cabbagepatch88

Well there was only 5 people in my Intro B class this evening but im pleased to report that we won with 70.43% Milo was an absoloute star, I was absoloutely awful. I was concentrating so hard on the consistant contact and all that jazz and didnt ride a single bit of the test properly We agued down the centre line, I overshot or undershot most of my lines, didnt go into the corners, the free walk was way too fast and hurried, the stretch in trot wasnt a stretch at all...urgh it was just horrendous. However, we had a lovely consistant outline throughout the test, which is what our main pointers were from last time. It was a different judge so I was pleased with the score, I thought maybe the last person was maybe just really generous and gave me 66.9% last time, so to get 70.43% this time was really pleasing. The comment at the end was "What a lovely horse" Suppose I ought to have a bash at a Prelim aswell next time? Will post the video at some point, off jumping tomorrow so will update tomorrow!

Happy new year grace, good for you! Gooster what a nightmare. I have to say I have very little tolerance for silly behaviour like that, fortunately Earl was fine to hack and MIlo too doesn't bat at eyelid. I can imagine its so difficult though trying to calm them down when they get like that, especially in groups. Fingers crossed you can get him out for a nice hack! I can't believe I'm saying this but I am actually looking forward to dressage on Friday I've really been working on the consistent contact issue and I don't want to speak too soon but we've really cracked it. Now I've said that he'll be in giraffe head land on Friday! We're out jumping on Saturday, I got him some new posh boots at Olympia so looking forward to looking all posh. I clipped him yesterday and he was the best behaved he's ever been. He didn't try to kill me at all I did a bit of a custom clip this time, I basically left the hair where an exercise sheet would go. I took the neck and shoulders off, came straight down from the whither and then tapered off at the stifle. I cleverly left it there because he tries to kick me in the head if I attempt the stifle area! He looks most bizarre, all his patches of clipped hair are chocolate brown but the hair left on is black. So he's tri coloured for the moment...

Hehe, its aways the way! I have a question for you dressage peeps! I'm doing intro B on Friday, part of the test is a 20m circle at A in trot and it says allowing the horse to stretch. I've been watching videos on YouTube but I'm still none the wiser. What's the best way to do it? Lengthen the reins...give hands forwards...? I've been a good girl and been practicing all my pointers from last time

Hehe, naughty Loki. I think nicolas school may be underwater by Saturday lol, fingers crossed its not! How's colicy horse today gooster? It's so wet I shouldn't worry about thrush!

Happy Chrsitmas everyone! Sorry, got to have a rant, its driving me mental... Im having issues at the moment with the girl who lives where Milo is who 'helps' me. Lets just say her enthusiasm for looking after him has seriously dwindled in the last few weeks - maybe it has something to do with the rain and mud Seriously though, she normally feeds him in the mornings on Saturdays and Sundays for me. She's been ill this week so just to double check I texted her yesterday morning to check if she could feed him, she promptly text me back to say she had already fed him, so I thought, great! I trundled down at lunchtime to ride and I was mortified to find he had no hay or water. I know he'd been searching for food and drinking out of the puddles because his usually white nose was mud coloured! I know theres no way she couldve fed him any hay either because when I fill up his hay box in the morning it will last him most of the day, and there literally wasnt a scrap of hay left. I didnt actually tell her I was coming down to ride at lunchtime so whats worrying is that he couldve been stood there all day with nothing to eat I was really cross!! I text her and asked if she'd remembered to feed him hay, I had no response, I then tried later in the day, no response. I knocked on the door last night and she answered the door, I asked her if she'd got my messages, she said she'd lost her phone. ARRGGGGGHHHH. Rant over!!

A carrot - if he's lucky Went jumpies today, was our first trip out in my trailer. It was fab, no trouble at all. Milo was fantastic today, we did two classes, 70cm and 75cm. The first class I took steady, unfortunately he clipped the last pole but he was very calm and chilled In the second class I was brave enough to drive him on a bit more forward, I rode it awfully but he saved the day. We went clear then went straight into the jump off, went clear and came 3rd, what a super star so pleased with him. He's a pain In the back side to live with but he always does so well for me, bless him

What are you moaning about, some of us don't even have a school Seriously though very frustrating, i always used to be the moaning person at my last yard as the school was never raked and there were always huge ruts which is no good. Very annoying Glad things are looking up for wanda Milo has stayed put this week I've booked in for show jumping next Saturday so been doing some long hacks to get him fit enough!

Naughty blue!!! Winter is a horrible time for horses isn't it How's wanda and Loki?

Milo's field resembles a swimming pool in places. I do feel sorry for him stood out in this horrendous weather, he does have natural shelter, a bale of hay to munch and is toastie warm in his rugs so I know I shouldn't worry. It is gross though. I havnt ridden all week but going out for a hack with my friend tomorrow

I do apologise, I havnt updated you from our jumping outing at the weekend! The day itself couldn't have been any worse but I'm pleased to say the actual jumping went well! All started to plan, I had everything organised, had been down early in the pitch black to give milo breakfast but it all went wrong after that. I borrowed my friends lorry, loaded it all up, jumped in the drivers side, put the keys in and.....wouldn't start. Had to go home, get jump leads, come back, jumpstart lorry. Off we went to pick milo up, set sat nav on and off we went. Sat nav took us to a farm, we got totally lost and ended up driving round for over an hour. Milo started stamping in frustration (dont blame him!), I ended up flagging down some cyclists who gave me directions. Arrived at the place, they had 10 left to jump in the first class and they said they'd let me jump last if I got ready quickly. In a rush, I dropped all his nice clean tack in the mud, got mud all up my white jodhs, dropped the lorry key in the mud and lost it momentarily, rushed round to the warm up, learnt the 12pm jump course with 2 horses to go and we were in. Amazingly we got round with a refusal at a double but that was it, 9th place! Walked the second class and the jumps in the jump off bit looked huge so was a bit worried he'd have them down but he had no issue with the height, no poles down at all. We had another refusal at jump 2, a big union jack filler which caught everyone out. It was on a dog leg coming from the first jump which was a spread and just didn't get time between fences to organise him. Anyway he jumped the rest really nicely. No place in that class as there was 50 people on it! So really pleased, I was worried about his hocks and that he might struggle but he didn't at all. Clever milo I'm on my phone so not sure if this will work, heres my 2 fav photos from the photographer. http://www.everybodysmile.biz/cgi-bin/public.cgi?form_status=order_image&img=BCA-SUSJ-0216.jpg&anc=p3_0024&ss=216 http://www.everybodysmile.biz/cgi-bin/public.cgi?form_status=order_image&img=BCA-SUSJ-0443.jpg&anc=p5_0059&ss=443

Got my trailer today, really pleased with my eBay bargain! The floor is new, the chassis is absoloutely solid as a rock, no rust at all. 4 new tyres, rubber mattibg, breast bar... It's only an old rice single one but there's nothing wrong with it. Now I've got to teach mu dad the art of driving slowly We're off showjumping tomorrow, eek! Milo was full of himself on a hack today so dread to think what he's going to be like tomorrow my sister is coming so will get her to film me

I won it hooray! Milo has a set of wheels he better like it or else!

Yes at bca on Sunday! Ah yes I forgot Loki is a wounded soldier! Hope he feels better soon Dad has finally given in to my nagging - he's getting a tow bar fitted on Monday! I'm bidding on.a single trailer on eBay as we speak, it ends soon so will let you know if I win! It's an old one but been recently refurbished, new floor, tyres, paintjob etc

Poor wanda follow your gut instinct PW Clare, BCA *whispers* come with Loki...

LOL I go away for 5 minutes and you lot have organised me a donkey If I had my own land, yes I would not hesitate in adopting a donkey/pony. But...I don't plus I can't afford to keep 2 running. Anyway, Im sure milo would make the poor things life a misery chasing It round and biting its bum constantly! Milo has remained in the field quite content with his bale of hay, so maybe he was just hungry. Either that or the fear of being electrocuted through his rug outweighs the temptation of mares the guy who owns the field spoke to the neighbours today and they have reassured us that they have a gate at their house so even if he does by some freak chance escape again there's no way he can get out on the road so that has put my mind at rest considerably! Don't you love moments like that gooster? ! Maybe blue benefitted from his little rest Thinking of taking the delinquent out SJ'ing on Sunday....eek. I have discussed it with the lady who has run all the jumping clinics I've been to and she thinks I would be fine doing the smallest 2 classes as its in a huge arena with a good surface. The biggest class I will do is 75cm so about 2'4"ish which he can hop over without much effort so think we would be ok. Just need a helper to come with me, not sure I can deal with driving myself there and doing It all myself!

As well as the loop in rug trick I also went today and picked up a 4ft square bale of hay and have dumped it in the field for him. So, I've left the loop on his rug again tonight (just incase) so if he breaks out again i'll know its not to do with the fact that hes hungry, it will be because he wants to see his chums. If that is the case then maybe i'll have to buy a pony hopefully it was just the grass he was after...

Collies r best, I could kiss you! I did it last night and it worked a treat Thank you!

Oh banner! How could you :O I have to.say Milo wins naughty horse of the week. He's now more or less run out of good grass, I'm spreading hay out in the field 2 or 3 times a day (as well as his normal feeds) but he's just so bored and on the rampage. I split the field in 2 and most mornings this week.I've arrived to find him in.the wrong bit. I electrified it, he didn't break out, sorted. As If he was saying 'up yours' Yesterday I get a call from the man who owns the field to say milo was found by a dog walker in the neigjbouring field which goes out onto the main road :O of course I have no idea how he got over there, to get over he had to climb over my electric tape, a normal fence and scale a 6 foot ditch. All just for a munch on some nice grass and see his 2 equine neighbours. Today I've put him In the far side of where he got out, there is grass but hes not interested in it but he's eating his hay. I have again electrified the fence and he seems to be terrified of it. Having said that, I sat in the dark earlier and watched him leaving on the fence and was obviously protected from his rug so I've had no choice but to leave him naked. Im praying that he stays put tonight, if he gets out again I literally have no idea what to.do with him other than tie him up to a tree

Oh wow isn't he gorgeous! Clever little banner, doesn't she look smart with her clip! How's Loki now Clare? Recovered from his ordeal? Milo's now semi retired after our busy weekend now the clocks have gone back I will only get to ride at weekends and in the school holidays not to mention the fact my friend who's lorry I borrow is taking it off the road for the winter so I'm loosing my transport from December-march. I did offer her the money to keep it on the road but she's already decided to keep her hay in it! Ive got until the end of November to use it so I thought I might take Milo to an SJ competition in 2 weeks time. Other than that I'm pleading with my dad to get a tow bar put on his 4x4 so I can get a cheap trailer and get ferried around

Well done Banner

And now for something completely different In my jumping lesson today we had to do some rider training. First of all we started by having one hand on the reins and the other arm outstretched to the side. Milo decided he didn't like that much ran out to the right. After wed done that we had to tie our reins up snd go down the grid with no hands :O survived....just! Am shifting to the left a bit in anticipation of him ducking right...

Honestly PW thank you, I will take it all on board its always helpful to get feedback! To be honest I was amazed it went as well as it did. I could feel he wasn't settled once we were indoors but I don't blame him really! He kept looking in the mirrors! But overall really pleased with him, I never thought we'd do dressage let alone get round a test without disaster at our first competition

Here's my test

Oh my goodness!!! WE CAME 3RD!!! WITH 66.96%!!! Milo behaved impeccably. The actual test was indoors and despite keeping a fab contact throughout the warm up when we went indoors he freaked out a bit and I struggled to get him settled and his head was all over the shop so kept popping in and out of an outline so our comments were about keeping a consistant outline. Having said that, we got mostly 7s and 8s and bearing in mind it was our first ever time, we've done no practice whatsoever and I know we cam do much better I am absoloutely amazed. What a star pony. My dad videod us so will get him to upload it later this evening. So pleased

I'm just off to go and get ready, eek! I just rang my dad to check if he's coming to watch/film me and during the phone call I mentioned its actually a competition and he laughed down the phone at me for 5 minutes. How supportive lol...