Jumpies... long way away, but look, its nearly a rhythm!!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Combined training
Today, Magic and Dan were supposed to go to do combined training. Dan had a TB-self-harm moment last week and somehow managed to cut the inside of his cheek badly, so it swelled up, got nasty, stopped him eating :rollseyes: and needed a visit from the dentist to check it wasn't abscess etc and a course of bute and antibiotics. He's absolutely fine in himself, but is off games due to not being able to have bit in his mouth.
That gave us a quandry, either P could risk taking Hairy for his first competitive outing in over 5 years.... or I could take Max and try to find time to do Max and Magic.
Fortunately, after riding him yesterday P decided to go for it and take "second string Hairy" as he shall hence forth always be known!
Off we go, get there in plenty of time and he was just a superstar. Warmed up nicely and calmly, went in and did a lovely test, gave P a nice ride and was generally his usual mannered self. Then jumpies.... I suggested P jump the practice fence and then decide. They jumped the practice fence a few times (rather enthusiastically!) with one attempt very nearly clearing the wings, but still looking perfectly rideable! P decided to go for it :-)
Bless him, he came round to the first in the actual course and his eyes came out on stalks.... and continued that way! He was a bit backward to the first few, then got into his stride and went round the rest really nicely. I think he enjoyed himself!
Then, tired and probably mentally exhausted, we put him on the lorry and got Magic ready. I expected proper stress bandit abandonment trauma, a-la Dan.... but no. He stood and ate hay!!! Bovvered??
Then it was our turn. Magic warmed up in the spooky arena the best he's ever gone. I was able to really think push the front end away and down. I had a grin from ear to ear.
Went in to do test and again he tried really hard, is getting more and more rhythmical and looks soo much more relaxed. Trot felt bigger. All round really really pleased. I managed to think "push away" but knew I was crouching forward a bit... but I managed to hold him in rhythm without my hands, so hey, no worries, I can fix that bit at a later date!
Then on the second canter, I made what I thought was a very clean aid for canter.... and we got squeal "look at those jumps in the next arena" and head tossing like a loon. Still, at least he was enjoying himself and felt able to express himself :rollseyes: P said it looked like he just couldn't hold all that "being good" together any longer and just had to let it out!
It was like sitting on a balloon that you've let the end go on!
Still, he came back to me really nicely and finished off as he'd begun. Result!
Onto the jumping and really pleased the warm up was in the main arena, as he was soooo stressed last time we went there, napping to gate etc. Gave me a chance to ride him and let him know I was STILL riding properly. Granted there were dead dressage boards in the corner so couldn't go near there, but otherwise loads better.
Off we went, still pretty relaxed (blimey!) and no sillyness over number 1. As we went round, I not only managed to get control really easily round every turn.... I actually asked him to come back BETWEEN FENCES in related distances, and HE DID!!! Soooo chuffed. OK, the fences still weren't massive, but I barely have brainspace for everything as it is, if the fences got too big it would all go out the window. My mantra today was "scrunch down" it really worked (today! Tomorrow I'll probably need a different one!)
So, Hairy got 63% and a clear to come 2nd in their class. Clever clever people, even if one of them very rusty! It was nice for P to ride a more straightforward and giving horse than Dan, for her to realise how well she's done with him. I think she really enjoyed it, certainly a relaxed (ish) chilled horse was much more of a pleasure to take!
Magic and I got 65% and clear (very very happy about our rhythm in both stressage and jumpies) and won our class!
A very good day. Videos will follow. I have to put Hairy's up because I'm just so proud of him!
That gave us a quandry, either P could risk taking Hairy for his first competitive outing in over 5 years.... or I could take Max and try to find time to do Max and Magic.
Fortunately, after riding him yesterday P decided to go for it and take "second string Hairy" as he shall hence forth always be known!
Off we go, get there in plenty of time and he was just a superstar. Warmed up nicely and calmly, went in and did a lovely test, gave P a nice ride and was generally his usual mannered self. Then jumpies.... I suggested P jump the practice fence and then decide. They jumped the practice fence a few times (rather enthusiastically!) with one attempt very nearly clearing the wings, but still looking perfectly rideable! P decided to go for it :-)
Bless him, he came round to the first in the actual course and his eyes came out on stalks.... and continued that way! He was a bit backward to the first few, then got into his stride and went round the rest really nicely. I think he enjoyed himself!
Then, tired and probably mentally exhausted, we put him on the lorry and got Magic ready. I expected proper stress bandit abandonment trauma, a-la Dan.... but no. He stood and ate hay!!! Bovvered??
Then it was our turn. Magic warmed up in the spooky arena the best he's ever gone. I was able to really think push the front end away and down. I had a grin from ear to ear.
Went in to do test and again he tried really hard, is getting more and more rhythmical and looks soo much more relaxed. Trot felt bigger. All round really really pleased. I managed to think "push away" but knew I was crouching forward a bit... but I managed to hold him in rhythm without my hands, so hey, no worries, I can fix that bit at a later date!
Then on the second canter, I made what I thought was a very clean aid for canter.... and we got squeal "look at those jumps in the next arena" and head tossing like a loon. Still, at least he was enjoying himself and felt able to express himself :rollseyes: P said it looked like he just couldn't hold all that "being good" together any longer and just had to let it out!
It was like sitting on a balloon that you've let the end go on!
Still, he came back to me really nicely and finished off as he'd begun. Result!
Onto the jumping and really pleased the warm up was in the main arena, as he was soooo stressed last time we went there, napping to gate etc. Gave me a chance to ride him and let him know I was STILL riding properly. Granted there were dead dressage boards in the corner so couldn't go near there, but otherwise loads better.
Off we went, still pretty relaxed (blimey!) and no sillyness over number 1. As we went round, I not only managed to get control really easily round every turn.... I actually asked him to come back BETWEEN FENCES in related distances, and HE DID!!! Soooo chuffed. OK, the fences still weren't massive, but I barely have brainspace for everything as it is, if the fences got too big it would all go out the window. My mantra today was "scrunch down" it really worked (today! Tomorrow I'll probably need a different one!)
So, Hairy got 63% and a clear to come 2nd in their class. Clever clever people, even if one of them very rusty! It was nice for P to ride a more straightforward and giving horse than Dan, for her to realise how well she's done with him. I think she really enjoyed it, certainly a relaxed (ish) chilled horse was much more of a pleasure to take!
Magic and I got 65% and clear (very very happy about our rhythm in both stressage and jumpies) and won our class!
A very good day. Videos will follow. I have to put Hairy's up because I'm just so proud of him!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Treatments
It was supposed to be Magic and Aero... but there was a nasty man chainsawing in the wood behind the yard, set them all off like eejits and Aero just couldn't settle. Sigh.
Fortunately, I wanted her to have a look at Max, so we swapped and gave Max a treatment instead.
Considering how scary life was, Magic was zonked totally out by his treatment. She said he wasn't sore anywhere so he could only be like that from the toxins from the flu jab. Humph.
I was slightly paranoid, as last treatment (after 4 days being ridden by lots of people!) he had been very sore lumbar and very sore behind shoulders. Thank goodness she reported he is absolutely fine in both areas, so phew, I don't make him sore!!
She watched him move (very tense, trotting on drive with chainsawing behind wood!!) and when stood up, his right shoulder is in much better alignment now, not forward of left one, but his whole shoulder area is a bit tilted. So she worked on that and his his TMJ as she felt that might contribute to the wonky shoulders. She was very pleased with the rest of him but he still needs another treatment for his quarters as we haven't got there yet!!
Max - I told her how well he's been going and how sound he is. I don't think she really believed me til we trotted him up the drive and she said "oh WOW" !!
Apparently he is much better :-) which we knew, but still! She can't believe the difference and I just shrugged and said I'd thought for some time that I'd got the feet right "enough" for him to move better, but his body was obviously blocking the movement from holding himself off his feet for however long before I got him.
He was tight in front of his shoulders, pecs down to where join in chest, and just above hip whorls below lumbar area. But even these areas are much improved and he is not tight through back any more and much much easier through his shoulders. Whoohooo. Tight in TMJ but she hasn't treated that before.
So, Magic and Aero need another one, but ok to leave til January time. Max, I said should he keep having them and she said no, see how he is for a few months, he just needs now to get stronger and more used to working on surfaces etc. He has popped a windgall up on his right hind but she thinks this is probably because he is now working on surfaces and is also now finally using himself. She couldn't believe the difference and kept saying so :-)))
I'm soooo soooo pleased that what I've been feeling with both of them has been what has been right.
Magic is to have 4 days off because he was very dozy, even with the tension of the chainsawing man (good job, give my knee a chance to heal.) Max only needs a couple of days off, but as she rightly said, I need to do a bit with him, then let him have a quiet few days, then do a bit more and build him up. That means no having to ride a 7am this week, hurrah!
Magic will probably work Fri/Sat then go to do combined training on Sun. Max can potter Thurs onwards but have a quiet week or so til they have their next double outing to stressage on 3rd Dec. He kind of doesn't have anything to prove to me now, he's such a star. Magic needs to keep going out until I can generally keep him settled.
Just remind me who is 5 and who is 10???!
Fortunately, I wanted her to have a look at Max, so we swapped and gave Max a treatment instead.
Considering how scary life was, Magic was zonked totally out by his treatment. She said he wasn't sore anywhere so he could only be like that from the toxins from the flu jab. Humph.
I was slightly paranoid, as last treatment (after 4 days being ridden by lots of people!) he had been very sore lumbar and very sore behind shoulders. Thank goodness she reported he is absolutely fine in both areas, so phew, I don't make him sore!!
She watched him move (very tense, trotting on drive with chainsawing behind wood!!) and when stood up, his right shoulder is in much better alignment now, not forward of left one, but his whole shoulder area is a bit tilted. So she worked on that and his his TMJ as she felt that might contribute to the wonky shoulders. She was very pleased with the rest of him but he still needs another treatment for his quarters as we haven't got there yet!!
Max - I told her how well he's been going and how sound he is. I don't think she really believed me til we trotted him up the drive and she said "oh WOW" !!
Apparently he is much better :-) which we knew, but still! She can't believe the difference and I just shrugged and said I'd thought for some time that I'd got the feet right "enough" for him to move better, but his body was obviously blocking the movement from holding himself off his feet for however long before I got him.
He was tight in front of his shoulders, pecs down to where join in chest, and just above hip whorls below lumbar area. But even these areas are much improved and he is not tight through back any more and much much easier through his shoulders. Whoohooo. Tight in TMJ but she hasn't treated that before.
So, Magic and Aero need another one, but ok to leave til January time. Max, I said should he keep having them and she said no, see how he is for a few months, he just needs now to get stronger and more used to working on surfaces etc. He has popped a windgall up on his right hind but she thinks this is probably because he is now working on surfaces and is also now finally using himself. She couldn't believe the difference and kept saying so :-)))
I'm soooo soooo pleased that what I've been feeling with both of them has been what has been right.
Magic is to have 4 days off because he was very dozy, even with the tension of the chainsawing man (good job, give my knee a chance to heal.) Max only needs a couple of days off, but as she rightly said, I need to do a bit with him, then let him have a quiet few days, then do a bit more and build him up. That means no having to ride a 7am this week, hurrah!
Magic will probably work Fri/Sat then go to do combined training on Sun. Max can potter Thurs onwards but have a quiet week or so til they have their next double outing to stressage on 3rd Dec. He kind of doesn't have anything to prove to me now, he's such a star. Magic needs to keep going out until I can generally keep him settled.
Just remind me who is 5 and who is 10???!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Me
Accident prone? Pah. Fell down spiral stairs. Bashed left knee very firmly into twisty decorative bannister post. Got big bruise on thigh too. Nice.
Chose Max to ride.... hurts. Boo. If it hurts on Mr Smoooooooooooth, there ain't much chance on the bouncemeister.
So SJ tomorrow is off :-(
On the plus side, I went for a treatment (after falling down stairs) and have another one booked for the 4th. I will get straightened up along side my ponies, I WILL!
Interesting. Pecs very tight. Due to asthma, bad breathing. Discussed breathing through nose, hahah. Shall practice. Have tight left quad = why right seat bone slides off, wooo. Left shoulder, well lets not go there! Am much shorter and tighter in right side of neck than left. When lying on front on treatment table, I can lie with my head to left but it won't lie down to right.... because the right side of my neck is so tight and short it doesn't stretch that far. Interesting.
So homework :rollseyes: pecs - stretch - arm up at 90 on wall, step same side leg forward past it... feeeeeeeel the stretch, oh yes.
Quads - lie with bum to wall and legs straight up against wall. Bend one leg and put foot over other knee, then slide other foot down wall, stretching quads. Also, oh yes.
So, homework shall commence.....
And this weekend will be boring. Magic and Aero getting their 3rd treatments tomorrow. And no parties for us til I've got a functioning knee. Groan. Happy hacking for Maxwell though, cos the bonus is I can't weight it when riding, it hurts, so good practice!!
Chose Max to ride.... hurts. Boo. If it hurts on Mr Smoooooooooooth, there ain't much chance on the bouncemeister.
So SJ tomorrow is off :-(
On the plus side, I went for a treatment (after falling down stairs) and have another one booked for the 4th. I will get straightened up along side my ponies, I WILL!
Interesting. Pecs very tight. Due to asthma, bad breathing. Discussed breathing through nose, hahah. Shall practice. Have tight left quad = why right seat bone slides off, wooo. Left shoulder, well lets not go there! Am much shorter and tighter in right side of neck than left. When lying on front on treatment table, I can lie with my head to left but it won't lie down to right.... because the right side of my neck is so tight and short it doesn't stretch that far. Interesting.
So homework :rollseyes: pecs - stretch - arm up at 90 on wall, step same side leg forward past it... feeeeeeeel the stretch, oh yes.
Quads - lie with bum to wall and legs straight up against wall. Bend one leg and put foot over other knee, then slide other foot down wall, stretching quads. Also, oh yes.
So, homework shall commence.....
And this weekend will be boring. Magic and Aero getting their 3rd treatments tomorrow. And no parties for us til I've got a functioning knee. Groan. Happy hacking for Maxwell though, cos the bonus is I can't weight it when riding, it hurts, so good practice!!
Videos, Magic
Magic, not-soooo-stressage
Magic jumpies, no laughing at the height of the jumps or our amazing "miss" at number 4! I guess its to be expected now I am trying not to mess with him in front of fences. The good thing is, the miss came at the only fence that he was running out from under me... all the others he waited beautifully for. Still not the calmness I wanted, but even when tense, I got the control and he was waiting without me oiking him around the whole time.
Magic jumpies, no laughing at the height of the jumps or our amazing "miss" at number 4! I guess its to be expected now I am trying not to mess with him in front of fences. The good thing is, the miss came at the only fence that he was running out from under me... all the others he waited beautifully for. Still not the calmness I wanted, but even when tense, I got the control and he was waiting without me oiking him around the whole time.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Videos, Max
Max, dressage, bless him :-)
Max, Jumpies, still bless him :-))
Magic will follow, it takes forever for them to upload.
Max, Jumpies, still bless him :-))
Magic will follow, it takes forever for them to upload.
Combined training
Max and Magic again! They are settling well to being one in-one out of the lorry. They are both very good as well at being loaded, unloaded, loaded again, all without doing anything.
The star of the show is most definately Maxwell. I can't believe the change in that horse. He is quite simply a superstar. I might end up having to sell him because he is just toooo good!
We got ready, got on and went to warm up. No dinosaur. All very lovely. I forgot my back brace so sent marvellous groom/video-er back for it. Having only really walked thus far, he stood and let me fiddle it on. He wouldn't have managed that last outing!
Warmed up very well. Cocked his head to the other horses but was ignoring them much better. Into the scary indoor.... "is it?" says Max... "why?".
Bell goes, and we saunter round our test with me thinking push out into my back. It went well! He was a bit tired from all the transitions in the warm up and probably from Tues night (and then a mad gallop round the field yest). So by the time we got to canters I was onto pony club kicks. He lost a leg on the left canter, and then decided he needed to poo mid right-canter, which meant trot and cue lots more pony club kicks from me. Stylish!
But, he's just so darn easy! Got the sheet back and we got 61.4% !! Go Max! We got an 8 for our entry, and a few 7s and then a 4 for our pooing-not-cantering. Really nice comment "Lots to like, forwards and obedient but needs to be more between leg and hand". Absolutely spot on and fair enough. And watching the video back, he is already not looking so much like an extra long blunderbus! Civilisation here we come! Made worse when I realised he should have had more marks - I'd free walked at the wrong place - sorry Max!
Took him back for a breather before the jumpies. Bearing in mind we have not left the floor since the last CT here, which was.... May I think! He was a star! Just picked up canter and lobbed his way round over them. Some had really tight turns which I thought he'd struggle to make, but he was fine. Numpty mother however made his life difficult by forgetting where number 6 was and having to turn on a sixpence, sorry Max!
He went back to the lorry and was happily on board munching away.
Magic's turn. Warmed up amazingly. Really the best ever. More through, actually me riding from leg to hand... not running from me. Me actually RIDING the beast. Best ever canters, just lovely.
Then I stopped and chatted for a bit, then cos it had been so nice, asked for video of next bit. Oh, quelle surprise, I rode like a plank. Actually, if I rode like a plank literally, I'd probably be better off than the wobbly bobbly person I am when on Magic. Sigh.
Decided I needed to just imagine I was riding Max, who has a lovely long stride and a gorgeous rhythm.... and that improved things a lot.... but still felt like I'd blown it....
Went in to ride round waiting for bell, and riding as if he's Max gets harder when Magic is glaring at the wings at the side and leaping sideways in an indian rubber ball stylee. If only Magic had Max's brain, wow, what a horse! He makes me feel like a lump of jelly. And not particularly talented jelly at that!
Also, glaring means I don't have a chance of getting his ears, or control of the speed of his legs. Was not at this point expecting much TBH!
Bell goes, in we go. Trot work was MUCH improved on last tests and the 2nd warm up. Canter felt fab but madam here forgot the test.... you have to canter around for about 2 laps.... as well as doing loops etc. Poor both of us! Canter change of leg through trot was nice, given we haven't practiced any of the novice movements for years! Sorry Magic (notice a theme developing here?!)
So, actually really pleased. He was much calmer and more rideable than the last test we did here and the vid looks good in places (no sarky comments about, yes like when we are asking the judge where to go, whoops!) We got 63%. Very pleased, especially with yet another error of course from rider.... :whistlesinnocently:
Back to lorry for quick change of stirrups and breastplate on. Out to the outdoor in the howling gale, where they have been tearing down the trees alongside. Of course, did Max care about any of this? Nope. Did Magic? Ohhhhh, yessss.
I walked him round calmly for a bit, and then trotted, but I was never going to improve the spook factor of the far side. I got reminded to ride him as if he's Max.... which does really help...but I think I was drowning a bit.
Canter, zoom off, so circled a couple of times until civilised (ish). Jumped practice fence. Ballooned once, dropped to trot 2nd time, managed to do it nicely 3rd time. Then course. Felt absolutely awful. Thank god for my video-er, because watched it back and apart from the number of "misses" due to my attempt at hands down and don't fiddle, the control is still there. And he was about as tense as its possible for him to be. So I should be pleased.
Jumps were far too small, but to do 3" you had to do an elemental test, and after the amount of canter in that Novice, no way am I trying a Elem for a bit!
But sometimes I could just cry, I try so hard, he makes me sweat buckets, and I still feel like a lump of jelly. Hey ho. On the plus side, he tried his hardest to stay calm in the stressage, and he stayed under control when very very tense jumping.
How long til can get calmness for jumpies? Well, we can only watch and wait!!
The star of the show is most definately Maxwell. I can't believe the change in that horse. He is quite simply a superstar. I might end up having to sell him because he is just toooo good!
We got ready, got on and went to warm up. No dinosaur. All very lovely. I forgot my back brace so sent marvellous groom/video-er back for it. Having only really walked thus far, he stood and let me fiddle it on. He wouldn't have managed that last outing!
Warmed up very well. Cocked his head to the other horses but was ignoring them much better. Into the scary indoor.... "is it?" says Max... "why?".
Bell goes, and we saunter round our test with me thinking push out into my back. It went well! He was a bit tired from all the transitions in the warm up and probably from Tues night (and then a mad gallop round the field yest). So by the time we got to canters I was onto pony club kicks. He lost a leg on the left canter, and then decided he needed to poo mid right-canter, which meant trot and cue lots more pony club kicks from me. Stylish!
But, he's just so darn easy! Got the sheet back and we got 61.4% !! Go Max! We got an 8 for our entry, and a few 7s and then a 4 for our pooing-not-cantering. Really nice comment "Lots to like, forwards and obedient but needs to be more between leg and hand". Absolutely spot on and fair enough. And watching the video back, he is already not looking so much like an extra long blunderbus! Civilisation here we come! Made worse when I realised he should have had more marks - I'd free walked at the wrong place - sorry Max!
Took him back for a breather before the jumpies. Bearing in mind we have not left the floor since the last CT here, which was.... May I think! He was a star! Just picked up canter and lobbed his way round over them. Some had really tight turns which I thought he'd struggle to make, but he was fine. Numpty mother however made his life difficult by forgetting where number 6 was and having to turn on a sixpence, sorry Max!
He went back to the lorry and was happily on board munching away.
Magic's turn. Warmed up amazingly. Really the best ever. More through, actually me riding from leg to hand... not running from me. Me actually RIDING the beast. Best ever canters, just lovely.
Then I stopped and chatted for a bit, then cos it had been so nice, asked for video of next bit. Oh, quelle surprise, I rode like a plank. Actually, if I rode like a plank literally, I'd probably be better off than the wobbly bobbly person I am when on Magic. Sigh.
Decided I needed to just imagine I was riding Max, who has a lovely long stride and a gorgeous rhythm.... and that improved things a lot.... but still felt like I'd blown it....
Went in to ride round waiting for bell, and riding as if he's Max gets harder when Magic is glaring at the wings at the side and leaping sideways in an indian rubber ball stylee. If only Magic had Max's brain, wow, what a horse! He makes me feel like a lump of jelly. And not particularly talented jelly at that!
Also, glaring means I don't have a chance of getting his ears, or control of the speed of his legs. Was not at this point expecting much TBH!
Bell goes, in we go. Trot work was MUCH improved on last tests and the 2nd warm up. Canter felt fab but madam here forgot the test.... you have to canter around for about 2 laps.... as well as doing loops etc. Poor both of us! Canter change of leg through trot was nice, given we haven't practiced any of the novice movements for years! Sorry Magic (notice a theme developing here?!)
So, actually really pleased. He was much calmer and more rideable than the last test we did here and the vid looks good in places (no sarky comments about, yes like when we are asking the judge where to go, whoops!) We got 63%. Very pleased, especially with yet another error of course from rider.... :whistlesinnocently:
Back to lorry for quick change of stirrups and breastplate on. Out to the outdoor in the howling gale, where they have been tearing down the trees alongside. Of course, did Max care about any of this? Nope. Did Magic? Ohhhhh, yessss.
I walked him round calmly for a bit, and then trotted, but I was never going to improve the spook factor of the far side. I got reminded to ride him as if he's Max.... which does really help...but I think I was drowning a bit.
Canter, zoom off, so circled a couple of times until civilised (ish). Jumped practice fence. Ballooned once, dropped to trot 2nd time, managed to do it nicely 3rd time. Then course. Felt absolutely awful. Thank god for my video-er, because watched it back and apart from the number of "misses" due to my attempt at hands down and don't fiddle, the control is still there. And he was about as tense as its possible for him to be. So I should be pleased.
Jumps were far too small, but to do 3" you had to do an elemental test, and after the amount of canter in that Novice, no way am I trying a Elem for a bit!
But sometimes I could just cry, I try so hard, he makes me sweat buckets, and I still feel like a lump of jelly. Hey ho. On the plus side, he tried his hardest to stay calm in the stressage, and he stayed under control when very very tense jumping.
How long til can get calmness for jumpies? Well, we can only watch and wait!!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
RC lesson
Today I braved taking Magic for a short trundle to see how he is. He was very spooky and struggled to concentrate on anything for longer than a nanosecond. So I'd say he's feeling better then!
This evening, Max and Dan went to the riding club lesson.
Dan looks like a totally different horse and is now doing fabby work in canter as well as trot.
Max was an absolute star. He can suddenly REALLY canter. In balance and everything. We had to do loops in off the track.... erm hello, he can't even canter a circle yet!! So we tried, and amazingly, he did a really good job of it. I need to think lean back into my back in the canter, or he pulls me over his withers. Once I was back enough and kneeling enough, then it felt fabby!
Trot was good too. A little bit drift in on the right rein, but I suspect a portion of it is my ineptitude with shearing the boards that way.
I wore the back brace and it really helped me to focus on my core strength. I need to do more narrow in pelvis and thighs on Max.... for some reason its harder on him because he is narrower, you'd think it would be easier!
I need to sling shot massively on him, and keep my bear down and my core really engaged for the rise/sit and also to GET to the top of the rise (boring, yes, still the same things!).
Then we did direct transitions and he was fabby at these two! Really switched on and in front of my leg. Never felt him like it.
Am very excited about him now, he felt, dare I say it, athletic, tonight!!
Combined training on Thurs, Max at 11.34 stres and Magic at 2.13... yawn. Well, I did want enough time between!!!
This evening, Max and Dan went to the riding club lesson.
Dan looks like a totally different horse and is now doing fabby work in canter as well as trot.
Max was an absolute star. He can suddenly REALLY canter. In balance and everything. We had to do loops in off the track.... erm hello, he can't even canter a circle yet!! So we tried, and amazingly, he did a really good job of it. I need to think lean back into my back in the canter, or he pulls me over his withers. Once I was back enough and kneeling enough, then it felt fabby!
Trot was good too. A little bit drift in on the right rein, but I suspect a portion of it is my ineptitude with shearing the boards that way.
I wore the back brace and it really helped me to focus on my core strength. I need to do more narrow in pelvis and thighs on Max.... for some reason its harder on him because he is narrower, you'd think it would be easier!
I need to sling shot massively on him, and keep my bear down and my core really engaged for the rise/sit and also to GET to the top of the rise (boring, yes, still the same things!).
Then we did direct transitions and he was fabby at these two! Really switched on and in front of my leg. Never felt him like it.
Am very excited about him now, he felt, dare I say it, athletic, tonight!!
Combined training on Thurs, Max at 11.34 stres and Magic at 2.13... yawn. Well, I did want enough time between!!!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Improvements....
In Magic, the weather and in Max and Dan's ability to cope with a storm! Granted, we had it least bad of the whole country, but hey. It was still wet, windy and wild!!
Magic first. Temp at 2pm was 37.6. Temp at 6pm was 38.1 (eeek, rising).... Temp at 8am this morning (38.1). So maybe stable then!
Meanwhile, Max and I and P and Dan rode out in the storm.... they were very good! Quarter sheets where threatening to blow over our heads, but I was very proud of them both. (Safety in numbers, I wouldn't have liked either of our chances out on our own!)
And then, the weather changed and its now beautiful... so Max and I are off out again. Then they can have the rest of the day on the top field :yummygrassalert:
Magic first. Temp at 2pm was 37.6. Temp at 6pm was 38.1 (eeek, rising).... Temp at 8am this morning (38.1). So maybe stable then!
Meanwhile, Max and I and P and Dan rode out in the storm.... they were very good! Quarter sheets where threatening to blow over our heads, but I was very proud of them both. (Safety in numbers, I wouldn't have liked either of our chances out on our own!)
And then, the weather changed and its now beautiful... so Max and I are off out again. Then they can have the rest of the day on the top field :yummygrassalert:
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Blinking flip
What an interesting 24hrs.
Rode Max yesterday morning, before the storm got going, and then went to get on Magic. It had already started raining so decided to just take him up for a mooch round our fields.
Got on and started walking up hill and something not right. He was puffing far too much. He stopped for a wee (very normal!) and then when he went on it was like he'd run the grand national. I hopped off and he was literally panting and breaking out into sweat. We'd gone about 100yds.
Get him back down to yard and have major panic, thinking its got to be reaction to dope or vacc. Ring vet who jabbed yesterday who said didn't think it could be a reaction, but take his temp.
I did. It was at the top of the scale at 40 degrees. Vet on way, says keep him in.
Different vet arrives (male), cue Magic feeling much better and a 5 minute dance round his stable to catch him. Then continued dancing once vet comes into stable. So he's not THAT bad.
Panic re colic etc etc. Guts sound normal, lungs sound normal, no sign of respiratory problems. Phew. But high temp. He gave him anti-inflams and antibiotics IV. Said keep him in as wet out.
Vet leaves, so I promptly bundle him into rug from ears to tail and stick him and Aero on front grass for an hour. TBs get kicked out into field. If they've got to stay in then I'm not having them with no grass for 48hrs.
Get him back in 6ish, having made beautiful bed up. towel head and ears dry. Leave him stabled and Aero in top end of yard with choice of 2 stables. Give him supper with aloe and manuka honey.... Aero spends most the night with his head over Magic's door. Bless. TBs have choice but come back in as field obviously no place for them in a storm (or without a Magic!) Check his temp and its lower, but not normal.
Get back at 11.30pm, check temp and its 37.8 hurrah. Leave him with fresh haylage but he's not impressed. Aero has eaten a stack of his and the TBs are still in....
6am, temp 37.3. Whoohoo. Can't tell if he's feeling well/ill as my only sign before was that he couldn't breathe when walking him up a hill! Stick him and Aero back out on front grass for an hour whilst I muck out (whassat?). Then in for breakfast, more aloe and honey.
Left them the run, thinking they'd go back out as had been in all night, but all still loitering in yard.
9am speak to vet who says great temp is down, but monitor 2x a day as may spike again. Turn out as much as poss as long as weather ok. Have him in when weather nasty. Drugs will wear off 24hrs after administered, so need to check him this evening again to see if he's "over" it or if the drugs just did their thing for a bit. Fingers crossed he's over it.
But you learn something new, I thought you only got a localised reaction to vaccs, didn't realise you could get a systemic reaction.
Vets have informed drug company, so fingers crossed they'll stump up some cash for treatment.
Went down and turned them out. Gave them a strip of the top field. Magic up for playing, but not as full as joie de vie as usual.
Rode Max yesterday morning, before the storm got going, and then went to get on Magic. It had already started raining so decided to just take him up for a mooch round our fields.
Got on and started walking up hill and something not right. He was puffing far too much. He stopped for a wee (very normal!) and then when he went on it was like he'd run the grand national. I hopped off and he was literally panting and breaking out into sweat. We'd gone about 100yds.
Get him back down to yard and have major panic, thinking its got to be reaction to dope or vacc. Ring vet who jabbed yesterday who said didn't think it could be a reaction, but take his temp.
I did. It was at the top of the scale at 40 degrees. Vet on way, says keep him in.
Different vet arrives (male), cue Magic feeling much better and a 5 minute dance round his stable to catch him. Then continued dancing once vet comes into stable. So he's not THAT bad.
Panic re colic etc etc. Guts sound normal, lungs sound normal, no sign of respiratory problems. Phew. But high temp. He gave him anti-inflams and antibiotics IV. Said keep him in as wet out.
Vet leaves, so I promptly bundle him into rug from ears to tail and stick him and Aero on front grass for an hour. TBs get kicked out into field. If they've got to stay in then I'm not having them with no grass for 48hrs.
Get him back in 6ish, having made beautiful bed up. towel head and ears dry. Leave him stabled and Aero in top end of yard with choice of 2 stables. Give him supper with aloe and manuka honey.... Aero spends most the night with his head over Magic's door. Bless. TBs have choice but come back in as field obviously no place for them in a storm (or without a Magic!) Check his temp and its lower, but not normal.
Get back at 11.30pm, check temp and its 37.8 hurrah. Leave him with fresh haylage but he's not impressed. Aero has eaten a stack of his and the TBs are still in....
6am, temp 37.3. Whoohoo. Can't tell if he's feeling well/ill as my only sign before was that he couldn't breathe when walking him up a hill! Stick him and Aero back out on front grass for an hour whilst I muck out (whassat?). Then in for breakfast, more aloe and honey.
Left them the run, thinking they'd go back out as had been in all night, but all still loitering in yard.
9am speak to vet who says great temp is down, but monitor 2x a day as may spike again. Turn out as much as poss as long as weather ok. Have him in when weather nasty. Drugs will wear off 24hrs after administered, so need to check him this evening again to see if he's "over" it or if the drugs just did their thing for a bit. Fingers crossed he's over it.
But you learn something new, I thought you only got a localised reaction to vaccs, didn't realise you could get a systemic reaction.
Vets have informed drug company, so fingers crossed they'll stump up some cash for treatment.
Went down and turned them out. Gave them a strip of the top field. Magic up for playing, but not as full as joie de vie as usual.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Dentistry and Vitnery...
So today was the day. I hate dentist days! I rode Magic at 7am but probably didn't need to as when I arrived he was encouraging them all into laps-of-field-with-tails-over-backs-snorting-like-dragons. Sigh. My field is now a quagmire.... didn't take them long, the swines.
So I had to go out and CATCH him! (Too dangerous to come in through gate as lion was obviously lying in wait behind it). Fortunately, the others could come in as soon as he did!
Nice ride in glorious sunshine! Bit different now, its lashing down.
Then gave him some sedalin in his breakfast, as last time he was in terrified mode before he'd even HAD his IV sedation.... And it really worked. Dentist arrived, I caught Magic and then vet arrived and doped him.... and then doped him again (sigh). Eventually, after enough to fell an elephant, he relented and let her do his teeth. And he was actually perfect, AND its the first time they've gone a year and they were still really good and she said he'd probably go 14months next time. I said no point as can have vet to jab and sedate at same time this way, but nice to know that his teeth are now officially perfect!
Everyone else had their flu and tets, which means Max is now in line with everyone else. Don't quite know how I managed it, but glad I took the chance last year that he WAS worth risking the vaccination money on, and stumped up for 3 lots!!
Aero had his teeth done and was better than last time, and his teeth lasted a year easily too. So That's cool. The TBs are 6 monthly, and the black boys are yearly. Jobs a good un!
And very nice to have a calm Magic. But boy he can fight the dope.... he was trying to eat within about 10mins of us finishing him, and it only took her half an hour at most!
I guess, as he always makes out, the only way he's survived so long is by being on red alert 24/7.
Max and I then went for a little hack, and got back just before it rained. He was very good, in the wind and everything.
I'll ride them both tomorrow, then they have the weekend off as we are away for the weekend. And then it'll be back to 7am rides on Monday!
So I had to go out and CATCH him! (Too dangerous to come in through gate as lion was obviously lying in wait behind it). Fortunately, the others could come in as soon as he did!
Nice ride in glorious sunshine! Bit different now, its lashing down.
Then gave him some sedalin in his breakfast, as last time he was in terrified mode before he'd even HAD his IV sedation.... And it really worked. Dentist arrived, I caught Magic and then vet arrived and doped him.... and then doped him again (sigh). Eventually, after enough to fell an elephant, he relented and let her do his teeth. And he was actually perfect, AND its the first time they've gone a year and they were still really good and she said he'd probably go 14months next time. I said no point as can have vet to jab and sedate at same time this way, but nice to know that his teeth are now officially perfect!
Everyone else had their flu and tets, which means Max is now in line with everyone else. Don't quite know how I managed it, but glad I took the chance last year that he WAS worth risking the vaccination money on, and stumped up for 3 lots!!
Aero had his teeth done and was better than last time, and his teeth lasted a year easily too. So That's cool. The TBs are 6 monthly, and the black boys are yearly. Jobs a good un!
And very nice to have a calm Magic. But boy he can fight the dope.... he was trying to eat within about 10mins of us finishing him, and it only took her half an hour at most!
I guess, as he always makes out, the only way he's survived so long is by being on red alert 24/7.
Max and I then went for a little hack, and got back just before it rained. He was very good, in the wind and everything.
I'll ride them both tomorrow, then they have the weekend off as we are away for the weekend. And then it'll be back to 7am rides on Monday!
Monday, November 09, 2009
Videos
Technical issues meant we only have the second half of Max's test. Which means we get all the canter but not much trot! But look, he CAN canter!!
Riding wise, I didn't feel I rode him as well as I can.... I forgot boards. And sheering. Ho hum. But mainly I managed to get the feel of "lift" the back, not reel the head in. And I guess that is quite tricky in itself when you consider how long he is. But compared with our photos from the spring, I think he doesn't look nearly as long and gangly as he did!
And then Magic, being c.a.l.m! Not a single spook. Never thought I'd see the day. Especially on his first outing in there for ages!
Me, still not matching the forces or rising enough... Still a bit square wheeled, but better, much better and certainly some nearly round wheeled moments :-))
Riding wise, I didn't feel I rode him as well as I can.... I forgot boards. And sheering. Ho hum. But mainly I managed to get the feel of "lift" the back, not reel the head in. And I guess that is quite tricky in itself when you consider how long he is. But compared with our photos from the spring, I think he doesn't look nearly as long and gangly as he did!
And then Magic, being c.a.l.m! Not a single spook. Never thought I'd see the day. Especially on his first outing in there for ages!
Me, still not matching the forces or rising enough... Still a bit square wheeled, but better, much better and certainly some nearly round wheeled moments :-))
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Stressage with M&M!
What can I say? Apart from it being freezing and raining all morning, we've had a fab day!
Two very kind friends stepped in to nanny the pair of M's first joint outing - so thanks folks, much appreciated and good to have a gossip and catch up!
We got there, got them both off, and then stuck Magic back on. Expected a little bit of a fuss, but was totally prepared to ignore him as he is officially the "grown up" in this scenario!
Max and I went off to warm up. Cue firebreathing dinosaur again. Definitely should have called him T-Rex! We trotted round. A lot. And then some more. Then we risked canter. We couldn't stop. We didn't walk for at least 20mins. Then we seemed somewhat calmer.
We had no leap/buck combos, but plenty of T-Rex roars and "I'll stick my head in the clouds and my fingers in my ears and see how many poor unsuspecting members of the public I can plough through in my excitement". Sigh.
Bless him though he tires fast!! And he's so much easier to ride than Magic that trotting and cantering for half an hour was no problem. Unfortunately, an early competitor got shipped off by ambulance (never let anyone tell you stressage is a SAFE sport!) so everything was running 40mins late. Which worked well as was able to take him back to the lorry for a rest for a bit (where Magic kicked off again, despite having been perfect when no one around.... hmmm).
Got back on and did a bit more work, but he was truly sensible by now and I didn't want him tired (pony club kicks to get canter is not the done thing daaaarling!).
Went into the indoor school, away from all others, where he's never been before and bimbled round doing his test in a little world of his own. I love him so much! I can just imagine his internal dialogue, it'd go..... "hummm, mmmm,mmm," (sings to self) "wonder why she wants me to trot round here then" "hum hum mmm" "This is quite repetitive, still she must have her reasons." "oooh, she only wants me to CANTER as well, hooooow much like hard work?" "hmmm, mmmm" "Oh good, we've stopped." "Oh good, a carrot". "Odd mother!" :-)))
Gotta love a switched off baby ex-racer. I think they broke the mold!
So we saunter back, get Magic out and let them both have some haylage for a bit. Then I stick Max back in lorry thinking it'd all kick off..... and nothing. He stood and ate his haylage. Even when we left! I was sooo worried warming up Magic that I was quite relieved when I heard him bang a few times. I was beginning to think he'd strung himself up or something. So his halo is WELL adjusted today! Perfect pone.
Magic and I warmed up. I can't say he was quite as relaxed as last Sunday, but very good none the less. I could barely match his forces so did minimal warm up. Canter was lush though. Don't know where THAT'S come from but am very very pleased!!
In we went. Only thing I wanted was calm Magic. And I got it! And the ears! Granted, every 10 trot strides or so he felt the need to try to hollow, but each time I worked on what I needed to do, as WELL as maintaining some sort of outline, and he came back to me. He was very calm, no pre-empting and the canter was as good as outdoors. Even the trot work he was pushing the neck away from me at times. It felt gooood!
Came out and gave him loads of fuss. I think he likes the new me :-))) I certainly like the new Magic :-)))
Put him away (Max still being a star) and went to look at scores. Not bothered, but pleased to see that Max got 60%. Really really lovely comments about how he just gets too long and loses balance but generally good! No comment that read "get that cripple outa here"!!!
Magic got 63% which I'm happy about. Didn't wait for sheet but will get it posted on.
I have videos thanks to the aformentioned friends, so shall upload them when I have a mo.
But, and its a huge thing - my two Ms can go parties together and be sensible left in the lorry! AND Magic did a calm test, in the indoor where he ALWAYS had mega spooks.
Very tired happy bunny tonight!! :-))
Two very kind friends stepped in to nanny the pair of M's first joint outing - so thanks folks, much appreciated and good to have a gossip and catch up!
We got there, got them both off, and then stuck Magic back on. Expected a little bit of a fuss, but was totally prepared to ignore him as he is officially the "grown up" in this scenario!
Max and I went off to warm up. Cue firebreathing dinosaur again. Definitely should have called him T-Rex! We trotted round. A lot. And then some more. Then we risked canter. We couldn't stop. We didn't walk for at least 20mins. Then we seemed somewhat calmer.
We had no leap/buck combos, but plenty of T-Rex roars and "I'll stick my head in the clouds and my fingers in my ears and see how many poor unsuspecting members of the public I can plough through in my excitement". Sigh.
Bless him though he tires fast!! And he's so much easier to ride than Magic that trotting and cantering for half an hour was no problem. Unfortunately, an early competitor got shipped off by ambulance (never let anyone tell you stressage is a SAFE sport!) so everything was running 40mins late. Which worked well as was able to take him back to the lorry for a rest for a bit (where Magic kicked off again, despite having been perfect when no one around.... hmmm).
Got back on and did a bit more work, but he was truly sensible by now and I didn't want him tired (pony club kicks to get canter is not the done thing daaaarling!).
Went into the indoor school, away from all others, where he's never been before and bimbled round doing his test in a little world of his own. I love him so much! I can just imagine his internal dialogue, it'd go..... "hummm, mmmm,mmm," (sings to self) "wonder why she wants me to trot round here then" "hum hum mmm" "This is quite repetitive, still she must have her reasons." "oooh, she only wants me to CANTER as well, hooooow much like hard work?" "hmmm, mmmm" "Oh good, we've stopped." "Oh good, a carrot". "Odd mother!" :-)))
Gotta love a switched off baby ex-racer. I think they broke the mold!
So we saunter back, get Magic out and let them both have some haylage for a bit. Then I stick Max back in lorry thinking it'd all kick off..... and nothing. He stood and ate his haylage. Even when we left! I was sooo worried warming up Magic that I was quite relieved when I heard him bang a few times. I was beginning to think he'd strung himself up or something. So his halo is WELL adjusted today! Perfect pone.
Magic and I warmed up. I can't say he was quite as relaxed as last Sunday, but very good none the less. I could barely match his forces so did minimal warm up. Canter was lush though. Don't know where THAT'S come from but am very very pleased!!
In we went. Only thing I wanted was calm Magic. And I got it! And the ears! Granted, every 10 trot strides or so he felt the need to try to hollow, but each time I worked on what I needed to do, as WELL as maintaining some sort of outline, and he came back to me. He was very calm, no pre-empting and the canter was as good as outdoors. Even the trot work he was pushing the neck away from me at times. It felt gooood!
Came out and gave him loads of fuss. I think he likes the new me :-))) I certainly like the new Magic :-)))
Put him away (Max still being a star) and went to look at scores. Not bothered, but pleased to see that Max got 60%. Really really lovely comments about how he just gets too long and loses balance but generally good! No comment that read "get that cripple outa here"!!!
Magic got 63% which I'm happy about. Didn't wait for sheet but will get it posted on.
I have videos thanks to the aformentioned friends, so shall upload them when I have a mo.
But, and its a huge thing - my two Ms can go parties together and be sensible left in the lorry! AND Magic did a calm test, in the indoor where he ALWAYS had mega spooks.
Very tired happy bunny tonight!! :-))
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
OK, hands up, who stole my navicular cripple?
And swapped him for a fire-breathing dinosaur?
Hmm. Own up, tis not funny. I'd like a broken Maxwell back please.....
Pah. :-))
So tonight was RC lesson night. I stuck to my guns about not taking Magic and had decided I would take Max.... so yesterday Max and I were hacking out in the beautiful sunshine at 6.50am :-)
And then, this morning, it was Magic's turn.... and I must say if I can scrape myself out of bed, riding in the dawn is much more preferable than poo picking (which has slipped off the radar this week :whistlesinnocently:).
Then tonight, off we went to RC. Maxwell the perfect pony loaded straight onto the lorry in the dark as if he did it all the time (first time in the lorry at all!). He travelled fab and had loads more room than in trailer.
We got on and walked round early, and someone was very on his toes.... people walking alongside the arena, wind blowing, etc all caused the Maxwell equivalent of a squeal and pee-off (basically, a roar like the T-rex in Jurassic Park, and a few strides of TB "bounce").
Dan was rolling his eyes at him, honestly, I saw him!
Then other folks started to arrive and we had a few more interesting moments.
Max decided that each new horse into the arena had to be checked out and if female, letched over for the foreseeable future. He wasn't particularly impressed when I suggested that tonight wasn't about "picking up birds"!!!
Then, after explaining to instructor that he was baby, blah blah, broken/rehab, blah... not very fit... blah.... no schooling... blah... we set off to warm up, and got to the car park end of the arena and out of NOWHERE he did the leap/buck combo he does in the field. O.M.G. I nearly bit dirt! He didn't have the decency to roar first, oh no, he roared on landing as we legged it across the arena. :smallembarrassedcough:
Humph. Methinks I shall not feel too guilty about him having to work solidly for an hour!
I have a bad shoulder, and that made it worse. Honestly it was like being on one of those rollercoasters when they set off straight down and there's nout in front of you (or seemingly even beneath you!). Fortunately, he wasn't quick enough to twist as well (phew) and he's got such a long neck, that even the amount of force he put in, his neck still was there as we landed. Ickle sh*t.
So we were a bit careful for a few mins.... and then things started to settle down and he went like a dream.
I need to remember to sling shot right back in trot, and rise all the way, but goodness if Magic requires 100% effort 100% time to "get it", with Max I need probably 60%, 4o% of the time to have a good stab at it. So easy AS!!
Even canters he tried very hard, good trans and no ears up nostrils, in fact offering too much nosedive. But he feels like its canter now, allbeit not very balanced yet. Trot on the other hand is fantastic. Even on small circles.
So I guess, yes, someone has swapped my cripple for a new baby project.... cos he sure ain't a cripple any more!! Yippeee :-)))
He travelled home quietly as well, and loading is just a dream. Unloading was pretty cute as he did "flip flop feet" coming off ramp as it was quite steep and dark having come away from the light in the box so he felt his way down the ramp, bless him.
All in all an excellent evenings work.
He's not got a Bredon hack on Fri now, but we have still got stressage on Sun. Please god he doesn't hit the ejector button again when I am there alone with two horses :coldshudder:
:-))))
Hmm. Own up, tis not funny. I'd like a broken Maxwell back please.....
Pah. :-))
So tonight was RC lesson night. I stuck to my guns about not taking Magic and had decided I would take Max.... so yesterday Max and I were hacking out in the beautiful sunshine at 6.50am :-)
And then, this morning, it was Magic's turn.... and I must say if I can scrape myself out of bed, riding in the dawn is much more preferable than poo picking (which has slipped off the radar this week :whistlesinnocently:).
Then tonight, off we went to RC. Maxwell the perfect pony loaded straight onto the lorry in the dark as if he did it all the time (first time in the lorry at all!). He travelled fab and had loads more room than in trailer.
We got on and walked round early, and someone was very on his toes.... people walking alongside the arena, wind blowing, etc all caused the Maxwell equivalent of a squeal and pee-off (basically, a roar like the T-rex in Jurassic Park, and a few strides of TB "bounce").
Dan was rolling his eyes at him, honestly, I saw him!
Then other folks started to arrive and we had a few more interesting moments.
Max decided that each new horse into the arena had to be checked out and if female, letched over for the foreseeable future. He wasn't particularly impressed when I suggested that tonight wasn't about "picking up birds"!!!
Then, after explaining to instructor that he was baby, blah blah, broken/rehab, blah... not very fit... blah.... no schooling... blah... we set off to warm up, and got to the car park end of the arena and out of NOWHERE he did the leap/buck combo he does in the field. O.M.G. I nearly bit dirt! He didn't have the decency to roar first, oh no, he roared on landing as we legged it across the arena. :smallembarrassedcough:
Humph. Methinks I shall not feel too guilty about him having to work solidly for an hour!
I have a bad shoulder, and that made it worse. Honestly it was like being on one of those rollercoasters when they set off straight down and there's nout in front of you (or seemingly even beneath you!). Fortunately, he wasn't quick enough to twist as well (phew) and he's got such a long neck, that even the amount of force he put in, his neck still was there as we landed. Ickle sh*t.
So we were a bit careful for a few mins.... and then things started to settle down and he went like a dream.
I need to remember to sling shot right back in trot, and rise all the way, but goodness if Magic requires 100% effort 100% time to "get it", with Max I need probably 60%, 4o% of the time to have a good stab at it. So easy AS!!
Even canters he tried very hard, good trans and no ears up nostrils, in fact offering too much nosedive. But he feels like its canter now, allbeit not very balanced yet. Trot on the other hand is fantastic. Even on small circles.
So I guess, yes, someone has swapped my cripple for a new baby project.... cos he sure ain't a cripple any more!! Yippeee :-)))
He travelled home quietly as well, and loading is just a dream. Unloading was pretty cute as he did "flip flop feet" coming off ramp as it was quite steep and dark having come away from the light in the box so he felt his way down the ramp, bless him.
All in all an excellent evenings work.
He's not got a Bredon hack on Fri now, but we have still got stressage on Sun. Please god he doesn't hit the ejector button again when I am there alone with two horses :coldshudder:
:-))))
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Foiled
We went jumpies this afternoon.... to find it had been cancelled because of the wind/rain.
Bum.
Fortunately, they let us hire the arena, so I had a happy 3/4 hr schooling Magic instead. I'm not sure P and Dan thought as much of the opportunity as me!
Magic was very spooky about the banners to start with, so we walked a 20m circle round on the right rein and past them over and over again with me getting his attentive (on me!) ears and pushing his neck away. Once I'd pretty much got them (barring incidents!) we changed rein and did left rein. No attempt at all on left rein in walk.
So back to right rein, and trot. Wow. By george I think we've got it! I had control of the speed of his legs, so I remembered more rise and I got big trot! Waiting for ME big trot more to the point. When I lost it I needed more bear down and to drag my feet BACK. Weird, but worked... I think he's sneaking me into a very subtle water ski without me noticing, and then off we went in the same old same old... drawing lower leg back got me out of it!
I really really need to keep getting to top of rise... but I struggle sooooo much when he's tense.... So my learning curve from stressage on Thurs, then today is that its ok to forget the rise as long as I have mega beardown, more than reins.... but rising better helps me GET control of the speed of the legs, so the longer I get defensive and ickle rise, the harder it'll be. But beardown first!
So hey ho, its back to the same old - kneel (enough), slingshot (enough), buffer (enough), beardown (enough), Bulldog clip (enough), rise (enough). Heeeeeeheee. Simples!
So right trot was good, changed to left trot which has been better than right the last few times, and it still was! Excellent. I had leg to hand and throughness. My goodness, I felt like I could ride, and he felt like dressage coblet!
The other biiiig thing though, is his neck. As in, after watching vid and seeing how jacknifed he was, I was determined straight neck. Easy peasy on right rein as we both LIKE working into left hand. Very hard on left rein.... although doable as long as I turned like a bus....
Again, blow me down this stuff works and I can actually see us improving LOADS at the mo!
Then a breather as my thighs had given up ghost. Once thighs are gone, I can't be strong enough in beardown and back so I lose the trot.
Then onto canter. Right canter first. Lovely trans, my new regime of always sit trot so he knows is working. And he only tried to stretch right down! I nearly fell off. It was gorgeous!
Then left canter, did some trot first, but funnily he was loads more relaxed and less pre-emptive than he's been in the field. Got left canter and worked on turning like a bus and KEEPING right rein. It worked, we did feel a bit like turning on a kinda pirouette, but he relaxed and stretched down this way too. The ONLY time he tensed was when my left hand started trying to steer/flex.... then I had to remember my mandtra (see above!) and release the rein, whilst apologising for bad habits.
Transitions were mainly brilliant. He did one walk/trot where he hollowed. So I halted him with my core, and asked again and he stayed lovely and soft, so I'd suspect I'd "ridden" the trans rather than "working me" on the trans. He did one rubbish left trot/canter one, but otherwise they were fab.
And we have balanced canter/trot trans - soooo nice, he just comes through all balanced as long as (yes, you've guessed it) I keep my mantra running!
The tricky thing for me now is this neck straight on thing. But it soo helps him that I will crack it. I just have to remember that, on top of all else.
The best bit was how calm he was. Yes he spooked, yes we had a couple of whip round/piss off levitate manouvres, but he stopped and carried on without taking a breath/missing a stride.... so now he doesn't STAY panicked by stuff. And there was a horse looning around in field by school that he thoroughly managed to ignore. No mean feat!
We even did some medium trots, where I got to feel a real medium, and transition to working purely from rise/beardown etc. Really really exciting! Plus I can sit trot for at least 2 strides to get canter :-))
We had round wheels for sure today, and I'm now loads more confident that even though I'll probably have "lost" them next time I school I CAN get them back!!!
I'm so proud of him and I'm actually quite proud of me too! We can do this! :-)))
Bum.
Fortunately, they let us hire the arena, so I had a happy 3/4 hr schooling Magic instead. I'm not sure P and Dan thought as much of the opportunity as me!
Magic was very spooky about the banners to start with, so we walked a 20m circle round on the right rein and past them over and over again with me getting his attentive (on me!) ears and pushing his neck away. Once I'd pretty much got them (barring incidents!) we changed rein and did left rein. No attempt at all on left rein in walk.
So back to right rein, and trot. Wow. By george I think we've got it! I had control of the speed of his legs, so I remembered more rise and I got big trot! Waiting for ME big trot more to the point. When I lost it I needed more bear down and to drag my feet BACK. Weird, but worked... I think he's sneaking me into a very subtle water ski without me noticing, and then off we went in the same old same old... drawing lower leg back got me out of it!
I really really need to keep getting to top of rise... but I struggle sooooo much when he's tense.... So my learning curve from stressage on Thurs, then today is that its ok to forget the rise as long as I have mega beardown, more than reins.... but rising better helps me GET control of the speed of the legs, so the longer I get defensive and ickle rise, the harder it'll be. But beardown first!
So hey ho, its back to the same old - kneel (enough), slingshot (enough), buffer (enough), beardown (enough), Bulldog clip (enough), rise (enough). Heeeeeeheee. Simples!
So right trot was good, changed to left trot which has been better than right the last few times, and it still was! Excellent. I had leg to hand and throughness. My goodness, I felt like I could ride, and he felt like dressage coblet!
The other biiiig thing though, is his neck. As in, after watching vid and seeing how jacknifed he was, I was determined straight neck. Easy peasy on right rein as we both LIKE working into left hand. Very hard on left rein.... although doable as long as I turned like a bus....
Again, blow me down this stuff works and I can actually see us improving LOADS at the mo!
Then a breather as my thighs had given up ghost. Once thighs are gone, I can't be strong enough in beardown and back so I lose the trot.
Then onto canter. Right canter first. Lovely trans, my new regime of always sit trot so he knows is working. And he only tried to stretch right down! I nearly fell off. It was gorgeous!
Then left canter, did some trot first, but funnily he was loads more relaxed and less pre-emptive than he's been in the field. Got left canter and worked on turning like a bus and KEEPING right rein. It worked, we did feel a bit like turning on a kinda pirouette, but he relaxed and stretched down this way too. The ONLY time he tensed was when my left hand started trying to steer/flex.... then I had to remember my mandtra (see above!) and release the rein, whilst apologising for bad habits.
Transitions were mainly brilliant. He did one walk/trot where he hollowed. So I halted him with my core, and asked again and he stayed lovely and soft, so I'd suspect I'd "ridden" the trans rather than "working me" on the trans. He did one rubbish left trot/canter one, but otherwise they were fab.
And we have balanced canter/trot trans - soooo nice, he just comes through all balanced as long as (yes, you've guessed it) I keep my mantra running!
The tricky thing for me now is this neck straight on thing. But it soo helps him that I will crack it. I just have to remember that, on top of all else.
The best bit was how calm he was. Yes he spooked, yes we had a couple of whip round/piss off levitate manouvres, but he stopped and carried on without taking a breath/missing a stride.... so now he doesn't STAY panicked by stuff. And there was a horse looning around in field by school that he thoroughly managed to ignore. No mean feat!
We even did some medium trots, where I got to feel a real medium, and transition to working purely from rise/beardown etc. Really really exciting! Plus I can sit trot for at least 2 strides to get canter :-))
We had round wheels for sure today, and I'm now loads more confident that even though I'll probably have "lost" them next time I school I CAN get them back!!!
I'm so proud of him and I'm actually quite proud of me too! We can do this! :-)))
Trims, when and who
Aero -
7/12/08 (9.5 weeks)
12/2/09 (6.5 weeks)
30/3/09 (5.5 weeks, only a little rasp round the flare really)
7/5/09 (6 weeks)
18/6/09 (3.5 weeks! - desperate, think last of really bad flare)
12/7/09 (5 weeks)
14/8/09 (8 weeks)
7/10/09
Magic -
1/1/09 (7 weeks)
20/2/09 (7 weeks)
10/4/09 (5 weeks)
15/5/09 (8 weeks)
12/7/09 (5 weeks)
14/8/09 (5 weeks til Exmoor 20-27th Sept. Self trimmed nicely!)
25/10/09 (10 weeks total)
Dan -
17/12/08 (8 weeks)
12/2/09 (7 weeks)
3/4/09 (5 weeks) Was footy around this time so they came off the big fields!
7/5/09 (7 weeks) and boy were they ugly flared things!
24/6/09 (2 weeks and as I had the rasp out, I took the flare off again... can't believe how quick they are growing at mo.
12/7/09 (4 weeks) we have another ducks bill section of flare on the lower third... not long now!
14/8/09 (5 weeks)
19/9/09 (8 weeks)
13/11/09
Max -
17/12/08 (fronts - 5 weeks til...)
20/1/09 (all 4, then 5.5 til)
1/3/09 (fronts - then 5 til)
3/4/09 (all 4, then 5 weeks, (all 4) only a little rasp round the flare really)
7/5/09 (6 weeks) Proper trim at a proper time!
18/6/09 (5 weeks) last of major flare off, whoohoo.
24/7/09 Experimenting with no trim.... as medial/lateral deviation seems to be serving a purpose....
Checked 7/10/09. Roll at toe nearly grown out, great length at quarters has self trimmed out, leaving very self made quarter scoop. Heels still very weedy, but much higher (1 cm?) than sole at heel. Frogs very in ground contact though so assume heels will reduce in height when back of foot can take more ground contact. New hoof at coronet got 1 inch or so of much much tighter growth, so again the stuff at the ground looks very flared. Its going to take a while until this guy grows his perfect foot! (13 weeks!)
25/10/09 Gave in, flare off!
Tig -
1/1/09 (8 weeks)
1/3/09 (6 weeks)
10/4/09 (4 weeks) Mega trim needed - feet are growing!
7/5/09 (6 weeks) Ditto. Possible abscess 5/6 - lame 4 days, homeopathics. Must have reabsorbed.
18/6/09 (8 weeks) Moved to new yard on 30/7/09.
14/8/09 (9 weeks)
16/10/09
7/12/08 (9.5 weeks)
12/2/09 (6.5 weeks)
30/3/09 (5.5 weeks, only a little rasp round the flare really)
7/5/09 (6 weeks)
18/6/09 (3.5 weeks! - desperate, think last of really bad flare)
12/7/09 (5 weeks)
14/8/09 (8 weeks)
7/10/09
Magic -
1/1/09 (7 weeks)
20/2/09 (7 weeks)
10/4/09 (5 weeks)
15/5/09 (8 weeks)
12/7/09 (5 weeks)
14/8/09 (5 weeks til Exmoor 20-27th Sept. Self trimmed nicely!)
25/10/09 (10 weeks total)
Dan -
17/12/08 (8 weeks)
12/2/09 (7 weeks)
3/4/09 (5 weeks) Was footy around this time so they came off the big fields!
7/5/09 (7 weeks) and boy were they ugly flared things!
24/6/09 (2 weeks and as I had the rasp out, I took the flare off again... can't believe how quick they are growing at mo.
12/7/09 (4 weeks) we have another ducks bill section of flare on the lower third... not long now!
14/8/09 (5 weeks)
19/9/09 (8 weeks)
13/11/09
Max -
17/12/08 (fronts - 5 weeks til...)
20/1/09 (all 4, then 5.5 til)
1/3/09 (fronts - then 5 til)
3/4/09 (all 4, then 5 weeks, (all 4) only a little rasp round the flare really)
7/5/09 (6 weeks) Proper trim at a proper time!
18/6/09 (5 weeks) last of major flare off, whoohoo.
24/7/09 Experimenting with no trim.... as medial/lateral deviation seems to be serving a purpose....
Checked 7/10/09. Roll at toe nearly grown out, great length at quarters has self trimmed out, leaving very self made quarter scoop. Heels still very weedy, but much higher (1 cm?) than sole at heel. Frogs very in ground contact though so assume heels will reduce in height when back of foot can take more ground contact. New hoof at coronet got 1 inch or so of much much tighter growth, so again the stuff at the ground looks very flared. Its going to take a while until this guy grows his perfect foot! (13 weeks!)
25/10/09 Gave in, flare off!
Tig -
1/1/09 (8 weeks)
1/3/09 (6 weeks)
10/4/09 (4 weeks) Mega trim needed - feet are growing!
7/5/09 (6 weeks) Ditto. Possible abscess 5/6 - lame 4 days, homeopathics. Must have reabsorbed.
18/6/09 (8 weeks) Moved to new yard on 30/7/09.
14/8/09 (9 weeks)
16/10/09
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