I love my pony

Rode in the field tonight. He was a happy boy which means I am a happy girl.

Didn't do a fat lot, was just nice to be back on him. Fy rug definitely works - am a huge fan of it! It's a bit tight on T-Jay, think he could do with a bigger one but that's the biggest they do. Squirt's however fits like a glove.

We tiggered round the field a bit. We did some walk-canter. We did some rein back. We did some medium canter. Some medium trot. Blah blah. Was fun!

Beth rode Squirt :hail: and worked on his canter. I forgot to tell her he's not cantered since he's been back in work so I don't think he's cantered under saddle since December. Face : bovvered? He looked fab going round :)

And apparently I cannot count. It may be that I can compete on Saturday after all. Show organiser is checking for me so fingers crossed :biggrin:

Arse Hole

feel better for saying that.

Arse arse arse arse arse ARRRRRRRRSE!

Rah!

I don't in any way shape or form begrudge T-Jay having to have bute on Sunday. No way, no how.

However, I really really wish he'd have needed it Saturday.

Spoke to vets today, even though deep down I knew anyway but rang them as a long shot. Bute withdrawal is 7 days. I am supposed to be competing Saturday. That's only 6 days.

Arse arse arse.

Knew I should have entered Swallowfield.

Arse arse arse.

On the plus side though, Sunday afternoon his eye was much much improved. Yesterday, still a bit puffy but about 90% normal. Today absolutely fine. Gave him tonight off still though and hopefully tomorrow it'll still be fine and I will ride tomorrow.

Signed the contract on the flat, paid the deposit. We are officially moving in - eeeeeeek!

Have bought pretty much everything now bar washer (in progress), iron, ironing board, cleaning products and food.

I think that's pretty damned good going???

Joined the popeye club

Went down to ride early today and T-Jay has no left eye, just a mass of swelling tut.

Rather large lump on top lid - wasp sting? - but all surrounding areas very swollen.

Called vet and he's had 2 bute this morning, got to have 2 more later on and if, once it's open, the eye is milky, the membrane bright pink or the discharge becomes coloured, she'll come straight out.

He's feeling a bit meepy and was very affectionate "Look mum, poorly eye ... do something" but hasn't lost his appetite and is happy enough being in out of the heat & flies.

Typical eh?

Ow

Think have overdone the toe thing today :(

Flat flat flat flat flat

Things are going full steam ahead. We went today to take measurements, look at boring things like light bulbs ie push in or screw in ones, measure for fridge and just generally have a nosey.

My parents came with us and were dead impressed. They love the flat so am very relieved and really excited now.

We are paying the deposit and signing contracts on Monday. The landlord is fitting an alarm next week so that's good. We have a single lady in the flat underneath us and both flats in the building next door are unoccupied as the landlord is apparently quite choosy about his tenants - he is looking for tenants who will cause no problems with neighbours etc and no damage and is more interested in getting tenants like that than filling them asap - good sign?

What else? Went round the block last night with A which was a nice little tootle :) Ride on fly rug is quite cool. Think I need to have a play with fitting it though, it slipped back a little bit on T-Jay and I think by attaching it to his bridle meant he couldn't put his head down quite as far as he wanted to (we were only mooching) but he was happy enough to canter up the drive in it. If nothing else, it'll be ideal for at a show when I don't want to fling my dirty fly rug over his nice clean saddle.

Went on foot to spotty show today too which was interesting :)

Then me & mum were supposed to go tootling but ummmm we got waylaid with cleaning out stables, disinfecting stables and just generally a clean fest but we both feel tonnes better for having done that :)

Off now to see what OH has bought today - he's def bought a microwave but I wonder what else?!

Lesson Reports

Cor I keep putting 2 entries a day! Gobby or what?

Firstly, I am amazed. I have today bought 3 rugs. EVERY one fits - whoooooooooooo! The IV fly rug fits Squirt a treat and looks fab. The riding fly rugs (which are made by matchy-matchy company HKM or whatever it is) fit really well too.

Nice material, not shiny or plasticky like a lot of fly rugs, taper up by rider's legs and down on horse's back legs, also a velcro strap for on the headpiece and fastens nicely round throat too. Very impressed, especialyl for the money!

Right then. Lessons. We equissaged Squirt for 15-20 mins before his lesson and WOW what a difference!!!

5 mins into mum's lesson, I walked round and he was really striding out, neck relaxed, tracking up, chilled, happy, smiley. Wow. Then 20 mins later I headed round for my lesson to see Squirt absolutely FLYING round the school! I actually thought it was a canter transition gone wrong but no, it was a proper trot! And he trotted a circuit and a half of the school before he walked. Fab!

Mum's on cloud 9, had a really good lesson. Then I went in a bit flat and deflated and meep. Went through toe saga and what have you and explained how I'd done something a bit silly (am booked into stressage next weekend) so we did some work on rein back.

That also led onto transition work. Trot-halt-trot. Trot-halt-rein back-trot. Towards the end he was really swinging through the transitions. I don't make life easy for him - must remember to halt from stomach, not from reins. Use fingers and hands on the reins, not whole arms and actually push hands forwards and keep them down through transitions. Don't give away contact when doing upwards transitions. Dont' be afraid to tap him with the whip going into the halt transition. Need to ride it.

Halt, make sure it's square, ask him to soften, count to two or three then ask for rein back. Legs to move in diagonal pairs, only need one or two strides at this stage then GO GO GO GO GO trot trot trot. Change the rein, anything but get him going forwards.

Snappy transitions. Don't chuck contact at him.

Then we did some medium trot and I SAT IT. YEYYYYYY :) Be happy and accept the 3 or 4 strides of really nice stuff he gives me, don't go after more as he loses his balance. He'll offer more when he's stronger.

N also made me feel tonnes better about having not really done anything with him since the first toe incident on 4th July, said it's never ever hurt T-Jay to have a few weeks off and he's always come back bigger, better and stronger after a break, for whatever reason so to look on it positively.

Also said to stop faffing and pannicking, he'll be absolutely fine next week to go out and do N22 - and I know deep down that he will. Who needs preparation LOL

Going to equissage him lots too, I really should have done him before I rode tonight. Going to charge battery overnight and try and get into the habit of doing them both before I ride, even if just for 5 mins - they really do love it so if nothing else it'd put them in a good mood :)

Flat news .... MOVING IN ON 29th. Waaaaaaaaah!

About to combust...

All falling into place.

OH's dad has given us a wad of cash which has helped ENORMOUSLY and means we can buy everything we need to, get some one off things out of the way to help monthly ie TV licence & contents insurance and still have enough left over to create a "buffer" in a joint account.

Found out today, credit checks are A-OK, moving in date has been agreed verbally as 29th August (waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah) so we've just got to get up there to sign agreements and pay deposit and pick up keys!!!

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Been to Burwarton today. I do love that show. It's just "nice". Bought two ride on fly rugs for £15 each!! Snapped THOSE up! I have seen the Rambo ones and came very close to buying rambo ones but they are £60 and couldn't quite justify that much but at £15 can't go wrong really can I?

T-Jay really does hate flies so this'll mean I have to buy very little/no fly spray as he wears a fly rug in the field when it's flie-y. Squirt has one too obviously because of his sweet itch.

Then I found IV Horse fly rug for £25 rather than £47 so mum's got Squirt one of those as a spare for when his proper sweet itch once is being washed/repaired. Hope it fits though.

Also got long lead ropes for them and as they were £2 each or 3 for £5, bought B one for orange pony - B if you read this, you don't have to have it but thought it might save your head being bashed from the two you've got tied together! lol

Mum also bought shoes and crocs. I think that was all I bought. Not bad, although really shouldn't have spent anything as I am seriously skint already this month having had car serviced and paid for the flat application.

Had BD Champ tickets come through today - yey. Looking forward to that.

Am also going to a massage demo thing next week with riding club, should be interesting.

OMG am moving into my own place with OH.

EEEEEEEEEEK!

Go Jackie!

Local saddler has been voted "Mountain Horse Customer Care Winner" in Your Horse mag.

Pic is of her sister, Jill. It's on the website, www.yourhorse.co.uk, news, then Mountain Horse Customer Care Winner.

No where is perfect but I do think we're lucky to have such a big saddler so close by :)

Was intending to keep schtum until subs ran out on the other place but haven't, tut. I look a right pushy cow and I didn't mean to. I really am not the best at wording things sometimes. I'm OK at work in a formal environment but at "home" I'm not. I look like I've poo-poo'd embroidery which I haven't at all, I love embroidery and hope that everyone wants dressagestar to do it so as EMW gets as much money as possible :)

More good stuff

I love my job, well I love the flexi time. No, actually I actually love my job too.



Catching naughty people, figuring out things about them they don't know themselves. Perfick for me.



Finished early today so went to the yard. Was planning on hacking round fields but then realised I'd not got contacts in so wasn't sure what to do. Just as I was debating what to do, C turned up so went for a tootle with her round the roads.



Was pleasantly surprised to have all horses gallop over to me when I called T-Jay but soon found out why. The Flies. We've been invaded. It's horrible, it's even really bad here at home and our garden is exposed and on a hill so shouldn't be any flies!



Rode T-Jay and he was sweating just walking round the roads that's how hot and muggy it is here so left him in and got various ponies in. The ponies I didn't get in, I fly masked. Certain spotty and splodgey ponies decided leccy fencing wasn't going to stop them going in the shelter so have had to open that up. Not good - it's a pony shelter and there are 9 horses in that field ranging from 13.3h to 17h so could be interesting!



Got Squirt in and pannicked that he was colicky or something but they're all very subdued with the heat and flies. Hosed him off as he was red hot to touch and that seemed to perk him up a bit. He's fine, just stuffed, hot and itchy I think but he's in for the night. He's only going out for 5-6 hours a day because there's so much grass in the field but he seems happy enough with that.



OH has had a call to discuss picking up keys for the flat and moving in date - waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!



I wanted to try and stretch it out another 3 weeks so we could buy everything we need to and then get another pay day under our belts. I can't afford to move out for another couple of weeks -aaaaaaaaaaaaargh!



Think we've got a washer sorted now so just need a fridge and the rest of stuff are just bits and bobs so won't be too bad :)

Rainy but happy

Am just very very happy at the moment. Lots of reasons - OH and moving in together (although that's scary!), my job is wonderful, my heart bursts when I look at T-Jay, Squirt is doing us very proud and most importantly, for me, the yard is such a stress RELIEVER generally speaking rather than a stress causer.

This time last year there were lots and lots of problems at the yard - the horses were ill which is what has prompted all these "thoughts" but we also had lots of friction between people, lots of stirring, we had to try and do a lot of firefighting between the different people on the yard, etc. So much so that it was about now that I started to think about giving up. Instructor bollocked me and I pulled my socks up a bit but last Sept/Oct time is when I really really did come very close to selling up and giving up, that lasted until about January time really.

It's not until things change for the better that you realise just how bad things were, is it?

We're not perfect, far from it, but we're on the right tracks. I still have moments where I'm torn as to whether I need a break but at least this year, I can see that I DO love "horses" and my lifestyle and I DO get more enjoyment from it than stress, unlike last year.

Am very pleased with Squirt - so many cobs are bolshy and bad mannered but he has been a gentleman lately. This morning he was desperate to get out to the field, no doubt bashing the door but friend turned him out and said he was a little star. Didn't barge his stable, walked politely to the field, let her turn him round, shut gate then take headcollar off before he trotted off. He's really quite sweet if you ignore the occasional grumpy face :)

T-Jay is stuffed. Totally. He's in his stable deflating a bit. Lots of cow pat poo in there (eeew). I wanted to ride but it was horrid drizzly rain and we're brewing for a storm so left him deflate in his stable and J is going to turn him out for me. Squirt's in for the night but doesn't seem to mind, lol, think he's just grateful he's allowed on the grass at all!

Need to ride tomorrow. Don't really know why I'm so anti the school at the moment, think it's because I've had a break and need a kick up the arse to ride properly rather than just hack. Lesson on Thurs so that should kick me up the bum.

Got to work miles away tomorrow, will be a nice change. Got big important meeting that was dumped on me but have lots to say so I think I'll not let the Unit down :)

Brief Entry

... you'll be pleased to know.

Slightly worried that when I called the local police today to report a suspicious incident, they didn't know what "hydroponics" meant or often relates to.... bit worried by that one actually. Doh.

Anyway, ponies moved into grassy field. Too much grass in there really but they had trashed the other fields so not really any choice. Squirt and spotty only had a couple of hours on it then came in overnight.

T-Jay went out with the mare he had a "little" disagreement with a few months ago and I'm very very relieved he didn't do anything bad. Heart was in my mouth when he clocked her and went cantering over but it was a NICE "yeyyyyy you're back!" way and he didn't once even flick an ear back at her so phew phew phew phew.

Squirt was also very pleased to see her and went pelting over to her - then they all basically ate grass tut.

You wouldn't even have realised that there was a new pony in amongst them. OK so new pony has been there almost 2 months, just not out with the majority of them but they just accepted him totally and it was like he's always been here.

All ponies were too hungry to do much faffing around, as you can tell by the lack of majorly exciting facebook photos lol.

Have itchy feet. Need to get onboard and RIDE. Hopefully it'll not rain after work tomorrow and I can attempt some schooling. Probably not the best of ideas as probably will end up having to sit some bucks - he always is a pain to begin with in that field for some reason.

Squirt has steam coming out his ears, stood in his stable. He's FURIOUS he's been dragged off the grass. Absolutely FURIOUS but better to have an angry stabled pony than a laminitic stabled pony!

Hackety hackety hack

Two hour hack today - all of it in walk, oops. Pony was a bit jumpy & nappy to start with which meant toe went OWWWW.

So walked the whole way. Ooops. Sorry Beth but thank you!!

However, was fab to be back on him and for a decent length of time :)

Field changing tomorrow so will ask OH to come down and take pictures as they're moving into the field where T-Jay ALWAYS makes a meal out of a mountain.

Squirt has survived the midgey field surprisingly well but did go a bit mad rubbing up the wall of the stable so toss up between midgey field and more grass means he's going on more grass. He'll come in a few nights a week and hopefully not explode.

Said field also has a school marked out in it so we'll be back in action if it stops raining!

Back in the saddle

At last!

It's been three weeks since I last rode him and has now been what, 5 weeks since I've ridden him properly?

Took him in the school where he's not been for about 2 or 3 months. Definitely 2 months, possibly longer. He was fab in walk and then I got cocky and only did one circuit of trot before asking for canter so got a buck. That hurt.

As did the spooks by the poles.

But other than that we did OK :) did some leg yield and rein back and turn on the forehand.

Chucked Squirt out with T-Jay & co. T-Jay looked up at him and went "oh it's you" and carried on eating, Oscar and Harry got a bit "wahey, newbies" but Harry wouldn't let Oscar near Squirt, Squirt just wanted to eat and Oscar bit Harry then decided to do it sneakily - started grazing and was working his way back towards Squirt when I left LOL

Yard is a mess :( I tidied it up as much as I could yesterday but it's just ugh. Things everywhere and just generally needs a good sweep and a tidy up so no doubt that's next weekends project.

Flat, sorry apartment, is officially off the market. I was very domesticated yesterday and bought: a hoover (!), a washing up bowl, a laundry basket, a cutlery drawer thing and some glasses. I've checked the website and yup, it's no longer on there so they don't hang around!Scary.

On more good news, OH and T-Jay are in Central Horse News on the West Midlands page on page 20. For any one who gets CHN, he's on page 20 of the Aug/Sept issue so hopefully will generate some more visitors to his site and hopefully some orders cos with this apartment, he really does need to get drawing LOL.

Just what I needed

A pony morning :)

Got T-Jay in, cleared his field of poo then groomed him and equissaged him all over. He absolutely adored it, head on the floor, eyes half closed, droopy bottom lip, the whole works. Then he tried to do what friend's pony does ... reverse into you for a bum scratch but kinda pinned me up the wall.

Not good with a 17h IDxTB! Wriggled out and he tried another 3 times, not to squash me as such but just to get me to equissage a particular bit on his bum, lol.

Decided against riding as I was there on my own and one way or another I'd have to lean over to do gates and what not. It's Saturday tomorrow, there will be plenty of people around so I played it safe - although with the squishing not sure that I did make the right call LOL

Apparently, according to T-Jay I then spoiled it as I put his new fly mask on and chucked him out. It has ears. And a nose net. So hopefully he'll not get bitten to pieces any more. But he wasn't happy witht he nose net. Oh well.

Next was Squirt. He and his gang by this time were FURIOUS they weren't in. Their field really is bare now so think we're going to have to have a move around :(

Got Squirt in without too many problems, even though it did involve pushing a certain spotty pony back in. But all hell broke loose when I got spotty pony in - D barged his way out and went careering round. Shut spot in, grabbed D, shoved him in and then was expecting Min to go legging it off. Decided on headcollar rather than chifney in case he got away from me with the chifney on but he was golden, just jogged by my side bless him!

Cleared their field of poo then groomed Squirt and equissaged him. He has a sore bit on his chest again so gradually built it up around that area. Didn't enjoy it quite as much as he usually does but think that's cos he was hungry.

Both of them are so different, it's really interesting with the equissage. T-Jay has it on the fastest setting from the off and very very rarely objects to it going anywhere. The only place he's gone "oi" about was once on his thigh, turned it down and built it up and it was fine. Squirt's a funny onion. Sometimes you can start off on a high setting and he adores it, like the video on facebook but other times, like today, he can get a bit worried and I have to start on a low setting and build it up.

Think Squirt finds it harder than T-Jay but then T-Jay is older, fitter and more althetic anyway than Squirt so not rocket science I guess.

Have given it friend tonight to help her neck and shoulder. Noticed the dog looks a bit stiff today, despite wearing her magnetic collar so she can be done over the weekend too!

Application is in

for the flat :)

so that's it. The Big Secret which isn't really so big.

OH and will hopefully be moving in together.

Have not a THING at all really but the jungle drums are starting to beat and we have been given so far, a CD/DVD unit, a computer desk and tonight a 34" TV and stand which cost over £2.5K when it was bought a couple of years ago!!!!!!!

Still not set in stone but can't see there really being a problem with our credit checks ...

SO scary!!

It worked!

Pony dry out plans have meant we have sunshine today!

Squirt not impressed he went out at 10am, oops. T-Jay didn't want to come in so he's stayed out.
Off to make the first step re Big Secret.

Excited but not because I don't want to jinx it.

Have found myself getting snappy, getting thoroughly pissed off with "unfairness" amongst other people and eating crap, and lots of it. Actually feel a bit better now I've realised what I'm doing and that it's because I'm stressed and worried over Big Secret. They're not wrong when they say it's one of the most stressful things you can do in your life but hopefully it'll be over and done with very quickly!

2nd entry today!

Been a while since I've done two entries in one day!

T-Jay looked ever so smug in his little house today :) Think having not been allowed in it for so long, it meant he kept a lid on it with his temporary neighbour. Such a relief though that I can put him in there!

He was all dry and smiley so I groomed him, fed up and turfed him out with a rug on.

Then mucked stable out and Squirt was whinneying allllllllll the time tut. He is such a wimp and has such a camp whinney!!

Anyway, then got those 4 in, left spotty and Squirt very smugly tucked up with beds and clearly in for the night. Put fleeces on D and Min so that they are dry when their owners go down.

Tomorrow I'll go down, chuck squirt and spot out and T-Jay can come in for the day, out of the rain.

Hopefully having pony dry out plans will mean the rain knocks off!!!

Edinburgh

Was fab. We did so so much in two days and we're all grown up and managed to get around by bus in a strange city. I am most impressed!

Day one we went on the boat cruise on the Forth of Fife river - under both Forth bridge and round to an island called something or other. Saw some seals. Thankfully not as many as at Cape Cross in Namibia!!! Think Cape Cross has put me off seals for life, smelly things.

No puffins though :( was actually a bit gutted about them :(

We also did one of the bus tours and explored Cannongate. Walked all the way from Cannongate up the Royal Mile, up to the castle then followed our noses down Ramsay Lane, across the park and then wandered the length of Princes St trying to find the bus stop, ended up walking part way down Shandwick Place (for those of you who know Edinburgh... this is a LONG WAY!)

Got back to B&B, had a quick shower, had carvery for tea and then collapsed in bed.

Yesterday we went to the zoo (only down side really was the ragwort in a large proportion of the enclosures but most disappointingly, the most ragwort was in the zebra bit :( ), the castle, the camera obscura, did the longest bus tour and ate out in a really nice place we found a few streets off the Royal Mile ie the only place that wasn't rammed.

I think we did really well actually. Am shattered lol. Toe held up really well. It's been strapped up for support and I wore my horrid gym trainers ie proper clunky soled things but it was worth it. It's horridly black and am sure will get much worse before the nail finally comes off :( No pain which is fab, unless I put weight directly on the toe but cannot bend it in any way shape or form :(

Up early this morning and was home at 11am. Friend has got T-Jay in to dry off for a bit, this is the first time he's gone in his stable for 3.5 weeks - am hoping he and his neighbour haven't gone off on one but friend in charge has said not so big big phew.

I am disappointed I've found myself more domesticated than I realised. Got home from holiday and I've hoovered downstairs, dusted, emptied dishwasher, cleaned kitchen AND put my washing in from holiday. How terrible is that?

Currently resisting temptation to go down the yard but I have only one stable between two horses and I know the minute I go down, Squirt'll want to come in but T-Jay's in so he can't.

Think will go down about 3pm and chuck T-Jay out (with rug) then get Squirt in for the night. Then will swap them over tomorrow day time.

Bloody rain. We've another heat wave coming haven't we soon? Then the midges and flies will go crazy and poor Squirt pony will be rubbed raw and T-Jay'll be eaten raw :(

For my blog stalker who likes to cause me trouble - this IS referring to you know what website, unlike the last time you tried to stir up trouble. Am very saddened by a few threads on there and would like to reply but don't really know what to put. Hope I can think of something and that that person gets chance to read it before they pass. Funny how integral the net now is in people's lives and how one person can touch so many - and that's just through one website.

Whatever though, the Dragon will live on and she'll be in many more hearts and minds than she probably realises.

Another good day :)

Was at the yard early, managed to get Squirt in on my own so was chuffed with that. Boots still absolutely kill but I'm more confident about going in the field than when I'm wearing crocs!!

Poo picked T-Jay's field then H & B rode Squirt. Then while B took T-Jay out for me round the block, I poo picked Squirt's field and then helped B with orange pony.

I am painfully slow walking with a wheelbarrow. Well, actually just painfully slow full stop when I have boots on but am getting there.

Hopefully, if walking round Edinburgh doesn't set me back then I'll be back on board T-Jay on Wed. Getting on and riding aren't my worry really - it's the getting off. He's a long bloody way down :(

Pie factory Wed, curry Thurs. I'm going to put on a stone this week :(

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.................

Excitement. Excitement. Excitement.











Panic. Panic. Panic








Can't divulge secret yet as still not set in stone but am very excited and very scared!!

Edinburgh on Monday. Stupid me ooked 7am flight. Means leaving home at 5am. Ugh. Ugh.

A Good Day

I am still wrapping my toe up to go to work as it just makes me a bit more confident about walking and it seems to just give it a bit of support.

I am using the same padding each time - same size as they are packaged individually but it reached the whole way round my toe today so swelling is obviously going down.

Then at lunch, I walked out the police station and suddenly realised I wasn't limping. OK, so I was again by the time I got back but at least it's definitely getting better - slowly but surely.

Boss kicked me out 45 mins early as I break up today - bless him. I love my boss and I love my job and I love flexi time (although I haven't got to make up today's time!!)

It was sunny at the yard and hadn't rained for a bit so field wasn't slippy so I went and did some poo picking, just chucking the poo over the fence, no barrow. Also managed to muck out although couldn't get barrow up muck heap so failed a little there.

Then I got T-Jay in and he was calm, fed him whilst got Squirt in and his companions. Had help at this point as 4 hooligans desperate to come in, dodgy gate and muddy puddles are not good combinations when you're wearing crocs!

T-Jay was in a good mood so he got groomed (whilst tied up with loads of room for me to dodge any random feet) and equissaged which he LOVED as always.

Then the power ran out before I could equissage squirt so will do him over the weekend :)

Edinburgh Monday & Tuesday and depending how my toe is, might contemplate riding on Wed or Thurs? Just round the block but I'm bored and pony is very bored.

Big Secret Happening is tomorrow. So excited, although am now pannicking slightly over Edinburgh and my lack of preparedness!!!

Sound!

Little bugger was sound tonight when Beth trotted him up so just me to get sound now :)

This little toe went to ......

pancake land.

Is still very bashed looking, still bleeding and still can't bend it :(

Am getting ear bashing about going to Dr, but I think I might have to relent and go and see if it's worth having it xrayed.

It doesn't hurt - unless I bash it or walk on it "properly". It can't be broken can it? I'd e wriggling in agony and unable to stand/walk if it was broken, wouldn't I?

Have now spent 2 weeks, 4 days in crocs. I'd actually like to wear some nice shoes now please.

Ponio going to be equissaged tomorrow - he'll love it. Will do Squirt too if I can. Actually ... should find out spare battery and charge it up in case there's not much power in current battery.

Hope I can walk properly by next week - we're going to Edinburgh on Monday!!

Sickening ... I was voluntarily in work and working by 7:25am this morning. Am shattered though now.

Curry tonight was Delish and then saw Ice Age 3 - yey for Sid (AND it was in 3D - bonus!)

Plotting/wangling/Big Secret is on hold til Sat. Will know more then - squeeeeeeee again.

Loose Schooling

Thought I'd loose school/jump the boy today to give him something to think about but he's lame :(

Pah.

No heat. No swelling. No cut. No sore bit. Abcess? It's not a major thing really is it when I'm lame myself so he can have a week of rest and we'll see where we are then.

Foot getting better. Still slightly concerned it's still bleeding but it's not constant. Cut on the cuticle looks a bit gruesome though so I think my nail will be going :(

Right .... off to do some serious "looking at things" - eeeek, scary.

OMG OMG OMG

Possibly big changes, need to sit down with OH tonight.

And no ... you won't need hats :p

Nice Day

Went to the yard but had to abandon idea of getting T-Jay in his own stable. Friend's pony is on box rest in Squirt's stable but the pony is a 4yr who has been gelded only 4 months so T-Jay and he would most likely have a scrap through the bars in the stable.

Wanted to put something over the grills but said pony was terrified so couldn't :( Did put a rug up on baling string half way up the grill and an hour later said pony had pulled it through the 2" gaps in the bars - quite impressive seein as it was a 5'9 very very old heavy duty canvas rug which was stiff as a board and hanging over baling string!!! God knows how he did it!!!

So had to borrow Gypsy's stable again for T-Jay who seems to be in a bit of "ugh" mood - think he's bored but I can't do anything about that can I, stupid horse.

Idea was for me to sit and mum to basically stand there with Squirt until he went on the lorry as he's not loaded very well the last year or so. I suspected he would load better for mum than for me as he's very much a one person horse and mum is HIS person, always has been since he was born really. I was not expecting the little shit to just walk straight on the lorry without even hesitating.

Twice!!

But am pleased.

However, in light of the fact that it was no problem and he wasn't upset or anything, mum decided to ride. She rode then H rode then mum got back on. I chucked a pole out for mum and I don't think I've ever seen a pony SO pleased to see a pole - he thought himself ever so much the Big I Am just because there was a pole out lol bless him.

Still thought he was lame to begin with but after 10 mins, he looked totally different so think he needs a lot of warm up. Going to make a concerted effort to equissage him. Really really really pleased though that he was trotting along and put his head right down.

This new saddle is just fab - he's really trying and you can see it in his eyes that it's dawning this saddle fits and is built to counter act all the bad bits about his back conformation. He's really liking it :)

Mum's back also isn't aching when she rides so it's worth every penny. He is one very happy pony at the moment, very smiley and chirpy. Wonder what he's got up his sleeve?

Still not sure what I'm going to do re saddle. Am very tempted to get one from same saddler as my GP and who has made mum's but he's so expensive. In one way, I'd like a "named" saddle but these saddles are so comfy and and and and. I just don't know. I know I'm going to be looking at £1800 I reckon for a saddle off this bloke and that's a lot of money.

All pie in the sky anyway because I don't even have £18 let alone £1800!!

Mum groomed T-Jay too - I'm banned in case he treds on feet tut but he looks thoroughly pissed off, he really does :( Might have to see if instructor is around one night in the week so she can put him through his paces again. Think he needs a damn good blast somewhere.

Foot is getting better. I can walk pretty well when it's strapped up and I have a trainer on (my dad's size 13........) but it does still throb and yesterday bled a fair bit if I'd been stood up for a few mins so dread to think what's in the bandage now as I haven't changed it yet today and been walking round on it for the best part of 5 hours at the yard today. Ooops.

Well That's That Then

No more Midlands Irish Draught Show. Ever.

It's jinxed for me, without a doubt.

2005 - Can't remember what happened but for some reason I didn't even get to ENTER him.

2006 - The night before the show, my dad got stuck overnight on the motorway. With no food. No water and most importantly, none of his heart drugs. By the morning, my mum was in pieces and we'd been so worried about him all night, I hadn't got T-Jay ready so we didn't go.

2007 - Flash floods on the night before the show and morning of the show. Called to withdraw and they said it'd been moved indoors but by that time it was too late for me to get T-Jay ready.

2008 - We did actually, finally get there. And did reasonably well given that he wasn't himself at all. 48 hours later, he was admitted to horse-pital as he was so ill.

2009 - I THOUGHT, really did think that the jinx had altered slightly. Two weeks before the IDHS show T-Jay stands on both of my feet. I take a week off work as I couldn't drive but also to rest them. The week before the show, I am really careful and still keep resting them because they are still a bit ouchy. On the Thursday before the show (last night) I decided rather than try and hang both me & T-Jay taking his headcollar off as he goes through the gate (long story but it's not the best of gates) that to be careful I will actually walk THROUGH the gate with him and take his headcollar off.

What happens? Gate bounces back at him a fraction, he moves over and................ treads on my foot again *bawls*

It's only one foot so have been able to drive dad's automatic car to work today but it's my left foot. The one that had the worst swelling on. The one that was xrayed as it was possibly broken.

He trod on it at 6pm, it was still bleeding at 10pm but seems to have stopped overnight at some point. It's hugely swollen. All the bruising that didn't come out last week came out immediately last night but it does seem to have gone again now, just swollen and very very sore.

Think my nail will be off :( Hadn't even realised how much of a phobia losing a nail was for me until this last couple of weeks. Was literally shaking last night - partly because toe was so sore and partly from the thought of the nail coming off.

Am so gutted. Mum's made me promise I'm not going to enter the show next year. God only knows what'd happen if I did!!!

On a good note though, am off to Edinburgh for a couple of days. Can't wait!

Lesson Reports

B rode Squirt and did really well with him - gave him something to think about.

Instructor rode T-Jay and really worked him for half an hour in the field. He absolutely LOVED it and if you're on facebook, check out the pics - even instructor is grinning in the pics. Am so very pleased with him!

Was also secretly pleased that instructor also had to work to get round the bogey corner where there's a slope but hopefully by her showing T-Jay that he CAN do it, he'll believe me a bit more now :)

His medium trot - oh wow. He flew. Absolutely pinged across and covered the 60m arena in what seemed like 5 strides, I swear!

Tonight, I was going to hack until I got drenched whilst muck picking. Ugh.

Equissaged Squirt and found a sore bit between his front legs. Sore enough for him to politely tell me to "f off" from even just stroking him there so have left him in again tonight, which he is very pleased with given he's in T-Jay mahooosive stable. He's not impressed with M being on box rest in his stable though - keeps glaring at him through the bars LOL.

Didn't really know what to do with him. He's not lame, just a bit of a sore muscle I think. His field is hilly and slippy, no doubt he's been belting round it to cause the soreness and he has ripped his fly rug and it was midgey. So he's in but like I say, seems quite happy.

T-Jay's head is really manky :( He has loads of fly bites all over him but especially on his head. They don't look too bad but if the judges on Saturday touch his head, they're going to think he's got mange or something :( Cleaned them last night and have plastered his head in Power Phazer tonight. Not sure what I can do really? I can't leave his fly rug/mask on with the heavy rains we're getting but when it's not raining, it's really warm and there are obviously flies around. Ho hum.

Feeling very strange about Saturday. It's been ummmmm ....... 8 years since I did an inhand class with T-Jay LOL. Also feels very weird to not have a time, I'm going to time it all wrong I know I will. Why can't showing classes have set start times like you get in dressage?

Debating local show the week after. I think I may like to do the Ridden Hunter class but guess we'll see how stressful/boring Saturday is!

More Tootling

Lovely little ride today, B borrowed Diesel, H on Harry, me on T-Jay and mum on Squirt.

Squirt wasn't very impressed with escorting Oscar out yesterday and his new non-slip saddle was a victim of its own success as mum put it on slightly skew-if meaning she couldnt' straighten it. Today he was a happy pony, out with the "big boys" and saddle on straight. Think mum enjoyed herself too :)

Lessons tomorrow. Have just text instructor and she's going to ride T-Jay for the whole hour, put him through his paces and see if the sideways buttons still work. Have arranged for OH to come down and take pics so hopefully will have some pics of ponio strutting his stuff :)

I love it when instructor rides him, he looks amazing. Wish I could ride him half as well!

Resisted the urge to poo pick today but it killed me!

H bought me some GORGEOUS fudge as a thank you for looking after the spotty one. It's delish! And today I was supposed to get back on the fatfighter wagon. Huh.

Back in the saddle

Only for a little tootle round the roads but it was just what I needed :)

Tootling again tomorrow and then on Monday, think will get instructor to ride him for the whole hour and beg OH to come down and take pretty pics :)

Mum rode Squirt out too and I was foot soldier for B taking orange pony out on his first ever walk. Both were uber good ponies :)

Poo picked both fields - is such a ncie feeling when they're cleared, takes only about 10 mins a fied at the moment which is fab.

Fannied around a bit more and then came home. Just before bacon was cooked, farmer called to say he was on his way with hay so dashed back to yard and now I'm just eating my breakfast!!!!

BBQ apparently tonight at OH's friends. Yum yum.

Evidence.

Of my boredom.

It is just after 11am. I have already:

1) Done a cooked tea for tonight, veggies are in water waiting to be cooked

2) Hoovered the whole of the downstairs

3) Emptied dishwasher

and that's after having had a lie in!

Might go and brush the dogs in a minute. Again. They've been done at least once a day all this week, can't believe how much hair is STILL coming out of the retrievers!!! Mars Coat Kings rule though with their coats!

Need to ride.

I really do.

Have successfully driven 3 miles today, however am paying for it now :(

Got a handbag on Ebay.

Must stop spending!

Am feeling very frustrated. Hoping it's just because of not being able to ride and get around and through boredom but I'm feeling very "rarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" about a lot of things. Maybe I should just go sit in a cave and go to ground for a few weeks?

Just a week til IDHS and I have no idea if I'll be able to ride. I think I will but not sure on the trot up or the in hand class. H will step in for the inhand class, I know she would (she's only 5'1 bless her so T-Jay'd look huge) but still undecided what to do about the ridden class. Guess I'll have to run him up on Sat and see whether I can or not?

BORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRED

Oh My God am I bored or what?!?!?!?!?!

I hate being hobbly. I hate being housebound. I hate not being able to drive. I hate the rain too!

I have at least started on organising the yard dressage thing. Need to put up about dates today so that I can book judge etc.

Have someone in mind for judging (dependant on ££), have a few people in mind to invite, the inhand walk and trot test will be the MIDARC W&R 5 test as it's mostly walking so the leaders won't die (or I hope not anyway) then for the ridden class am thinking people can choose between P1 and maybe the BD Intro A test, although the MIDARC W&T tests are available for download for free online so may be better to pick one of those?

In the ridden class, highest percentage will win, regardless of the test.

Have ££ for rosettes, just need to know numbers which I can't do just yet til we've got a date sorted.

Have found some of last year's hay as we're running out so organising a delivery of that. Well, actually, it wasn't that hard - our usual supplier still has some left lol.

Also need to get myself to the yard tonight (easily enough done) but have also got to get myself home which will be a little more difficult as mum's at work til 8. Hopefully friend will be going to fat club so we can go there then on to home :)

Also need to ring up about feral cats. Have seen two that I want. Ginger brother and sister called Ruff and Ready. Charity hasn't replied by email tut so need to call but might call tomorrow or Fri as can't really go and get them until Sunday when my cat-proof friend is home from hol. I'm terrified of cats at the best of times, let alone feral ones!

Mousehunt on facebook is annoying me, it won't catch any mice. They keep stealing my cheese and gold and I'm not catching many :(

Vouchers have come for my "piece" in Horse mag this month LOL Spillers vouchers but I don't use Spillers so may have to get the ponies £20 in treats if I'm allowed to LOL

Did I mention I was bored?????

RIP Rust

x

I've entered...

eeeeeeeeek

Hmmmmmmmmmmm

Apparently I've qualified for the Area Festivals.

There is one in Sept at Kingswood so not a million miles away (in fact, one of the closest of my "local" venues) but it's a bit of a jinxed place for me.

Have spoken to instructor who just laughed (ie agrees with me) that I must be one of the least "aware" BD members out there. I have no idea what I'm doing with this affiliated lark. Anyway, apparently it's a backway of getting to the Nationals.

I am realistic, I have no way of getting to the Nationals. I know that. It's not even figuring on my "possibilites" but instructor is saying I shouldn't dismiss it out of hand, it's a great opportunity to compete at a big show against very nice horses.

That sounds great if I knew I'd not let the pony down. It'd be fab to go and hold my own but I also know if I come bottom of the class (I don't want to win, just not come bottom) then it'd knock my confidence back loads.

Not confidence riding wise but confidence in my riding ability if that makes sense?

I know if instructor was on him, he'd go out there and give a hell of a lot of horses a run for their money. I also suspect she's itching to get out there and compete him but I can't really afford to pay her to do so, not when I suspect all it would do is make me feel crap ....... and in turn earn me a telling off from her LOL

Pffffffffffffffft

Thursday. Demo. Me and T-Jay were being demo riders. RWYM. Really looking forward to it. Lorry breaks down 2 miles from home. All set to unload him (on dual carriageway) and ride him home (on dual carriageway) but it managed to limp home.

Then this morning T-Jay was a real fidget bum and it had taken me ages to plait him, was just doing the last plait and he did a huge star jump and got BOTH my feet with one of his.

Cue trip to A&E as I thought I had broken at least ONE big toe. Thankfully I haven't but am going to have some very interestingly coloured feet tomorrow! Am hobbling round as long as neither big toe touch the floor but don't think I'll be making 70 mile daily round trip to work for a few days!!!!!!

What a palaver eh?!

Lesson

Very tired now!!

Had an hour's lesson tonight in the field and 60m arena. Absolutely shattered. Sweat was pouring off me and poor T-Jay looked like he'd been swimming but I enjoyed it.

Last lesson left me feeling very frustrated but this lesson was tonnes better. Worked just simply on the outside rein. Having no walls or poles on the floor means it's showing up how my outside rein still isn't established.

:director: very graciously said it's much much improved to in the past (yeh right... :( ) but just that as we've upped what's required of both me & T-Jay, it's the last thing to catch up.

Walk I found very frustrating, his walk went no where today, he saw walk as time to finish and he was snail like, dragging his toes. Much easier in trot and canter. We left his bad rein - or rather MY bad rein - in canter til last which wasn't the most sensible as we had diving out through his shoulder and all sorts.However, we DID get not one but TWO proper circles in canter so ended on a good note.

Did all the walk and trot work with no stirrups - why can I ride with no stirrups so much better than with?!? Just need to remember to not tense my calves when approaching a slightly downhill bit and it's all good.

Prior to that, I had a meeting with my big big boss about my work. I had sent it to her for a peer's opinion on what I was doing rather than my "customer's" opinion on what I'm producing. Got a few things to change and alter but on the whole I came away really enthused. She's really pleased with what I've done in so little time and likes how I see the role developing. She also says I'm really well placed to make predictions and therefore big huge impact on the Force. She was also VERY pleased I've already made a few predictions and my immediate line managers have acted upon it so all good. Essentially, what I'm doing is good, I just have a few tweaks to make on the presentation side of things.

Oh and how about this. I got told "you have a really questioning nature. I do not want you to lose that aspect of your personality. In the future, it will no doubt get you into a little trouble but I will support you all the way and the Force will be a better place for your questioning nature. I do NOT want you to lose it."

Muhahahahahaha.... now that's either rope to hang myself with or someone putting great faith in me, isn't it?














Am really hoping I won't hang myself with it ....... eeeeeeek.

Get me!

There are two teams for the local show in the team dressage, each of 4 members. The other team to the one I am on, is one down due to a lame horse.

I'm now on both as friend has said I can borrow her horse.

I've ridden him 4 times. He's never done a dressage test. But hey ho, I reckon I'll do better on him than on T-Jay LOL

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

In 12 hours I will be leaving for the Brecon Beacons for the Whole Horse Weekend. Have done NOTHING.

Am seriously NOT ORGANISED.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

Need to go shopping in a min.

Had an amazing conference today. Am such a geek. Loved it. Love my job. Happy happy happy. Head is over flowing with stuff but not sure how much I would be able to blog for security reasons so probably best I don't.

Was all about how we can use our skills to make big differences and more interestingly, how other analysts HAVE made a difference and HAVE made HUGE HUGE HUGE differences to investigations.

Am just chomping at the bit to get stuck in and even more involved in my job. I want to be one of those up there, presenting what I did and how I made a difference. My time will come, I'm sure it will but I'm the most impatient person ever so wanted it today.

To end the day, an absolutely amazing man - ( http://www.chrismoon.co.uk/ ) Whilst his talk was fascinating, he didn't really make any attempt to link what he was saying to our roles, we had to do that ourself whereas Marc Hogan ( http://www.marchoganlive.com/ ) who had kicked the day off had taken the time to at least look at our "handbook" , even if he didn't understand it - neither do we though but he talked specifically about our roles.

Brilliant day, I loved it. Happy happy happy

FAT...... fat fat fat fat

oh my goddddddd my horse is FAT big time :(

And he's already on restricted grazing.

Good job next week he has a busy week, he needs to work.

B has been left in charge of exercising elephant horse over the weekend while I'm away.

Forgot to put yesterday, local magazine is keen to interview OH about his cartoons..... how exciting!!!

Poo Fight!!!!

We're all squabbling over poo in the fields at the moment LOL

All muck picking is bang up to date and the fields are all being done every day so we're all fighting over who's turn it is to poo pick LOL

Been investigating T-Jay's stable and how many breeze blocks M can take out for me. Very exciting. Going to be taking out breeze blocks to let some more light in and create more of a draft cos his stable gets very muggy in the summer as it's the end one so no movement of air through it.

Going to be organising a dressage show on the yard, just for yard people and a few select invitees :) Looking at ways of turning this arena that's marked out in the field into a riding/jumping paddock which will mean somehow getting it fenced off without it costing YO anything (she's spent an absolute FORTUNE this winter on the external fences without asking her for money towards an internal one which is a bit unnecessary really other than for our convenience).

Equissaged ponies tonight, they absolutely love it bless em. T-Jay was falling asleep, head on the floor, eyes closed. Squirt also loves it but I think he has tenser muscles than T-Jay as he doesn't fall asleep as much as T-Jay does. T-Jay would be lay on the floor with legs in the air for his belly to be done if he had a bed down I think!!

Shattered

Swam after work and then went to the yard to ride.

Little orange pony has never bothered being on his own when his field mates come in but tonight his bestest buddy went out for a hack which caused a few whinnies and a few canters round. I was muck picking so watched him but he was never distressed - confused, yes but otherwise it was just an excuse for a boing. Then mare in the next field started boinging too and orange decided it was far more interesting to watch her boing than boing himself.

Even so, decided he'd been fab so I rode in their field rather than in the marked out school. Orange joined in, bless him then decided it was too hot for trotting circles (as did T-Jay incidently lol) and he stood in the middle while we trotted and cantered round him.

Bless the orange pone too cos I cantered up the field to the gate to see what orange pone would do. Result, nada, just carried on grazing.

Squirt def loads happier in his sweet itch rug again so he can stay in that for a few days until the weather cools a bit.

Going to equissage them tomorrow :)

Oh. And. I'm going to be in Horse Mag :) No picture or anything exciting, just a(nother) quote :)

Road Tootling

Went into work early so left early, poo picked, leisurely got ponies in and then me and mum went round the block :)

Squirt was in a foul mood but going for a tootle cheered him up :) T-Jay seemed to enjoy his little tootle too.

Absolutely LOVING the yard at the minute, we have an absolutely cracking bunch of people there. It's not til people move on and new people come to the yard that you realise how stressful things were before isn't it?

Going to swim then school tomorrow :)

It's Novice

:(

(see blog entry 2 entries down :( )

Good Day :)

Been foal scritching - always always good :)

Then back home and H was putting saddle on spotty pony, then lay across him and then thought "fuck it" and got on him. Goooooooood spotty pony. All growed up and broked.

Think his face says it all in the facebook picture :)

Then Squirt's new saddle came - I've not ridden in it (would squish the poor pony) but it looks lovely. It just looks "right" on him. Had to lever mum off her pony and everyone else had a little go. Bless the pony, didn't bat an eyelid after so long off work. Think he likes the saddle though - really forward, ears pricked, really marching out in it.

Only slight problem is that he's lost so much weight, the girth is only just small enough for him now so when saddler comes out to measure for my saddle, he's going to take some off the girth for mum so it'll shrink as the pony shrinks lol

Didn't ride today as didn't get chance but me and mum are going for a pootle round the block tomorrow :) will be nice to ride out with her finally :)

Spinks for "open class" please

Just seen schedules for the team dressage thing, please can everyone spink the team I'm in (I hae no idea who the other team members are!!!!) is going in the open class which means I'll have to ride P7 and N27 cos P1 and P10 really ain't appealing.

We don't do well in prelims as they give T-Jay too much time to think up evasions and give me too much time to mess up.

We are still eligible cos the only restrictions are that members haven't been placed 1st-6th at the Midlands Champs. I've only gone to the Champs once and came 8th so could go in the novice class but I don't wanna do P1 and P10 :(

Will text D tomorrow and see what exactly I'm doing LOL

Sheeeeeeeee-attered...!!!

Busy day today, seemed to have got LOADS done which is great.

Had a much needed lie in. Mucked stables out and generally faffed around sweeping beds back. Got Squirt in. Poo picked his field, poo picked T-Jay's field, sorted T-Jay's water out.

Then we took Squirt and Orange for a tootle up the sheep fields. My God are they steep and we went up the flatter ones!!! Orange met cows for the first time which led to meerkat impression again but he was very good and kept a lid on it all (they were in the field the other side of the public right of way so we weren't in the middle of them or anything).

Then gave Squirt his weekly bath in Malaseb. That stuff is magic, really seems to be helping the itching problem.

Then Orange's owner and I rode T-Jay. Wore stabby things so today we had plenty of forwards and not so much in the brakes department. But he was fun.

One tired but happy pony, two tired but pleased riders :)

Then mum called to say her saddle is coming tomorrow yeyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy so she did a really really sensible thing .....

Squirt is 5 years old. He hasn't been ridden for 6 months. He has never been ridden bareback. So what does mum do? Get on him bareback. Bless him, he was golden. Never put a foot wrong. Then Orange's owner also had a go on him and did a bit of trotting so at least now when he's trying his saddle out, it won't be the first time in 6 months he's been ridden.

Can't wait for said saddle to come.

Just off to OH now to do girlfriend duties :) Lots of visiting planned tomorrow whoooo :)

Oh and meal last night was lurvely. I had Hot cajun chicken sizzler and then for pud, vanilla and white choc sundae yum yum yum

Riding Withdrawal Symptoms

Still not ridden. Doh. Going out for tea tonight being the reason I couldn't ride tonight - it would have messed the hair up sweetie!!

So poo picked and equissaged them both. They LURRRRRRRVE it, although T-Jay's a little less interested at the moment. Squirt still LOVES it though.

Squirt's looking really well, am really pleased with him. His coat is growing back so he's gleaming, he's not itching so he's not got scuffed hair or scabs anywhere and he's losing weight AND those lumps are going down. Am sure it's the equissage :)

T-Jay is bored. Tomorrow we are going to school. With spurs and actually achieve some stuff.

Only two weeks til I'm taking part in a team dressage thing and I'm not actually sure what it involves yet!!!

Before then got the Whole Horse Weekend, a lesson AND being a riding club demo rider. Eeeeeeeeek!

Wanna do more afflicted though :( Oh well, maybe in July!!

I have decided on my pudding already. White Chocolate Mess. Yum yum yum yum. Hurry up OH and come and pick me up!!!! Want food!

D'oh

Couldn't ride - had chiro appointment that I had completely forgotten about!

However, am feeling pleased with myself as muck picked in the rain. Yes, it has come to that to avoid fatclub :(

But the field is clear of poo whooooooooo

Swimming tomorrow then will crack on on Friday. Have dug out my 101 schooling exercises book and there are a few in there that I want to practise :)

Other than that, not a fat lot going on!

So.... June....

Been a bit of a quiet month really so far.

Haven't competed yet :( and in fact, have had a bit of a "bleurgh" couple of weeks since my last lesson. I got really frustrated that I just didn't understand what I needed to do. I didn't realise I rode T crooked and I didn't "get" one iota what I needed to do. Well. I did. The brain registered it, the brain just wouldn't communicate with the body.

Instructor, God bless her, was very patient, tried a thousand ways of explaining it but it didn't work. Have tried a couple of times to practise but I just don't get it. So until next lesson (supposed to be Friday but has been cancelled) I'm going to bury head in the sand and do other stuff.

Had a LOVELY hack on Sunday, really enjoyed myself, as did T. Went over the gallops as a 4 some. Was just a really nice, easy hack with no problems or anything.

Squirt has lost about 34kg in just over 2 weeks so we're getting there. Obviously a long way to go but he's doing better than I am LOL.

Equissage seems to be working well too and Squirt's lumps are greatly reduced.

Went to a showing demo last night. Was interesting even though I couldn't hear the majority of what was being said and have very little interest in showing. I almost got brainwashed - waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

I text instructor about double bridle (or reins at least) for IDHS on T but it came back with "no! stick with ur snaffle!" so that I am. Phew. I LIKE being able to ride my big horse in a snaffle. It makes me PROUD. I don't WANT to put him in a double bridle or pelham so she gave me the answer I wanted. I'll probably get told again, by someone in the line up not even the judge(!) that I look "wholly unprofessional" in a snaffle but ya boooo sucks. Hopefully I'll beat said woman again, like I did last year.

I think I'd like showing, if it weren't for the fact that it's so faffy with hanging around for classes and faffing with turnout. Mind you, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. I got a comment on a dressage sheet a couple of months ago of "very well turned out". Eh? Me? When did that happen? lol

I did take something back with me from last night though, and that's the gallop bits. I always knew it was important but it was good to hear exactly what the judge is looking for. Practised a bit today and I think we got a good couple of gallops.

Rode in the field today. Well, it IS a field but it's not strictly just a field cos we've now got the 60m arena marked out in there. Really enjoyed it. Had company today which meant I actually stuck stuff out.

Wanted to start to work towards some flying changes. He's given me some fabulous ones in the field lately but unfortunately, they've been through napping DOH so want to try and start getting some of these on purpose. However, the canter was a bit stuffy today. I think it was because it was so warm and muggy and we were both being terrorised by one horsefly. I tried on numerous occasions to commit horsefly murder but sadly, it wasn't to be.

Wanted canter-trot 2 or 3 strides - canter transitions which he CAN do, very easily. Unfortunately, he was in the mood for counter canter. Medium trot didn't happen. Note to self - use stabby things tomorrow. Anyway, we worked on the gallop instead which meant we got a much nicer, happier, pingier canter. Even managed a 20m circle in canter on his current "bad rein" and then to prove it wasn't a fluke, did another 10 mins later and then called it a day.

For some reason (actually that reason is most likely my poo-y riding lately) we've not been able to get 20m circles in canter on the right rein in the field. There IS a slight slope to the school area so it was always going to be hard for him but chucking in random flying changes and tootling off the other way is a bit tooooooo naughty. However, if I actually ride, we CAN do circles - whoo!

Need to do some no stirrup work in there tomorrow. Need to get legs aching.

Also need to get back on the wagon with fatclub. Not going tomorrow so I have a week to try and undo some damage.

Have soooooooooooooooooo much planned for the next couple of months - lots mounted, lots dismounted and got some ideas for yard events too.

I also need a new blog title, it was supposed to document my journey to Afflicted and then we went out Afflicted within days of starting the blog doh. Thinking cap needs to go on....

The trouble with an anonymous blog

is that you can't tell who DOES read it and by trying to keep it anonymous, it can also be misconstrued and you either get drawn into something unwittingly that isn't your battle OR someone else (unwittingly or otherwise) draws you into something.

Can't win can you?

Oh well.

Boring rambles continue.

Markers are done so 60m arena here I come, although due to various stuff I probably won't get chance to mark it out til the weekend :(

Haven't seen ponio tonight as H checked them for me and went straight swimming :) Need to get poo picking fix tomorrow night I think LOL

I am going to go to sleep tonight dreaming of orange balls and money. Will be interesting to see how people de-code that one. It'll only be a matter of time before I find out I guess LOL

Cream Crackered

Helped H with spotty pony at show - they did very very good. He's such a dude, walked onto lorry, had a few whinnies there and a couple of bounces so he got dragged into the best turned out to keep him occupied. 4th :thumbs:

Then was his spotty class which he only went and won!! bless his cotton socks!!

THen home, trotted Squirt up who is still lame so mum is going to call vets tomorrow and get him booked in for a full workup.

Then went for a little tootle.

Then muck picked both fields. Again. I'm obsessed!!!

Swimming tomorrow.

Had I not eaten like a pig today I would be skinny but oh well.

Back in action

Took T for a walk today. Accidently went up fields rather than round estate. Accidentally had a canter instead of a trot.

Happy pony. He really put a smile on my face today :)

Bathed Squirt and T. Gold star to the fat itchy one - just stood there while we jet hosed him, he loved it :)

Poo picked both fields (splodgy one is now in with Squirt and T is now in with the old 'un on lots of grass). Have two aliens rather than ponies though :lol:

Feeling a bit meep. Everyone has shows booked up and I was looking forward to my busy weeked (dressage Sat, fun ride Sun) but it looks now like I might not be able to do either as cousin's 18th party is now that weekend, in Wales. Am also in Wales with OH two weeks after that so think June will be a quiet month :(

Midland IDHS Show in July though so looking forward to that and if he does OK there (he did well last year but he was ill and we didn't set the ring alight because of him being ill) then may consider the National IDHS Show in Sept as it's at Weston Lawns. Further out of my normal area but close enough to not be able to justify not going!

Was very quiet at the yard today. Strange.

Interesting, but long, night

Helped with RC dressage show tonight. Don't think I did very much other than just tell people they were next in etc.

Seemed to run OK and made a couple of more friends etc.

Was talking to dressage team lady and really really wish the club wasn't in Area 20 - would love to do some RC stuff but it's all just way too far away :(

Cousin's 18th birthday party on the day of my next dressage and the night before the fun ride. Argh. Dunno what to do. Said party is in Wales.

Really want to ride :(

Good Pony

Got 2nd test sheet finally from last week. 66.6%, 4 points, 4th place - all with a bad back. Gotta love him!

IDHS schedule came today too. Only one thing I can do, Ridden ISH Class. Could do the inhand I guess. Hmmm.......

No dressage :(

Beffy .... fancy doing performance class on him? tis Showjumping and I'm not going to do it lol

*waves to Adele*

Smart pony

Many clipped, beard trimmed, legs trimmed, ears trimmed. Smart boy.

Friend who weighs nothing rode him round the block, think he enjoyed that. He looked after her :)

Helped with spotty training and that was about it for me today!!

Rain is horrid. Love indoor school!!

Secret Blog

Don't think anyone reads my blog any more since it's moved from SU. This is a good thing although funny how every Tom, Dick and Harry read it on there and reported it back to people who weren't on SU and then it all got twisted and lots of problems were caused!

I miss the input from a few people whose opinions I respect but on the whole it's far better to be here, out in the open than have my blog where only a few people can see it and then have paranoia and/or chinese whispers take over.

Not got much to report really. Squirt was good today for his re-freezemark. Although typically once it had a Grade 1 over it, it was only the bottom part of his E that wasn't great.

Fried field opposite stables, H has had three bloody good belts off it (it's connected to the mains. Ha) so hopefully he'll pack it in now, shoving his head over the fence.

Muck picked. Tidied old haylage out. Ummmm what else...

Oh found an alternative use for the t shirt the dogs chewed up .... Sam wore it as a dog coat today cos he was cold LOL. So J has gone to t shirt place to see how much the kids ones are and if there's any really small ones. If so, he can have a t shirt as a dog coat with the yard logo on lol.

Still want great-great-grandad's stationary engine company "logo" on a t shirt cos i'm very proud of what he achieved and i think it'd look great. The whole family can have one if they want one :)

Had some rain the last two days and Oh My Fucking God. Our grass. My two are in a small paddock (for us) and in the week I started to get worried as there was hardly any grass in there, starting to look mossy and could see the earth. Now we've had rain. Oh my god. It's growing like weeds!!!!! So am happy that we're not going to trash the field. It's gone a very lime green colour too so it'll go WHOOOOOSH this next week I reckon!

Plotted yard dressage thing today. Hopefully YO will say we can invite a few people to do it with us too :) Need to find someone who would judge it for us but have a couple of people in mind :)

That's about it really! Am bored having no horse to ride and said horse is also bored. May take him for a little road tootle tomorrow to alleviate said boredom. Am sure just walking for 10 mins would be OK.

Am contemplating equilibrium pad. I know they're not a replacement for a proper warm up but T-Jay really hates warm up arenas - people zipping left right and centre and they always always seem to get really close to him, trap him on the rails and he is absolutely terrified of it. I have no idea why but like last week, I couldn't warm up. I had to toss up between warming up but getting him tense and upset or leaving him standing relaxed but compete with no warm up. Am thinking if I at least had a massage pad thing it would HELP if I can't warm up properly?

He's also very good at being "not quite right" so am wondering if it would help with that too? Although I really wouldn't want to mask anything but might just mean we can go a bit longer between having his back done?

Hyperventilating...

Very very very expensive time coming up eeeeeeek and busy!

Off out for tea tomorrow, yum yum yum. Really shouldn't as really should be on total food ban but....

Squirt is getting re-freezemarked on Saturday. That'll please him. Not.

Farrier on Monday to both of them. Almost died of shock tonight. Text farrier last night as is my usual habit then rang tonight (always text the day before so he knows why i'm ringing and so he can check his book) and he answered without it even ringing!!! Anyway, he's coming Monday morning wow.

Then also called the chiro and she's coming Friday. Have arranged for someone to trot them up for me too.

Called saddler and Squirt's saddle'll be another 3 weeks. PHEW! After the above little lot, I really need that time to get the pennies together!!!

Does mean though that assuming I have a dressage saddle off him and assuming I have it measured when Squirt's saddle comes, I'm looking at 9 weeks for my saddle. Then again, in hindsight, that's not too bad really....

T's having a make over this weekend. Beard trimmed. Ears trimmed. Mane clipped. Mane pulled. Tail trimmed and pulled. Most importantly, FEATHERS off!!! He's ISH, he's not supposed to have feathers to rival a shire!

Poorly pony

Well when I was being paranoid on Sat, it turns out I wasn't. He's def not right.

He's OK out hacking but took him in the school tonight for a lesson. Instructor said we needed to work on medium trot as we got a 5 on Sat for medium trot which we haven't had for aaaaaaaaaages, I said he felt lame but not lame. Asked for trot and she agreed he's not right.

Feels like something weird with his shoulders. Chucked instructor up (well, she bravely/gamely volunteered to ride so I could watch - yeh yeh, is just so she could get up on him!) and was quite surprised at just how much he's not stretching his forelegs forward. No flick there at all.

Back end def not right either. Instructor said absolutely nothing there today, he was running on empty. Didn't want the contact, didn't want to go forward and def not comfortable.

Have rung the chiro already so fingers crossed can get him sorted soon :)

Interestingly enough, I noticed yesterday that his saddle had scuffed his back and made a mental note to get saddler to check it again when S's saddle is delivered but maybe it's cos he's so tight? Instructor also put stirrups to what she thought was level but once she got off, she could see they were about a hole out so mental note there for myself to not just assume it's the saddle, it can be the horse!

He also has a clanky hind shoe grrrrrr but will just tootle him out hacking and walking until ack lady comes so hopefully can get another week or two out of his shoe before it falls off.

Could really do without spending more money just at the moment!

Poor pony :( 63.6%, 3rd place and 3 more points when he has a sore "back" :(

Can't get on BD site to see if results are up for my 2nd test. Damn centres that don't put scores online and damn that BD website, have never known such an unreliable site!!!

More hackies

Managed to wangle the afternoon off work today so skipped off to the yard with the intention of raking school, sprinkling school and muck picking but instead got conned into riding but am very glad I did :)

Went down and whilst I was raking the school, C appeared. She was avoiding revision so helped me do the school so it was only fair I went out with her for a hack wasn't it????

Had a gorgeous long fast canter up the one field, there's crops in there but we rode in the tractor tracks so didn't destroy any and the ground was much better than the baked pathon the outside of the field.

Round the fields, few more canters, lovely :biggrin:

Then back, sprinkled school, cleaned water out, got pony in again (he went in pylon field, in to be ridden, out in pylon field then came back in for his tea) and left him in with S for mum to turn out.

Off I tootled to the physio and have the all clear to not need to go back unless I think I need to - whoooo!

Mum's there now, I'm home and about to get ready to go to OH's :)

I love the sun. I love my pony.

Lesson tomorrow then may give him Wed off but he'll have Thurs off as I'll be swimming so hmmmmm.......

Fatclub on Wed won't be good this week :(

Hackety Hackety

Had a LOVELY hack today.



Friend has taken on a yard up the road so she came down and I showed her some of the gallops.



Had a REALLY nice ride. Ponio didn't even buck behind, all good :)



He had a shower when he got back and this year, hoo rah finally, he's not actually that bad to be hosed off at all :)



Did some muck picking, topped up water and chucked ponies out.



Can't wait for S's saddle to come, hope he's sound to try it out though!!

Organising a yard dressage thing ... is getting complicated already but am sure it'll be worth it!

Stressage it is not...

not sure it's entirely DREssage yet either but it's definitely not stressage.

Little worried this morning at 9am when I got to yard that I hadn't cleaned tack, plaited pony, sorted lorry, done stables or anything and I was due to leave at 10:30am BUT... all fell into place lovely.

I did haynets and waters and sorted lorry out ie filled water canister and unlocked all the doors (unless you unlock them from the outside, you can't get in, even if you unlock them inside lol).

Then I started to clean tack and H turned up so she did my bridle while I did saddle, boots, gaiters and stirrups. Piled all that into lorry. Fetched pony. Mum groomed him while I plaited.

All hail QuickBraid or whatever it is. Fab stuff. Got 10 plaits in his mane :thud: bearing in mind,when I first plaited him, I had 26 .... this is a great improvement and the Quickbraid meant I could get the plaits a bit chunkier without them springing out.

Lorry started first time. Pony loaded without hesitation. Minor worry when we couldn't remember the way there but just as we got to J6, H piped up that that was the right junction (we had been aiming for 7 lol)

Got there with 50 mins to spare (!) so had a sausage bap :fat: then pony unloaded cool as a cucumber, didn't move a muscle to have bum washed (cow pat like poo splatted on it tut) and even put his head down for H to put his bridle on.

Clambered on and almost died at the warm up, it was rammed. There were 11 people in there. Tried to warm up but it just didn't happen. They were running Medium and Adv Medium classes at the same time as my lowly novice classes so it was really busy and T-Jay just got upset by all the horses coming towards him, especially those going sideways so we stood outside and snoozed.

Went into N35 having not even had a canter in the warm up! Minor steering trouble in canter on one circle but otherwise he was nice. Didn't feel like he had much sparkle, felt quite asleep but turns out we got 64.61% and third place - whooo so more points and a rossie to go with it too.

However, the two things that I am most pleased about are the 8 we got again for FWLR and the 7 I got for my position & seat. I'm dead chuffed with those.

Hung around for an hour, managed to get into the warm up arena before N38 but he just did everything as I asked and was fine so let him go back to sleep to be honest, he literally had his chin resting on the fence!!!

Pleased with N38 but don't know how we did as we came away before my scores went up and I was in the upper half of the class so we'd have had to have waited hours for sheet.

Trundled up the ramp with no problems to come home and travelled, as always, like a dream.

Am very pleased with him today. He's a superstar :)

oh oh oh AND I wore my "dressage oss" t shirt, looked fab :D

Pooped

Am all shopped out. Badminton was lovely on a Fri, although def not as many bargains as on a Sunday so think will revert back to Sunday next year. Major plus point about a Fri is that the toilets were reasonably clean, no queues and there was toilet paper in them so there were some big benefits to going on a Fri too.

Got there nice and easy, first stall and caught up with an old Uni friend. Was actually REALLY nice to see her as haven't seen her in real life since we left Uni.

Had no coat, doh so the first thing I bought was a coat. £56 down to £35. Ariat, lovely. I really really tried to get the £110 and £120 (down to £20!!!) to look nice on me but the £35 one just won hands down every time so I bought that and didn't actually take it off all day!

Also bought QuickBraid spray, or something like that, tack cleaning stuff, 3 x dog beds (they chew them, they die!) and some VERY expensive bloody spur straps from Classic Dressage, WHY did I want brown boots and brown straps to go with them?! Think that was actually it other than food!

Cleaning tack tomorrow and am seriously regretting booking in for dressage tomorrow. Feel totally and compeltely and utterly unprepared!!

Schooling Ponderings

Last night went into school, very dusty *cough, cough* think it needs it's first sprinkle!

Anyway, all good. Did pretty much what I asked, when I asked. Did most of it with no stirrups cue legs SCREAMING!

Have noticed that putting stirrups down is definitely making me put foot properly in stirrup and in turn making me sit up taller, as does consciously thinking about bringing my knee away from the saddle.

Nowt much to report about last night (3.5lb off at fat club so am off the starters blocks at least!)

Tonight it was such a nice night that we went into the winter fields again. Definite downwards slope in there but he definitely takes the piss with it. On the left rein he's fine, absolutely lovely but on the right it's showing up weakness on my part.

I am trying very hard to not take a hold of him, to let him find his own balance and to steady him using my own position rather than hands but he really does start to take the pee on the right rein and it took me a good 120m to get him to turn right. Once I properly put my left leg on to block that shoulder he did turn but also accelerated.

Took me 10 mins or so to get a proper circle on that rein so did two then called it a day.

Definitely need a lesson in there next time. Thinking knees away from saddle is also causing me to sit up straight, arse in saddle and everything is starting to fall into place. I've almost got the same canter WITH stirrups as without.

Would have liked to have ridden no stirrups in the field today but on the right rein, even in trot, he really does start to tank so think we need to ride in there more before I do.

Competing Sat, not learnt tests. At Badminton tomorrow but guessing I'll be home in time to clean tack and learn tests.... I hope anyway!!!!

Not a good week

Dog has been ill so have been disinfecting lots.

T has turned into a pony eating monster and hurt another horse in the field :( Naughty naughty pony. It's SO unlike him that I hope it won't ever be repeated but until I'm brave enough to put him in with other horses, he's stuck with R.

Am all muck picked out as did about 7 barrows yesterday but my field is clear and I did some in what was T-Jay's day field to cover his poo and for the friend who drove the lorry on Sunday (cos she had planned to muck pick in that time)

Accident near work which meant I had to do a 10 mile detour to avoid getting stuck in masses of traffic, however it did work as I was only 15 mins late rather than the 2hours the radio was saying I would be. Still meant I missed physio appointment though and was really looking forward to physio as my elow got jolted around a it on Sunday and has been a bit sore since :(

Went swimming though and did extra lengths.

Fat club tomorrow, first weigh in and I'm terrified I won't have lost any weight. I don't see how I could possibly lose weight with what I've been eating this week!

Can't get hold of where I'm competing on Sat for dressage times. They say to call between 4pm and 7pm, I called constantly from 6.45pm onwards but no answer. Have left a message. Hope they don't give my times away!!!

Need to ride the naughty pony. Maybe time off has gone to his head? Have lost habit of riding lots last couple of weeks due to twisted shoe but no excuse now.

Am plotting stuff at yard. I am determined to get my 60m arena to practise in and it's actually going to be a reality, albeit a grass arena rather than a proper one but I'm not moaning - indoor school to stuffy anyhow in the summer :)

Am also planning next yard event - *sneaky grin*

Show Day

No, not mine .... Friends.

H with spotty and A with G. Spotty's first show, A's first show, G's first show and H's first for a long time.

All went really well, very proud of all 4 of them.

It got a bit much for spotty on one instance but 99% of the time he was a sweetheart and he redeemed himself greatly in his class :nod:

My two got a day in the field, even got fed in the field which confused them greatly. Poo picking tomorrow but minus dogs because one of them is very sick, presumably after eating too much horse poo yesterday. Ugh.

Successful Day

although am covered in blisters :rollseyes:

Up at sparrows fart (or it felt like it) and took dogs for a walk. Always a good start to the morning, I love watching them hoon around the fields, even if Sam has started to bite me when I put Gertie & Keira's leads on *frowns*

Then home, showered and dyed hair. Only very subtle but is enough to cover the blond streaks which were poking through. Again. Had blonde streaks back in SEPTEMBER and it's been dyed at least 3 times since then but nope, they keep poking through!

Then off to t shirt place to pick up friend's yard t shirt, order my yard t shirt, take my brown t shirt up for dressage oss logo to be printed on ANDDDDDD buy a Wench t shirt.

Loving my wench one. Tis black with WENCH in a mock-Velocette logo on the front. Love it.

Yard t shirt and dressage oss t shirt will be ready for Thurs which means on Fri at Badders we can all walk round looking like clones with our yard t shirts on, jeans and Ariats lol

Talking of which, have worn mine for 4 hours today and thought I'd be finding blood in them when I took them off. Ouch. They WILL give for Badminton! They will , they will!!! (so first lot of blisters there...)

Then helped bathed spotty pony who promptly dug up wet straw in his stable, rolled in that and who is now muckier than when we started. Gotta love 'im!

Then muck picked hence more blisters.

Rode in the winter fields. Wasn't the most successful but was OK. He walks that way EVERY SINGLE DAY but under saddle, we spooked and star jumped the whole way tut.

Once in the back field, he wasn't toooooo bad but the swingy, relaxed trot never really came. However, we've not schooled in there for about 2, maybe even 3 years?? He was a bit nappy but cured that with a canter up the hill.

"Want to go to gate"
"no"
"shall"
"shan't"
"well i won't move then"
"ooooh look T-Jay, we could canter up the huuuuuuuuuuuge field"
"ooooh yes, let's mum!"

Ha. Sucker.

So then we did some cantering. I really wanted to work on the medium canter and on the transitions to/from but instead we ended up working on circles because he was very nappy on the right rein, after being fab on the left. As we went past the gap in the fence to get back to the gate, he'd chuck in a flying change and aim that way. Decided to take advantage of them because they were realy really nice flying changes and we can't do them yet so made him continue and canter another half a circle on that rein.

However, decided to get after him a bit more and actually USE my left leg and whaddya know? We can canter a circle on the right rein. Did a couple of circles and called it a day as had "won" a battle so only did about 20 mins but because he had been working very hard to not do things my way, he got up a bit of a sweat!

Have put my stirrups down another hole in the Ariats and have found that unless I have them on the ball of my feet (which I hate) then I lose them so think that's good. Instructor on Thurs certainly said they were fine lengthways so think it's only where I have the stirrups (under toes rather than ball of foot) which made me lose it occasionally.

Squirt's rug has survived, although his mask sort of didn't. He got it off about 11am. I just presumed he'd have trashed the mask and the neck of his rug but he hasn't. The velcro straps have done their thing and both are completely intact. The rug fits him an absolute treat but I'm not so sure on the mask so have left that off for now and will get him a normal mesh one maybe from Badminton.

All in all, me + dogs were at the yard for 5 hours so they're cream crackered and I doubt we'll see them til the morning now LOL.

Poor Squirt....

Sweet itch rug has come.

Seems to fit OK and is good quality. Good quality fastenings too. I have two little concerns at the moment - that I've not done the belly thing up tight enough and wee will splash into it. Chances of it happening = not very likely. The other one is that the face mask will slide down and cover his eyes. Chances of it happening = more likely than the above.

Fingers crossed though!

Relatively simple to get it ON although needs two people to do the belly flap so mum may end up putting a stitch in it. Absolutely no idea where to start with getting it off.

I'm not a worrier with rugs but this is my first ever "proper" sweet itch rug and I'm worrying slightly that he'll get his legs stuck, he'll cover his head etc etc etc. I know the chances he won't but still.......

T had a night off as dogs were on their own for most of the day today so had to zoom home. Have done housework *faints*

Mushroom chow mein for me tonight - yum yum . Lowest pointed thing in fatfighter eat out booklet!

My boots came last night, Ariats - whooo! Get me. Loving them apart from them crippling me! Need to pop to Tesco tomorrow - skinny jeans to wear with them and plasters for the blisters LOL. Need to break them in before Badders!!!

Need to ride tomorrow and help friend bath spotty pony. Hmmmm.... busy day!!

Catch Up

Can't keep me down thankfully :) At least when I have a bad day, it's a BAD day but then it's straight back up :)

So. Tuesday was a disaster from all perspectives and has been consigned to the bin.

Wed, A put T in for me rather than in the grassy field. I got down and was greeted by a FURIOUS horse, whinneying, stomping round stable and demanding he be let out. He then objected to walking past the grassy field and planted 3 times. So felt lots better!!

S's rubbing has calmed down and he doesn't appear to have rubbed any more. Sweet itch rug has come today so tomorrow he can have that on and hopefully be happier.

Fat club wasn't too much of a disaster. I just dislike the brainwashing part of it and the people who are obsessed with points etc. But. Last time it did work and I DO want to be thinner so I need to do it. On monthly pass so I don't have to go to every meeting but am going to to begin with so that I get into the swing of it.

They made a big deal out of a bloke there who has lost 7 stone, he looks great. Upset me a bit because I lost that much (have put just under 2 stone back on tho) and because I did it on my own, I didn't really get any recognition. Would have loved to have had that recognition. Although SU Slimmer of the Year was pretty good :thumbs:

Need to aim for that *vain*

Walked the dogs yesterday and this morning so that's some exercise, at least.

Tonight, farrier has told me I am a paranoid mother and nothing was the matter with his shoe. However, he took it off, ferreted around for a bruise, couldn't find one, put shoe back on and in my lesson he was spot on so I am 99% convinced the "not-quite-rightedness" was due to that smidgeon of a twist in his shoe with his shoe pressing into his frog.

Anyway, important thing is I know I know my horse and he's back to normal :)

Talking of lesson, he was a lazy shit tonight. Stuffed of grass methinks. He's got a shock! Back to being worked lots now his foot is sorted!!

Worked on the medium canter tonight. Always interesting in a 28mx15m school on a big moving 17h!! Next test is N35 and I need to do medium canter on a circle which was making me a bit "eeek" but instructor pointed out that it's actually EASIER to ride it on a circle because you are having to ride the circle anyway so get a better medium canter. Because I'll be "riding" the circle and because it's not straight line of 60m, he'll sit back and we'll get a better canter.

Not sure why but for some reason I've been too dense to apply the same principles of medium trot to the canter and we've just gone "vrooom" and he's flattened and I've had to haul (or felt like it) to recover the working canter.

Need to remember:

Get him infront of the leg
Sit up tall
Bum in saddle
Keep his neck soft, long and low (for him ... he has a short neck so we have to keep his neck soft in order to create the illusion of a longer neck)

Medium canter will actually feel slower as he will extend. He has a really good canter, very balanced and powerful so he will find medium easy as long as I set him up right.

Don't hold onto reins. Keep outside rein consistent. Bring inside rein away from neck. Don't neck rein him. Inside leg to outside hand. Get him bouncing. Ride the corners. Medium canter, just relax hands a bit and it's all there. Don't fling reins at him, he can't go anywhere and he'll suck back.

I need to sort my lower leg out still too. Need to find out why I get cramps if I have the stirrups on the ball of my feet and not if I have them on my toes because I really need the balls of my feet in the stirrups else it screws my leg position.

Got very confused when being told to "relax my knee". Really couldn't work that one out so stopped and asked her to rephrase it and I tend to grip with my knees which means my lower legs swing back and I tip forward so I need to bring my knee away from the saddle and take the weight through the front of my upper legs, then with stirrups on the ball of my feet, my lower leg will be stronger.

Easy to see but Christ knows how I'm going to work that one out. Lots of work me thinks.

She also wants me to teach T-Jay a new aid that she says is really useful. It's a tiny miniscule aid but apparently really helpful. She wants T-Jay to learn that my legs moving a fraction forwards means extend ie into medium and bringing my legs back means to collect the pace ie canter back up.

Had a little go but I'm struggling with that one. Legs forward means reins go and means I physically move my legs fowards which isn't really what she wants.

Need to brew on that one. I think that I may find that easier when I've sorted out my legs/stirrups issues.

On a very big plus note, I noticed tonight that without realising, I corrected my outside rein and that it's pretty much second nature now to keep that contact - WHOOOO. It's only taken me 7 years to get that one LOL.

Shitty Day

Finished work early in the sun in order to ride before going swimming.

Got stuck in traffic.

Got to yard to find T by the gate looking thoroughly dejected and came in almost-but-not-quite lame. Not sure if he was just being so lethargic about coming in that I thought he was lame.

Whinnied at me and then whickered when I took his tea round.

S is on a mission at the moment to demolish all stables with kicking the door. I hate it with a passion and why is it the only horse I can't "cure" is my own?!

Fed them both and went and sorted their water out whilst pondering what to do with T, who by this time was tucking into his haynet.

Friend who gets S in and puts T in the grassy field for me said he has gone cantering off each day so I am pretty sure now he's just really stuffed by the time I go down at 5pm so tomorrow he's going in his stable to deflate and hopefully he'll be back to normal when I get down there.

Argued with OH in between all that. First time since we've been together 2.5 years. Well. Wasn't really an arguement. Just me getting stroppy and him agreeing with me instead of rising to the bait.

Had a moan with H instead of swimming, went to supermarket and came home to discover the dogs have destroyed mine and mum's beloved stable t shirts due to having been left "on their own" - bro was upstairs having evidently a lazy day and dogs have decided to pull the washing off the radiator and destroy them.

So have done no exercise. Have ranted at bro and OH. Dogs have annoyed me. S has annoyed me (he has also rubbed a hole in his neck. Couldn't wait just 2 more days til his sweet itch rug is here!). T has worried me. So not a good day really!

Fat club tomorrow. :( Really wanted to try and do a lot of exercise tonight in preparation for it but I haven't so it's going to be AWFUL :(

Sunday

All very low key and cheery yesterday. Tootled down to local show, had a bit of a shock how rammed it was. Is always busy there but yesterday really was rammed!

Parked somewhere near the start of the huge parking field due to said field being full!! We had to drop ramp, pray T would turn tightly after coming down and not land on top of a car! Then put ramp up straight away as no one could get past with the ramp down!!!!

Tacked up and got on. Very nice girls in lorry next door said they thought T would look stunning doing dressage and why wasn't I doing dressage? (Had no jacket on so def wasn't competing) Made us all chuckle anyway and they looked a bit sheepish when I explained we do normally do dressage but that we had come to do a clear round as a break and a reward for him getting his first points LOL

Took ages to get off carpark as kept bumping into people we knew then pootled around whilst B and mum got food (they had their priorities right!!) then over to the clear round while we waited for my OH (personal photographer) to come down. As soon as he was there, we were in.

I went round twice one after the other and went clear both times :) Actually enjoyed parts of it too. Having looked at the pics, it's no wonder small jumps are such a big deal to me, T still jumps them huge!!

B also took him in twice but he got lazy by then and just basically didn't both picking back feet up so had one down in each round. In her 2nd round, I'd put a couple of them up. Not massively but changing a X pole to a straight bar shocked him a little LOL

Have nominated him for Horse mag piece on ditches/water and have nominated B to ride him too LOL

He's scared me tonight. Turned him out and he stood with his head on the floor, not moving. Normally he stomps off for a drink then to eat. Asked friend to check on him when she got down there and she's called me to say he looks a bit quiet but that he was grazing, had beaten squirt up and had followed them round the field so hopefully he was just a bit stuffed from being in the grassy field all day, tired as he hadn't come in for his nap like he has been doing and grumpy as he's back in the field without much grass to keep squirt company til the morning.

Will check him in a bit on way to OH's. I do get paranoid about him but after last summer when he was so ill, I don't think I'm being silly.