A sit on Sid, plus goal setting

[Jane&Ziggy]

The saddler is coming tomorrow, but I am not sanguine about my saddle fitting Sid. He is sooo wide (and fat). Today I decided not to wait. I put the bareback pad and bridle on him and took him for a walk. At one of the deeper gullies I mucked around with him, leaning over and fussing with the pad, and he stood like a rock, so I just slipped on.

I only rode him for 5 minutes as he is newly barefoot and still getting into what it's like walking without shoes. But I could easily have stayed on longer! He was steady and solid as a rock and sooo comfortable, even though he is wide. I was, honestly, really nervous, and uncertain of my position, and every time I shifted to correct it he slowed up and put an ear back to me as if to say, "You OK back there?" You can tell he's taught kids to ride for years.

It was so nice that I started thinking about some goals for us, just to have something to aim for. I already have one! I'm limited because I have no transport, but every year on Good Friday the RDA run a sponsored ride, starting only a 20 minute hack away. It's 11 miles through forest and over the fields where they train the racehorses, where there are lots of logs and little cross-country jumps. I always meant to do it on Ziggy and never did, because by the time my confidence was high enough his lami attacks had started in the Spring. So next year I am going to do it on Sid! And we will jump the jumps!

I'm not sure what else I could aim for. There are a couple of local shows within easy hacking distance, but I don't really fancy showing him and I think I'm too old to ride him in the handy/family pony class! There's also a yard nearby that does clear round jumping at the weekends all through the summer. I don't know what that is, but is that something we could aim for? Sid likes to jump.

Any other ideas? I'd love to do Trec, but there's not a lot of that sort of thing within riding distance

Watch out for ear shots coming to this forum soon!

 

[GaryB]

There's also a yard nearby that does clear round jumping at the weekends all through the summer. I don't know what that is, but is that something we could aim for? Sid likes to jump.

Apologies if I am answering the wrong question, but clear round jumping is normally where they put up a SJ course for your to ride round. Its not a competition - you choose your height (it normally starts small and gets bigger throughout the day). If you go clear you get a rosette. So basically you pay your money and get one round (its normally £5ish around here I think) They are normally laid back, supportive and fun

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Apologies if I am answering the wrong question, but clear round jumping is normally where they put up a SJ course for your to ride round. Its not a competition - you choose your height (it normally starts small and gets bigger throughout the day). If you go clear you get a rosette. So basically you pay your money and get one round (its normally £5ish around here I think) They are normally laid back, supportive and fun

Oh thank you, just what I needed to know! That sounds doable. I wonder what height they start at? Mind you, Sid is scornful of little tiny jumps

 

[Doodle92]

Round about me clear round generally starts at poles on the ground, then very tiny cross poles then builds up but with the chance of putting down any of the jumps if you need to.

 

[Jessey]

Such a good boy so glad you’re feeling confident with him even when you’re nervous, does that even make sense

Your aims don’t have to be shows, smaller stepping stones can be useful along the way. I like to have something to aim for, so I have about a dozen for Niko for this summer, all building slowly towards getting on board and doing what I enjoy, exploring new places I want him to be a handy pony who’ll try anything.

 

[chunky monkey]

Not done clear round myself but yes you can start with tiny trot poles and build up through the day. Very doable for you.
Bare in mind that you get lots of kids doing clear rounds and some of those only have little 12hh ponies so probably not jumping massive rounds as they go up. At the ones ive watched its a very relaxed atmosphere.
If theres not many there on the day. They will quite often have a chit chat and put back up the pole you knock down for you to have another attempt at going over so your horse can build confidence.

Funrides fully doable to. If you can find someone local passing your door or has a space in trailer or doesnt want to go round alone, for fuel costs, why not trailer share to go to a local fun ride. Most have various height jumps or logs. All optional. Some people dont even go to jump. They just go to give the horse somewhere different to hack.

 

[Huggy]

I did clearrounds with Ramsey for a long time before I started entering classes. Much as GaryB says, pay a nominal amount and jump the height you're comfortable with. It's a fun relaxed way to get your first rosette!

The saddler is coming tomorrow, but I am not sanguine about my saddle fitting Sid. He is sooo wide (and fat). Today I decided not to wait. I put the bareback pad and bridle on him and took him for a walk. At one of the deeper gullies I mucked around with him, leaning over and fussing with the pad, and he stood like a rock, so I just slipped on.

I only rode him for 5 minutes as he is newly barefoot and still getting into what it's like walking without shoes. But I could easily have stayed on longer! He was steady and solid as a rock and sooo comfortable, even though he is wide. I was, honestly, really nervous, and uncertain of my position, and every time I shifted to correct it he slowed up and put an ear back to me as if to say, "You OK back there?" You can tell he's taught kids to ride for years.

It was so nice that I started thinking about some goals for us, just to have something to aim for. I already have one! I'm limited because I have no transport, but every year on Good Friday the RDA run a sponsored ride, starting only a 20 minute hack away. It's 11 miles through forest and over the fields where they train the racehorses, where there are lots of logs and little cross-country jumps. I always meant to do it on Ziggy and never did, because by the time my confidence was high enough his lami attacks had started in the Spring. So next year I am going to do it on Sid! And we will jump the jumps!

I'm not sure what else I could aim for. There are a couple of local shows within easy hacking distance, but I don't really fancy showing him and I think I'm too old to ride him in the handy/family pony class! There's also a yard nearby that does clear round jumping at the weekends all through the summer. I don't know what that is, but is that something we could aim for? Sid likes to jump.

Any other ideas? I'd love to do Trec, but there's not a lot of that sort of thing within riding distance

Watch out for ear shots coming to this forum soon!

He's probably so happy to have someone kind and comfortable on his back! Match made in heaven methinks.

 

[diplomaticandtactful]

Showing in hand is easy and there are loads of coloured classes so good fun. It's a day out. Buddy loves his veteran showing he grows about 2 hands in the ring and shows off and flies around the ring like a young thing. In terms of saddle fit for a cob, try VSD styles as they are cut behind the shoulder and tend to fit wide cobs. Black Country, Ideal Jessica, Albion VSD fitted Molly and Rose. Suze is in Bud's old wide Albion. Bud is in Kent and Master GP m/w now. I tried it on Suze and fitted well but too narrow so might be worth looking at them. I got his from Saddles Direct on trial.

 

[Native Lover]

Jane and sid .....pleasure rides, clear round jumping, le trec, showing coloured, inhand and ridden concours. Fun classes handsomest gelding, longest tail etc. Horse Agility. Lots to do. Small hunter trials with local hunt pony clubs etc

Maybe advertise for spare place in a trailer or box or plan to share cost of hiring a self drive box)there are now plenty around in most areas.

Good luck whatever you decide to have a go at

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

@diplomaticandtactful Ziggy's saddle fitted Sid! it is a Kent & Masters Cob XW. It is tighter on his larger left side than on the right but OK overall and didn't shift at all when ridden on.

I can't use my sheepskin half pads though until he has lost a pound or twenty. And I need a bigger girth!

 

[Huggy]

I've bought a longer girth for the summer - I just know I'm going to struggle come June onwards!