A day at the stables

[diamondlil]

A wonderful Merlin day today, out for a lovely hack in the morning, then stayed behind to muck out the horses whilst Kim had to go off teaching. I got to use my actioncam, but the files are too big to share here, so I'll get the boys to help me with those.

 

[diamondlil]

No chance for Merlin days for the last couple of weeks, but this weekend I got to see the Crazy gang. Lots of love, especially from Coconuts, and a little groundwork with Lola and Luna

 

[VickyChaiTea]

Fuzzy fuzzy winter coats!

 

[vetusvates]

What lovable furry beasties, LOL.

 

[diamondlil]

Thanks to an error in my contracted hours, I'm due around 50 hours worth to take as time owing, which they can't spare me to schedule the time off, so I'll work that amount of time as flexi and still get paid it as time owed too! So as soon as the money's in my account I can order a treeless saddle for starting the girls in! I'd planned to help out by working flexi shifts but it would have taken longer, so this means some adventures over the next couple of months and hopefully they'll be ready for their first short rides soon!
Nuts is in shape for riding again too, with her lameness completely gone, so I'll get her out and about again too.
And...........Hurrah! Wednesday is going to be a Merlin day!

 

[diamondlil]

Last week's riding got cancelled but today was, finally, a Merlin day! I got a lovely greeting of whinneying and head flipping, then grooming a very loving Merlin took ages because he kept tucking me under his chin for hugs. We went out for a nice hack, had a lovely canter and a little gallop, being careful because of the muddy ground.

 

[SnakeAround]

Ah the joy of being around horses

 

[diamondlil]

Ah the joy of being around horses

I do get so much joy from my horsey friends! With all the plans for backing Luna and Lola this summer and getting Nuts back under saddle I'm thinking twice about whether I'll be booking a riding holiday this year, I may end up just needing to veg out somewhere hot with a pool!

 

[diamondlil]

Saturday was brilliant! Terry got to meet the crazy gang, then down to the fun of practising mounting Lola and Luna. They've learnt to stand quietly while we bounce up and down next to them holding their withers, now the next step was to use our 'mounting block' (an old bucket) and actually lean up and over them as if mounting, then to hang over like a sack of spuds with them taking our weight. Both girls did really well, calmly accepting this new game without any fuss.

 

[diamondlil]

And now the fun of introducing a new saddle and bridle to the girls! Luna was a total star, inquisitive and willing to go along with it. The saddle girth got done up loosely, no stirrups on it yet, and she put up with our fumbling with the new bridle (neither Cathy or I have put on a bitless sidepull before!)

 

[diamondlil]

Lola, however was having none of it! She accepted the saddle without girth and sniffed the bridle with great suspicion, making her feelings quite clear. So back a step or two with her, and working up to the equipment again

 

[diamondlil]

Not nearly enough time spent with the horses recently....

 

[diamondlil]

But I've met my new chap's yearling TB flat-racing prospect, Nelson

 

[diamondlil]

Got to see Rio all grown up. (She belongs to one of Cathy's friends, she's a TB x New Forest who I haven't seen since she was a fuzzy foal 5 years ago)

 

[diamondlil]

Went to a Western riding competition on Sunday (not as good a standard of riding as the last one I went to, but lovely people there )

 

[diamondlil]

And had a wonderful time introducing my sister and her family to the Crazy gang

 

[Pal-O-Mine]

Great pics! Every little girl needs horses in her life! ( Pssst. What are the blue gloves for???)

I've got a funny short video of my guys but I'm gonna have to go to the library or a friend's to send it here. Dial-up just can't cut it.

Devon

 

[diamondlil]

Great pics! Every little girl needs horses in her life! ( Pssst. What are the blue gloves for???)

I've got a funny short video of my guys but I'm gonna have to go to the library or a friend's to send it here. Dial-up just can't cut it.

Devon

I totally agree! The gloves are for when we pull up ragwort, darn stuff stinks and always seems to have ants all over it

 

[SnakeAround]

That first western ridden horse actually keeps his head and neck like he is still doing English dressage a bit I think

 

[diamondlil]

That first western ridden horse actually keeps his head and neck like he is still doing English dressage a bit I think

Oh yes, Barbara! The people there were very nice, and very enthusiastic, but basically riding english style in western tack, badly. The reins were too tight, the head carriage was wrong, there was an awful lot of jabbing at the mouths (I saw what I would actually call cruel and excessive use of the bits to get the horses to back up and to turn) In my opinion there was one good rider there that day, a younger girl using a bosal bitless bridle, asking her horse for the movements and the horse in return really trying hard for her. So no intention of going there again and certainly no intention of taking Lola and Luna there in the future.