QOD 30/12/2012 Highs and Lows of 2012?

[Flipo's Mum]

So come on, whats been your best, worst and noteable moments of 2012 and why. And if you can, provide photographic evidence :wink:

Best - Riding at the grass sickness show in June and getting fourth for our troubles. I think this experience helped boost my confidence no end as it helped me realise that Flipo isn't as unpredictable or silly as I thought and we can make it!

Worst - When he jumped the gate in July and ended up with a haematoma. Scared the crap out of me seeing such a huge horse attempt cross country and then fall over.

Noteable -
1. Flipo taught me to wait while he pees (just cause this photo always makes me laugh!)

2. The bugger then stood on my foot a few days ago and I'm still suffering.

and finally....
I ONLY FELL OFF ONCE THIS YEAR!! woohoo!!:bounce:
(and thankfully don't have a photo to show for that one!) ETA for anyone who didn't hear about the story, I was feeling quite nervous and had a dicky tummy, was just getting on Flipo and accidentally farted as I swung my leg over. Flipo is nervy to mount sometimes and panicked, bolted off and I was deposited in some nettles. Yep, he spooks at my farts, but its ok for him to let one rip every two seconds!!

So come on, join in. Highs lows, and most noteable of 2012. :happy:

 

[Trewsers]

Horsey highs - having a special moment with Chloe in the sun - we stood together whilst she let me drink in her lovely special horse scent and also stood with her beautiful Simba chin pressed against my cheek. Priceless.
Hacking Storm on what is probs the worlds shortest hack but feeling exceedingly fabby when I got back. And singing the worlds worst version of Henry the Eighth I am... hheheheee

Non horse wise (is this ok on this thread?)
Highs - managing to survive business wise and not let Mr T drown under a mountain of responsibility
Lows - water supply drying up again causing us worry and hassle. Never buy a property that has a supply from nebulous means!

 

[Kite_Rider]

My biggest low this year was admitting defeat and realising that my beautiful boy Oscar was just too much horse for me and had to go back to the Blue Cross, I still find it very dificult to think about and I still miss his handsome face. I wish I could have been braver for him.

My highs on the flip side of the above were finding Belle, who has proved to be everything I could have ever wanted in a horse and then some, there is not one day goes by when I don't love her a little bit more and although we've had a few 'moments' along the way she has never done anything that scares the whotsits out of me and has such a quirky character I can't help but love her.

 

[domane]

January's highlight was undoubtedly backing Arthur - the first horse I've backed and sat on myself. I'd dabbled in very light backing of a Newfie a few years ago but she was too small to ride myself. I was super-chuffed with the calm and collected way Arthur took to being ridden. Dom and I even managed a very short hack with him on Jack and me on Art before he left.

February's highlight was giving up the livery yard and moving Jack to join the others at my "own" privately rented place, where the babies had been since the previous November. A fantastic decision and I'm still so very happy there. February also saw Albi leave for pastures new with NoviceNic (for those of you who remember her from the old NR days)

March's highlight was a rash, impulsive decison to buy a pretty mare who was unkempt and heavily in foal

April saw the departure of Arthur, back to WesternSaddler, and the arrival of Baby Boo...

May saw the arrival of Maisey....

Which led to ....

June, July and pretty much all of August were fairly quiet for Janey :giggle:

And then in August, a chance conversation led to the arrival of Joey....

I cannot put into words what Joey's arrival has meant to me. He's helped me re-find my love and enjoyment of riding - something that had been missing for about five years and in the short while we've been together I've done more with him than in the last five years put together, bareback, jumping, all sorts of stuff and he's just been a total rock for me. I love him to pieces and owe him SO much....

 

[popularfurball]

Lows: madam having lami at the beginning of the year after stealing another horses food bucket

Highs: finally feeling like I have some understanding of madams skin issues - I will never cure it, but I'm learning how to manage it.

Getting piggy out to some shows - i wish he had a Peremenant little friend he loves his work, and loves the fuss - but I prefer to be around when he is worked as he does worry and I wouldn't want him to go backwards in his training and my time limits him having a sharer

Loves my ponies!

 

[Pigletsmum]

It feels like its been a busy year for me, certainly since June when I got Tombot .

My highs are first go at x country schooling

First go at dressage ( no pics that I can find) and lots of hacks and pleasure rides

And making lots of new horsey friends.

Lows were probably being bucked off by Frank and being very woozy for a week

Confidence wobbles and the weather.

 

[KarinUS]

My low of the year was of course sending Minnie this year to be professionally trained and her coming completely apart. After 2 weeks it was clear that she was spiraling out of control and we took her home early from what was supposed to be a 30 day stay.
After the first trainer I managed to get my dressage RI to accept her but even there the barn manager thought Minnie was crazy and would never be rideable (I had ridden her fine before she went to the professional trainer)
And after two expensive months there she still wasn't anywhere near rideable again.

(I am only smiling because OH pointed out that Minnie was following me after she bucked me off unsure of what to do now. I cried lots once I was back at the house)
It was devastating.
My highs were working with Minnie through her issues:

Finding out she may have had a cavity in her wolf tooth that contributed to her initial flipping out at the first heavy handed trainer's place:

And after months of working together finally being able to happily ride Minnie again:

I fell off 3 times this year and once crashed into a barn roof. I am hoping my stats will look like FM's next year! Only once a year would be lovely!
It was a rough year but I learned a lot and I actually think both Minnie and I grew more from this as if it had never happened. It just feels more solid.

 

[OwnedbyChanter]

Lows

Falling out with my then BM because I wanted to separate the horse as Chanter was being bitten. Still not talking and doubt we ever will.

Monty my dog getting very ill.

Being told that Chanters dressage days where over as he was no to stiff to work at the level we were at.

Chanter also had Colic in November and I nearly lost him. This was quite possibly the worst 2 weeks of horse ownership that I have every had.

But Chanter is amazing and has come back fighting

So he got a friend

Highs

With dropping Chanter's work load he just got better and better:

and so has Ginger:

and to top it off OH brought me that amazing picture of me boys

 

[Joyscarer]

Lows:

My father in laws dementia progressing so much that he had to go in a home in February.

My weight once again meaning I couldn't ride Joy.


Highs:

Dad is as happy as he can be but most importantly, he's safe.

I deliberately seek out things to jump when out hacking and Joy's canter is much improved. Also I cantered her stirrup less and then bareback for the first time and will continue to do so.

Lastly, I finished my diet 5 months ago but have still continued to lose since then and will end the year about 95lbs lighter than I started it! It will be my first year in adulthood where I don't need to resolve to lose weight as even with my Christmas gain, I'm still well under my goal weight.

 

[juliecwuk]

highs: doing tons of fun rides, jumping more generally, having more fun, and i suppose falling pregnant!

lows: getting too 'involved' with people on the yard and feeling uncomfortable/awkward around them for the last 6 months, it has got so bad i am actively avoiding being there when they are there...but they tie up outside my stable so it makes it so difficult.....so today i have put step 1 and started step 2 of my plan to make things more enjoyable for me - have explained my feelings of overcrowding on the yard to the YO, they are going to create more tie up places away from the stables for the grazing only horses (whoop), and i text my sharer to ask to meet for a chat just the two of us next week....

 

[Tina2011]

Great post Flippo and pics (you said you where saving it:smile.

I think its great how us horse people endure and grow. Horses are such a wonderful magical challenge.

My 'high' had to be buying Summer last January...little pic of when she came. Well this was taken in April but hay ho

Feeling her feet

Summer solstice. All be it September

and this morning

So much has happened this year I have started diaries but not had chance to post much, but I will get there....eventually lol.

On top of Summer, I got the wonderful chickens. This was when they first had a taste of freedom, believe me they have really gone from strength to strength and are amazing lovely things now. They can all fly and run and jump etc. My garden is a mess but they are healthly and happy and we love them. Who said hens lay less in the winter? mine don't:giggle: we are all (including neighbours) totally enamoured with them and my dowg:giggle:.....

And the dog. She is adorable, now two and a half and finally seeing sense... I hope

Merry New year to you all.


The lows, shit I wouldn't even like to go there but it will pan out:smile: Happy new year everyone xxxx

 

[Tina2011]

It all got mixed up. never mind I blame photobucket lol. Thats cos I can't be bothered to edit. But I hope you get the gist any how:smile:

 

[Trewsers]

Lovely cluckies Tina!!!

 

[Tina2011]

I would put a recent pic but the blighters are so lively now I have trouble getting them in shot:giggle:

 

[Mary Poppins]

Highs: Just about everything! I have loved my first full year of horse ownership. I have done so much with my lovely boy. We have come on with our confidence in leaps and bounds and managed to jump up to 2ft, compete in 3 dressage comps (1 of which we did pretty well in!). We have also progressed from me being unable to set foot on grass, to confidently riding round several huge fields in all paces. I love taking Ben for a decent blast up our hills.

Lows: He cut his leg badly in February which meant 2 weeks off work and the worry that he might need much longer. Luckily it has healed well.

I feel frustrated that I still lack confidence hacking past my 'safe' fields, but I'm hoping that I can get over that in 2013 and start to enjoy much more of the estate which I pay a fortune to have access to!

 

[bitsnpieces]

Great thread idea!!!!!!

Highs:
I finally finished backing Inca, I'd never done anything like this before and was determined not to do anything before she was ready. I had sat on her during 2011, but literally just sat on and led around, she just wasn't anywhere near ready to start processing aids or anything like that, so I waited until she was 5yrs. I really felt that waiting that extra year made a huge difference and we finished up the summer with a walk/trot test at a local EC, she was (and still is) very green, so the aim was to have a stress free pootle round...and that's what we did!

This young lady also started to find her feet and really has gone from strength to strength:

Lows:
It finally hit me that Puz is getting older, I'm so grateful that she's well and healthy, but it's a sad thought that my partner in crime is now not able to do all the things that we used to. She's had some time off again and 2013 will see us back out hacking to build up her muscles again.

Just love this pony:

 

[Roxy's Mum]

Highlight was this summer when we ventured up to Moors Valley - first time was epic & involved a lot of gallops with a trusted hacking buddy, and then again but we went solo with just OH on foot. I felt like I had achieve true horse utopia on that day :smug:

The lowest for us has been the last couple of months since leaving our old yard, which I really did not want to do. I've not ridden since the beginning of October and right now I find myself wondering why I have a horse & that she could go to somebody else who would appreciate her & ride her more than I currently do.

 

[Ruskii]

Highs : Taking him to Studland, granted I had my first fall of him there but it was under such silly circumstances I can remember as I came off thinking 'Bugger, how many people can see me (!)'. His weight currently is the lowest than I think I have managed to have him at this yard. The YO has said I will be able to restrict his grazing in the summer as well which I hope to do to keep it under control, failing that I'll just have to get off my backside and ride more in the evenings in the summer to help out where I can.

Lows : Having to put him on loan. It had it's going points though and the girl who had him was lovely, however I won't be putting him on loan again nor sharing him. It worked while it had to and she did a great job keeping his weight off. I'm not riding much at the moment but after last nights 10-15 session there is no reason why I can't do those even a few times a week while the other horse eats his dinner if I go up myself.