Happy, Happy!

Last night I took the mare to the riding club training evening.

It rained, a lot. The mare, who generally isn't very marish showed off every marish quality she could think of. She dug, she snorted, she stamped, she shook her head, bucked and generally ignored all my feeble attempts to control her. I felt like leaving her there and going home!

The instructor, Simon Somers, was a very calming influence. He made the group walk out on a large square, concentrating on straight lines and correctly ridden corners. He told us that we were being too nice to our horses and needed to get a bit of respect from them (very true!) I was told to shorten my stirrups a hole to give me better balance, and to slow everything down. I tend to ride very much with my seat and have become scared of putting my leg on due to the mare being very forward going. He told me to use more leg, the old "Between hand and leg" which is forgotten so often.

We did lots of walk and trot, concentrating on correctness, balance and rhythm. I was told I was very good at sitting there making the horse and I look pretty, but that sometimes you have to upset things to improve. As soon as I was given a job to do my nerves vanished and I felt that I was good enough to be there. When my leg yield in trot was deemed "nearly a 9" (!!!) I could not stop the massive smile on my face and I am still bouncing this morning :-D

Ups and downs

Anyone who has horses knows how things can be wonderful one day, and go to complete shit the next.

On Sunday, the mare and I were off to the riding club for some more showjumping. We were going to attempt the 2'3" class again after having a blip last time.

It didn't really start very well, the mare was banging around in the trailer and the kids were restless and bored. It was quite busy, so we had a fair bit of hanging around. The jumping was a bit shit to be honest. Some very hairy moments with very little control, one stop and me trying to act like I had actually been on a horse before (it didn't look like it)

I came home feeling miserable and doubting my abilities. I'm sure everyone who has a horse has had that feeling at some point that they are not good enough for the horse. It is a horrid feeling and does nothing for the confidence.

Decided to stop wallowing in self pity and be proactive about it. Looking up instructors in the area and asking horsey friends for their recommendations. Looking forward to the riding club training evening next week, it has come at just the right time!

Monday evening I hacked out with a friend. Put a grackle noseband on the mare to gain a bit extra control. It was just what we needed, a really relaxing ride, making the stress of Sunday seem a bit ridiculous. Bathed the gelding - not much of an improvement!

Tuesday - schooled the mare today. She felt very flat. My husband, who is a vet, came to check her over in the evening. She was stiff but sound, and sweating in one patch just inside her right armpit. She is to have three days of easy work and painkillers. Next Tuesday's training evening may not happen. Going to give the chiropractor a call tomorrow morning and see if she will do some laser treatment. I suppose at least this may be the reason for the bad travelling on Sunday? Feeling a bit stressed.

Wednesday - called the chiro first thing - she is away at the moment!! Typical!
Architect coming over at 10am to look at loft conversion possibilities. Hoping for good news.
Found another physio that is already coming to our yard this evening and is happy to do some laser treatment on the mare. Things may be looking up?

Spoke too soon! Had a bit of a blow financially. Isn't it typical? The next couple of months may see some difficult decisions :(

Thursday - the mare is responding really well to the combination of painkillers and the laser treatment she had.
Went to a friends for dinner. Feel much more positive after a good gossip and several glasses of wine.....
Let's hope things improve or we find some sort of solution. May be looking for more work, but sadly I have very few marketable qualities, unless you count endless optimism and sheer bloodymindedness!

That moment when you think you have made a bit of a mistake.....

I schooled the mare today. The boy was having a lovely nap, the sun was out, and it seemed like a good opportunity to do some decent flatwork with her.

I decided to try her in the gelding's bridle, as he has a French link bit (she has a copper roller that is not dressage legal) and she seemed happy with it.

However, when we got into the school, I felt like I had very little control (eeek!) Our long rein warm up was a bit speedier than I would have liked, but the medium trot was quite something! Or, it would have been if I had asked for medium trot, as it was, I just felt less in control. At that moment I wondered if it had been a really stupid idea!

20mins of quite hard work later and I was feeling pretty pleased with ourselves. Tomorrow is going to be painful though.

Sleeping children?

As I write this I am sat outside the yard waiting for the boy to fall asleep. He is desperate for a nap, but has reached that age where he will fight it with everything he's got. I actually don't mind having him on the yard with me, especially when the weather is nice, but when he is tired he falls over a lot (more than usual) and it becomes rather stressful.

I generally don't ride when I have the kids with me unless my husband is here. There are lots of people who have their kids sat in buggies in/just outside the arena, but for me it just doesn't work. Not least because I have as much hope of the boy staying in a buggy as I do getting my husband to do dressage - none.

I just can't concentrate on myself and my horse if I know I am the one in charge of the kids. Even if they are happy in the car playing their computer games I struggle to concentrate fully.
Asleep or not with me is the only time I can ride.

I have now spent 15mins sat outside the yard gate in the car, and the boy has finally dropped off. Right, I have approximately 30mins, time to get going!

Gridwork (or something along those lines)

I probably shouldn't write a blog post this evening as I am in a bit of a grump.

I have just got back from attempting to do dome gridwork with the horses and it was a bit crap.

As I was on my own, I couldn't ride the grid without having to get off and on again about twenty times, so I made a jumping lane and loose schooled the horses over it.

The gelding was a bit confused, but it doesn't take a lot to confuse him, he did manage the trotting poles quite nicely followed by a mini cross pole, so not too bad an effort.

The mare is frustrating. She is a bit of a know it all, and if she doesn't like the idea, she will do it her own way. This makes loose schooling gridwork a complete waste of time. She has no respect for poles on the ground.

They are looking better though, I have upped the amount of oil and Purabeet they are having, just until the grass finally makes an appearance.

The kids are looking pretty healthy at the minute too, a bit of sunshine, lots of exercise and a fair amount of carbs, is apparently the right combination.

Just me and the husband who are looking weary and worn out then...

Another Outing!

Bit of a disheartening week really. I seem to have worked really hard to get time to exercise the horses and it hasn't felt worth it.

The mare was stiff and reluctant on Tuesday when I was trying to school her, making me think that she was still sore from her slip months ago. On wednesday however, she was a bit of a tramp and proved that nothing was hurting as she bolted off around the school with a squeal and a buck (while on the lunge, thankfully!) Starting to feel nervous about jumping on Sunday......

No exercising of the horses on Wednesday and Thursday, as I was working (yes, actually working! My first job since before the kids - eeek!) The boy and I did some baking instead. He likes baking.

Friday was a bit of a disaster. We had an architect over to look at our house with a view to convert our loft into a bedroom and en suite but it wasn't as straightforward as we had hoped. The day just kind of went downhill from there. I got to the horses about 7pm that night in a foul mood. Wandering around the field poo picking in a bit of evening sunshine was just what I needed!

Saturday was a great day, the mare felt back to herself and I had a lovely ride. I bathed her, cleaned my tack and packed up everything for showjumping in the morning. The kids spent all afternoon playing out on the yard and in the giant sandpit, also known as the arena. The evening was spent eating pizza and nachos, and watching You've Been Framed with the kids.

Rather a leisurely start to Sunday morning considering we were going out competing. The mare was much more relaxed and there were no bucks! Rather a beautiful medium trot around the warm up arena that I struggled to hold, but still, that's progress! We entered the 2'3" class this time. We had a couple of little blips, mainly me nearly being jumped out of the saddle, but the behaviour was much improved and the actual jumping was better, more showjumping than hurdling!

Next trip planned is in two weeks. I'm really enjoying being able to get out and about so much.

The end is in sight!

Last week of the Easter holidays. From a parent/children point of view it has been a better week. It has been warmer, we have been places, seen people and done fun stuff. I have happy, hungry (in a good, eating all their dinner, way) sleepy children, and I am feeling a bit smug. I am pretty good at this parenting lark*

*this week. I feel you should take credit where you can!

The horses haven't done as much this week, possibly because I haven't felt the same need to escape as last week. But I did get in a good long hack on Tuesday, which was fun and perked the mare up no end.

Both horses got a good brush and a decent lunge at the weekend. Both went straight out into the field and had a really good roll. Of course.

Back to school next week!