Little Valley Farm 22.03.010

We toddle out to LVF on Friday for a play, and apart from a white filler which he spooked (VERY quickly) at, he was happy to pop over the little jumps, and we finished with a short play in the water.

He was quite concerned at the prospect of jumping off the cliff (all 20cm or so of it) into the water (mud) but we eventually succeeded.

So, while we were on a roll having taken him out somewhere every day for the past several, it was off to LVF for another play.

I was absolutely thrilled with him....he was just like any other normal young horse, and even managed to simply stare standing stock still at the trains.

Having popped around some baby jumps, we put them up a bit, and built oxers. He was GREAT! really happy with how he went, apart from one wee mis-hap which resulted in me hitting the deck....ooops: After we had put the jumps up I cantered in (probably a little blase) to a white picket with white rail oxer, having stupidly not popped him over it as a baby baby jump.

At the last minute on the take off stride he spooked and ducked out....and I was gone.

We popped over it a few times, very spookily but he gradually became more confident over it .... so obviously he will need some conditioning to those scary white fences.

After that he happily jumped around the other fences.

Then we took them for a play over a couple of ditches and into the water jump. He was such a good boy, and even started to take me to both the ditches and the drop off the bank into the water.

Kihikihi Show Jumping 20.03.010

Well, I actually got out of bed, put the horse on the truck, and went....yay: go me!

He was a little googly eyed, staring into every little moving speck on the horizon, but settled ok with a wander around on the lead.

Time to get on...gulp: oh dear; the timing of a polo match next door was not really opportune! However, I did manage to get my brave pants on, and actually mount the poor pony.

He was very distracted, but I managed to walk around a bit, and even managed some trotting, until something set him off and we got a bit of passage.....which is actually yucky cos he is tense and stiff and his head is up, and he is off in his own lala land. OK...back to walk, and did manage to walk around for a bit longer before he got so tense and bunched up I knew it was time to call it quits.

Held him for a while and he did gradually improve; not that he was leaping anywhere, just a bit distracted.

Back into the pen for another blob out (during which time he watched the polo match).

Back on, and he was SO much better. He trotted soft and round, and even though he was going slow, he didnt feel behind my leg, and was very rhythmic. Same at the canter on both reins. yippee.

I even popped him over the X bar practice jump, and then got really brave and did the upright.

Enough for a while, so off I got again and held him until the jumping was finished.

Then Wendy had the brainwave of asking if we could pop the jumps back down when everyone had finished and toddle our ponies around.

I was hesitant at getting back on, thinking I had already done well to walk trot canter and do a couple of practice fences, but Wendy convinced me to give it a go....I am so glad I did. He was really good, trotting around and just popped over the jumps - despite me being an unco blob on top. And he was even better when I managed to maintain a canter, although even if he came back to trot he was good.

He seemed (and probably me too) to focus more on something other than what was going on around him when he jumped.

Yay: progress!!

Lesson LVF 05.03.2010

Photos by the wonderful Kate of GeeGee photography


His second time to Little Valley Farm; the first being a couple of weekends ago when I got Saarin to ride Willie with him, and he was basically, just like any other 'normal' young horse.

This time however, although Willie was in the yards awaiting his lesson, he was on his own. He became distracted by other horses working, splashing into the water jump, random little dogs, and a TRAIN. At times he grew to about 20 + hands!, but no skedaddles, no spooks and no naughty behaviour.

In honesty, I was the one who became tense and reacted to the situations anticipating bad behaviour....which actually didnt eventuate.

So, all in all I was thrilled with his behaviour, and I gradually became more confident (slightly anyway!)

He did some lovely trot work, we worked on his canter, and finished with some small jumps which I think he really enjoyed. He certainly didnt seem to spook at the fillers, and just popped over whatever he was asked.

So.....yay; more progress

Long Time No Blog

Well, it seemed for quite a while that my records were simply illustrating the principles of one step forward, two back, three steps forward, one back, and so forth.

However, I really feel now that we are finally making progress. Well, it has (again) probably more to do with my mental state, than the horse. There will still be (and are) glitches and backward steps along the way, but I am starting to see light at the end of the tunnel, and I really dont think it is the proverbial train coming.

So, I have now set myself some goals to aim towards, and will be thrilled if they are reached.

Here's hoping the progress continues....

In Hand

Hmmm; well there was an in hand competition locally which I thought would be a good outing for the wee boy - you know, boring enough for him to fall asleep. But I guess if it's that boring what else can a young lad do, but make it fun.

However, I am not sure that the judge was particularly looking for airs above the ground.

I'm afraid even the line up for turn out was a bit too exciting!

First class, we had to leave the arena after half a circuit (which included, passage -with tail stuck straight up in the air accompanied by snorts, half pass, and a pirouette or two)

However, he did get progressively better, with first managing almost one circuit before losing the plot and having to leave the arena. There were the odd rears and interesting movements throughout the day.

For the last three classes, although we did have some skedaddles, we managed to contain ourselves enough to remain till the end of the class. And funny enough, when we were all asked to trot he was much better than when walking.

I do rather suspect however, that by the last couple of classes, it was not that he was particularly worried or upset, but that he was being naughty. I basically just carried on, pretty much dealing with whatever he did, then carrying on like nothing had happened.

So, although an 'interesting' outing, I think it was good for both of us, and probably the sort of thing he needs more of. Much as I am a bit sore in the arms and shoulders today, I am quite pleased that I didnt allow him to intimidate me and I just dealt with whatever he threw at me...so, funny as it might sound, was a learning curve and good for my confidence.

I did get a couple of "he's stunning" type comments - although that was BEFORE we entered the ring!

Tamara did kindly take a photo of him in the last class.

Sick of the Wet

Well, we had been making (I thought) great progress, and I had even started jumping the wee boy again. Only small jumps as we did experience a few skedaddles while jumping, although *touching wood* they had become considerably less - almost non existant- at other times. Perhaps it was simply that I was riding more confidently.

(He has also taken to jumping the wooden gate into the back paddock - probably because he can)

However, along came the rains again.

As Willie is my priority in terms of consistant work given that he is the one out competing, Sampson has for the past two weeks taken somewhat of a back seat. The difficulty is in actually finding somewhere I can happily ride him. All paddocks bar one are simply too wet to ride in.

The paddock that is ok to ride in, is inhabited by a randy little mare who I am sure would play havoc with my trying to ride Sampson in with her. (Wilson just acts like he wants to kill her and she keeps her distance). ... I am guessing that the wee boy though would become quite enamoured of the attention, and may pay me very little!

There is also the fact that the arena was supposed to have been started (if not for the rains) which would put my riding paddock out of action for a few weeks.

However, this past week, I have missed riding him so much that i have again clambered on; if only to walk up and down the drive by the sheds.

Roll on Summer.

Roll on Arena.

Back Jumping

Well, he is anyway.

Given his psycho brain when eating too much grass, I have been attempting to restrict his intake of the green stuff. And 'trying' is the operative word.

Simple electric tape is not enough: no, he can walk up to that and pop over.

Two lines of electric tape a meter apart, with flappy (supposed to be scary) plastic bags tied all over them is not enough; although he does muster a canter to pop over that.

Onto the tall standards...measured at between 1.20 and 1.30 high. That ought to stop him! Nope: all he needs is two canter strides off the turn and he is over.

Oh well: he's getting plenty of practice...although he did stay 'in' yesterday for some unknown reason.

Riding wise, I am slowly slowly gaining confidence and learning to keep my butt relaxed in the saddle even if I think he might do something.

His right canter lead has turned to custard however, with him anticipating a strike off every time I start to prepare him for canter...but off he toddles on the left lead, then that raking unco trot they do...rebalance....anticipate, left lead and here we go again....

I did manage to get it in the end yesterday, and I guess it is just green horses, one thing comes right and another goes out the back door.

I have however started to pop him over a few jumps again, which pleases him no end....first day the brakes left a lot to be desired, and we get some very 'boundy' canter strides immediately after the jump. Yesterday though, we managed to quietly trot over a related distance with just a couple of canter strides immediately after each jump, so that is all good.

I am sure that he laughs at my tiny jumps though. But, I know he can jump (he's shown me enough times) so it is the control and obedience that we need to establish before raising the height of the jumps. Nice too, that he doesnt even seem to notice filler.

Nearly three weeks since his last skedaddle, and on that occasion I can hardly blame him with Jackson galloping through the slopping splatty mud on the other side of the trees, while I am sedately wandering along on the buckle.....now that was fun - NOT.

Let us hope things will keep improving.