peas...

But before I get to them.

I didn't lunge, I rode. Continued success. Second time to mount I took the pressure halter of and she stood. Yay.

one slight problem. the saddle moves about 1/2 inch as i mount (the mounting block I bought is not tall enough to just step over) with the result that the shims are slightly off when i do get on and straighten it up. so even though i don't need someone to hold her head, i do need someone to hold the stirrup on the other side... oops.

hopefully, she'll eventually stand at the main block in the corner, and that IS high enough..

and the peas?

I like peas. partner hates even the sight of them. partner away, so dinner was home made pie with home made chips and garden peas .. yummy. and that was mince pie, enough pastry left to make a steak pie from the left over stew from t'other day. so i'll be well pied as well!

and finally - can someone tell me why it takes several million goes before I can comment on Jean's blog? no problem with anyone else's .... perhaps that's an exaggeration, but i think i've tried 10 times today, from both pc and laptop....

more massage and mounting

the equissage lady came back today so i paid for another massage for Molly, she does like them.

then we did mounting practice again. this time, the third time when I'd taken the rope halter off - she moved, so i had to put it all back on again! then I asked Louise, who turned up looking for some money she thought she'd dropped, to take it off...

But anyway, Molly was walking nicely and I could feel her back rounding under me, and we managed some more circles as well.

but it is cooold.....not as cold as north scotland, or canada or northern states of america, but cold and i'd not put my thermals on ... will do tomorrow if it carries on like this!

I think some lunging tomorrow ...

on, off, on, off, on....

hurray! seems to be sorted..

got on (with pressure halter etc on); rode round; got off; got back on again rode round again; got off; took off pressure halter; got back on and did about 20 minutes or so - TOO cold, my thighs and hands were freezing....and managed one circular circle (as opposed to an elliptical one punctuated by a "no i don't want to go that way" tantrum...)

a success! gratitude to Natasha

Who came up to help with the mouting again and was able to spot an error i'd been making - essentially, leave the rope halter etc on whilst I mount until that is established, so that if she moves as I get on I can send her straight off to work again without having to step down and put everything back on.

so by the finish i was getting on and off no bother!

Then Natasha rode for a while - Molly had worked really hard by the time we'd finished everything (I'd already done about 40 minutes groundwork time Natasha arrived .....) so left her in with her cooler on

edited to add - I've added a new link which I anticipate will be of interest ...

improving all the time

Molly is improving in leaps and bounds - or i am, not sure which! anyway, she was a lot softer altogether, and i was too - i'd put loads of stuff on teh player and set it to play the lot randomly - proved sufficient! and the speaker on the player is more than adequate for the purpose! anyway, i felt more relaxed and that will be part of why she was, no doubt.

People said we both looked more relaxed ......

so pleased all round.

but ooo it was cold today...

poles in a cross - and music!

would have been a better exercise if i'd placed them better, which i will next time.

but having said that, when we both got it right, it looked good.

poles are something i need to work better at, to get it all set up right, and my technique at slowing molly down needs work.... fine when there's no poles, but not when there are!

the haybar and stable mirror got moved along today into the stable i moved her into last week. can't move back now!

and music? i bought an mp3 player - what would you all recommend to ride to?

7 mile christmas walk

it was meant to be 5 but we got lost, due to there being too many fields with streams down their right hand side...

partner's idea, of course, recce'ing a walk she wants to do for her walking group. but we were well ready for our dinners! and we like to do something on Christmas day - although I prefer riding the horse whilst partner leads on foot!

circles - on the longlines!

we actually did a circle circle on the longlines, i was so pleased! and whilst she was mouthing the bit more than she should, she was in a really nice frame and through! all in walk. we'd done some trotting in circles as well, but i brought her back to walk for the purpose of working properly (as it's all easier at walk!!!)

then i got on - um. had to have a hand. then we did get some nice walk (but my stirrups were the wrong length). but hey, she did some nice walk ridden as well. but everyone had gone - jill stayed for 5 whilst i walked round but had to go (don't believe in being on my own, just in case....so i didn't do much more, and she had worked hard on the longlines!

happy christmas all

equissage massage...

there's a lady up the road who has an equissage massage machine, and having heard good things about it Molly had a treatment today. she seemed to thoroughly enjoy it!

afterwards, I rode, and I do think she was softer sooner than she might otherwise have been. Difficult to know exactly whether it was that or the fact that it wasn't blowing a gale, there weren't two horses in the paddock next to the arena having a play fight, and we weren't having a lesson - but she didn't give as much grief as usual to get on (although i did, of course, get someone to hold her, since that saves the stress anyway...) but overall this was a much better session than I've had for a while (but given it's only the 4th ridden work I've done since i came back from Cheshire...)

anyway, overall pleased. not consistent in her mouth, which is partly her and partly me, but she was hardly against the hand at all and we had NO blocks, which is a first. a couple of moment of "no I don't like this circle", but no blocks. Also had some nice walk/halt/walk transitions as well.


so overall very pleased. Might invest in another treatment in the new year - only £10 a time. Lady said she's finding after she's been to a yard a couple of times, people are clubbing together to buy their own!

Didn't post yesterday as nothing to say - turned into a busy day, time I'd been to the dentist, done a last minute present shop and gone to a meeting in course of planning future....shame, it was a lovely day as well.

lesson...

was re-arranged to this morning; Molly put her stress head on for a good while, which didn't help either of us! but eventually got her (and me) relaxed and got some really nice work. there was a bit of a wind blowing, so one way the wind was full in our faces and the other way right up her tail! so in the circumstances, she was pretty good. as usual, a lot of it is her resisting whatever it is - and new instructor thinks too much leg is an issue with her (could well be right) .... i was trying too hard again at the start, as well. some things to work on but still with a lot of walk. Did get some trot but couldn't keep it going. instructor got on for 10 (i take the view that instructor gets a much better idea of the horse if she rides it herself) and then i got back on again - molly behaved well for the changeovers!

I'll have another lesson in a couple of weeks, and hopefully that will make more sense than this one. (which isn't to say this one didn't make sense, but a first lesson just gives instructor a sense of us and vice versa!)

Something I should have done differently - really we needed 10 minutes walk round on a long rein to get molly unstressed before starting work, the initial stress caused by work getting her to stand still for me to get on! and to warm the saddle up...

YO was watching, i should have given her the camera but hadn't realised she was going to stay and watch until she had, too late by then - there would have been some good shots!

the problem with christmas

is that after having done the hairdressing thing, and the Xmas shopping thing (to be fair, for my present from partner!) one then has to help partner do the outside Christmas lights in what's left of the daylight, which left no light to ride in and by then it was raining again....

consolation, this photo, taken molly's first day at the yard back in June, taken by Louise who lives next to the yard and who had forgotten she'd taken it until this week. isn't it fantastic!

rained off

it was sooo wet and soooo windy there was absolutely no point in having a lesson.

the daft thing was, it was dry and calm in the morning and i was at the yard moving along to the next stable..instructor drove past and saw my car - debated calling in then as she had a spare hour - didn't. but really, by the time i would have got molly in clean and tacked up her spare hour would have gone.

we'll try again when the weather improves...

Molly quite happy in new stable - which of course she would be! hay bar and stable mirror will get moved tomorrow.

late night!

after busy day - starting at the doctors, then to see if i can further the thought about setting up on my own (entgirely possibly, meeting on monday) then not lunch with friend who didn't make it so back home, then out to Molly - rain and howling gale, and too dark, and waiting to see if massage person was going to be able to come earlier than she'd planned in which case i would have had molly seen too - answer, not. She hadn't got the message, apparently, so booked for next week! then out of time to ride (weather had calmed down) as had to go home for tea and then out again for some CPD training

tomorrow i am moving molly into the stable next to the one she is currently in, which floods when it rains...will keep me busy and could not have stayed at home tomorrow anyway as the electric board are switching the electricity off for the day whilst they do some work in the area.... and then assuming the weather stays fine, lesson in the afternoon..

oops - forgot yesterday!

That is, forgot to post yesterday! Not like me....

I rode. for about 30 minutes. Some nice walk, and some nice trot, not necessarily getting it wholly together but it's all coming back to both of us. Finished as Molly was starting to be spooked by something - the traffic? perhaps? there's a road and junction just outside and the lights all coming down, quite busy it was, and then some idiot decided haring down the road with his horn going was a good plan. i got off and did some in hand, and then she got seriously spooked by something so stopped.

tonight, longlining - but i couldn't make the lights work, so had to stop when it got dark!

and I've been for an interview in York, but not good news as they'd misunderstood something in the conversation ... have emailed them to clear that up (in so far as the agent had the right of what the misunderstanding was!)

busy day tomorrow and lesson on Friday

5's & 6's !!!!!!!

generous (particularly for the non performed trot! LOL) but confirmed what I thought about walk/halt....

anyway, the person judging teaches, and I've seen her teaching, and riding, and we've had some conversations about ways to ride etc.. and I'm going to have a lesson Friday if the weather's any good

rode twice! posh or what...

little yard show today. a walk/trot test (we didn't do a lot of trot, due to spooking at people's cars/depth of going) and a "dressage to music"

The first was the walk trot - the warm up was hopeless for various reasons, largely to do with saddle being not quite on in the right place/saddle pad & shims wrong, all my own fault! and couldn't really get going in more than some nice walk strides

so did the test (had it called) and did some of the trot but then decided it made much more sense to concentrate on walking which we're currently better at! first time down the long side going right she was spooked by person putting christmas hat on by back door of car (that isn't normally there) and then by car door closing... and it's very deep/boggy down that side ATM. but hey, finished the test! which was more than i did last time.

Nearly had a major disaster leaving the arena - she was keen to leave, but as we did someone clattered their horse down wooden ramp of lorry, which we weren't expecting, major spook and i ended up with reins round my neck EEEEKKK - sorted it though without being tanked off with and before she got 3 strdes out of gate.....

then untacked and left her for a while went for cup of tea and then retacked for the music session. now bear in mind i hadn't even picked any music and had no idea what i was going to do.

First ones in were YO and a fellow livery did a pas de deux which they'd been rehearsing and did VERY WELL (but they didn't win, and two others went in totally without rehearsal and did a reasoonable show without the practice).

I did something to David Essex's "Winter's Tale" which was rather good. People said they hadn't seen Molly go as well. The trot wasn't perfect of course, but much better than earlier - a couple of spooks, and someone with a flash camera. but we were the only people to finish dot on x dot on the last note....

Think I might get myself an MP3 player and chuck some music on, will help me relax!

by that time it was 14.30, so did all and fed her and left her for the day - was well ready for somethign to eat by then (There was food, someone had been home baking, lovely mince pies, and quiches and stuff) and I missed out on the chocolate cake...) but I wanted to go home and get warm as well...

Anyway, I was rather pleased with that!

rain, rain, more rain, snow, rain

so no riding, of course. although I did find YO riding her horse back to her place from the yard - fond of a treat!

we went to blanchland - mother had paid for us to have a posh lunch at the Lord Crewe Arms - rather nice - but then had to rush back (people don't understand the need to get back for one's horse!)

and on the way back, the rain was turning to snow (that is quite high, and we came back through consett which is equally high) but back to rain again at home.

Molly was soaked, of course - we'd turned them out this morning anyway! - and ready for her tea.

no way i would have ridden in today's weather, and if it's like this tomorrow then the small yard show will be off....and i shan't worry about that! but i might keep her in.

fields are rice paddies again....thank goodness there's only Molly & a pony in hers!

spooked

Molly was already up a height when i got her in from the field, think she'd been playing with her new friend!

covered in wet mud - well, her legs and belly - so no way that was going to dry quickly so i could get it off and then ride, so decided on groundwork again rather than nothing.

went in the small arena. over the far side of the yard beyond the muck trailer & tractor is the haylage bale area. we have a haylage bale cover. the wind was catching it - or someone was putting it back, i think - anyway, molly clocked it and it seriously spooked her, to the extent that she was really struggling to go left (which effectively, from where we were, would have her facing it!). she was paying attention to me, but at the same time was seriously concerned about what this big green bag was going to do (nohting, it's tied down, but she doesn't know that...)

so after about 10 minutes i took her in the big arena, closer to the bales, and she had a bit of a hooley about

then back in.

wind was getting up, and it was a bit chilly!

I Rode!!

But i think that i should have had more layers under my jod's - my legs were cold and in consequence I felt slightly slippy even on warmed memory foam!

but she was very good - there was a boom box going in the corner of the arena, a mix of christmas songs and some other stuff (odd mix altogether really, started off with Vangelis and moved through Fairy Tale of New York and onwards...) people practicing for yard show on sunday, which i haven't given any thought to at all!

I need to remember the stuff I was doing before the long break, and so does she. I only did about 15 minutes (if that!)

and guess what? I had to have help to get on ... duh.

more groundwork

largely because it's sooooo cold... bit of a breeze tonight, just a gentle one but made it seem a lot colder than it is so Molly got her exercise sheet on .. probably time I got back on, but will, I think, leave that to the weekend...

No news on the jobs front. A couple of agencies have put me forward for a couple of things, but that's about it...:-( One firm shortlists on Friday, so we'll know next week whether they want to see me.

lunge and longline

with the bitless bridle, rther than the bit, as much for practice as anything else since we haven't longlined for a long time and i wanted to get her used to the idea of that again before re-introducing teh bit (given her past history of bit issues...)

the lunging went well, I wasn't aiming for anything hugely exciting, just for no tantrums, and going both ways. that was fine.

longlining, she pretty much stood still whilst i sorted the reins out, which is good in and of itself, and then was moving reasonably well both ways. didn't WANT to go right, but did go right. left rein she was reaching for the "contact" (in so far as one can with a bitless, you know what i mean..) very nicely fora couple or so circles, not so much right rein, maybe only a couple of paces, but generally not too bad. and we were changing the rein nicely as well.

only about 25 minutes all told, then it got too dark and went back in.

but i was pleased with that!

thawed!

result - mud.

can't have it all ways though!

the arena surface was of course much improved. I didn't get back to the yard until it was dark, though (afternoon meeting in durham) and so did some more groundwork with the electrics on....reasonable lighting in the smaller arena, spots mounted on the barn wall. she thought about having a tantrum, but decided not to. and it's a bit dark outside the lit area....think there was some animal she could hear that i couldn't.

hopefully i'll get back sooner tomorrow and be able to lunge in daylight - lunchtime meeting in newcastle, but if i go up early i'll come back straight after lunch hopefully with all jobs done.

but it was so warm i could take the medium wieght rug off and put the lightweight back on, she was overwarm this morning under the medium weight...

and more ice...

wish this cold spell would end....

went over to watch a friend do some dressage today about 15 miles away - called the test for her, she was riding her OH's warmblood, he got 65.5% which is very good, as he's hardly done anything for a couple of weeks and the warm up was non=existent due to the ice - the day was running about 40 minutes or so early (presumably because people had cried off) so she did her first test and decided not to do the second...

by the time i got back to the yard it had gone REALLY cold again - so Molly got about 5 minutes in the arena, but it was just too much, really.. She had been out in the field, though, once hte slippy bit had thawed out.

would like to do a bit more this coming week, but getting a safe surface is interesting - you have to hope for a clear day, as then the sun is on our arena and fields and takes the edge off, so you can at least do something in walk! and some bits you can do sometting in trot. no one would canter it though...

ice rinks...

it rained on the ice and then froze.....so life in hands.

amazingly enough, they managed to get the horses out - i left Molly in the stable, but someone dug out a bit of ice and put her and two geldings out - an edge round the outside of the arena wasn't frozen so out they went. oddly, there was quite a bit of heat in the sun when it eventually got out! I made up several haylage nets (we're on big bale...) ready for the morning as well as overnight.

by this afternoon, the smaller arena was useable so long as no one wanted to canter or ride, so more ground work.

we're re-establishing manners/who's in charge, which is good. she's stopped having hissy fits

when it thaws properly, i'll long line, but i don't want to do that until the surface is properly right... that is, all the ice has gone! not for Molly's benefit, the horse's weight is sufficient to break it up, but for my benefit!

a friend is having a book published by Blackwells in May, available to pre-order:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Knowing-Your-Horse/dp/1405191643/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227544491&sr=1-1

thaw....

unfortunately, rain on top of frozen ground makes for ice underfoot ... a bit dodgy! checked the arena, but didn't think it was safe to use, quite. hopefully it'll be all thawed out tomorrow - and if it's not raining in the morning, Molly will be worked then (in case it does rain later on!). main roads ok, but everything else is at that treacherous point where you have to be super carefull where you tread....

working in the snow (2nd post of the day)

i was right in thinking snow would enable me to work molly - arena surface was much imrproved. and it was the only chance for her to get out today. I would have turned out in the snow this morning, but no one else was, so i couldn't ....it wasn't cold and they woudl have been fine but turned out there'd been a misunderstanding - when i got there i was told they were all staying in, so fine, but later turned out another would have turned her horse out if there was another out. the joys of misunderstandings!

not to worry.

She's stopped having hissy fits and is working much better, if I can I'll lunge tomorrow rather than basic ground work.

In the meantime, some more pictures

this was as i left her whilst I skipped out and put more hay etc. in ....

here of course she wants to be back in again!

this is good, she looks particularly pretty here I think!

this was a couple of seconds before the one above....she was thinking about it!

and this is the church next to my house (which I photographed this mornin from my window) but seen from across the football field (I walked to the yard and back, this was on the way back..)

winter wonderland

the top photo was early this morning, about 0815, and the other two were about 12.15, from the same spot.... upstairs window in my house!

deep freeze...

didn't relent enough to thaw the arena surface - the sun didn't get out enough today ... so nothing done. It was just a shade too solid and icey to be safe. only good thing to report is that YO agreed we could put hay/haylage out in the field for them.

I have the advantage there, in that Molly is on her own so no one to fight with - so she stood and scoffed the lot, apparently, then went and stood by the fenceline next to the pony in the small paddock (they've fallen in love....)

and there isn't another big bale for tomorrow, or wasnt' when i left - happily, i still have a small bale left and dead easy to go get some more, so long as it doesn't snow heavily..

clipped and worked

the clipping took all morning - not for anything Molly did, she was very good (save for the "armpits" - but the clippers.

at the end of last winter I took my blades to be sharpened, as you do. when they came back, they were nicely wrapped up in oiled paper and in a box. They stayed there, until this morning when I got them out of hte box (which had been in the car's glove box).

They were blunt.

Louise offered to let me use her brand spanking new never used before liveryman clippers. It took us about 3/4 hour and 3 calls to the vendor to work out why they woudlnt' work (tensioning, resulting in the reset button needing to be reset, and that was a pain in the ....)

once i got them going, I whizzed through it all, and Louise was amazed at how much came off. People say TB's don't get hairy, but they do!

She looked very smart, if i say so myself. I must try and find the trimmers to attack between the legs (assuming that blade got sharpened, it went and came back at the same time as the clipper blades, so I'm not feeling very confident...) and finish that up. I did a better job than last year....

by then it was lunchtime, so went home, had a rest, lunch, and put dinner in the oven to cook (stew .... very good, if i say so myself!) then went back and did some work with Molly - surprised, as whilsst I was chopping onions I was watching it snow!

the arena had thawed out enough to be used, so some groundwork. Getting better. She was being challenging, but gave in much better than at the weekend, and the overall result was much better! Molly managed to avoid the total hissy fit of Sunday ... only thought about it.

hopefully it'll stay dry and not windy so we can carry on ...

what i should have done

was clip this morning when it was dry, if freezing! it started to rain properly lunchtimeish, and by the time i got her in, she was a bit wet... and it was still raining, and still is! so i guess that's a job for the morning...

hissy fitter...

well, had she been a cat, she would have been having a hissy fit. againn, when I started her off right - she'd been fine left. We were rope circling a la Max....she was NOT happy, and i had to work hard (as did she in consequence) but I had to keep going longer than i'd planned as I slipped over on a patch of ice underfoot in the arena (she was ok as she's large and heavy enough to break up the surface, i'm not) so the result was that i had to really then make sure that she was doing what i wanted, and she was very pissed off about it. then, of course, I had to stop sooner than i'd really have liked as, due to the lack of clip, she was very hot and starting to drip with sweat, which isn't clever when it's this cold. so, she got her thermatex wicking rug on again, got led out in hand for 5 minutes, and didn't get her tea - left a friend to do that about an hour later ....

then went to collect the clippers from gaynor, and whilst there, admired her new week old son, one forgets how tiny a new baby is!

tomorrow, all going well, Molly will get clipped. and hopefully the going will be a shade better for me!

molly was not pleased

to be asked to work....

it was -5 this morning when i went down so turned her out and decided to go back this afternoon (could see the sun was going to come up so prospect of it being a bit warmer...)

lunging was the order of the day ... i just wanted some nice walk. I got that left rein. Right rein? she started with that, then decided bucky hissy fit challenge me was good , she did NOT want to go right ----- i thought, OOPS - i knew if I didn't win that one i'd be in trouble, and happily I did. I don't think I'd have won it 2 years ago.....

so we got her going right and eventually down to walk, which was what i wanted. but some back up to trot/canter - i didn't mind that, so long as she went the direction I wanted.

phew.

trouble was, given she's not clipped, she got a bit warm. So i put the thermatex rug on on the basis that that'll keep her right overnight...

so must find the clippers - i have a third share in a set which are at harbour house, will have to text and find out. and somewhere i have some small trimmers which would do the job, but quite where they went when i moved i'm not sure - in the house somewhere!

anyway, definitely will be clipped!

and at least a week groundwork before i get back on, if not two .... small yard competition 2 weeks tomorrow but whether i bother i don't know....

tea...

i was home in time to give molly her tea -

the car is still full of stuff.....decided to unload that in the daylight tomorrow...

fish & chip lunch, steak sandwich dinner

hopefully my back will start improving now i'm back home....

packing...

i do hope it all fits in the car!..you know what it's like when you fetch stuff down in bits.....should do, i'm a good packer, but there's a chair (fold up) that i brought with me...bits and bobs....

lunch

was interesting (as well as being paid for!). might have something more positive to say soon ... even if it does involve the odd week in totnes! (that's devon, jean....)

last week

in wilmslow

i'm quite down, really, understandably given that it's back to the dole next week (hopefully not for long). but i won't be sorry to see the back of this flat. a fridge it was last night (and the inside of the freezer section of the fridge reminds me why mine is a self defrosting job...)

bitter cold

and it had snowed last night, although not a lot.

I'm still not feeling totally well enough to ride, so didn't.

but did buy Molly a new rug - that she didn't REALLY need, but it was at a very good price and it looks rather good on her. so she's tucked up in her stable with loads and loads of haylage

oops

sorry about the lack of post last night, the internet wasn't playing.

and tonight, i left my lap top in the office.

the innards are improving slowly..... even felt hungry yesterday, which (despite eating a substantial dinner) i hadn't felt the night before. odd that.

Molly had her vaccinations today - apparently the vet didn't get there until 17.30, which is pretty late!

lovely dinner

at the legh arms with a friend (hi jenny!), and we didn't spend ALL the time talking horses, just some of it....

she's a lot nearer than i thought she was, and an even smaller world than that, turns out her daughter is round the corner from this flat .....

first proper meal i've had since sunday, so hope i'm still ok ish in the morning LOL. off to take my medicine now...

doctor

d I was in agony this morning, so gave up and made an apoinment with a local doctor - quite impressed, rang just after 0830, appointment for 1010, and i went early and was seen early. mega good. really nice young doctor. listened to me. listened to the rest of me (stethoscope!) wrote a prescription and i came home = well, back to the flat - via the chemist...

hopefully i'll be improved/not be in such pain by the moring.

food?

2 strawberry yoghurts.

1 banana, ripe

2 sliced of toast & cheese (late on)

3 glasses of prescription gloop

several cups of tea..

hungry? no. and some actimel to drink as well. my thinking being that yoghurts/probiotics of whatever sort are called for, in addition to the prescription stuff which i've had before and works.

and partner bought eh applechaff.

warm...

as opposed to cold last night. part of which might have been a function of being unwell, but this flat when it's been left is a serious fridge....no central heating....

must remind partner to go buy molly some feed (tee hee....) didn't realised how far down it was until too late yesterday...oops. enough for 3 days, i think, but not the week ... partner said "?applechaff?!?

remind m

never to eat seeded buns again... i knew it would come back and haunt me with a vengeance, and it is! I shan't be riding today, and frankly am surprised i even made it to the yard, thought at one point i was going to have to ring a friend ... hopefully things will settle down through the day so I'm fit for the long drive this afternoon...

but sorted out the remaining mud on molly's legs, and applied mud fever prevention - which also stops the mud from sticking! got through most of a brand new grooming block in the process though....

mud monster

never seen her so covered in mud - had i been here, i would have hosed the rug off whilst it was still wet mud, as it is it needs a really good brushing and cleaning itself

took me an hour to get her clean enough to get any tack on her, so thought I'd lunge - I didn't know there'd been a coin slot put in for the arena lights! no coins! and it was far too dark to do without lights, that full moon of earlier in the week was covered by cloud....

true, i could have done all that this morning, butdidn't think partner would really appreciate me not being home when she was trooping off to manchester after lunch! and then i had to go see a client who lives not far from me about a case... only opportunity and time limited so had to be done....


so hoping the weather is as nice tomorrow as it has been today and i can get on!

and she is apparently depressed - well, frankly, who can blame her, all that mud and not a lot to eat in the field. but the consensus is that she is missing me... so not too long till i'm back..

home again....

in good time ish tonight, at least - i was in by 20.15! takes an hour to get round Manchester, and then, amazingly, NO traffic jams in my direction. not even at Wetherby. was pleased i wasnt' going the other way, traffic back from hartshead to leeds - that is a LONG traffic jam!

apparently

the new bath at home looks wonderful, and is, as we thought, bigger than the old one (difficult to be totally sure till it was actually in place). so partner is having a wonderful time using it! the one thing i've had the advantage of being away - it might be cold, but at least i could have a bath/shower every day!

looking forward to getting home tomorrow evening....and seeling molly moo on saturday! hope the weather's ok for riding....

full moon (2nd post of the night)

this is from the main door to the block of flats tonight .... about 9 pm or thereabouts. i could ride in this, it's so bright! i can actually see the door, and even the lock to get the key in, without the torch!

hurray

in that i think the internet is sorted - have rearranged the room to put the laptop nearer the window, on advice from teh ISP, and so far so good, it feels better already!

no, nicola, i'm not selling the vogue, no way - but the agent has someone who actually wnts to SEE one in the flesh, and it is apparently proving a tad difficult to organise and i am, apparently, the only person in teh area who has one she can look at. I'm surrpsied if that's the case, but there we go...

on the job front, things may move on again ....the other temp in with me decided not to stay until christmas....so who knows, they may want me to after all.

as it stands, i shan't move molly until i KNOW, given that if i'm not staying, there's no point moving her for a fortnight only!

shame, as this coming weekend would have been perfect for the job.

jobs....

:-(. won't be getting kept on full time where i am, and neither will the other person (who was temp, like me, but had been led to expect he woudl be) for reasons i won't go into here.

so need to hear about the manchester thing.... and you never know, the one in durham might prove fruitful!

had i been getting the job here, i would have moved molly this weekend, but as it is, i shan't do anything until i hear about manchester one way or the other....no point moving her for a fortnight! despite the expense, the expense of travelling her would cancel out.

hey ho.

and the agent says someone wants to look at my vogue, now if i can just maintain my internet connectionlong enough to reply to that email, i'll be happy!

delay in service...

it's taken three hours to get online tonight! goodness knows what that was about.

anyway, meeting tomorrow so that should help in knowing what the plan might be!

jumpies...

well, very baby ones. when eventually it stopped raining for long enough to do anything without a soaking, i decided 2 trotting poles, with the polepods 2 high - esentially, cavalletti height.

Molly was good about them right rein, and did in fact jump, rather than trot over, several times. she wasn't nearly as keen on the left rein!

she was, i think, a bit full of herself, and really wanted to motor on a few times, but i decided i didn't mind that as it wasn't really about schooling, it was about her enjoying herself and doing something!

my boots have been traced to a cupboard, where they had been placed to dry. apparently there was a flood last week....

.

rain ... hair ... groundwork....bath (not!)

raining in the morning

hairdressers appointment, so no worries there...

sun got out

didn't get back to the yard till 4, and she was IN!!!! turned out there'd only been 2 out all day, oscar in the geldings paddock and molly in the mares...

and molly will be the only mare in the VERY near future...one went yesterday, and the other goes tomorrow/later in the week. :-(

though my muckboots had been taken - they have been put in my locker....

apparently there was a flood through the week.... it was dry over the other side of the pennines..

ground work ... she wasn't overjoyed!

we were meant to have our new bath fitted today. man turned up, took old bath out ... and we need new flooring underneath where the bath goes. so the new bath is still sitting there!

stanneylands

livery - used to be a racing yard, is rented from the previous trainer - excellent! fantastic boxes, lovely paddocks, the "lunging ring" is more than big enough to ride in, a horse walker!!!. price is right (£23 per week DIY, £12 per day if I want her done), nice people, and under 1 1/2 miles from the flat, ditto from the office - i could walk it if i had to.

So once I know definitively what i'm doing for the next few months, that's sorted.

and an agent rang as i was leaving the office - a firm whose office is within 2 miles of this house, might be interested and so is being sent my CV. YAY.

yard hunting

can't believe i haven't updated since monday, how awful. still, nothing to say.

tonight i went to the tack/feed store at ashley and wrote down a load of contact details for livery yards...will ring them over the weekend, i think, and see what people say.

and tomorrow lunchtime going to look at one that used to be a racing yard, opposite the stanneylands hotel, so only a mile, if that, from this flat. whether it fits the bill or not is another matter, but geographically perfect! a gallop that you can trot round (no longer suitable for full gallop, he says) and a lunge ring - he was unclear about it's size, but they don't have a manege.

mobberley

yard outside there in the back of beyond - one of those, if you don't know it's there, you'll never know it's there, so as secure as can be in the scale of things. nice people, nice horses, arena, nice stables, tackroom, feed store; couldn't see the fields but lady said, mud! but horses legs didn't look that muddy when brought in! believe in turn out every day, good. £60 per week inclusive of hay/haylage. would have been inclusive of bedding as well, but that's straw, which we dont do! that would have been £65 per week. and they turn them out for you in the morning.

6 miles from the office, 8 or 9 miles back home again...

i don't use that much haylage in a week - and forgot to ask how much to have molly done on a weekend when i go home for weekend...

drat

r
wanted to do something with molly today but also knew i still had my laundry to finish up so i have stuff to wear this week, so decided to turn molly out and then lunge her later .. mistake. by the time we got all the chores done and a shopping trip for stuff for the house, it was raining. and to cap that, the laundry wasn't dry....i don't have a tumble drier, so it either hangs on the airer next to a radiator on full blast, or goes outside on the rotary airer if rain is not forecast... so it was next to the radiator, and just hadn't had long enough

think i've got enough shirts for the week....and packed some smart sweaters as well, so should be ok

photo

from yesterday, whilst we were waiting for the farrier

maybe

the time off is helping ...

this afternoon she clearly remembered what she was meant to be doing in walk, and we got a halt/walk transition nicely, and even better, we did a good walk/trot/walk transition when she didn't set against me/get her head back up etc, and some nice trot circle.

that was the good note to call a halt on.

but she's a very hairy pony! absolutely no point in clipping when i'm only doing anything at weekends. don't let anyone tell you TB's don't grow a thick coat, cos they do!

jean, the motherboard on the laptop had died. over £200 + vat for new board, + the labour to get it put in - so 6 of one and half a dozen of the other whether to do that or go for a new one, and decided to go for a new one. it's very whizzy, even has a built in web cam! more to the point, 2 years warranty. the hard drive off the old one is now doing duty as an external hard drive, and he chucked in AVG Pro (a anti virus etc. software programme) for free.

so i'm busy reinstalling software ... which, thinking about it, may not have been necessary if i'd connected up the external hard drive....but then i'd have to do that every time!

new laptop

at vast expense .. and i'll hve to go back to the shop on monday as he forgot to put the battery in (have to go back anyway, i left some bits as i couldn't carry any more! and wanted to set it up over the weekend ready for next week)

looking forward to seeing molly tomorrow, farrier is due for a foot trim for her, and hope the weather improves..

laptop

now refuses to switch on, despite being plugged into the mains and in any event having a full battery. an internal electrical fault, i think. so need to find a good computer repair man ASAP. (it's out of warranty)

so until i can get it mended (do hope i don't have to have a new one!) this will only be updated from home. :-(

as for £60 per week - i'm used to paying £25 box rent full DIY, + buy my own haylage/feed, and £60 is only £13.50 less than i'm paying now for box rent and having Molly fully done monday to friday.... haylage/feed cost me probably around that £13.50 a week (depending on the size of the haylage bales and where i get them) + shavings at current price, if I'm doing it one bag a week (unfortunately, slightly more ATM).

well

on the yard hunt front. i wrote to the one that had no one home the other day, letter went today so you never know they might ring me tomorrow.

i rang the one in mobberley; they only do part livery for £60 per week inclusive of all hay haylage etc.. and he said, feed, but surely that can't be right? and they do morning turnout, you just turn up at night. i'm going to go look one night next week (already have plans for tomorrow). colleague had forgot to ask her friend, so sent email tonight.

on the flat front, no word from the landlord yet re the bathroom, so i shall probably seal it round myself on monday if i haven't heard anything. can't be doing with a bath in the morning, a shower it should be!

on the pay front - realised tonight that i am also paying my own EMPLOYER'S NI contribution - very bizarre! and not what i'd expected, not doing a lot for the budget!

and i thought the laptop had died - had told it to reboot, but it didn't - it wouldn't do anything! went out for milk I'd forgotten to get, and it booted up ok, so i suppose it had managed to overheat in the 20 minutes it had been switched on...

my back is hurting, which i think is to do with the seats - both in the flat and in the office, neither are ergonomically correct!

and when the place has warmed up, i'm having a bath tonight - too cold to face the prospect this morning!

photo

that fellow livery in durham took, i think at some point over the summer. apparently there's also one of molly in the air.... looking forward to seeing that! i think she looks quite imperious in this one...

so far livery yards are too far away, bar the one with no one home last week and the other with 100 horses on it....

tesco

i'm sick of the inside of. it's only a mile up the road, so if i remember i need something.

and tonight, i caved in an bought a printer for here, it really is not convenient to have to wait till i get home to print something! and opened the box at home to find no usb cable, apparently they don't ship with them these days. phooey. but i'd assumed there wouldn't be ink, bought some, and needn't have...

met one of my neighbours today, woman in her 30's, i guess, a gardener .. doing well in leafy wilmslow! nice person, i thought!

anyway, have emailed myself yard recommendations (thanks fiona & mags) and will see where they take me...

in hand...

coulnd't make my mind up what to do, so tacked up, but then no one to help get on and of course molly wasn't going to stand anywhere sensible - she'll stand, but with her head at my shoulder - i move the block - she goes around..

so in hand roudn the arena 2 or 3 times left rein, only once right rein as that side is of course counter intuitive for me, being right-handed...

then untacked, and someone turned up

turned her out without her rug as she'd actually been too warm yesterday, and i was working in my shirtsleeves and not feeling the cold - she's a very furry mare! i expect she'll be fine without, really, unless it totally teems down again...

and i saved myself £1 by bringing her in myself - with the clocks going back, it's time to bring her in before i set off (and my driving is done in the dark.....euch).

and people, avoid Wetherby until they finish the roadworks, the traffic jam was back to the harrogate turning so i turned off there and had the satnav plot an alternative route over blubberhouses pass and past skipton & colne....lovely (not, in the dark, LOL). hate to think how long i would have sat in that jam otherwise!

a flattening wind

that is, fit to flatten anyone rash enough to do anything in it! so no one did - at least, not on our yard, as the arena is too exposed to the elements. if it were in the lee of the road, would have been different, but there you go.

and i had an expensive day.

firstly, came out of the house and thought, oops, near front tyre doesn't look right. I needed 2 new front tyres. £86.

and during the week, partner had taken my mountain horse boots to the cobblers, they needed new zips. they aren't going to get them. he couldn't do it (and if couldn't no one can!) and i know it would cost £100 the pair for mountain horse to do it. so they're in the bin, and i now own a pair of Ariat Grasmere the sort with two laces). rather nice!

hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow...

a 4 hour drive

for what should have been 2 1/2 hours

i decided to avoid the M62, which is always likely to be a disaster area on wheels, but didn't do any better the other way - volume of traffic going from motorway to single lane through narrow town and then up over the tops to sheffield & the M1. THEN huge traffic jam from Wetherby back to Leeds - those who know that area, know that that's ridiculous. and THEN they'd closed the A1M at the exit just before the one I wanted. I got home at 21:25, instead of just after 8.

and the livery yard hunt? a colleague at the office has a friend who has a horse on a small DIY yard, so is going to enquire for me.

livery yards

i went and looked at two. the first one looked very nice, quiet, small, indoor that i couldnt' get to see - there was no one in! clearly there was going to be people about at som epoint as there were haynets made up but not at that point and it was getting dark.

then the other much larger round the corner, i thought since i was there i would see (this is at woodford) - barn arrangement, large stables, lockable area behind but a bit dodgy to get into, steep drop, indoor, large outdoor and other stuff it was too dark to see. seemed nice, but apparently (report hath it) has a large turnover, and i've a feeling it would be TOO big for molly to settle, really. one can't really know but it is a very large yard with a huge number of horses (and a huge amount of acreage). she says turnout all year save when they flood

anyway, i want to go back to the other one (i don't know the name, only the address!), and still need to ring mobberley which i'll try and do at the weekend.

and for some reason my email client isn't working keeps trying to connect to the wrong server, which is ridiculous. that's thunderbird, so i guess i'll go try windows mail instead..

the joys of flats..

are minimal. nice email to agent this morning with little list = including lack of sealant round bath resulting in i shan't have showers until that is sorted ... too damp.

discovered tonight can't open kitchen window, locked shut and no key, not clever when cooking!

and i wish there were lights by the main door to the building!

livery yard hunt - the lodge at woodford or a yard at mobberley (not the riding school) to be investigated - and which tack shop open until 8, to check notice board....think she said the prestbury one, but can't remember.

moved myself

into new flat, with assistance! had to go out buy ligthbulbs, and am adding to the list of faults that i don't want to be blamed for later....

foudn i'd left my orthopaedic pillow at the hotel, so had to go back for that! which meant dinner in pub again, not a hardship really!

agent sent man to mend what we thought was the inside aerial fixing into the telly, but turns out that not only did it need the external aerial sorted, but the telly itself was out of order altogether.. lovely!

most everything is put away and the bed is made, so that's the main stuff done.. and i have llist of livery yards and saddlers/feed stores.

sorry!

for not saying anything yesterday - but not a lot to say.

because she'd spent so long in - since friday night until yesterday morning, not including the lunging in the morning and bit of work inthe afternoon - i thought it much better for her to get out in the new field and get her legs excercised and thus get the swelling down ....

so out she went, and all hte horses had a really good day as there is GRASS in that field.

so that was sunday.

and edited to add

this is the yard we were talking about:

http://www.quarrystables.piczo.com/?cr=4

but i won't be going there because their routine doesn't work if you work 9 -5 ; shame, as it looks great.

bit of good bit of bad...

this morning, I turned her out in the small arena to stretch her legs whilst I mucked out - she wasnt' really interested in doing that, just stood and whinnied at me!

Then I lunged - not necessarily for work, just for exercise at that stage - had a plan for the afternoon! - but someone had left out a small pole on blocks, no more than about 6 - 9 inches high. so I lunged her over that, and by the finish she jumped it! worked it out. I was so pleased - she never has been taught to jump that i'm aware of - in fact, clearly i was right to think that! - so i was pleased that she "got" it. useful exercise for her, once she gets the hang of it we can move on up...

the plan for the afternoon was to ride out with partner on foot. unfortunately, by the time i'd managed to get on, she'd got feet full of gravel and small bits of stone, and was lame. I took her back, picked the feet out again, and we went in the arena - and she was sound.

My feeling is that with all the mud, her feet have gone a bit soft and the little bits of stone were just a bit too much

we then did some work in the arena instead....

but she was a B to be mounted again. YO had done a litte with her through the week, and got exactly the same reaction as i do - quite happy to stand at the mounting block until someone climbs up to get on, then bums away.

anyway, have pretty much decided to move her over to wilmslow - losing too much with these huge gaps

home again..

molly got wormed tonight,as did the rest, so they all have to stay in tomorrow save for leg stretching and being ridden. so since her legs aren't good if she's in, they swell, i guess i'll be doing a bit with her to keep her moving...

and thing PRO a move - there's an EE teacher in cheshire....

so, what should i do?

move molly over here or leave her over there?

pro move:
she'll get more work (if i find somewhere with a lit arena, even if it is outdoor)
it'll probably cost me less - cheaper for someone to do her for sat/sun than for monday to friday.
i'll be back in full control for more days of the week

con:
she's settled where she is
i'd have to give up that stable for the period she's away...

that's it really, i think!

if anyone thinks of other pros/cons, let me know, help me decide....

in the meantime, foudn a flat - one bedroom, bath/shower, kitchen, living/dining - small, not the best, a bit tatty really, but does the job...£425 pcm + bills....so will take it, hope there's enogh money in the bank for deposit.

and i'm struggling with expenses, putting the details on, it's a website for an umbrella company that does it all and they even have a help section, but it has missed one detail that i need them to clarify.

and i won't get paid until that's all sorted out and i've inputted everything. and i forgot to get a vat receipt for my diesel when i filled up last thursday ... bummer. and with not having a printer here was unable to print out the booking details for the hotel...which acts as receipt - so shall have to see if i can get at that via web..

i hope caroline

is holidaying somewhere warm and dry, as it's teeming down here (where i am is in her general neck of the woods)

didn't get the derby job, and it's probably just as well as it turns out ...but since this is a public blog, enough said.

so, stay in wilmslow for a while, and then see what turns up, the agency have something i will be interested in and the people want to see me, in manchester.

Caroline did wonder why i would want to move the horse - because i'm here and she's 150 miles away and that don't play.

anyway, finally watching some telly for the first time in months... having a telly that works helps (still haven't got that set back up at home!)

partner has downloaded my emails at home - i am pretty annoyed, as i keep saying, don't! when i get home at the weekend i might just delete my account at home, that way she can only get her own, not mine - i can always set it up again each friday night and take it off again on sunday afternoon! or just keep it on this laptop.

lack of updates...

i think i did well last week having anything to say, but i know i won't do as well this week so possibly won't try too hard.... a shame, but this is meant to be a blog about molly, not about work and being in wilmslow!

the bedsit i was going to see wasn't going to work - place was nice and i would have taken it, but they want a minimum 6 month let :-(

carrying her tail

was what she was doing in walk on the lunge this morning, which of course means she is relaxed. partly as she "gets it" and strengthens up and partly, i wonder, because the back man was out Friday and she had the electric machiine thingy (i wasn't there, what do i know) on her, apparently she was stiff down the left side.

anyway, she offered right rein on the lunge with no asking so i took it, no stress at all, i didn't have to get after her to go that way - WOW. is that the first time that has happened? i think so.

I was pleased.

the only annoying thing was that it was such a lovely morning that every half circle i was blinded by the rising sun - these specs are supposed to be transitions, but frankly, i think they've got them wrong when they made them. and partner says they're grey lenses - they were supposed to be brown, dammit.

10 minutes good

Decided to ride this morning, on the basis that having been away all week partner would appreciate me being at home when she is awake LOL...

so got on, in the new smaller square area as YO's OH was putting lights round the main arena - he said, just walk, there's still soft spots....

anyway, for the first time just about ever, not only did i get a soft, non resisting halt, i also got a soft, non resisting, head stayed down etc, walk from halt.

that was after about 10 minutes, and it was so good (albeit no way perfect, no doubt, but still ) I got off.

her scabs have not come back, YO has been putting mud fever prevention cream on and it's ok - just as well, the mud is still horrendous - sure the water board have created a stream where they didn't used to be one, as a result of their flood prevention works!

think i'll do some in hand work or longlining tomorrow ...

and then i'm back to wilmslow

sucessful day

120 delegates, we all had a good time and were well fed! if anyone's ever organising a conference, I'll recommend St James as a venue

2 friends will not be able to live down the fact that they were looking for a hospital ... their excuse, well i'm not sure, other than they clearly don't read the front page, let alone the sports page (for foreign readers, i am of course talking about the home of Newcastle United FC....)

back in newcastle

at a better hotel, for our conference tomorrow. good dinner.

and derby has been back int ouch via the agent and has a concern about whether i'll stick the course with the travelling, so i've made a suggestion to convince them of that

otherwise, it's wilmslow for a while longer and then there's the possibility of a job in manchester on maternity leave cover for a head of department....

looking forward to seeing molly on saturday morning

and seeing partner tomorrow night, unless she's called out!

i miss

believe it or not, the getting up, going down, turning out, mucking out, bedding up, etc and generally interacting with my horse!

another reason for fetching her over here, caroline....

anyway, i've found a bedsit and am going to look at it monday, walking distance from the office, attached to a house where the landlord lives, photos look ok .. would be half what i'm paying for hotels

different roads

to the same place. still on the subject of books.

i know what you mean, jean, about different thinking in different books from different people.

BUT in essence, they are generall all saying the same thing, if in a slightly different way.

they may not agree that they are, but they are.

and it's interesting to see how different people explain (or don't) the same thing... some easy to understand, some not, and the whole gives a more complete picture..

anyway tonight's fix of herbermann is certainly useful on bending ....

books

not being at home and thus not actually doing anything with Molly, i brought a load of books and dvd's with me to try and get caught up on my reading.

i keep Fillis in the car to dip into - i find the typeface quite hard going, so can only read a small amount at a time, so that book is useful there as i read it whilst e.g. waiting for partner or, as on saturday, having lunch in the car before interview!

i'm reading Herbermann's Dressage Formula whilst eating meals on my own. I'm enjoying that, can can see why people who've been on his clinics have got a lot out of them.

i've got Udo Burger's book with me as well, currently, i confess, doing sterling duty propping up the lap top to improve it's angle. i have started it (it was bedside at home) but think i'll finish Herbermann first.

Anja Beran's book is in the bag, i got most of the way through that a while ago, and it's to re read

and i bought maximize your horsemanship on Sunday ...

and various others! i think if i'm going to be away a bit, then it's useful reading tiem .....

also brought a load of dvd's to play on the pc - some i've already seen and need to view again, others to start from scratch

i recently bought the philippe karl set - unfortunately, on video not dvd, so they have to be watched at home when we re-set the video up (or if i have time, try and work out a way to link the vhs to the pc. technically possible, i gather!). but i think they'll be to go back to and back to over time.

and i've got the latest thomas covenant as well, on a totally non horsey note....

oops

soory about the lack of post yesterday - the new technology had a child block on it that has taken until this morning to get off (in that, having done what I needed to do last night, it didn't work until this morning...)

in wilmslow for work

I did ride yesterday morningk, in glorious sunshine (if a bit cold!) and had a nice forward trot and some nice walk.

you'll remember the horse i towed to horsepital a few weeks ago? same issues on mounting as Molly - but i think his might be easier to sort

a good day - but not with molly

I did SEE molly of course,turned her out, mucked out, bedded up etc - then went to Derby for interview, which IMHO went rather well. Seemed to get on with the people, and teh technical questions were interesting (I'd read a new case that the chap asking me hadn't....)

So have hopes of that, think it's a good prospect, without counting too many chickens!

then came home, Molly had just been brought in so fed her and came home for a well earned cup of tea.

and have arranged for her to see the back man Friday, top local horse & person physio is coming to the yard anyway and he's seen her before (saw her mother as well) so too good an opportunity to pass up. last time I had to take her there, which proved to be a nightmare as I was let down at the last minute for transport...

round pen

the morning was taken up with the man being here to sort the boiler out, and find out why we have a leak under the bath. the boiler is mostly done, but needs a new expansion chamber. and that bath? we need a new bath! very fine hairline cracks, it doesn't owe anyone anything as it's been in donkeys years (the chap remembered getting it for previous owner of house many moons ago) but a bit of a b....

and while he was doing that i was finding my work related documents (practising certificate, very important piece of paper!) for the agency..

and the weather was pants

and i had to then take partner's car to get something else looked at

then the weather improved and i planted my garlic and winter onions - thought I'd best get that done, since I've not only got a job but will be working away!

so it was later than I've been used to lately when i got to the yard, and time I'd got her in and checked her legs for mud fever (definitely sorted!) by washing them off etc, decided to just round pen as the light was starting to go. she did ok, i was pleased.

rode out .. but!

Jill came out on foot, kindly, to give molly confidence (that was the plan; jill's horse currently out of action with a bit of a virus!) - the plan in due course is to ride out together

anyway, we had two attempts to turn back before we got to the turning we want. one because, we think, she clocked some mares & foals she'd seen before; the second, i'd misjudged the turn right was turning early and she tought i meant turn round.

anyway, going up country lane we all could see a caravan that LOOKED as though it ws in the middle of said lane - you really couldn't tell that it wasn't until you got up to it.

that was a real problem for molly so we decided i'd get off and lead - but of course, no way she was letting me back on again. so we both had a long walk!

we had various attempts at various points to get her to stand so I could get back on but wasn't going to happen.

so when we got back to the yard, molly went in the arena and did some schooling, once i got on (with a hand at her head...)

YO thought i should get someone else to get her sorted onn the moutning front - i said, you're welcome to try next week when i'm away, at your own risk... but she agrees with me that if i'm losing my temper, i have to stop trying as that is counter productive. It was at least very clear to Jill today that it's just pure stubbornness on Molly's part, not fear, not pain, not anything other than her

there is no doubt some reason why this happens and she does this, but no idea what it might be..

hurray!

I have a job. a locum job, starts monday, in Wilmslow (which is just down the road from Caroline...), the money's good and it's work I know.

And Molly? Natasha's phone was switched off, so hope she's not had some other horror go wrong with her health, as she didn't turn up. I spent so long waiting for her to get back to me, i ran out of time before my evening meeting to do anything sensible with Molly so nothing got done...and since I had to leave some hourse before it would be sensible for her to be in for the night, i had to ask someone else to do that for me...

practice...

standing at the mounting block (the yard's big one).

it is in a corner; if she stands on the left of it as you go up it, then she can't move away, but would be on the "wrong" side for mounting. and there would be a risk that she would panic ....not that she's a one for panicking, but you never know.... if she stands on the right of it, she can move her quarters away so that she is along the fenceline but with her head facing me.

so on the left, i was able to use the pressure halter, gentle pressure, to get her to move right up and stnd alongside. but, if i moved back she moved back away.

on the right, she stood along the fenceline.....despite treats if she stood in teh right place..

phooey...

i would be happier if the mounting block were somewhere where she could move round it (so i could keep her working without getting off it... and try not to get pulled off, but it's a large area to stand on) or if it was alongside the fenceline itself away from a corner.

ah well, weather permitting natasha's coming tomorrow and we'll see whether we can sort it again...

aaarrrgggghhhh

the frustration of trying to get on.

then once i'd had a hand to get on, and we were both concentrating, i was interrupted by someone wanting to know if i'd read my letter - to which i said, what letter? the one from YO about increased rates. haven't read it yet. after that didn't really get it back... lot of head tossing. but some of that is improved a lot when i remember to slow her down with my seat. but really i'd got so pissed off with her tonight.... don't know why, as it's nothing new this, but it seems particularly frustrating when she stands just slightly where you don't want her, you move the block, get up on it and then she moves as you lift your leg to put it in the stirrup.....

lugning over poles

was the order of thre day today - i was far too knackered to do justice to riding! spent the day in the garden, dug out the potatoes (rather good) and related tasks...

so decided to lunge, over trotting poles, and tried a very small cross pole as well.

she's better with them in a straight line than a curve, although that might be me, and didn't really like the cross poles.... she did one proper jump and so far as i'm aware that is the first time she's jumped anything.

i think she found it interesting, at any event - interesting in wrking out how to cut in and not do them!

but over the straight trotting poles at first, it's really good to see her really using herself!

this sort of thing wil do her as much good as the other bits of things i'm doing with her...

i wonder if it would be worth while seeing about a proper jump/loose schooling? dunno ... and would probably take me forever to set up.

summer at last

two good days for weather, and apparently another tomorrow. so we got a lot done.

I didn't struggle to try & get on Molly without help, it would have taken too long - just got her head held.

we're starting to get somewhere with the trot, and the walk is improving every day, so I'm very pleased.

and even more pleased that I have great confidence that I'm NOT going to slip off the saddle! the joys of a suede seat.

apparently Molly is chewing up the segregation paddock, whilst at the same time not moving about ...

hopefully, if it stays dry (ish) she'll be able to go out with the mares by tuesday..

there's a new mare out she hasn't really met yet, as they have not coincided in the field since the new mare arrived... that'll be interesting!

and the rest of the day ? dug out half my potato crop,must do the rest tomorrow and hopefully plant some garlic..and possibly partner might come out for a walk with me & molly (and pick blackberries..); and went to the hairdressers..

boots

have been a trouble to me for half the week.

firstly, i got that huge blister the other day, walking in my mountain horse high riders - sill thing to do.

then, yesterday, the zip at the back of said boots finally died and will have to go to cobblers to see if it can be mended.

today, i took my posh regent leather boots that i haven't worn for years (since i got my first pair of mountain horse, in fact) - but had to spend so long on ground work (trying to see if i could get herself to stand) that my left foot was protesting severely by the finish. and i'd forgotten how slippy they can feel against the horses side!

after an hour of ground work, I'd almost got her to stand - but to the point where when I started to lift my foot to put in the stirrup, she'd move! eventually, got someone to hold her head. he said, i should be quicker - maybe, but i'm not getting younger and i can't be quicker and she SHOULD stand...

i did feel i'd made some progress though, but she's a challenge...

after that i trotted a bit, even managed a change of rein whilst in trot, and then asked for a nice walk - which we got! 2 circuits of the arena

so then we stopped.

lovely day

glorious, in fact, so nice we could have lunch outside after our morning meeting.

my interview went ok, i think, but one of the people who was suposed to be interviewing me wasn't there as he'd caught a lurgy that's doing the rounds, so if they decide to go for me i shall have to go back for a second interview. but that's par.

then came home and rode, eventually after i'd washed the feet/lower legs. think i've cracked the scabbing properly this time, can't feel any more coming back.

didn't bother with anything save getting a hand to get on.

took me half the session to remember what i was meant to be doing!

saddle really comfy,very happy with it.

molly did some nice work once i'd remembered what i was meant to be telling her, especially in terms of rebalancing her by slowing her down!

and we did some serpentines that we haven't done for ages and ages.

i thought she did well considering its a few weeks since we've schooled!

shattered....

well, my legs are.

Jill and I set off mounted (lush saddle...) and were going to go up to the pub then right up Marks Lane and back round through the village...

we got nearly to the pub, and someone started giving it what for with clattering metal behind the farm opposite the pub, and Molly wasn't having that - turned round - i could NOT get her to stop very on her toes ...

finished up back at yard, got off, and then turned rond and WALKED her out, we did the full thing we were going to do mounted.

then Jill's Oscar wasn't right, so she got off and led as well.

Did try to get back on Molly moo at the only suitable spot, but she wasn't having that at all ...

and of course, i was still in mylong riding boots, so have discovered a corn on my left little toe that i didn't know i had.

Jill thinks Oscar is becoming anaemic again, so will need some time off, so suggested that on Friday we'll go out with her on foot and me mounted... on the grounds that that will assist in reassuring Molly.

I think we would have been ok if it hadn't been for the crashing metal...

So pleased with the saddle, though

the vogue arrived

here it is.....
suede seat, lush....

a dry (ish) paddock

i checked the small isolation/starvation paddock this morning (it currently has grass!) and found that the mud in that was not at all deep - in many places the ground was dry, and where it wasn't, the mud would not get higher than possibly the tips of molly's feet... so out she went.

the legs are looking a lot better - and better again tonight than this morning. definition is back. If the weather stays as it is, she can stay in there for a few days. still too deep to take her up to the field, as there's a morass to get through on the way.

so that was all she did today, partner wanted me to come home for an early tea, which we don't normally have...

a visitor!

Stephanie came for the day, enjoyed the visit as always!

She says she thinks I'm trimmer - must be all the walking, LOL!

She also thought - not having seen Molly since the end of July - that she is changing shape in the right way, so that was pleasing also!

and Molly? we thought, lunge and in hand work, the plan had been of course lunge in walk, but Molly wanted to go faster - so we let her, and - get this - I got CANTER - YAY! haven't been able to get canter on the lunge with a horse since I can't remember when! did it. both reins.

then back to in hand work after she'd got that out of her system, and that went really well left rein - not so good right rein, but then that's both our worst sides of course. but very pleased

and the poor mare had both of us scab picking, one on each back leg - so she couldn't do anything about it, can't kick out at both of us!

well exercised!

i woke early (had set alarm for 7, but up at 6.15).

so by eight, Molly had been mucked out, bedded up, hayed, watered, AND walked out - we went over the motorway bridge (not empty, even at that time on a sunday!) and saw a a red squirrel just the other side of that bridge in the hedgerow. it sat and looked at us, and we stood and looked at it. Very impressed, I was. Don't know what Molly thought.

then home for my breakfast, put laundry out, sorted out some of the video from yesterday, went to tip, then to sainsbury's, back to yard, ate the sandwich i'd bought and did some in hand work in the school. I felt much more confident about that than I had prior to yesterday. skepped out, back home, cleaned the bathroom (faint...)

back to yard again about 5, mucked out, washed feet/legs, walked her out again! crikey! all done by 1830, and then i've come home and have made a pie and some flapjack (well, they're in the oven as we speak)

and spent too much on ebay - one new camera for under £50 (well, new to me, i'm sick of mine forever running out of charge on its AA batteries!) and 50 DVD-R discs on a spindle - much cheaper than PC world, even adding in the costs of cases - under £17 including postage.

and the new saddle might arrive tomorrow (posted saturday, apparently)

hope i get a job before i spend any more LOL

where to start?

the end, probably - Lincoln Grooming Blocks are really good for getting scabs off. I think I knew that, really, but happily reminded myself today. so from here on, the plan is grooming block THEN antiseptic wash.

the start - 0630 this morning. had to be in Yorkshire (Brompton on Swale, near Catterick) for 9 .... Becky HOlden clinic - so did molly in jig time, turned her out in the arena for her exercise whilst i mucked out etc (that'll save me at least 1 walk out in hand, as she was moving round instead of standing at the gate wanting to be back in). then back home for a quick breakfast and got there just on 9.

had taken camcorder and digital camera. onto second tape on camcorder, needed another battery "knew" i had another one charged - well, i was wrong. and then, to cap that, found I'd left the XD card for the camera in the D***** computer... duh. so only 3 people got videoed. and I would have needed more tapes than i'd taken ...

decided to come home at 1, the lunch break, as of course I still had molly's legs to wash and to walk out etc ....

did the leg washing, was about to walk out, when my tummy decided to tell me it was empty big time ... fair enough. so molly in round pen whilst i went home to chuck food down my neck.

then we walked out - this time i took her a different route, up to the bridge over the motorway. she was a bit unsure, and it was far enough, so we went back, but will try it again at a quieter time (maybe, early one sunday morning?)

eventually got home at 5.30

but what a gorgeous day. sunshine and heat. of course, none of us were dressed for it!

copied from my post on EE just now:

"just to keep me entertained, my friend rang today. her husband (top horse vet in North Yorkshire, all the racing yards about ) told her to tell me on no account to cold hose if giving antibiotics ... i said, when did he say that? ... Tuesday.....

anyway, different vet today. more antibiotics; as i'd worked out, keep washing the legs; the bandages weren't helping in terms of keeping on top of the mud fever (arguably have brought back what i'd already got rid of). more walking out (but I can lunge....) 3x daily (did i say, just as well i'm not in work?), and she tok a blood sample just to be 100% certain there's nothing else going on.

ALSO said that Molly may turn out to be one of those that gets filled legs as they get older. phooey. she's never had filled legs, neither did her mother, nor, so far as I am aware, her brother (save when HE got raging mud fever, then a horrid infection, then colic because of the antibiotics...)

i think i might dig out my tub of antiseptic wipes as well, they're useful for wiping off"

apart from that -

my Fhoenix went off in the post today, do hope it gets there. Waiting for the vogue to arrive.

Now, get this - i knew the cheque for the Fhoenix had arrived, it was inside my paying in book, but still in its envelop. Partner opened the envelope whilst I was out (even though I had already said I knew what it was, that was why it was there) and wanted to know why i was getting a cheque for £600. I didn't tell her...managed to avoid that, by complaining, with justification, about her opening my post.... and happily, easily foudn the box for the saddle wihtout having to ask her where she'd put it. WAsn't overjoyed, I have to say.

took mother to the station, have her car here for the weekend - she's gone to london, haven't told her partner's gone too! TBF, mother booked her weekend ages ago, she's gone to a wedding, whereas partner didn't decide until last weekend...

and the other good news? I have a job interview on Thursday, YAY!