a yard visit

was driven there this evening - partner had picked my bill up week past sunday, then mislaid it ....

and for light entertainment apropos of sjeff janssen (anky's OH) this (found by my friend Lynne) repays careful reading .....

http://asci.uvm.edu/equine/law/cases/sales/neal.htm

what a bad lad.

and he has the brass neck to sue for libel?

oops

yesterday's entry was not meant to be totally empty, but i was downstairs using a new piece of technology that i got for my birthday last month, and not really got to grips with yet. it needs the screen keyboard to come up, and that simply didn't happen for the body of the post!

so empty post.

typing one handed of course, which is interesting!

can't really play solitaire for very long due to bruising on unbroken right wrist - a softer wrist cushion is needed, i think!

bruising on right hip is still coming out - now have one back of right knee, which is totally bizarre! i did not hit that off anything!

recently bought the anja beran dvd's 2 & 3 - already had 1 - so watching them. have loads of books to read and other dvd's to watch.

and the new piece of kit - found when looking up e readers and it does that but also is a mini pad running android os - low end and probably won't last long but does as much as i would want at the moment - and not only is there the aldiko e book app for android, i've also been able to put kindle on it - if i'm within range of wifi i'm online at no charge

bored already

last weekend, or how it happened

ok.

set off early and got to friends before lunch. went to stable to see horse i'd come to see. a chilled sort, happy to be handled all over while eating hay. needed work, little muscle, been in field 6 months. not the best pose ever, but here he is:

i did have some better pics i'd been sent taken in the winter when he was in work but seem to have deleted them accidentally, sorry.

after lunch went back and tacked up for hack out. my saddle - had discussed that in advance and told to take it, high withered (lack of correct muscle) so vogue with smart panel should be ok.

long ride round quiet lanes, about 5 miles altogether, all in walk. did try trot but his feet were't quite hard enough for that on tarmac. and he hated the bit that had been put in - one of those single jointed ones thick at the outside slightly thinner in the middle.

one incident when both horses were totally terrified of large roller that had been left behind a field gate - probably looked like a prey animal crouching to pounce! we both got off, and got enough trust to lead him up to the gate to see this large lump of metal close to. that was good - to trust a stranger to lead him up to such a thing.

had to walk a bit to find somewhere to get back on!

he was tired when we got back and not up for anything in arena.

had a sit on friend's Luso who would not budge for me LOL and i got totally stuck in her saddle!

went back sunday morning to try in arena. put different bit in! got some nice work - friend has some pics but not uploaded yet. knew he does minor buck on canter transition, sat it easily, nice canter. thoiught to be possibly remembered pain due to previous ill fitting saddle.

wanted to lunge. had to go to field to do that as yard now starting lessons.

stayed mounted to go to field - he didn't want to, napped slightly away, but i felt more than happy dealing with that - he hadn't been in this field for a very long time, i gather.

it had lots of baby x country jumps set up - mostly about 1 foot high!. walked him round to settle him so he could look at it all before doing anything else. after he was settled decided to try little trot - it was at this point he thought he'd have a wee ha moment and clearly thought i'd asked for canter.

minor buck which unsettled me but i got seat back & leant back to try slow down - although i probably did tense as not expecting it! also concerned re steering as looked as though we heading for jump and/or wire fencing - bucked again (not a huge one) - and friend said it looked as though it was the next canter stride that did for me

and off i came off to his right, must have somersaulted and rolled otherwise don't understand how left wrist smashed, it did not land first ..

they did wonder if he hadn't liked my saddle - apparently were marks under stirrups when they looked at his back !

not quite so painful

but not a lot in it! car seat seriously uncomfortable for hip - partner insisted i go to shops with her lunchtime!

on the phone i've a pic of the horse i fell off, but forgot to fetch the cable upstairs to transfer it, will try and remember that tomorrow

i can see i'm goint to get somewhat bored next few weeks ...

x ray pics

worked out how to get them off the cd - didn't think that possible but it was - and i've put them on facebook but here's one showing the plate in place

hunt on hold, of course!

for at least 8 weeks i would have thought!

got back and YO said they saw cob saturday that would have been good for me. ah well. absolutely no point doing anything until i've recovered...

john radcliffe hospital oxford

where i am with smashed wrist needs operation

more horses

off "darn sarth" this morning about 3 hours or so (well, a bit more, oxfordshire) to see a TB recommended by a friend, pics look quite nice, am taking the saddle; will ALSO see friends lush Lusos....

nessie kitten needs vet, seems to have hurt her eye! partner will have to deal with that...

i'm really upset (crying, in fact)

vendor sold horse to someone else yesterday, someone who didn't want vet to have a look. i'm very upset i really liked that horse.

no news - but in the meantime a funny from a friend

but went round to show gaynor the pics and she wondered if he could be related to her charlie ... and turns out that she knows the vendor as well, from when she got charlie

the funny? from a friend:

Thank heavens for church ladies with typewriters. These sentences (with all the BLOOPERS) actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals...
--------------------------
The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.' The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'
--------------------------
Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
_______________
Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community.. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you..
--------------------------
Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help
------------------------
Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
--------------------------
For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
--------------------------
Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
--------------------------
Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
--------------------------
A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall.. Music will follow.
------------------------
At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice ..
--------------------------
Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the de! teriorat ion of some older ones.
--------------------------
Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
--------------------------
Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
-------------------------
The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
--------------------------
Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow..
--------------------------
The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
--------------------------
This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin..
--------------------------
Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. Is done.
--------------------------
The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
--------------------------
Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
-------------------------
The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
-------------------------
Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church Please use large double door at the side entrance.
-------------------------
The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours

still waiting...

vet & vendor both busy; vendor has IT probs as well; but spoken to him. so keep waiting, folks.

in the meantime, partner should have been here before 6, and it's now 6.35, and not here.... um. partner has my car, as her car was in to be mended..

anticipation

of vet's report after his "look", and considering it may not get organised until who knows... ah well, that's what tenterhooks are for, hanging by! :-)

barbed wire...and facebook problems.

me, not the horse - was pushed into barbed wire fence accidentally when M decided i was a good scratching post as i was undoing the gate

not much damage done, i don't think (no bleeding!) but i haven't actually had a look yet!

a nice afternoon calling dressage for Tash in the sunshine! and she got 65% second test, good - first test went slightly awry as horse unsettled by tractor going up lane other side of hedge next to test field.

still like yesterday's gelding, but in middle of chat with vendor last night when FB went really weird, blocked the chat, deleted his comment on my post, deleted my post on his wall, and other such randomness. very annoying! technology making me look rude!

rode on Middleham Moor

which is where the horses in training are exercised in the morning - lovely. Never thought I'd do that

Good as gold. not phased by total stranger coming into stable and checking out feet and legs. not phased by total stranger getting on and riding out. good as gold whilst out - a bit dubious of loose dogs, who can blame him, but no signs of spooking off - couldn't have coped with the 6 year old mare, vendor was riding her and I could see she'd have been too sharp for me, but the 10 year old gelding good as gold.

Walk and trot only - I should have taken my own saddle! this was a GP that was VERY slippy (well used!) and as I realised when I looked at the pics later, miles to small for me - bum falling out the back! and too high a pommel, would have been seriously uncomfortable

no pulling, no jaw setting, no attempts to do anything other than what he was asked. went on ahead in trot when asked, back to walk when asked (from the seat).

needs work, of course - been out of the field 2 months, having been in field doing nowt for quite some time.

best ride i've had since before I retired Queenie - partner sees why i need a new horse!

good feet (hope trimmer agrees, they looked good to me). only one issue, that's not a problem - lost 2 teeth in an argument with a starting block at 2, so occasionally tongue comes out ...but i guess more schooling will help a lot!

I suppose you all want a pic? lucky i took partner with me then...who got left whilst we waltzed off riding!

random goat - it wasn't stuck down a well, it was under a wall...

fingers crossed

that the weather is a lot better tomorrow than today; i doubt very much whether the vendor has indoor facilities, and it's been a bit wet here!

i find it odd - horse in field, wet, can be very warm; bring in for feed, as as soon as body gets under cover, starts shivering. turn out again, still warm, fine (gallops off up hill at rate of knots - that shoulder seems finer than it was :-) )

Leyburn/Middleham on Saturday

1 10 year old gelding

1 6 year old mare

possibly 1 3year old mare

All tb's in various stages of exit from training; there's a chap who is head lad at a yard who reschools them once they've been retired from racing..

decided against the one I saw posted on forum that I mentioned t'other night - fantastic PRE, an issue that is probably musculature due to poor schooling in his past (xrays showing nothing), owner now seriously ill; conclusion probably too "forward" for me - was SERIOUSLY tempting, though ....

in the meantime, here's Billy, the 17hh 3" bay i had 92 to 95

ok a list...

1. hack out alone or in company
2. take a bit without all the grief and without my needing to put my hat on and be pulled round the stable
3. nice paces and good feet
4. trainable
5. probably no older than 10.
6. nice nature, good to do, not a fussy feeder

i doubt i'd go for something ugly, but that's often in the eye of the beholder!

that's about it, really.

don't care if horse doesn't jump, as i don't (although no doubt it would be useful to be able to get over the odd minor small obstacle that might appear, not that I'll meet many of those...)

apart from obvious things like being large enough to carry me, which covers a multitude of beasts...

in some respects my wish lists are coloured by the last 6 years.

you're all right, of course

which is why I'm posting the links, isn't it!

I've just seen a post on a forum that looks interesting....so I've pm'd about it...but will tell you about it once I know more and can form a better view - been distracted from this for about 1/2 hour whilst looking at videos and exchanging pms, LOL.

ON TB's Jean - it's interesting, they have a real rep, but the TB's I've had and have known have not been idiots in that way ... granted, Molly's issues, but had it not been for those i don't think we'd have had any other problems as she's a poppet on the ground, very easy to do in all other respects

I do think that a lot of the time people put that sort of thing on an ad to put off those who really don't know what they're doing; beyond that, a horse could be a spitfire with one person and a plod with the next .. we all know riders with a "hot seat" and others with the opposite...

and we all know of people who've tried horses which have apparently been total plods, or at least apparently sensible, then you get them home and they're not.

When I tried my first horse, Marcus, took him out for a hack up a track at Beamish. got to the top of the track and there was a loose dog, which got under marcus's feet, very nerve wracking. the people got the dog under control and a chap appeared coming down the hill on a horse, could he come past? i said, yes, but this is not my horse I'm just trying it, please "gan canny" (that is, sensibly and slowly). he came past, set off a full gallop down hill, dog got loose again, Marcus followed other horse full pelt down hill.

i thought ... oops (well, i actually thought more than that, when i thought at all rather than just reacting LOL).

found the brakes. bought the horse. RI was at bottom of hill expecting to catch loose horse (TBF, i had wondered at one point!)

apparently, the man on the horse was a known eedjit.

back to horsemart..

emailed the person selling the suspensory ligament tweak to say no thanks (on grounds i won't be buying anything i can't try!); the Derbyshire one has, it seems, been sold they say... i didn't hear from Leicestershire and haven't heard about the one in crook..

off back to the websites, then! must find copy of local advertiser as well, huge numbers of horses but whether any of them are any good is another matter...

have got one lead that i won't hear more of until back end of september (people are on holiday but will ring me on their return!) that may well be worth hanging on for as if it can come off it would be RATHER interesting...

in the meantime, Gaynor said i could ride Charlie a couple of days a week if I wanted, so need to go try him and see how we get on (and what he thinks of my saddle..)

edited to add:

this gelding looks interesting!

emails are good

when asking questions about what a horse has done, etc, as then the answers are in writing and you are not then stuck trying to remember what was said!

in communication with Suffolk and Derbyshire

The horse in Suffolk (it's in Newmarket somewhere, i think...) is recovering from a "tweaked" suspensory ligament and should not be ridden until October. he looks lovely, but i rather think i want to be able to sit on anything i might buy....we'll see.

The horse in Derbyshire has done basics but they haven't the time to take it further

I'm waiting to hear back in response to other questions asked.. long way to go to look at these, but i like the look of them

haven't heard anything in relation to the third horse i emailed about in Leicestershire, nor about the 5 year old in Crook!

BUT have booked to spectate a day with Sylvia Stanier!!!!! that has just been organised.

looking on horsemart

i like the look of this mare, but she's 5 hours drive away! and possibly overpriced when i look at the prices for similar up here!

but this gelding is a new advert and a very tasty price, not TOO far (about 3 hours?)

and there's this gelding a bit nearer home, but why only for a happy hacker? (mind, i do want a happy hack! LOL) A bit taller than I would have wanted, but worth a look nonetheless! probably to totally reschool, however, if he's pointed & hunted!

and this one, but i rather think he hasn't been restarted after giving up racing...

I did have a look on projecthorses, but i don't really need another project!

Of that selection of OTTB's, i reckon the first 2 might fit the bill....

ready for tomorrow

subject, of course, to the weather ... i want to try the horse with my own saddle as well, so brought that home (and remembered my hat/boots/gloves, always useful, LOL)

a good opportunity for some in depth cleaning as well!

edited to add: the owner of tomorrow's horse has changed her mind, as i thought she might (it was going to be a loan...) and Darley Rehoming have confirmed receipt of my application, but say there's nothing in ATM.

Not that I have a fifth horse yet

But the next horse will be my fifth horse.

Previous horses I have owned were (in date order)

Marcus, the perfect first horse

Billy, a 17hh 3" gelding, gorgeous, but not right for me quite

Queen of Timber, TB mare

Molly, unregistered TB mare, Queenie's daughter by Golden Lahab.

Molly now retired, so this is the first post of the new blog - and the first thing to do is find a new horse.

As I said in my last post on Molly's blog, it's 1995 since I've looked fora new horse, and that was painless as I already knew Queenie and rang her owner up to see if she wanted to sell (given that she had two youngsters to bring on, seemed a plan).

Have had some interesting contacts, and have applied to Darley Rehoming - that's turning into a saga, filled in the online app twice but they didn't get either, so I created a word document tonight with all the info and emailed it over.

Got one interesting prospect in the pipeline relatively close to home, and am going to ride him Saturday lunchtimeish. So we'll see...