Tuesday, April 27, 2010
27 April 2010
Well the lovely farrier (aka Grant Nyhan) turned up on time yesterday to put a new shoe on for Lace and also gave Shannon's boy a tidy up. Wonderful man, coming out so quickly, knowing we were desperate but still managed to give more than his fair share of cheek! Anyway, I was very proud to tell him how I was now 'cantering' his wee joke re George. Even Grant's comments re my outings with Lace were I told you to get a decent horse for ages, yeah well fair enough but its amazing what you put up with. Anyway, no riding for us last night, managed to remember to give the chickens their chick starter crumble, even though they are just about full size now. Then Shannon had netball training for school so I dropped her off and headed home to tidy up and try to get as much washing done as I could. Was semi successful. Today Shannon finishes school early, so she's going to ride Lace first, do some fitness work, then she'll jump on Jim and do the same. If I get time when I get home I'll do some schooling with Lace, if I don't get time at least she's had some riding. We've got Steph coming round tonight to do our hair, cuts for me and Shannon and Kaye is getting a cut and colour so we should look a lot tidier for our next event, Waihora this coming weekend. I've got to call into the saddlery to get another medical arm band as I'm not sure I can find mine, so rather than panic, I'll just get another one. Shannon also believes Kaye managed to find my disappearing spur, so thats a saving.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
West Melton Weedons 25th April 2010
Had West Melton Weedons ODE on Sunday, a fine warm day, thankfully. Shannon felt she did a better dressage test this week from last but only managed 7th, thats still pretty good, so think she should be very proud of herself. I felt like we did a worse test than last weekend and managed a 3rd placing, wow, must have looked better than it felt.
We had XC first, great start, however jump number 4 we just stopped, typical, just came through a gateway and she just stopped not sure what she was looking at, certainly wasn't the jump. I had no spurs as I've managed to lose one lord knows where. Flew around the rest of the course, however almost took a tumble when Lace stumbled and almost went down, didn't realise till the end of the course she'd at that point ripped off her front shoe. Luckily I managed to hold on, and we flew the rest of the course, such a blast, I did make her go slower than she wanted to, felt my luck was only just holding with me not coming off. She jumped beautifully and came back when asked, mostly :) The jumps didn't feel too big, so really enjoyed myself.
Shannon flew around the course, no stops, flew through the water, well done Shannon and Jim. SJ Shannon managed to take a rail but that managed to put her in 6th place overall. I went clear, however because of Lace's missing shoe I took it slow and tried to make sure we did nice round corners, Lace had other ideas and in the first of the double she managed to unseat me by the time we did the 2nd element I had no stirrups and only just held on, so had to pull her up and get my stirrups back then do the final jump. Man I had a lucky day. We only managed to get 11th overall but all in good day. I always however manage to sabortage myself, it was another of those days. Long day, pleased to be home and in bed by 7pm and asleep not long afterwards. Next weekend we have Waihora, so already put the call into my farrier.
We had XC first, great start, however jump number 4 we just stopped, typical, just came through a gateway and she just stopped not sure what she was looking at, certainly wasn't the jump. I had no spurs as I've managed to lose one lord knows where. Flew around the rest of the course, however almost took a tumble when Lace stumbled and almost went down, didn't realise till the end of the course she'd at that point ripped off her front shoe. Luckily I managed to hold on, and we flew the rest of the course, such a blast, I did make her go slower than she wanted to, felt my luck was only just holding with me not coming off. She jumped beautifully and came back when asked, mostly :) The jumps didn't feel too big, so really enjoyed myself.
Shannon flew around the course, no stops, flew through the water, well done Shannon and Jim. SJ Shannon managed to take a rail but that managed to put her in 6th place overall. I went clear, however because of Lace's missing shoe I took it slow and tried to make sure we did nice round corners, Lace had other ideas and in the first of the double she managed to unseat me by the time we did the 2nd element I had no stirrups and only just held on, so had to pull her up and get my stirrups back then do the final jump. Man I had a lucky day. We only managed to get 11th overall but all in good day. I always however manage to sabortage myself, it was another of those days. Long day, pleased to be home and in bed by 7pm and asleep not long afterwards. Next weekend we have Waihora, so already put the call into my farrier.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Cheeky
Well had the vet out, little later than anticipated but he arrived. Turns out its mud fever causing the issue, I hate mud fever. So guess tonight we'll be washing and trying to get the scabs off, and we've got some ointment to put on. At least she trotted up fine, and we lunged her and she was even, so Shannon can keep her in work. Mind you Shannon may need a few days off, she's either strained, sprained or broken her thumb! Let's hope she's okay for Sunday.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Cheeky - 21 April 2010
Cheeky had come back into work after her fence and leg incident, however Shannon was riding her on Monday night and said she felt a bit hoppy, then she said there was some tail swishing going on, and then the back end was giving the warning signs of a buck coming. As Shannon said "she dont' buck unless shes' sore", so we made the decision to get the vet out. Not sure if there is possibly an infection in the leg she had the incident with, its her white stocking leg so hard to look at and say is it slightly swollen or not, or is there an abscess brewing? Who knows, but we did well for 2 months after the incident, so rather than stick her back in the paddock and wait it out, best we get on to it, and keep her in work.
Kaye has been helping Shannon and they've been getting some really nice work. It's actually hard to tell if Shannon is riding Lace or Cheeky they're so similar to look at, so thats pretty good in my book. We may look at taking Cheeky to the Ellesmere Dressage Day dependent on what the vets report is. I will try to get some photos of Shannon riding Cheeky during the week, as we've got nothing that isn't from a year ago.
I guess truth be told I've also given up the idea of selling her. Shannon is making her look so good, and she's pretty quiet and I think the two horse have helped get her confidence up. Well its not like we need to room, so looks like I'm stuck with another mouth to feed after all.
Kaye has been helping Shannon and they've been getting some really nice work. It's actually hard to tell if Shannon is riding Lace or Cheeky they're so similar to look at, so thats pretty good in my book. We may look at taking Cheeky to the Ellesmere Dressage Day dependent on what the vets report is. I will try to get some photos of Shannon riding Cheeky during the week, as we've got nothing that isn't from a year ago.
I guess truth be told I've also given up the idea of selling her. Shannon is making her look so good, and she's pretty quiet and I think the two horse have helped get her confidence up. Well its not like we need to room, so looks like I'm stuck with another mouth to feed after all.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Belfast ODE 18 April 2010
Well I practiced my dressage test the day before, mmm should have done some work on this rather than all the jumping. It was awful, on the day it was definately better, but resisting and got loads to work on (alot of it was me but we definately need to work in an arena more). We were well down in our dressage but thats new horse, nervous rider for ya (wasn't last by any means so I can live with that for now).
Shannon had a great test, she came 3rd in her dressage, she was rapt. I missed the whole thing as she was riding her test essentially the same time I was doing mine - typical!
I had XC first, at this point I was thinking what the hell am I doing. However when the man said when your ready and I let her go there was no thought of stopping, I even got to the point of just letting her go, she just bowled around with me on top, not a thought in the world of stopping, bolting or bucking - I had so much fun! I felt confident enough to let her go in the forest, once we hit the open I made her come back to me, she was not straight as she kept trying to drift towards the floats. But once she was going away from them we were fine.
Shannon had SJ first and did a lovely clear round, they are such a happy combination. No rails down and no stops. We've got this recorded so at some point will get a link on here to it.
Our SJ was a bit hairy, Lace was wanting to go a little faster than I wanted, probably cause to her (not me) the jumps were tiny (so little bit flat) but she went clear and I only got behind her the once, that will teach me. I had a brillant day and came away very very happy with an overall 9th place for our first outing together.
Shannon unfortuantely had one stop in the XC she said there were some kids right beside a jump playing with papers and Jim spooked at them rather than the jump, oh well thats life unfortuantely, but she came away with a 4th overall so she really has come along leaps and bounds.
So I have to say a big thank you to the following people for helping Shannon achieve this great result - for helping her with her dressage during the week prior and running through her test and fine tuning - Alise Yates (well done Alise your hired!!!!), and the jumping is all down to Tracey Kovacks, she's given Shannon so much confidence in herself and her horse, so big thank you to both of these people :)
Shannon had a great test, she came 3rd in her dressage, she was rapt. I missed the whole thing as she was riding her test essentially the same time I was doing mine - typical!
I had XC first, at this point I was thinking what the hell am I doing. However when the man said when your ready and I let her go there was no thought of stopping, I even got to the point of just letting her go, she just bowled around with me on top, not a thought in the world of stopping, bolting or bucking - I had so much fun! I felt confident enough to let her go in the forest, once we hit the open I made her come back to me, she was not straight as she kept trying to drift towards the floats. But once she was going away from them we were fine.
Shannon had SJ first and did a lovely clear round, they are such a happy combination. No rails down and no stops. We've got this recorded so at some point will get a link on here to it.
Our SJ was a bit hairy, Lace was wanting to go a little faster than I wanted, probably cause to her (not me) the jumps were tiny (so little bit flat) but she went clear and I only got behind her the once, that will teach me. I had a brillant day and came away very very happy with an overall 9th place for our first outing together.
Shannon unfortuantely had one stop in the XC she said there were some kids right beside a jump playing with papers and Jim spooked at them rather than the jump, oh well thats life unfortuantely, but she came away with a 4th overall so she really has come along leaps and bounds.
So I have to say a big thank you to the following people for helping Shannon achieve this great result - for helping her with her dressage during the week prior and running through her test and fine tuning - Alise Yates (well done Alise your hired!!!!), and the jumping is all down to Tracey Kovacks, she's given Shannon so much confidence in herself and her horse, so big thank you to both of these people :)
Practice practice practice
Well Shannon and I have been out and about alot with Amanda and Helen doing jumping. It's been fantastic for me especially with new horsie. Got my confidence up, mind you she's a treasure so not hard, but we've been Melton Park several times (photos to come) and McLean's Island. I did however have to go down the route of changing Lacy's bit for jumping, she's a tad too strong, just tucks that head in so I've put her in a waterford and she's been great, not able to tow me along so much LOL.
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