Me and Bella
- Thread starter Mojojungle
- Start date
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- Tags
- ex-racehorse
Muddy weather and falling leaves have put a right spring in the step of Bella and Briar.
Bella has a beautiful red bay winter coat and is learning how to be a muddy mucky eejit from Briar, as seen in the following photos.
I absolutely love to see these thoroughbreds just enjoying themselves out in the field during the day, and then walking in like lambs at bedtime, ready for their dindins and cosy bed coats.
Bella has a beautiful red bay winter coat and is learning how to be a muddy mucky eejit from Briar, as seen in the following photos.
I absolutely love to see these thoroughbreds just enjoying themselves out in the field during the day, and then walking in like lambs at bedtime, ready for their dindins and cosy bed coats.
I had my second refresher riding lesson on a stubborn little cob who had 2 settings, refuse and run.
Putting the work in so I will be ship shape ready for Bella’s turn to put the work in.
Putting the work in so I will be ship shape ready for Bella’s turn to put the work in.
All has been relatively quiet in our world the last few weeks. Bella has grown the cuddliest most luxurious winter coat and is having a great time being a pampered pet with her best buddies Louis the dog and Briar the horse hippo.
Plans to get Bella into some ridden work took a slight break after I had a warm up ride on big Briar in the paddock the other week and managed to lose a stirrup as he was cantering around Phil and decided to show off some fancy footwork cantering towards a low lying oak tree. I made a safe emergency exit and came out with a bruised back, but no real harm done.
Been gingerly walking about ever since and have decided that:
A. I need to get my breaking technique honed better with the quirks of the ottb compared to the cons and warmbloods my refresher lessons have been on.
B. Bella and me will both benefit from becoming expert long reiners over the winter. Extra recovery time for her after April’s tendon injury will do her no harm and time spent on her rehabilitation on the long rein will gradually build her up and reinforce those verbal cues for her new life as an ex racer.
Bella was so tough in racing that she even finished 4th in her final race running with a snapped tendon. She is such a sweetie and is loving life as it is anyway.
Plans to get Bella into some ridden work took a slight break after I had a warm up ride on big Briar in the paddock the other week and managed to lose a stirrup as he was cantering around Phil and decided to show off some fancy footwork cantering towards a low lying oak tree. I made a safe emergency exit and came out with a bruised back, but no real harm done.
Been gingerly walking about ever since and have decided that:
A. I need to get my breaking technique honed better with the quirks of the ottb compared to the cons and warmbloods my refresher lessons have been on.
B. Bella and me will both benefit from becoming expert long reiners over the winter. Extra recovery time for her after April’s tendon injury will do her no harm and time spent on her rehabilitation on the long rein will gradually build her up and reinforce those verbal cues for her new life as an ex racer.
Bella was so tough in racing that she even finished 4th in her final race running with a snapped tendon. She is such a sweetie and is loving life as it is anyway.
Poor you, hope you are ok. Giving her the winter off will do her no harm and with the weather when you can't ride regularly sometimes it is better just to give in to it and leave them to have a holiday.
I came back to riding after an 8 year break in 2014 so I empathise, I was a weak sack of spuds to begin with but Buddy was tolerant and we have both got much fitter and I am now back in riding after surgery in November, so you will be fine. Main thing is not to give yourself too many goals/deadlines as they can push you into making the wrong decision. My trainer used to have no agendas and it was very much we see what turns up on the day.
I came back to riding after an 8 year break in 2014 so I empathise, I was a weak sack of spuds to begin with but Buddy was tolerant and we have both got much fitter and I am now back in riding after surgery in November, so you will be fine. Main thing is not to give yourself too many goals/deadlines as they can push you into making the wrong decision. My trainer used to have no agendas and it was very much we see what turns up on the day.
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