got back on

after a very busy day that so far hasn't involved packing, but has involved torrential rain. happily it had stopped raining (just about) when I got to the yard but i had to borrow some wellies to go up to the field, there was a lake across the track -and Molly came through it no problem, right on my heels, but through it. very pleased with that, as she always needed a lead through the ford on the estate and i never had wellies so couldn't do that in hand.... so that'll have done her good, and shows she does trust me in some way.

then once i'd got the mud off, and tacked up, we struggled through the clay between the barn and the arena (it's going to be sorted...) and after only a very small amount of ground work (essentially, one trip round in each direction!) she stood like a lamb for me to get on.

was very suspicious of the area where my jacket had been yesterday, but not silly about it.

i just went round in walk, again trying to get her to soften her jaw and not asking for anything. after a while the muscles/whatever in my right leg started protesting

the left leg had been protesting off and on all day!

the shoulder, i can't lift my arm above shoulder height without discomfort/pain, the cure for that being to keep lifting it above shoulder height/rotational work on it. i think.

my birthday was spent firstly at hospital (for the broken foot of two years ago) then morrisons (partner's breakfast) then tour of durham as we decided to do the next two jobs in the wrong order geographically! then durham city library for some books (audio and to read) then halfords to investigate cycle racks and then pub for late lunch/early dinner. then home and i went to ride. left partner with instructions to pack herself. she hasn't. but my ma turned up unexpectedly. now just got to finish packing.

but the blog will continue whilst i'm away (over on the holiday blog!). if i can find the card reader, with pics.

and bunglers, don't bother, the neighbours are all watching.

horse eating jacket....

got her in, she was very good - first time since change of yard she's stood stil throughout the grooming (just as well, load of mud to get off!). AND did all 4 feet.

about 10 minutes ground work before i got on, by which time she was prepared to stand, as she was listening to me...

got on, and decided it had got far too warm. so took the jacket off and dropped in on a jump wing against the fence.

it turned into a bit of a frightener but nothing too horrid and after acouple of passes she was prepared to touch it so that was fine and then I was able to pick my stick up from the top of the fence.

the only plan for today was to try and work her through to be soft and get that jaw unstuck.

after about 20 minutes or so i think we were starting to get there.

YO arrived with some others including her OH, work started for them in terms of stuff they're doing to the place involvling drilling....

i'm coming down the arena towards the jacket and jeff's drilling ... next thing I know, she's whipped round the other way and i'm losing my balance to her right. i couldn't get it back and came off with my left leg still in the stirrup - thank goodness I'd realised my short boots are too wide and had mylong ones on - my left foot didn't come out of the stirrup until AFTER i'd hit the deck on my right shoulder.....

bawled for people, got up, caught the horse, helen held her whilst i got back on, trotted round a couple of circuits - not the best trot in the world as she was obviously a bit tense and the saddle was slightly slipped, but i didn't much care so long as we did it.

thought at first it was jeff drilling - but it wasn't - realised that when i'd picked myself up my jacket was no longer on the jump wing, so we reckon it was in fact the jacket falling that had spooked her.

but at least i was able to get back on, unlike last time - and thank goodness i didn't break anything, that would have not done our holiday much good (partner would have been well hacked off indeed, as we're horse sitting as well as house sitting!)

pink charm

the little welshie. although I am not myself convinced by pink bandages....

And i spent ages last night reducing a video to under 5 minutes for photobucket - to find that it is over 100mb, even if it is under 5 minutes, so they lie! i am currently waiting for youtube, which says that 10 minutes or 1024mb is the limit, and my 5 minutes is just under that....

i give up, if it ever loads i'll post it later.....

edited to add:

raining all day

so the plan to ride this morning didn't happen.

spent this morning (and last night) sorting out the video i took last sunday - deleting loads of views of the arena that didn't have a horse in! made over an hour video into about 22 minutes, but will have to shorten further to post.

here's a screen grab - she may have looked that good at other points, but if so, they were out of shot!

then did some gardening in the rain, here's simba helping me put rhubarb leaves into the compost bin

and last night - does any one remember that game where you had a load of sticks and had to remove one without collapsing the pile? i was opening a packet of spaghetti last night not realising there was a hole in the other end!!!!

it was a solid pile that took some sorting out!

and finally, the men are in downstairs laying the wood floor in the sitting room, the last room to be done - has been concrete for more years than we want to think about.

round pen .... but not a lot!

i was too tired... didn't want to get up even this morning! so we did a little bit, but in a desultory sort of fashion!

start of my holidays.... YAY.

mad mares

5 mares in a field - running riot. very fast.

there were 4 mares yesterday - YO put hers out with the others, and she's shouting for her son (2) 2 fields over...apparently the immediate cause of the riot was some rabbits, which of course were going to eat them...

it simply wasn't worth even thinking about getting molly in! i could see she was sound, and all i could do was hope she stays sound! and not watch.

this was after the early tea we had, during the rainstorm that had followed me home from work! the plan had involved the round pen .... tomorrow, then.

never mind the mounting block

use the stool.

i took down to the new yard the stool I'd had at the last yard, Ikea's best.

5 minutes ground work, she stood like a lamb, no bother at all!

so, the problem is EITHER the fact that the mounting block proper is in the corner, OR that it's a mounting block at all. I think, in the corner.

Anyway, did some nice stuff, some resistance to rein back, but that was my fault and we did do one really nice full two steps back. got leg yield !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

then it started spitting to rain and a HUGE cloud was coming over, you could see the rain coming out of it ... went in .... untacked... cloud blew away.

keys

i couldn't find my yard keys anywhere, so came to the conclusion i must have left them at the yard. thank goodness i had.

then i couldn't find the keys to the mares field (they're padlocked up as they are the other side of a public footpath). eventually, found it hiding under Charm's baby pink rug ..... (this is a 3 year old 10hh bay welshie....)

so then, after i'd tacked up, 15 minutes to get on (i didn't, have to confess, try any groundwork first, wnated to see what would happen and in any event do think the mounting block needs to be moved for a while...)

it's pretty frustrating as we did have it cracked at Harbour House. ah well, back to basics isn't a bad thing...

after I did get on we got some nice work, a few rein backs when i asked properly, and finished with a really nice soft walk. that's to say, she did a nice soft walk, i thought, that's a good note to finish on.

spookbusting

that, i thought, was the thing for tonight.....my thought was that doing that might assist in terms of whatever it is that gets Molly blocking ....

now bear in mind this mare couldn't care less about tractors, earthmovers in teh arena with her, screaming kids erupting outside her stable....

following me around, with the schooling whip in front of me and pointing away from her? no.

I'd already done the draping it over her thing .... she did work out that if she stood still it got taken off....

but the other, really not clever. Changing my direction didn't help as i can't run as fast as she can ...

it's one thing watching max do it, it's quite another doing it yourself!

hey ho.....

hey ho, it's back to basics we go again...

TBH, given that we'd cracked the mounting when still at Harbour House, I think it's a bit more back to basics here needed.

I couldn't get the knack of that thing Max was doing AT ALL which is depressing - nicola, did you get any video of it? so i stopped trying, rather than teach her something other than required.

after that, did some nice work, some crap work, and trotted the trotting poles as well.

I did put the camcorder on a fence post, so it'll be interesting to see what that captured, if anything (it ran out of battery as well, so I must have been on a good while!) I shall edit loads out as I do the capture to computer, but that's all on the PC and partner's hogging that ATM to do some work....i'm on the laptop in the kitchen! so that may get posted later in the week, we'll see what it's like...

Also got some nice photos...but again, need the PC.

Partner went to allendale today, so called up to see Queenie .. i've a plan to put a nice head shot of her together with one of Molly, once i've worked out how to do that in photoshop - that'll be good.

Queenie is now struggling to get up sometimes, so that re-inforces the decision about her for this year....I don't want her to get to the stage of struggling through the winter....I'll see her at the end of July ...


Molly today:
and Queenie today:

it took an hour

or thereabouts to get on.

After the first 10 "no i won't stand square and I will turn my bum away" i got the 12' line & pressure halter and took her up the other end of the arena, where she proceeded to have such a tantrum she forgot to put a foot down and ended up falling over.... a bit scary, but she didn't hurt herself and was perfectly fine so i carried on.

The process was, groundwork then to the block, won't stand, back to ground work, and so on.

She was taking the piss big time and using the fact that the mounting block is now in the corner as an excuse. think i'll have to get it moved (too heavy for one person to move) so that it's parallel to the fence but can be walked round ...

eventually, YO came and held her head.

After that, we got some lovely trot, nice walk, a few rein backs and a couple of circles (large and small) and I called it a day...

I wonder if she might be in season, though - VERY flirty going past YO's horses in their field ....so that won't be helping.

a good day again!

firstly, Molly.

Steph is here (came down for the max demo) and so was able to help from the ground.

We got rein back! YAY! about 8 times

We got the best trot - in fact, this is the first time Molly has given me a really nice trot - when she wasn't trying to canter with one leg, trot with two and god knows what with the third, or pretending to be lame but couldn't make her mind up which one. Steph said that was really funny - it felt like a skip! and very strange....

We should have had that on video, but, Steph was helping, not videoing, and it's too huge an arena to do both at once (unlike the other one!)

We're both a lot more balanced when we were

The Max demo was really good, AliG was a total star - - his first party and i think he only spooked once

I've got that all on proper video which I'll give Nicola on a disc, but hope i'll be able to get some good screen grabs.

After that, the despooking was another horse was interesting and I think I'll try that with Molly (might help the "blocking")

then some interesting work to get the mounting and lateral work, which I'm going to try. Essentially, have the horse move into the pressure of a light tap with the schooling whip just in front of the stifle on the bit of the belly behind the last rib - and hold that rein by the bit .... horse moves towards you. Magic. this was with a pony that wouldn't stand still to be mounted. also one that wouldn't load - it did by the end, with very little grief at all.

So i'll hopefully get that video'd at one point

would have loved to get that on video, but, was reduced to the digital and the light wasn't near good enough (mostly because it was pissing down outside)

didn't come away until 1045 ... and he was just wrapping up. we came away to beat the traffic, loads there!

tidy feed room

I had three bins from Ikea which are perfect for feed - you get one full bag of hard feed in one, and 1/2 bag of chaff/similar in two. YO clocked these - and said to me the other day she was thinking about getting them for everyone - and did! so these were all in place tonight. Everyone else's has a number, same number as their tack locker - mine is clearly mine, being filthy!

I have to say, it will be the tidiest feed room ever, i'm rather impressed how well they work lined up like this. The only thing is the big round scoops don't work, I was thinking I must go buy the other type ....

and here's some more pics...molly & charm!



Anyway, I was pleased I didn't ride tonight - had I done, I would have got soaked! i realised if I want to eat tomorrow (a day off!) I had to go to the shops...

she'll get some work tomorrow!

trotting....

right round the arena! without losing our balance!

no where near what should be happening, but still an all. I didn't do the ground work first, which I probably should have done, YO held her whilst I got on, and tractor AND mini groundmoving machine were both on the go next to the arena, which is all fully surfaced now (with a little hill of spare in the middle to do circles round LOL).

Molly wasn't really listening yet and kept looking over to the field (where Charm is, I must take a photo of her for you) but kept moving, and went where I pointed her, and as I say we trotted....

so i was pleased!

and grateful client sent me a mahoosive bunch of flowers, came by courier in a box!

much better again!

Well, she still was a bit unsettled to start - had just been half terrified by the roller door next to her stable opening, but she has to get used to it and it wasn't as terrifying as yesterday!

Only 5 - 10 minutes rope circling tonight, then YO's OH brought in the mini john deere digger/earthmover he'd borrowed (with my permission, i hasten to add, I wanted to see what Molly would do); then I did a little bit more "go back/come forwards/stand still" and took her to the mounting block. Moved her back from it and forward. then took the pressure halter off and brought her up and climbed the steps - and she stood and I got on, yay!

then 5 - 10 minutes walking round the school and just chilling really, she wasn't the least bit phased by the machine (he was earth moving in a small way, new arena surface being delivered tomorrow to top up what's there, given that the arena has been extended sideways) but eventually got her stress head on, not because she was still stressed but because she thought (probably rightly) that she'd done enough.

I think she probably had.

Then when i'd fed her and turned her out, I noticed the mares had no water so had to wrestle with unwieldy pipes (essentially, the blue pipe you'd bury in the soil) as a hose from the tap a bit along. took ages, then realised the pipe had got one of those kinks - and it started raining ...

anyway, when i got back down to the barn, they were all waiting for me as they couldn't see me from where they were! thought i'd gone for a walk or something....starting to think about worrying! amazing, i'd have thought they could see the pipe being moved...anyway, nice to be concerned!

so overall a good night..

25 minutes ground work

and she still needed her head held! I was pleased to see YO appear.... came and did the honours without being asked.

She had worked hard - she was being very "emotional", although not nearly as much as last night - kept asking me if I REALLY meant it ... which of course I did.

anyway, after all that I did about 5 minutes walk round the arena, nothing strenuous in the way of work (it was more a cool down by this time LOL) and then everyone said they were going to I thought I'd get off.

This is not a yard where everyone rides every night - or does anything every night.... :-(. I think some come through the day, and then there's the one person lives next door, and YO keeps her horses at her place down the road...

so hopefully by the end of the week i'll be able to get on by myself again without too much grief!

Oh, and the mounting block is really high - top step level with bottom of stirrup!

waaaaiiilllll.. and hyper - and howling gales

But mum, you're taking me away from my new friends and that youngster that's followed me through the field and I want to go back and i don't wnat to listen to you ...

had i known, I would have taken the pressure halter to the field, not the headcollar!

She was shouting for Charm, and Charm (the follower, nose to tail, I nearly didn't get the gate shut!) was shouting for her.

Molly went straight in the roundpen without any deviation into the stable (she wouldn't have settled) but still wasn't really listening to me so i left her there and went and got the pressure halter and 12 foot line.

another 10 minutes or so (i have to say i rather lost track of time!, might have been longer!) she was thinking about listening to me. gave herself a mild rope burn on the nose. By no means perfect, but she'd stopped thinking about Charm, at least and knew I was there!

Whether the weather had anything to do with it i wouldn't like to say - the wind started getting up as we got up this morning and by the time we went up to Gibside at about 11 the trees were all blowing about, and by the time we came back there were bits of trees on roads - so maybe, but the mare's field is very sheltered from it, in the lee of a hill (i'll take a photo one day so you can see - there was no wind in their field when I got her!)

some of it, as well, will have been "but you're taking me away from my new friends and I just met them" after her 2 weeks on her own - so once she gets the idea in her head that she goes back to them, she'll be fine, I expect (and hope!)

Anyway, it was far too windy in the arena to think about riding, and I was really pleased that I didn't even try! it would have been a cue to come off again, in the wrong way, I think! I don't need that sort of saddle time!

Saw a hare on the track on the way up to the field which I took a photo of on my phone, if it's come out I'll post it (I'm currently in the kitchen on the laptop.....don't ask!) - cropped from the original, I'm amazed it came out. he moved the next step i took!



and found a new saddler on the way back from gibside that has only been open 8 weeks - didn't buy new Toggi boots for only £79 as they were too narrow in the calf, couldn't get the zip done up. did buy a bartle sheepskin seatsaver that was supposed to fit the fhoenix - shopowner has ridden in one - but didn't really, the elastic was too tight, so that will go back....there was a very nice lightweight turnout that i would have had, only £30 but nothing left Molly's size. and a bag of feed I got. Partner rather regretted spotting it, she ended up sitting down waiting for me ....

Oh and a discussion about bits (shop promoting neue schule) and saddles (she's going to do WOW's with the local agent, whom I know and can fit a saddle)

the visit to gibside was to see a glass horse in the stables that they've just restored (stables are usual old fashioned fantastic, but stalls) and hopefully the photo of that has come out as well...but we had a nice walk as well, and had lunch (some good cooks work for the national trust!) and came back with some goodies... this is me looking at photos of the horses that were the subject of the sculpture...

a bit gobsmacked..... hadn't realised the photo was going to be taken!

wet introductions

The riding didn't happen - it started raining, and is still raining, and is forecast to rain until the wee small hours.

in the meantime, today Molly could go out with the mares. so she did. There are a total of 4 including her.

This is Charm, a small Welshie, getting brave and saying hello to Molly. You can see how wet it is! and this was on the phone, in the wet without the zoom ....

our feeling is that Charm will pal up with Molly; in the meantime, Roxy, the dominant mare in the field, was trying to keep the other two (there's valentine as well) away from Molly, or the other way about.

But overall, a calm introduction. molly really wanted to get her head down....

the name game (2nd post)

I have been reminded that I never could think of a "posh" name for Molly - in case we ever need one if we ever go and do anything.

So, suggestions.

She's by Golden Lahab (by Blushing Groom) out of Queen of Timber (Timber King out of Maroyal) if that helps (you can see where Queenie got her name!)

a video

of molly working in the round pen tonight. taken at the start of the session.

Oops, hadn't realised how much shadow of me I'd get!

it was quite funny. I didn't do a lot, and stopped asking her to move on when i thought she'd done (she was, after all, listening to me so why push it?) and she carried on, and turned herself round and did a few circuits the other way before she realised i meant we'd stopped!

then took her for a walk all the way round the arena to view the sights - that she's seen before, but as well to reinforce it. also, i wanted to check out for myself how it is now - there's a couple of fence post holes to fill in and some more surface to go down!

longling - in the wind

first time since i moved yards - you'll remember i wanted to do it the other night but arena was out of action.

bit of a performance getting tack on - will have to work on standing still in the stable, but i think she's still getting used to that and a man was working outside on fencing.

anyway, the arena was done - if we moved some stuff - so went in there (he was working in the round pen so couldn't use the uncluttered paddock next to it! which is also a bit more sheltered..)

took a while to get the longlines on - i KNEW i should have done 5 minutes with the pressure halter rope circling first! - but once we got going, she was going a lot better than she'd used to previously. whether this was more space (probably) and the work in the round pen (probably) i don't know, but she was looking rather good!

reading jean's entry for last night, talking about overbending - that's exactly what Molly does - sometimes right, sometimes over bent. She does the same under saddle.

we got a bit of trying to divert to the gate, and on the left rein falling in to me, but overall she's improved. considering it's quite some time since we longreined as well, i was quite pleased...

Oh, and the lines were being blown about all over, so even more pleased. will be better when it's less windy!

the weather did not permit

it is absolutely teeming down. not quite so heavy when i went out to feed... but at least it's warm! Molly was happyish, at least she didn't have to work!

she is listening!

tonight i decided to do some rope circling - the arena is still being redone and is unuseable so back to the round pen, but with a change.

HUGELY more responsive either direction. She didn't come into me when stopped as she usually does. generally more attentive and obedient all round.

then YO's OH arrived - came over for a chat - we can use an empty paddock to school until arena done, so tomorrow (weather permitting) i'm going to longline.

the arena

is being redone. it wasn't square (by any stretch of the imagination) at one end, so they've taken the fencing down, are extending it and straightening it, and it will be even bigger - 44 x 22, apparently. could have used it, but for the bits of fencing posts/rails, jumps, mounting blocks, chairs (!) scattered about (they'd previously all been in the corner).

So Molly, much to her disgust, got to go in the round pen again. she didn't want to.

I think tomorrow it's tack up and see if I can do anything in hand.

knackered....

both of us.

The in hand walk out that was wanted fr yesterday was done today....must have done abut 5 miles, and annoyingly, some tracks that i last rode with Queenie in 2002/3, and which are still signposted as bridleways, are blocked! so we came back the way we went, but I am going to go to the visitors centre and have a whinge about that, big time! they've been bridleways for an awful long time! the way out (and thus the way back) gets to be a bit of a pond in places, so the clean trousers now need a wash (hems, you know...)

Molly was very good. her power walk was in full "mode" so i had to go that as well - she was keen to see what was round the next corner.

No blocks as such. one stop and stare at some clay pigeon shooters (happily, they'd stopped and were packing up for the day). some mouthfuls of clover, cow parsley, and on the way back hawthorn hedge! guess she's short of something in the vitamin line...

she's done for the day, anyway. when i get some energy back, I'm tack cleaning. But i want to know where partner is - she was with me, but she carried on at our second blockage when i turned round to come back, and i thought she'd be home by now! that was about 1 1/2 hours ago now ....

another busy day ....

the stable got sorted so that Molly can go in it!

it's pretty big even with the cupboards in - i have 5 rubber mats down, each 6'x 4', it's about 13' x 10' of space available for molly - and no room for the last mat with this arrangement, so it's propped behind the tall cupboard. the other advantage of this arrangement is that it blocks the draught from under the stable door when that end is open (fresh air is all very well, but the bed would have blown away!). it'll be very cosy in the winter though. and the entrance is still pretty wide even with that slight overhang...

She was of course a bit dubious at first, but realised her friend was still in the wall (the stable mirror) and i was there...shouted a bit when i went across the passage to the loo, but shut up when i spoke so she knew i was there....

The sorting took most of 3 hours, what with one thing and another. I've used 5 of my 6 rubber mats, the other is propped against the wall behind the tall cupboard then went home for lunch, and the plan was to go for a walk with partner & horse round the meadows - that was stymied by mega rain.....

so when that stopped i got molly in, introduced her to her stable, and did about 15 minutes in the round pen. she got her tea in the stable, at which point the rain was to be heard on the galvanised roof. don't think she's heard that noise before, but she'll settle ...then turned her back out again.

hopefully there's better weather tomorrow .... i put washing on the line this morning, and of course it's still there......

and of course it didnt' rain again so i went out and did some weeding, so here's some shots of how the garden's grown!

and finally a simba cute pose from 2 nights ago that i couldn't resist..

round pen again

and partner came to see the new yard as she hadn't been there yet - didn't do too much as partner gets bored quickly and molly was distracted (as was i!) by partner & YO watching....but it is good, and it'll be better...

YO's OH is a training farrier (trained by my farrier!), and his current apprentice is - a woman! YAY. the first in the north east. so well done her. She was there tonight, which is how i know this. He showed me a shoe she'd just made, rather good! and she's only first year.

late night, late tea...

for all of us. i had a late meeting in newcastle (which is 40 miles north of the office and 12 miles north of home...) so molly got tea in her paddock when i was on the way home - another advantage, the drive home takes me directly past the yard... think she was pleased to see me!

rainy ... phones

not together, of course. It was forecast to rain, and the cloud was so black i just brought her in, fed her and turned her out again. She was trying to rush back down to the barn... can't think why....!

and phones? went for an upgrade (very cheap contract, 150 minutes/150 texts for £12 per month!) and by teatime the silly b's had blocked my phone (technical hitch as i was already on a dd) so i had to go back to the shop! and whinge! to effect, it was back on within 5 minutes of the man getting off the phone to HQ!

wind - and quiet....

I think the people at my new yard are only there in the daytime..... another quiet night!

Molly got moved to another paddock this morning - still on her own, but MUCH closer to the other horses so she'll be a lot happier! quite a bit of space to herself, so she won't starve! That was because they had fencing people coming and they were to work on the quarantine paddock she had been in.

It was quite blowy tonight and I was unsure whether to do anything or not - not as sheltered as the last place - but decided to lunge again. had thought about the round pen, but the top rail is off adjacent to a field, so couldn't use it.

Then just fed and turned back out again.

All on my ownio...

I'm glad I made the decision to just do groundwork - she's still distracted by spotting other horses (there's some more than belong to someone else just over the hedge from the arena...) so it's as well to get her used to everywhere before doing anything more. anyway, the saddle is still at home waiting for a thorough clean.

then mowed the lawn when i got home....

quiet!

there was no one at the yard at all! and the only person who appeared was Jill, who'll be moving there from my old yard at the end of the month!

I tied molly up in the barn, she did settle - she took a wander into her new stable (it's still not got the matting down) but didn't have a strop at the sight of the cupboards and stuff, which was good.

tacked up and lunged in the arena. Amazing to have so much space, I think she enjoyed it - took no encouragement to move at all! but did, of course, have to be told to go right.

then after we'd done that I'd turned her out again, I examined how the matting will go down...

think I'll have to move all the cupboards out, put it down and then put the cupboards back.

Not really sure yet....

and i was still on my own when i locked up to go - took ages to get the lock locked, but got there in the end...

another day & a half!

without setting the alarm, I still woke at 6 - but then, i did go to bed early!

Molly had been in the round pen by 9 - she was NOT amused - i can turn her right without touching her. tee hee. it'll do her the world of good!

she's been drinking - i thought at first she hadn't but turned out someone had filled it up anyway. and eating.

poo picking .... had to be done, in that paddock. hey ho.

the stable - even with the cupboards/trunk lined against the wall, I still have 11' x 12' to play with. so the cupboards will stay there....hope Molly is ok with that, if not i'll have to rethink! the rugs, of course, are to go be cleaned and then will fit in the trunk. and some are not mine, I hasten to add - well, one is Queenie's and one is Alison's horse...

the YO's partner kindly put up the hay bar, stable mirror & salt lick holder. hurray!

the one mistake I made in picking that stable? i think the prevailing wind comes in that end of the barn. oops. and of course, at this time of year it's open both ends when there's people there, to let air through and cool it down.

Been up to see Queenie, who was in and nickered at me (but only, i think, because she thought I was Alison!). Alison was out for a ride, and i waited for ages, had a cup of tea, read H & H etc, but had to go without seeing her as it was arranged that I go to Nicola's.

that was a good trip. I shall of course let nicola tell you all about it. but in the meantime, here's some photos of the birdlife...

well that was a day and a half...

up at 0600 - before the alarm, and before you ask, Caroline, it was set for early anyway. I knew i had a long day ahead of me.

hung washing on line first!

down to yard for 8, rode out with Julie & Paul first thing. my last ride at harbour house/on the estate (unless I either pay for a day, which i won't do until molly will do it without any grief! or with some good company, or move back there ever...)

then set to to jet wash the rubber matting and other stuff .... that took a while, went for lunch (sandwich from sainsbury's! tea from supplies at yard) and transport arrived early! Many thanks to barry - i'd planned just the one trip with the horse & matting, he said, lets do two with all the stuff as well!

so my original thought of taking the month to move stuff didn't happen, it all went in the trailer and dumped in the new stable and molly was moved by 3!

i spent some time sorting stuff out, then gave her her tea and went back down to jet wash the old stable and collect anything i'd forgotten ...

Molly settled once she clocked the other horses. She also settled when she couldn't see me and shouted when she could! she's on 2 weeks quarantine (and a diet, as you see!). pics and video. the video is put together from various 10 second clips, and all pics & vid were taken on my mobile ... the one thing I forgot this morning was my camera!

still have to put up the hay bar, stable mirror, horslyx, rug rack and sort out my cupboards/chests and stable matting. I think a couple of cupboards will definitely be coming home for use in the garden! and will definitely be sorting out the old coal hole (it's needed doing for 5 years, now is the time) as there isn't the space for all my stuff, i don't think. i think i'll get away with one chest in the stable (it's a pretty big stable!)


this is the round pen.
this is the arena.
This is the arena again looking out over the place.
and this is the stable block from the arena.
There are lights for the arena, and there is a PROPER mounting block IN the arena.

and one of the livery owners lives in the bungalow next door.

then to sainsbury's again to buy a pizza and some other goodies & milk, home by about 6.15 pm - and i've just got out the shower. it's a mucky job moving ones horse and all the stuff...

i guess I'll sleep well tonight!

the plan is for groundwork for a week or so until i know she's settled. next weekend I'll sort stuff out ...

time passing...

i was motivated to find out when i'd moved to harbour house, as it was in my head it was two years. we actually moved to harbour house the 10th september 2005! i'd been thinking i'd only been there two winters, when in fact its three!

and interestingly, the start of the blog is still there on 20six - i didn't know if they'd delete it, they havent, will put link up! in many ways we've gone backwards (apparently i was once trotting!) but overall we've had some improvements over the time at harbour house.

hopefully, i get some more at the new place!

all organised!

we move tomorrow -well molly does, and her rubber matting, at least - the rest might wait and be moved through the month as i shall have to divest myself of a cupboard ( a keter waterproof one that can find a home in the front garden) and see whethere there will be space for the keter chest I use for rugs and spare stuff and the other small cupboard i have also with stuff in.

trailer from the yard after lunch tomorrow

most of the rest will fit in the car

and the plan includes riding about 0830, so alarm will have to be on again...

back of car now all flat to put stuff in..

must find drill to remove stuff from stable walls!

molly got fed, then i went to new yard to find out what where and decide which stable and stuff.

worm sample to have worm count and only worm if she needs it. she got wormed in April, so who knows? at the moment they're not poo picking, they're scarifying, but YO is going to see how it goes.

one of the people i met when i was at Union Hall when I first moved down this way. and one of the people (who hasn't yet moved) is at the yard I'm on now (don't know if anyone's told her I'm moving too! she's not moving until end of this month).

general consensus is that i am of course making the right decision to move molly now so she is settled before my holiday!

good lunging

on both reins - she's definitely becoming much more balanced and able to carry herself, even more noticeable right rein there was no rushing at all.

It also shows that my hands aren't right - she has a very steady head carriage on the lunge and doesn't mess about with the bit at all until i bring her back to walk, whereas ridden i struggle.

i think it's my contact ... a difficult balance between light and sufficient - and my hands not being as still as i think they are in walk (i know they're bad in trot, that's why i've put the martingale back on ....)

anyway, very pleased.

and on the way home called to pay the builder for the work in the front room, and was fed dinner! so that's two main meals I've had today, we were out at lunchtime for someone's leaving, the plan was not to cook tonight, so I've certainly managed that!

still waiting to know about transport for Saturday - can definitely move if i have the transport (although I might just walk her up - 4 miles in hand? most of it can be done through estate tracks, it's the hills when you're on foot and I've never done that way! certainly wouldn't do it without being able to use the estate tracks as part of the road is seriously nasty - narrow, bends, and drivers that take the michael out of it.

trot and hack

I actually got some vaguely sensible trot in the arena, i was impressed with both of us. better right rein than left, as is usual with her ridden trot, actually got the whole way round the arena. trying to keep my hands still is a pain, though. Also got some lateral as well (a bit of leg yield, by no means perfect but at least we moved sideways).

after about 1/2 hour she insisted turns on the forehand left were good rather than move forward, so i got off - and no, she didn't get to stop. she got to do two circles in hand.

then someone was going out late on her new pony (perfect family pony, mother rides, son is learning, grey connie, excellent mare!) so I got back on and went out with her round the 20 acre. by the time i'd done that my legs were really nice and my thighs were properly stretched so i had a much better position.

so pleased with that.

this, from google earth, is the field in which the new yard has been built.
unfortunately, google earth is a bit behind the times - we think these photos are about 2002 or 2003 (everything of this area is of that vintage) and the facilities weren't put in until 2006/2007.
so there is the field above the houses and the field behind the houses. And i think a bit of the next field up as well. the right hand side is bounded by disused railway, and the bottom by houses. the barn is next to the house that's top of the picture, but that slightly smaller area next to the road is down to grass; the arena is behind and to inside of the barn again. i need to be able to draw on it...

for hacking you have to leave the yard, go up the road (either to the village or not) and then a track to Rainton Meadows
which is really nice, various tracks and very few gates. and horse stiles which will be useful for mounting purposes if needed (which no doubt they will be).

my thought is that it is probably worth while to move sooner rather than later - original plan had been to see out my month where i am, but i think I'm better advised to pay the extra (i.e., the box rent at the new yard, on top of what I've paid for where i am) and ensure molly is settled before we go on holiday in july....

friend planning on coming Saturday - with her horsebox & horse, of course! - to ride out with me, so have rung her, and left message for new YO to see if that's possible. probably no reason why not!

and i could take the rest of the time to move the rest of my stuff slowly given that I'll then have two boxes paid for.

anyway, we'll see.

changes in the rain....

keeping the changes theme going - but mine aren't on horseback.

well, i've emailed YM, and she has confirmed receipt!

so, I've found a new DIY yard about 1 mile from my house. small yard, huge ginormous stables, in a barn but no straw beds allowed, quite happy re rubber matting, haybar, stable mirror; tack room we each get a lockable locker with saddlerack & shelf. separate feed room. 20 x 40 arena. hacking would be in rainton meadows, which i already know from when i was at the other side of the village -or, i think, the edges of fields as well. no gates there.... LOL.

worming - worm counts by westgate labs, so that'll be fine. probably worth my while worming before i go anyway! and i expect this will therefore be the only yard i'll have ever been on that poo picks...

2 weeks isolation in a paddock by herself, hope she copes with that, but she will be able to see the other horses.

there's even a round pen!

i can walk there if I'm pushed; i could even get fit and cycle! could walk molly to my house (did that with Queenie once, to have a bath! from the earlier yard).

so end of month. a month's notice where I am (hence email to YM; do hope she gets that before she reads this!)

not perfect planning as i move molly, she has a week, then i go on holiday for 2 1/2 weeks, but nothing i can do about that.

so i'm excited about that anyway. will spend the month moving stuff, cleaning, etc. will need to find a home for a now redundant cupboard, i expect, and i think i'll be cleanign out a cupboard at home - not quite the storage i have ATM for rugs and things! we'll have to see.

photos when the weather improves and we get there! it was raining tonight as forecast (which at least means i got some bread made, i love my breadmaker!)

a gate!

that we opened on our own! shame we couldn't close it again! but opening it was major progress.

anyway, no one to ride with, but one of the fishermen was just setting off down, so he opened the gate out of the yard. At the bottom of the hill, someone had failed to pay attention to the notice telling them to shut the gate through to the 20 acre, luckily the sheep hadn't noticed. so we went through and fisherman shut it behind us.

Molly walked on fine for a few strides, then blocked (i rather think she wanted man to come with her!). she was getting quite stressy about it, but i said, if you want to go back, we have to open this gate.

So second attempt, we opened the gate and went through without any disasters like knocked knees (mine) - but then of course i couldn't for hte life of me get her turned round so we could shut it again. set jaw? set jaw. no moving her. so we stood.

then fortunately soemone came the other way - had been going to go up the hill to our yard and use our arena, but kindly agreed to go round the 20 acre with me first.

so we did that. got some shoulder in along the lane back to the yard. good conversation about saddles (person had a decouvroux) and related matters

then strop time in the arena - after a nice trot, she decided that was more than enough and set her jaw again. and even wih another horse to follow if she wanted, she wouldn't.

and my schooling stick was missing from its usual place on top of the wall. hope it hasn't gone totally walkabout. it hasn't fallen off the wall the other side, i checked. and i'm 95% positive that is where I left it (it is where i usually leave it - the wall is the perfect height and i usually stop molly at that point and pick it up).

when i eventually got home, decided to mow the front lawn before it rains again (supposed to tip it down for 2 days now) with the result that we didn't have our tea until about 930! eek.

forgot my gloves.....

the rain stopped! well, went down to a fine mizzle - so decided to do some ground work rather than do nothing at all....

for once i didn't pick my gloves up - I rather regretted that, and in fact asked someone to get them for me.

on her toes? yes, definitely! again, probably, trying me out - but up! and canter (not asked for) and UP! - not full blown and not next to me, but still...

but she sharp gave that up when she realised I still had the better of her

the only injury to me is caused by my hitting myself right next to my eye (not in the eye) with the leather bits at the end of the 12 foot line.... ouchy

rain....

if i'd got up at about 530 and gone down i could have ridden then. in fact got up about 715, and it started raining shortly thereafter, and is set in for the day, apparently....so unless there's a major change, that's today's report!

canter & farrier

got up early to ride early - Julie was going out at 0730 and I had the farrier coming at 9, so that made sense.....

went through the bluebell wood (bluebells have died, and giant hogweed is starting to grow!) up the hill, then in the field we cantered - not far, but did, and I sat to it quite nicely i thought!

Then round that field, through gate - along side of drive at the top of the field, then into next field and down hill.

The plan here was to turn left through another gate, along and out and into the 20 acre to go back.

However, Molly had other ideas and was insisting on turning right (home) - to the point that it was going to get a bit dodgy. She wasn't even prepared to follow Julie's Susie. So i got off and led the rest of the way. I wasn't going to give in and have her go the way she wanted, so we went the way Julie & I wanted...

we probably shouldn't have made the plan that we did ... she had been really good up to that point (bar the travers/renvers down the hill to that point and even that was controlled, if unasked for!) and had done a route part of which she hadn't done before involving loads of gates.

but there we go.

and the farrier? was REALLY pleased. I'd been working on the picking feet up with clicker training, and it has so paid off! all four feet with no argument, not even the usual problem foot (near hind). YAY.

here she is investigating the farrier ....

She once took his chaps off for him ... they had a velcro waist, not a buckle

ducks - and otters and kingfishers

as i was turning Molly out after her tea, there were three ducks in the mare's field - one female, two male.

then I was talking to one of the anglers, and he says just below the 20 acre there are 2 otters, he thinks youngsters, that he sees the same time every night, and furhter a long a kingfisher has a favourite tree.

and he once saw a stag (roe deer one) looking at him through a bush...

so must spend some time sitting by the river one night, i think

the men hadn't come back to finish the job; we went out for tea!

sheep

are not in the 20 acre at all -they're in the area leading down to the 20 acre, and in the horses field next to that!

Went out for a ride round the 20 acre with Evelyn (who did the gate); molly was reasonably well behaved, only 2 blocks, one because of a fisherman at the bottom of the hill and the other some horses coming the other way, the second only really momentary.

she was a bit of a "klingon" with evelyn's horse, but I was pleased.

she didn't want to do anything afterwards though!

and then i got home and had to clean the kitchen before i could cook, so we've only just eaten - men in to sort the front room floor out, and they didn't shut the door....

the 20 acre .... gated

and full of sheep! they've put a gate across right at the yard, so to get even along between the fields to go down the hill towards the 20 acre, you have to be able to open the gate. and Molly doesn't really do gates (especially this one, which for brand new is a nightmare!). and the sheep can get right up to the yard.

the advantage was, of coruse, that Molly having done her usual of heading for the 20 acre (i didn't bother trying to prevent her and instituting some jaw setting!) was stopped in her tracks and a bit put out.

which meant that, once she turned round, she volunteered herself into the arena.

TBH i'm not over happy as the gates difficulty means that I can't think about getting out on my own unless someone will do the gate for me ... too many gates!

in the meantime, she did some reasonable work, we're getting better at circles.

Not convinced by the bit. or is it me? or is it her continuing bitting issues? this is still the myler hanging cheek i bought.

anyway, even with no contact, she chunters away at the bit .....

and i mean no contact -

or should i take more contact? i've enough that she feels my fingers move!

lunging and lawnmowing!

as is so often the case, everyone had been and gone time i got to the yard. and it was forecast to rain. so i decided on just basic lunging, as the sky got darker and the clouds built up. that went well, NO arguments about going right, and she even did canter right - not because of anything I did particularly, I've always had great difficulty working out how to get canter on the lunge! but I was pleased. she was really moving and it was good to be able to stand back and look at her legs & her back muscles!

then came home and decided to attack the front lawn before the forecast rain arrived - it had been a bit neglected what with one thing and another, and now looks a whole heap better...

20 minutes

to get on, but I knew that would be the case after just over a week off - so went into the arena prepared for 20 minutes ground work, which was what it took.

after that worked on just a nice walk, and circles - eventually got a right circle - it is, unfortunately, hard work that! but easier than before I went away. eventually also got some sideways, which was good! and a shoulder in (or at least, a few strides thereof) which is also good!

too windy altogether to be too long after that, I guess i rode for 20 minutes as well. and too windy to think about trying to go out (I hate wind!). but it was a good drying day, so i have lots of clean dry laundry!

Molly

Was, I think, pleased to see me!

I was totally tired so didn't ride, just did some groundwork (given she hasn't been ridden for a week! seemed like a good idea!) after being groomed and having her mane solo combed.

Hopefully will have some energy tomorrow, and it won't rain, and I'll get some riding done

I've put all the holiday stuff up onto a new blog:

http://clairesholidayblog.blogspot.com/

but just for an introduction, here's a JRT we saw in Bantry

i'm back!

will post holiday report & pics later - but only one horse, and then it's back view seen from an irish jaunting car in the rain! we've just woken up, got in at 5 and been asleep until now...

a moderate success!

which I then ruined.....

anyway, went down with a view to riding at 9, which is the time people go out on a sunday - julie had gone out at 7, i met her leaving, and evelyn & rhona went at 8 - ..... umm.

so, anyway, thought we'd try again (on the principle that if i keep trying that's something!).

after 10 minutes blockage at the top of the hill down to the 20 acre, (after she'd tripped over something, probably her own feet despite being awake) during which molly proved that she CAN step backwards under saddle (will have to try and remember what i did, it involved flexions....) I eventually managed to ride her 3/4 way round the 20 acre - after 3 other blocks which I'd got her out of, AND managed to circle back to the direction i wanted to face without grief.

that last corner, though, wasn't a block, it was "there's a horse eating something in the wood or somewhere and whilst I can just about restrain myself from tanking off it's all getting a bit much for me without another horse" seriously tense under me (which she isn't when she blocks normally), very up on her toes, any pressure at that point would not have been the right move, so I got off and led the rest of the way. The trouble with that is, of course, there's nowhere to try and get back on.

so how did i spoil it? i tried to get back on back at the yard, and she wasn't co-operating....

still a moderate success for a last ride for a week, so pleased anyway.

will take laptop, you never know i might find a wifi spot, and will try and work out how to blog from phone ....edited to add, can't do that latter, apparently..

circles and balance - & glasses

we'll ignore the pratting about refusing to either through the bluebell wood or the 20 acre, and blame it on the plethora of fishermen. went back into the arena.

We got some nice-ish circles (well, they were fairly circulare and without any grief!) by placing my inside hand on the martingale loop attachment and raising the outside hand slightly and of course against the neck, and lots of appropriate leg aid, and ensuring my weight was correctly weighted.

then, following the debate about balance and reading racinet, we stood, we flexed, i could FEEL her withers lift, i could feel her coming more balanced under me, i could feel it coming right, and the move off to walk was hugely better and it was all a lot better.

so i shall continue my reading of racinet.

not sure i'm totally right, of course - and not sure the bit is totally right either (but also I think the leather has stretched slighly on the bridle pieces! they're gaping again, which of course means it needs to be up a hole at least!)

and spectacles? my visit to the optician showed that i was right, and i'm to have a pair that does everything, with transitions - ouchy expensive, though!

and we had our hair done. and some new sandals whilst waiting for it to be time for the opticians appointment .

and yes, holiday... will take laptop with me, don't know if i'll be able to get a connection.. and any burglars reading this should be aware the house is guarded and watched anyway

friday night tired

of course - and we now don't have to go back to work for 10 days, yay.

molly got an undeserved night off, but as usual, friday is tired end of week night..

see what we can do over the weekend and will definitely put the breastplate on ...after i've cleaned it!

b*********s

tried to go out again, then realised she had bit ring in mouth, oopsy. had to get off, put it right, and go back to the yard.

she then was happy to go into the arena but painful on right circle again. TBF it was a bit better than last night, but not hugely. got jackie to watch me, she said she couldn't see that i was doing anything wrong - reckoned it was molly, so that's reassuring in a way, if it's molly being a c*w rather than me getting it wrong.

then decided to try going out again. we ended up doing a lot of walk on the bit up and down the fenceline, but stressing at either end! at one point i also had a really nice trot going working really hard to keep it going - stopped at the small gate napped to it!

lots of long stick didn't really help in unblocking her, moving her head side to side did.

then the police helicopter decided it was a really good idea to circle over the fields and yard. heavens only knows why, place is only crawling with horses, and fishermen (i think i was the only rider...)

gave up.

but some progress, i suppose, in some respects.

a debate on EE about balance before movement, balance through movement (arising out of readings of racinet and comparisons with the german school and whether there is that much difference) got me thinking, having just finished racinet explains baucher.

i can see the point of relaxing teh jaw and getting balance inthe halt (there is a clear difference between balanced and unbalanced halt, and the move off one gets after that).

relaxed jaw results, in mollys case, in a horse on the bit working softly.

ah well, we'll get it together at some point

also, molly is bored in the school, fair enough, but isn't getting confident enough to go out herself.

mmm...


and another thought - think i'll put the breastplate of hte martingale back on, hands much stiller when attached to that which means steadier contact which means better trot (when we get trot) - my arms go pear shaped in trot, where they're find in walk....

phooey

well - soemone had shut the small gate through to the 20 acre so the plan to try that agin went a bit pear shaped. i tried and tried to get her close enough to it to let me open it (including using my stick) but she wasn't having it and getting more stressed. by that time I needed to go to the loo.....so went back up the hill (in canter) then she blocked and i had to wave the stick at her to get her going. then she set off in trot (good) but then started napping to the small gate to the field (not good). so got off nad led, put her in stable whilst i went to loo, went and got on in arena & had gate shut behind me and forced her to do circles.

now that's interesting. left circles not too bad. right circles - jaw set, trot, anything but do a circle. TBF the circles do get a bit tight .... and i think i do turn my body sometimes when i only intend to move my seatbone - but my goodness.

had to unblock her a couple of times but we did get some circles both reins. finished with a walk on long rein.

phoeey, though.

ah well, we will get there eventually...

lunging

this time with a bit (the last few times i've lunged with the BB); she went pretty well, all things considered. right rein wasn't the argument I'd expected at all, considering the struggles we've been having with circles ridden. so that'll be me trying too hard then! which isn't to say she didn't protest, but the protest was a slightly more minor key than it has been and overcome relatively easily. and didn't pull against it going right as she normally does (well, not as hard, I could stay upright!) and is more balanced/less rushed.

One thing I was always hopeless at getting lunging, with any of the three horses I've lunged, is canter - and really with a less than 15metre circle to work in, it's probably as well at the moment!

so did about 20 minutes, twice each direction, shortening side reins as I went (started with them toooo long, and they still are a shade). was pleased with her.

on the riding with crop thing - hitting the boot doesn't have the desired effect, i shall need to connect with her. sometimes, waving the stick gets her attention and gets movement (same way a jockey does - forwards/backwards alongside face!). will ride tomorrow, see how we go.

late meeting again

but only 2 of us turned up. got some useful work done though! too late to work molly though.

caroline, you might be right, and it might also be that i'm frightened of potential reaction. and in a way that was proved when i did use the stick to get her into the arena. so i must try harder as well as getting her to.

regression

to stresshead mode; she was happy enough to set off, and to take the route we did yesterday, but then blocked herself. First block before we went through to the 20 acre; second block after we went through; several more half way to the gap in the fenceline; ended up unable to decide which way to go and whichever way i turned her she blocked. so got off, went back, got back on - and she blocked at the top of the hill.

got off, went back, got back on - decided to go into the arena, she didn't want to (she wanted to go out, where she would have blocked again ....) and did 20 minutes work there.

all in all, about an hour on her.

i can't bring myself to get after her with the stick too much though, as given that she's stressing anyway, i don't think that would help. she needs to work out for herself that she can go out and she'll enjoy it - i think she probably does know that, but can't quite bring herself to believe it, if you see what i mean?

and another photo (still not of a horse, though ... the sorted out back yard, what was all allotment that we couldn't keep on top of, from the upstairs window).