thread on which to report positive things

[MiffyWhinge]

firstly the sun came out, hooray

secondly and even more welcome Joey didn't put a foot wrong today (once he started concentrating and stopped having a good look at everything around him). He managed to shoulder in, leg yield and, with a placer pole, put in a single stride of canter before a jump and do a double with a placer pole in between - he was a star, am ashamed of all the grumpy thoughts I've been having about him until recently. Clever, beautiful boy

please share yours!

[MitchyInge]

He is fantastic

good that you get an extra lesson, I bet it is not long before you get a pony (loan?) for your little boy

[CMOTdibbler]

Joey is really making progress with the xc jumps isn't he ? Although poss not so much out hacking..

This weeks business trip is cancelled due to the flight problems, so will try and get in another lesson to try and improve the canter thing before holiday. Last holiday I just followed behind DS - this one, I'll walk with him, then have my own ride after. He has said already that he wants to go in the sand school first, and then up the lanes each time. Am desperatly hoping that his favoured pony is still with them as he is still asking for it by name

[MitchyInge]

hurrah! Joey will 'do' the coffin - well, he did a 6' leap into the air at a standstill when he first approached it and came down on the other side

then he followed another pony over it a couple of times, and after much coaxing walked it in one direction but not the other

think he is genuinely anxious although is hard not to assume he is taking the p once he has done it a few times already?

he does the water jump from both directions now though

(thank you for not telling me to get a life)

[MitchyInge]

cmot holiday

J so excited on hack he did sideways rodeo again

[CMOTdibbler]

That sounds a fab place Jurisfiction.

DS and his friend had a super giggly morning today - they are loving having their lesson together, and were getting quite competitive as to who could trot the fastest over poles.
And who could cuddle the miniature the most

I managed to make Ben trot over poles nicely myself - he pretends that it is far too much effort to pick his feet up to do so.

Only 1 week till our holiday ! Off to Cornwall, and there is an on site riding school, so DS and I can ride everyday. Can't wait

[jurisfictionoperative]

It's lovely when they gel isn't it.
we have moved our ponies to a lovely traditionally run farm 5 mins from home, with unlimited grass and a huge stretch of beach and salt marsh! They live out, but it is only 30 a week. The first show of the year is next weekend, and the sun is shining! Life is soo good at the moment.

[MitchyInge]

I love this thread

too many things going well at once here, the best thing has to be Joey's enthusiasm for x country and the way he and daughter have blossomed together - it's all been so worth the wait, and massive improvements on the ground, and can be stabled for hours without silliness. I LOVE THAT PONY!

He jumps everything now except the coffin and the ones that are a bit high for now (2'9 ish) oh and water jump he will do in one direction but not the other . He's exceeding my expectations in every way

[MitchyInge]

[jurisfictionoperative]

We have had a FABULOUS couple of days. Our lovely friend Jane Ricobi is a showjumping groupie, and also runs the pony club at a Blackmires Farm riding school in Northamptonshire. She speaks to all the top showjumpers on the circuit, and arranged for JO WHITAKER to visit the centre and spend all day giving jumping lessons. Jo is marvellous and changed my nervous daughter into someone who left the menage BEAMING with happiness. Its enough to make me WEEP! Thank you to Jo for coming, Jane for taking the trouble to arrange things, and school owner Sophie Brennan for having such a lovely school and putting up with the invading hordes from Essex. This isnt the first 'royal visit' Jeff Luckett has also visited, and Michael Fearson puts in regular appearances and is equally wonderful. SOOO LUCKY

[LittlePushka]

Turned my horses out onto spring grass today - always a bit of a rodeo!! Magic

They NEVER perform under saddle the way they do in the first filed of spring grass!

[Itsthawooluff]

Acquired fell pony mare for DD1 - and it's lovely lovely lovely - kind, gentle and really lives up to the sale hype.

Phew!!

[seeker]

Password is curlew1905 - sorry thought I had removed the need for one, but obviously not!

[Alicetheinvisible]

Lucky them! Dh is not even getting his full days off atm.

My mare is fun, and safe which is very important to me, just enjoys jumping rather too much!

She did her first ever grid a few weeks ago (loose) loved it, showed off by turning round at the end and jumping it all the other way

I am soooo desperate to get back on her. DH says we will have to get organised a bit, but will do as much as possible to ensure i get to ride after the baby is born. Luckily our yard has a floodlit school.

[MitchyInge]

Grids do seem to be the only way to sort striding out - we'll do that this afternoon (if can get self organised)

do you think everyone else is on holiday?

[MitchyInge]

seeker - says password is needed

Your mare sounds fun Alice! That is sort of how sideways show jumping was born only know one other person with a grackle and that's a tiny, fine pony so probably not borrowable - there's a 2nd hand place at the vets, might have a rummage for one

hope all ok with mw

[Alicetheinvisible]

Haven't got time to watch videos yet, got MW in 45mins and not dressed! But just wanted to add Mitchy, that my mare will take off at a jump if she is even supposed to go past it iyswim. So we could be doing flatwork in a school that has a jump set up and if you trot parallel to the jump she will fuck off and take you over it (V scary!) but has much more respect for the grackle, leans on a flash. If you can borrow one i would highly recomend it. Also gridwork, gridwork, gridwork! Seriously, lots of poles on the ground, bounces, etc, and even lose schooling/lunging over them, gets them to think.

Now really must go........

[seeker]

my lot being a bit silly

[MitchyInge]

I know I am obsessed but of the 236 vids taken today this one of Joey meeting the water jump is my absolute favourite

he IS adorable isn't he?

[MitchyInge]

(in Barney's defence it was a much higher jump than is sensible and he did it beautifully the next time, some rider error in checking his stride, wasn't all his fault)

[MitchyInge]

I got a gag today but am taking it back, it just looks so awful and anyway it doesn't fit - would need new bridle (at top hole already and forgot about that stupid extra ring on top) and goodness only knows where his old one is

we DO need something though, jumping today and the person who's been schooling Joey got on Barney - she is a v v v competent (stage 4) jockey but the way he charged into the jump and then performed a really dirty stop was horrible, nobody could have stayed on, it's a miracle she isn't seriously hurt because it was a horrible horrible fall. somehow take it completely seriously when it is somebody else

it's not just his speed, it's his motorbiking and the impossibility of keeping his shoulders where they should be - he's being a bit of a sod really. we've recently introduced a flash which has helped a bit, am thinking pelham or maybe a bevel - at least latter looks neater and does not fill me with horror like the gag. Joey has a bevel. looked at cherry rollers today but unfortunately they don't lend you those and didn't want to buy one unless can try first. he always was in a gag originally but I just don't like them

blimey what an essay! and have not gushed about all the lovely positive stuff of the day - like Joey's amazing adventures on x country course (I LOVE THAT PONY, he is so cool!) and how cute he was when he met the water jump, dipping his hooves in and shaking them like a cat might with its paws is fab to see my youngest daughter bombing round on him in complete safety and how lovely and round his jump is, compared to that brown one who doesn't need another mention just yet . . .

[Alicetheinvisible]

If i wasn't with Dh, then my horses would hardly have a vet tbh, but because he is there it is easier to get him to look at things, rather than just giving them a day or 2.

I really hate gags. Have you tried a grackle? My mare is very keen jumping, and leans on you, but with a grackle on she is much lighter in the hand. Also like the cherry roller bits, think they are very handy to have about. All my opinion though!

[MitchyInge]

hope that's the last injury for a while, you are SO lucky to be married to a vet

excited about cross country today, important not to do too much too soon with him though? hope he finds it exciting too! perhaps we should just walk around and trot over one or two jumps first

under increasing pressure to put Barney in a gag and make more effort to control him, he's lovely with someone competent on him but I do let him charge about a bit

am just so happy the weather is so good at the moment!

[Alicetheinvisible]

Mitchy he is lovely! I can't believe he would ever misbehave

Poor Mare is still in the wars (very unlike her) she came in yesterday with a swollen face, DH thinks she knocked it quite hard as there was a little graze too. Today it is swollen down to her mouth poor girl, but not hindering eating which is very important. Especially as both horses seem to have found their apetites again and are eating me out of hay and home!

Must go, friends coming round and my house looks like a toddler bomb has hit it

[MitchyInge]

more

and more



last one, humour me?

introducing him to x country tomorrow

[MitchyInge]

Some much needed fun today, hope these links work:
just as we said Joey would poo himself at the chicken filler