Pictures of Me and Milly in action

[Hayley Calvert]

Please tell me if there's something wrong with us :eek: ...well Im mainly posting on here as i want to see what everyone think of Milly!!! please reply!!

http://img21.photobucket.com/albums/v64/Henderson/Hayley%20Calvert/milly01.jpg
Just a nice tiny calm triple bar (please excuse the school uniform!!)

http://img21.photobucket.com/albums/v64/Henderson/Hayley%20Calvert/Milly17.jpg
hhmmm....she still cleared it even though her back ends arent still over the jump

http://img21.photobucket.com/albums/v64/Henderson/Hayley%20Calvert/milly03.jpg
just a simply upright....

Please let me know what you think of them!! thanks!

[Calsanjo]

Nice neddy Hayley, have you affiliated her yet?

Only thing I would say is try not to throw your arms up her neck quite so much, but follow the movement with your hands (forward rather than up!) - and your legs are slipping back which is pushing your bodyweight forward. I sometimes have this problem with my horse's "extravagent" jump! If you squeeze inwards with your legs as you jump you will find they stay more secure and this will also encourage your horse to lift. The 2nd pic is the best by far - do what you're doing there! :D

You look like a good partnership, sure we'll see you around on 'the circuit' in the future?!

By the way, where in the country are you? Looks nice!

[Bridget]

Very nice!! The second pic is by far the best :) Is Milly an Irish Cob?

[Dina]

Milly is so gorg!The photos are great!

[Hayley Calvert]

Im from cumbria, I am going to affiliate her next year as she only a little baby at the mo....shes very good for a 15hh 4yr old mare!! Im going to find out wether she Irish or English

I am lacking transport at the moment which is why we arent competing which is such a shame for this talented mare

Oh, by the way Calsanjo, I am going to try not to throw my arms forward and also try and keep my lower leg still

Please keep the comments soming in!

Heres a piccie of milly doing another small triple bar (excuse the uniform again)

http://img21.photobucket.com/albums/v64/Henderson/Hayley%20Calvert/milly02.jpg

[notpoodle]

*small* triple bar?! that looks enormous to me :eek: :)

[¤~!KrazyKate!~¤]

Originally posted by notpoodle
*small* triple bar?! that looks enormous to me :eek: :)

lol, I agree, if those are small...then what have I been jumping? I thought I was jumping big....:(

[kyanya]

You two look really good together.

It's a shame aobut you not being able to compete. Do you think there is any chance of you getting transport? But then again, if she's jsut four, there's plenty of time left for her (and you).

[Hayley Calvert]

I have been riding since I was 7 as Im very experienced...I am a trainer

1)training Milly (improving her jump off skills)
2)riding a very difficult mare (get her forward and then break her in to jumping)
3)Riding a very stupid coloured Gelding and make him go over the railway track (the part the cross over the roads)

Im sure everyone jump big (I aint sure how big the triple bar is but ill measure it in a few mins) but it does look small to me

Thanks Kyanya, Im sure there's plenty of time for us to..In fact I think i may be competing Milly at Blackdyke Farm on the 31st this month if someone i know can lend us his wagon and in the meantime, Im actually looking for my own lorry around 0-£500

[shaka]

She has a good techingque, she could aheva great future ahead of her.
There are only two things I would comment on, one being you need to sit up more when you jump, so you arent stopping ehr shoulders coming off the floor.
Another, although it may not seem a valid point to you, asI can see your mare is happy jumping her fences, she looks relaxed, but I would be a tad concerned about a 4yr old jumping that height regularily. Im not saying she cant do it, she certainly can, i would just take it a bit slower. But she's not my horse and you know her a lot better.

[makebelieve]

That triple bar looks like it's around the 4" mark, much too big for a 4 year old!

Although some may not agree with me, jumping so high at such a young age is straining on their joints/bones. She'd benefit from improving her form and scope over smaller jumps rather than just skipping off to the 4-5 footers. You will get a nicer jump quality if you work with her on the smaller fences. Try doing a few small oxers (1.6" height). Although it may not thrill you, you will come out with a nicer jump in the end.

[RachelEvent]

makebelieve you have a valid point - but I think I'd prefer to opt for a middle route here.. firstly, the triple bar is more around 3'6 (just being v. pedantic... nearly every barrel is 3ft 6!!)

As a 4 year old, yes she is still developing, and whilst jumping 4ft occasionally would be fine, you do want to take things gently. Saving a horse as a youngster can mean they carry on happily for many more years. Perhaps you want to limit jumping these kind of jumps to once or twice a month, and then work around the 2'9 to 3' mark once a week, but concentrate on grid excercises and confident, fun jumping.

I personally feel for a talented mare like this, who looks like she is really enjoying these jumps, that 1'6 would be rather, well, tiddly! Her form (shape over the jump) is already pretty good, and I think that 1'6 spreads would encourage sloppy jumping... however 2' bounces, or triple bounces, athletic excercises, would improve her. She looks happy and positive.. you just want to make sure she stays really positive and keen for years to come.

Because my chap is a very established jumper, he is only jumped once a fortnight, sometimes less, to keep him keen and make sure that he doesn't get bored or that his joints are strained.

Anyway, you both look happy and are having fun.. :)

Rachel xx

[makebelieve]

"Tiddly" Lol!

In the 1st picture, she is jumping a triple-bar with the top pole stacked up on 2 tires making it larger (4').

Although you may think 1.6" is a little "tiddly", I jump my mare over 2-3 poles stacked up (6"?) which she does jump over. Her form has improved so much just by doing this. Considering she came to me very green broke in February, this is a big step for her. She knew how to jump when I got her, but it seemed as if she only jumped logs for leasure. Solo is 15.2 hh, 4 years old. I am gradually increasing the size. Probably once I begin riding her again in December, I will work on this a little later.

I do not ride her right now because she's 10 months pregnant.

[Hayley Calvert]

I know....I only jump Milly once a week and they are mainly bounces or little jumps to improve her techinque. I only jump something that big very occosionally like you all said that it big for a 4yr old and I absolute agree! I mean i know someone with a fantastic 13.2hh jumper (wont name names) and jumps what, 130cms 5/6 times week and i keep telling her, cut down the jumping or you will spoil it for life

Thank for the the tips! Ill measure the triple bar tomorrow!!

Makebelieve-Milly's pregnant too!! due around april/march 2005!!

Some good news!! I may be entering Milly in the Cumberland County for the The Coloured Horse and Pony Society NATIVE/COB/TRADITIONAL OPEN RIDDEN QUALIFIERS and some BSJA (decided to join) in the Equissage Senior Discovery first round and Senior newcomers first round

Sounds o.k??

[Cochise]

Makebelieve-Milly's pregnant too!! due around april/march 2005!!

Well you will take it easy with her won't you?:eek:

[makebelieve]

Thanks for the clarification, lol! Solo is due at the end of June, 2004, freebreeding in the slaughteryard we think. Who knows what she could have bred with. I rode her up until Tuesday, which is pretty good for her. I don't think I should ride her anymore as it looks like she's experiencing foal(ing?) pains. I know many people who had to stop at 7 months pregnancy with their mares. I managed to make it to 10 with no problems until today, when she was reluctant to get up from the shelter (In the field) and looked like she was experiencing pain. I decided not to ride her and right before we left, she managed to get up and graze for a little.

Right when I was getting somewhere with her! Isn't it funny how whenver you're actually getting somewhere, something happens and it sidetracks you from whatever you were doing?

[Hayley Calvert]

Of course ill take it nice and easily!!

makebelieve-wow!! you actually lasted to 10months!! wow!! im going to stop jumping milly at the end of the summer...aawww so im just doing tiny classes this year and next year she'll be doing it heavily once she and the foal sorted out!

I total agree with you about when you are getting on with something and then something happens!! i really do!! it happens to often to me i think but you know!! :)

I really hope that Solo will produce a very cool foal!!! :cool: :D

[RachelEvent]

Oh good - I didn't think you would be jumping these bigger jumps all the time.. it sounds like your training is pretty sensible.. but you'll be wanting to take it super-gentle with her being pregnant.

Anyway, going to a couple of shows will be great, but I would possibly start unaffiliated for her first couple, start at 2'3/2'6 as she is only a baby, and build up to some British Novice BSJA - discovery and newcomers are possibly a little large to start with for a four year old - you just want to make sure she is as established in the show ring as she is at home. I do have to say, she is a very pretty mare, and she looks lovely :)

Makebelieve, I'm not saying that 1'6 is too tiddly for all horses - just looking at this one, very confident appearance over this height, it is probably a bit small, unless as part of athletic jumping or another specific excercise. It all depend on the horse, and it sounds like it's the right approach for yours, but certainly for mine (who isn't a youngster, so a different situation really as an 8 yr old eventer) he finds things below 2'9 a bit silly... unless they are in a grid. He is a very bold established jumper though, and I tend to school around 3'3 (2'9 - 3'3 for grids and gymastics), with a couple of jumps up to 4' and he is competing around 3'6 at events. He only jumps once a fortnight at the most, so he is still keeping things relatively gentle. Were I to be jumping very small he would be going 'Oh mum you're so silly, these are so small I don't need to jump, look, I can trot over them!' Anyway, your girl sounds to be going well with this approach :)

Rachel xx

[Hayley Calvert]

Thanks Rachel! Milly is such a sweet hearted little horsey! shes very soft and pretty greedy like most horses.....Milly having a break from jumping as she had been jumping absolutly brilliant. She is going to be only jumping at home this year so we can then both concentrate on milly so she wont get stressed out at any shows (dont have any transport anyways :( ) and start competing her next year after she given birth!!

I am going to take your advice rachel about jumping her unaff and the heights! just the tips i needed! thanks

[QuarterHorseMac]

Beautiful horse! You guys make a great team! Lol....


PS- Your link on your signature is messed up! You didnt put bravehost.com at the end of it!

[Hayley Calvert]

oh yeah!! the link is messed up! well..I better go and correct it! thanks quarterhorse! Me and Milly are a great team and we are hoping to compete very soon but hey! thanks for telling me about the link! :)

[Cochise]

Omg someone else has nicked my avatar...told you I get prissy when that happens!! :o

[AJB]

Your lower leg is too far back and your "throwing" yourself over -if she stopped you'd be gone over the neck!...would echo the others, shes a big irish looking girl and at 4 shes young to be jumping high jumps on grass...the joint concussion you could cause in later years just aint worth the risk...you seem a good rider, but as your what 15..dont think you can seriously call yourself experienced and a trainer...afraid you need a few years more to get taht "tag":D

[Piaffe]

agree with AJB - you need to be careful she doesn't jump 'flat'.... And that you don't put her off by over facing her.

As an experienced rider and trainer, I am surprised you are jumping that large due to the fact she's in foal - even if it is only once a week.

:eek:

[AJB]

yes forgot you said she was in foal!-definately no jumping :(

[Hayley Calvert]

I havent jumped that high for like ages and havent jumped her since she was 1month pregnant (jumped a little like 1ft jumps..nothing major) Just letting you know......Milly loves jumping to her heart and the next time she gunna jump is a very long time! lol

Does Milly really look like an Irish mare or summat? just wondering as people always ask (when they actually see me ride for real) is she Irish as she acts Irish? Im like what?? lol well I think she does in a way......lol :p

I like to say my position is a heck of a lot better than these photos (these piccies are 2months old and just before milly went of to get pregnant...) and really havent any pictures recently but my instructor said Im coming on well......

*The people who saw me ride says I have a natural flatwork and jumping and was shocked when They've seen Milly before she was with me and she is acting like a pro...I hope to showjump her very soon...well after she given birth and everything going brill again and There my be some news that I be riding some more horses when mill's unavailable....*

gunna shut up now..lol:D

[showjumper9]

how do all you people find such great horses?! I am on the hunt for a horse, but I cant seem to find one that can jump over 3' at a sinsable price. I wish I could jump as high as some of you are jumping:( but I can't find a horse that is good enough not to mention cheap enough. :)

[Calsanjo]

I suspect most of us work on the horses until they ARE good enough. Any horse can jump 3' unless it has a physical disability - the rest really depends on the rider!

[Hayley Calvert]

When I first got Milly, she did absolutly nothing because she didnt trust anyone and basically she was a semi-wild horse

With my training and a good year later, here she is... jumping (not at the moment as she is pregnant) and I still ain't sastified with her jumping really but everyone else (my instructor etc) says she brill...oh well.....

You can get a cheap horse and train it and hopefully you get a good horse

[Hanze]

the barrels are cut in half which would make them bout 1.5ft so with thise tyres on they r only bout 2ft6-2ft9. and not jumping 3ft6-4ft as you have all been saying

[Cochise]

Actually that is what I noticed too Hanze. But one of them appears to be full barrels.
Hayley, I would say that your lower leg appears to be swinging back, you look fairly balanced, but I would watch that lower leg, you look to be throwing yourself over the jump with the horse.
It only takes one abrupt refusal for you to go flying off in front of a jump if your lower platform (legs) arent stable.

[Hayley Calvert]

I see if I can find a recent piccie but since Milly in foal I dont have any... well as soon I have piccies I let ya all know about my lower leg.. It is much better now since Ive been working on it...

I havent really measured the barrels but I think the half cut one is around 2ft and with the tyres are around 2ft 6... I dunno but Ill measure them soon...

Im just wondering, How high do you think Milly can jump? (when she very experienced...)

[Cochise]

Originally posted by Hayley Calvert


Im just wondering, How high do you think Milly can jump? (when she very experienced...)

As I or none of us here know the horse personally, her attitude and how she moves or know how she feels when you ride her or anything along those lines, it is impossible to say just from looking at photos on the internet.

[MissyNelsk]

She looks a bit like my pony Missy, with more feathers...

You look lovely.

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