excellent lesson!

RI came tonight, for 7 - later than normal, but there was no one about so we got reasonable peace and, as she pointed out, no distractions (save barking dogs off).

Considering i'd only been on him once I think she was last out (and last lesson was longlines) she said she wouldn't have known we were working so well...

all in walk of course

our view is, he's learning from longlining/in hand  and Gaynor riding, I've been learning from longlining and it's all coming together, albeit slowly.

so 50 minutes of work in walk, me thinking about not tensing up when changing reins etc, keeping reins the right length, NOT letting go - apparently, when i relax i relax too much and let the reins go! so need to stop doing that.... and need some more reins, G had said my reins had no grip, and hers were on the bridle and she's right, hers are much grippier (probably cost they're a good bit newer!)

the good news is the rein back is getting there and we practiced that as well - i could never "get it" with Molly but can with Monf

So the future plan is that I'll have a lesson once a month, and G will have a lesson once a month..

Gaynor has decided not to make a decision until the spring, which is sensible, on whether to get a new horse or not, and in the meantime, is enjoying playing with M

dark - but dry!

clocks went back an hour last night to GMT, which means it's dark by the time we leave work... so working in the arena with the lights on...

just a little bit of in hand and longlining - possibly should have got on, but it's a good while since he's been in the arena at night so this made more sense.. would have been better if i'd picked up the longlining reins as well!  hadn't realised that G had put her own reins on my bridle, so picking up what i thought were the longlinig reins, found i had my ordinary reins instead.. happily, someone was there to hold him whilst i nipped back round between in hand work and longlining,...

DARK .. the lights work, of course, but the top end of the arena seems to be unlit, looks as though one of the lights has been knocked slightly so it doesn't point that way...

but anyway, he worked nicely and of course less distraction in the dark...

in the meantime, thinking of friends in the states facing that storm....

at least it stayed dry

So G took M out for a long walk under saddle, on another new route, which they both enjoyed, and then out for some grass in hand...

I only went down this morning to muck out etc  - i was limping well, managed to do something really silly to a tendon in my knee turning over in bed (bizarre) but could manage if i kept the leg straight (happily its now eased off, so not as damaged as i at first thought) and then partner had to take my car instead of hers (she went out and found hers had a flat...) so I was confined to barracks...

needed to be, as lack of sleep last night with the painful knee meant i was (am!) shattered!

ML, we have no clue why we have to keep them in for the weekend after worming, but "them's the yard rules", so we stick to them...

clipped...

we'd planned to clip this weekend anyway, so it's now all done....he was a star (after gaynor had lunged him to get the energy worked off! he doesn't do cooped up very well, LOL)

no photo, not enough charge left on phone...

the big freeze

a  month early, normally we don't get snow until the end of november...

freezing but clear, and dry after a horrid wet morning...

got the mud off M's neck and decided just to go in the arena on the lunge line to see if he could rememmber to walk round me instead of into me....

after 3 minutes, despite the thermal gloves, my fingers were frozen so i gave up and tucked him up with his tea and haynets...

tomorrow is "worming weekend" - they all have to be in for 10, get wormed, not allowed out again until monday morning  - deep joy (not) but will hopefully get the clipping done over the weekend, supposed to stay dry at least...

rain stopping play

except on Tuesday, which was Gaynor's night..

i did think i'd get something done tonight, as it had been dry all afternoon. but no sooner got to the yard, got to field gate with headcollar in hand, and the heavens opened again..

ggrrhhh

fog mist and mizzle...

the fog set in last night after i got home and turned into mizzle off and on today....some rain...

got to yard and M waiting at the gate for me, he was damp but warm...

bearing in mind he's unrugged but also unclipped, and now in a field with grass... it just proves that the horse's own coat can do a good job..

kept him in again now, i only turned him out last night as he was so keen to go.. if he's standing wanting to be in, then in he gets!

we're planning on clipping at the weekend...

although apparently they're forecasting snow!

contact in trot

is coming along nicely!

Gaynor rode today and did a lot of trot work - at the start, he was stargazing, but about half way through her ride (of about 1/2 hour all told) he starting "getting it" in the trot and did some really nice work, albeit, of course, not wholly consistently...some head tilting down one long side on left rein - oddly the side where he's next to the wall - and at least we had no "snoopervisors" (they were away the other side) as distraction (and yes, ML, the mares do have their heads over the fence when they're watching!  very "in the way"!)

got some video but it won't upload at the moment due to inconsistent broadband...

of midges & grass

but the saddle fit is a lot better...

spent a while removing dressage shimmy numnah from under dressage saddle to put under GP, much better, and digging out the shims, also much better - think possibly need a shade more but much better.....

time i rode the midges were rising, and after 15 minutes i simply couldn't bear the way they were getting between specs and eyes/under helmet/etc....so gave up.l.. can't concentrate on riding when too busy midge avoiding... but what we did, we did reasonably well, and M was mostly listening to me

only slight moment was when we first went in  YO's dogs were loose in the field being chased by two of the mares.....right towards us... i had no clue what M would do so got off whilst that was all resolved (happily, with no problems) before getting back on again..

and grass?  change of field this morning, hurray, loads of grass (be lucky if he wants to come in again tonight, LOL)

saddle shimming...

Rode last night, but have concluded

1.  i need to put more shimming in, or use the smartpanel
2.  i dislike this numnah intensely..

TBH i knew it was a shade small, and I think it's shrunk in the wash...not by much, but seems smaller...

asked local dealer to order me the extra large, but it turns out they've changed the spec AND put the price up by £40 so now £100.  shan't spend that!

so will either retrieve my plain cloth from gaynor and put separate shim pad under, OR use smartpanel, OR try dressage shimmed cloth under GP saddle...  not quite sure which, but will play tomorrow...

tonight, was knackered (friday's take me that way, LOL, especially after a day concentrating on a course!) and the midges were out to to play with a vengeance, AND partner required me to take her to retrieve her car from where she'd left it after it had been serviced (she'd cycled over to retrieve it but couldn't get bike in back of car to bring back...)

mares!

will insist on being an audience when anyone is in the arena, and it's not that easy to be subtle on the lines when your ladies man gelding is more interested in meeting the mares than anything else - twice i had to go to his head and lead him off the fence line!

we did do some nice bits, but frankly i gave up after a bit....not worth the grief! and would have wound me up anyway...and no good would have come of that..

the met office

was wrong..

at the moment i check the weather forecast over breakfast, at about 06.30, to see if it's going to be wet or dry - if it says wet, i'll rug, if not, i'll not, and it's been dry through the day (bar the odd very short shower) for a while.. and M not clipped yet, and will overheat at the drop of a sunbeam....

today, it said it would stop raining for 7 (which it did) and not rain again..

that latter bit was wrong...

so G couldn't exercise her plan of riding as horse too wet - but she tells me she lunged and he was very good for her...

I, in the meantime, took elderly cat to vet for "pedicure" - she's so old she goes nowhere so her claws had to be manually cut...

soaked...

Gaynor, Monfils, Rachel & her Welshy, but not me .. i was sitting in the car..

G took M out for a nice hack - they'd no sooner set off than the heavens opened, and i thought they 'd come straight back but they didn't

Apparently, M was very well behaved on a new route, despite an incident with a gate that could have gone seriously pear shaped - unexpected bit of wind blew gate shut on G's legs as they were going through, one bit of gate stuck on boot, other leg jammed against fence... M just stood, hurray!  G has a nasty bruise, though

we remembered

our longlinging...

but, the reins i bought are strictly too short - bought 4 metres, should have got 5.  ok for what we're doing just now, but as we progress i will need longer ones.  Hey ho....

and hot!  couldn't believe it after the freezing start this morning... the sun got out, no breeze, at least 20 on the track up to the field gate with teh sun full on it....lovely.... then the sun went in, and the midges came out again, you'd think they'd have all died by now, and they love me sadly

sleepyhead

me - this afternoon - and the black coffee didn't help at all!  so got the boy in and left him enjoying his tea/haylage, was really too tired to do anything (and cried off from the planned meal out...)

getting it...

and the mares woke him up, LOL.

M has definitely "got" the basic idea towards lunging...

so onwards and upwards, hopefully avoiding midges!

but not tomorrow, as going out.  and the new reins arrived today, and hopefully the short whip tomorrow, so will hopefully be able to try proper longlines saturday/sunday, subject to the weather (teeming down at the moment!)

grew and grew...

Monfils, that is...

bear in mind i haven't ridden since that crashing fall on 5th September...

so, got the dirt off, tacked up... he grew a shade....

got on .. he grew some more...

happily someone was on hand to assist with the girth tightening...

round to the arena .. and he grew some more, the mares are back in the mares field next to the arena and were doing their usual leaning over the fence, they haven't been in that field for months.... so ladies man grew a bit more

and i'd forgotten how solid a HM saddle can be when it's cold, it was like sitting on a brick..mind, couldn't have put hot water bottle on it, as the place upon which the kettle sits with which to boil hot water, has been moved and not replaced (it will have to be replaced before winter kicks in properly ...so will have discussion with person who moved the ledge shortly)

so i got off again and did some in hand work (without stick, yet!  and he worked well)

then left him in for the night, and hope he doesn't knock his water bucket over like  he did night before last...

still, at least i got on, and the still sore bit on my behind didn't hurt when on the saddle...

midge impossible

was last night - there were so many they were in my eyes, up my nose... hopeless trying to do anything much, but did manage 5 minutes in the arena in hand....but i kept having to stop and rid myself of irritants.  i think they like me too much!

and tonight M had his feet trimmed.  we're putting him on a 4 week cycle now rather than a 6 and whilst he has strong soles and frogs the hoof walls need more supplement than they've been getting so seaweed it will be and a cream to apply....

he can't make his mind up whether he wants to be in or out; last night, in, but i think he changed his mind half way through the night as this morning the water bucket was tipped over and he'd trashed the bed a bit - although that might have been because of a new horse that was in further a long, they could hear each other but not see each other and i can imagine that would be a bit frustrating!

excellent lesson...

on long reining...

i had been shown this correctly a few years ago with Moll, but had not practiced and so wasn't getting it....

using the right kit would help.... hence, ML, the anticipated purchase of short Libby's driving reins, and a flexible short driving whip...

anyway, with that kit that RI had brought with her, and some reminders about body positioning, we were going great guns.  to practice in walk; she says it'll be a bit before we're up for circles, LOL.

Started off with some in hand work to show her how i've been doing with that, and she was pleased, and said should do in hand before starting the longlining session...

i do have some video, as Gaynor came for the purpose (and for her learning, of course, LOL) but will need to view it/edit it for uploading purposes...

RI was impressed that i have a roller with terrets - got it in Saumur a few years ago (on my second trip to see you, Trudi!) and have never seen any in the UK....

and RI was impressed with the improvement in M's back since she was last here, which was ages and ages ago what with all the various injurious events of the year!

and we finished with G hopping on bareback so she got a mini lesson as well..

The other video

this is over 6 minutes.....

and no, he hasn't understood the whole thing...

Question -  will a horse that doesn't "get" lunging, "get" longlining?  which i'm not sure he has so far (he'll move, but i think that's often just because he's decided to move rather than for anything i've asked/done) 
question answered  - yes.

gaynor rode

and M was showing how the in hand work is paying off in walk...and G said he was a lot easier (he looked to be)

i had thought of riding myself, to see if my behind and ribs have recovered enough after the fall last month (think the ribs have, not at all sure about the behind though! there's a lump, and i can't put any pressure on it such as leaning on a wall or whatever..) and G asked if she could, so of course i said yes

anyway, he worked really nicely in walk, relaxing into the contact and made an excellent frame for reasonable periods.

not, of course, nearly so well in trot but that's to be expected

winter starts here

he wanted to be in eating, so he's in, eating.  hope i left enough, LOL.

We are not allowed to supplementary feed in the field.

before leaving him in, i took him n the arena to practice the lunging ... after gaynor's sterling efforts last sunday and my in hand work this week, thought i'd give that one another shot... improving for me, but still only in walk.

he really doesn't like the lunge whip "doing" anything... hold it still, fine, do anything with it, not fine...

one has to wonder why.

not that he gets nasty or anything, but he does stop doing anything the minute it moves ...

on lunging and in hand work...

ok, so the lunging...

remember, I've been able to lunge all previous horses I've had with no difficulty whatsoever, and have lunged one of Natasha's that others (her groom, for instance) couldn't...

It's not me doing the lunging in these videos, it's Gaynor; he won't do it at all for me (the best we can do so far is him walk round me in a circle).  It was so bad at one point that even reverting to someone leading him round from the outside with person standing properly in the middle didn't work - as soon as person leading let go, he turned in!  happily, we are, we think, beyond that...

and getting to this point has taken a year of working on it off and on.

Last year, we rather came to the conclusion that it was something that had never been established with him when he was first started.

there's another vid that i'm struggling to upload as it's rather large which i hope shows G able to stand her ground - i remember we both commented that it was the first time she'd been able to do that with him

Sometimes with the lunge whip we think its a shade too much for him and then it's best to remove that by dropping it, which is what happened.

Anyway, once the other vid is loaded I'll link that in (thought i'd done it last night, but it isn't there... must have not pressed some relevant button on youtube!)

As for in hand work.  I've been reading Oliver Hilberger's Schooling Exercises In Hand, which is excellent.  very slightly different from that which i had been doing, and put it into practice tonight.  We had been improving on that already, but this was a LOT better, and i was even able to do as recommended and turn him to right bend whilst still being on his left.  Much the best of the books on in hand work I've read so far, the photos are good and the text is pretty good as well.  Would like to see it replicated on video as well.  Anyway, looking forward to more of that work now!

and hoping this all translates into something useful on longlines, as that needs a lot of work as well.  We've had similar issues as when lunging - a propensity for turning in and an unwillingness to go forwards.  Lesson Sunday coming (touching wood, have had to cancel so many lessons for injury this year it's been ridiculous!) on that...

videos

there are two more but i will need to upload them to youtube from the pc when the broadband is working properly ..

in the meantime, rugs came back from cleaning and i ended up with one of someone else's - happily, someone else's on the yard - so chap's gone off to see if he can sort that out .. and can i remember what i sent away?  not likely ...

penny dropping?

think he's starting to "get it".

the last few times i've noticed that he's starting to pay attention... that inner ear, cocked towards me, rather gives it away - not wholly consistently, but very noticeable when it hasn't been previously.

anyway, today Gaynor came and we lunged (riding not an option, the only bit of him dry was head/neck, body still wet from recent rain).

and then he consented to free schooling, which he's not done before (or, put another way, would never do for me, LOL)

i'm getting error messages when trying to upload the videos :-(, so will load them off the phone and then post links tomorrow ..