Bank Holiday

Hello, well what an eventful bank holiday and for once it didn't chuck it down and drown us all weekend.
I gave up my usual Friday night tipple last weekend, as I thought I should try and have a reasonably clear head for the 4yr old Coolman Hfd's first outing. So Saturday morning off to Holden Fold Stud I went clear headed and with help from the wonderful super groom Claire got Barinka Hfd and Coolman Hfd all plaited and looking pretty for the show.

Super Groom Claire with Coolman Hfd and me and Barinka Hfd.
It was only a small local show and we only did Prelim, but as it was my first outing on the 5 yr old Barinka Hfd and it was Coolman Hfd's first EVER outing it was enough. We had a fun day Coolman Hfd enjoyed his little adventure and made sure I was aware of the fun he was having, with a few cheeky bucks in the warm up. When I finally had 99% of his attention we went in for our test and finished with a respectable 64% and third place!! Which in my eyes for 4yr old on a first outing which was really only ment to be a look and see was very pleasing.
The lovely 5 yr old Barinka Hfd was keen to show the giddy Coolman Hfd how it was done and rode a very nice test for me finishing on a personal best for the mare of 72% and first place! So all in all a very successful day leaving both myself and my trainer Angela Crane very happy ladies with the young horses.

While Barinka and Coolman we busy preparing for there outing the other horses were still coming on nicely. 3yr old Spyder Hfd his flying through his latest program to help improve suppleness and submission through the neck and back, with fantastic results. "The big guy" is now well on his way to those changes by using lots of simple changes. Also doing tempi changes using canter 4 strides then walk 2 strides then canter 4 strides ect ect striking off on the different canter lead each time, this is really helping him to bring is back end under him to the correct positioning for the flying changes and effective response from the leg aids. Fingers crossed I am hoping to have them established by next week! :).

I even managed to have a bit of "me time" this weekend which is a very rare thing when your life revolves around horses. So of all the things I could have done, guess what I did....................I baked a cake of all things!! ha ha I chuckled to myself the whole time thinking what am I doing the stables could really do with de cobwebbing and I am baking! The things you do in order to take some none horsey time are random! I even got roped into Valeting by lovely boyfriend's tractor! phhaaa. This is my lovely boyfriend who on Saturday chose to go to the cattle auction instead of supporting me at my show and then rang me NOT to ask how I got on but what time would I be back as he wanted to know what time we could set off to tractor pulling!!! And he wonders why I get stressed!! lol

Here are the two super star Hfd young horses in a not so flattering pic of me, but what the hey they look super!

It's been a while.....

Well I have been super busy running around like a headless chicken as per the norm when it comes to horses.
To say it is a Monday today I have still been able to say all day that I truly LOVE my job! The feeling you get from riding/training quality horses and seeing and feeling the progress that can be made through correct riding and training ( oh yes I had a bum kicking today from my trainer whilst we worked out some new programs for four of my rides). That is a feeling that you just can not (as all you riders know) be beaten!

So lets see what has happened since I last got chance to ramble on here...

The term "The Joys Of Horses" was used in the most sarcastic context for a week or so as the great British weather gave us lashings of rain. As we are not fortunate enough to have an indoor I spent days permanently feeling like I had just been swimming fully clothed and seriously contemplated buying a wet suit! Despite the weather the horses especially the young ones, have been pretty well behaved ( Unlike other young members of this country..... rioting and looting I mean seriously!! get a grip!!) Barinka Hfd ( 5yr old mare) has come on leaps and bounds and we finished today putting the finishing touches to the counter canter and starting the canter shoulder in and trot half pass so over all extremely happy! Now then as for the Big guy we had a few set backs to his daft aarrgghhh I am not a sensible 12yr old, I am a daft 3yr old moments. He has now once agen seen the light, and working much more supple and through in the back. Due to the fact he has had one owner for so long and progressed slowly he is not quite clued up on flying changes so that is the next task ( Who says you cant teach an old dog new tricks.... well we shall see!). The fabulous Spyder Hfd (3 yr old AES stallion) is coming along nicely, much more supple and focused  with smoother transitions staying in correct outline. That is until a nice mare gives him a squeal  and tail swish from the field, that still tends to slightly distract him for a moment!
A good friend of mine has had the month from hell with very nearly having to make the decision to put her beloved companion pony to sleep. We were all in the mindset that it was the right thing to do, as he came down with a serious case of lammy for the first time in years!! Poor old man could hardly walk, but thanks to some think outside the box advice from the new vet on the block he is practically bouncing agen! :) Here he is in our "How to treat lammy for £6" example photo......lol

A few human Ice packs and elbow support bandages with a pinch of bute and he is back to normal, much to everyone's relief.

As we had some spare time in-between playing nurse to the unhelpful old man ( he kept trying to pull the ice packs off so could not be left unsupervised). We decided to tackle the issue of loading with the very beautiful but very stubborn Miss Star (7yr old Welsh Sec D). Miss Star has not been in  residence long and very nearly didn't make it to her new home as she refused point blank to load. So after being given some le-way for a month or two while she settled in and we addressed some schooling issues it was now time to tackle the trailer issue! She was not very co-operative.............................................

 But eventually with the help of a Be Nice head collar ( these are a GOD SEND for horses that barge or run backwards) some lunge lines and of course a bit of grub, she was in.

So after 10 mins of sulking in the trailer out she came only to find we wanted her to go back in! Well "Paahh to that" was the definite expression on her face, but she quickly gave in this time and even got her tea in the trailer.  Result we now have an easily loadable pony, which is good seen as how there are a few Welsh shows with her name on them!  

I think that about covers it for now, off to sleep for me to merrily dream about new training programs for my rides as I try to memorise all the new things we have put into day! I think I may have a bigger head ache when I wake up! lol (but it is all worth it!)