where to start?

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

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

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

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

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

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

eventually got home at 5.30

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

copied from my post on EE just now:

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

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

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

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

apart from that -

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

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

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

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

bath time!

we were all gobsmacked, it was a gorgeous day.

it was so hot in front of the barn, i decided to chance my arm at bathing her - i've never given her a bath in all the time i've had her, and TBH i'm not sure, in the past, if it would have been a good idea.

but I put the rope halter on so i had control

and she was good as gold. even let me hose up between her back legs, which is VERY good - and considering last week i couldn't get a brush there without risking a foot in my belly, i was very pleased (but that was probably to do with the infection....)

after that, i walked her round the yard for a bit to dry off, and then jill turned up, we'd planned to go out together, her riding, molly in hand. we only got as far as the pub up the road (7 minutes...) when her phone rang - she had to go back, pick up one of her children who had fallen ill at school (unsurprising, his sister had it at the weekend .....)

we got past a huge artic with it's engine running (parked) with nothing save a stare, and on teh way back, the lorry driver came over and gave both molly & oscar an apple each, so they were happy! and showed us a photo of his daughter over a cross country fence, looked rather good (on his phone...)

then i mowed both lawns, at last (having got changed into shorts!) and went back to set her fair for the night and give her another walk.

i'm having the vet tomorrow - someone's coming out anyway, so might as well share the call out fee - as one fetlock is going back up again...it'll not be the vet who came last weekend, as i know he's on a day off tomorrow...

conflict - he recommended cold hosing for the swelling/heat - is that making the scabs of mud fever come back? thought i'd got on top of it, but I had to wash off and get them off again LAST night and covered them all in sudocrem (cure for all ills, that stuff! and apparently works on sweet itch as well)

now how to i get big box out of loft wihtout partner knowing i'm doing that, to send saddle off to purchaser? she put it away, and i don't know where it is....

edited to add - of course, all this walking out on the road has me on her right, not her left, and she is NOT giving me grief about that, so that's got to be all to the good...

more improvement

went for two walks today, as we have beeb supposed to but haven't been able to since sunday what with all these trips to vet with other horse..

the back legs continue to subside, the near hind better than the off. definite definition, which is good.

rang the vet, though, as the last antibiotic is in the morning and given the off hind is still up a bit, was a bit concerned, also not sure about future management...

he thought it would be fine, see how it goes once antibiotics finished, and i could turn out - but I'm not going to turn out yet, still not totally sure the mud fever is totally gone, and the fields are hock deep in mud, apparently....

so she's better off in, possibly turned out in the arena whilst i muck out/bed up etc, and possibly back into light work - some lunging at the walk, like that...

the first walk out this morning was a new route, turn left, roudn the corner, over the railway bridge (defunct railway) from which you can see our yard/fields, into estate, then back... bridge a shade hairy, stayed on pavement (it's quite narrow, the road there...) and hi viz'd to the 9's..

the second walk this evening, turn right and walk to the pub - we were UNDERTAKEN by a man on a pushbike... plonker! i should say, i was on the nearside of the road, and then inside me/molly was an area a bit like a layby....i.e., for parking!

andback to the vet again

fellow livery owner was seriously let down by the "friend" of hers who WAS going to go up for the horse today, so Jill & I went back up for it...horse had to be sedated to load, she said it would, and she was right. It needs huge amounts of groundwork (and Max if possible....)and huge amounts of time spent to get it not frightened of the trailer. once it's in, it's fine - but it's the getting it in that's the issue. anway, got him home, we were done by 12.30 ... went home, bite to eat, came back to see to molly's cold hosing/walk out.

bear in mind it had been raining all day (still is...) Molly wore her luminous yellow exercise sheet under a roller, and i wore my bright yellow long mac with Hi Viz vest over - we COULD be seen!!! LOL. one man got the finger for refusing to slow down when asked (didn't want people screaming through puddles) and I am pleased to report that I got her as far as we went on Sunday, up to the pub, so that's her full 15 minutes ....

the front legs are back to normal, so i've left them without the stable bandages, will see how they are in the morning

the off hind is showing a great improvement, the near hind not so much but subsiding slowly.

then decided i might as well set her right now until the morning ... gave her all the haylage i had left, and then had to go to local feedstore for a bag - couldn't be bothered to go all the way up to stanley to my usual supplier (better haylage, better value, better packed easier to deal with) so got what the man had .. it's a nightmare to deal with as it's not in slices, you end up with it all everywhere, not as much and cost more.... but i was pretty knackered by this stage!

of course, i'm spending twice as much as i would normally be on haylage, given that she's in, and will have to buy more shavings than i normally do...

towing

the vet came out for other owner's injured horse, and wanted it taken to clinic

the end result was I drove yet another owner's landrover & trailer (she normally has her husband drive and he was at work) with horse in, and horse owner followed...

so most ofthe day was taken up with that!

happily, the horse is ok and is coming home tomorrow, someone else is going up for it

Molly? i decided to do the walking out after rush hour = that was why i was there when the vet came anyway, and thus able to help! - so the end result was she didn't get cold hosed until about 17.30 this evening, and was walked out in the vening rush hour which was a lot busier than usual. The Motorway (which is just across a field from us) had major traffic jams both ways, and for those that know, our road is the diversion.

Molly is totally unphased by traffic! just as well. and was quite happy to walk a new route, but not the one we'd already done.

legs still subsiding.

Friesians in Yorkshire

after doing Molly - 2 hours, including a nice walk out in hand, with company (jill came out on Oscar for the walk out!) and having breakfast, went down to Yorkshire to see the Friesian Stallion grading & show - only because Vicki was coming up with Antsje for the ridden mare class.
the grading was interesting to watch - and there was one lovely mare with foal at foot, foal kept trying to knock the runner over! (this is done the Dutch way, the horses are run round by runners, in this case people over from Holland for the purpose, and the judges are Dutch as well)

then came home and did Molly again.

the legs are subsiding, slowly, but tonight she wasn't as keen to go out as she was this morning/yesterday. her near hind is much better, and the off hind is now recovering it's shape

the bad news? another horse on the yard was discovered to have an infected puncture wound - it had been hidden by a flap of skin, which came off today. vet's coming tomorrow.

vet visit

i should have been more concerned about the swelling in the legs than i was. When i got there this morning, it clearly wasn't clever and the fronts were looking a bit up as well. so rang the vet, since it was clear that she has an infection. he took one look and said "lymphangitis"....

so

antibiotic injections immediately x 2; antibiotics in her feed, 1 sachet twice a day for 5 days....

to be kept in, stable bandages on (haven't had to do stable bandages since I can't remember when!)

cold hosed x 2 per day (each leg, 10 minutes each or thereabouts - happily, i found i can do both back legs together, or at least i could today the way she was standing)

hand walked out on tarmac around 15 minutes x 2 per day

and ring if i'm worried/it doesn't settle

but she looks really smart in her green stable bandages and green & blue check rug, also new today - the cotton sheet i'd been using is now minging (that, for international readers, is a local term for filthy!) so had to have a new one so i could wash the other...

and i didn't really need new stable bandages as I did have some, but couldn't resist green on chestnut.....

so tell me

yesterday, i put molly out with her lightweight outdoor on. it was a lovely day and she would have been too hot.

today, she went out without = and it rained, in the afternoon, and by the time i got down she was too damp to put tack on (happily, she was still warm, of course!)

go figure.

on the other hand, i did get the roller and cavesson back from teh saddler. not totally sure the cavesson is right on her, too large round the nose by a shade, but will try it and see.

and for sale - fhoenix, 18" butt leather, £650

1/2 hour

and I gave up and went and asked someone to hold her head. I hadn't done any groundwork, it's always worth a try wihtout, so guess what i'll be doing tomorrow?

BUT we had some successes.

nice walk.

and I think i've worked out what i'd been doing wrong in trot (been thinking about that this week) and tonight got it right, so we got some nice trot - not as nice as the walk, but i didn't expect it to be, i just wanted forwards, straight as we can and neither of us losing balance! my position was a lot better - tink i wasn't trying so hard, and I consciously let my fingers loosen (think i've mentioned before my main issue with it is not doing that!)

long reining...

it's a good while since i've done this, stopped because she was not with it at all. sinc ethen i've done some more reading and thinking, and had a lesson (thanks Jenny) and reviewed Max's DVD on the point as well - i was long reining per Max, not per Jenny (not having the new roller back yet).

decided to put the BB on to avoid problems of her setting her jaw

and we were hugely better than last time. I was working the outside rein better to get her moving/round and thus not pulling so hard on the inside.

did about half and hour walk/trot/ different directions, circles and large. was very pleased with her.

she was in and done by 5 as i had a late meeting and the nights are drawing in, enought haylage to sink a battleship - this is the first winter she's gone into looking thin ....

the haylage i tipped - sorted itself out whilst outside so i rescued it

a good start.....but i made 2 mistakes

the good start was lunging this morning.

roller (not the new one, not got that back yet) loose side reins, bridle & lunge cavesson (again, not the new one).

She really relaxed on left rein; right rein was hugely better, hardly a problem at all getting it.

so i was really pleased with that.

the 2 mistakes? i turned her out without a rug and hung the washing out, expecting, from last night's forecast on the met office website, it to be dry until late. I should have checked it again this morning, as it rained.....the washing it still on the line, wet. Molly came in in a dry moment (and happily had dried off again) but was NOT impressed at all at having been out

and I've had to tip a bale of haylage (small bale) as it was seriously overheating (i re-wrap once I've taken some slices out). rang the man and he agreed with me that not right ....I've a horrid feeling the next one might go the same way... hopefully they'll replace. I've not had a problem with his haylage before, over years, so we'll all be a bit concerned...

rode!

amazing, it wasn't raining, it wasn't going to rain, even got washing on the line!

So, didn't trouble myself to try and get her to stand for me, much quicker to get someone to hold her head .... saves a lot of grief, not to mention time, and we start off relaxed instead of stressed.

Did some nice work! trot not so hot, but that's my fault. walk is improving no end .... she can keep it going a lot better, i'm improving in asking for turns (slight flex inside, let the fingers out on the outside, helps a lot if i don't conflict her) and it's becoming easier to bring her back into balance with my legs (well, thighs).

i still feel as though i've forgotten more than i'm learning.

and of course, this was in the fhoenix, not the trial saddle.. :-(

mats up....

was the order of the morning, as expected.

molly went out, much to her displeasure (had to put the rope halter on to get her out) and with her legs clagged up with mud fever stuff

then the remains of the bedding went, the mats came up and the ponds underneath the mats got soaked up by some not yet soaked bedding and swept out.... i go there a good bit before 8 am, and got home @ 10. all before breakfast, this!

the floor underneath is not level, and there are dips in it - you can't tell this when it's dry, of course! it wasn't that the water level outside got up enough to come into the barn, it's that the prevailing wind direction blew it into that end, and it was coming under the minuscule gap between the floor and the door. they say. whatever, the floor outside the stable seems to dip into the stable, and then, as i say, there are places for ponds to form.

at least i had the rubber matting down. it would have been twice as bad if i hadn't! a

YO has offered me a stable move, we'll see how it goes as the stable is directly opposite the tack room and toilet, next to an outside door so i can get out that way without having to pass any other horse, and in due course the tap/horsewashing area with hardstanding is going to be outside that door. So I'd rather not move her unless I'm forced into it by the weather, and this weekend WAS exceptionally bad...

and we're not as bad off as some!

and after i'd sorted that out, i built an Ikea bookshelf, now sitting in the corner of this room. much needed. will need a couple more shelves, i think.

then went back with a view to riding (it had been a nice day) - as i was getting molly from the field, having put new bed down and filled haylage net, it started raining again...

washed her feet off, no scabs so that seems to be sorted, and legs were no longer filled, thank goodness

ended up doing a bit of rope circling in the arena, just to say i'd done something!

flooded stable

i missed the worst of it (I was there before 7 am, as I had to go to Teesside to pick partner up from the airport, suntan & all....) although it was pretty bad then - apparently later in the day it was pouring through molly's stable door

mostly, it's under the rubber matting - which is another advantage of rubber matting. but the bed is a disaster area and of course I didn't have any more so inthe morning I shall be chucking out what's left (£13 worth of easibed....) and putting shavings back down. hoping the rain doesn't get that bad again for a while..

partner said, can we not sweep the water out? not without lifting the rubber mats, of course, and no way I was doing that

Molly went in the arena with the other 2 mares whilst we all mucked out this evening, it was a lot drier by that stage

If tomorrow remains as it is this evening, she's going to have to go out - legs are filling with being in so long. this box is not as big as box at harbour house so she can't move about as much, i haven't had her with filled legs before.

and i left her with her outdoor on (lightweight!) to protect against any further damp from below!

what i should have done

was turn her out in the round pen this morning whilst i mucked out - don't know why i didn't think of that! I did think about lunging, but time i'd mucked out i was concerned to get home as i knew the person was cming to pick the saddle up, and would probably need to ring me to check directions (as indeed she did!).

so, about 9 am it started raining - and raining- and raining - and ..... you could grow rice quite easily in our fields, and i was really pleased molly was in anyway, but of course she's had no exercise..

never mind. hopefully it'll improve....

the vogue trial

ends tonight - being picked up in the morning - and happily the weather relented for me to ride! I worked on walk trot transitions (getting myself to NOT block the forward movement with my hands, which i'm a B for....didn't used to be i'm sure, but I am now") and Molly is clearly getting stronger as she is finding it easier to work through properly in walk and carry herself. no where near consistent yet, but getting there. and we even had one not too bad halt...

unfortunately, the arena has been affected by all the rain, the side nearest the barn is seriously boggy, so we have to avoid that ... which means in fact it's good as you have to ensure you are working about 1 1/2 metres in from the outside track on that side. no support from the wall, so need to work on straight.

natasha thought she might fetch a horse up tomorrow and either go out for a hack with me, or we'd go up to holmeside or somewhere and use their indoor. either way, woudl be good for molly.

bad me...

i rashly believed the weather forecast for today, which I had read last night, and turned poor Molly out without a rug. Oops.

wouldn't have been so bad, but I was in Yorkshire for the day,and it didn't in fact start raining properly until the afternoon...

BAAAAD me.

So she was very pleased to come in, and got her thermatex type wicking rug on immediately.

I'd bought extra feed (up to now, she's just been on Top Spec, so bought some apple chaff)

I've decided on 2 things

1. she's going to be in 24/7 for a few days/week or so until i get on top of the mud fever

2. she's in overnight now for the winter...

Apart from that, had a nice day with Natasha. Lunch at Betty's in Northallerton (and brought some nice cakes home), and the purpose of the trip there was to buy a decent mounting block: in blue, rather pleased with it. the stool i was using has died, and i need one like this that i can move round.

but managed not to buy any jackets, boots, breeches, tack, rugs or anything of that nature, despite visiting two saddlery stores ....

molly the wuss

but i can't blame her in this weather, i suppose.

from which you'll gather she's in again overnight.... why does she choose this year to do this? i didn't want to be buying bedding/haylage just yet!
a couple of years ago - the second winter @ harbour house - she insisted on being in a month before the others. last year it was beginning of November before she came in overnight, and then only because of yard rules. and here we are, beginning of September.

i knew i wouldn't be able to ride -could see another huge storm coming- but thought i might have time to round pen - not. left her to her tea and some haylage with a view to turning out later (about 1930) but no way would she leave her stable.

lunge & ride...

I decided to lunge first - 5 minutes either rein in walk - before riding (AND did some flexions in the stable first).

I liked her walk left rein, nice and relaxed, and seemed to be moving through properly from behind.

right rein - I'd studied the dvd I made of Jenny working with her - we did get without the need to trot first, but not for long and then she became argumentative and kept turning in, irrespective of what driving aids i was giving her. short of winding her up into trot and then trying to relax her down again, it wasn't going to happen again.....

went back to left rein, and that was still nice.

then to get on.

aaarrrgggghhhhh..

had to get someone to hold her head again.

After that, she did some nice relaxed walk - and then got stressed and decided she'd had enough. i didn't have my schooling stick. and to be fair, she had done a fair bit by this time (as when she was refusing to be mounted i did some in hand round the school as well, on the basis that if she was going to move, she could work as well...)

phooey. i guess i need to do some serious ground work every time again before i get on. so annoying, we'd pretty much had this sorted a few weeks ago, but have gone right back

kendal - bees

again. we went this time last year, and mother found out on Friday that my cousin's son was doing something there this year again - therefore wanted to be taken over.

It was in fact quite good (although all we did was there and back again, i hoped to beat the rain back, but no chance!)

you may have all read bits in the papers about honey bees having a really bad time, lots of hives just vanishing - not reproducing, dying, etc - and consequential worries for plants and, essentially, for our food. there is a substantial body of opinion that takes the view that if the bees die, we die as all our food will die as it won't be pollinated.

anyway, peter's group (all two of them!) picked up on this and did a piece of theatre (happily in a tent! if a small one) on that. it was really good. started off really bizarre and i think we all (mother, cousin & I) wondered what we'd let ourselves in for, but it was excellent, got the point across in a very entertaining and thought provoking fashion.

It was a bit damp there. it was wet at home. Molly of course was a bit soaked (if warm) but i knew there'd be no way I'd get her out again if I brought her in for her tea, plus I would want her dry to go out again....

so the result is they're all in.

wimps, but there we go.

plus of course i need her to get her feet/legs dry again so i can attack the mud fever before I turn her out again in the morning.

mud fever, parelli and a long day..

which started at 05.30 - had to get up as had to leave house no later than 06.40 to get partner to durham/tees valley airport 2 hours before her flight time (i.e., had to be there 07.30) . EEEK. did that, came home via Tesco's, had that all done and in the house for about 0900 if not before!

I'd wondered if Molly had mud fever = scabs round the bottom of her legs a bit suspicious, but could have been dried on mud, and today was the day to "bottom" it. It was mud fever. so lots and lots of warm water and medicated shampoo stuff got most of them off = had to do it in two lots, but she was VERY VERY good about having it all done, I found later when I put the mud fever prevention stuff on afterwards that i had missed a couple, but will get them tomorrow, I hope...

parelli. One of the livery owners does parelli (she started it as the horse used to be a bit of a B, and she's a small person, he's a large horse) and YO likes to have things on so today was the 2nd parelli type day - livery owner demo's the 7 games and then the rest of us try it. Set up a few exercises in the arena - narrow gaps, tarp, pole to stand either side of, big blue ball to touch, zig zag formed by poles to drive through or try and back through, and a wooden stand see if you can get your horse to put its front feet on that - the best at all those exercises was the backed this year Welsh Section A

It was interesting to see - a lot is similar to what others talk about, a different way of achieving the same end. the exercises were interesting. I did get Molly to stand on a scary blue tarp (not nearly as easily as I got her to walk through the huge pond we had last week after the rain!). some of that I might try and integrate in to the other stuff I do with Molly

this is all basic stuff, level 1

I then tacked up (must get my money's worth on the saddle trial, after al!) and rode whilst the others were doing stuff, and interspersed other things with riding through some of the things that were out. The zig zag poles are of course a good ridden exercise, but molly wasn't having any of the tarp ridden (but then, she hadn't seen one until today)

then YO got her eye on the saddle, which is striking, so put her up on molly to try it - poor molly thought she was done by then - YO rather liked the saddle, surprised herself I think

and how stable it is - i didn't realise until I got off that I hadn't fully tightened the girth, so I'm clearly doing something right balance wise as it didn't slip at all!

so was at the yard from just after 10 until nearly 6, and in all that time had eaten 1 piece of chocolate cake one of the owners had home baked, rather nice! and had 2 cups of tea. I was amazed that I wasn't hungry - but that soon changed when I got home!

so a very long day, but productive I think.

vogue

on trial.

today, the local agent (not the previous one, who has retired from such activities) came out with a vogue for me to try (and i have it until Thursday, we;re hoping that next person will call round here and collect it on her way south from a Northumberland holiday) and whilst she was here we checked out the fhoenix, since original local agent hadn't been able to, having broken her leg in two places and never fully recovering from that, I gather!

So, on the original fhoenix, I'd had it in the wrong place (duh! slightly too far forward...and thought it was right because it was level) but i was right to be concerned about things at the front. agent liked my new bit of kit (the griffin half pad, sheepskin lined, with shims) but it needs a bit more in front and generally the vogue is better on Molly because of her shape (thought it might be LOL).

and for me?

Well, hugely better, i love this saddle. my position was a whole heap better (the stirrup bars are slightly further back again), my rising trot was a whole heap better, and I think molly liked it better as well - at the point when normally she'd have had a tantrum and not wanted to do any more, i was able to move her on again. and she was working quite nicely once she'd got over the fact that it was morning and the waterboard diggers etc. were at the end of the arena (she's happy about the yards tractor etc, but hadn't been worked when the water board had their's on the go the other side of the fence)

it's the dressage, and i didn't like the Fhoenix dressage, but I do like this. so I'll be riding as much as I can in it. and I've a feeling it's not as slippy - will try it with ordinary jods, not just the sticky bums....

you know what's going to happen, don't you?

but I really SHOULD leave it until i get a new job - but of course, I can sell the Fhoenix...

and no one tell partner...

better.....

have to confess to not doing any flexions before I got on, and didn't bother with the performance of trying to get on unaided, just had person hold her head.

i decided singing to myself whilst trotting would be good relaxation for both of us before i started to do any serious work, so i did that, and it was a good idea. i wasn't put on wrong diagonal and it was a nice forward trot.

After that, back to working on walk/softness and we were hugely better than last time i was on her. even once other horse was in arena being lunged, she jigged a bit and then we worked round them and i got some nice walk. I'm finding it easier to "get it" and to keep my bum/thighs in the right place.

then afterwards the new livery owner asked me to show her the rope circling work she'd seen me do Tuesday ... so i did, her horse in the round pen. and since she'd never worked in a round pen, i showed her how that works as well. Will lend her Max's dvd.....

didn't do too much, as he'd already been lunged, but he (the horse) was getting it (which pleased me!) and his owner could see what it was about...

tomorrow (don't tell partner) local(ish) agent is coming with a vogue to see how that suits Miss Molly...

polepods

i bought some of these at the weekend - thought about it in december, and now have some - so tonight was lunging, and over poles. interspersed slow walk with trotting over poles. Interesting to watch her really pick her back legs up, was very pleased. we had three poles set up, on one pod high (I only bought two sets,so my max is 4 poles at one high or 2 at 2) in a straight line. did them once each way - and pleased to say she was much easier to move right tonight, one benefit at least of all that ground work last night!

Not so pleased with the rhinegold torrent rug i bought her. It may have been a bargain, and it's certainly the right length, and very lightweight - but not right at the shoulder, and at the front fastening it was folding itself back under and leaving a gap.

55 minutes

of ground work interspersed with attempts to get on .... at the finish got new livery owner to come in and give me a hand, and of course she didn't need even to hold Molly's head, as Molly was interested in her..... i find that often happens, it just needs someone to stand there.

but pretty frustrating, as you can imagine.

Mind, after the last couple of weeks (what with rain, RTA, rain, and being away) I knew i'd need to do the groundwork .... just expected it to be more effective than it was!

hopefully we'll get back into the swing of it soon...

in the meantime, the scabs behind the ear/down the neck had cleared up, but some more had appeared on her face.

home again..

after a good weekend. lucky with the weather.

all was done at the yard as we drove past so will go see molly tomorrow. I expect she'll be wanting to wimp out and be in overnight....but we're all expecting September to be better!

called at stephanie's on the way down - lovely lunch, thank you, will sort the pictures out soonest!

good weekend

we've had a good weekend - no rain yesterday, and despite some heavy showers today, not TOO bad - didn't need the wellies.

didn't spend TOO much money, honest!

saw some go cross country, and some show jumping today.

molly now has another rug - but at only £26 for a lightweight turnout, you can't argue....

i have 2 new sweaters - one fine alpaca for £5! and one cashmere for £25 - bargains all round.

avoided new boots (not for want of trying on though, LOL)

scotland

is where we are. glad we brought the wellies... it's been raining today, quite heavy showers....hope for sun! for tomorrow.

RIP Queen of Timber

Molly's mother.

Regular readers will recall that the decision was made some time ago that Queenie would go this summer, before Blair. I rang last night, not having heard, and she went 10 days ago....

This was in her youth, when Liz had her, taken at a Horse Trials I think - can't remember which one - but would have been in about 1990 or 1991


this was taken in February 2002, a week before we moved

this was at Easter 2002, I think, at Union Hall - they were having a little "in house" show, and we was all dressed up for the showing class - there were only 2 in it, me & Natasha on Lady, and I won it LOL. Queenie was 20, just turned
and this was taken by me on the same day!

and this was the 29th June this year - I had seen her since, but not taken a photo....

rain scald?

behind the ears. feels like small scabby, if it were on the leg it would be mud fever. and because of where it is - right under the bridle! i didn't ride, as i'd planned now we finally have some dry weather.

So it's been hibiscrubbed and sudocremed and repeat tomorrow and friday morning. hopefully that'll sort it, as we've got tickets for Blair and are setting off on Friday to stay with friends.

Whether i'll survive the journey is another matter. a rather nice hire car (to replace minewhilst it's in being mended after last week) was delivered today - with a HUGE no smoking sticker on teh front dash. :-( :-(

I can DO a couple or 3 hours without a smoke when I have to - but driving "my" car is not a time when i usually feel I "have" to. so loads of polos and regular stops, i expect...

and I've just bought two of Paul Belasik's books, riding towards the light & exploring dressage technique, for under £11 including postage off ebay. I SHOULD have time to read them....but it's amazing how busy one can be when not in work! all the things one doesn't have time to do when in work. I'd rather be working, of course.

more rain ..

it always happens when i have time off - that it rains - so this with a vengeance.

it occurred to me, Molly will in fact be knackered as the field is too wet for her to lie down ... we could start a rice paddy! (and we're no way as bad as some others locally). So she's in again tonight, my thought being that if she has a couple (or three!) nights in then she'll be much happier staying out at the weekend, when YO is going to be looking after her...

molly fed up

i think she must be fed up of the weather, and also of being the only mare out - even though she can talk to the geldings, they are in a different field.

the result was, she did NOT want to go out again. she'd walk with alacrity to her stable, but not the other way.

so she's in for tonight, and if she gets hacked off with that, only herself to blame! hope she survives, first time in this stable overnight since we moved there. I've not known her actively want to be in in the summer before, i reckon it really has to be the weather

did some rope circling tonight (she moved once she knew she wasnt' going back to the field...) as it had rained so much she was still wet in parts -front end dry, but back from about half way along where the saddle would go wasn't.... useful thing to do, get her listening to me and remembering where the boundaries are.

i think she must have been kicked on her flank at some point in the last week or so = there's one spot, when i go to groom it, she kicks. the only reason for that has to be a point of tenderness, so I'm being very careful. there's nothing to see, so it'll be a bruise, i expect.

spending money

resulted in a headache ... and not assisted by forgetting to have a late lunch before going to see Molly.

I had decided that a small amount of my redundancy should go on a new suit, since I haven't had a new one for a very long time.... so we went shopping.. it was the thing to do in the rain, and we also ended up with shoes and useful things from M & S ... all at the retail discount outlet, of course.

new suit for under £50 (which is why i don't mind that it's not a perfect fit!). but i did spend a reasonable amount .... all needed, i hasten to add.

Molly two rein lunging .... phoooey. we did eventually get it left, right is a nightmare, and I cannot for the life of me get to keep the reins where they start and end up trying not to stand on the ends. I would have ridden, but I was too hungry, and that's never good, i find. so we did about 20 minutes or so in the arena, finished up longlining round the outside with both reins through the lower rings on the roller (still haven't got my leather roller back, must ring him this week to see if it's done yet!)

hole in girth strap

was what was required.

think, it was last Sunday since I last rode - and a lot has happened, what with teh weather (which was mostly dire!) and the RTA and so on.

Anyway, put hole in girth straps, it needed to be pulled up one more on one side. sorted. saddle stayed put.

so i might try the new pad again tomorrow (depending on the weather and how i feel!)

was in two minds whether to ride or not, the neck was still stiff, i couldn't find the supportive stock (one of those things with a solid part at the back and you velcro on the tabs at the front, very supportive!) my back hurt and I had a headache.

Whilst the riding wasn't brilliant and molly gave up (probably because she knew I wasn't in it really!) my headache went (probably needed the fresh air!).

and it's amazing what getting on a horse does for a bad back ...shame that all the other horse related activities aren't so good for it!

managed to see most of the olympic dressage tonight - some triangulated piaffe, one horse with a dreadful walk, Isabelle Werth's horse threw its toys out at the first piaffe, amazed it stayed in the arena and well done her for getting him back and still getting over 75%. had it not been for that, she would have got a good bit more...

the week's really bad news

is that i was made redundant and today was my last day.

this all happened after I came back from holiday - andTBH i wasn't TOO surprised, as there wasn't much work, but there was alwasy the chance that some had been found.

but it wasn't.

so i have a 3 month cushion in which to find something else, and the job hunt started 2 weeks ago.

and then, i got to the yard tonight and found molly attached to the fence by her rug buckle. don't know how long she'd been there (she'd clearly been leaning over to get the grass on the other side) but she clearly hadn't panicked and was easily freed.

and i really should, probably, have gone and taken the rug off this morning, as it ended up getting out quite warm.

couldn't be bothered

either of us.

i just thought i'll try a spot of rope circling - didn't think riding was such a good idea, as i'm still seizing up rather than loosening up (and had some tingling in my fingers hwilst brushing her tail, which is bizarre!!!) and she wasn't that interested, and wasn't happy about the going (who can blame her after all the rain!)

there was a HUGE pond on the track up to the field - i was pleased i'd dug my much boots out. up to my ankles! at least got the mud off molly's feet so i could see them...

do hope it stop raining soon.....

i gave in

found a clean lightweight rug and put it on molly. hope it was in fact still waterproof!

now, showing how fried my brain was - i told another livery owner she should have borrowed my mac ... then took molly out, without getting said mac out of cupboard.

result - soaked to skin.

Road Traffic Accident....

this morning, I was sitting peacefully at a queue of traffic waiting for lights to change so we could go, when bang! i was rear ended. well hacked off. and chap said "sorry my brakes have gone, i was on my way to the garage" - duh.

instant pain = given i already have cervical spondylosis! wasn't expecting a pain to kick in quite so quickly, but became aware of it whilst i was taking his details.

stupid boy.

and raining on an off, and started raining as i got to the yard again, so molly did nothing save eat her tea and some hay...

lunging/long lining

I know, i said i wasn't going to longline until I got the new roller back from the saddler, but decided to anyway, to see if it improved the going right situation.

the lunging was OK, think i'm getting the slowing her down - on left rein.

right rein was a pain - again, i got trot then slowed it down, but coulnd't keep it going at all and she kept turning in.

decided to try two reins - again, left was really good, could see her starting to get it (i was in a tangle, however with my reins, sorry jenny!)

I was impressed that she stood whilst i changed the reins all round, in the past she's insisted on moving so that's a great gain that she didn't.

but right rein? no, she'll turn in and turn in and turn in - so rather than persist with the resultant tangle of reins, i re jigged it to longline with both reins in through the lower rings, and went round the arena on both reins, quite short, concentrating on slow and feeling the bit.

that was having the desired effect. but OOOH, the right rein i WILL have to sort out all over again .. at least i'm not losing it now, stay calm, she stays calm

with girth on top hole

and suberpanel - saddle still slipped back.

So molly has now lost so much weight that I ought to buy a new dressage girth.

she looks about right - it's really the grass belly that's all gone - and nowhere near dropping too much condition (especially as they've gone back onto a field that's had a month's rest and loads of rain!) but in the meantime, a tad tedious.

and I'm not sure that a new girth won't end up too short and catching on her elbows, so maybe I'll try putting new holes in the girth straps instead!

but of course, having worked that out, I'm no nearer knowing whether the new pad with shims is going to be any good or not, as i can't differentiate between slippage caused by that and slippage caused by girth not being tight enough....

anyway, the end result is that we end up pear shaped as the saddle gently moves backwards resulting in my feeling tipped forwards at which point I realise this and get off (and Molly points it out to me as well....)

on the other hand, the good news from today was that i got on twice. first time was relatively easy (new pad on, first time to mount, only once round the stool). Second time took a bit longer, presumably because molly thought she'd already done enough for the day, but eventually managed it whilst staying cool, which is pretty good for me so clearly i'm improving as well LOL.

it helps

if the saddle doesn't slip back...

after i while, I though, why is this going pear shaped more than it should?

eventually molly had a block, which we hadn't had for a while... i got off - and the saddle had slipped back! so i wasn't surprised.

i was trying a griffin nuumed half pad with solid shims under the moulded panel - guess i shouldn't have put the griffin numnah underneath! i thought this might work better than the mattes, which didn't at all, as the shims are more solid and there's no solid seam to cause a rub on the spine should the same propblem as before occurr.

so if i can avoid the rain tomorrow (which i managed successfully today - we were t the hairdressers then went to look at sofas and such, as we don't have one) i shall try without the numnah.

the shop kindly said i could take it back if it doesn't work, after i explained the problem.

aha!

she's in season! that'll account for that then!

when I'd got the mud off, back to the round pen for some rope circling - got her listening, took a little bit of effort but got there!

forecast to teem down tomorrow .... again!

so that was about?

they were all up a height.

molly was in the lane between the fields (the grass keeps her occupied, YO's horse was in, other mares not out fully as one is lame and thus it's companion stays in to keep it company). it was clearly going to rain. i thought, 1o minutes in the round pen, sorted.

?

Molly, pay attention? anything, pay attention?

Every single on of the horses, mares and geldings, were assortedly turning themselves inside out (the lame mare ! in paddock whilst mucked out) or screaming for each other (the rest of them)

so i gave up and fed her. even that was stressy ... eat a mouthful, back to door, eat a mouthful, back to door...

turned her out again and she spent the time whilst i went back down to get YO's mare cantering up and down the fenceline, instead of eating the piles of haylage.

some kind person took a couple of pics from the stressage, so i'll scan them in and post them later...

very stressy, as you can tell - i can't believe the look of concentration on my face in the second one

jenny franklin

due to a misunderstanding on my part, wasn't named as the trainer on 23rd July. I've edited that, and apologies, jenny, for that! i will now shout your name from all the local rooftops!

in the meantime, I had a late meeting tonight and so molly got a night off...

lunged in the damp

I almost thought it was going to be too wet, but went out in mizzle and it stopped - bit foggy but who cared, and got warmer!

good on left rein, but only got right rein after a bit of an argument - found i had to set her away in trot and then bring her back to walk and on the second attempt at this (after going left again for 5) she did consent to slow the trot right rein and gave me a few circles of walk.

So i called that a good note to finish on and finished.

I did think about longlining as well, but it all takes so long to sort out and threatening rein and she'd been good....

edited to add - and I heard today that YO had her own scores excluded from the yard comp, which was very nice of her but she shouldn't have (you shouldn't have!) as just as entitled to have a placing if merited as anyone else!

the rosette

was for third place in the senior section, which considering I retired and thus didn't perform the last 3 mvements is pretty phenomenal. i reckon judge must have had her rose tinted specs on - 7 5's and 2 6's, the 6's being for better trot steps and more relaxed walk steps. comment "when she relaxed in the walk she showed some nice movement" which was about 5 strides before she lost the plot at the spooky table! I would have give myself all 4's, if that, so it obviously looked a lot better than it felt.

And i didn't know there was food on, and jumping later (there would have been ground poles to trot over...) - YO didn't know there was food on until very late the night before! her mother baked!

tonight i went in and the first thing I did was that test again through, and then did trot as well as walk and got some nice trot steps in there somewhere!

I guess i was trying too hard again yesterday, what with all the stress of getting here in there - more than likely!

i did - but wish I hadn't!!!

a bit of a disaster, finishing with us retiring!

anyway, got there early and plaited (posh, wot, can't remember the last time I plaited, should have taken a photo.....) she looked rather good and stood like a lamb for that.

tacked up and got changed....

the idea was, we'd warm up in the geldings field (they being all in!). I knew they were meant to be starting at 11 (nowt so posh as proper times) so got on at 11 and got her settled in the field and doing some nice walk, light and through; couldn't get a trot in their (not something we've been working on really....)

loads of people started arriving in cars, and a wagon (someone's friend, I think....) and that was unsettling ... then the local driving club came past which meant everyone had to stop and stare a bit (far enough away not to be problem, but close enough for us all to look at, if you see what i mean). Oh, and there were men there measuring up for some drainage work that's happening next week, as well....it was all go!

by 11 35 i didn't know what was happening and Molly was napping AWAY from the gate out of the field.... followed another through at the finish - frankly, i wish i'd stayed in there... or better still, not got on at all until it was time for test, and not warmed up either!

anyway, didn't actually get going until about 12. I got on outside the barn - mistake, nap away from teh arena. so i got off again and got on inside the arena (judge/writer etc. still not set up properly, so that didn't matter).

ring steward had set up table/chairs by the gate, between M & C, and picnic benches with spectators between C & H.

Anyway, started ... got trot, if fairly crap trot, and got down centre line and track left and 1/2 20 metre circle @ b, got the walk (not wonderfully, we were both tense!) and the change of rein H - B and then the stop at F (not the best stop/stand i've ever done, but done); walk on, trot half 20 metre circle round to just before E, walk, turn right, halt at X, walk on track left at B and then trot on - at that point, serious napping away from teh white table/chairs between M & C and she wasn't going to have any of it!

So I retired.

well hacked off.

i suppose it was her first ever, but i wasn't over happy.

I don't suppose I helped myself by not having any sticky bum beige breeches (damn saddle is very slippy ) and a jacket slightly too small....

but there we go, I tried

It will be interesting to see my sheet in due course (or not!).

i guess also i should have just ignored the trot and concentrated on a nice walk, as we've been doing some really nice walk, but I didn't.

I think what I will do is try it again, and keep trying it on my own (i actually only learnt it this morning! not a difficult test though...) and try again.

However, i did say I wanted to do a walk & trot test by August, so I can say I have done that.....

Then I fed molly and turned her out again (after I'd tacked up two other horses for people! YO ran out of time, rushing round doing everything).

and one young lady (about 10) did it led on YO's horse, and from what I could see did it quite nicely as well!

I was pleased I hadn't had partner come down and video.....

edited to add - just received text that I have a rosette!!!!!!!!!!

um ... should I?

do a walk/trot test tomorrow?

i don't think so, but it's at the yard, so can't very well not! and can always just not trot and get null points for that!

Molly was struggling with the flexions this afternoon and we took a while to get a sensible walk.

i did try some trot, but it was choppy (partly my fault, i imagine).

i think i'm back to trying too hard, oopsy!

finished when we'd done a reasonably nice walk round the arena both ways...

then to gateshead flower show to pick partner up. didn't get there until nearly 4.30, it closed at 5.30, and they still charged me FULL PRICE to get in! I was NOT happy, as you can imagine, and have complained (in writing, we were all given a survey to fill in so i said it was poor value for money, and explained why!)

ended up at our favourite curry house for takeaway though, via Ikea.

Molly spend the afternoon in the stable, as all the mares were in so she had to be; had just been turned out again about 5 seconds before I arrived back!

three short things

we did today.

10 minutes groundwork (not very energetically, just to be sure we still knew the rules, really!)

5 minutes flexions (she's a shade anticipatory, and I really should ensure she's standing square!)

and about 10 minutes ridden, but I shouldn't have bothered with that, because of the wind and incipient rain....

I have to say, Molly is becoming a LOT better (hope I'm not speaking too soon) about standing whilst being mounted. twice this week, no bother at all.

and whilst I wasn't totally overjoyed with what we did, there were some nice moments and when i got off she was standing all square, which i didn't think she would have been.

setting against the hand!

but, a lot more settled in her mouth (that might seem contradictory ...)over the last few days we haven't had nearly the amount of fiddling with the bit/mouth opening and closing that I've been used to noticing!

my thighs still felt very stretched after yesterday, which is good!

first ride out

from the new yard, and Molly barely put a foot wrong. She only had one blip - that was when a van was coming down a track from our right that she couldn't see but could hear, and when it appeared it was loaded with hay - rather think she wanted to follow the hay!

we went a good bit further than original plan, but one bridleway has definitely been made inaccessible (we're complaining again! - people don't want flytippers & motorbikes on rainton meadows, fair enough, but we want to ride on bridleways!) and then the last part she led, along a narrow boggy track becoming overgrown now

as we leave and come back to the yard, we have to go through traffic lights for the water board's road works, good as gold with all of that

very pleased indeed, and her brain will be refreshed as well.

and we'd no sooner led the horses into the barn than it started raining, so we timed that perfectly (we'd thought we were going to get wet at one point!)

was sorry to hear that one of the horses at my previous yard had to be PTS recently - fractured shoulder, I am told, very old horse. very sad.

busy day....

allendale to see Queenie and confirm my decision re her future.... she's now struggling to get up, and if she can't get up easily inthe summer, she CERTAINLY won't be able to get up at all in the winter!

to saddlers in hexham with stuff to be altered. He said he'd stopped making leather lunging cavessons as they were coming in at £100, which of course (he didn't say this, but...) people won't pay when they can get synthetic for a huge amount less. so he was interested to see mine, and impressed at the price i paid for it...but i'd forgotten to take my cottage craft one for comparison purposes, so have to ring him tomorrow with measurements!

on the way out i called to see Nicola - both her horses snoozling away, the borders looking really good (one tried to come away with me in the car LOL)

then back home, eventually, saw neighbour then down to yard at last about 6. partner had said she was going out with a work colleague, but then rang to say she'd come home instead 0 i didn't cancel my plan!

some flexions, then 15 minutes or so ridden. quite hard, as if i turn one way i am blinded (almost literally, and certainly it hurts) by the sun! glasses are supposed to be transitions, but i don't think they work very well and i probably should take them back...in the meantime, no good trying to keep my head up, its tooo tooo bright... (sn going down by this stage, about 7.15 /7.30

and had to do more as she didn't want to go to the top of the arena on left rein, when we got there she would insist on u turns to go back the way we had come, it was getting stressy. So i went and got my stick to back my leg up (left it on top of the fence for easy access) and the result was some nice walk on left rein as well as right.

but a good day all round

horse dentist

tonight after work, so after that molly had a night off.

um .... failure

on the lunging front. We were back to "won't go right" - not totally as badly as it used to be but pretty bad. Shall review the vid of Wednesday to see what was done differently, if anything, to what i did today.

On the other hand, i kept her in walk both reins (which in the past has been difficult!), and quite slow, and she seemed to be working nicely left rein.

but this is SOOOOO tedious. if I have to go back to what I was doing to get her to go right, I will, but it won't be what's really wanted.

no heat here today, cool and misty all day ...

heat.....

i probably shouldn't have done anything ...... i did think about giving her a bath but had left the shampoo at home!

anyway, the flexions went a lot better today.

the riding wasn't great ... a function of heat/muscles/me being overheated (jods sticking to legs so couldn't get position quite right!)/heat but we did get some nice walk once I got it all sorted out. She is remembering, and I am remembering, so that is good....but the newly painted scary jumps were to be avoided, if slowly!

no shan't......

well, almost no shan't and it amounted to that.

Trying to do the flexions before getting on for a ride, I got, yes i'll drop my head but THEN i'll move it about or move me or knock you over or stand on your foot....

i think part of it was still a bit muscle soreness, part of it was she'd been in on her own whilst I had a cup of tea after the farrier had been....

I then got on and rode, and decided again that the kerrits, whilst wonderfully sticky for a hack, are just TOOO much for schooling.... was so stuck to the saddle i couldn't quite get my leg right down...plus i'd forgotten to change my boots so still had the slightly too wide ankle boots on, so when the wagon arrived to deliver a load of hardcore (for flood combatting purposes) i decided that discretion was the better part of valour.

In the meantime, I had remembered how to slow her down and rebalance her with my seat, which was good, and when i did that she moved nicely for a few strides. I couldn't feel the belly moving side to side so couldn't time it right, that was down to the incorrect attire....

anyway, it was too d*** hot. my head was cool whilst on the horse though! a very slight breeze up there.

Then went up to Consett, where the only proper saddler within sensible distance has his premises - he was shut. i rang and left a message on his mobile he rang back, only open Monday to Friday 9 - 5 ... :-(. So there are two choices on getting stuff reworked to fit - wait until 12th August, when i have a day off, or go to Morpeth, where the next nearest one is....or Hexham, where there's another. Hexham might make more sense next weekend as I'll be going to Allendale - but then will have to go Saturday...

photos from wednesday

friday night off again

i didn't expect to give Molly the night off, given that she's just had a fortnight, but partner was going out on someone's leaving do, so we had to eat early then i had to take her to the station and the end result was it was WAAAY late when i got to the yard......

farrier due in the morning (i do HOPE he got my letter telling him I'd moved Molly and where to!!!) and we may go up see Queenie afterwards, he wants to see her for his academic study of feet, and it's not that often he gets a mother & daughter with the same issues!

flexions

now I know how to do them, are the thing to do when the weather's pants (foggy, and blowing up, and may well rain!). Molly was very good about them when she didn't decide to chew the rein! oops.

i was right in thinking she'd been on a diet (which she did need, but now is about right!). very little grass left, the main cause being the local water board, which is currently occupying a lot of field space. they will reinstate, and are now, I am told, going to pay for supplementary grazing up the road....in the meantime, YO has opened the large bale haylage loitering about from last year to supplementary feed. I've never had to think about that before in the summer!

A very good day!

and poor Molly worked really hard, and was really angry at various points that she had no option but push not pull! I'll put some nice screen grabs up in due course... possibly not tonight!

First, baucher flexions - which are completely not about force, and completely about warming up/stretching (a bit like, for an analogy, the warm up stretches an athlete would do before training/competing). She "got it" very quickly, albeit that, for her first time, she couldn't do a huge amount. but even with that, you could see an immediate change.

Then ridden - my asymmetries were addressed (having been viewed before we left my house!) and the knee blocks removed from the saddle. felt very odd at first, but the result was better and they won't be going back on any time soon. I could feel my seatbones for the first time in a good while, and I now know I should feel my thigh on the saddle....

then working round the arena on walk, back to the basics of very light feel with the fingers combined with very light push with the leg - and the half halt with the seat, not the hand!

By the end of this, we could see the muscle behind the saddle, her bum was a lot rounder, and you could see her neck muscles working (or at least, I could when i viewed the video later!)

After a rather good lunch at the local pub, back to work on lunging & longlining. the new roller needs to have it's girth changed, as it's too short (caught behind the elbows! not good :-( - shall have to take it to local saddler for complete change to be able to use ordinary dressage girth with it. Had to stop earlier than would have wanted because of that. also, the new lunging cavesson is also too big and will have to be altered. drat.)

I was very impressed - molly WALKING on the lunge. the side reins were very long, effectively just to keep her straight, and provide something for her to work into, and in due course taken off. she could be seen to be using herself fully (particularly impressed to see her belly muscles rippling!), the neck muscles all working correctly, the dodgy leg coming through....totally different from the normal way we are taught!

and longlining - very good indeed! not pulling! and I think i finally know how to hold the whip whilst longlinging which I hadn't grasped before.

recommendation - lot of walk work per the above with the flexions for a few weeks, and not to try trot until Molly totally relaxed about it all (and, of course, until I am as well! and am sure about my feel!)

instructor -Jenny Franklin - was herself taught by Sylvia Stanier....and doesnt' live too far from you, caroline!

back to it tomorrow...

for molly, that is, i don't go back to work until Thursday... so there will be an interesting report, I expect, with some pics at least, and video later...

boots

bought some - bad me! equicomfort, not seen them in england. had to try them on with winter socks on, and slightly swollen feet because of the heat, so they should be ok - leather, leather insoles, zip up the front with closure press stud at the top, very dark brown, solid soles, very pleased with them. and as the lady and i agreed, leather stretches!

don't forget http://clairesholidayblog.blogspot.com/

some photos on there of where we've been.....

CDI Pompadour report

here are the results for the Prix St Georges; placed 4th was Stephanie Ward of Essex, i watched and video'd this test (and will send her it). I KNEW she'd done a good test - by that time, my eye was "in" having watched a few of the ponys earlier (she was 4th on for the PSG) and the marks were good. She told me that the horse is only on its 10th outing, and its first trip abroad, so she'll be well chuffed with this. She had another horse there, but wasn't anticipating much from it, she says he tends to alternate between being a star and the opposite.

I took video for my own educational purposes, but will send her the one of her test. i took one of the other brit's test (Linda Hoad) but had pressed a button I didn't know was there on the camcorder and it kept pausing, so that will be a disaster. Plus, Linda said she knew she'd dropped a lot of points with one movement, which i missed through swearing at the camcorder!

Overall, i learnt a lot through watching - it's no longer like watching paint dry!!!!!! - and am glad I went.

But two belgians in particular struck me - one pony rider, one adult - BOTH leaning backwards, very very clearly. it was a very pronounced lean, particularly clear silhouetted against the judge's box at C!!!!!!


interesting to see the different ways of asking for rein back, and the variations on the theme of half pirouettes. Saw one half pass with defined haunches leading, and was pleased to recognise that fact for myself!

and a kind Dane lent me his sweater (believe it or not, it was cool and got quite cold at one point) - his daughter was 6th in one of the Pony classes.

pompadour

CDI at pompadour, about 50 minutes away from here, this week. can't find out how much to get in, emailed them and no answer, website only in french, but day to myself tomorrow as partner gone to Bordeaux.

Small Tour, + ponys

2 brits riding

i reckon I should....one things for sure, partner wouldn't want to go at all!

paul belasik

currently reading "dressage for the 21st Century" - fascinating.

I doubt I'll exhaust the library here before I go home, unfortunately!

but a horse story. the two boys in the barn knocked over their water bucket. the two in the field, pooed in theirs. phooey!

support british eventing

http://www.wesupporteventing.com/default.htm

very funny!

gerd heuschmann

I've just read his book, "Tug of War: classical versus "Modern" Dressage. If you haven't read it yet, read it.

It's a relatively quick read (i only started it this morning and have finished it about 2 minutes ago) but a good one and I will have to buy my own copy so as to be able to re-read it.

Shame i had to look at the rollkur photos - they're in, of course, to illustrate his point as to how bad it is and, even more importantly, WHY it is bad. doesn't make them easier to look at!!!

My next book is Alfons J Dietz, Training the horse in Hand.

Trudi has a good library! and she currently has some of my dvd collection!

Now, about molly.

I found that I had on this laptop 5 minutes worth of the video i did for heather - you may recall seeing it.

We found I could play it in slo-mo (one advantage of Vista and its related software!) and that WAS interesting. her head comes up more when her left hind comes through than her right. So, i need to more in hand/longlining/lunging.

So I shall try slo-mo on the other vid I took lately (shame it's currently on the PC at home!)

spanish walk

i rode spanish walk today. WOW. and everyone's right, the horses do enjoy it.

I asked partner to video, which she did.

unfortunately, camera was held in such a way that the video comes up horizontal, and i can't find any method of rotating it the right way up. plus, not sure she's actually got the spanish walk.

sorted out some balance issues (mine ....) halt rein back, circles smaller & larger and in hand work done in a way that won't kill my back!

here's the teacher:

i'm going to ride today

and will probably learn something! hopefully photos later!

for molly

and i don't suppose she'll be impressed by the work ....

molly's is the black leather; the other is for Steph's mare.... poor tada will be as upset as Molly!

drivers....

now why does the internal network driver on thelaptop = the one that puts it on the internet? crash the night before a trip? apparently, it's a fault with vista ....

lucky me, i have a plug in driver. but i'm so glad we found this out tonight, rather than tomorrow night!