Other than that, he did very well, especially when we met a girl exercising 7 (!) Beagle hounds. They came at us en masse, barking like crazy, and he never flinched, bless him. To give her her due, she apologised profusely, but it would have been a different story with some other horses. Brought my grandson (5) up later, to poo pick, and he has no fear of Hogan - worries me a bit, but probably a good thing. He earned £1, for half an hours work - please don't set child services onto me!
On Friday we had a yard trip to the BS National Championships as YO was riding. I'd never been to anything other than riding club SJ before so that was fun to watch.
Saturday was very windy which normally sends Harvey wild. I went in to the school to just ride for a few minutes until he got too silly. When he then behaved I hadn't got a plan so we just did some canter circles and some polework.
Sunday was the Cotswold farm park fun ride. It was raining when we left the yard, but dry when we arrived. I rode with a lady a met on a riding camp a few years ago and she had brought a friend. We had a really nice ride and despite some ominous rumbles stayed dry. Harvey behaved well and we even popped a few jumps. He lost a front shoe near the end so we only walked from that point. Just after we got back there was torrential rain, and driving home was a bit trying. My final job was to poo pick the foster ponies - I arrived to find they had taken the fence down
Harvey doesn't like to come out until he has checked out where he is
Having a chill while waiting for our companions
YO showing us how to do it at the National Championships!
Not really what I wanted to find on a Sunday night
Schooling
30 minutes
Hacking
10 miles
2 hours 45
Totals
Schooling
24 hours 50
Hacking
222.5 miles
57 hours 45
He always does it - even when arriving back home
)
A quiet weekend for us.
In the week the foster ponies broke into the storage areas and opened the haylage bale we were saving for Winter, so first job was to electrify their fence. After poo picking, grooming x2, cleaning water buckets x2 and sweeping the yard it was off to do my own jobs. As it was a bit windy I opted fro a nice hack around the bridleway with Harvey.
Sunday - another day another broken fence. This time the foster ponies had broken into the muck heap and trashed the fence (the fences aren't very good - so we just have to do our best
I had a flat/polework lesson with YO ending with starting to learn to change canter lead (A bit advance for me as I can never tell which leg I am on anyway!) YO then taught our weekend groom but halfway through was a bit unwell so the other liveries carted her off to hospital (there is a bit more to this but not for a public forum) while I supervised the end of the lesson and finished off the yard jobs. The grooms aren't allowed to ride on their own and liveries are encouraged not to for safety.
Someone looking very guilty in an area that used to be fenced!
Not sure if I have posted this before. This is Harvey 30 minutes after being put in his stable with a neat pile of hay (in the other corner)
Hacking
4.5 miles
1 hour
Schooling 30 minutes
Totals
Schooling
25 hours 20
Hacking
227 miles
58 hours 45
proud of myself and Melody.
Mr T came and watched and jogged my memory
(which wouldn't have been the end of the world, but not ideal). Anyway onwards and upwards. I reckon we'll get him into a good routine which hopefully will spur me on more to get on board - at the moment it's so sporadic, no wonder I quickly lose mojo.
Oh I see that and get all gooey and patriotically Scottish! Then I remember the weather.. . Still miss the scenery though, (Rannoch, not Glasgow!)Yaye! I haven't forgotten it all
Zi was ace - only did a few minutes on each rein as it's a long time since he's done much - but he was grand. Lol he sniffed the floor twice and I almost thought he was going to roll
There's no doubt about it - if I'm in the zone, and really commit to what I want him to do, he's much much better.(She said, confidently. )
Had a bit of a meander on Saturday - the heats making me sluggish, never mind Hogan! So hot, even at 7.45. Out again today, early, and really went for it. Totally different route, cows only about 40 feet away. Almost bottled it, then mentally slapped myself round the chops, and on we went. He was a total star - even trotted up well as we got past them. Continued past the normal route home and again my little trooper was great. Came across an older lady on her knees - she'd taken a tumble, walking her dog, and Hogan stood beautifully while I checked she was ok. Trotted most of the way home, and he spooks at a trailing piece of bracken - sigh - still, the good outweighed the bad.
When I got back in the car at 9.15, it was 28° - not nice. I was drenched after going up in the afternoon to do my jobs. Luckily it doesn't seem to bother Hogan, - Ramsey hated the summer, and thrived in the frosty cold!
