11 July 2011

Well its been a miserable last couple of months, with all the aftershocks and moving locations for work, my half hour drive now takes me over an hour, so there goes riding after work.  Jim managed to injure his leg in the new fencing, straight down to the tendon.  Thats incurred a massive vet bill, antibotics, xrays, weekly bandage changes, didn't seem to be improving for a very long time however on Friday last week, he finally got his bandage off.  Wound has swelled up like a golf ball, as has leg, but he's walking on it, and hopefully life will become easier.  All going well we're on the home stretch anyway, just another 4 weeks of paddock rest.

I've not done much riding, just no motivation, these aftershocks have kicked my butt, I'm tired, I'm grumpy and got a cold and life is just getting me down.  I'll snap out of it soon enough but isn't it funny how your mind and body just says enough.

I've done a road ride with Alise, a day at Melton Park with Amanda and thats been about it.  I went out and watched Tracy at Canty Dressage on the weekend, the rest of the time was spent doing housework or catching up doing the horses.

Inlaws are looking at moving out next month, lets hope builders keep the pace up then.  Will be strange to have the house to ourselves after all this time.  However Shan has already put her orders in for what she wants me to cook when they've moved out.

Anyway, on a horsie note, Rat has been practicing his right canter lead over a jump, that gives me it virtually every time, however on Sunday, we practiced without the jump, took 5 attempts and we got it, imagine my surrpise, had to check using our shadow we had it right, anyway, another 5 attempts after this and we got it every single time, Wahoo!  Finally something went right.

Wet Weekend Weather

Well Saturday was horrid, I got drenched three times just feeding out, however because of it Shan's pony Jim got a new rug out of me (his old rug was just too heavy and I didn't like the way it fit).  Let's hope he appreciates it.

Sunday came round eventually and the rain was gone, just like that!  So we went down to Melton Park for some jumping.  My lesson with Fergus Spain had done me the world of good, and although I trotted into the jumps first time, I managed to do a course canteirng and I dictated the pace and kept it, we both came out really happy. Normally this is only done on the day of competition.   Ridiculous when you think of what I used to jump but I felt a change in my confidence levels and I'm loving it!  So trying to organise another lesson with Fergus for next Sunday.

Shan and Jim jumped beautifully as per usual, however Shan has developed really hard hands, I think its being a teenager, everything is rough, so there was a bit of yelling from me, to make sure she left his head alone.  He is such a super star that horse, she's very very lucky to have him.

We've decided that with limited time due to Shan making Canterbury Country U17 netball (non travelling reserve) and having to attend practices on Sunday and then club netball on Wednesday and Saturday and Motivations on Monday and then if she makes it into Selwyn Reps again this year, theres another two days, there just isn't the time for pony club, so we've decided to leave pony club and let her concentrate on her netball.  We're lucky since we now have the house and land, she still has the time to get home and ride before trainings, so its not like Jim will miss out, and we can pick our days for going to the beach or forest and since Melton Park is just down the road, we will make more use of that.

I was going to ride Rat on Sunday, however I'd taken off their rugs before we headed out on Sunday, when I came back he was filthy, as I continued to debate how long it would take to get him clean, he lay down and rolled in the mud, so my motivation went just like that.  I'm sure he knew too! 

It's overcast today, and cold (well cold to me) so I cant' be bothered riding, however am probably going to take Friday off to go riding at a local Pony Club with a mate, so will need to get out there this week.  I'm aiming to take Rat once a week to Melton Park and might even attempt to jump Mr Unco a few times.  Watch this space.

So far

Well with the earthquakes and continued after shocks I'm losing motivation, I've done the Belfast ODE, we got a 6th in dressage and clear XC, albeit slow, felt fast to me, well fast enough, but apparently my sister said was a nice dressage canter, hmm I'm not improving there then.  We had one stop in the SJ at the planks, same thing Shan had a stop at on Jim - flaming horses, must have been talking.  I was lucky to stay on but was my own fault, I trotted into the jump prior, due to a tight turn and her being a big girl, she did it at a trot, but I threw my reins at her, so was still gathering them by the time we were coming to the planks.  You live and learn.  But she did the rest of the course beautifully, however that dropped us out of the placings.

I haven't entered anything else yet, still making up my mind - lack of movitation.

I took Rat on his first outing in for ever in the new float, and tottled off to Melton Park, he settled really well, and even though we didn't get a big trot, he didn't put a foot wrong, so will do the same again next week.  He's been seen by Joy White, and now gets the right canter lead without me on his back, so will continue to use a small jump when I'm riding to get it till he finds it easy enough without. 

Lace has also seen Joy White and is moving a lot more freely, she was definatley sore after our trek, but has bounced back.  We went out for a ride at the forest which she enjoyed then had a jumping lesson with Fergus Spain on Jessie's recomendation, and I enjoyed it, felt I got a lot out of it, and I'm not as bad as I think, but its all about between the jump, its a trust thing and getting the pace I want, not what she wants.  Once I feel I can get the slow, medium and big canter and happily have her come back to me I think we'll be away.  But I've decided to try to have weekly lessons with Fergus for a while to get on top of things then take them to fortnightly, just to keep my confidence levels up. 

Got the new float, and I love it, travels beautifully, the horses love it, however Lace continues to pooh in it, almost as soon as she gets in, so I'm yet again cleaning it out after every trip, twice, once on the way there, once at home.  You'd think she saves it up, but no she'll have several before getting on!  Anyway, really happy with the float.

March 2011

Man this year has gone fast, okay two major quakes, first one affected us, 2nd one not so much but I feel for those that have lost lives. So tragic. We were very lucky not to have been at work, must say spent a lot of time watching friends being brought out of PGC building, as thats were Roly and I both worked when we met all those years ago (I'm feeling my age this month). I'd had a Vaughn lesson booked that day, and me being me, I had Roly take the day off to assist. We got the earthquake at home, but being 36km away, we had no damage, it was certainly violent though and I went for the doorway, then that was it again, stomach doing flip flops, hands start shaking (that was me the other lot were talking about what size it was! POM's!!!!).  Anyway after being called a woose (a girls blouse or chicken shit for those too young to have heard that term before), we tottled off to get to Flaxton.  We realised something was wrong when we got to the intersection of Yaldhurst and Russely Road, we managed to spend about 15 mins to get somewhere we could turn off and came home. After that I think I was pretty much affixed to the TV for the next few days.  Anyway, thats pretty much been my riding, best intentions. Went to the CRC show, we had lose horses all around us, this was just horse pulling back from floats, and they all seemed to charge past Lace, she was unsettled, by time we got out to the ring.  I'd managed to control myself and she was working beautifully on her own, but hated anyone going past or near her, can't say I balme her there.  Then I watched someone go flying past us in the air, I'd lost it, I can honestly say I lost it, and I left and went home. I can only put it down to stress, and lack of sleep and just nature of what was going on.

With work, working from someones garage, and being able to do some work from home, I'm starting to get back to me, so looking forward to the trek this week, it had been scheduled for last month but had been postponed due to the earthquake.

Fencing is virtually all done, just got tidy up and we're under way. Now I can't wait for my tack shed. Oh and new float around 8th April. My horsie is going to travel in style.

All Systems GO!!!

Okay, I'm back into peak performance, okay not so much but I'm walking and my ankle is fine. I had Joy White out to Rat as I couldn't get that right canter lead, lets say by end of session he cantered off on right lead. Lace and I are going on a Trek with my sister and I believe Brackenfield Hunt late Feb, so looking forward to that, so lets hope good riding weather between now and then. I've even booked in a road ride with Alise for this coming Sunday. :) Cheeky is out with a splint, thats just typical, mind you we are so incredibly hard out there.

Just awaiting fencing contractors arrival so we can get a quote for the horse paddocks, but we'll get to deer fencing the house block asap. I will try and get before (will get some this weekend)and after snaps. It's been a long time coming but hopefully we know exactly what we want now. Roly has also said I can upgrade my float, so will be aiming to order my new Statesman next week, with all the bells and whistles, yee har!