2021 Hacking and Riding

[Huggy]

Another beautiful morning, and - hurray! - an uneventful ride. Good boy, mainly because I spoiled him, and let him go his favourite route. Trotted up nicely, was a bit lookey lookey, but didn't act on it. When we got home, I did what I always do - crouched in front of him to check the stirrups were even - still lookey lookey - there was a horse grazing in a field down the lane ( ) and he couldn't take his eyes off it.

 

[Huggy]

It got quite a bit hotter yesterday.

Sonny was a little girthy when I saddled him and bucked online in the arena when I asked for canter.
I reset the saddle.

He was fine when I rode so I'm not sure what was up.

As soon as he went back to his area
After riding he immediately rolled.

He seemed fine.
Maybe he was a little full of himself???

Thinking afterwards lots of times unsaddled at liberty or online
Asking for canter he will do a little bit of silly Billy crow hop or buck blowing it out a bit.

I think it caught me wrong and shook my confidence a little because he was saddled and I was going to ride.

When hes unsaddled it doesn't phase me.
I just laugh and say ok get it out.
Then its done and over.

He was totally fine when i rode.

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He was good as gold riding.

Your place looks beautiful.

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Thank you.
I try to utilize it.

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Its very raw and blustery out.
Sonny was really full of himself and had.a good blow it out in a big rd pen
Then i moved him to the wire one for slow work

Toni and I may try to ride Monday.

Today was out she got a bad reaction to a pneumonia shot last nite.
So we are trying for Monday if she feels better.

Tomorrow is out cause Virgina has a concert there.
I would not care as long as no strangers tried to touch Sonny but it bothers Toni.

I saw something scary.
She has guests that were heading out to the forest WITH NO HI VIS AT ALL
and one horse was a buckskin.

Its hunting season and for turkeys..deer..and other things.

I heard a shot at dawn out back behind her in the forest.

I can't believe those people were going out like that.

Toni and i will play in Virginias big arena.
Im looking forward to her huge arena for some good traveling circles

 

[chunky monkey]

Not much to report on the riding front, it obviously isnt happening.
Yesterday chunky went out for a hack and i was on the bike. Brought Billy in and left him stood in the yard whilst we went out.

Billy was a bit off when i led him back down the field first he squealed and tried to pull away. I thought he was just excited. Think he wanted to pull away to run off across the field so he got avoice reprimand. Then he started kicking out and then banging his leg on the ground as he tried to walk. Then lifting it up, very high stepping as he walked. We were walking down the steepest bit of the field so the gradient was definitely causing his hock some pain. Ironically he was still trying to walk quite quickly down to the paddock. He seemed fine once i let him off on the flat ground. Head down munching.

Hes the kind of horse that always seems to rush walking down hill. Not like chunky who is sure footed and careful. Hes never got out of this habit even though i ask him to stop frequently.

I decided today to put the saddle on him and go for a very short walk. He was fine and very chilled, walked out quite happily with chunky for company. I was waiting for him to explode with excitement at going out and im a bag of nerves as im not riding enough. Its the knowing hes done nothing and watching how he charged up that field in the week. He had his sensible head on and was actually a really good boy. When we turned for home he sped up a bit but i kept him at walk and he was striding nicely. We only went 1/2 a mile in total. Chunkys rider took chunky out in the field at home for a couple of walks down to the bottom and cantered him back up. So not really a hack out at all today, but i was also juggling a straw delivery and then having to go and take some of it to my friend. So we left the boys stood in the yard for a few hours munching hay whilst we went off to deliver straw.
Today Billy was fine walking back to the field. He did get quite forward walking down the steep bit of field but no funny leg action, thank god. I think his mini hack out had chilled his brain out.

Hoping to just sit on him once a week till the farrier comes but hes definitely getting more hyper in the field during the week so it might be time to get him some calmer. I resisted up to now. But i dont think its sensible for him to charge about, it wont help heel him.

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Played yesterday Sonny was not as full of himself.
He didn't need to blow it out.


He did want a good roll when we went back.

 

[Doodle92]

Best boy ever started trotting today. He was really good. Did a couple of short trots then Trotted the whole length of a stubble and if I can get that trot in a dressage test we are sorted!!

 

[horseandgoatmom]

I just played w Sonny in the cavaletti pen
Low key he was very good.

I bought a bunch more tombstones earky this am at Walmart and put them out leaving a riding space between the fence ones and front ones.





Sadly the play date didnt pan out for several reasons and it just started to clear and get nicer out not that long ago.

 

[Doodle92]

Came across a dead deer though in the longer grass. It’s made me sad (after I realised it was dead rather than about to jump out causing dude to freak).

 

[Huggy]

Blooming cold first thing, but bright - just how I like it! I've been giving Hogan NAF EnerG, think I'll stop now. He's more energetic, but it's mixed with silly. His trotting today was fab, but he feels like a coiled spring. I'll cut it down first, and see if we can reach a balance. The colours are still lovely, not least Hogans mane - it looks almost chestnut in the sun!

 

[Trewsers]

Blooming cold first thing, but bright - just how I like it! I've been giving Hogan NAF EnerG, think I'll stop now. He's more energetic, but it's mixed with silly. His trotting today was fab, but he feels like a coiled spring. I'll cut it down first, and see if we can reach a balance. The colours are still lovely, not least Hogans mane - it looks almost chestnut in the sun!View attachment 108875View attachment 108876View attachment 108877

I know the coiled spring feeling and it's not nice when you want calm but reasonably energetic!

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Just had a good play in one of the big rd pens.

Its already getting hot.

But OMG I'm Soooooooo glad i don't live out in the central north west..

SOME PLACES ARE GOING TO GET
15 INCHES OF ******SNOW******

 

[Skib]

Tired horse and a tired rider I guess today. She didnt feel lively and it was may be too hot for her in her winter coat, as the sun was out and it was more like summer. But we had a nice time together and my legs now ache.

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Hope you both feel better quickly.

We are going to be way too hot the next few days too.

 

[GaryB]

Unfortunately for Harvey it was another 4 day weekend for me
Friday was an hours hack on my own, and Saturday a hack with my regular riding buddy A and another livery L

Sunday was a SJ clinic for all 3 of us. We had great fun supporting each other. We started at 95cm and then we went up to 105cm. This was my first full round at 105cm so I was pleased to just have one down. That was my fault as it was a 5 stride curving line coming in on the right rein and then with the curve to the left - I just didn't ride the line right.

Monday was a trip to the gallops with A as it was on her bucket list

Looking like we know what we are doing at 95cm (we don't!)

Coming out of the 1 stride double

105cm

This was the one I had down - we have just come from the jump you can see on the left edge (This was a second go at that line which I got right)

The gallops

Galloping video

Hacking
10 miles
3 hours

Schooling
1 hour

Totals
Schooling
22 hours 40

Hacking
367 miles
111 hours 45

 

[Huggy]

Unfortunately for Harvey it was another 4 day weekend for me
Friday was an hours hack on my own, and Saturday a hack with my regular riding buddy A and another livery L

Sunday was a SJ clinic for all 3 of us. We had great fun supporting each other. We started at 95cm and then we went up to 105cm. This was my first full round at 105cm so I was pleased to just have one down. That was my fault as it was a 5 stride curving line coming in on the right rein and then with the curve to the left - I just didn't ride the line right.

Monday was a trip to the gallops with A as it was on her bucket list

Looking like we know what we are doing at 95cm (we don't!)

Coming out of the 1 stride double

105cm

This was the one I had down - we have just come from the jump you can see on the left edge (This was a second go at that line which I got right)

The gallops

Galloping video

Hacking
10 miles
3 hours

Schooling
1 hour

Totals
Schooling
22 hours 40

Hacking
367 miles
111 hours 45

Envy you the gallop!

 

[Trewsers]

Unfortunately for Harvey it was another 4 day weekend for me
Friday was an hours hack on my own, and Saturday a hack with my regular riding buddy A and another livery L

Sunday was a SJ clinic for all 3 of us. We had great fun supporting each other. We started at 95cm and then we went up to 105cm. This was my first full round at 105cm so I was pleased to just have one down. That was my fault as it was a 5 stride curving line coming in on the right rein and then with the curve to the left - I just didn't ride the line right.

Monday was a trip to the gallops with A as it was on her bucket list

Looking like we know what we are doing at 95cm (we don't!)

Coming out of the 1 stride double

105cm

This was the one I had down - we have just come from the jump you can see on the left edge (This was a second go at that line which I got right)

The gallops

Galloping video

Hacking
10 miles
3 hours

Schooling
1 hour

Totals
Schooling
22 hours 40

Hacking
367 miles
111 hours 45

I love how those horses in the field didn't look up!! Good video - love how you were neck and neck and then your friend moved over.

 

[horseandgoatmom]

Awesome..
I thought that was interesting as well that the other horses never even looked up

 

[GaryB]

The horses in the fields are the race horses that live there (Its a racing yard) so I think they have seen it all before

 

[Huggy]

Perfect weather - cold but bright. Hogan is still on his toes a bit, which manifests in a teeny tantrum, but dissipates into a lovely forward trot. Long may this last! Couldn't resist the shadow pic of 25hh Hogan, and mini me