What do you do with your horses?

[x-dizzylizzy-x]

Thought I’d start a new thread as someone had asked what I did with my horse.
(see thread ‘hello again … with pics’) .

I’m currently trying to get her ready for some dressage, but to be honest most of the last 3 years have just been focused on getting her ridable! I bought her ‘off the field’ and she had been out of work for about a year, I would strongly advise against this for the average novice owner/rider! I wish I had known what I was getting myself into. :mad:

We had 3 – 6 months of rearing/bucking & napping issues, and for the 1st year I had to mount from the offside as this was the only way she would let me get on! We have had lots of ‘2 steps forward 3 back’ type phases, a few times I’ve thought of selling her, but I’ve managed to find some excellent help and we are getting there. Shes a lovely horse on the ground though , she’s well mannered, great in the stable, with the farrier, to load and just about everything else. The OY says she’s the best behaved horse on the yard. :D

I’m having lessons at the mo. with a very experienced dressage rider, really to get Sky listening, we’ve had a lot of evasion issues mainly cos my riding is not up to scratch and she gets away with stuff :rolleyes: she’s very clever and throws one evasion after another at you! My daughter has just started jumping her which is going really well and is giving Sky an extra interest, we hope to do some working hunter classes with her. She’s great out, really reliable and not particularly spooky, I took her on ‘holiday’ to my Mums yard for 3 days last year and we rode for up to 3 hours each day, with Mum and her horse, and she was an angel. Unfortunately we don’t have very good hacking where I am now (but do have an indoor school – cant have everything!) so we only go for short plods round the village etc.

What do you do with your horses? And what probs have you had to overcome?

[*Sez*]

Right now, I'm trying to get my 10 yo TB and myself fit after a six month holiday. I won't go into the problems we've had, as I'll be here all day (see the Salsa Chronicles if you're interested).
I bought him as a seven year old, three years off track but he had done very little in terms of re-education. I went right back to the start with him.
My hope is that he'll become a nice all-rounder and we'll be able to do some dressage, some fun rides and some jumping. I think any potential showing career he may have had is well and truely over, as he plays hard with the colts in his field and is always covered in scrapes and minor wounds! :rolleyes:
At the moment, we spend a lot of time hacking out and enjoying each other's company.

[Trewsers]

At the moment Storm and I are just getting our act together doing a bit of schooling. We do hack - but I want to get back to doing some schooling and jumping.

[Joyscarer]

I bought Joy as a green and unschooled 6 year old that was only really used in the school.

Dumb thing to do to buy a green youngster as your first horse :rolleyes:

There have been loads of things to get Joy and I to where we are now but the 2 major ones are:

I had to work on getting a relashionship between us as she is ex-working livery RS horse. Now she is my dope on a rope and very cudley!

Then I had to work on getting her hacking out.

Now she is the perfect hack for me. Has quirks and can be a bit of a handful at times but not dangerous and extremely fun :D

Now we are working on improving transitions and quality of trot. I am also trying to do a fair bit of canter work to overlay good experiences onto previous bad ones.

[icegirl]

We do a bit of a mixed bag really. No competing or jumping (bar the odd tiny log out hacking once or twice!), longer hacks this year, a bit of NH groundwork and a few lessons in some of the techniques, sponsored rides if we can, keeping Icelandic tolt going, a bit of Trec practice and generally hanging out together. Id love to have transport and ride out further afield but thats not practical at the moment.

[DavidH]

During the summer we get to play Eventing, stressage and showjumping.
Winter will be stressage, showjumping and a few days hunting.

[Portia]

JS, I did the same! Bought Mrs B 4 years ago as a risng 4 yr old, primarily for my competent daughter to school and ride. Of course, the teen years descended on us, and she gradually drifted away, leaving moi to bring on B.

I had a crises of confidence some 2 years back and completely lost it, so have slowly slowly worked my way back into the saddle, the menage, and tentative nursery hacks - now doing short ones alone. We've had a saddle problem for the past few months now - need a better fitting one, tried and liked several but for various reasons they didn't suit Mrs B - once I get that resolved I plan to return to regular lessons (lord knows I need them), and hacking further afield (alone!!)

[Troi]

I have a green youngster, will be doing lots of groundwork/NH to begin with.
If my old bones can cope I'd really like to do Endurance with a little dressage thrown in. But I may just end up with another field pet to fuss over!!:p

[KateWooten]

Over the summer, joePony is doing mostly hunter shows because that's all we have, and working up to his first event in August. All four are working at just about the same level dressage wise, but each is focussed on a different area of the training scale - Summer on submission, Tiny on relaxation, Rosie on rhythm, joseph on impulsion. Over the winter, all but Rosie go foxhunting. All go trail riding. Everyone jumps. Even Rosie, which is, apparently hilarious to watch :D

[noumenon]

I don't do nearly as much as I'd like to because of a) lack of time b) lack of facilities/hacking and c) schooling "issues"!! (She hates schooling and throws a strop after about two circuits of the school so with the aid of an RI am now working on lunge/Pessoa to get more balance and improve outline and doing some long-lining to add variety and try to get her used to the idea of lateral work - which is really showing dividends!). So, apart from one or two (at the most) short sessions of lunge schooling a week, we do a bit of hacking such as we can given that local hacking is limited, and go to local unaffiliated show-jumping, which she loves and which has been very successful. Hoping at some point in the future to try x-country and have some pleasure rides/NCR endurance rides planned for later this summer. If her flatwork improves enough I might risk some walk/trot dressage - and just hope she gets through a short test before she starts thinking "Hang on! This is just going round in circles and there aren't any jumps in sight - bu**er this for a game of soldiers!" and start stropping and bucking!! During winter I can forsee that I will struggle to keep her in work. Might be brave enough to try some "newcomers" hunting days (we've both hunted extensively in the past but for me it was decades ago and she can be a handful when excited and so far I've not taken her hunting so if I can find some "newcomers" it might be a good way to re-introduce us both!)

[Lgd]

Mine are a mixed bag but all dressage orientated.

Peri is now 19yo and taking life more slowly. I made the decision in April to retire her from competition as I felt that she was no longer enjoying the level of schooling required to go out and compete at PSG/Inter I. She is still ridden and is teaching a friend how to do the GP work, plus odd little schoolmaster lessons for S's SIL who helps us out with the horses. This year is just about having fun with her, she will do one of the mare classes at the KWPN keuring in August. She is going back to stud next spring, will ride her lightly during her pregnancy and then retire her from ridden work completely as the plan is to put her back in foal again and let her have babies so long as she is fit and happy. Once her stud career is over she will be nanny to any of the other horses as needed. I bought her as an unbacked 4yo and she is very much my forever horse.

Tavia is now 13yo and still working her way up the dressage ladder. She has come back from a serious ligament injury so just trying to get her back to where we left off. I suspect she will top out at PSG/Inter I as she finds the tempi changes quite difficult. She has two years left in which to do that and will be going to stud in 2010. I do hope to get her back into competition after the foal but will just have to see how she feels about it. I have a sneaking suspicion that she will rather like being a Mum, just depends how much she misses her 'parties'.

Belle is my baby girl and is my first home-bred. She has just turned 2yo and is Peri's daughter by the international GP stallion Mooiman (KWPN). She is just being a baby at the moment and does the odd sports horse in-hand class. She is going to the BEF futurity and the KWPN keuring this year. Very proud of her as she took reserve champion at her KWPN foal inspection keuring and is just what I wanted in personality, conformation and movement (how can you tell I'm a besotted granny :D ). A long way to go but I'm hoping she will have all the talent of her parents and help me make that last jump to competitive GP.

[RachelEvent]

I have owned Ferdie for about 8 years now - the last two and a half he has been out on loan to someone as an eventing schoolmaster. He evented up to BE novice with me, earnt a handful of BD points doing elementary dressage, hunted, pony clubbed, riding clubbed, BSJA'd on a ticket and hacked out. Basically he is the ultimate all-rounder! In his loan home he has evented up to Intermediate BE and goes on beach rides most weeks...

Tia is my new girl who arrived 3 weeks ago on trial. She is an ex point to pointer. The long term aim is to event her, but at the moment we are doing lots of hacking, about to start unaffiliated dressage and showjumping and she will hunt this winter.

[Hardy]

Showing mostly!

Henry is doing small hunters. Qualified RIHS on first outing, now trying for HOYS.

Bootsie is just starting showing - doing local stuff with him. He did very well at unaffilliated dressage over the winter & has started well at a couple of local shows this month - red rossies at both :) He jumps too just for good measure so may be working cob later in the year!

Misty is just coming back into work after 12 months off - he went wonky at the GYS last year. Not sure what he's going to do atm - if he's OK we'd like to get him back in the show ring, he's far nicer than the LWT hunters that have been winning recently.

[peppip]

First and foremost I love her!
Second I look after her.
Third I pamper her.
Fourth I ride her.

Seriously, I would say I am a happy hacker if I did more hacking but I am also a fair weather rider and so this year I havent done much hacking since its often windy and I dont do windy.

I also ride in the paddock, you could call that schooling I suppose.

I just enjoy spending time with my mare however I can, I know that may seem pointless to some people but each to their own!

[Nik-n-Kia]

I like to thik i could try my hand at everything and this is definately the plan for this summer!!!!

Arranging jumpcorss and visiting the drag hounds for a start then maybe seeing how we do at some more local shows and maybe entering a little SJ class!!!

Nikki xxxx:D

[RRA]

I would eventually like to do a bit of everything with my mare - but I know it will take time and I'm happy to take it slowly..I bought a green horse because I didn't just want to hack I know now with her I have to push my boundaries because she has lots to learn too and when I look at her I think she is too good not to at least try these things with.

I have never attempted dressage before - think its too much scrutiny and I hate being watched!!! but I am coming round to that as I am sure it will reap rewards in my own riding and she carries herself so well naturally I hope when she does start listening to me(!) it will be good for us both.

Lots to learn...loving it so far...have to set some goals even if they are small ones at first!:p

[CurlyWurlyRach]

Bit of everything once I get the trailer sorted :D

Shes mainly a showjumper. I want to event but my girly is VERY green over XC obstacles.

[LeftBrainer]

Hack, for hours and hours. Sometimes hunt.

At the moment the boy and me are practicing rolling. I show him how to (get down on ground kick legs and arms in air, try hard to roll over from one side of the other) he looks at me like I'm a complete loon:D Then he show's me how the professionals do it:p

[EmsnMaisie]

XC and eventing, she showed me the jump she had the other day. She has alot of promise. Just need a lorry/trailer now.

[chickyd444]

we are currently trying to improve our 'National solo hacking Title' from 1 journey to 2 :rolleyes: had our first solo hack a couple of weeks ago with no knapping no rearing/ spooking/ reversing, bucking and am now trying to acheive a second victory :o , preparing for our next prelim :) , and generally enjoying the after work sunshine ride and relax time before the cr@ppy winter arrives with vengence. :p

[kirky]

Just getting back into competing after a quiet year last year when I had a big(women only) op. We are both feeling fitter so I have done an unaff dressage and dressage combined and am about to do another dressage combined. I have a great dressage instructor who is helping me focus on affiliated dressage as a goal and I have a great all-rounder instructor(having a rest after having 2nd baby) who helps me get the jumping and general stuff right.
BUT...if I never compete again I will still love my little ISH whatever happens because he is such a little character and sweet to boot.:p

[luvmelol]

I mainly hack and do a bit of hunting in the winter, also pleasure rides etc. We jump for fun, but don't compete

[holz]

I mostly did bsja with my boy. up to fox but now he prob wont be ridden again. My mare is now used as a broodmare. Her 1st foal is now 1yr so im hoping she will be a showjumper like her mummy and daddy. Also just bought a very green 4yo who im just gonna bring on slowly this year then aim her at british novice discovery after christmas.

[STEFF79]

Harry's a grade B so I showjump him, I am doing 1.00m amateurs with him at the mo and are aiming for 1.10's next year, I've had him for just over a year and being a little too carefull and not a schoolmaster it has been a slow progress but we're getting there!! Jack is a 15hh arab x irish cob he's never been that scopey or brave I did alot of showing with him as a 4,5,6 yr old and ive spent the rest of the time trying to convince him he's a showjumper!! but have finially given up on his showjumping career after getting a grand total of £12 BSJA!! lol I think notional that is £9!! I did British novice and even attempted Discovery with him without any success!! so bless Jack he's now a happy hack/school and a rather large expensive pet!!

[scottishterrier]

hacking mostly but have just joined riding club so will be hoping to do a bit of dressage with him. i love flatwork these days, totally off jumping.

[lolahutt]

Hacking. Esp long exploring type hacks:D
Strange horseback gymnastics:rolleyes:
Practice jumping courses in the field.
Playing splashing around in the river.
Using her for my children to learn to ride.
And I use her as a lovely cuddly friend.:)

I am lucky to be able to ride Kazz at all, so I savour every moment:).

I would like to hunt this year, she is defnately back to her pre injury self enough now to manage. :D

[Rarah]

I do loads of stuff with mine!

Hacking (really long ones on a Sunday)
Schooling a few times a week
Dressage - not done any comps this year yet though
Driving - just learning - might like to have a go a pairs too with my friend
Hunting - been a couple of times
Pleasure rides - again - done a few and would like to do more
Jumping - suddenly developed an appetite for this

We're also just started to do a bit of clicker training on days off from riding.

Jousting !! - well we dream about that , but maybe one day :D

[shane]

I have 2 horses, Charlie is retired so the only time he goes in the school is to let off steam if he's been kept in as he don't do rain!. He has a nice easy life then I have max who is a green 7 year old, was used by a farmer to round up sheep, lives out had never had a rug on untill I got him and he doesn't do stables!, he is enjoying the easy life as well also we only get to hack out once a week due to my work commitments and being a fair weather rider that will not go out in the wind!. They are both visited by me twice a day for cuddles and to make sure they are ok. Max and I are building a bond between us which is great as he is so cute.

[x-dizzylizzy-x]

Its lovely to hear all your stories and the fun you all have with your horses.
You've inspired me to get out there and do a bit more. I've wanted to but Im not very brave and as Im an 'oldy' so I dont do falling off;)

We're going on our 'hols' again next month (if I can get transport sorted out)to my Mums yard so looking forward to hours of hackng, just hope the weather holds out.

[incacleo]

Bugsy and I are have been together for one and a half years, he is a very sensible 7 with a great sense of humour. We both are learning together as I am fairly new to riding and to driving! We have just moved yards and have much better hacking out now, alongside the sea! Will soon be concentrating on driving again as the winter indoor driving season will soon be upon us! Bugsy loves driving through pairs of cones!