Hi there
I just wanted to start a little thread which essentially may end up a blog about my new horse Diego! I'm new to this board and just introduced myself on the other board and its called 'A shy hello' but I'll give a little intro.
I'm 26 and have owned and ridden all my life... apart from the past 2 years. I lost my horse of 11 years, and couldn't bear to look at another horse let alone ride I was so upset. Its taken me 2 years to get over him. But, I finally have and I've just bought a new horse... he is called Diego and he is a 14.3hh piebald cob, he's 5 years old. I picked him up on Friday 08.07.16. My plans with him are to eventually be confident enough for us to hack alone 2-3 times a week, and have 2 schooling sessions a week. One of them being a lesson, and one of them being a solo session. Mixed dressage and jumping, as he can do either. His schooling is kind of as you'd expect for his age. He's still young so needs bringing on... but I've had a 2 year break... so, I need bringing back to it to!
I should mention I am on my private yard (well... 4 acre field split into two with one small stable! Nothing posh!! But I used to ride up to a local dressage yard and have a lesson once a week there, we do cover pole work and jumping too...although of course this was 2 years ago!) so I don't get to hack out with anyone etc.
I brought him home on Friday morning, and turned him out for a few hours before bringing him back to the stable... as he's a cob, and my field is basically lush pasture land... I am really keen for him to not get fat and go mental on sweet grass! So he's on the grass from 6am-3pm daily. Stabled overnight with a small feed of non-heating feed and a couple of haynets.
Anyhew I digress. So basically I didn't ride him Fri, Sat or Sun as I just wanted him to settle in. But I took him for a walk on Sunday afternoon because I had my first lesson booked in on Monday (today) and was nervous of taking him across the motorway bridge which I have to pass in order to get to where I go for lessons. It didn't go so great! He was (naturally) terrified on the bridge... I just led him. And it put the fear of god into me about my lesson and first time riding him on Monday. I was clinging on to him freaking out in the middle of the motorway bridge on Sunday thinking what the HELL have I done, buying a 5 year old strong lad.. I'm only little... and I have a son... my husband won't feed him right if I die lol. I was terrified.
Luckily though the boy came good today. I got up and let him out at 6am, brought him in again at 9am and tacked him up and I just felt instantly at ease once he had his bridle on. He came round and soft even just leading him. I was so relieved. So off we set, and crossed the motorway bridge with minimal fuss (carrots in hand for bribery!!) and continued on our 10 minute walk up the school. Eventually I will hack him up but for my first time on his back since he moved house.. I wasn't about to start that way.
My aim was to walk him relatively stress free to the school, sit on him, and if I could get a nice walk and trot transition out of it, finish on a good note and walk home.. I'd have been overjoyed. But in fact, I got on him, and had a BRILLIANT first ride!! He was absolutely wonderful. Of course he was a bit jittery but... I think he probably got 80% of that from me. After I'd calmed down a bit... we ended up having a fab half hour. We did walk, trot and canter transitions, circles, down centre line, using the outside of the school.. bit of everything but he was on a really nice contact and I was just absolutely overjoyed with him.
I can't believe how lucky I am!
I asked my instructor for advice of what to do next and so we have decided I'm going to leave him tomorrow, have another lesson (basically carbon copy of today) on Wednesday, and then I'm going to bring him up to the school myself and do a bit of a solo session in the school on Saturday or Sunday morning... and see how that goes!
Things are going really well on the ground too. He's such a cheeky personality so he is a joy to spend time with. I've made sure I'm spending hours and hours with him a day, so we can get to know each other and gain trust.
Sorry if this was all very boring!
xxx
I just wanted to start a little thread which essentially may end up a blog about my new horse Diego! I'm new to this board and just introduced myself on the other board and its called 'A shy hello' but I'll give a little intro.
I'm 26 and have owned and ridden all my life... apart from the past 2 years. I lost my horse of 11 years, and couldn't bear to look at another horse let alone ride I was so upset. Its taken me 2 years to get over him. But, I finally have and I've just bought a new horse... he is called Diego and he is a 14.3hh piebald cob, he's 5 years old. I picked him up on Friday 08.07.16. My plans with him are to eventually be confident enough for us to hack alone 2-3 times a week, and have 2 schooling sessions a week. One of them being a lesson, and one of them being a solo session. Mixed dressage and jumping, as he can do either. His schooling is kind of as you'd expect for his age. He's still young so needs bringing on... but I've had a 2 year break... so, I need bringing back to it to!
I should mention I am on my private yard (well... 4 acre field split into two with one small stable! Nothing posh!! But I used to ride up to a local dressage yard and have a lesson once a week there, we do cover pole work and jumping too...although of course this was 2 years ago!) so I don't get to hack out with anyone etc.
I brought him home on Friday morning, and turned him out for a few hours before bringing him back to the stable... as he's a cob, and my field is basically lush pasture land... I am really keen for him to not get fat and go mental on sweet grass! So he's on the grass from 6am-3pm daily. Stabled overnight with a small feed of non-heating feed and a couple of haynets.
Anyhew I digress. So basically I didn't ride him Fri, Sat or Sun as I just wanted him to settle in. But I took him for a walk on Sunday afternoon because I had my first lesson booked in on Monday (today) and was nervous of taking him across the motorway bridge which I have to pass in order to get to where I go for lessons. It didn't go so great! He was (naturally) terrified on the bridge... I just led him. And it put the fear of god into me about my lesson and first time riding him on Monday. I was clinging on to him freaking out in the middle of the motorway bridge on Sunday thinking what the HELL have I done, buying a 5 year old strong lad.. I'm only little... and I have a son... my husband won't feed him right if I die lol. I was terrified.
Luckily though the boy came good today. I got up and let him out at 6am, brought him in again at 9am and tacked him up and I just felt instantly at ease once he had his bridle on. He came round and soft even just leading him. I was so relieved. So off we set, and crossed the motorway bridge with minimal fuss (carrots in hand for bribery!!) and continued on our 10 minute walk up the school. Eventually I will hack him up but for my first time on his back since he moved house.. I wasn't about to start that way.
My aim was to walk him relatively stress free to the school, sit on him, and if I could get a nice walk and trot transition out of it, finish on a good note and walk home.. I'd have been overjoyed. But in fact, I got on him, and had a BRILLIANT first ride!! He was absolutely wonderful. Of course he was a bit jittery but... I think he probably got 80% of that from me. After I'd calmed down a bit... we ended up having a fab half hour. We did walk, trot and canter transitions, circles, down centre line, using the outside of the school.. bit of everything but he was on a really nice contact and I was just absolutely overjoyed with him.
I can't believe how lucky I am!
I asked my instructor for advice of what to do next and so we have decided I'm going to leave him tomorrow, have another lesson (basically carbon copy of today) on Wednesday, and then I'm going to bring him up to the school myself and do a bit of a solo session in the school on Saturday or Sunday morning... and see how that goes!
Things are going really well on the ground too. He's such a cheeky personality so he is a joy to spend time with. I've made sure I'm spending hours and hours with him a day, so we can get to know each other and gain trust.
Sorry if this was all very boring!
xxx