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!

PS Mummydoc - get her some books from the Magic Pony series. That will fire her imagination!

DD is currently "into" the Pony Club Secrets series. They are great!

Bought DD her first riding hat today she then brushed and rode the rocking horse - very proud mummy

Sooo cute Alice!

DD cantered her Sec B for the first time at home - up the stubble. Got soaked on way home but still grinning from ear to ear.

Back to his producers tomorrow though as we prepare for Equifest, BSPS and Royal London.

ooh, exciting.

DD sat on my friend's shetland last week and could sit by herself as she has a cub saddle. Thinking i could get one to put on my mare as they are not really shaped are they? Then when we get DD a pony we will already have the saddle. Still thinking about it though. Will be able to do more once this baby decides to arrive!

Oh Alice we only sold our cub saddle (quite reasonabily) on Ebay last week.

They are great. DD rode in hers from 2nd birthday until she was about 4. We still used it afterwards for lunging etc.

They fit anything, have a high cantle and of course a handle.

They are only £45 in Robinsons anyway. Think my 15hh mare may look funny in it though

We are very tired but very happy. DD and I have just come back from PC camp at a centre in the midlands, where she participates and I work my bum off for my friend. DD has been absolutely amazing! From a really nervous child who didn't like to canter and only jumped 8 inches at trot, she has metamorphosed into a really happy kid who was storming round flat out with her friends and jumping 2 ft triple jumps! I am so proud of her I could burst! only trouble is she now wants a bigger pony! we have been to camp there for four years now and this has been the best so far! We are just a bit upset that the centre and our lovely friends are 130 miles away. We have to wait till October to go back, although it's something to look forward to, she and I are going to have jumping lessons from Jo Whittaker! ( shameless name drop! )

Yay Saggy! Sounds like a fab time

Today i got on my horse for the first time in ages. Think i have ridden once since November It went well, i only rode for less than 10mins but did manage to trot a bit. Really not helped by the flies bothering my mare. Hoping to ride again on sunday.

Woo hoo - My girl was a nutter today!!

It's a good thing - really!!!

She's been on box rest for 3 1/2 months so far crippled with laminitis as a symptom of Metabolic Syndrome ( rather like type 2 diabetes) This is only controllable through weight reduction by diet and exercise. I have been so worried she will need to be put down. She has had a couple of relapses, but has been SLOWLY getting sounder, but as I have not been able to ride, she has had to be starved basically to get her to lose the weight. The vet has said to start walking her out in hand to get her moving. Recently she has barely had the energy to walk round the paddock. She has been like a poor beach donkey. Yesterday she was shod. Today she obviously feels a LOT better as she was a total bloody psycho on the end of a rope and looked sound as a pound.

Will need to find my chiffney. .

Maybe I can start riding again to help her lose weight.

EVEN BETTER - THE VET SAYS I CAN RIDE!!!! What a huge relief. I had her dead and burried not long ago!!

Wonderful news! It's lovely when they get a reprieve isn't it? We were told we'd have to retire our first pony at the age of 17 due to lameness, but he made a complete recovery and the following year completed a 26 mile ride with no ill effects at all (well for him anyway ). We finally lost him aged 35 and he was still sound.

Sounds like you've got your work cut out with your mad lively mare though!

Ah she'll be a star. She can be a handful in hand, but has almost never been naughty while ridden. Even once after a previous 4 month box rest episode ten years ago, She just hacked out quietly!

I can't wait - I am going out for a ten minute road hack with my friend as a comfort blanket!

I've just had a look at my tack - it's gone green with mould in our tackroom

She WAS a star!! Been riding again for a few days now - just 15 mins of road work at a time so far. But she is being great and feels really sound. Not too mad at all seeing as she has to be stabled 23 and 3/4 hours a day now! Plenty of energy though. A bit joggy on the way home yesterday.

I think I am going to invest in some new long waterproof chaps. We got SOAKED yeserday, but LOVED it!

well one positive thing my lovely amazing pony won a puissance jumping 1.30 yupp it was scary but fun.
my youngster (the one in my threads) just cantered without thinking he was at the rodeo. what loverly boys!

Marge - i have green tack too

Rode out again on sunday. Was worried about confidence after another long break but all fine, amazed to find that i don't hurt at all from it.

Waiting for DD to start preschool so i have more time to ride

Ah the mould wipes off. Mine's all clean and sparkly again.

It's great when they go to pre-school. My two are both at school now so I get the whole of Monday and Friday pm to play.at.the.yard do the housework!

I have one starting at preschool and one who is 12wks old and likes to have long naps, so i can park on the yard and play ponies while he sleeps

AIBU to want to send my DD to preschool 5 days a week so i can ride my horses? can you imagine the responses!

My dhorse is having his shoes back on which means that I hope to start riding for the first time since May. He's been having sarcoid treatment in his groin and been walking like John Wayne for months, but now, finally the end is in sight and I think I'll be able to get back on.

Typical that it's now when it's cold and wet, but hey ho, better late than never. I suspect I'll be the one walking like John Wayne soon!

Well I say it's perfectly reasonable to send kids to pre-school just so you can ride - but I suspect many MNetters would be aghast!

Careful about the one asleep in the car though. There was one woman at my old yard who used to leave her baby locked in the car and go off riding. Poor litle baby woke up on a couple of occasions and SCREAMED the place down for hours till she came back. We could not console her as she was locked in.

It was when I was much younger - pre my own kids so I wasn't sure what was 'allowed'. The Mum seemed very blase. I shudder to think about it now! Poor little thing!

I wouldn't leave the yard! Just ride in the school and park the car next to the school.

We have great hacking but would not leave the yard unless DH was about with a good supply of milk for DS

AIBU to love love love post box rest energy and enthusiasm, especially in this weather?

Nutter!

I love the post box rest energy too. So much easier to get them on the bit when they really WANT to go forward!!

I'd say that was fine Alice although it can be annoying when you are in the middle of it and the baby wakes up. I once got my girl all ready for lunging - all the gear on. Went up to the school with the kids in tow. THree minutes later - not even got the side reins on yet and.... Mummmee I need a poooo. Wouldnt go on his own as the loo was a typical spidery yard one!

Had to abandon as it was getting dark!! Total waste of time.

Used to ride a fair bit while DD was a baby, but has got harder as she has got older and sleeps less. We are now at a yard much closer so less time is spent travelling which is a huge bonus.

We are going to aim to take both our horses to the big sponsered ride next september in Newmarket. Will be a big challenge for DH and his horse who used to train there. My poor mare just wishes she was a racehorse!

So your DH rides too? That should make it easier. He even rides an ex racehorse too? At least he 'gets it'. My DH just thinks they are scary, smelly and expensive. He's cross with here today as she broke my toe ( I think) last night. The ruddy kids were messing on in the car which I had parked right outside the stable so I can stop them fighting. They managed to beep the flaming car horn about 5 foot from the stable while I was skipping out and my horse leapt out of her skin and onto my foot. The air was rather blue and the kids rather well told off. Not the horses fault at all, but I am limping about today.

The sponsored ride sounds fun. I love those.