A day at the stables

[diamondlil]

Such a wonderful weekend spent at Cathy's with the crazy gang. Today we worked on leading with Luna and Lola, over a tarpaulin and a cavaletti.

 

[diamondlil]

More playing with the girls......

 

[diamondlil]

And putting a saddle on them, Luna's had this before, she's progressed to the western saddle

 

[diamondlil]

And then Lola's first ever time, a bareback pony pad accepted without any fuss at all. I love how Cathy's raising these babies!

 

[diamondlil]

Over to Kim's yesterday for a Merlin day. We took the boys out for a lovely hack, through the woods then some great cantering practice across the fields. Kim's got a new strategy, I canter in front so she can correct my posture and position as we go. So far it's working well, I'm learning to lean further back and sit down into the saddle and correcting Merlin's habit of raising his head and getting above the bit. I only lost a stirrup once and regained it without stopping!

 

[diamondlil]

Stayed at Cathy's again, played with the ponies, then over to Kim's today. Saw this flock of Canada geese yesterday, they flew overhead a few times honking their heads off before landing to graze. Today I watched Zoe having a jumping lesson on Merlin, made friends with a new horse on the livery yard, a beautiful 4 year old andalusian, and was enchanted by the swallows that have been nesting at the yard.

 

[diamondlil]

As it's Kim's partner's birthday this week, we bought some new fish for his pond, including comets, orfe, koi, butterfly koi, butterfly carp and mirror carp, plus a freebie.........a grass carp leap out of it's holding tank 3 times, then jumped straight into my hands, so the manager agreed it obviously wanted to come home wih us! John has got himself a splendid new truck as his present to himself.

 

[diamondlil]

Merlin day again! Today instead of hacking out I had a lesson in groundwork, playing Parelli games with Merlin. Then Kim worked with him before we took turns in riding him bareback with the rope halter, great fun and something different both for me and for Merlin. In a rope halter Merlin will reinback, spin on his front or hindquarters, go sideways etc and stop on a sixpence like a pro!
Then Curo had his second ever Parelli session, he was really scared of the carrot stick last time but was calm and accepting this time.

 

[SnakeAround]

I Love to read all of the horsey story's! I think the greatest way to enjoy horse riding is hacking. Some dressage can be very fullfilling too but it is usually way less relaxing

One thing I feel like saying from the first time I saw it on a photo in this thread; what about the barbwire used in the fencing for the pony's? I know you're not in the position to chance it, but doesn't it scare you? You really don't want to learn the hard way what barbwire can do to pony flesh One accident can ruin their future as a fully enjoyable riding partner!

 

[diamondlil]

I Love to read all of the horsey story's! I think the greatest way to enjoy horse riding is hacking. Some dressage can be very fullfilling too but it is usually way less relaxing

One thing I feel like saying from the first time I saw it on a photo in this thread; what about the barbwire used in the fencing for the pony's? I know you're not in the position to chance it, but doesn't it scare you? You really don't want to learn the hard way what barbwire can do to pony flesh One accident can ruin their future as a fully enjoyable riding partner!

I totally agree about the fencing. Kim is gradually going to be able to replace hers with post and rail with electric running inside (as you know, ponies will chew, lean on and totally wreck wooden fences!).
As Cathy's field is leased and the owner will not either replace or properly maintain the fencing apart from where it borders a hayfield, we have encouraged more hawthorn, wild roses and blackberry bushes to spread along the fenceline to make a safer barrier that the ponies are less likely to run into. A beautiful post and rail fence that divided the paddocks (put in at her own expense) has been rendered dangerous by the ponies destroying it, even with a strand of electric along it they have still taken the fence to pieces.

 

[SnakeAround]

Great to hear someday in the future barb wire might be out of their reach

 

[diamondlil]

Stayed at Cathy's for a couple of days this week, Nuts has been lame and the 2 year olds were due their vaccinations, so the vet visited on Tuesday. Vaccinations performed with no fuss at all, but the news for Nuts not so good. She seems to be improving but is lame at trot and has injured a foreleg tendon. Box rest would be ideal if she was a stabled horse, instead she'll have a course of anti-inflammatories then reassess in 4 weeks.
The official measurements for the 2 year olds are Luna at 14 hands 1" and Lola at 14 hands 2". With a couple of years more growing to do it looks like they'll be officially classed as horses rather than ponies!

 

[diamondlil]

I spent yesterday with Kim's former employer, seeing how much the yearlings have grown and helping to put up electric fencing. I haven't seen his horses for about a year, and it was wonderful how they showed they remembered me! I was nibbled and groomed and got tons of horsey hugs. I had to watch out for jealousy as my particular favourites aren't that high up in the herd rankings and getting caught in the middle of squabbles between a bunch of 16 hand + horses in a field isn't fun!

 

[diamondlil]

Back to Cathy's on Saturday, with the last chance to see Nuts and the gang before my holiday. There were the remains of a couple of sky lanterns caught on the fencing so the girls had fun 'conquering' the scary monsters

 

[diamondlil]

Yesterday we fixed up some fencing, then I had a lovely ride on Joey.

 

[diamondlil]

I've come back from my riding holiday adventures feeling a lot more confident in the saddle, so last week, out through the woods with Merlin as a solo adventure. As I got near his stable I got a lovely head-flipping, whinneying greeting from Mr Merlin!
Kim had a nasty cough and cold and really didn't feel up to riding out on Curo, so she gave me directions for what should have been a 20-minute circuit through the woods......except we got lost! I wasn't too bothered, we were having a great time exploring paths through the trees in a methodical pattern, pushing our way through and under the branches when they were overgrown, trotting along when the rides opened up again and ending up back in the same spot by four different routes!
The fifth time around, we hit the path back home, and got back to find Kim just starting to get anxious about how long we'd been. I hadn't realised we'd been out more than an hour or I'd have rang her, so I apologised for making her worried. She ignored the fact that I was grinning like a looney (so happy to be back with Merlin again) and accepted the apology

 

[diamondlil]

I stayed at Kim's last night because she had an early vet visit for Merlin's booster shots then a jumping lesson on Curo. Curo thoroughly enjoyed himself, he's obviously never jumped like this before so there was a lot more enthusiasm than style in his approach to the jumps, but Kim kept him nice and calm and had the biggest grin ever on her face after they'd finished. I got to meet a lovely Sussex spaniel puppy called Honey and held her while her owner was getting photos of her new horse being jumped.
Then after lunch, out for another solo adventure on Merlin. This time I knew which route we would take through the woods, because the tracks had dried out nicely we alternated trotting and cantering to give Merlin a good workout. All the practise I got on holiday paid off handsomely, I got a perfect canter transition every time I asked and Melin had a great time, with me sitting the paces properly without bouncing around on his back or losing my stirrups.
In fact he had such a good time that he wanted to tank across the field for home when we got out of the woods and I swear he almost said 'WHAT'S GOING ON, WHERE'S JANINE???' when I held him up in collected circles to calm him down then let him have a short collected canter before bringing him back to a nice trot.
Even 6 months ago I'd never have felt in control enough (and in fact I wasn't in control enough) to canter out by myself. Kim's over the moon with my progress and says she'll have me in jumping classes next year!

 

[diamondlil]

Just back from lots of pony time!
First I stayed over at Cathy's and got to ride out on Joey, who behaved perfectly this time, no nonsense and no injuries! We played with the girls, Cathy's started target training using a clicker and they've all caught on to the new games beautifully. My camera is playing up, so the photos from Tuesday are locked in the memory card somehow.
Then I stayed at Kim's, had a little time with Merlin this morning, then we went off to collect a new pony!
A welsh section c, shown in hand but not backed yet, 6 years old, jet black little mare! She's sweet so far, loaded and travelled well. Kim's named her Bella. 13.1 hh and after she's backed she'll be for sale as a child's pony.

 

[diamondlil]

Oh a lovely stay at Cathy's this weekend, with today spent with her herd, all growing in great wooley winter coats. We were fixing up some fencing and I picked nettles which the horses can then eat after an hour or so without getting stung. It was a bustery day of sunshine, light rain and impressive clouds whizzzing across the sky.

 

[Leew]

Always love seeing your pictures J9.