Elentári update.....

My little fat baby horse was a total star today. She's been going out in hand and doing ride and lead with Gandalf for a while now, and as she's 3 already, we started her long-reining. She was fine with the equipment, although she looked a the white saddle blanket a bit funny, but didn't mind the surcingle being done up round her rather large belly, or the long reins flapping about. We went off down the quiet little lane along with our friends riding the other 2 horses.

Ali was at her head to start with, but it soon became apparent that she didn't really need her there. She was fine with me walking behind her. Took her a little while to work out the brakes, she was in her new sidepull rather than the rope headcollar she's used to, but she picks things up quickly and although it took a while to respond to pressure on her nose the first time, after a few stops and starts she hardly needed a touch on the reins. When the other two trotted off, she listened when I asked her to stay with me.

In fact, the only problem, inevitably, was the temptation of the grass to either side of her, so I had to make sure she didn't start zigzagging along from verge to verge for a snack! She's been wearing a grazing muzzle all the time since the herd went onto the new grazing for the spring and she's still putting on weight. She's figured out how to eat pretty efficiently with it on, but at least this way she can be out with the others getting plenty of exercise.......

I grabbed a branch on the way back to drag it along behind her and see how she'd react to the noise - she just tried to turn round and eat it......I can see if we ever do any logging, the young hazel shoots won't stand a chance ;-)

When we got back, I decided to try something, so I summoned my crash test dummy and we did this:

She really doesn't worry about the strange stuff we do - as long as she's getting bits of carrot! Good girl :-)

Skysie goes to school.......

This week there was a stage up at the stables which Ali wanted to do. As Polo was going up there anyway, we blagged a lift in the trailer for Sky to see how she'd get on in a new environment.

Rather well, as it turns out :-)

Here's what she did.....

That last one is the jeu d'éperviers, a bit like British Bulldog on horseback. She also did a bit of dressage, a bit of TREC, jumped the odd pole, went for a gallop, wasn't too happy about being shut in a box to be saddled and fell in love with Carole's Arab, Idaa.......and all without a bit.

She's come home now for a rest. Love her......

Another lake ride

So  today we rode to the lake. The weather forecast lied to us about it being sunny. Until we were almost home of course, then a bit of sun broke through, just in time to get this pic of Kinna cantering like a sensible big grown up horsie

She has been a total star today, no spooking, no bucking, no throwing her toys out of the pram about not being allowed to graze, no acting up when a load of baby Lippizaners came hooleying up to the fence (why do they breed so many? Are they destined for lasagne or Ikea meatballs?)

We have been past massive tractors, several bonfires, lots of yapping dogs (some loose), through dense woodland requiring some contortion from her rider, over ditches, up and down steep banks, through massive puddles and she has calmly done it all

 

She really has exceeded my expectations today :-)

She even went for a splash in the lake

Sky on the other hand was a pain in the arse, because she wanted the grass, so there was the usual protest in the form of planting, going backwards, stopping dead and doing a little prance about, so that, coupled with the fact that she was cold due to the lack of sun, caused the SNO to bail out when we got to Jane's, so she went to the lake in the car with her father and Sky got to spend all day in the field being chased around by Maverick. She must have annoyed him as she's got a huge bite mark on her back!

Managed to get her to do a bit of sensible cantering on the way home though.....

Hacking solo and in company.....

Another first for the girl today, I asked her to leave the house on her own with me on her back not on the end of a leadrope. Took about 10 minutes to get her out of the gate, but she didn't try to go backwards, just needed time to think about stuff I reckon. We set off in search of Jane et al, rather slow progress as she kept stopping and looking at stuff, and trying to make a sidestep to the verge for a quick snack  but I just let her take her time and eventually she decided to get on with things......

After a couple of kms, we met the others, she got a little bit excited but was generally OK. I was talking to one of the other riders I hadn't met before and I just let Sky do her own thing which was basically try to keep up with the others, Ocarina was way out in front as usual, Maverick trotting and showing off the whole time, the two draught horses pulled faces at us and the little chestnut at the back was the only one prepared to let us walk alongside!

We rode with them for a km or two, then they turned off up the hill and I didn't want to overdo it on Sky so we headed home.

Had to get off to get her to leave the others but after a bit of calling she followed me willingly enough and I led her down the hill. Then I found a handy tree stump to get back on and rode home. She didn't even try to rush back, just made a few more attempts to stop for grass......

Very pleased with her :-)

Is this going to last.....?

So after Kinna's "entertainements" at the weekend, I decided to try and do something with her every day for a week to see if that would calm things down a bit. Monday I took her for a walk in hand, that was mostly calm, but when we got back to the grassy bit across the road and tried to do a couple of circles, she exploded again at not being allowed to eat. I eventually got a couple of vaguely calm cirlcles out of her and left it at that.

Tuesday we were out all day taking Fina to Sheila's but when we got back it was still light so I took her over the road for a graze for about 20 minutes. Just before going back I tried another circle or two, and she was actually OK with it, presumably because she'd been allowed to eat first......

Yesterday, she outdid herself. We went for a hack, there was a bit of bouncing around at the start but nothing serious and the rest of the time she was really good. She didn't turn a hair at the noisy dogs and didn't even spook at any birds  ;-)

When we came to a grassy slope I decided to try a little canter. Fearing another explosion, I got Ali off first......but she was good as gold!

And when we got back, we jumped the ditch, no problems and did some circles on the grass, no rearing, no bucking......

Good girl :-)

Long reining

Decided to try Sky with the long reins today (well OK, two bits of rope, have lent my long lines to Jane) with a bitless bridle, and she was an absolute star. Ali and Fina came along to give her a lead and she was quite happy to follow along, once she'd realised that snacking was not allowed

We did some trotting, she's pretty fast, I need to get fitter!!

We went all round the village, I thought she might be a bit insecure without someone at her head, but she seemed happy to know I was there behind her.....

She was also OK with Fina cantering off ahead, something I always practise, and she would trot on ahead of Fina.

We even went down to the Boulangerie, funnily enough she was less keen to go on ahead of me once I had some still warm baguettes under my arm!!!

Love my spotty girl :-)

Kinna goes solo

Took Kinna out on her own today. Was expecting some shenanigans as she hasn't been away from other horses for months and months, but she surprised me!
We went over the bridge, she had a good look at everything but happily followed me over.....

She didn't mind any of the traffic, we went through the little town and she was OK with that and we went down the path by the river.

She was unworried enough to graze, we went right down to the water, she didn't go as far as getting her feet wet but she was quite happy to stand there whilst Choccy hoolied in and out of the water.....

Then after a bit more grazing we went back along the river to the quai. She was more concerned about going under the bridge, she spooked at a rattly tractor going over it when she was about to go under, but in the end she was OK. The other side of the bridge is a flight of stone steps that go back up to the top, I was going to carry on along to the road that goes up, but Kinna had other ideas - she saw Choccy go up the steps and she started following her! She skipped gracefully right up to the top with me rushing along behind her, then stopped dead as if to say "how did I get up here?!"......

She's a funny little character. Apparently she's been investigating the toilet blocks on the campsite when let out to graze so she's obviously been practising her stairs technique

Mind you, she isn't so little any more, she's really growing now, must get the stick out and measure her.

A day off!

The OH made it home this weekend for one of his rare visits so I got the day away from the SNO, a absolute luxury......

Went out this morning with Ali and Fina, rode Chester in his Western saddle which is possibly the most uncomfortable saddle I have ever sat in. Nice little amble (for me, gotta watch the back) by the river, Ali and Fina (and Choccy) did some hooleying and jumping

Then this afternoon went up to ride Gandalf out with Tess. His new saddle has arrived, and it's a lot more comfy than Ches's!! Organza was a good girl, we even managed to stretch the elastic a bit and got her five whole vine rows away from us :-)

And the best thing about today? No small (but insistent and loud) voice saying "mummy I need a poo!" ......

Kinna does some long reining.....

The snow is showing no signs of leaving, so I have decided to carry on trying to work the horses regardless. We got out the proper grown up horse stuff today (well alright, the felt saddle we used to have for the pony) and tacked Kinna up.

No problems with that, she's had a saddle on before. Then we added some long lines and went for it.....

And she did really well, I had Ali at her head to start with til she got the idea and then she was fine, despite various distracions and my happy "helper"........good job Kinna knows all about long ropes and how not to get tangled in them!!

Afterwards I took the long lines off and let her wander about witrh the saddle on, so naturally she tried rolling in it, which is why I use the old pony saddle!!! Once she realised she couldn't get rid of it, she gave up and went over to give Chester a hard time......

Quite pleased with that for a first go.

Kinna's turn

Haven't had time to do much with Kinna recently so I spent a bit of time with her in the round pen today. She was a good girl.....

......so good, in fact, that we tried this:

Not bovvered at all :-)