Moved!

Netherwooder no longer, moved to the Rickyard this weekend. Got everything done on Saturday which was a relief! :hail: Suzy for the lend of Molly Lorry and to Lorna and Kev for being fabby and basically moving me and Flowpo as I was quite useless due to crippled toe.

Madam went out with new friends and is instantly bottom of the pile as expected. Comedy moment when they all galloped off, Flow had a time delay and waited until they were all the other end of the field before galloping after them shrieking Had a lovely evening with Lorna and Kayem.

She turned out fine yesterday - was worried she might be a bit wired. I would like to point out here that I'm not just being a wimp, it's a good 5 minute walk to turn out along a track which overlooks the motorway, hence the apprehension! And she is in the furthest away field possible. In a couple of weeks when they change to winter grazing, her field is 3 seconds away - bliss! Suzy came up to help turn out but luckily madam didn't put a foot wrong.

Met another of my neighbours whose mare is out with Flow, seems like a really nice girl. I bought a kettle and mugs for visitors and sorted my stuff out properly. Have now done all cleaning and am a bit what to do with my day off tomorrow!Hoping I can lunge today, foot seems much better despite me managing to slice another toe at Lorna's on Saturday night, I am so clumsy!

Lesson booked with Fran for 15th November, am so excited, been AGES since I've had a lesson.

Long time no blog!

Sorry Mr Blog! In updates, I am moving to a new yard on 1st November. It has good hacking, 2 lovely schools and is close to home. Scared to be leaving my beloved Netherwood but excited too. We lost Pepsi last week, one of my ponies from home :(

Pepsi went down in the field and couldn't get up. So he has gone over Rainbow Bridge with lots of other much missed horses. I am glad that Dave made the decision and that it was before winter, he was very old and frail, but I will miss seeing his furry little face so much. I feel awful that I doubted that Dave would do the right thing, I know how much he loves his horses and should have realised that he would. I wish I could have said goodbye properly though.
We think he was about 29/30 this year. He was always such a character. He was only 12.1 but loved his mares and used to attempt to mount Jelly Bean who was 15.3 when she was in season :rolleyes: He was great fun to ride, especially to jump, although he had a mean buck/drop shoulder manoevure that had everybody off. I only came off him once when we were cantering across a field and he did that, little monkey.

I used to call him my teddy bear because he was so fluffy and cuddly. He liked to pretend that cuddles were not for boys, but the last time I saw him (when he was pitifully thin and I thought that it was looking like time to call it a day) he was very cuddly and happy to see me.
He liked going to shows, we let local children borrow him sometimes and it made him feel important. We went to Revesby and did some inhand stuff and he was so pleased to be out and about with the important ponies. I'm sure he'll be enjoying himself wherever he is now, telling everyone he is a big stallion and chatting up all the mares :wub:

Sleep well sweetheart. You were so loved, and will be so missed. This is how I want to remember you (above)

Flow was very naughty hacking last week but got a big telling off from Auntie Fran and seemed to learn lots (after putting us backwards into a hedge and showing the world her tummy). But this week has been better.

Schooled madam last night and she was amazing. Stretchy and compliant from the off, had shoulder in, leg yield and a good stretch. Up into trot and she was struggling with the surface so only did 10 minutes of trot and called it a day. She is a clever pony :wub:
Have been much much firmer with her since last Sunday at all times - practicing using "wait" and 1 click to move her on. And she gets a proper telling off for anything naughty - she really tried to kick me when picking her feet out so she got a b*llocking, and then back to calm. It has been really effective - it is hard for me to not be soppy and lovely with her all the time but I need her to respect me (and she still loves me - I turned her out and she came back to the fence for cuddles and scritchies which she has never done before). Decided to try hacking again today, plan was to go inhand with a sensible companion.

Got to yard and decided to try riding her but have a lunge rope with me so I could slip off if she started to rear.

She was fine! Got on and she didn't want to wait but I insisted that I was in charge and we stood for a good 2 minutes. When we got onto the road, she was a bit hesitant at first so I used my clicking and was firm that we were going and she was good. She got quite strutty but that's ok, it's forwards. She was a bit upset when2 bikes came past from behind but all she did was shake her head and jog which I managed to settle her from. Had an "oh sh*t" moment when we turned round to come home - I could hear a massive tractor. However, we waited in a driveway with Meg closest to the road and I kept saying wait - and she did! I could feel her heart beating but she trusted that mum said it was ok. Got home without any problems, was absolutely over the moon.

I am not particularly bothered about hacking on my own, although I'd like it to be something we can do occasionally so I will practice the alone stuff when her confidence is up hacking in company.

Looking forwards to see Lou tonight for curry :biggrin:

Cantering + sunshine = big grin

Didn't use school - 2 horses have fallen over in it in the past week and B had a scary near miss when her horse went down to the hardcore yesterday :eek: so I rode around the yard and in the fields.

She was fab :clap: First "hack" alone for ages. Just kept it all very chilled. Had a lovely canter in the field and she pulled up easily (well as easily as madam ever does :lol:) and I told her how clever she was. She was very pleased with herself.

Bought rather a lot on ebay last night, a mediumweight turnout with neck, a heavyweight stablerug with neck, a fleece.....and a thermatex exercise sheet :blush: Black with poiple binding. Whoops! Poor! All needed though....

Had a lovely evening at Kat's being very rubbish at rockband. Another weekend gone, they zoom by too quickly!

Update

Madam had physio on Thursday, Halina was really pleased with how much she has improved :banana: One of her main issues now is her tenseness in her poll so I have to massage it as often as possible. She was much happier after physio. Got to carry on riding/working her as I am, keep massage padding but alternate between back and neck and do some pole work. She is coming to watch me ride her in a month which will be really interesting.

So I just lunged her yesterday and she was incredibly relaxed, so much so I had to wave my coat round my head to get her to trot :lol:

Cleaned all my tack today, bathed pony and then went over to see Jo. Was so, so lovely to see her and SuperHarv and their new yard, and Jo's new house too. I am beyond jealous of their hacking :thud: miles and miles of fields. Hoping to get Flow over there for a weekend of hacking :banana:

Then back to the yard to ride Madam. Was a little odd as noone was around and usually there's lots of people so I lunged first to get the tickle out her toes. Was just leading her and she stood up behind me, the lunge whip had poked her in the nose. Poor Flow!

Rode and she was really good, asking for a bit more in terms of outline and not letting her dictate it to me. Got some nice canter both ways and called it a night. School was incredibly deep though, it really worries me :unsure:

Need to try to find someone to clip her and thin/chop her mane for me too really, she is starting to get a bit furry...

Ken lesson 2

Had our second Ken lesson last night. H got some pictures so shall try to put them on here later.
Worked on LY in trot, shoulder in in walk and trot, outside flexion on a circle and really trying to keep the rhythm. Worked on the dreaded canter transitions again - pull her up if she runs. Went off on wrong leg so circled round that way which Ken said was the right thing to do. Need to give hands in canter and not go all stiff through my seat. Also worked on rein back which she is good at :clap:

Worked on me too - I really need to think of boobs and belly out as I go a bit armchairy and hunchbacked. Also legs back. When we go sideways, leg GENTLY to her side so we don't have overreaction.

Ken got on and madam told him off :lol: but settled down to look fab. He said she is taking the mickey a bit with me with her neck but we will give her the benefit of the doubt for now because of her previous issues.

He is really chuffed with the improvement we have made in 5 months :)
Last Ken lesson tonight, need to kidnap him!

ETA forgot that we worked on walk to canter too to try to help the tenseness - put canter aids on and even if we get a couple of strides of trot that's ok.

Ken lesson 1

Madam was sore on Wednesday so had some massage and TLC from yard physio :hail: We hacked for the first time in weeks :banana: on Thursday - I say hacked, it was around the yard but she doesn't know that's not hacking! We went up the track, into fields (wimped out at pylon field, had a bad feeling about it) and Lorna was excellent company. Just kept my reins really loose and kept patting her (it really relaxes her if you do that). Was chuffed to bits - we negotiated two gates too, and we were chilled out :clap: Will keep hacking round yard until I feel confident to tackle roads again.

Physio lunged her for me on Friday and she was a good girl. When there was a spare Ken space tonight I jumped at the chance to have it. Really enjoyed it, cheered me up as having an emo day. He was really pleased with how much more relaxed and stretchy she is. Said we have been working exactly right and to continue (:hail: Fran) and that she needs long and low to a contact like Fran teaches us rather than on the buckle which was good :thumbs: (Obviously some buckle work in rest bits)

Trot we did some leg yield - half circle back to 3 quarter line, sort of on the diagonal and ask for leg yield just as we go straight. Also did shoulder in and she was fab :clap: Inside leg on, outside hand on neck, look through her ears, inside shoulder back but hips the other way. Need to keep her relaxed in lateral work and ask more gently with the leg.

Did an exercise in walk, I think it was quarter pirouettes? :dunno: Half halt and move shoulders round 90 degrees and then forwards. Need to think of that for the canter. Ken proclaimed that she had a canter and a half :biggrin: I said it was why I bought her, I couldn't ride it but wanted to learn how to! I need to go with the movement and hula, not shovel, and also SIT UP!

Worked on canter transitions too - get her in a quiet, steady sitting trot and sit for a few strides and then ask - sit UP in transition and allow her to go forwards into it, keep it crisp and not running. Asked if we could work on canter for our next two lessons as I need to crack on with it now - there is a slight mental block still so anything to help is good!
Flow was very pleased with herself, and quite rightly so :wub:

Good schooling session

Am finding it hard that some people have been saying she is dangerous but am trying very hard not to take offence (I feel very protective of Flow and strongly feel that she is not dangerous) and I am sure people just don't want to see me get hurt. Anyway!

Lunged before getting on tonight and then had a good session, plenty of canter and sending her forwards in it and not letting her suck back and bounce. First time under the floodlights and she was a little star. Am thinking I may lunge tomorrow before getting on but then stop and just start getting on :dunno: as don't want her to be too mega super fit and get into a vicious circle where I have to lunge. But I think I'll lunge before competitions. Thoughts?
Watching Muse :wub: need to go and see them again!