2020 Hacking & Riding Thread

[Huggy]

I'm taking advantage of the beautiful mornings, so out again today. Very surprised to find Hogan chilling in the field - never found him lying down once in nearly two years! Good ride, lots of trotting and managed 7 or 8 strides in canter! I think he definitely needs lunged, to try and get "canter" back into his vocabulary - very hard to keep him going! Only met one other person - our resident naughty cyclist - you're only supposed to cycle on proper tracks, not through the trees etc. However, at least this time he slowed, and kept out of our way.

 

[Trewsers]

Yes bad cyclist. I noticed something on the news they were all on a canal path, and they were certainly not socially distancing either!
Lovely pics btw.

 

[GaryB]

Well the weather was very nice at the weekend and I felt lucky to be allowed out to see the horses. My foster ponies were all enjoying the sun and enjoyed a groom and "helping" me to poo pick. It rained on Friday night so the water tub was nice and full and I didn't have to take any extra. We are getting lots of stable jobs done.

Harvey has been deployed to mow one of the longet paddocks - he had so much grass he could barely move

On Saturday after the rain it was very quiet so I Harvey and I went out for a nice hack. On Sunday we had a school including a little play over some poles.

Poo picking help

Grooming station

pole painting - these white ones were rustic before. Stripes to follow!

A very full Harvey

Harvey is shedding quite well now

Thanks for the hay but I was full so I used it to sleep on

Hacking
50 minutes
2.75 miles

Schooling
20 minutes

Totals
Schooling
10 hours 10

Hacking
17 hours
60.1 miles

 

[Huggy]

Hogan is going into shock - 3 hacks in 4 days. He'll be glad when lockdown's over! Yet another glorious morning. We went out for a bit longer today - may as well stretch our rides while we have the time. He's arguing in a less aggressive way at the moment. Very affronted that we didn't turn for home at our usual spot, but carried on. Instead of the tantrummy mini rears etc, he just slo-o-owed do-o-own as much as he could. Then got over himself and quite enjoyed the longer ride. The 2nd pic the little ear is pointing back because I told him not to eat the bushes (he knows when I'm distracted taking pics, and will dive for a mouthful.

 

[chunky monkey]

Popped out late yesterday in the end for a drive with chunky, and a small hack with billy down to my neighbours field as i wanted to check the fencing before i move the sheep down there. So billy got a blast up the paddock. Boy did he move. Considering the walk down the road he was tripping and dropping the front shoulder. I was almost wondering if he was lame in front. Well in the field there was not a chance he was lame. He seems to be taking the micky lately walking out on the road and tracks. Ive not been pushing in case hes lame on the fronts. I think he is being footy, but i keep giving him the benefit of the doubt and as a result ive noticed his walk out is getting slower and slower. But the canter is telling a different story. I then walked down the road a bit further and took him down to the local fields. He questioned me walking down and kept wanting to stop then at the bottom as i turned him he started getting mega fizzy as he wanted to canter up. I wouldnt let him though. So he starts traveling sideways and then backing up. I must say i was getting a little panicky and was trying my best to sit it. In the end i had to yell at him to stand. Which took him by surprise, but he did stand albeit throwing his head round. Eventually he stopped his attitude so i asked him to walk on. But he started getting stroppy so he got made to stand again, till he stopped fighting. I had to do this all the way up the field. There was no way i was giving him another canter, when he had attitude.
Been out again today for a drive with chunky and took billy for a hack up across the top of the hill. I have to say thankyou to @Jessey, after our little discussion on headshaking and fly masks yesterday. I decided to try a ride today with a fly mask on. I wondered if he would be more spooky wearing it but he wasnt. I also took flossy with us for company. Its the first time shes been out on a hack in ages. It was also her longest walk since her vestibular attack. She absolutely loved it. Billy did headshake a bit but i definitely think he was better today with the fly mask on, and considering it was lunchtime and warm and sunny i was very happy with the result. So i think i will try some more rides with the mask on.

 

[Huggy]

I'm veering towards putting Hogans fly thingy on - he's been headshaking too.

 

[Huggy]

As I thought, our extra outings have finally impacted on Hogan. VERY slow today! Met OH walking the dog, and as he waited for us to get to him, he said "He is slow, I thought you were exaggerating!" I did point out that this was slow, even for Hogan! Having said that, we got some good active trots in, and I still enjoyed it. Not sure Hogan did though! Can't fault him other than that though, he was a good boy.

 

[chunky monkey]

I think the heat and sun is getting to them a bit. So they feel lethargic.
Its supposed to go cloudier at the weekend.

I did another hack today with billy and put his fly mask on. He was actually really good considering the heat of the midday sun.
Chunkys had a drive up the hill and back. I laugh I fixed a banging on the carriage yesterday. Its been nnoying me for ages. The swingle tree is flicking back on the front of the carriage. Where its metal on metal, the knock drives me nuts. So yesterday i found an old tea towel, cut it up, wrapped it round and taped it with insulation tape. Yah silence. Or soi thought. No wait, today my wheel is squeaking as we drive along. Repeditive noises really do drive me mad. Hopefully its an easy resolve, one of two things. Either the wheel nuts have come loose with all the potholes up my road currently, or it just needs an oiling as the bearing seem to dry out. So its parked outside the workshop for some attention later.

 

[chunky monkey]

Decided to get the poles and jump wings out of storage rhis afternoon. Took them down to the bottom field along with my road cones and set them all up. Ive put some on the ground and some just raised. In various patterns.
So this evening when it cooled off, i took chunky out for a drive and then came back and took billy for a little play over the poles. We mainly walked over them all as im trying to keep him from getting stupid and we arent supposed to be doing tight turns on the hock. Because the jumps are on the grass he thinks he can charge around. But i it didnt let it happen. I dont want him jumping at all with his leg, but he needs to build up the muscle so hoping if i keep to walk over the poles it will all help.
He didnt even get to canter back up the hill after. He had a real spring in his step going back up, but everytime he broke into a trot i made he stop. We had tantrums, head tossing and bit chomping but as soon as he stopped the chomping and i had a few seconds of still head and body, i asked him to walk on. I had to do it all the way up. But the main thing was i made it up in one peice.

 

[Huggy]

Lovely ride this morning. Kept meeting the same two ponies all the way round! They must have been cutting through the trees. Hogan was great - we went round the outside of the inclosure, and as well as our 2 stalkers, there was a big herd of forest ponies across the road, and he barely faltered. Heaven help me though when the field start appearing!our stalkers!

 

[Huggy]

Foals! Not fields!

 

[Huggy]

Took Hogan out this morning. No dogs, no ponies, no people - actually quite spooky. Hogan seems less bothered by it now than I am. We seem to have regressed on the cantering front, so any suggestions to encourage it on a hack, would be welcomed. I've tried striking off on both legs, but no go. I'm even more convinced he's been driven, as I think it's common for driving ponies to be more inclined to trot, than canter. I give the aid, but he just trots faster!

 

[chunky monkey]

I would just say a nice open grass field if your riding regular route where you know ground is good and safe. Ask for canter at that particular place every ride. They usually get to know where there allowed to a start to preemt the fun. The trick is once you get that regular place canter to not then let them do it all the time or they do what mine does now expecting it every ride. Im having to retrain billy to not try blasting up the field everytime we are at the bottom. Weve done two days in a row just about maintaining the walk back up my field. He slipped a few trot paces in. There was one point i felt him collect and elevate the body to a canter stride. At that point he got made to halt and back up
Have you ridden in your field and tried a canter in there to see what he does.

 

[Huggy]

Thanks - I'm lucky to have an area in the forest which is quite open and flat, I could try there. I'm not sure what would happen in the field - the field mate could be in the adjoining field, and he's a bit of a headcase - would probably go nuts if I rode in their regular field . I shall gear myself up to have a go on a ride. Rock and a hard place really - he's being so good just now, I'm a bit wimpy about pushing him - argumentative little sod that he is! But, I know I have to. He will trot til the cows come home, but he has a lovely canter - I've seen it in the field!

 

[chunky monkey]

I know i saw the video. Thats why i suggested trying the field as you know he will canter in there.

 

[Huggy]

I know i saw the video. Thats why i suggested trying the field as you know he will canter in there.

Good thinking!

 

[Huggy]

Very lucky this morning, as heavy rain was forecast - woke early, looked out and it was dry so off I went. I took a route we've had problems with in the past, but although I could feel Hogans irritation, he didn't do anything. This route takes us in a circle, past the lane home, and he's had real tantrums before, but apart from a couple of head shakes, he was fine. As we headed for the turn for home, I thought I'd throw a spanner in the works, and yet again, turn away from the track home. A bit more headshaking, but really good about it. Very pleased with him, I think I'll push the boundaries a bit, by shaking things up - I'd love to get to a point where I'm no longer concerned about him having a paddy. All in all, a good hack.

 

[chunky monkey]

Sounds like your turning a corner. I would say dont push his boat on every ride. Try to bring him back to the things he knows in between. Or he may get argumentative.
Can tell you are really starting to enjoy your hacks now. Just need to master your canter.

 

[GaryB]

Ho Hum - another weekend of lockdown - mind you I still feel lucky to be one of the small percentage of people to be allowed out at weekends.

On Saturday Harvey and I had a nice quiet solo hack, and on Sunday some schooling including cantering a 20m cirlce with a small jump (40cm ish). My foster ponies are still shedding their shaggy Winter coats like mad so quite a lot of time was spent with the shedding blade. We also finished sprucing up the SJ poles

Hairy!

These 2 poles were both unpainted at the start

Hacking
1 hour
3 miles

Schooling
30 minutes

Totals
Schooling
10 hours 40

Hacking
18 hours
63.1 miles

 

[Trewsers]

Ho Hum - another weekend of lockdown - mind you I still feel lucky to be one of the small percentage of people to be allowed out at weekends.

On Saturday Harvey and I have a nice quite solo hack, and on Sunday some schooling including cantering a 20m cirlce with a small jump (40cm ish). My foster ponies are still shedding their shaggy Winter coats like mad so quite a lot of time was spent with the shedding blade. We also finished spricing up the SJ poles

Hairy!

These 2 poles were both unpainted at the start

Hacking
1 hour
3 miles

Schooling
30 minutes

Totals
Schooling
10 hours 40

Hacking
18 hours
63.1 miles

Lots of Tribbles could be made from all that floof!!!