Well what a lovely first day to the bank hol pity the rest is already forcast to be a wash out! Decided as it seemed like spring I'd completely gut the banks in pait's stable and lift and disinfect the matting. I always forget what a knackering job this is, luckily Pait is clean and most of the floor still had the stalosan on from begining of winter so it wasnt a bad job. Pait and Becky were stood at the gate swishing looking quite narked at the flies (both are unrugged) so caught and fly sprayed the both of them and let Pait have a little hay whilst I did a few more job as there is nothing in the field.
Down to the other field to give the outside ones their feeds, hay and to bail more water out of the dyke into the trough (I will never take mains water for granted again). Rory is currently charging at Evie again as shes got her ug off so is obviously a new pony so the lot of them were doing mad hoolie round the field.

Urgh- late again

Hello Mr Hyde how not nice to see you again! Dressage at Mill Lane last sunday did not go to plan! Rory had stayed cleanish from the sun before and a later start meant I was able to take him to the yard first to scrub him before setting off. Again he hadn't been ridden all week and to say I wasn't feeling well was an understatement bug + asthma = very ill Lu. Warmed him up, tightened the girth and he decided to have a strop so stopped and saddle off and regirth then try to warm back up. First test was prelim, got in to the arena (which he has been in a few times) and he went brilliantly, felt amazing and was pulling out the best test he has ever done. This point are about midway through the test at which point Rory caught sight of himself in the mirror, freaked and threatened to rear, spin (this point I just threw the reins at him) got going forward again and past the mirror at which point he decided the pony must be chasing him so tried to bolt.
Our sheet at the end started off as 7/8s and promptly went to 4/5s :-p.
Second test was novice 24 as I vetoed 30 on the grounds of a halt, walk to canter mid test which can fire him up on a good day. Well 24 was messy to say the least as the horrible doppleganger pony was still lurking (he had sniffed both mirrors on walk round but still wasnt happy) so we did the test at warp speed with an impressive half spin/ leg yielded canter in the middle.

I do question why I like this pony at times! I kept going and was nicely informed afterwards I was turning different colours of green and majority bets were on me not riding. Sensible- moi?
Hey ho another day. Think it's back to manor grange next sun.

Dressage

Well first outing of 2016! Up until now I've mainly been riding and having lessons on Pait as the  getting Rory out of the field involves scenes like "it came from the bog lagoon!" She has really been trying her heart out and has been doing a bit more hacking after she was naughty when I took her out at xmas break. That behaviour got her a hack every day I was off lol.
Today had entered nps qualifiers at manor grange. Rory I could have cried at the mud on him luckily Em helped scrub him and I thanked the electric tapes gods his tail was paited up.
Rory first up 2 good but very tense tests. In both on right rein canter he locked and disunited so I had to break to trot to rebalance before he put in a buck. Just over 60% in each test and a 6th placing in prelim.
Pait next in with Em, she went a bit green in the prelim but was still going forwards which she wouldnt have done 6 months ago, then straight onto the novice and she tried her little socks off. 59% unplaced in prelim but 64% and first in her first ever novice. So proud of her.

Can't believe how close we are to the end of the year doesnt seem like 2 minutes has past since last christmas. We've done a lot with the ponies this year though probably not as much showing as previous years especially with Rory who has been a bit of a jekyll and hyde charactor to ride this year. Had an absolutely fab lesson on Pait who tried her heart out for me (good job as she was a little bugger to hack at the weekend) and sat chatting to my insttructor L who told me to just think back to how much she has improved this year. Can't wait to get her out in 2016 though I need to start putting the fitness work in now. Rory is booked for a tooth filling in Jan so don't know yet how much work he will do Jan/Feb so may be a bit later to get him show ready (saying that he's naturally a lot fitter than Pait as hes such a stress-head) Duke is just doing little bits of hacking to keep the ridden lark fresh in his mind and will wait til the summer to get stuck into him.

first solo hack done and nailed!

Sunday I decided to take Duke out for a hack, was planning on getting Em to nanny on Pait but she'd buggered off horse shopping with L (not for another for us thank goodness) so I had the choice of go in the school, ask another livery whose horse I dont know how it behaves to accompany me or just go it alone. Got on in the school and had a good walk, trot round then decided to just go for it. First obstacle the gate- me being lazy couldnt be bothered getting on off so Duke and I muddled through how to open a gate 101 which he did well. Rode through the village which luckily was quiet as he was on edge going forward and listening to me but snorting a bit. Got to the end of the village which to be honest was as far as I had planned to go but as he was being good and the fact I didnt want him to think we just turn round and come back I decided to continue onto the tracks and through the little woods.
We did have a OMG moment at the huge pony eating boulder (which many older experienced horses paddy about) I was not about to let it become an issue though so with a lot of stop start snort we edged our way past and continued onto the wood where I met gate number 2. Gate opening 101 class was revisited and through the tracks and up into the last little woods where we met gate number 3 (by this point pony had half an idea of how to do a gate) which to add to difficulty opens towards you not just push away. Back through the village and arrived back at the yard. He was a little star though mentally I think he was quite tired by the end.

Duke is home and evasions galore!

Bit belated again (story of my life) Duke came home a week last sat and has spend the time just settling back in with the herd. He's had a bit of a culture shock as all his life he's had Rory babying him, letting him get away with murder and fighting any battles for him, well he's been away a couple of months in which time Rory has just been with Belle and Evie. Rory has not been impressed at the return of Duke as the girls are now his and poor Duke is a bit bemused that he keeps being chased off.
Sunday was my first ride on Duke since coming home, tacked up in the field and Em held him whilst I got on. Did a little bit of walk and trot but he felt a tad nappy towards the others in the top half of the field and I was very conscious that I was on very long, wet grass so we went for a walk down the track with Em as foot soldier. He was good as gold and noo attempts to hang back to the field so I think it was riding in his usual grazing area which was confusing him. Plan is for him to go to the yard for a month and let me get used to him with a school before going back to the field and hacking out for the rest of the winter. Rory will be thrilled at the upheaval again no doubt.
Speaking of Rory Im convinced he's writing an encyclopedia on evasions, currently the focus is on getting him to accept and take a contact, well latest trick when made to do that is to srop out through the shoulder instead and when that is corrected try twisting the hind quarters which is awful to sit to especially on a short backed pony!

End of the showing season

Yesterday was Countryside live and officially my last showing show of 2015. I really do love this show even  if I curse at having to bath this late in the year. Rory was clipped 2 weeks ago (poor em had to do a show clip and blend in legs etc) but he was getting lathered just doing a couple of laps of trot. Saying that I can't believe how much his coat has regrown in 2 weeks! Pait got to go as a hairy yeti as I only like to do 1 clip with her- useful tip roan coats look awful growing clips out.
The hot horse shower came out as even I am not evil enough to bath with cold water in october.
The show itself was ace, both ponies went brilliantly. Rory kept his head and stood in the line up (I just kept giving him polos lol) the go round was marred a bit as I ended up behind a highland cantering so slow it should have been walking with nowhere to go. I refuse to overtake another pony in front of a judge as it's my ultimate hate. Sadly this meant Rory had to break to trot and of course struck off wrong straight in front of the judge oh well ce la vie. Pait went well in the go round, got chosen to change the rein again lol and was pulled in with the top half of the field. Indivuals Pait went well but a bit stuffy and babyish, backing off a bit. Rory was a tad on edge to go stand in front of the judge and I didnt push the issue so probably didnt give an amazing first impression he did a nice show, just anticipated me on second canter trying to go before I changed his bend so he did half a stride wrong before I corrected him. He pulled out a brill gallop though that even the confirmaton judge commented on to me as I stood him up for her and Em told me a couple of riders next to her commented on it lol. I found it funny as he didnt even go full out due to the ground getting slippy.
Neither were placed but the fact that Rory behaved just made my day as I've really struggled with him this year.
Looking back on the year though he has had some major upheaval as I moved him from the yard that he's been at for the past 6 years, hes gone from only ever having 1 field companion, which for the past 2 years has been Duke, to having Belle and Fil put in with him. We lost Fil so Evie joined the herd then Duke has gone away for breaking leaving him with only the 2 mares.