It is, isn't it? To the extent that I was genuinely surprised the first time a female dentist turned up. I bet they all have to retire early with bad backs, too.
Sid's diary
- Thread starter Jane&Ziggy
- Start date
Thank you, he really is. Honestly he is a Victor Meldrew horse, always grumpy, but he is great to ride and he lets you know if he likes you. He likes me....
Teehee, Victor Meldrew! I don’t think there’s a better compliment in the world than when an animal bonds with you, especially if they don’t like everyone!Thank you, he really is. Honestly he is a Victor Meldrew horse, always grumpy, but he is great to ride and he lets you know if he likes you. He likes me....
Sid saw my friend Suzi the chiropractor today, for the first time since before my accident - more than a year. She came at 7:30 so there would be some shade in the field for us to stand in, and luckily Christine took Sonne out for an early walk so we didn't have a very large, very curious young mare trying to put her oar in.
We walked and trotted up and Suzi said, "What a pleasure to finally see a horse that is completely sound." I was startled and she told me that 50% or more of her client horses are at least slightly lame on walk and trot up. I'm very glad that Sid wasn't.
His back under the saddle was perfect, which is great. He has some tension in his lumbar spine, a handspan behind the saddle, but Suzi said that was just where he puts his tension, the way mine goes into my neck and shoulders. A little tight at the poll too, which doesn't surprise me because of his issues with his ears. She worked on both areas, and he shifted uneasily to start with then got into it and started to sway and wobble his lip.
It was nice to be with him. He put his face against my chest when it was uncomfortable.
We walked and trotted up and Suzi said, "What a pleasure to finally see a horse that is completely sound." I was startled and she told me that 50% or more of her client horses are at least slightly lame on walk and trot up. I'm very glad that Sid wasn't.
His back under the saddle was perfect, which is great. He has some tension in his lumbar spine, a handspan behind the saddle, but Suzi said that was just where he puts his tension, the way mine goes into my neck and shoulders. A little tight at the poll too, which doesn't surprise me because of his issues with his ears. She worked on both areas, and he shifted uneasily to start with then got into it and started to sway and wobble his lip.
It was nice to be with him. He put his face against my chest when it was uncomfortable.
I got a message from Christine just now. Sid has been grazing the edge of the field and over the last few days has been letting himself in to go in the shelter. We thought he was ducking under a single strand gate but no - he walked up to the corral fence and jumped it in front of her!
Sid’s just being tremendous at the moment.
Last Monday I rode him. Tuesday and Wednesday off. Thursday, Friday, Saturday sharer rode and he was lovely. Sunday I lent him to my livery mate Christine to go out with a friend who is short of company for her young eventer. They were joined at the hip by the end and Sid bucked, squeaked and imitated a racehorse when they had a canter.
Monday my stepdaughter rode him and he was so steady and charming that she says she will go own next time…
Today he had a rest!
Tomorrow we will nip out for a quickie if work allows.
He is looking great and you can even see his heave line. Sid the versatile cob!
Last Monday I rode him. Tuesday and Wednesday off. Thursday, Friday, Saturday sharer rode and he was lovely. Sunday I lent him to my livery mate Christine to go out with a friend who is short of company for her young eventer. They were joined at the hip by the end and Sid bucked, squeaked and imitated a racehorse when they had a canter.
Monday my stepdaughter rode him and he was so steady and charming that she says she will go own next time…
Today he had a rest!
Tomorrow we will nip out for a quickie if work allows.
He is looking great and you can even see his heave line. Sid the versatile cob!
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he should be cloned, you struck gold with Sid, he is just amazing how he behaves according to the rider's ability. What a smart kind boy he is.
Yesterday evening after I finished work I had some energy left! The delights of a job that's occasionally at a desk. So I went over to the field and schooled Sid for 15 minutes.
The space we have available for schooling is small at the moment, about 20m square, but I told him that Nuno Oliveira schooled his wonderful horses in an even smaller space and Sid could certainly manage it. We did walk, trot, and even canter - a very, very small canter! - and I tried really hard to remember everything my RI told me, and by the end he was dropping his head and working nicely.
He really doesn't like to be asked to stay in collection, though. Every single time he collected, the moment I relaxed he asked for a long rein and stretched his head down, down, all the way down. He does it out hacking as well, if I've collected him up for a jump or a bit of fast work - the moment I take my eye off the ball, so to speak, he very politely says, "Can I have some more rein, please?" and down goes his nose.
The space we have available for schooling is small at the moment, about 20m square, but I told him that Nuno Oliveira schooled his wonderful horses in an even smaller space and Sid could certainly manage it. We did walk, trot, and even canter - a very, very small canter! - and I tried really hard to remember everything my RI told me, and by the end he was dropping his head and working nicely.
He really doesn't like to be asked to stay in collection, though. Every single time he collected, the moment I relaxed he asked for a long rein and stretched his head down, down, all the way down. He does it out hacking as well, if I've collected him up for a jump or a bit of fast work - the moment I take my eye off the ball, so to speak, he very politely says, "Can I have some more rein, please?" and down goes his nose.
At a Mark Rashid clinic he explained that a ponye who is not normally collected, has to slowly build up the muscles that are needed. So on the first day you just ask for 3 strides of collection in walk. May be do this two or three times. The same the next day and after that very gradually build it up.
That is why Side is asking for more rein as if you dont normally ride that way, he hasnt got the muscles yet.
I dont ride Ella collected but I know she is ridden collected in the school, so my riding relaxed doesnt harm her.
That is why Side is asking for more rein as if you dont normally ride that way, he hasnt got the muscles yet.
I dont ride Ella collected but I know she is ridden collected in the school, so my riding relaxed doesnt harm her.
Sid is shedding his summer coat like nobody's business. ALREADY! Sometimes it seems as if I only have 2 weeks of a shiny cob and then the fluff starts again.
Mind you, it means that by September he will be in his squishiest state... I love the new winter coat.
Mind you, it means that by September he will be in his squishiest state... I love the new winter coat.
Well, the cob sense of humour surfaced today. Christine asked if she might take him out again with her friend on Jack, and of course I said yes because they had so much fun last time. She asked if she could use the bareback pad, because she has a sore metatarsal and stirrups are painful. I said yes, but aren't you going to do fast work? She said she was used to bareback, and I'm sure she is.
However, after a nice relaxed start they set off in canter and Jack pulled ahead (he is a 16.1 purebred Connemara, he didn't get the memo about height limits, and he has an old-fashioned chunky build, so he goes like a brick sh*thouse on speed). Sid asked to go on, then spooked at something and jumped sideways. Christine was unbalanced and Humorous Cob followed through with a little buck and a quick pirouette, leaving her flat on her back like a pancake (still holding the reins). She said Sid looked very pleased with himself, if a bit disappointed that she still had the reins and he couldn't go gallivanting off after Jack.
She is young and bouncy and says only her pride was hurt - she was back on and cantering again in moments, But says she will use the saddle next time!
Very funny, Sid.
However, after a nice relaxed start they set off in canter and Jack pulled ahead (he is a 16.1 purebred Connemara, he didn't get the memo about height limits, and he has an old-fashioned chunky build, so he goes like a brick sh*thouse on speed). Sid asked to go on, then spooked at something and jumped sideways. Christine was unbalanced and Humorous Cob followed through with a little buck and a quick pirouette, leaving her flat on her back like a pancake (still holding the reins). She said Sid looked very pleased with himself, if a bit disappointed that she still had the reins and he couldn't go gallivanting off after Jack.
She is young and bouncy and says only her pride was hurt - she was back on and cantering again in moments, But says she will use the saddle next time!
Very funny, Sid.
An extraordinary evening yesterday.
I was in the field at the same time as Christine and we thought it would be nice if she practised Ride And Lead with Sonne from Sid. They've done it before, no problems. She rode Sid on the bareback pad and they set off round the field with me in attendance, no issues. The very needy mare next door, Smartie, came to the fence as they passed, and Sonne got stressy with her being close and tried to bite Sid, I think because he was between then and she was frustrated and wanted to get to Smartie (not in a good way). But it was over in moments and she settled.
We decided to take them into the school to try some figures. It went well, Christine could even get Sid to leg yield as they went! After a little while we were chatting and Christine let the horses stop. All was quiet, and we chatted, and then all hell broke loose.
Sonne lunged for Sid and he shied and waved his head at her. She spun around to double barrel and kicked twice, though obviously she didn't intend to make contact because they both went wide. Then Sid spun and kicked out at her, again deliberate misses. Then she reared! Right up! And then Sid reared! Right up!
I stood and stared in horror, thinking, "A horse fight is happening, and my friend is in the middle of it, and there is nothing whatsoever I can do to help in this situation." Christine sat tight until the rearing started, then dropped the long lead and dismounted neatly. I don't know how she did it, she even managed to land without putting all her weight onto her bad foot. And then it was all over, horses moved away from each other, Christine was fine, I was fine, horses were fine, and we were looking at each other and saying "WTF?!"
Obviously Christine would like to avoid this happening again, and the most sense we could make of it was that Sonne had got bored, wanted to get away, could not get away because she was attached to Christine on Sid with a 12ft rope, and she got cross and decided to get Sid to go away instead, and he couldn't, so it escalated. It's notable that neither of them bit the other, nor did any kick or hoof land - they were completely untouched. It's as if Sonne was saying, "F*** off!" and Sid was saying "No you f*** off!" and neither of them could get away, so it got worse. Memo to selves: make sure Sonne is kept busy when riding and leading, do not give her a chance to get bored. And if anything kicks off, drop the lead rope and move Sid away at once.
They were fine straight after - Sid was a bit wide eyed for a few minutes and Sonne shook her head and switched her tail, but 10 minutes later they were grazing side by side. They were fine this morning. Phew, is all I can say!
I was in the field at the same time as Christine and we thought it would be nice if she practised Ride And Lead with Sonne from Sid. They've done it before, no problems. She rode Sid on the bareback pad and they set off round the field with me in attendance, no issues. The very needy mare next door, Smartie, came to the fence as they passed, and Sonne got stressy with her being close and tried to bite Sid, I think because he was between then and she was frustrated and wanted to get to Smartie (not in a good way). But it was over in moments and she settled.
We decided to take them into the school to try some figures. It went well, Christine could even get Sid to leg yield as they went! After a little while we were chatting and Christine let the horses stop. All was quiet, and we chatted, and then all hell broke loose.
Sonne lunged for Sid and he shied and waved his head at her. She spun around to double barrel and kicked twice, though obviously she didn't intend to make contact because they both went wide. Then Sid spun and kicked out at her, again deliberate misses. Then she reared! Right up! And then Sid reared! Right up!
I stood and stared in horror, thinking, "A horse fight is happening, and my friend is in the middle of it, and there is nothing whatsoever I can do to help in this situation." Christine sat tight until the rearing started, then dropped the long lead and dismounted neatly. I don't know how she did it, she even managed to land without putting all her weight onto her bad foot. And then it was all over, horses moved away from each other, Christine was fine, I was fine, horses were fine, and we were looking at each other and saying "WTF?!"
Obviously Christine would like to avoid this happening again, and the most sense we could make of it was that Sonne had got bored, wanted to get away, could not get away because she was attached to Christine on Sid with a 12ft rope, and she got cross and decided to get Sid to go away instead, and he couldn't, so it escalated. It's notable that neither of them bit the other, nor did any kick or hoof land - they were completely untouched. It's as if Sonne was saying, "F*** off!" and Sid was saying "No you f*** off!" and neither of them could get away, so it got worse. Memo to selves: make sure Sonne is kept busy when riding and leading, do not give her a chance to get bored. And if anything kicks off, drop the lead rope and move Sid away at once.
They were fine straight after - Sid was a bit wide eyed for a few minutes and Sonne shook her head and switched her tail, but 10 minutes later they were grazing side by side. They were fine this morning. Phew, is all I can say!
Crikey, it can definitely escalate quickly when you’re asking them to be in that close proximity. I’ve ridden and led many horses over many years and managing them inside each others personal bubbles does take some extra attention for sure.
Any hints and tips for us, @Jessey? Neither of us has done this before and doubtless we were unaware of what to look for.
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