2019 Hacking/Riding Thread

Fab 25 mins lungeing in her theraband. I just did it in her headcollar today to See how she behaved and she was offering lots of long and low of her own accord. Absolutely thrilled that things are heading in the right direction.
 
Sonny unmounted 2.25 hrs
mounted .75 hrs

We had our play day yesterday even though it was quite windy and on and off snow.
Toni did in hand and I did longlining.
I brought over some valentiIMG_7121.JPGIMG_7040.JPGIMG_7126.JPGIMG_7138.JPGIMG_7169.JPGIMG_7170.JPGIMG_7173.JPGIMG_7154.JPGIMG_7144.JPGIMG_7069.JPGnes day flags and the heart balloon wieights but they wind ended up being too much for the weights and they quickly blew over so I did not even try them here.
Sonny was ok but a bit squirrely we have not longlined for over a year so I really cant complain I did get an anwesome side pass I was thrilled with its a shame the photo was not from the front it did look great from the back.
That big orange cammo coat was toasty warm but I felt soooooooo caught up in it especially on MY harder side.
We were both pleased at playing dispite it blowing and snowing. Thankfully it was not really sticking a lot.
 
Gracie's shoe was finally replaced at 6pm last night and by 6.30 Jill and I were in the school! This was a first for Gracie and I've never ridden her in the dark with the floodlights on but she wasn't bothered at all. Jill and I practised drill riding, which is always good fun. Obvs I didn't track it for distance but we were in there for about 45 mins.
 
My new bridle and bit arrived so on Saturday it was fitting and testing time. He is definitely more forward now and much happier in his mouth. My brakes are slightly dodgy but improving. We mostly jumped as on Sunday I had an SJ clinic. The clinic was 80cm with my regular instructor (and YO). I really wasn't riding well so although we left all of the fences up I wasn't to pleased.

Practising at home (90cm) - shame i didn't get his bridle straight!
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SJ Clinic (Nemo fillers in the background for @horseandgoatmom )
and now his browband is wonky!
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Schooling
90 minutes

Totals

Schooling
90 minutes

Hacking
11.75 miles
3 hours 10 minutes
 
Sonny unmounted 3.75 hrs
Mounted. 2 .25 hrs

It started out really cold again but it was mosty calm it got a tiny bit warmer near 30f.

Levi picked up on something Toni was a little upset about non horse related but
really grabbed the moment to shatter her confidence.
She was on very briefly. Then she just walked in hand thru some trails on the hill and around
the back of arena to the pond area.
I went up on my grassy hill under the pines. I played with the cavaletti up there
used rocks for pedistools and played touch it a ball that had been in one of the big rd pens.
Then it had disappeared o_O
Some how it must have BLOWN out of the pen in one of the really really bad winds
and its lodged in some branches at the fence line. The rd pens are alwauys
kept closed so I have no idea how wind could have been bad enough for it to blow out:eek:
but I cant see any other way it got up and out:p.

Today will be a bit calmer til later in the afternoon and maybe a teeny tiny bit warmer:)

We have a bit of a different plan for today.
Rather than bringing stuff over for in the arena Toni will start by mounting near the picnic table ride to the arena ride in ther then In and out a bit and around the outside near the
pond etc. Its a good plan for something different since it wont be windy.

I will probably play on the hill again.
My cavaletti up there got covered up last year In tall gass
Now I can see them:rolleyes:.
I will have to come up with a plan this spring and possibly spray around them and then put some wood chips to define the area. There is plenty of grass that I don't have to worry
if I loose whats around the cavaletti.IMG_7193.JPG



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We have snow turning to rain due late Thurs into Friday. Thankfully not a lot BUT
ugh another much more unsettled storm Saturday thru Sunday Snow then maybe rain then
More SNOW :(:mad: possibly plowable amounts ugh.
PLEASE NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
 
Sonny unmounted 4.25 hrs
Mounted. 3 .75 hrs

Something was amiss yesterday...o_Oo_Oo_O
Something in the air ???????? :eek::eek:
WE BOTH HAD PROBLEMS:(:mad:

Halos were falling like crazy.:(
The sky and feeling was pecululiar out.
It did have an ominous look and feel not horribly cold though.
Even the wind was odd kind of dead calm to nasty gusts but not horrible horrible.

Toni had problems mouting Levi he got pissy and actually did a cow kick nonsence
that hes never done before.

So we went to the ring and he still did it no idea why and totally did not want to stand at the mounting bock.

I had her send him around the mounting block and he did really well but it was still a no go to mounting nicely.

Then we just went for a walk and he was still not himself..
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Then I come over to get Sonny saddled I'm trying something different to protect my legs from chafing when there is snow on the ground. I will have to wear the muck boot type
rubber boots and cant buy off the shelf winter tall riding boots good in snow cause ive always had fat calves.
I got on before Toni got over there he was fine and I walked toward the road he seemed fine except his ears are more pricked foreward THAN NORMAL
hes generally got more mule half mast easy going ears but hes acting ok.
She gets there and im planning to go up in the grassy hill again so much for my plan

We walk over the cavaletti toward the hill area just about in front of the middle of the arena
we are walking fine then out of the blue he balks squeaks and squeals and kind of does a cow kick thing like Levi did this was Not A FUN PLAY I feel good antic.

I tried to continue up NOPE same nonsense

I turned and went into and thru the arena and int the other grassy area did some cavaletti there and side pass etc and he was ok.

Generally if sonny refuses to go someplace there is a REALLY GOOD REASON
Whats different from the day before is there something dead up there????

It was odd we both got problems but we were close being across the street from each other but not riding in the same places????

Had I just stayed in the front yard play area would it all have gone well??? who knows.

I will have to see if anything odd is up there and maybe long line him up around there.
The day before there were no problems he was doing cavaletti nicely touching the ball
standing on rocks etc what changed so drasticly overnite!:eek::eek::eek:
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After I did see Tobias at his corner of his fence looking that way.

Even if there was a dead turkey or something I don't see him being THAT BOTHERED
cause last year I was in the corner up there by the road and there were vultures eating something on the road and we walked up the road right past it to see what it was.
Sadly it was the remains of a deer:(.

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Right after the bratty burst hes got this who me look
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We have bad weather due tomorrow some snow and rain but VERY BAD
Snow rain and ice due Sat to Monday then a FLASH FREEZE high of 16f Monday o_Oo_O:eek::eek:
So I don't think there will be a play day Tues it will only be 20F

Then thank god a little warm up

It would really be BETTER if it just stayed all snow Its gonna be a nighmare to try to
do anything with.

On a GOOD NOTEIMG_7342.JPG
the DAWN IS JUST BREAKING HERE and oooh the sky is LOVELY:):)
 
Sonny unmounted 5.00 hrs
Mounted. 3 .75 hrs

Woo hoo found out what yesterdays problem was
The footing was lumpy bumpy.IMG_7359.JPGIMG_7366.JPGIMG_7369.JPGIMG_7352.JPGIMG_7348.JPG
I longlined him up there and thru my rubber boots omg I could feel it get bumpy.
He was a really good boy along the tree line where there are more pine needles and not much grass it was better.
So I think to ride up there I need to keep to the edge more for now.
He was even a good boy going thru the tire. But hes always good with tires:).
 
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