we all need the sun on our backs and some decent outside time.

[mrslaughan]

Rode again today - lunge lesson, instructor took stirrups away...so not sure if I will be able to walk over the next couple of days. It was fab, really felt where I should be...really felt that feeling of riding with my seat - controlling speed of trot.....
Sat a couple of bucks - and then kicked Dmare on for being such a ...such a mare...all without stirrups, RI couldn't believe it. I am just a little bit proud of myself...

[Mirage]

Hurray! no rain or proper snow since Sunday,and my field is starting to dry out.Brandy's owner came out this morning to help me get him used to loading,as he has form for messing about.Happily it went well,so one less thing to worry about on Saturday.He was very silly and on his toes earlier in the week,spinning and trying to run,DD2 ended up crying,which she hardly ever does,but he seems to have calmed down now,so we hacked down the road to the fields & jumped some logs,dpony had a blast and Brandy was very good,I think once DD2 has got the measure of him she'll be great at jump offs,he is so fast,can turn very quickly and has a big jump.

We are going to the PC Bunny hunt on Saturday and DD2 is being led off his owners hunter.We have all warned her that he'll be excited and will go very fast,but all she has to do is hang on and steer,and if at any time she isn't happy,she can come back to the trailer.We've said it could be a bumpy ride,but she is adamant that she is going to do it,fingers crossed it doesn't end badly.

DD1 will go off with her friends,I'm not worried at all about her,she can cope with anything.Dpony has come into season today and was being rather grumpy,but under the saddle she is fine.

[Mirage]

Thank goodness the Bunny Hunt went well.Brandy was an absolute star and led perfectly off the other horse.The 4 of them went for a trot around before they started,to see how he reacted and he was calm as anything. DD2 had a blast,kept up with the big girls and jumped some logs,DH filmed a bit of them cantering through the woods and you can hear me shouting 'hang on DD2' 'are you all right?' like a fishwife.The hunter he was led off was a bit bouncy as he is used to being up front,but DD2 coped admirably.A lot of the ponies were very silly,broncing and rearing,but ours remained steady.I can't tell you how relieved I was that it went well.

DD1 had an unscheduled dismount when Dpony decided not to canter through some water and DD1 slid down her neck,but she landed on her feet and immediately legged herself back on board.Both girls had a fantastic time and we are going to try a rally next week,if he can cope with excitable ponies charging across open fields,he should be ok with an indoor rally.Pics on my profile.

[frostyfingers]

I was thinking of you today Mirage - glad to hear it all went well. Pretty quiet on the horse front here, really busy with work atm which is good but annoying in a way. I've paid for another month at livery as I'm not confident about bringing dhorse here where there's no stable - the weather's just too unpredictable and until the grass starts growing, there's not much point. Hope your girls enjoy the rest of their holidays - maybe, just maybe things will pick up!

[Mirage]

Thank you frosty.I noticed the grass coming through the churned up mud today-hurray!

We had an eventful hack today,stopped to let him see a tractor and trailer go by with no issues,minutes later another one came along and Brandy just freaked and ran.I couldn't hold him and ended up being pulled over and dragged down the road until I had to let go.Thankfully he stopped a few hundred feet on.but poor dd2 was really scared and crying.We carried on with our hack as I didn't want him getting any ideas and dd2 bless her,was soon chipper again .I've no idea how she stayed on,but thank goodness she did.I have no skin on one knee and one hand so am a bit sore.I'm going to have to leave him in the yard when the tractors are going in and out I think,he has got to get used to them. Dd2 is adamant she still wants to ride him,and won't hear of him going back.Rally on Friday so hope that goes well.

On the plus side,my dad has said I can keep the ponies on his farm permanently and won't charge me for hay or grass livery [I did offer],as long as I help on the farm when needed.I'm happy to do that anyway,so am really pleased,will save me £100+ a month and is nice seeing more of my family.

[TackedOff]

Can I join? So nice to hear about mums with ponies! I have two ponies and three dds which causes many arguments

dd1 (13) has new 14.2 gelding who arrived last week, at livery atm but due back to the paddock this weekend as its all dried out. I am hoping to hack him out during the week but I weigh 11 stone so not sure whether I might be too heavy for him. He's a welsh x german warmblood and seems like a real character, very nice ground manners and easy to stop but FAST much to dd1s joy . We also have an 11.3 who is on loan to us to give dd2 (10, tiny) and dd3 confidence which he has in spades, he's tricky to ride and can be a little so and so sometimes but dd2 is now jumping 2 foot 6 on hiim (poor thing) and entered for her first show next week (1 foot 9). dd3 (6) is also cantering and jumping confidently off lead rein about 1 foot 6 but her seat and hands need lots of work! Planning to buy a 12.2+ later in the year.

[TackedOff]

Mirage that sounds scary! Our 11.3 ran off with dd2 when we first had him - headed back to the paddock - she jumped off but couldn't hold him as he is so very very strong, luckily he stopped to eat grass and I caught him. Yesterday our old 13.1 loan pony (who we still have for another couple of weeks) got into the sand school and rolled - with dd3 on top. Luckily she had the presence of mind to jump well out of the way and was fine and he didn't break the saddle either Why do we do it!!?

[Mirage]

I know what you mean TackedOff.We've had a few bad experiences,nearly always involving DD2 being chucked,bucked off,rolled with,and as a result am very nervy until I get to know a new pony.DD2 took Brandy to his first PC Rally today,and it was his first time in an indoor school and first lesson in company,too,so a lot for him to take on.I was so anxious I felt sick,but he behaved perfectly,like he'd been doing it all his life.He is a surprising little chap,and if we can solve the tractor/large vehicle problem,he'll be perfect.

We are taking the ponies over to Brandy's owner's tomorrow and they are going to take the girls on a hack along with their horses.It should be fun,because it means DD2 can practise her cantering.Then we are off to a Team Chase on Sunday.I'm shattered!

Can you post some pictures of your ponies? I'd love to see them.

[Mirage]

I seem to have taken over this thread. We've had a lovely weekend,but I'm shattered.I took the dds and their ponies over to Brandy's owners and they took them out on a long hack,which they all really enjoyed,especially DD1,who overtook one of their hunters in a gallop down the fields.DD2 was led off another hunter to practise her cantering,as her pony doesn't always get it [was broken to drive,so has a very fast trot].It was a nice change to ride out in different surroundings and with different people.

Today we didn't ride,but went to watch a friend's team in a team chase,which was enormous fun.Another friend was the first man to complete it riding side saddle,which was interesting. Back to school tomorrow,and back to having a weekly lesson.