wibble
6th May 2008, 04:18 PM
Following a tip from here I e-mailed a show judge and was given another judge's number to call. She was very lovely and agreed to see me on Sunday at 3.00pm
Having spent 3 hours reclipping her body and clipping off her feathers the day before she promptly managed to poo all down herself the moment she got in the box. I was nervous enough at having to drive the box for the first time with a horse in.
Despite the sat nav running out of battery we found it okay and crept past a lovely shiny Oakley box (mine is a 31 year old bedford!)
She met us and asked me to tack up in normal kit and warm her up in the menage. Liv was overly interested in all the other horses in the fields. She asked us to do some circles etc and then got us to go over trotting poles.
We then swapped bridles to the double I had bought and Liv got completely confused and planted herself to the spot everytime I picked up the reins.
She then got on (all the while her lovely dad was in the middle) and declared that I was wrong that my riding was poo but Liv had no idea how to go into an outline. she simply did not understand the aids and despite her riding round for quite a while she said that the horse had never been taught how to go in a proper outline.
She jumped off and asked someone to long rein her, I then got to take over in walk and trot.
They quickly checked her teeth as well.
The final assesment was that she needs to be taught the complete basics of how to work in any kind of outline by a professional and that I would be better off not doing ridden showing this year but build up her fitness by hacking as well as long reining her and lunge her, or show her in hand. There was absolutely no pressure to but she said if I wanted to I could send her to the yard for a week after show season in october or I could find a professional of my choice to teach her the basics.
I was there over an hour and was charged hardly any more than my instructor normally charges for 45 mins. She even backed my box out of the yard and commented how it bought back sentimental memories of her old one!!
I also loved the way they didn't judge me or liv and commented on what a lovely willing coblet she was. They were also firm but kind when riding and long reining her so I have decided to wait for a week with them.
I do feel rather guilty as I have spent the whole time I have been loaning her convinced it was me who was doing it wrong by giving her the wrong aids, If only I had known sooner:confused:
I shall still be taking her to shows to get her used to the atmosphere though and we may do a mini clear round or 2 if shes being particularly good:D
Having spent 3 hours reclipping her body and clipping off her feathers the day before she promptly managed to poo all down herself the moment she got in the box. I was nervous enough at having to drive the box for the first time with a horse in.
Despite the sat nav running out of battery we found it okay and crept past a lovely shiny Oakley box (mine is a 31 year old bedford!)
She met us and asked me to tack up in normal kit and warm her up in the menage. Liv was overly interested in all the other horses in the fields. She asked us to do some circles etc and then got us to go over trotting poles.
We then swapped bridles to the double I had bought and Liv got completely confused and planted herself to the spot everytime I picked up the reins.
She then got on (all the while her lovely dad was in the middle) and declared that I was wrong that my riding was poo but Liv had no idea how to go into an outline. she simply did not understand the aids and despite her riding round for quite a while she said that the horse had never been taught how to go in a proper outline.
She jumped off and asked someone to long rein her, I then got to take over in walk and trot.
They quickly checked her teeth as well.
The final assesment was that she needs to be taught the complete basics of how to work in any kind of outline by a professional and that I would be better off not doing ridden showing this year but build up her fitness by hacking as well as long reining her and lunge her, or show her in hand. There was absolutely no pressure to but she said if I wanted to I could send her to the yard for a week after show season in october or I could find a professional of my choice to teach her the basics.
I was there over an hour and was charged hardly any more than my instructor normally charges for 45 mins. She even backed my box out of the yard and commented how it bought back sentimental memories of her old one!!
I also loved the way they didn't judge me or liv and commented on what a lovely willing coblet she was. They were also firm but kind when riding and long reining her so I have decided to wait for a week with them.
I do feel rather guilty as I have spent the whole time I have been loaning her convinced it was me who was doing it wrong by giving her the wrong aids, If only I had known sooner:confused:
I shall still be taking her to shows to get her used to the atmosphere though and we may do a mini clear round or 2 if shes being particularly good:D