And we’re there...
- Thread starter Jessey
- Start date
Monkey was a rock star today 
L&L came over and we trundled out without a particular plan of where to go.
We ended up going to the river hoping we were early enough it wouldn’t be busy, it was heaving! And we came at it from the challenging direction as there’s trees all along and just a little corridor down to the water, which means you can hear all the kids screaming but can’t see them and the boats pop into view from nowhere,
Lexi started backing away immediately. Monkey was a bit wary but walked to the rivers edge but couldn’t quite bring himself to pop his head out but as luck would have it there was a chap wading around who works with horses in Newmarket and he gave us a lead, Monkey was totally happy once he could see all the chaos and waited patiently while the guy went back for Lexi.
We didn’t hang around for long so the kids could get back to playing. As we left there was 3 kids walking down with kayaks on their heads, Monkey was fine but Lexi panicked and started spinning until the kids put the boats down!
The road out from the river still has the highland cows next to it but Monkey was very brave with them today. As we turned onto the little single track road back to the bridge into the village I could hear motorbikes, there was over a dozen big bikes, which Monkey was fine with, but there was also 1 highland cow there scratching his head on the fence, this was pretty terrifying but Monkey held it together and past it, then didn’t look twice at the bikes who had all stopped for us
Lexi wasn’t feeling so brave right after the kayak incident and L had to hop off to get her by.
Once back in the forest we were having a nice canter when I hear chaos behind as Lexi got her head down and threw a fit. Monkey completely ignored it and just kept going
Monkeys nemesis is other horses doing anything other than being calm, he normally panics (I believe it’s a result of living with bully Jess!) so this was massive for him today, to completely ignore multiple dramas and be the grown up! Maybe it’s because he turned 7 on Thursday
L&L came over and we trundled out without a particular plan of where to go.We ended up going to the river hoping we were early enough it wouldn’t be busy, it was heaving! And we came at it from the challenging direction as there’s trees all along and just a little corridor down to the water, which means you can hear all the kids screaming but can’t see them and the boats pop into view from nowhere,
Lexi started backing away immediately. Monkey was a bit wary but walked to the rivers edge but couldn’t quite bring himself to pop his head out but as luck would have it there was a chap wading around who works with horses in Newmarket and he gave us a lead, Monkey was totally happy once he could see all the chaos and waited patiently while the guy went back for Lexi.
We didn’t hang around for long so the kids could get back to playing. As we left there was 3 kids walking down with kayaks on their heads, Monkey was fine but Lexi panicked and started spinning until the kids put the boats down!
The road out from the river still has the highland cows next to it but Monkey was very brave with them today. As we turned onto the little single track road back to the bridge into the village I could hear motorbikes, there was over a dozen big bikes, which Monkey was fine with, but there was also 1 highland cow there scratching his head on the fence, this was pretty terrifying but Monkey held it together and past it, then didn’t look twice at the bikes who had all stopped for us
Lexi wasn’t feeling so brave right after the kayak incident and L had to hop off to get her by.Once back in the forest we were having a nice canter when I hear chaos behind as Lexi got her head down and threw a fit. Monkey completely ignored it and just kept going
Monkeys nemesis is other horses doing anything other than being calm, he normally panics (I believe it’s a result of living with bully Jess!) so this was massive for him today, to completely ignore multiple dramas and be the grown up! Maybe it’s because he turned 7 on Thursday
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Funny ole weather, it’s still stinking hot when out of the wind, I wanted to do a bit more canter work tonight with Monkey but as we got into the forest he was getting hot fast, so we ended up doubling back to some more open tracks so we got the breeze then we could crack on!
I got an early ride in today, it was cool and the trees all wet still from some overnight rain 
I have had Monkey in a standard gauge fairfax girth, but he’s always been on the cusp of needing a narrow so when I decided I needed a synthetic girth as we’ve been going in the river more I opted for a prolite narrow. His lateral work seemed looser so I think that’s a win!
I have had Monkey in a standard gauge fairfax girth, but he’s always been on the cusp of needing a narrow so when I decided I needed a synthetic girth as we’ve been going in the river more I opted for a prolite narrow. His lateral work seemed looser so I think that’s a win!
I got a very short ride in this evening, I got him some cavallo’s so just 15 minutes to see how they fit. A little bit of ruffled hair on his heels so I think I’ll pop some pads in next time.
He wasn’t exactly keen to be tacked up, but once on he bowled along until I turned for home, I think he was a bit disappointed not to go further!
He wasn’t exactly keen to be tacked up, but once on he bowled along until I turned for home, I think he was a bit disappointed not to go further!
I’m so tired from working silly hours at the moment, but I needed to get Monkey out last night to make sure he’s as settled as possible to go away on Friday. He certainly started out very pingy, but he came back an hour later very chilled.
It was a lovely evening for it, but ridiculously I had to put a gilet on, yesterday it was too hot to do anything!
It was a lovely evening for it, but ridiculously I had to put a gilet on, yesterday it was too hot to do anything!
Thank you!Hi! I’ve only just discovered this part of the website…your horse is absolutely gorgeous, may I just say!
A successful weekend away with Monkey, not without challenges but a vast improvement on our trip last year!
Monkey had all week off, between the hot weather and lots of overtime it’s just how it worked out, but we got out for an early ride this morning.
I decided to head for the river as it’s quiet there early in the morning.
I didn’t want to go along the road to the river, and the next track up is stoney, so I decided to be naughty and go along the river bank which is a footpath, the challenge being a set of steps to get down from the bridge, I wasn’t sure if Monkey would do it, pic from the top
I hopped off as it’s the first time I’ve asked him this question and they are narrow and steep, plus low branches above, but with a few seconds thought he happily followed me down!!! pic from the bottom
Back on and we were off
Then down into the river and along it to our path out the other side, he enjoyed sploshing through belly deep in places.
And a pleasant bimble home
Then some fun on the wiggly path, please ignore my huffing and puffing, I have to have my phone right under my chin!
Slightly funky camera work is where I needed to shorten my reins!
I decided to head for the river as it’s quiet there early in the morning.
I didn’t want to go along the road to the river, and the next track up is stoney, so I decided to be naughty and go along the river bank which is a footpath, the challenge being a set of steps to get down from the bridge, I wasn’t sure if Monkey would do it, pic from the top
I hopped off as it’s the first time I’ve asked him this question and they are narrow and steep, plus low branches above, but with a few seconds thought he happily followed me down!!!
pic from the bottomBack on and we were off
Then down into the river and along it to our path out the other side, he enjoyed sploshing through belly deep in places.
And a pleasant bimble home
Then some fun on the wiggly path, please ignore my huffing and puffing, I have to have my phone right under my chin!
I went out early again this morning as my sister was coming to visit at 9am.
I decided to try spurs on Monkey, he’s good between paces but keeping up impulsion is a pretty constant struggle in walk! And I’ve found I’m riding with my heels hitched up more and more so I can keep on top of him and spurs just allow me to keep my heels dropped properly but still reach him. I was a bit worried about what he would think and I can honestly say I don’t think he noticed any difference, but it definitely helped me stay in a better position.
He was really chilled, and it was a perfect morning for it
They’ve moved this gate, and left no room for horse or human to pass it with a bank along the side, so we went over the bank, they probably won’t be impressed to find big hoof prints in it tomorrow!
We put up a herd of deer in this next bit, Monkey is so chilled about it and just looks back at me for a treat for being good!
When my sister arrived we bathed him and Jess, they both enjoyed it!
I decided to try spurs on Monkey, he’s good between paces but keeping up impulsion is a pretty constant struggle in walk! And I’ve found I’m riding with my heels hitched up more and more so I can keep on top of him and spurs just allow me to keep my heels dropped properly but still reach him. I was a bit worried about what he would think and I can honestly say I don’t think he noticed any difference, but it definitely helped me stay in a better position.
He was really chilled, and it was a perfect morning for it
They’ve moved this gate, and left no room for horse or human to pass it with a bank along the side, so we went over the bank, they probably won’t be impressed to find big hoof prints in it tomorrow!
We put up a herd of deer in this next bit, Monkey is so chilled about it and just looks back at me for a treat for being good!
When my sister arrived we bathed him and Jess, they both enjoyed it!
We finally got some rain yesterday so I ended up riding later in the evening, the forest has been so hot it was literally steaming off!
I regretted picking this next path, it’s so overgrown I ended up soaked!
Monkey is being such a dude at the moment, no silly spookiness. But he’s slightly verging on lazy, keeping him cantering or even trotting on the way out takes effort, slightly less so on the way home but he’d still come back to a walk if I didn’t keep after him!
I used Equilab last night as my garmin was low battery, I didn’t use it on Jess as it always got her trot and canter muddled up, on Monkey it often says we’re down a gear from where we actually were, it seems pretty useless!
I regretted picking this next path, it’s so overgrown I ended up soaked!
Monkey is being such a dude at the moment, no silly spookiness. But he’s slightly verging on lazy, keeping him cantering or even trotting on the way out takes effort, slightly less so on the way home but he’d still come back to a walk if I didn’t keep after him!
I used Equilab last night as my garmin was low battery, I didn’t use it on Jess as it always got her trot and canter muddled up, on Monkey it often says we’re down a gear from where we actually were, it seems pretty useless!
I went out extra early this morning before work as we got rained off last night, it did not go to plan. We set off as normal, Monkey was a bit aware of things, which is not entirely unusual for him but I should have paid more attention. It was beautiful and sunny and I was just enjoying myself.
We'd had a good bimble out for a couple of miles, nice trots and canters, but a dead stop at one dog walker on an adjacent track just because he saw her.
At about 2.5 miles cantering up a long hill we both saw a runner at the same time, she was coming along a track through the trees towards us with the sun behind her and wearing all black, so I can see how it surprised him, but canter into a 180 spin deposited me. I hung on, felt the buckle end of the reins snap, then seconds later the bit end broke, and he took off for home. No amount of calling and shaking a bag of apples from my pocket was going to stop him.
I am very lucky to have good friends to call, one went to the yard for Monkey, the other came out to find me, she also found one of my stirrups/leathers in the 60mph road he had crossed.
When I got back I put new reins on and went back out, as much as anything to cool him out, but also to reassure him it's not terrifying out there. He was like a lamb.
We met a lady walking her dogs on the drove, he had passed her on his way back, flat out, and although she flattened herself to the side of the narrow track, he had skimmed her as he passed, so she was understandably shaken but very understanding and more worried about me. Somehow he had missed the dogs and not got tangled in leads as he passed! I don't care about coming off, but I really hate the bolting for home, not sure there is much I can do about it though, ideas welcome!
He’s back to the important job of eating.
We'd had a good bimble out for a couple of miles, nice trots and canters, but a dead stop at one dog walker on an adjacent track just because he saw her.
At about 2.5 miles cantering up a long hill we both saw a runner at the same time, she was coming along a track through the trees towards us with the sun behind her and wearing all black, so I can see how it surprised him, but canter into a 180 spin deposited me. I hung on, felt the buckle end of the reins snap, then seconds later the bit end broke, and he took off for home. No amount of calling and shaking a bag of apples from my pocket was going to stop him.
I am very lucky to have good friends to call, one went to the yard for Monkey, the other came out to find me, she also found one of my stirrups/leathers in the 60mph road he had crossed.
When I got back I put new reins on and went back out, as much as anything to cool him out, but also to reassure him it's not terrifying out there. He was like a lamb.
We met a lady walking her dogs on the drove, he had passed her on his way back, flat out, and although she flattened herself to the side of the narrow track, he had skimmed her as he passed, so she was understandably shaken but very understanding and more worried about me. Somehow he had missed the dogs and not got tangled in leads as he passed! I don't care about coming off, but I really hate the bolting for home, not sure there is much I can do about it though, ideas welcome!
He’s back to the important job of eating.
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Oh my goodness, what a fright. This is my biggest fear - falling and the horse taking off. At least you knew where he was heading. Im glad no-one was hurt - although, are you OK? Thank goodness for good friends and kind lady dog walkers.
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