AlTRPD Posted August 14, 2010 Report Share Posted August 14, 2010 He's very impressive and athletic, Clare. You must be thrilled with his progress? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendlewitch Posted August 14, 2010 Report Share Posted August 14, 2010 Yay Loki! That looks a safer position Clare, he does do a pretty good coiled spring impression doesn't he! Have you tried eventing reins at all for grip? If he gets away on you I think you would be doing the Grand National! I had a super lesson last night, 3 of us hired an indoor and shared our trainer. After I spent 10 minutes whingeing that Wanda was NOT WELL and could not possibly work she decided to prove me wrong and produce the most beautiful and elegant collection in trot and amazingly got her backside under her in canter discovering the jump which is usually missing. Now how did that happen? I did some playing about with Banner today, she loves being groomed, will lead nicely, trot on command and I think she has been lunged before as she was quite happy to go round me on the end of the lead rein. She is awful about her feet though, picking up the fronts is bad enough but the hinds are shocking, she will rear and lash out and gets really panicked. I'm sure she has been bashed about at some point and she does not like men very much. Her condition has improved a bit but she is still quite underweight and the belly is not going down at all, I begin to wonder if it ever will. Lily enjoyed the arena and charged about bucking and kicking, all the other horses were lined up along various fences watching her, I don't think they have ever seen such a tiny pony! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clare Posted August 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2010 (edited) Yes I am chuffed to bits with him Although hoping the over the top behavious on Saturday was a one off, and a result of grass coming through and new hay Aww Reds we have missed you How are the boys? Sounds a good lesson, Wanda couldn't resisit strutting her stuff in the end Poor Banner sounds like she has had a tough life so far, onward and upwards now though Off to look up eventing reins thank you Does anyone have an opinion on the length of my stirrups for jumping, I think sometimes in pics they look a bit long? Edited August 16, 2010 by Clare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendlewitch Posted August 16, 2010 Report Share Posted August 16, 2010 Are you 'feeling' for your stirrups and does your saddle have knee rolls or blocks? You should have your knee firmly behind the block, if it begins to go over then you are too short for that saddle, if you feel you want to be shorter but are over the block then possibly a different saddle may be on the cards. (Sorry) I'm the worlds worst for jumping too long and used to be fine with it, now I feel most uncomfortable and not secure so I'm making a big effort to shorten up. I've got the WOW in forward position with the stirrups on the front bar and hate it but I can go shorter so will have to stop moaning and get on with it. I'm turning into a moaning old bat lately! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clare Posted August 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2010 Definately no new saddle on the cards, unless the I win the lottery They actually feel okay when I jump, and I think if I took them up anymore my knee would be over the knee roll, the saddle is VSD because of his large shoulders, thinking about it saddler said she would never recommend a jumping saddle for him because of that, but I would love a proper dressage saddle, now look what you have started Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah_H Posted August 19, 2010 Report Share Posted August 19, 2010 Definately no new saddle on the cards, unless the I win the lottery They actually feel okay when I jump, and I think if I took them up anymore my knee would be over the knee roll, the saddle is VSD because of his large shoulders, thinking about it saddler said she would never recommend a jumping saddle for him because of that, but I would love a proper dressage saddle, now look what you have started So now isn't the time to mention I've just invested in a N-gage dressage saddle for Easta then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clare Posted August 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2010 Oooh lucky you, that is the exact one I would get, Loki's current saddle is specially made by Barnsby for him and its sooo nice Pictures of new saddle when you can please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlTRPD Posted August 20, 2010 Report Share Posted August 20, 2010 Well, that coloured colt left the yard today. His owner accepted an offer of £200 for him yesterday. Perhaps because of that, she decided to let me know her opinion of me - the 'ogre' YO. Didn't feel I needed to put up with that or share what is, essentially, a very small private facility with someone with such a low opinion of me, so told her to find other accomodation. I put it in writing, with my reasons, and gave her the letter today. Was anticipating some sort of reaction, and had said that, when the colt went, I wanted to put my old horse back into his stable, as the weather is so bad at present, and with his teeth starting to go, I didn't want him losing further condition. Went to prepare the stable for old Merlyn only to find they'd mucked it out by throwing a few shovelsful of shavings over a filthy bed, so set about cleaning the lot out. The colt's ex-owner's husband came in and gave me a hand whilst she stood in the doorway watching, fag in hand, and with a face like thunder. I don't think it has sunk in yet that I meant what I said. Enough is enough. I am now hoping that tomorrow won't be as wet as today, and that I'll be capable of exercising the old reprobate. He was a right idiot a couple of days ago when I last rode him, although I am starting to suspect that it's something to do with his eyesight in bright conditions and when that throws dappled patches of shade, that causes him to spook at so many monsters! He was fine in the dull conditions and rain yesterday. Out of interest, how much steady, quiet hacking exercise do others think to be adequate or sufficient for an old (semi-retired) horse that is stabled, please? (Not looking for him to be work or competition-fit, just the basic necessity for health and to prevent his joints swelling etc.) Although I really want to rest the fields, it would be possible to turn him out for an hour or two on good days, although I've little doubt he'd soon be banging hell out of the gate to come back in again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendlewitch Posted August 21, 2010 Report Share Posted August 21, 2010 Could you make him a small turnout area with a bit of a surface like woodchip or similar then he could have an hour in the turnout and a short hack at opposite ends of the day? Or is it possible to add the turnout to his stable so he can walk in and out when he wants? Two short exercise periods would probably be better than one longer one. As long as he feel happy I think a gentle pootle for half an hour on easy terrain would be fine and would keep him happy. He may be able to do more though, will he let you know if he is finding it too much or is he not the sort to give in easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlTRPD Posted August 21, 2010 Report Share Posted August 21, 2010 In reasonable weather, I can pop him out with the ponies for an hour or two - as long as I'm not visible on the yard, as he'll then just stand by, and paw hell out of, the gate to come back in! Doubt I can manage two periods of ridden exercise a day, and due to work commitments for TRPD. Judging by his perforance today, he's likely well up to doing a bit more than a pootle around - which he will occasionally do when hacking alone and feeling in a lazy, laid-back mood. Today, I rode him out with a friend mounted on her 3 yo, 16.2hh, recently broken, Irish sport horse. It was supposed to be a quiet, three-quarters of an hour plod... and my old fellow was supposed to provide the youngster with a bit of reassurance and a steadying influence etc. He had other ideas! Have posted a fuller account of events in a blog on the TRPD forum... Link: Diary of a Happy (?) Hacker. Incidently, I was right regarding the colt's owner not having taken it in that she'd had her marching orders... even despite having put it in writing... so on the third day, this 'ogre YO' decided to have a quiet word with her husband, who is a lovely chap, and whom I'll be sorry not to have around. He was, surprisingly, not only very understanding, but resigned to it happening sooner or later. I gather there's not a yard (private or professional) locally that she's not been sent packing from, so goodness knows where she'll go next. My goddaughter reckons that someone should write a book based upon stable yard life, politics etc. She's been helping her uncle to select prospective grooms to interview for the coming winter season, and had me in stitches describing some of her experiences of the applicants and reading me some of their letters for a post advertised as 'requiring someone with TB experience, handling stallions and youngstock, and possessed a clean driving license.' One applicant stated that she hadn't 'done it with a stallion', but knew how to wash and clean a gelding's sheath out, and was their any difference? Another said that, because she'd only recently passed her driving test, her driving licence was very clean and had no marks on the plastic. Yet another wasn't sure what 'TB experience' stood for... but she had helped out at a riding school since the age of 12 years. (She is now only 16, so clearly missed the driving license bit, too.) The uncle is kicking himself that he forgot to add a minimum age when wording the advertisement. He's had over a hundred and fifty applicants contact him via a box no., and so far has only two or three that he feels are worth interviewing. A few years ago, that same chap invited a woman for an interview for a groom's position and, when he then told he that he didn't feel she had the necessary experience that he needed, she took her top off and attempted to make a pass at him in the hope he'd change his mind! It makes me wonder what other yards' owners' experiences are, when it comes to obtaining staff? There must be some cracking anecdotes out there, and a collection of them could make for a terrific read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabbagepatch88 Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 Hi everyone - get your tissues ready Earl had to be put to sleep this morning. The YO found him at 6:45am this morning in the field with a broken leg and blood pouring out everywhere. He'd obviously been standing for a long time and he was shaking with tiredness and pain. The vet was called who said the fracture was clean above his knee and there was nothing that could be done. He thinks he slipped over in the field after the rain last night and broken it. We waited for his 'real' mum to arrive and he was put to sleep in his favourite field surrounded by all of us who loved him. Goodnight my big grey Early Bird Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clare Posted August 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 Oh no I don't know what to say, I am so so sorry :mecry: Life is so fragile Gallop free Earl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collies r best Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 i am so so sorry Gallop free Earl all better at the Bridge fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlTRPD Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 I am so very sorry to learn this. My thoughts are with all those who knew and loved him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel155 Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 Oh no run free Earl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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