Decided I was riding Bally today come hell or high water after her wangling 10 days off with scraped legs, a teeny new splint and a split hoof!!!!!
....and as usual we had to contend with some interesting distractions......
Set off down to the school and two of the kids on the yard came clattering down the path by the lane on their whizzy little ponies, went to go trotting past Bally which understandably wound her up a bit so I asked them not to scoot past, ten seconds later their ponies have planted as someone is making a commotion in one of the houses we pass and Gi, Bally and I have to give them a lead lol!
Discover that they are putting jumps up and having a short jumping lesson...now I'm all for introducing Bally to things going on, but I'm wondering if watching two PC ponies charging around leaping fences is maybe something to save for a ride when we're a leeeetle bit more established! ;-o
We had a ride round the school whilst they warmed up and before Mum turns up to put up the fences. B was a bit unsettled but as her steering was Ok I got Gi to let us off the lead pretty much straight away and Bally was really good considering. Tried a bit of a nap back to the ponies a couple of times but I just made semaphore size turning aids to get her back on track, then loads of praise when she went where I wanted her to. :-D
Transitions to halt good and nice crisp walk ons to follow. We managed a nice circle of trot on each rein - first time we've trotted off the line and by this point Gi had actually wandered off to the mounting block so I really was in charge and flying solo :-o
By this point jump wings were being dragged into the school so we had a nice walk down past all that and past the ponies, Bally got a big good girl for being totally unfussed!!
We walked off out the school and decided to have a 10 minute hack down the road. Bally had a couple of hesitant moments, but responded really well to me using the lead rope I was carrying as a Wip wop and suddenly discovered her forwards button lol
She was nice and calm as we had cars pass her from in front and behind (although I asked Gi to actually walk right by the side of her for support this time) and even gave me a little leg yield across the road after wandering off line a little
We also had a really good little trot and then turned around and walked back to the yard, past all the scary stuff..B had an eek about a mound of gravel, but happily went back to investigate it when asked.
All in all I was really pleased with her - what was that, fourth time I've sat on her???? Superstar girly (wub)
Sunday 20 June 2010
Monday 7 June 2010
Making Progress
It's been a good week to follow on from the great start :-D
Had another ride midweek - it's hard trying to rope people in to man the longline when we start, hopefully not be needed for too much longer. Gi came over after work and we only had a short session and I stayed on the line throughout this time, just moving her about the school in walk and halting at markers for accuracy.
Had a fab longline hack on Friday - what a beautiful evening!! Little bit of a wibbly start as B seemed to take exception to every leaf, so we had a couple of turntails and stampy feet moments before we'd even got on the bridleway :-o, but as soon as we turned off onto the track out of the woods she was brilliant.
Bally was super forwards, but still light in my hand. We practiced steering, straight lines, leg yields and some lovely crisp transitions. She was so good she even stayed in the lead through the scary yard and barns that I had to stop and lead her through the time before!!! No problem this time :-)
Well rode again yesterday afternoon and she was brilliant!!!
We went up to the school and before I'd even got on we heard some thunderclaps, looked over and saw the sky was looking rather dark and ominous...ah what the hell I thought, that's the benefit of having horses that live out 24/7, they really don't tend to be fussed about working in odd weather! After I'd given Bally a bit of a lunge warm up we wandered down so I could get on. She spooked away from the mounting block first time so just got walked straight back, then I leant over the once, leg over and on, sort out stirrups and off we went - on the line first of all for about ten minutes, but I made Gi stay about 15 ft away so all the steering and commands came from me.
Then we had some lovely trot work and I thought I was going to get a canter as she gave a little jump up into one of the trot transitions!! Came off the circle and opened her up down the long side (just to make Gi run hehehe ) and she trotted out beautifully *big grin*
Undid the line and we did some nice big shapes, circles, changes of rein and halt walk transitions with Gi staying reasonably close. Will definitely progress to trot next time too as she actually felt better off the line than on.
After B had had a lovely stretchy walk to finish the schooling session we made our way back to the gate and as she felt so good I thought what the hell and decided to stay on board for the walk back down the lane to the yard
B was a little hesitant but going forwards - she sort of creeps like a cat vereee, vereee carefully when she's worried about what's ahead, but she was willingly taking me forwards without any leg aids, so we continued. Good halt as we turned into the lane proper and stopped to check for cars and then down the lane we pootled, having a good look at the killer bush, the car with the cover on it, past the barky dog, and all to the accompaniment of whinnies from her oldy mates Cossack and Polly from the 20 acre who are in the front paddock at the yard for a bit and who could hear her coming, bless.
I hopped off as we got to the yard entrance as she's madly in season and Cossack was trumpeting away at his young lady...better to be safe than sorry, although in the end she barely flicked an ear at the old codger Lol!!
Clever girlie and here's a video to show just how clever!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC_UnmIWwzc
Had another ride midweek - it's hard trying to rope people in to man the longline when we start, hopefully not be needed for too much longer. Gi came over after work and we only had a short session and I stayed on the line throughout this time, just moving her about the school in walk and halting at markers for accuracy.
Had a fab longline hack on Friday - what a beautiful evening!! Little bit of a wibbly start as B seemed to take exception to every leaf, so we had a couple of turntails and stampy feet moments before we'd even got on the bridleway :-o, but as soon as we turned off onto the track out of the woods she was brilliant.
Bally was super forwards, but still light in my hand. We practiced steering, straight lines, leg yields and some lovely crisp transitions. She was so good she even stayed in the lead through the scary yard and barns that I had to stop and lead her through the time before!!! No problem this time :-)
Well rode again yesterday afternoon and she was brilliant!!!
We went up to the school and before I'd even got on we heard some thunderclaps, looked over and saw the sky was looking rather dark and ominous...ah what the hell I thought, that's the benefit of having horses that live out 24/7, they really don't tend to be fussed about working in odd weather! After I'd given Bally a bit of a lunge warm up we wandered down so I could get on. She spooked away from the mounting block first time so just got walked straight back, then I leant over the once, leg over and on, sort out stirrups and off we went - on the line first of all for about ten minutes, but I made Gi stay about 15 ft away so all the steering and commands came from me.
Then we had some lovely trot work and I thought I was going to get a canter as she gave a little jump up into one of the trot transitions!! Came off the circle and opened her up down the long side (just to make Gi run hehehe ) and she trotted out beautifully *big grin*
Undid the line and we did some nice big shapes, circles, changes of rein and halt walk transitions with Gi staying reasonably close. Will definitely progress to trot next time too as she actually felt better off the line than on.
After B had had a lovely stretchy walk to finish the schooling session we made our way back to the gate and as she felt so good I thought what the hell and decided to stay on board for the walk back down the lane to the yard
B was a little hesitant but going forwards - she sort of creeps like a cat vereee, vereee carefully when she's worried about what's ahead, but she was willingly taking me forwards without any leg aids, so we continued. Good halt as we turned into the lane proper and stopped to check for cars and then down the lane we pootled, having a good look at the killer bush, the car with the cover on it, past the barky dog, and all to the accompaniment of whinnies from her oldy mates Cossack and Polly from the 20 acre who are in the front paddock at the yard for a bit and who could hear her coming, bless.
I hopped off as we got to the yard entrance as she's madly in season and Cossack was trumpeting away at his young lady...better to be safe than sorry, although in the end she barely flicked an ear at the old codger Lol!!
Clever girlie and here's a video to show just how clever!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC_UnmIWwzc
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