last post of this blog!

Since it's turning into the search for a new horse, I've started the new blog:

myfifthhorse

Follow the link!

I don't think I'll post more to this one. Molly's story is pretty much done.

However, I shall welcome you all to the new one and hope that, in due course, i have good things to report instead of the continuing litany of what hasn't worked, LOL

not sound

got a free arena so took her in on the way from the field - she's still not quite right on that shoulder. goodness knows what she did to it...

Darley didn't get my online app, it's missing in the ether, so did another one...

acquaintance from blackdene rang to tell me about a 5 year old TB down in crook, that's quiet enough for her daughter to ride (daughter quite young, not sure if she's quite in her teens yet) so i said i might be interested to see that...

interesting what pops up as word gets round!

starting to look

last time i actively looked for a horse was 1995 - and i got queenie, who i had known for years anyway.

it's interesting!

was offered a nice one today, but for more money than i have. was told of another that someone is trying to give away - it's 18, so no thank you! LOL.

also told of another place in yorkshire rehoming OTTB's, so off to investigate that...

and horsemart:

http://www.horsemart.co.uk/advert/9_yrs_16_2_hh_dark_bay_thoroughbred_cleveland/108236

couldn't get in arena again to see how molly is..

? on soundness

i did give a passing thought to trotting molly loose in the arena, to see how the right shoulder/whatever lameness is doing, but it was full of children so i decided to leave it to tomorrow.

but when i turned her out i had a look at how she was moving, and she seemed slightly uncomfortable still.

the bute was finished at the weekend, of course...

also discussed my decision with molly's previous owner, who fully agrees with my views on the subject - that's always good!

here's a thought

http://www.darleyrehoming.co.uk/index.asp

just sent an application in...

telling people

my decision....

those I've told so far this end are in support; partner thinks about time too, and Gaynor agrees the way to go as well

so, horse hunt...

I keep saying my next horse will be a gelding, who'll hack on his own or in company, and will do gates, LOL!

I want to be able to get out without worrying about whether we'll even get out the gate but also be able to train and actually get out and do some dressage as well (I've never been a jumper!), so i wouldn't want one that doesn't want to be in the arena

There's a lot to be said for an OTTB - a friend had a lovely one last spring that would have fitted the bill perfectly, but he was bought to sell on and now has been...but something of his stamp, with a sensible head on his shoulders - and they've all been out and about and know that whiteboards and such like won't eat them!

my plan is to potter on with Molly until we find something else (assuming she recovers from this weeks lameness, which one hopes she does, we didn't think it was anything too awful!)

6 years come october

since I had molly

here's the first entry of my earlier blog:

http://clairehodgson.20six.co.uk/clairehodgson/archiveofmonth/2005/07/00

and then i moved to blogger in summer of 2006

What progress has been made?

none.

the heading of this blog says

"This is the continuation of the story of my mare Molly and her retraining into, hopefully, a sensible horse, a safe hack, and a horse able to obtain decent marks at dressage as she has really nice paces when she's working well ...."

i haven't managed that.

I've learnt a lot in the time I've had her, spent a lot of money, improved my skill set no end...

but I don't have a "safe hack" (unless she's safe because she refuses to go, or sets off and plants, that's safe enough), and i don't have a horse able to obtain decent marks at dressage.

And we're reverting to where we were in terms of being able to have a bit in the mouth, and being mounted...

and she's 16, and has arthritic changes in both fetlocks, probably...

I've made up my mind to retire her and get another horse that I can enjoy for the ridden work...

I could put her in foal, but there's little point - I'd be 60 time any foal was ready to be ridden, would i really want to be backing a baby at 60?

I'll probably keep her going till i find something else; they do grass livery at the yard I'm on....

also, i really HAVEN'T the heart to keep trying - as my friend said in the spring, this was the year for her to come good...

edited to add: as and when i get new horse, that will mean new blog, i shall close this one then...

of bits and necks

usually, when the poll is out, one thinks that that causes various resistances

is that the case when the resistances were there in any event in a horse that, in its previous life, had been ridden etc. in a bit that hurt her?

been thinking about this all day, jean!

but think about the history - it's the same as her thing with gates, she remembers what happened when she was 6 months old, and IMHO the thing with bits is the same, she assumes it's going to hurt even if it isn't any more...

i think probably the poll being slightly out wont be helping, and obviously i've emailed the physio to come and see .. but i can't sensibly think that'll make much difference, in the scale of things...

at least she'll eat bute!

we think

it's some sort of wrench or something due possibly to hoolying in the field on hard ground...feet of course were fine (trimmed last week!) not gravelled, no probs with white line of course, possibly very minor bruise in one very small place but that was dubious as a diagnosis...

nothing obvious to find, save a shade stiff on the right shoulder

probably nothing to do with the fetlocks, as this is a right sided lameness, not a bilateral one

so week off, bute for 4 days, double up her supplement for the same period, see how she is after that.

if that doesn't do it, it's probably old age.. doh.

cream for the eye

her teeth? the dentist had been doing a good job.

She is out at her poll, but i showed vet how that was NOT relevant to bitting...ah, he says.

it's all in her mind....

and not sound...

i did wonder last night - whilst she was willing to trot and moving on and listening to me in terms of direction, etc, i wasn't totally sure that she was right...

so i lunged tonight - it's subtle, but she's not sound.

i'm hoping it's just a bruise somewhere from being kicked (unlikely, they've all been very settled from the day she moved in!) but more likely to be because she's living on a hill ....

just as well i've booked the vet!

and tea tonight will include home grown peas. shame partner can't stand peas! i haven't grown many...

dodgy eye and no bit...

fortunately I've already arranged for the vet to come Wednesday to look at her teeth, as when molly came in tonight her eye is a bit swollen and hot and there was red where there should be white; guess the flies have been at something, she now has her fly mask on (hope she keeps it on, it's a few years since she's worn one, as she used to be a dab hand at getting them off.

she wouldn't take the bit, even with her favourite feed as a treat, so we went bitless - and she was very responsive tonight, lots of circles and diagonals in a half decent trot, and i was able to slow it, and stop, with my seat, so more progress.

then a friend was taking her gelding back to his field, which involves going down the track towards the hacking area, so i followed; even more impressively, i was able to open the arena gate without getting off, well pleased with that!

this free jumping malarkey

is quite good fun, if strenuous when there's only one person to direct!

she liked the hooley around she indulged in when i misdirected her (or rather, failed to direct her at all!) but made some quite nice efforts

started off with lowish poles either side of the arena, to be taken either direction, and finished with one larger jump - not huge, you get me, 3 pole pods high, with a pole in front one pole pod high, butted against the fence one side and with a couple of poles at an angle the other side to help keep her on track - and once i got the direction right, she made a couple of good efforts at that

big scary model strawberry

and loads of parked cars round ig.

Me? go down that track when i can see that big scary strawberry, the parked cars and a field of horses between me and them? No, shan't, she said.

drat. and i had to get someone to hold her head whilst i got on.

on the other hand, when we went back in the arena, trot is starting to really come together, and the good note to finish was two proper steps of rein back. (and yes, i did walk her forward before getting off).

the but went in with a handful of her feed, which she loves.

friend is going to lend me a KK Ultra to try

we're going to double check her teeth, even though it's not that long since they were done, so that's an appointment to make monday.

now off out - to see Roseanne Cash at the Sage Gateshead. should be a good night!

ggrrhh

it's a lovely evening, but am i riding? no ..

partner going out to a concert starting at 8, so had to eat early ...

ggrrhh

it's the best night we've had all week as well!

dead bra - and rain!

being poked by wire in a strategic place is not a good plan when riding, so having realised this was going to be an issue, had decided not to ride; then it was raining again anyway!

a new bit?

possibly might be needed.

I've been wondering for a while - you all know of the trouble i have getting a bit in her mouth!

and whilst I know that a 5" is too wide, i wonder also if the 4 1/2" is a shade narrow?

anyhoo, trimmer was out today, and stopped to chat for a bit after the feet were done, whilst i was tacking up, and she helped with the bitting performance - she also wondered if it was a shade narrow .... only a shade, though!

she suggested Nueu Schule (they're based about 30 miles away) and said that if necessary they can make one specially for the horse

also, there's a bit bank run by someone who trained there, and she comes out, so I've sent her an email asking her to do just that...

if I can find a bit she'll accept without a fight every time, and that she'll then work in, we'll be getting further!

Molly's feet were fine, trimmer very happy with them but suggests i put some linseed into her to keep the feet more moist (she says, better to put it inside, than outside!)

Rode after that; not as good as the other day, the trot was ok left rein but not right rein; the arena was a shade boggy at one end after all that rain last night

walk, however, is coming on nicely, and we're starting to make a small amount of progress on sideways and rein back...

a thunderstorm

going on outside; so when i get to yard i will have a wet horse....albeit a warm one, since it's still like a warm bath!

it's like a warm bath

outside

warm and raining....and somewhat wet!

muuuch better..

trot, with the bit in!

not that it was perfect, but there were some perfect moments....

so getting there, hurray.

it must be the bit

as she's trotting fine with the bitless on...

mmmmm

well, i needed to organise a lesson, so that's something to ponder with RI...

not that i rode for long - time we'd done all the jet washing and other stuff associated with cleaning old stables! - but it was nice and quiet and I hadn't done anything for a couple of days what with rain/gales...

so only about 15 minutes, but trot was not a problem - brakes were, but trot wasn't. and i think the brakes problem was my problem, not hers, of course!

the arena is on top of an incline, and 6 ish is about the time when, just this time of year, the sun is going to be in your eyes in one direction, so i'll have to be careful of that as well

Molly was a lot calmer in the stable tonight - no moving about at all, to the extent that i actually felt safe picking her feet up (rather than, not being sure if going to be knocked over as she moves off again!) - not a lot happening, is probably why!

need to think some about the pad; happy with it, but did feel a shade tipped forward tonight which i hadn't the last couple of times i'd ridden with it..

but, local agent may turn up if passing - she hasn't one, and wants to see one, so i said if she was she was welcome to call...of course! I expect she will if she can...

TGI friday...

but it was very tiring...

we'd both got up earlier than usual, and did an awful lot of work...

too tired to work molly, i have to say!

hope the weather's decent tomorrow...had forgot have to go to hairdresser, and we have to clear out the ford cottage stables, and i want to try and ride, subject to the weather...

rabbits

5 of them in the field as i walked down to collect molly....ran away, they did

I'm sure there's something about a trailer or wagon that molly finds disturbing...today someone was loading up to go to holmeside, (well, i assume that one, and not the other! it gets confusing) and molly was somewhat "up" about this...

i wasn't planning on doing anything with her, FAR too windy!

if she's lame

she's got a very odd way of showing it... took her into the arena, and WHEEEEE

canter canter canter ... didn't have to ASK for it!


put some poles out on the polepods, and she volunteered to jump one whilst i was setting up the other on the other side...

i'm still not wholly convinced, but reckon if it's anything it'll be to do with living on a hill.....

and we got somewhat wet!

i think...

molly might be lame...

a shade difficult to tell, but i was sure i felt some uneveness in walk - but she's still powerwalking - i thought left fore..

trot was crap, save when she was trying to passage when she felt fine...

when i turned her back out, she didn't seem quite right ... looked like right fore (doh!)

so tomorrow i'll lunge

it may, of course, be that that arthritis in the fetlock is bothering her, in which case she needs a different field (current one on a hill)

or maybe an abcess after the move

the good news was that bitting was a breeze (with the assistance of a different treat, LOL) and the new pad felt a lot better than it had yesterday, after a good bashing about (as recommended on EE, another user also found it hard after use and bash about each time works...)

so i'll persist with that for a while and see how we go with it.

first ride since move...

and i must remember, on Mondays, to bring molly in a good half hour later than i otherwise would; on Mondays, the people in the next stable take their horse to Richmond, and molly seems to find the loading process for the horse quite upsetting - the horse loads very nicely, never any trouble, so i can only suppose that molly either thinks she should go to, or just generically doesn't like seeing other horses loaded. weird.

anyway, that resulted in much bouncing round the box, and she didn't really settle despite having her massage pad on (which she likes)

after than, it took me ages to get her bit in, a right performance.

saddle? got a new pad for it - a smart panel, which is similar to the suberpanel but made by Cashel and specifically a high wither fit. it was a birthday present from partner. it was christened on Saturday in Nottingham, under a barefoot Cheyenne, when it felt fine.

under the vogue today, it felt like a brick. This MAY have been something to do with it being a bit nippy and i should have warmed the saddle up. AND I felt all to one side...although the saddle hadn't moved!

I think I need to try and move the cork filling about a bit and i will persist with it as i need to find something that doesn't involve shimming ...

anyway, got one after a couple of "right go and work circles if you won't stand" moments - TBF, she did have 3 days off! with our weekend away...

so then 1/2 hour walking, circles, half voltes - it was her first time ridden in the arena, so power walking and trying to trot occasionally was the order of the day..

halt was a bit of a problem, so i was riding with the lead rope in my hand for 15 minutes till someone came past - funny, she'd stop for that!

i need to solve the bit issue; the treats i'm using aren't having the desired effect, it may be the bit, but it's more likely just her! and i put my hat on after the second bitting attempt on safety grounds!

sorry....

lack of report on saturday's activities, BAAAD me...

first order of business was visit to saddlery on route to friend's, where a new pair ofbreeches were purchased - have to say, I shall be buying Mark Todd's branded stuff in future, these are rather nice & comfy! and very easy to wear in the heat...

then to friend's; toast and tea, other friend arrived, to field and horses/ponies

very good set up, compete wtih caravan for the humans!

free jumping some of the horses (largely by a couple of youngsters who help out, one of whom is a VERY good little rider...)

then lunch


then a hack out - friend & i got tanked off with up a hill, oops (pic in link). we'd planned to walk down that hill and all the way round the outside, back to where we started, but there were some tractors moving haylage bales around at the bottom of the hill where, i am told, there is normally no activity. pone i was on was somewhat worried by this, and we both agreed that trying to get a strange (to me) pone past a spooky tractor in a field i didn't know was not a clever idea, so turned round to walk back. I said, we can trot back - next thing I knew, we were cantering, and i hadn't even got as far as asking for trot!

nonetheless a nice hack, a nice cool breeze across fields, and a very cool wood to walk through!

and i discovered that my aids for sideways are correct (molly had me persuaded they were not) - the grey i'm riding did reasonable level dressage at one time so was a good for that purpose, and i had to do a lot of lateral to avoid low slung branches in the wood!

then more sitting about drinking tea/water, then feed the herd (there are 6!) then finally leave field and take all tack back to friend's house - time i got back to sheffield i was late for partner's concert, so showered and out - she'd left me a ticket, which no one asked to see! turned out her choir were not on until 10.10! dinner was a chicken wrap and wispa bar from a 24 hour Spar supermarket next to the city hall...

time we got back it was a bit late..

today, nostell priory on the way home, long walk - shan't be wearing partner's merrell sandals again, i have incipient blisters on the soles of both feet, caused by the place where the strap meets the sole! we walked most of the grounds before visiting the house! we do like to visit something on our way home from a trip away...

finally got home about 7.30 or so this evening....

breeches

were left at home - and I'm in Sheffield - remembered boots, hat, socks, shirt, underwear, partner packed toothbrush - i blame the fact that i was in a tearing hurry, my morning having substantially overrun (tribunal appointment at 10.30, didn't get in until 11.40). so i have to find a shop to sell me some first thing, and in the meantime all i have to wear are my suit trousers... doh.

edited to add - and this is the second time within the year that i've cocked up the packing ..

too tired....

due to waking up at about 03.45 this morning .. i managed not to be sick.

don't know what that was about but gaynor texted me that she'd been sent home from work due to being ill all over, then someone said this evening that they'd had a bit of tum, so maybe some bug going round .if that's the case i got off lightly (touch wood)

but anyway, by close of working day i was FAR too tired to think about doing anything sensible with Molly, so i didn't try.

i did, however, get my foot stood on by yearling shetland - i was standing next to her talking to her owner when she moved .. and landed on my right foot, which was not booted, only had my crocs on .. thank goodness she IS only a yearling shetland!

standing still

tonights lesson was to re-establish/ensure standing still at the mounting block

so 10 minutes rope circling, ensuring she would go back/forwards, first,

then after one attempt and thus some repeat work, she stood still at the mounting block in the arena - twice - without moving and whilst i leant over

and then the same with it placed in the corner of the arena (but required a shade more work after some movement the first time i stood her at it)

then i thought i'd try the same at the tall mounting block.

this was a shade more difficult - it's not in the arena, and can't be moved!

first time, backed off it and round

2nd time - good! stood, i climbed to the very top of it, leant over, still stood.

excellent.

i MIGHT get on tomorrow - depends on the weather, if it's the same howling gale as today i might not!

long boots

are needed in the arena; it's not horrid like the one at HH was, too deep for the horse, but still gets over the tops of the short boots....

two rein lunging tonight.

she worked well.

she did THINK about refusing right at one time, but thought better of it as she knew she wouldn't get away with it.

BUT .. I couldn't get the bit into her mouth to save myself ...my original plan had been ordinary lunging, bitted and potentially with side reins. but that clearly wasn't going to happen without a huge fight which i would not have won

managed to avoid the rain, though. just spitting on when i got her in but time she'd had her massage (started doing that again, after all this time of not working her) it had stopped again.

lunged...in a field!

doh.

time i'd got molly ready, the youngsters had set up a jumping course in the arena .. normally they'd have been done by that time of night...

tried in an empty field, but unsuccessfull, too many distractions, too windy, no shade from sun (i couldn't see, LOL) and molly then decided challenging me on going right was a good plan; plus it was not flat...

tchah.

never mind, at least we did something...

more gales.

but at least it was dry after a half hearted attempt at rain this morning...

so rope circling in the arena.

the arena is on the way in from the field, so we went straight into it (that task required nothing more than the rope halter!)

she did think about throwing a paddy, but thought better of it

a shade onward bound, but given the wind i wasn't too worried about that (her alternative is usually walk verging on halt, when she doesn't want to do anything!) and got her going i the direction i wanted (including reverse); need work on teh standing still when told, but again, the wind doesn't help.

so quite pleased.

she's not keen when i'm out of sight if she's in the stable, but that's not a huge problem - i was in the car, which she could see, but don't think she realised, LOL

and before that helped gaynor move her rubber mats, which are a heavier proposition than mine by a long shot

started the work plan

longlined out

and molly was very good; one full turn round (she'd spotted the half open gate before i had, and i was about to trip over a hole so couldn't stop her without turning an ankle!) and another moment later .. but generally excellent.

and we had unexpected company - one of the girls was tacking up and came out with us - hadn't even known anyone would be there, of course! and poor partner, who had come with me for the walk out and to see what there was, got left behind as despite being a staunch walker with her walking group, couldn't keep up, LOL.

and molly seems a lot more settled in her stable now - knew exactly where she was going back to when we came back from the longlining.

and turns out RI is at yard twice a week, so i can start lessons in a couple of weeks or so and that'll fit in well.

rock on.

things attached to wall...

by yo's oh, who started whilst i was putting molly back in the field....

haybar and mirror up

proper home found for stuff..

looking forward to tomorrow; can't decide between long lining out round the tracks or ground work in the arena....probably longlining

it rained!

which we needed, and it's still very muggy, but i missed what looks like it would have been a soaking as i was in a late meeting in Newcastle....

molly still relatively settled in her stable; a shade concerned when the horse we could see across the yard was led off to be ridden, but not horrendously so, so getting there

i showed her the tall mounting block on the way in; i shall have to do some ground work round that, as well as generally! that'll be fun, it's a tall one i can't just step off, and whilst i can work her round it, it's very tight! but once we're sorted for it, it'll be a lot better for her, her back, me, and the saddle...it's high enough to be able to just put your leg over the horses back

plan is for longlining saturday, subject as always to the weather!

much more settled...

much more concentration on tea tonight than on activity in the yard, and i was able to brush her off without taking a chance on being run over!

late there due to late meeting with new client, and had to go sort out moving the rest of the hay with gaynor...

she says charlie is very happy back where he came from so good result all round...

we just have to jetwash the stables we've left, think that's a job for the coming weekend...

well i never, we did something!

went out for a walk in hand .. there are tracks laid out round and between all the fields, quite good going (for a horse, i nearly turned my ankle!) and she was good as gold; met friend on her horse and molly didn't turn a hair, so very pleased with that.

on the way back, went into the arena, so she knows what it looks like and where it is... she was somewhat unsettled, as fellow mare calling from field... it was on it's own (not totally as there was a gelding over the fence, but clearly that was insufficient!) but we did 5 minutes both reins and she did listen to me, more or less. rushing and unbalanced, but that to be expected in the circs...

in the stable - thought she'd settle fine, quite calm (even let me take the haybar out past her, it's not screwed to the wall yet and i didn't want it knocked over..) put feed in ... then pony tied up next door was taken away and put in wagon to go to pony club .. cue much rushing back and forwards, took ages to calm even vaguely - she thought she was on her own, as she couldn't see the other ponies in stables either side, LOL!

by the end of this week she'll certainly need a bath! i reckon i'm doing the right thing giving her the week, save for a bit potter here and there ... really need her to settle in stable

haybar and mirror being put up tomorrow night...

what was that i said?

it rained, of course. started as i got to the yard.

having said that, i introduced molly to her new stable, and whilst she was pretty good, i think i will need the full week i promised myself ... i want her settled enough to stand still, not bounce round the box!

in the meantime, home grown strawberries .. on another planet to the bought ones!

newts

in our pond, excellent - self populating itself, people said it would.. and FOUR lily flowers showing today.

hot hot hot.....

molly still happy bunny

brought her in today - had to worm, and need to get back into routines... i had thought i'd give her the full week to settle, but think i might start lunging tomorrow as she seems quite happy ....

she had a bit of a shout, but really nothing to write home about, as it was all new to her...

got most everything put away, now need stuff fixing to the walls ... YO says there's a chap'll do all that for me, which is good, as i can't find my drill and always struggle drilling into stone

happy molly

moved....

well, molly is anyway!

gaynor decided to ride charlie from the field to HH and i would lead molly the other way back to the stables we were leaving.

that almost went seriously pear shaped at the start, as gaynor got bucked off. but she got back on again (with benefit of a leg up .. she told me later that charlie doesn't like being mounted from the ground and is at a loss to explain to herself why shd tried it). she's in a bit of pain but just bad bruising.

molly and i had to let them out of the field as they were going other way from us, and hence, of course, molly spent some time circling round me insted of walking, and trying to get after charlie!

power walked with intermittent shouting all the way back along the track and to the stables... when i got her in, she stood and shouted (between mouthfuls of feed...)

wagone arrived and we got the hay in; i wasn't sure how molly would load, but she did, and travelled well - only a couple of miles ... and came off quite calm.

turned her out in field with three other mares - a yearling shetland, a palomino and a black, none larger than her .. a bit of a run round and they all seem quite happy. so that's good.

unloaded the hay, cleaned the wagon out, went back to see gaynor and decided not to do any more tonight..

tomorrow, finish off sorting rugs, moving all the stuff that'll fit in the car, refilling cupboards et.c.

both gaynor and I have lost our respective drills, so taking stuff off walls will be interesting if nothing can be found...

then at some point we have to jet wash the stables...

but i decided i'd done enough for the week! it is friday after all...

it's amazing

what you can fit in the back of a Peugeot 206 with teh seats down. one long tall cupboard (with front seat down also); ditto large trunk thing; loads of boxes full of stuff.

i'm binning things.

that's the first time the trunk has been emptied for some years; can someone tell me why i might have had a duvet in the bottom? i imagine i wanted it for some particularly cold horse ona cold night, but i really can't remember... reckon that'll go the journey.

selection of girths that i shan't use again.

hey ho.

loads more to go - rugs, feed dishes, etc and more stuff... that one collects over years....

less water

but not by much... roll on the weekend.

looks like it'll be friday night move, not saturday

moving stuff in the car ahead (or rather, in gaynor's car...)

must find and charge drill .....

worked hard - drank hard

now that's a title to get you all going...

i worked hard work wise.

i worked hard clearing stuff up at the stables.

molly & charlie drank hard... Gaynor;s OH went along early afternoon as it was hot, and filled the water. when gaynor went along after her work, she had to fill them again ...

then molly having been covered in fly spray rolled ... and knocked all the water over. doh.

it is hot.

pictures....

molly's bed is all moved and charlie's is lifted....more work to do tomorrow night.

in the meantime, thought you'd like some recent pics.

molly & charlie last week (molly had finished, at which point charlie realised there was a feed dish .. don't normally feed her in the field, i hasten to add!)

scenes from the garden in which we saw much ado about nothing last thursday

the local restaurant/pub tonight (the cow added today)

rough ...

gaynor after a late night out last night....

actually, she wasn't that bad, but somewhat tired...

we COULD have ridden ... but didn't; instead, we moved and laid my rubber mats in the new stable, decided what's happening with Charlie, and made an executive decision that the horses can just stay in the field for the week until they move next weekend...

YM insists I'll be back before the winter...

but hopefully by the end of next weekend i'll be in a better position to start regular work with molly again....

all i need to know is whether transport is saturday or sunday..

it blew, and it rained, and it blew

and the horses wanted to be out again so badly that charlie trashed stuff in his box, that normally he never touches (including a brand new bottle of fly repellent so there'll be no flies in his stable for a bit)

we rather concluded we needn't have bothered getting them in last night, and turn them out again.

partner and I then went on a lengthy (and successful!) sofa hunt (we haven't had one for years..) and by the time we'd finished the rain had desisted, it was a lot warmer, but still blowing hard....and too late in the day even if gaynor were able to come out & ride, which she wasn't by that time ....and anyway, i do HATE a gale...

edited to add link to sofa - we're getting it in brown, manual recliner, and a chair ditto (given that we CAN have a recliner)....

two in hand...

had to get them both in on my own tonight - horses were good, but wrestling through the vegetation and the furrows caused by winter tractors was a bit of a nightmare - i ended up in the middle where the long vegation was, after i'd dodged the giant hogweed, whilst the horses tried to avoid walking in ditches either side of me... until it widened up and the vegetation died off - then much better - and for a change, charlie kept up (he's usually horribly slow when led, to the extent of often needing to be hauled....not easy!)

hoping the weather stays dry for tomorrow...

much ado about nothing

performed by "The Pantaloons" at Crook Hall Gardens, Durham.

Excellently done.

Gaynor sorted molly out; she says, they're fed up again and we'll have to bring them in overnight tomorrow!

yesterday's post!

was composed in my head - but it ws't until i'd switched off pc and was nearly into bed i realised i hadn't actually typed it!

So, to yesterday...

Gaynor rang early afternoon to say she had a child free 2 hours from about 4.30 ... so we went and got the horses in to give them time to digest their grass before then!

managed to get out for a hack ... went up to harbour house through the park, which was full of shorn sheep (very disconcerting for molly, who didn't quite see that they were exactly the same as the sheep she'd seen yesterday unshorn!) and followed by a lost car! which we had to put right, he was well off where he shoudl have been!

got to HH, thought we'd have gone through the yard for a 10 minute play in that arena - but yard fenced off, more sheep shearing.

horses VERY good despite the noises off (baa ing sheep, and shearing!) that they could hear but not see.

so along back drive and round 20 acre.

bear in mind that most of the way i was carrying Gaynor's whip (mislaid my short one, molly all over, and head tossing) and all way round 20 acre more head tossing... calmed down as we got to the gate at the end and then .... drum roll .... stayed put and let ME open the gate. immediately set her jaw to rush through it, but hey, at least it was me opened it!

then carried on straight along the riverside (a shade slippy) to their field, where we left them...and carried our tack home

so why the head tossing etc? who knows. i put the drop myler in, rather than the combi, i suppose that might have been relevant, but who knows! not the same horse that marched happily out last saturday! but at least we managed to ride midweek! Unlikely to be able to do so again until Sunday, i think... not totally sure but think that's the case..

will it dry up?

for tomorrow?

we hope so we're going to try and see if we can get them in for the afternoon and do something in the evening...

rained all day again

so that put paid to any plans - TBF, the forecast did SAY it would rain, but we can live in hope, can't we?

we chose a dry moment to go along to see them - didn't take the fly repellent as thought they'd be too wet and wouldn't be any flies - wrong! they'd been under the trees, so were relatively dry ... ah well. i said, for future, we take the FR whatever the weather! (2 weeks to go...)

oh, and i shall have a better stable at the new yard than had originally been planned. originally was going to be put in one of a set of 4 - mini barn type arrangement - when i viewed, 2 horses on shavings, 2 empty boxes.

went back yesterday - one empty box filled with straw for another new arrival's horse .. molly can't hack straw, she'll get COPD ..(as we discovered first time she was in a barn, when i first moved to Harbour House a few years ago..) YO was there ... discussed this problem - so instead of that stable, i get one larger, with a huge overhang in front under which to store my hay/stuff - not in a mini or any other type barn! result.

chuffed...

The trot is sorted out, it seems - i pushed her on and she came right, fast, but ok, after attempting to bunnyhop... resistance was by trying to put me on the wrong diagonal, easy sorted, and circles were not a problem - avoiding gaynor was! oops. wearing specs means i tend to concentrate on what's in front of me to the exclusion of too much else!

and we cantered! first time since before I left blackdene last year - not for long, but i was particularly chuffed as i was able to steady it up with my seat and i could feel her back rounding under me.. took that too far and ended up back in trot, but hey...edited to add - this is the first time in my riding life that i've done that. not quite sure what i did, but clearly it was right and will have to try and replicate it....

then we went round the huge field we did last week, in walk (they'd done 15 minutes hard work in the arena and they ain't particularly fit, of course!) and no way was molly letting charlie in front (once he'd led the way IN to the field, LOL) that got to extreme as we came back up to the road, charlie trotted on to catch us up and molly deliberately (and before i twigged what she was doing as i hadn't realised he was there) cut him up.... oops. and was NOT going to let him out onto the road in front (apologies to the chap who had to let us out, molly was refusing to be stopped, i was really struggling and chap in car let us out - which meant he had to follow us)

So very pleased with all that.

before we got them in, i'd lifted my rubber matting.

after we turned them out, i jet washed it....

oh, and I am still moving!

trimmed and lunged

and then turned out again. 24 hours in is as much as the horses are prepared to put up with at the moment!

turned into a lovely day, hope it stays good for the weekend.

trimmer pleased with her feet - some minor bruising at the toes of the hind feet, but we think that's because they grow a bit fast and i haven't been able to get the work into her that i normally would in the summer...

in the stable

for tonight, and hopefully tomorrow night...

we'd both like to get something done! and molly's getting her feet trimmed after work tomorrow ...

i can just see it though - all week they've been wanting to come in, now they're in, they'll want to be out...

supposed to improve for the weekend

i hope so. heating is back on and it's teeming down...

this is boring..

not working my horse...

but they're happy....in the field, eating grass

the plan i mentioned the other day can probably happen.... which may mean i should stay.... mmmmmm

and I've just listened to a real weepy on the radio -The Archers - they killed one of the characters off by way of heart attack, whilst away in Oz, totally out of the blue - and SO well acted....

nettle rash? fly bites?

our money is on nettle rash or something of that nature, down molly's neck... very odd... we walked all round the field to see if we could see where they've been lying...

raining again

waiting to hear whether gaynor's plan will be allowed...

late visit

and 2nd post of the day - we went down after dinner, partner & I, to walk out to the field, check the horses over, feed molly her tea & supplement etc..

gaynor couldn't come out as her OH had gone out at lunchtime and not back...

Charlie was spooked by my partner climbing back up the hill with full water bucket - goodness knows what that was about, as he doesn't bother about gaynor or i doing the same! that spooked molly as well, happily she had eaten most of her tea by then! had to put her back in the field and let her go...

then of course they both settled back down, wondering what that was about, LOL

giant hogweed:

just outside the field gate, we're going to have to be very careful...

from blazing to raining

i know i said if it rained it would save me taking the hosepipe to the vegetable plot but that didn't mean i wanted it to rain most of the day!

ah well, mary lou did warn me...

if it dries up later i'll go then and at least give molly her feed/supplement...

and we might have a plan on the stable/grazing front ....

bunnyhopping again! drat

so i reckon i need to up the dosage on her supplement .. hadn't had her on full dose, but i need to .. this is what she was doing last year before she was nerve blocked, regular readers will recall...

so, you'll gather we did get a ride!

actually RODE over the bridge to the arena, which is unusual in itself! 10 minutes in there, molly bunny hopping when trot was tried (the walk came ok) and charlie needed a bit of a canter, but it was a bit hot...

so we went for a long walk round a really really large field - well, several fields, probably - along the bank of the river and back - sounds nothing, but it's about 40 minutes so shows you the size.

Molly led ALL the way - only two minor glitches, firstly when we set off for the ride out she thought she was heading home and i had to work hard to turn her, but i'm learning about ensuring my seat forces the turn in that situation....

then most of the way back, you go past the back of a field some geldings are grazing - they weren't bothered (too hot) but as we came down the slight incline towards them molly did stop and stare .. but didn't set her jaw or anything, and then carried on in the lead all the way home (which includes back along the road over the bridge and turn right).

mind, i was pleased someone was coming out of our turn to tell us if someone was coming down the hill, as i wasn't sure the brakes were 100% given the direction, and you can't see round the bend!

then we hosed off their saddle areas and turned them out again....

then i came home and mowed the lawns and did some hoeing round the vegetables.. hoping it doesn't rain tonight, which will help the weeds die off that i've hoed, then i'll give it all a good soaking tomorrow, the ground is very dry.

saturday

we might be able to get it together to get the horses in and do something with them.

mind, when we go to the field, they are there waiting for us now.. guess they now know the routine of when we do come, and the novelty of the grass has worn off a bit. they don't look quite so huge, either...

partner has returned from the mainland from St Kilda - says she saw a whale, amongst other things, so looking forward to seeing the pics; be home tomorrow....

cold to hot

hot tonight! wouldn't think it was the same week as yesterday...

but gaynor had to take her mother, and mother's cat, to the vet - cat didn't return.

and if we were going to do anything, we should have had them in around lunchtime...

so i went out on my own, with molly's painkiller in a small amount of feed - interesting, she loves this stuff (pure horse feeds pure easy) .. even if she's in , and no way interested in her hay, she loves this.

they both came trotting over as soon as they heard my voice (are they sick of the grass? LOL) so molly was taken out of the field to have her tea with supplement, and they both got fly sprayed, and then i filled water buckets - that's a strain, up a steepish hill from the river.

anyway, some pics.

this is a cone growing - we're so used to seeing them brown and dry, not common to spot them fresh and young - and an interesting shade of pinky red..

this you can see the clouds of midges over the river

and a reflection in the river ... molly was immediately behind me eating!

what did i say about naff weather?

rained all day, with few breaks.

Gaynor went and checked the horses.....they were fine (it wasn't cold!)

i decided, therefore, to come home and do some more work...

metronomic canter

on the lunge, yet! very impressed with that i was, as it's a pace i've always had trouble getting her to do on the lunge at all, AND it was good both reins!

So, shows she's becoming much more balanced, as she was quite happy to just continue on in canter, which she hasn't been keen on before at all... i'm doing something right somewhere! shame it's taken me so long, LOL...

this wasn't the original plan, of course, but we couldn't ride out as Gaynor had no child care as her OH had gone to band practice that we hadn't known about, so youngster sat in buggy and watched us work horses, and then came with us when we turned them out - how to despook your horse to a buggy!

particularly impressed when said buggy lost its balance in a rut - charlie didn't spook, and infant didn't protest at all, and molly (we were ahead) didn't notice.

so we were all done by noon

and i've just overcooked the baguette i was going to have for lunch as i was so engrossed in book i was finished i didn't notice the timer go off.... this is the woman who can sleep through house alarm going off, LOL

and it's a lovely day, after the naff weather yesterday...

rain and wind stops play

but what do we expect, it's a bank holiday weekend!

got some work done, and at least the wind was a drying wind once it stopped raining...

a really good day!

And we missed the rain hurray - saw your post, mary lou, you were very nearly right!

First up, got some washign on the line (it's still there, soaked...)

then got horses in

then went in to durham with Gaynor and her mother - went our separate ways and on my way round spotted a good deal on a smart phone - 5 hours talk time, unlimited web, texts and emails for £15 pcm.

Then back to stables and we went for a hack, gaynor and I.

had a really good ride - set off up the road, trotted them up the hill; then turn right and along to the harbour house drive; through a couple of gates and down a field hill; through another gate to the back drive that goes to the ford; round the 20 acre (remember the joys i've had NOT riding round there on my own? then instead of going back up the hill to harbour house and up to the park, we carried on along the river, through the bluebell wood - and so to the horse's field. let them off there, filled up the water buckets and then of course had to carry our tack back. that was a bit of a struggle, and i dropped my girth and had to go back for it....

then in to gaynor's for a well earned cuppa; she and her mother had had a burger whilst i was wrestling with trying to get through to the people i had my current phone from ... i was still unfed, but copoing..;

anyway, it started raining AFTER we got in the house, hurray!

then 40 minutes on hold to get through to the hpone people to cancel my mobile bundle with them and get the code to port my number to the new phone, then back into durham to get new phone (currently on charge downstairs)

THEN to shops...finally back to village about 6 pm, and decided to get a pizza from the takeaway as i was by then totally starving and couldn't be bothered to start cooking...

have just come upstairs to discover some feathers and dead bird remains on the landing, looks like nessie kitten has now fully grown up, that'll be fun!

and i need to find out how to synchronise phone with pc for contacts etc, as new phone does not appear to have software in the box!

so, we both thoroughly enjoyed our day, first day gaynor has had to herself totally for ages!

plan for tomorrow, get them in a.m, leave them whilst gaynor watches the grand prix and i do something else, then hopefully (weather permitting) ride later.

bedded up

ready to bring them in in the morning, small haynet ready soaked (not that she'll want to eat much!) plan then is to go to durham and then ride or something in the afternoon, fingers crossed....

then i came home and strimmed neighbour's lawn as promised

3200 and odd steps...

to the field and back again! Gaynor had a pedometer and had me put it on .. so that was the total!

plan for the weekend is bring them in saturday morning, do something saturday afternoon, keep them in, do something sunday morning then turn out again..

hope nothing gets in the way!

poooo

it rained. heavily, for most of the afternoon.

lightened up a bit by evening, but we felt sure it was going to rain again, the clouds were certainly heavy enough. so turned out without doing anything, soaking not being part of the plan.

and guess what?

that's it, it didn't rain again (but is going to at some point...heavy black clouds looking seriously threatening).

so fish and chip supper, and then the joys of scanning a huge amount of paperwork into computer.

phone still not sorted, dammit.

well i did say tonight we might work

and i did, with molly, but we had to get them in mid-afternoon; and we're keeping them in until tomorrow night so we can do something tomorrow as well

i lunged .. she worked well on left rein, i could really see her rounding; not quite so well on right but then she never did like that rein!

will ride tomorrow

the bad news - i recently changed phone/broadband provider, and of course set up a direct debit.

guess what?

that's right, they didn't put the dratted DD through, so i had to do it on the phone this morning, and pay the bill that had mounted up in consequence! pah!

thank goodness for mobile phone and mobile broadband, now plugged in to pc! but i did my neck in, due to the place i have to have the mobile phone and still have a signal!

rescuing lambs

there well not me personally - but it was me that became aware that there was a lamb in the river (or at least, so far down the bank that it was not going to get up again, and it couldn't be seen!) Walking along to molly's field to check her over, noticed a sheep with a very small lamb bawling it's head off; response from below bank, it seemed ... odd... as i roounded the bend i looked back and couldn't see anything; thought i may have been hearing things. anyway, Molly and charlie both ok, fed molly (outside the gate, LOL) got some more water, went back. sheep still there. still bawling. lamb still responding. went to place where you can walk down to a beach and looked back (nearly back to stables at this point) but still couldn't see anything. but by this time i was convinced there WAS a lamb in the river. sheep ran towards edge, still bawling. so rang YM. she later rang me, to say i was right. new born lamb had fallen down, had been in river, was on very narrow ledge, duly rescued, happy sheep.

so that was my good deed for the day.

couldn't get molly in as gaynor's OH out at work till who knows what time...hopefully, tomorrow!

came home and set hose to putting more water in pond. Nessie brave and came out to that side of the house, she has been very dubious about that in the past, as a result:

bathed and bitted

it was a really hot day .. we got them in before lunch - the plan was to ride in the afternoon, but gaynor's OH had accepted an invitation for them to go out... doh.

so i went home and mowed lawns and had lunch...

then went back, gave her a bath, dried her off in the sun, tacked up and went over to the arena

only took 2 goes to get the bit in her mouth!

once i got on and had warmed up and adjusted the stirrup (she woudn't stand for that one, had to get someone to hold her head!)i only worked on getting her to accept it, and to remind myself how to anticipate when she wasn't going to (you can tell, but it's subtle of course and i often don't anticipate properly!)

eventually got one circuit right rein nicely, left rein wasn't so good

a very delicate balance between contact and not contact ....

then i came home and set the tea cooking, washed the car, watered the allotment and finally ate tea about 9.15 ....have left hose refilling pond, which is evaporating..

gorgeous day for a wedding

which is where i've been.

the wedding was at St Philip's John Dalton Memorial Church just outside Eaglesfield, near Cockermouth.

the reception was at Loweswater Village Hall - excellent buffet, and fantastic views...

and came back over whinlatter (didn't intend to, particularly, set satnav for fastest route and that was the way it took me - a gated road!) and then fast roads after that, home by 10! nessie please to see me!

slight change of weekend plan...

i did manage to ride tonight - lunged first, then rode, about 35 minutes altogether... better on lunge than ridden, usual difficulty getting lightness in the bitless....

the plan to keep them in over the weekend was abandoned, though; firstly because they were desperate to be out again, secondly because I'm going to a wedding tomorrow in cumbria; so we turned them out, and will get them in early Sunday morning and do something Sunday afternoon. hopefully with no problems as gaynor's mother has the kids...

i handed my month's notice in; was offered something else on the estate, but decided to stick with the plan i made last night. new yard has excellent arena, and i already know someone on it (she highly recommends it). YM has said something will be sorted out for Charlie so he won't be left on his own...

in for the weekend...

gaynor rang this afternoon and suggested we bring them in and keep them in until sunday, so we can in fact do something Friday and Sunday (I'm going to a wedding saturday, and nessie has to go back to the vets as well). i thought, that's a plan, so thats what we did.

when we got them in, they really didn't want to move, and were far to tired and full to be asked to do anything. it is VERY hot in that field. and they had hardly touched the water ... i suppose it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that they'd been down to the river itself, but most unlikely...and molly had a good drink when she came in

so they both got really good grooms, washed between the legs and under the belly which they both were pleased with, and left with hay which they probably won't eat. my best guess they'll do a lot of sleeping, LOL

how to catch your horse in a massive field

when you can't see her...

call, then wander off to fill water buckets from the river....

time i got back up with the first one, they were both nearly there, perfect!

but not, sadly, to be brought in and ridden.....

boo hoo.....

both got 1 1/2 apples each, fly sprayed and checked over, did another water bucket...

hopefully, tomorrow.....

neither g nor i happy.....really....

different horse?

well, we didn't fully test it.

Gaynor went down when she got home from work to check Charlie, and had no trouble catching him and no grief from Molly - although she did send Molly away once!

I went down later to check molly (it was nessie's day for the "op" andhad to collect her for 6 pm, so not planning any work with Molly).

Took me a good while to catch her, eventually caught charlie and led him down to the gate and molly followed at a small distance.

not totally sure she wanted to be caught, moved away when i went to her; i got a handful of grass and that did it.

hurray. but i wonder if she was being particularly cautious after the several tellings off she got yesterday when misbehaving? not that i have any issue with her being told off, she deserved it (gaynor still has marks on her arm!)...

i needed her on the other side of the gate for a small amount of feed with her supplements in, and to apply fly spray!

as she put her head down to eat, they were both spooked by the fly fisherman on the beach - i ended up feeding her handfuls from my hand!

i had been going to top up the water, but i could see they had enough and had run out of time, bearing in mind i had to get back to stable, put cycle away etc and then get to houghton for nessie!

if she carries on like she did today

i will have to move molly.

Gaynor went out lunchtime ish to get them both in - she had the day off, so the plan was she would work charlie in the afternoon, then i could do something with molly in ther evening after work...

molly firstly circled round charlie and wouldn't let gaynor near him.

then when she did get him, molly started kicking at her (or at charlie, or both, not wholly sure about that!)

then eventually near the gate she got head collar on molly - who then bit her!

then on the track back along molly was behaving like a right ...cow, to be blunt! fortunately charlie was behaving! had to stand 5 minutes whilst molly pratted about!

kept trying to kick gaynor whilst being walked along

then bucked and messed about in the stable (till she twigged there was some feed...)

butter wouldn't melt, tonight, of course...

anyway, we think there's two causes for this

1. molly being possessive
2. they have no other company in a very big field.

anyone think of any other cause?

Formula 1

motor racing, that is in which i have absolutely no interest whatsoever.

Had i known it was on this afternoon, i would have suggested to Gaynor we get the horses in before it started...

as it was, i didn't know; and since if one comes in they both have to (it's too far away to leave one, and they neither do well on their own! so not safe!) she didn't have time before having to sort out children's tea...

so i shall have to start keeping an eye on that timetable!

Partner has gone to St Kilda - did I mention that before? gone to scotland to her friend's today, ferry to Lewis Tuesday evening, sails away Wednesday morning, hoping the weather's good!

feel the burn...

in the legs with all this exercise!

we got them in lunchtime ish to stand for the afternoon ... cycled along, gaynor rode back with the benefit of my bareback pad, i just walked!

i rode inthe field this afternoon, that was a bit of a pain as the shimming slipped too much so i got off to sort it out, then when doing the girth back up put the strap through the wrong bit of buckle ... couldn't sort that out had to go back in and take it all off..

so rode her back along to the field, then walked back pushing the bike which had the saddle balanced on it.

rode bitless.... easier than the argument about the bit

maybe she's gone off this particular bit? Myler hanging cheek. i could go back to the myler combi for a while, i suppose, see if she's happier with that in? if she'll take it.

it wasn't, by the way, anything to do with her teeth! it's her head...

we will get fit

cycle to field. walk back with horse. exercise horse. walk horse back to field. cycle back to stables & car.

the horses will get lots of grass and i hope we don't end up needing to buy muzzles

could happily take another 4 horses, i would reckon..

pictures of the field and the river running next to it.

showers.....

of course....but not enough to stop me doing some ground work in the field...

we've been told by YM she wants us to move fields asap (told today...) so she's checking whether in fact the work has been done so that we can! it needed rolling, and some junk cleared up from the "beach" where they will go down to drink from the river...

that'll get us fit, walking along there! horses will end up with grass belly, will have to keep a close eye in case we then need to buy muzzles! and i'll have to keep an eye on molly's feet/lameness as it's half on a hill...

the in season mare again...

is not worth riding.

on the other hand i got some wonderful lateral, felt great! ... shame i hadn't asked for it! and I did get the bit into her mouth!

but really, a waste of time.

a heck of a day..

at 10.30 last night we realised that partner's car was booked in for service today ....20 miles away (where she bought it, and its under warranty still...)

an hour or so later, gaynor's oh out walking the dogs went round by the stables and realised they were both really cold so rugged them (very brave of him as his foot has not yet recovered from molly standing on it!) and we're all grateful for that, for a non horsey chap he's a good lad...

so crack of dawn up to get car sorted, then back to drop me off and leave me carless.

you will recall that the equine tooth person was due tonight to do molly's teeth...

before that, my accountant came by appointment - turned out his office hadn't pointed him to the packet of docs i'd sent, so a lot of what he wanted, he had ...we were both relieved when he rang them and they said they did have them! doh.....

got bus to go to local town to collect my DX (a form of private post) expecting to get something of interest (like a cheque!...) .. all there was there was some marketing bumph! so total waste of bus fare and time!

did some work (eventually!) then got cycle out to cycle down to stables, through closed road (lovely and peaceful, it's normally busy as a rat run to avoid a trail through durham city!), we took horses out for some grass on gaynor's lawn...

then i mucked out and got rid of the mud on her coat whilst waiting for tooth person....

int he meantime, any plan for partner to return car was going pear shaped... we ended up with her picking me up from stables and then going to consett, via macdonalds.....she set off for her singing group and i came home via tesco's....

and then her singing was cancelled! doh.

nippy and cold....

the north wind should not be blowing in mid may, dammit!

Molly's teeth have been deferred to tomorrow, dental technician texted to change the appointment...

road to yard will be closed for roadworks until, apparently 16.30 tomorrow and the next day .. that'll be interesting! gaynor's doing morning turnout and i'll go down later, both days...

lovely canter

on the lunge in the field, i was pleased with it...

and her trot was pretty good too!

i'm feeling a bit better... still a bit painful but the medicine is encouraging appropriate activity

no prescription required

for the medicine i knew i needed (that gp has prescribed twice previously for issue i currently have) so i was pleased about that - a shade pricier than it would have been on prescription (for american readers, if you get a drug on prescription then you only pay the standard prescription charge even if the full price is a huge amount more) but not by a huge amount.. and hopefully, when it starts working, well worth the extra!

so only brought molly in and got the mud off, as i hadn't done that yesterday...

apparently she was very unhappy left alone in the field whilst charlie was ridden, and charlie wasn't very impressed either!

poorly me...

the human version of colic...

decided to come home....

but just as i was about to leave, the hay delivery we were expecting tomorrow morning arrived...

just as well he trusts us! we hadn't got our cheque books with us, of course! drop money off tomorrow

we needed the rain

but shame it couldn't have been warmer!

kept the horses in, as it was raining pretty hard and we also want to give the grass a chance... so they went out at about 4.15 this afternoon when it finally stopped ... so no way they wanted to be in at 5.30! so molly had another night off...

anyway, if i had got her in, it would have taken forever to get the mud off her!

rein back bitless

granted only a step, but still ... didn't seriously expect to get it and was stunned when i did!

You'll gather that i rode. Took her over to the arena and she was very calm, no grief about mounting

took a good while to settle though and didn't get sensible trot for about 1/2 hour (attempts interspersed with a lot of walk circles and serpentines) .. partly me, getting used to the bitless again, partly her, not sure which

but eventually got some really nice trot, not heavy which she often is...

overall pleased

Charlie wasn't, as usual could hear him shouting!

and Jean .. our back lane is a dead end, nothing comes past... but whichever way a cat goes out, it's not too far to a road so they take their chances...not like yours though

clever nessie...

has worked out how to go round the outside - and bravely went out the lane side today, instead of the garden side, first time she's done that!

Molly? well yet again, nothing done; we could have sworn it was about to teem down ...

it still hasn't, but it's cooooooold (well, it isn't really, but feels it after the last few weeks and the wind chill is making it feel worse than it is...)

i'm turning very much into a fair weather rider... plus, of course, waiting for tooth person next monday so that adds to the demotivation...

had to go to partner's sisters tonight to feed/water her birds (two cages birds, not sure what sort ..) .. but they had plenty of feed so i just topped up their water...

plan was to go again thursday but not sure i need to, could leave it for partner to do friday, think that's a good plan (it's a bit of a hike!)

witton point to point

that should be, rather, the zetland point to point at witton ...

and a freezing cold wet may bank holiday it was! never mind smart, layers were the order of the day!

bbrrrrr

but at least it stayed dry until after dark (not that we want it to, necessarily, as the ground is bone dry but still...)

Longlined round the park and had some interesting debates on direction ...and she really doesn't like going down really steep bits!

then she deigned to do some nice trot on the lines before we went back in... and i turned her out again.

but then she blotted her copy book in the rush to get in - granted quite late, and granted Gaynor got her OH to do it.. but there was no need to stand on his foot and draw blood!

he had caterpillar boots on, so that doesn't say much for them as safety footwear!

and considering she hasn't got shoes on ...

Gaynor texted me a pic of the damage - NOT nice!

forgot to say

this morning when i turned the horses out....

2 deer running across the park, chased for a few hundred yards by some lambs

it was brilliant to watch, shame i didn't have a suitable camera on me, only the phone and the camera on that doesn't have a good enough zoom...

kept an eye on the deer for a few minutes until they vanished round a corner...

more black coffee

which is what happens when you get up early anyway, and work, and hurt your neck going round local office supplies store (turning neck/head to look at displays whilst pushing trolley round....) and then get really really cold taking molly out into park for some grass.

thought i had some energy left when i arrived at the stables... before i knew where i was i was yawning my head off and trying not to fall asleep standing up!

but it was nippy - just temperature drop from earlier in the week, plus a bit of a breeze ... did for me! so sitting here drinking black coffee before i start making my tea...

click/treat for bitting...

my original plan for a friday night was some in hand work - that, of course, requires that i get a bitted bridle in her mouth...

so the plan changed to click/treat for touching th ebridle, the plan being to end up with bit in mouth ..

no way jose!

she'll touch it no bother... but don't try the bit

the tooth person is coming 10th may - i have to wonder whether molly has an issue that is making the bit uncomfortable?

in the past we've been on 6 month visits, and this one was a planned 9 month .. mmmm maybe go back to 6, see what she says on the 10th!

in the meantime, my black office boots have been taken to spain...

some work

just a little bit of rope circling, followed by seeing if she woudl follow me loose - which she did, walk, halt, trot, halt ...i guess i'm doing something right!

the cat was returned .. nessie was terrified! someone said later we should have got a big cage and kept it in that for a few weeks...

i don't like those

if we get another, it;ll be a kitten than nessie can mother.

she's just climed up and over and is now in the gap behind the pc monitor and between 2 sets of drawers i have on my desk.. this is why stuff gets knocked over, of course!

interesting place to curl up...

still a headache.....

and had to be in Boldon for 6.30 pm, so molly got another night off....

and she'll get another tomorrow, probably, as i have an awayday...

we have a new cat - we were asked to rehome one ... so we'll see how it works out. 18 month old neutered tom, seems like a nice lad, nessie a bit hacked off ATM but no real hissy fits so expect they'll settle...

headache..

was what i ended up with ....

not assisted by the bright sun right in my face whilst trying to groom! left the baseball cap at home, guess it should live in the car....

so just groomed, fed and came home - oh, and poo picked the field.

i think it's a lot to do with not being able to sleep in over the weekend!

riding bitless

Molly is noticeably heavy in the hand riding with the BB; much more noticeably so than when i first started riding her bitless way back whenever that was - i guess, i haven't ridden with it for a long time, and we'd been going relatively well last year in particular...

still, an opportunity to think about my seat, and we did eventually get STRAIGHT, not, head over to one side whilst i try to push her the other way...

which means that i did sort out my seat as much as anything else.

no grief getting on, and no charging off before i'd got the second foot in the stirrup, and no problem stopping to adjust the stirrup...

lambs and birds

this morning, gaynor watched a lamb being born just over the fence from our stables - this is it at about 3 hours old

and tonight, this bird decided that trying to get into our front room was a plan - very odd! i hope it stopped once i turned the light off

and Molly?

i lunged. For a mare that used to never go right rein, and still sometimes challenges when asked to go that way, she was going very nicely, very even paces, and listening to me. amazing. We had thought we might ride, but Gaynor's OH wasn't back, and i need to ride molly bitless and haven't done that for a while so need to get back into that within a confined space....and by the time we'd sat about drinking tea for a while... well, lunging was a plan, LOL. probably a good idea after thursday to go back to that...

night off....

for molly; i decided after last nights chew on, and some minor issues the night before, she could have a night off... gaynor agreed, when i explained why i wasn't coming out for a ride with her (first chance she's had this week!)

in the meantime, here's a pic i took last night - nessie in the apple tree...
and one i took last saturday on the Wear in Durham
a bit fuzzy - phone and not brilliant zoom for the distance...