2017 Hacking/ Riding Challenge.... Add your photos too

[horseandgoatmom]

Forgot to add ugh we had snow into mid morning yesterday
am and we were supposed to be a trace only yesterday
and ugh ended up with 3 inches!!!.

But on a super good note
when it cleared past I STILL MANAGED PLAY!!!.

I AM VERY THANKFUL to also have that second large rd pen up there to continue play if and when the footing on the one I'm
playing in becomes nasty.

But SO FAR SO GOOD.......

I don't know if the little snow refreshers are are renewing it
keeping it nice????

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Sonny
Unmounted 98.00 hours
Mounted 75.50 hrs

And
Unmounted 1.75 hr

Had FABULOUS trot canter trot transitions
With voice commands.

I was sooooooo thrilled.

So far footing still GOOD.

The cold was really damp and
Went right thru you.

I really hope we are on the TRACE
End of the snow later.

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Sonny
Unmounted 99.50 hours
Mounted 75.50 hrs

And
Unmounted 1.75 hr

WE got about another inch of snow last nite.
For playing with snow covered cavaletti he did quite well today.
I was very pleased. and the tire..
Did some more play in the big rd pen on transitions
which were also good.
He was very cute after he rolled full of snow.














HMMM he would look cute as a snowflake appy.


Its getting windy this afternoon which will make it feel much colder.
Hopefully tomorrow will be dry and NOT WINDY.

I need to raise the longer set of cav's I put out on the side yard
and will be able to get a bit more play with them as long as we are not buried in snow.

We are due a bit of a warm up next week.
It would be nice to go back to clear ground again before another bigger snowfall.

 

[Orenoko]

Looks like you have great fun @horseandgoatmom, and keep his mind busy and engaged too!

Was meant to go hacking on Tuesday in Norfolk while visiting family but it was too icy on the roads so they had to cancel it.

Managed to get out today with a couple of the liveries on the yard, it was a bit rainy but stopped as we were out, so we picked the timing well! The ground is too muddy and slippery in places to do anything more than walk, we got one small trot in but that was it.

We had hot chocolate on our return though which was fab!

Total today was 5.8km in 1hr15mins. Overall totals 242.50km in 42hrs 40mins plus 11 hours 55mins schooling.

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Looks like you have great fun @horseandgoatmom, and keep his mind busy and engaged too!

Thanks I want it to be fun for me too.
Thanks.
I am very pleased with how well he did the "snowy" cavaletti .

I did not end up playing yesterday it was really cold again and when I took over feed baggies intending to play
he was in the sun eating hay looking sooooooooooo comfortable.

So rather than doing any play I showered them with carrots and let it be for the day.

Today is starting a bit warmer still cold but not quite as bad.

We will have some spotty snow showers and later on possibly freezing rain that news says will instantly
freeze on the roadways and be quite nasty/

Its not even light out yet so I will have to keep good watch today on conditions to play.
HOPEFULLY later in the afternoon will get to the mid 30'sf

We will have a roller coaster week of warmer and quite cold I do hope it melts this snow.
There is a possibility to be warm enough for rain on CHRISTMAS and I will be happy if the
white is gone for even a few days before more snow.

I just hope its not warm enough to make ice as the rd pen is holding its own footing wise.
BUT I still have the second pristine one in reserve!!~~.

ON a GOOD NOTE soon DAYS WILL START TO GET LONGER!!!!

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Sonny
Unmounted 100.25 hours
Mounted 75.50 hrs

Andi
Unmounted 1.75 hr

It did warm up a little and I would not say the snow is ugh melting but "softening" a bit.
We did not get any snow or will help a bit.

I played with traveling circles in the front yard and on the grassy hill to mix things up a bit and Virginia had guests and her dog was out chasing Tobias and he was flying around his field like a nut.
I kept sonny low key online and did not freelonge in the rd pen.
If he got silly he may have set Tobias off more.

Plus it was a little different. He pawed a bit thru the snow for some grass after.




Tomorrow is supposed to be a bit warmer still.
Its been so cold here it did not take much of a bit of warmup
to not have 2 pairs of pants and 2 hats on!!!
That was NICE

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Sonny
Unmounted 101.00 hours
Mounted 75.50 hrs

Andi
Unmounted 1.75 hr

Its warmer but more dangerous out.
Its what we call "greasy" over here.
Its softening and melting a little but if you step and compact it's
very slippery and really packed into the hooves making little stilts.
NOT GOOD.

I did some very low key traveling circles in an open are near
Virginia's ring and in her ring.
She thought she might try to ride.
The ground is not suitable to chance riding.

If the sun would come out we might get some decent melting.
But the clouds just don't seem to want to cooperate.
I let sonny have a little grass in a little clear spot by her pond.
I've been lucky to keep going.

 

[Native Lover]

Well I rode today got 30 mins walk and trot in About time I needed it.... I have to try make the effort to ride more regularly. it has always been harder in winter due to Melody being a mud monster...... but this year I am rugging her so I can start enjoying winter riding weather dependant

It took me longer to groom and de burr her than I rode for lol

Horseandgoatmum you inspire me to play more with my ponies this coming year. I will be copying some of your ideas

 

[horseandgoatmom]

LOL COPY AWAY!!!

I really plan to expand my play this year.

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Sonny
Unmounted 101.75 hours
Mounted 75.50 hrs

Andi
Unmounted 1.75 hr

Sun finally came out yesterday and did help some
better melting.

It actually was quite nice out late in the day so I went back over just before dark and played til after dark in Virginias ring under the lights.

It did stay above freezing over nite woo hoo!!
Looking out its still dark for few hours yet but I see lots of
clear spots I did not see last nite.

Its going to be really windy today but is supposed to be
sunny ALL DAY but will be only a little above freezing.
So hopefully the sun will go a long way to more melting.

It was very peaceful under the lights out there last nite.
The snow on the ground really lit up the area well.

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Sonny
Unmounted 102.75 hours
Mounted 75.50 hrs

Andi
Unmounted 1.75 hr

There was a lot of melting but it got really windy yesterday.
My big rd pen being shaded melted some but the footing had finally gotten to point it was not good BUT the small cavletti pen was totally melted and great footing and the front yard had melted almost toally for the most part.
Its good to have a bit of a mix of places to play

So I played where it was nice on the front yard cavaletti tire etc then in the small cavaletti pen.
then I let him eat a little grass in the big round pen.

I have not been in the second big round pen yet BUT we are supposed to get a MIX Friday pm then turn to heavy rain and quite warm most of the day Saturday so they may end up melting totally as well.
I do want to keep the second big round pen in reserve as much as I can.

There is a slight chance we may have a little bit of a white
Christmas and ok as much as I DON'T care for snow
Virginia has some guests that have been there for a few days and will be there thru XMAS.
Polly was telling me yesterday they are from Australia and the kids had not seen snow before.
So ok as much as I was hoping all this would melt and we would be clear ground for xmas.
I guess now I hope we get "just a little" to have a white Christmas for the kids from AUSTRALIA!!!.

Today will be cold but lots of sun and hopefully not to windy.
Not sure what kind of play I will do today.

One thing I saw In my little ring. It still has snow except where my husband had snow blowed around the perimeter and the cut thru paths he had made. I had been playing in the big rd pen etc so I had not done anything in that ring. BUT
it seems to drain REALLY WELL the paths that had become clear were really lovely friable sandy NOT frozen hard muck..
and not sloppy or wet!!!

So even though it was never made as a riding ring it was an
area for the cows to hang out when this was a pig and cow farm.
It seems like its situated in a really good spot with great drainage.

WE are so lucky to have found this place!!!
They have thought some things out well here!!!

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Sonny
Unmounted 103.75 hours
Mounted 75.50 hrs

Andi
Unmounted 1.75 hr

Tried to change things up again a little yesterday.

I did play with the normal curved cavaletti but tried to add in the ones that if you were cantering
I guess you would call a counter canter.
The curve was around the tree and I was on the outside not inside the curve where the tree was.
We took it slow at the walk but he took it in stride.
He was great.
Then we did some freelonge in the little cav pen then I took him to the big round pen which still
has crummy spotty icy footing but he had a good roll and some nibbles in there.

The farrier is coming early today then we are due some snow and ice then tomorrow its suppose to turn to
warmer and heavy rain. The rain with any luck willput us at square one clear ground all over.

Todays play will depend on how quickly the nasty weather gets here and how bad it gets..

 

[GaryB]

Well I'm not supposed to be riding ATM (Doctor's orders), but yesterday was the fancy dress ride to the pub...

Hacking
2 miles
1 hour

Totals
Hacking
427.5 miles
130 hours 50

Schooling
25 hours 50

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Awesome AWESOME AWESOME
I LOVE IT.

Sorry your not supposed to ride at the
Moment BUT DIO GLAD YOU GOT
THAT RIDE IN.

NO play Fri or yesterday.
It started to get nasty just after the
Farrier left Friday.

Then Omg yesterday one of the worse ice
Storms I have seen. EVEN SOME MAJOR HIGHWAYS were closed.

We finally did sometime in the nite get the
Warm up and when I Looked at 3am
Most of the ice has gone.
TIL It's light out I won't know how my lovely group of birches faired sigh.

They were getting pretty bent over with ice.
And the branches of the big pines on the grassy hill were awfully droopy with ice too.

On a good note we don,t buy bunches of useless presents. I always want horsey or goat oriented things and my husband wants tools etc.

Thank God he got home before the really bad weather Friday and asked me what I want.
What i want requires more of his time
TO FULLY MAKE for me.

I Really REALLY miss my teeter hotter bridge.
Hopefully today we can get to a home
Improvement store for the
Materials .

I do hope to get some play in TODAY
Though since we are due ugh 2 to 5 inches
Of snow tomorrow andv49 mph winds.

Virginia has guests from Australia THAT has never seen snow. Well with the awful ice of yesterday snow a few days ago and more snow due they are experiencing the New England winter for sure.

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Ugh stupid phone
Teeter totter not hotter bridge.

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Sonny
Unmounted 104.75 hours
Mounted 75.50 hrs

Andi
Unmounted 1.75 hr

I did get over and play but its quite nasty over there ice wise.

I long lined and ground drove.
I played in the open area near the paths that go towards the little cemetary then up on those paths.
some had tree blocks but I did get over one.
Sonny did really good but getting over there was difficult
I need to come here were I have more grassy areas.
If a coating of snow comes tomorrow its going to be
really nasty.

Sonny did awesome though.
I put s little strip of sleigh bells on the sursingle.

After I let him eat a bit near her house while I put the tack back in the car.















I don't think there will be much melting today sigh.

 

[Trewsers]

Seems like months since Mr T rode. But today he managed a small Christmas Eve ride. Yaye! I enjoyed tacking up and grooming for him

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Woo hoo Awesome AWESOME
Oh got a ride.

You look chilly there too.

 

[Native Lover]

I wont be able to ride Christmas day as I have visitors but I will ride Boxing day Have a fun Christmas day everyone from me x

 

[horseandgoatmom]

wont be able to ride Christmas day as I have visitors but I will ride Boxing day Have a fun Christmas day everyone from me x

Hope you have great weather for a ride boxing day.

We have snow right now and its looking heavy at the moment.
It will maybe change to ice then a little rain and possible 50mph gusts so it may not be looking good today.


Sonny
Unmounted 105.75 hours
Mounted 75.50 hrs

Andi
Unmounted 1.75 hr

Did get a second play session in over here after we went and
got my Christmas present The makings for my Teeter Totter
Bridge and 5 more poles for another cavaletti set up
With the really bad ice storm the day before the roads were really busy but the Home store for the materials was not too bad.
Woo Hoo my poles!!

Then bridge materials



My new cabvaletti



My husband got some done on the bridge before it got dark.
Not sure if the weather will cooperate today





One more clear day would have been nice but oh well.
I guess the Australian guests at Virginia's will be happy to see a white Christmas.