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The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Original poster

thread on which to report positive things

310 replies

MiffyWhinge · 27/02/2010 13:07

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!

OP posts:
frostyfingers · 28/05/2010 17:18

Just seen that I put bear not bare - oh god!

Bareback because the saddle that fits him (he's vv wide) doesn't fit me, but I had thought of using a saddle cloth and surcingle. It's only for pootling about the fields, but he is difficult to sit when you're used to a 16hh tb!

Butkin · 28/05/2010 21:09

Of those I love Heniarth Quip - wonderful horse under saddle and becoming a useful sire.

To be honest I'd never heard of Farchynys Andreas but he has wonderful old fashioned bloodlines.

As a matter of interest - without wanting to put you off - did your mare do anything in the showring herself? Just wondering if breeding from a theoretically lame mare is the way to go unless she was useful herself?

Also what do you plan to do with the offspring?

Saggyoldclothcatpuss · 28/05/2010 21:42

I dont know her history, except that she has been a show lead rein pony in her day. She is lame through no fault of her own, she was pony clubbed and jumped regularly by two kids at once. Not sharing though, one after the other over and over. they just broke her. She was extensively tested and no vet could ever find anything wrong with her. After rest she came fine. I am breeding her on the basis of her pedigree, which is very good, the fact that she is closely related to several of the mares at the top welsh A stud where I used to work, and that the people I used to work for said it wasnt a bad idea. I intend to show the offspring, showing A's and having my own stud is my ambition. Beyond that, I suppose depends on the type of animal I produce.
I have 2 more stallions to view, but I was blown away by Heniarth Quip, he is stunning, and he is stong in the areas my mare is weak, so I think he would work well. He is also the most expensive, but that is not why I like him! I feel that as well as being a good mirror to my mare, as he is on lease here and the stud who have him are extremely selective, the foal I produce will be something different, in an area where the blood lines are all quite similar.
you sound like you know what you are talking about, its nice to find another enthusiast.

Saggyoldclothcatpuss · 07/06/2010 23:11

Well, polly went off to stud today. The vet scanned her and she is working properly inside he knows her age and history and is happy she will be fine. We arrived at the stud, took her out of the trailer, teased her, she was full in season and she was covered twice within the first hour! She is staying for a week so fingers crossed! The stallion was my second choice, we just can't afford the first choice, but the one we are using is lovely, and the owner is a very nice man who I feel will be really helpful. Optimism rules here today.

MitchyInge · 14/06/2010 14:30

Have found amazing network of bridleways and permissive byways or whatever they are called - so much open space and lovely tracks and even HILLS to bomb down. Had heard about them but was not sure as poorly signposted, actually have much better brakes now not limited to our old canter tracks. And there are lots of things to jump

go out for 3 hours or so before remembering he can only do 3 or 4 hours a day, wonder if can do more fitness work so he can do more?

oldernowiser · 15/06/2010 13:57

Have ridden new horse up the lane next to the yard. She is brilliant, and has fallen in love with DH.

Pixel · 15/06/2010 20:06

Have taken dhorse to new yard for a month. Tis all very scary but exciting. He is being a total wuss, yelling every time I go out of sight (honestly leaving him yesterday was worse than leaving my babies at playgroup!) and going all boggly-eyed at the slightest thing. Hope he settles down soon as I've got to ride him .

I've had loads of people coming over to tell me how gorgeous he is.

Butkin · 27/06/2010 19:14

DD rode her new pony (Sec B palomino) today for the first time at a show. She did the First Year First Ridden. It was her first time riding off the lead rein outside and the first time she's asked for a canter in her show. Much to our relief (anxious parents!) he struck off for a few strides on both leads and they won. DD is thrilled and now we can make plans for Equifest and BSPS Summer Champs. On top of all this it was a simply gorgeous day and we celebrated by watching the Hickstead Derby on Sky and avoided the football!

Saggyoldclothcatpuss · 27/06/2010 20:47

Well done babybutkin!
we went to a local show today, usually nervous DD was calm and relaxed all day, our lovely pony Ducky was perfectly behaved for 6 classes! The sun shone, everyone was happy, I did a couple of inhand classes, we have 6 mahoosive shiny rosettes, and it's been the BEST DAY EVER!

lubblyjubblies · 27/06/2010 20:48

My fantastically brave 5yr old DD hacked demon pony 5 miles today, including a river crossing. Pony has never even seen a river and catleaps drains. Pony looked, thought about creating, she just kicked on and off he went. Over knee deep at some points, 20 ft wide. 2 little stars!

Butkin · 27/06/2010 22:36

Glad you had a good time Saggy and well done Lubbly's DD - that sounds a real achievement.

Saggyoldclothcatpuss · 29/06/2010 23:04

Polly went back to stud today. She is full on in season, and was covered twice in hand straight off. She's staying till the weekend. I feeling very positive, am sure I'll get my foal this time round.

CMOTdibbler · 30/06/2010 11:10

Wow, everyone is having such success !

DS went to his first proper gymkhana at the weekend, sharing his friends little shetland. Much fun was had, and he came 6th in the sweet race, and she came 3rd in Musical mats. They had their sights fixed on handy pony though !

My positive news is that having taken on my share of Ben, we are getting on well, and have started lateral work. He's doing beautifully (having not done any before), and I'm very proud of him. I have signed up to do a walk/trot dressage test (just at the stables though) in August

MitchyInge · 02/07/2010 12:30

pleased for you lot, mildly pitying self!

hacked Joey and he felt amazing, just fantastic, am so so pleased about that

except for him inexplicably acting like an utter utter twit-with-an-a - there is nothing horrible or technically 'naughty' about his behaviour, and have laughed about it since, but the lovely impulsion just became more and more tightly coiled spring

crossed with rodeo bull

crossed with an idiot

my daughter has fear of hacking, so this coupled with his skill at bucking riders off when excited (especially ME ) and being on road with high probability of busting my face open or breaking limbs or getting mown down by vehicle was just too much adrenalin even for me

on positive side, his behaviour in school, on the ground, in a stable and most of time on x country is so improved - this business is just next thing to work on - well, overall trend fab and happening sooner than predicted

I NEED to become more assertive and 'if I get injured this will be very bad for daughter' because better riders get him, if not out of the excitement at least bit more manageable whereas I think 'yikes and wahey!' simultaneously

Alicetheinvisible · 07/07/2010 06:32

Hello

Everyone is doing so well!

Not been on the tack room topic much, feel jealous of you all!

Mitchy have you thought about giving him an acp before hacking out? Make you both calmer and he will learn that hacking is enjoyable, but not overly exciting and cause for bad behaviour iyswim? Or hack him out after a particularly hard schooling session. Sounds a bit harsh, but easier to get them out of the habit as babies. Sounds like he is doing well though

MitchyInge · 08/07/2010 13:44

Not long to go though Alice!

Out of routine with both of them, but gymkhana tonight - gymkhana on oats. Want red rather than blue rosette but will plead for new event of galloping diagonally across lanes jumping obstacles supposed to bend round as we are unquestionably excellent at that!

MitchyInge · 08/07/2010 22:42

did not win ANYTHING on plus side knocked a few things over, goodness knows why that always cheers me up

and Joey bucked his rider off, what am I going to do with him?

Alicetheinvisible · 09/07/2010 08:35

Is he being fed?

Glad you had a great day, we went racing at Newmarket and there was a 2yr old who was being very amusing difficult to get on seeing people scattering in the paddock always makes me smile, is that bad?

MitchyInge · 09/07/2010 08:52

Am smiling just imagining the scene! I forget how young they are sometimes, it's mad really. Sounds like you had some fun

a small feed, he can be angelic most of the time but it's the thrills and spills that stick in the memory - he hasn't bucked or tanked off with my daughter since the very first weeks, but she's so quiet. x country, hacking, gymkhana are the things.

Actually am going to have think about feed.

Alicetheinvisible · 09/07/2010 09:02

Ours are only on chaff, feed balancer and oil. No 'hard' feed at all, even when being worked, unless i feel they really need it.

Butkin · 23/07/2010 20:33

Just taken DD to her first two-day Pony Club Mini Camp and we had a fab time. Children from 3 to 8 (DD was in top ride with 5 kids either 7 or 8).

She did riding lesson, gymkhana and hack on first day. On second day she had flat lesson, jumping lesson, E Test and hack(with treasure hunt) on second day - followed by prize giving.

Absolutely lovely experience and I recommend to any other parents considering going this Summer.

mummydoc · 10/08/2010 11:57

haven't been around mumsnet for months
update on our nutty sec A - he is fab , complete turn aorund , steadya sa rock, did junior camp and won best pony, dd off lead rein, jumping him round xcountry course ( so cute) at local show at weekend and won 13 rosettes - we LOVE him soooo much .
Butkin glad to hear you managed to sell your pally eventually - though he looked so gorgeous i would have found it hard ot part wiht him, have you got a first ridden for your dd ?
Looking forward to cubbing starting, and we are off to HOYS as my god-daughter has qualified her lead rein SHP...we are going as cheif cheer leaders!

Butkin · 10/08/2010 14:13

Great to have you back Mummydoc! Particularly delighted that your Sec A is working out and that you are all having such a fun time with him.

Managed to sell our wonderful Pally to a nice family in Guernsey. They were the only people to ring up and they knocked us down in price - getting themselves a great deal. He has only been there for a couple of weeks and already hacking out on the beach etc. We hope he'll be happy there and we know he turns his hoof to anything. Sad to see him go (especially for a bargain price!!) but DD needs to move onwards and upwards.

DD has a Sec B FR (another pally) which we bought in May and have taken to a couple of shows. He is a proven country schoolmaster and has taught her to canter which is marvellous.

We are avoiding PUK this year but he'll be going to Equifest next week, BSPS the week after and probably the Heritage - all to do Tiny Tots FR M&M.

We are going to watch the M&M LR/FR at HOYS (not with DD as she'll be at school) and DD is begging us to take her to watch the LR SPs on Sunday as she has been riding one that has qualified. Expensive but we may relent!

Fantastic news about the LR SHP - can you let us know what the pony is called so we can cheer it on?

mummydoc · 10/08/2010 14:40

the pony is called Alfie IV , does your dd not mind not riding the sp that has qualified ? i am sure she would love to ride at hoys, though my 5 yr old dd has already set her heart on badminton ! i did suggest the jumps may be a tad too big for noddy , but she is convinced he can do anything ...she ahs a real child's view /love of the pony ! she told me last night she was wishing he will grow wings and be like pegasus ( unlikely but hey i am not gogin to dampan her imagination)

Butkin · 10/08/2010 14:58

Great - we'll watch out for Alfie!

Our yard doesn't have a LR SHP.

DD has been schooling the SP at home because the little boy who owns him isn't always available. He rides him at shows though. This has enthused DD so she now wants a SP to add to her show team!

She'll still be 7 come January so will be the only child on the yard still able to ride SPs on LR so she may get some outside rides instead which may placate her.

DD likes going eventing (her Godmother has a string of eventers) but at the moment she only wants to ride at Royal International or HOYS. Come the Winter time she'll be talking about wanting to ride racing ponies...