Dementia in one so Young

Yes, not only is Willie feeling the effects of the grass, but Sampson was literally unrideable on Saturday (well unrideable for a nanna that is; no doubt those younger and braver would have been fine).

Put his gear on, and led him around so he could watch others jumping and riding. He was interested, but not too worried it seemed.

Then out of the blue, and for no reason I could determine, he became Mr Leapy Passagie Pony!

Would snort, leap, tail up in the air and start grunting and passaging and leaping. Some ground work to get his attention back on me, then away he would go again. This carried on for some time, and then I (stupidly) thought I would get on him.

Clambered on at the mounting block, took a few walk steps and away he went again. I firmly attached myself with the 'oh shit' strap and pulled him round. But rather than stopping him quickly he continued to circle. Finally he stopped, and we tried again....several walk steps later we were again reeling round in ever decreasing circles (he must be amazingly well balanced).

I am afraid that all I achieved was that I got so dizzy I was wobbly and whoozy. Time to get off.

However, after being dosed up on Saturday night, I rode him in the carpark at WEC on the sunday, among floats and trucks, and apart from one (normal) little spook, he was absolutely fine, and doing a lovely trot also.

Hmmmm; obviously Winter grass can also have an evil effect.
It will be interesting to see if continued supplementation will result in him continuing to be rideable.
Time will no doubt tell!

Kaurilands Dressage: 07.06.09 Day two

Beautiful beautiful weather!

Sun shining and not a cloud in the sky.

He was very relaxed, and apart from a little bit of tension warmed up happily, although we did keep him away from the main melee of warmer uppers. I also did predominantly walk work, with a little bit of trot.

He was a very good boy in both tests, although very hard work at the canter given that he is not at all light off my inside leg, and does find canter work a little difficult at this stage. But apart from one wee skedaddle (then back to good behaviour) in his second test, I was very pleased with him.

I feel that I need to start really riding him in his tests now, rather than sitting tentatively. However, definite progress, and he was my no means last in either test.

Prelim 1.4

6 x 5 nice steady trot, swung quarters at A, could show more imp,

9 x 6 a little off line after X but tracked up, fair into trot, fair loop, a little overbent

4 x 7 trot loop, both canters (‘smooth trans’)and trans to med walk

145 = 58% (but lost 6 marks for course errors!)

Prelim 1.6 ( low marks across whole class)

5 x 4 shld be long rein (walk) neck still restricted, ½ O too big (skedaddle from dog)

9 x 5 much better trot (lengthn)

1 x 6 L canter

94 = 47% (which isn’t bad for that judge!)

It's Skedaddle time!

This week's lesson, he started off much more 'heightened', and very soon showed the instructor his skedaddle mode. I did cope with the first one, then the second wasnt toooo bad, but the leap in the air and skedaddle was the one that got me!

Time to get off and see how it should be dealt with.

Nice to see however, that the skedaddles arent actually a reaction to anything I am doing, but just where he is at in that moment.

Was very good for me to see how they are dealt with, and then you just keep riding. He was actually very naughty.

Nice to see that with a skilled rider, capable of riding through the 'moments', he can look quite impressive at times. It's always great to see a good rider on one's horse!

After some work by the instructor getting his attention on her, and working through, it was my turn again, so I could feel what I should be aiming at. Then some work on serpentines, and shoulder ins, concentrating on keeping a VERY light contact with him supple and flexible, and working through from inside leg to outside rein.

Rode him again today (lesson yesterday) and yes we had a couple of skedaddle moments but I was very pleased to simply ride through them and just carry on with whatever I had been doing beforehand.

There is hope for me yet!

Lesson, 28.05.09

Having turned into a jellified nanna (as opposed to the normal nanna state), the instructor got on him first. He looked like a totally 'normal' horse (first time I have really seen him ridden), and trotted forward round the carpark with nary a look at anything.
then across the road and into the sand arena...

Apart from a wee spook at the big puddle, he was absolutely fine; ditto the grass arena with not even a spook. Oh boy, did I feel dumb! Goes to show how much they feed off of us.

He did have a wee tanty when asked to flex each way, and stiffened totally, however she soon got through that.

He really looked quite nice ridden. He moves straight and seems to have a nice rhythm, and at the canter there looks to be a wee moment of suspension, so plenty to work with. He did one moment of shortening and starting to passage when some horses were moved up the hill behind him; I was told to ENJOY it when that happens, and just go with it.

So, onto my turn....
Just need to keep the nerves in check, and resist the temptation to shorten the reins.
He was absolutely fine, and even when a horse TOTALLY crashed a jump behind him, just leapt forward a bit, then back to rhythmic trotting...(Willie would have reacted more to be honest).

He needs me to reassure him when he is feeling insecure; rather than me grabbing on tight, and supporting his notion that things might just be a bit too scary!
Oh well, just keep working at it I guess. (Rode him the following day, and all was great!)


And here he is sporting his new hair cut. He was absolutely GREAT to clip, apart from the difficulties clipping when they are trying to smooch.

17.05.09 - Kaurilands

Well for his first competition outing, the weather started off really lovely.

Took Willie and did two novice tests on him (in the sun)...not particularly good tests, but couldnt really expect too much given he is only in occasional work, and flatwork is something I tend not to do.

Then tried to take Sampson for a walk around, and he started off not too bad. Did some groundwork to try and get his attention on me, which I think kind of worked. However when I tried to take him back to his yard, he got VERY strong despite being in his bridle.

I decided not to ride him in the first test, as it was up by the clubrooms where he has never been, and there was a lot going on - even Willie was very spooky in that arena.

However, ten minutes before I was due to get on him, the heavens opened up and it was absolutely torrential rain. I decided that I wouldnt ride him in his first ever test in that weather...it then eased off to simply become heavy rain, so off I went.

Carried my mounting block down to the sand arena (very necessary piece of equipment) and got on, only to have the dressage judge tell me I was due in ... NOW. So I walked him around the arena, did a short trot, and in we went.

He actually didnt do anything wrong; even the car and windscreen wipers didnt seem to worry him. It did help I think, that the arena was right where he had been ridden there previously. He did everything he was asked, trotted cantered did circles, the free walk was pretty strange...ha ha...wiggled woggled all the way across the arena, but he seemed relaxed enough. He was nice and straight up the centre line and halted when asked. so pretty pleased really.

Scored 50%, and actually got a couple of 6's. Lots to work on obviously, but we survived our first test. YAY

ouch; first fall

Well, I guess it had to happen sooner or later (I would have preferred later).

Now sitting here trying not to move, as every little movement causes pain (dosed up on nurofen as soon as I walked in the door though) but I can feel it getting worse.

The pony was absolutely awful today.
Having had an awesome lesson wednesday being his first time in an arena. Although there were a few 'moments' overall he went well, and did some absolutely STUNNING trot work. I did find out however, that he is simply not capable at this stage of cantering straight down the long side, but that is something to work on.
He was also great yesterday, just did some trots and canters around the front paddock (which is where he was -for me anyway- unrideable one day last week).

Today....ok, let's work on straight. Jump paddock, right round perimeter concentrating on straightness....three or four times on the left...all good....then onto the right rein....first time, ok...then each time around he got progressively worse....kind of timing his skedaddles with them escalating in how bad they were.

I was so proud of myself, I simply rode him through them and carried on trotting around, concentrating on using my legs to direct him, and prevent repeats....then we had a big one that caught me unawares....ok...so then onto canter work.

Twice he anticipated and went onto wrong lead....then was just preparing him, and I dont know what happened but there was a huge head flick, he spun one way, then leapt the other (and that was one stirrup gone), then another leap forward and sideways and OFF we went....I was hanging out the side, and I am afraid I decided to simply bail out.

Not sure if it was the right thing to do or not, but I can now say, that despite trying to do it so that I was in charge of how I fell it didnt quite go to plan. Wasnt as easy to just get my foot out of the stirrup, and there was a definite delay before I hit the ground (it is a long way down). Well the new back protector now has mud all over it, as does my helmet as my head kind of banged back onto the ground also.

I can also say, that I really dont think my new back protector gives the same level of impact protection as my old stiff cardboard box one did...I definitely felt the impact of this fall !

Worst thing was having to get back on again. Which I am proud to say, I did. Yes, I was incrediblly tense, but I did ride through it and trotted and even did some canter work. Thankfully he pulled no more stunts.

Do I, Don't I ??

He has been going so well, and I have been feeling so confident, that I put in an entry for Kaurilands.

No sooner done, than it all turns to custard: again that Mr Murphy and his blimmen law!

I had been happily riding him in whatever paddock, trotting and cantering around the perimeter (not just 'safe' little circles) and apart from the odd spook (ie ducks flying out of pond) or wee skedaddles, he was going very well, and I was able to laugh at the odd 'moment' and just carry on.

Then for some unknown reason, he was absolutely awful....I could barely trot a circle and he was off skeedaddling with butt under him, head in the air, and generally very tense (and scary). Having trotted one circle I dismounted and did a whole lot of ground work - hmmm he was very relaxed, head down, and obedient.

Next ride, back on good behaviour again.

Oh well, I will take him next weekend, and simply take it a step at a time. If all we achieve is some ground work in amongst the excitement, so be it....at least he will have been out and about. If we progress to some ridden work, even better.
And if by some extremely slim chance, we end up actually in an arena, there will be great cause for celebration.

Now, where did I put my brave pills?