After bringing young Coffee in solo one day for a feed, Kate noticed just how relaxed he was about being on his own whilst eating his tea. So we decided to venture a short hack with the Grown-Ups.
Couldn't have gone better. Coffee received his feed as we set off and was still tucking in when we came back. Not a hint of a fuss.
Our hack was lovely too, it's been what feels like an age since I've hacked with anyone! Quadi was a little up Fin's bum as we set off, and there was some rain. But once again he was lovely and soft and happy to flex both ways. Once we were in the forest I could really feel him lift up his back and collect his stride a little. We decided not to stay out too long at all, and retreated back over the ditches. Quadi leading the way :D
He's looking wonderful just now, finally dropping his winter woollies for his silky summer coat. His ribs are clearly felt under his coat and his tummy doesn't look distended. Just perfect for heading into summer grazing. He's headshaking in the field now but we're on the case to make him more comfortable.
Not a ground-breaking day but still... :)
Friday, 14 May 2010
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
24 Little Hours
And what a difference they make!
As it happens I'm still struggling along, to the point where I don't mind revealing I was crying into my horse's mane tonight as I groomed him. He smells of grass and mud :) I can't say I was in the best frame of mind for schooling. Or so I thought.
I led him along to the school and thought I had best do some in-hand to start. But there were cows in the field next door. Probably a great opportunity to instill some discipline in proceedings, but he was much too distracted and I felt I'd be better able to hold his attention with legs and seat.
At first the cows were to be viewed from a halt and we had to do some advance and retreat but eventually they were considered ignorable! We warmed up with a lap of the school on each rein with shoulder-fore/in, and then set to some serpentines. The rascal clings to the outer perimeter of the school so I, rather sneakily, did our serpentines in a bit from the track. This required some reminders from my outside leg but good practice for us both. I noted that coming from a right loop he tends to want to drift when returning to straight. Wonder what it is I'm doing? I should have noticed which way he was drifting, but I didn't.
In any case, this went really well and after some leg yield on circles we progressed to the exercise Perry had us doing. Just putting him on a circle or equally bent school shape (we do good squiggles!) and using the merest of aids for bend, halt and walk.
You couldn't wipe the smile from my face, he was such a star. Naturally a little stiffer on his right rein but he hadn't been school in a couple of weeks and he was trying so hard, I could have burst! On the left rein he was fab and I didn't have to use any rein at all, he was just 'there'. Once I'd realised I didn't need to nag, I had him in both directions. Super pony.
Staying in walk, we went on to our shallow loops. They went well apart from a couple of places where, instead of riding each stride as it happened, my mind wandered and I got distracted. But he was fab.
I thought about trotting. I thought about being greedy and spoiling my session by doing so. But I felt we could do more. So we did trot. Once again sticky on that right rein but I was pleased with myself as my timing was good and I dealt with him with tact. Makes a change! We had carriage both ways and lovely soft transitions. Pony was patted repeatedly and given his tea, good boy!
His summer coat is finally coming to the fore and I can feel the end of his ribcage, so feeling quite pleased with his appearance. I think his massage has helped too :)
As it happens I'm still struggling along, to the point where I don't mind revealing I was crying into my horse's mane tonight as I groomed him. He smells of grass and mud :) I can't say I was in the best frame of mind for schooling. Or so I thought.
I led him along to the school and thought I had best do some in-hand to start. But there were cows in the field next door. Probably a great opportunity to instill some discipline in proceedings, but he was much too distracted and I felt I'd be better able to hold his attention with legs and seat.
At first the cows were to be viewed from a halt and we had to do some advance and retreat but eventually they were considered ignorable! We warmed up with a lap of the school on each rein with shoulder-fore/in, and then set to some serpentines. The rascal clings to the outer perimeter of the school so I, rather sneakily, did our serpentines in a bit from the track. This required some reminders from my outside leg but good practice for us both. I noted that coming from a right loop he tends to want to drift when returning to straight. Wonder what it is I'm doing? I should have noticed which way he was drifting, but I didn't.
In any case, this went really well and after some leg yield on circles we progressed to the exercise Perry had us doing. Just putting him on a circle or equally bent school shape (we do good squiggles!) and using the merest of aids for bend, halt and walk.
You couldn't wipe the smile from my face, he was such a star. Naturally a little stiffer on his right rein but he hadn't been school in a couple of weeks and he was trying so hard, I could have burst! On the left rein he was fab and I didn't have to use any rein at all, he was just 'there'. Once I'd realised I didn't need to nag, I had him in both directions. Super pony.
Staying in walk, we went on to our shallow loops. They went well apart from a couple of places where, instead of riding each stride as it happened, my mind wandered and I got distracted. But he was fab.
I thought about trotting. I thought about being greedy and spoiling my session by doing so. But I felt we could do more. So we did trot. Once again sticky on that right rein but I was pleased with myself as my timing was good and I dealt with him with tact. Makes a change! We had carriage both ways and lovely soft transitions. Pony was patted repeatedly and given his tea, good boy!
His summer coat is finally coming to the fore and I can feel the end of his ribcage, so feeling quite pleased with his appearance. I think his massage has helped too :)
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
Bah.
It's been raining on and off all day. I decided to chance it and got the bus after work out to the horses. The minute I stepped off the bus the skies opened, and with every step I took I swear it got heavier and heavier. By the time I reached the yard I was soaked to my skin. Kate had offered to look after the boys tonight anyway, I just wanted to school! So I spun on my heel and came home.
Really could use a car!
Really could use a car!
Monday, 10 May 2010
Better still
Yesterday Quadi had a massage from Liz, and it was really pleasing. He stood really well even when other horses came and went, and Liz agreed with my observations. He's lost a bit of muscling all over but I tried not to be disappointed given I haven't been doing the work to maintain his physique. She also reminded me to remain, in the nicest possible way, realistic. This actually helped me a lot, instead of trying to achieve what may not be possible I should strive to enjoy how well he feels now. She finds he is a totally different horse mentally to the one she met last year, and she's pleased with how well he's looking.
Probably because of the less-than-ideal shape of his hindfeet as we try to match heel growth with toe growth, he has tight hamstrings on both hind legs. But everything else is looking really loose so we're both pleased as we both expected him to feel worse than he currently does. I have to keep doing his hindleg stretch, pulling it forwards as I support his weight a little, and also use the pressure point in his abdomen to engage those muscles as we continue to 'unlock' them. And he really enjoyed having his neck treated. Funny, that's where I've been feeling I could use a massage lately!
I had a knot in my tummy and Quadi was asleep post-treatment so I didn't ride.
Onto today. Despite a horizontal onslaught of hail en route, I decided it wasn't too cold to catch a break in the weather and have a relaxing hack. I have the offer to use Fin instead but I was feeling positive about my own horse :)
Because of the hail and cold I dug out an exercise sheet and my winter jacket and gloves. I didn't feel cold when I got back but Quadi didn't feel too hot either. Good choices.
He marched right off the yard and only stopped when he saw the foal in the field and the mares on the other side came to greet him. How helpful ladies(!)
Sadly we were caught in a hail shower on the way but it meant he had to lower his head and flex right to avoid the worst of it, every grey cloud has a silver lining ;)
Once again I felt I had his back for more of the time than I didn't over the course of the hack. Round the loop we worked in walk on flexions the first time. I had to work really hard, my shoulders ached and I harboured some concern I was being too harsh but I think it was just lack of proper posture. I'm finding there is a very subtle difference in how I try and maintain my upper body in an upright position. It's very easy for me to arch my lower back the wrong way to 'cheat'. I know I get it right when I manage to sit on my seatbones properly.
The second round on the loop we had a lovely canter, nice and relaxed and rhythmical. On the way home I just let him pick his way on a long but maintained contact. I was rewarded on the home straight with a horse carrying himself so well on the lightest of reins. Really it was out-of-the-blue but so pleasing :D
Think we're almost ready to get back to schooling!
Probably because of the less-than-ideal shape of his hindfeet as we try to match heel growth with toe growth, he has tight hamstrings on both hind legs. But everything else is looking really loose so we're both pleased as we both expected him to feel worse than he currently does. I have to keep doing his hindleg stretch, pulling it forwards as I support his weight a little, and also use the pressure point in his abdomen to engage those muscles as we continue to 'unlock' them. And he really enjoyed having his neck treated. Funny, that's where I've been feeling I could use a massage lately!
I had a knot in my tummy and Quadi was asleep post-treatment so I didn't ride.
Onto today. Despite a horizontal onslaught of hail en route, I decided it wasn't too cold to catch a break in the weather and have a relaxing hack. I have the offer to use Fin instead but I was feeling positive about my own horse :)
Because of the hail and cold I dug out an exercise sheet and my winter jacket and gloves. I didn't feel cold when I got back but Quadi didn't feel too hot either. Good choices.
He marched right off the yard and only stopped when he saw the foal in the field and the mares on the other side came to greet him. How helpful ladies(!)
Sadly we were caught in a hail shower on the way but it meant he had to lower his head and flex right to avoid the worst of it, every grey cloud has a silver lining ;)
Once again I felt I had his back for more of the time than I didn't over the course of the hack. Round the loop we worked in walk on flexions the first time. I had to work really hard, my shoulders ached and I harboured some concern I was being too harsh but I think it was just lack of proper posture. I'm finding there is a very subtle difference in how I try and maintain my upper body in an upright position. It's very easy for me to arch my lower back the wrong way to 'cheat'. I know I get it right when I manage to sit on my seatbones properly.
The second round on the loop we had a lovely canter, nice and relaxed and rhythmical. On the way home I just let him pick his way on a long but maintained contact. I was rewarded on the home straight with a horse carrying himself so well on the lightest of reins. Really it was out-of-the-blue but so pleasing :D
Think we're almost ready to get back to schooling!
Saturday, 8 May 2010
A Little Better...
I took a couple of days off Quadi and rode him today, first time since his leaping and plunging.
Just a hack, just the route we normally take. He was fine to set off apart from a little distraction I will reveal further on ;)
He's still very backwards-thinking and spooky. I'm not sure if it's a flush through of grass, or if it's in-season mares, or something else.
I had his back working up for more time than it wasn't, which is good. We went around the loop twice in the opposite direction to what we have been doing. I used the opportunity to ask for flexions as we walked, and to contain the tempo of the walk a little. Quadi was a smidge resistant to this but in the end, on the way home, I got him both ways and he was really soft in-hand. We had a canter but he was rather strong! Funny what a couple of days off can do to them. There were too many dog-walkers around to do any more than that but it was good to work in walk.
Not much else to report, it was a nice enough hack and he was, in the main, a good boy. Very distracted though, am hoping increasing his workload back up will help. He has a massage tomorrow too :)
Onto the distraction we had on the way out...she is a week early but this little bundle popped out from behind her dam's legs this morning, much to my confusion!
Just a hack, just the route we normally take. He was fine to set off apart from a little distraction I will reveal further on ;)
He's still very backwards-thinking and spooky. I'm not sure if it's a flush through of grass, or if it's in-season mares, or something else.
I had his back working up for more time than it wasn't, which is good. We went around the loop twice in the opposite direction to what we have been doing. I used the opportunity to ask for flexions as we walked, and to contain the tempo of the walk a little. Quadi was a smidge resistant to this but in the end, on the way home, I got him both ways and he was really soft in-hand. We had a canter but he was rather strong! Funny what a couple of days off can do to them. There were too many dog-walkers around to do any more than that but it was good to work in walk.
Not much else to report, it was a nice enough hack and he was, in the main, a good boy. Very distracted though, am hoping increasing his workload back up will help. He has a massage tomorrow too :)
Onto the distraction we had on the way out...she is a week early but this little bundle popped out from behind her dam's legs this morning, much to my confusion!
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
Chalk and Cheese
That's what the past two days have been :(
Yesterday:
Quadi was booted up with slightly thinner pads and we set off for a hack. It was a little drizzly and windy so we headed into the forest. Apart from a little stop/start at the Fell pony field where a dog walker stood every-so-patiently waiting on us to pass, he was great on the way out, save being a little backwards. We had a little trot and once into the forest he was really using his back and working off of my seat and legs very sweetly.
I took the unusual, and not very safe, decision to listen to my iPod on our hack. Just as we approached the track I canter him on (naughty habit, I know!) a song came on that, for the whole time he was on loan, I couldn't listen to for crying. Dayvan Cowboy by Boards of Canada, I have no idea why but it reminds me of him. So I got to canter him along whilst listening to it, magic. We lost a boot but I dismounted and put it back on, and off we continued. We went around the loop again and cantered there AGAIN. Big smiles from me, just what I needed!
But today, oh dear:
Firstly I must say that I'm not proud of my reaction. In fact, I'm ashamed of my behaviour!
The weather turned dire as I brought Quadi in. Really awful mizzle. But I had it in my head I ought to ride him on the road, we're staying out of the school this week. So we donned high-viz and set off. He stopped as we turned off the driveway. I got him going but he was even more backwards than yesterday. But forwards momentum was maintained. As we approached the closed road, the 'Road Closed' sign was no longer there. How busy can it be, thought I?!
Quadi took objection quite early on to some tractors in a field (we see these a lot, so I was having none of it). As the wind started driving the drizzle horizontally, Quadi would not be asked, told or foxed and decided to physically express himself by rearing. Absolutely any muscle movement in me set him off. I got off and led him to the stationary tractors and made him touch them. We walked on to the next passing place on our side of the road and mounted up again.
The saddle seat, by this point, was soaking. And I was in beige jods with pink knickers underneath. Great(!)
We managed about three strides before he started again, exactly the same. By this point my temper was gone and instead of trying to understand what Quadi was objecting to (I can't say I'm any the wiser now), I was rude and obnoxious. As a human I am in control of my feelings and emotions, except I wasn't!
He kept gawking around, so to try and regain his attention I asked for flexion. He decided I was taking a huge liberty by asking him to focus and put on his F*ck You and Your Commands t-shirt.
In my full-on seething strop, I dismounted again and could barely get him past the invisible line he'd drawn for himself on the ground. We walked on a little and he went well until a tractor appeared behind us.
I trotted him on because there was nowhere to let them pass us, and he was good. Worried, but did as asked. I halted him at the foot of the next farm track so that he could see what was 'chasing' us. He settled and I asked him on.
Once again, we were going backwards and then he whipped round and reared, and stomped, and reared, and stomped.
So I dismounted for a third time, led him a little up the way and remounted. By this point my jaw was clamped shut and I was grunting through my teeth. Anyway, once on board for a third time, and by this point soaked through, we set off briskly. He took exception to most things on this track but as soon as we were at the foot of the long hill I sent him up for a blast.
He spooked this way and that but he kept going and we waited at the top of the hill to catch our breath and I turned him right around for home.
The same tractor was bearing down on us on the way back. I pulled Quadi into a gateway and asked him to halt. I could feel him clearly worried but he did stand, and the farmer was very kind to slow right down and give us lots of room. I thanked him very much and he set off.
Sadly a driver heading towards us shortly after did not slow at all for us and she zoomed past, despite my signalling her to slow. Quadi was great, he didn't flinch and moved himself to the verge to avoid her, but hardly the point!
The tractors in the field were working on the way back, so we ended up jittering on the verge again, and an oncoming van driver also failed to slow.
Just an awful ride, I wish I'd gone into the forest. I'm off to harsh in the corner about all of this, I'm really not happy about any of it.
Yesterday:
Quadi was booted up with slightly thinner pads and we set off for a hack. It was a little drizzly and windy so we headed into the forest. Apart from a little stop/start at the Fell pony field where a dog walker stood every-so-patiently waiting on us to pass, he was great on the way out, save being a little backwards. We had a little trot and once into the forest he was really using his back and working off of my seat and legs very sweetly.
I took the unusual, and not very safe, decision to listen to my iPod on our hack. Just as we approached the track I canter him on (naughty habit, I know!) a song came on that, for the whole time he was on loan, I couldn't listen to for crying. Dayvan Cowboy by Boards of Canada, I have no idea why but it reminds me of him. So I got to canter him along whilst listening to it, magic. We lost a boot but I dismounted and put it back on, and off we continued. We went around the loop again and cantered there AGAIN. Big smiles from me, just what I needed!
But today, oh dear:
Firstly I must say that I'm not proud of my reaction. In fact, I'm ashamed of my behaviour!
The weather turned dire as I brought Quadi in. Really awful mizzle. But I had it in my head I ought to ride him on the road, we're staying out of the school this week. So we donned high-viz and set off. He stopped as we turned off the driveway. I got him going but he was even more backwards than yesterday. But forwards momentum was maintained. As we approached the closed road, the 'Road Closed' sign was no longer there. How busy can it be, thought I?!
Quadi took objection quite early on to some tractors in a field (we see these a lot, so I was having none of it). As the wind started driving the drizzle horizontally, Quadi would not be asked, told or foxed and decided to physically express himself by rearing. Absolutely any muscle movement in me set him off. I got off and led him to the stationary tractors and made him touch them. We walked on to the next passing place on our side of the road and mounted up again.
The saddle seat, by this point, was soaking. And I was in beige jods with pink knickers underneath. Great(!)
We managed about three strides before he started again, exactly the same. By this point my temper was gone and instead of trying to understand what Quadi was objecting to (I can't say I'm any the wiser now), I was rude and obnoxious. As a human I am in control of my feelings and emotions, except I wasn't!
He kept gawking around, so to try and regain his attention I asked for flexion. He decided I was taking a huge liberty by asking him to focus and put on his F*ck You and Your Commands t-shirt.
In my full-on seething strop, I dismounted again and could barely get him past the invisible line he'd drawn for himself on the ground. We walked on a little and he went well until a tractor appeared behind us.
I trotted him on because there was nowhere to let them pass us, and he was good. Worried, but did as asked. I halted him at the foot of the next farm track so that he could see what was 'chasing' us. He settled and I asked him on.
Once again, we were going backwards and then he whipped round and reared, and stomped, and reared, and stomped.
So I dismounted for a third time, led him a little up the way and remounted. By this point my jaw was clamped shut and I was grunting through my teeth. Anyway, once on board for a third time, and by this point soaked through, we set off briskly. He took exception to most things on this track but as soon as we were at the foot of the long hill I sent him up for a blast.
He spooked this way and that but he kept going and we waited at the top of the hill to catch our breath and I turned him right around for home.
The same tractor was bearing down on us on the way back. I pulled Quadi into a gateway and asked him to halt. I could feel him clearly worried but he did stand, and the farmer was very kind to slow right down and give us lots of room. I thanked him very much and he set off.
Sadly a driver heading towards us shortly after did not slow at all for us and she zoomed past, despite my signalling her to slow. Quadi was great, he didn't flinch and moved himself to the verge to avoid her, but hardly the point!
The tractors in the field were working on the way back, so we ended up jittering on the verge again, and an oncoming van driver also failed to slow.
Just an awful ride, I wish I'd gone into the forest. I'm off to harsh in the corner about all of this, I'm really not happy about any of it.
Sunday, 2 May 2010
Back on the horse
Proverbially, and literally!
I'm feeling a lot better. Having a couple of days off was good but I did miss Quadi. I've been having internet woes the past few days which seem to have magically resolved themselves, thanks to gnomes or fairies or something...
Yesterday I jumped Quadi. I wimped out of it on Friday but decided gave myself a swift kick to get on and use the handy pole exercises that Kate had left from the day before.
We didn't start well. By the time I'd built up from trotting over some poles to putting up a weeny cross with a pole under it for a groundline. In short, very easy! My first and only attempt before Kate arrived resulted in Quadi halting in front of it from a trot, before throwing himself over. I guess it was honest of him to jump it given my yes/no/yes/no/yes/no wimpy aiding won't have helped him!
Kate put us back down to trotting poles and just got us trotting over things again. She had me shorten my reins and also shouted Look Up on every approach to make sure I was thinking forwards. Next I was to pick a set of poles plus wings (all were handily colour co-ordinated!) I planned to approach next and shout the colour of them. Likewise in order to get me to think forwards, plan ahead, and take a bit of responsibility for what I was doing! It worked because Kate put two of them up as crosses, just on the first or second rung, and we were trotting over them without the fly-swatting, plane-signalling, bouncing-llama impression we usually do. Once we'd done a few in a good rhythm I called it a day, gave him a pat, and am arranging a jumping lesson PDQ!
Today I sort of, maybe, had it in my head I'd do a road hack but it was cold and windy so opted for a walking hack in the forest. Which was a good choice. We met tractors and cows in fields where there previously were no cows, it was nice to just mooch along and not think too much. I did get a bit cold on the way home, it was tempting to have a good blast but I didn't want to ruin the nice tempo we had going.
I hacked him in boots plus pads in front, which made a difference to his way of going even on the soft. I ought to get some for the backs too, I'm not happy with the hoof/pastern angle on his hinds and he seems to have heel pain there. Hmm...
Also, we moved them into the far back paddock to give their winter field a rest, and since there's not much grass in there either, the boys decided to remove themselves into the next field, where grass is plentiful. Sadly it's not set aside for greedy Iberians *lol* I'm assuming the Baby just went along with what the Big Boys were doing, since ropes were lifted and knots were undone...
I'm feeling a lot better. Having a couple of days off was good but I did miss Quadi. I've been having internet woes the past few days which seem to have magically resolved themselves, thanks to gnomes or fairies or something...
Yesterday I jumped Quadi. I wimped out of it on Friday but decided gave myself a swift kick to get on and use the handy pole exercises that Kate had left from the day before.
We didn't start well. By the time I'd built up from trotting over some poles to putting up a weeny cross with a pole under it for a groundline. In short, very easy! My first and only attempt before Kate arrived resulted in Quadi halting in front of it from a trot, before throwing himself over. I guess it was honest of him to jump it given my yes/no/yes/no/yes/no wimpy aiding won't have helped him!
Kate put us back down to trotting poles and just got us trotting over things again. She had me shorten my reins and also shouted Look Up on every approach to make sure I was thinking forwards. Next I was to pick a set of poles plus wings (all were handily colour co-ordinated!) I planned to approach next and shout the colour of them. Likewise in order to get me to think forwards, plan ahead, and take a bit of responsibility for what I was doing! It worked because Kate put two of them up as crosses, just on the first or second rung, and we were trotting over them without the fly-swatting, plane-signalling, bouncing-llama impression we usually do. Once we'd done a few in a good rhythm I called it a day, gave him a pat, and am arranging a jumping lesson PDQ!
Today I sort of, maybe, had it in my head I'd do a road hack but it was cold and windy so opted for a walking hack in the forest. Which was a good choice. We met tractors and cows in fields where there previously were no cows, it was nice to just mooch along and not think too much. I did get a bit cold on the way home, it was tempting to have a good blast but I didn't want to ruin the nice tempo we had going.
I hacked him in boots plus pads in front, which made a difference to his way of going even on the soft. I ought to get some for the backs too, I'm not happy with the hoof/pastern angle on his hinds and he seems to have heel pain there. Hmm...
Also, we moved them into the far back paddock to give their winter field a rest, and since there's not much grass in there either, the boys decided to remove themselves into the next field, where grass is plentiful. Sadly it's not set aside for greedy Iberians *lol* I'm assuming the Baby just went along with what the Big Boys were doing, since ropes were lifted and knots were undone...
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