And we’re there...
- Thread starter Jessey
- Start date
I got out again this afternoon, a week of extra early starts at work has given me some extra daylight time.
He was a funny mixed bag today, 98% settled and happy, the other 2% he couldn’t cope.
Yesterday 2 bikes kindly stopped and waited for us to pass, but when they moved off behind him he spooked and spun - today he couldn’t bring himself to walk up to that spot, he was rigid and shaking, I got off and lead him. Then he had the same response to 1 particular log in the forest, I was going to sit and wait but he just couldn’t, he started backing up and threatening to spin, so again I hopped off then he happily walked straight over to it
After that I took a low path by the river, not smart when it’s flooded! It was mostly ok but there was one bit where he sunk deep into the mud, he got nervous but he kept his cool and picked his way through. And he was good as gold the rest of the way.
I can get out again tomorrow.
It was a lovely afternoon for it!
He was a funny mixed bag today, 98% settled and happy, the other 2% he couldn’t cope.
Yesterday 2 bikes kindly stopped and waited for us to pass, but when they moved off behind him he spooked and spun - today he couldn’t bring himself to walk up to that spot, he was rigid and shaking, I got off and lead him. Then he had the same response to 1 particular log in the forest, I was going to sit and wait but he just couldn’t, he started backing up and threatening to spin, so again I hopped off then he happily walked straight over to it
After that I took a low path by the river, not smart when it’s flooded! It was mostly ok but there was one bit where he sunk deep into the mud, he got nervous but he kept his cool and picked his way through. And he was good as gold the rest of the way.
I can get out again tomorrow. It was a lovely afternoon for it!
A week of stupidly early starts has its ups!
We started out shakey, he was being a tit about that spot where the bikes were again, I ended up getting off and got after him a bit and he got the hint!
The rest of the ride he was good, had a great walk even heading out! Some really nice trot and canter work too.
Got to a track with a downed tree
There used to be a short way around this spot, but it was totally overgrown and we ended up truly off road! He’s really good at that now, though a little forward when I wanted him to be careful (when they chop trees they leave the stumps in the ground and they rot from underneath so a wrong step can put you down a big hole!).
I needed that today!
ETA I forgot to mention the other good bit, as I came out of the forest into a village, we met a grab lorry unloading bricks, not fussed about that. Then going down a narrow single track road we met another one coming towards us, lovely driver stopped and turned her engine off so we could go by, and waited a good bit for us to get right past. I emailed the company to thank her because it could have been a right pickle if she wasn’t so patient!
We started out shakey, he was being a tit about that spot where the bikes were again, I ended up getting off and got after him a bit and he got the hint!
The rest of the ride he was good, had a great walk even heading out! Some really nice trot and canter work too.
Got to a track with a downed tree
There used to be a short way around this spot, but it was totally overgrown and we ended up truly off road! He’s really good at that now, though a little forward when I wanted him to be careful (when they chop trees they leave the stumps in the ground and they rot from underneath so a wrong step can put you down a big hole!).
I needed that today!
ETA I forgot to mention the other good bit, as I came out of the forest into a village, we met a grab lorry unloading bricks, not fussed about that. Then going down a narrow single track road we met another one coming towards us, lovely driver stopped and turned her engine off so we could go by, and waited a good bit for us to get right past. I emailed the company to thank her because it could have been a right pickle if she wasn’t so patient!
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It's so frustrating at the moment, I've had a migraine for 9 days straight, between that and the darkness and crappy weather I haven't ridden since Friday despite having Saturday and Sunday available to.
But I felt a bit better yesterday so I took Monkey out for a dark 2.5 mile walk.
He was really good, even when my blinking torch suddenly went off in the forest, leaving us in pitch dark other than the slight red glow from his legs! Some how the batteries had shifted, after some fiddling it came back on. The only time he spooked was when I saw a deer laid by the path in the forest and tried to get my phone out to take a picture but I was so clumsy, I spooked it and it crashed off through the forest. Me going on foot means he really has to step out because I walk quicker than he prefers to
I shall ride next time, a friend has offered to be my foot soldier the first time, just in case.
I bumped into a neighbour on our way out, and chatting I mentioned I wanted to take him out one evening a week if he coped with dark riding and she said she would like to go with me, which is great
reduces my worry about going alone and no one knowing if anything happened.
But I felt a bit better yesterday so I took Monkey out for a dark 2.5 mile walk.
He was really good, even when my blinking torch suddenly went off in the forest, leaving us in pitch dark other than the slight red glow from his legs! Some how the batteries had shifted, after some fiddling it came back on. The only time he spooked was when I saw a deer laid by the path in the forest and tried to get my phone out to take a picture but I was so clumsy, I spooked it and it crashed off through the forest. Me going on foot means he really has to step out because I walk quicker than he prefers to
I shall ride next time, a friend has offered to be my foot soldier the first time, just in case.I bumped into a neighbour on our way out, and chatting I mentioned I wanted to take him out one evening a week if he coped with dark riding and she said she would like to go with me, which is great
reduces my worry about going alone and no one knowing if anything happened.
He’s not called Monkey for nothing! I’d done his mane, then was trying to do Jess’ but he was convinced it should still be his turn!
I took Monkey out for a walk last night, I have the saddler coming on Saturday and realised I have only ridden twice in the last 2 months, and that was 5 weeks ago! so thought a couple of walks this week might help him be more settled for when I get back on
A friend came out with us with her 2 whippets, which Monkey thought was great fun, he eagerly followed them and sniffed at them every time they stopped and he got close enough We made a few people jump as they saw the dogs at the front and weren't expecting a horse to come trailing behind out of the darkness 
I tried to take pictures, but my phone camera lens must have steamed up in my pocket as they came out all blurry!
A friend came out with us with her 2 whippets, which Monkey thought was great fun, he eagerly followed them and sniffed at them every time they stopped and he got close enough
We made a few people jump as they saw the dogs at the front and weren't expecting a horse to come trailing behind out of the darkness I tried to take pictures, but my phone camera lens must have steamed up in my pocket as they came out all blurry!
We got out this morning for the first time in weeks! Hurrah! I hand walked the first mile as knew the saddle would settle quite quickly as it warmed and I didn’t fancy trying to tighten my (dressage) girth from on board if he was pingy!
We had a nice amble around, he was a little slow going out but soon settled into it and walked well and even got a bit of a march on as we went home!
As we got to the drove home, at the big field I could see the horses milling with intent
so I hopped off again and I’m glad I did, as we went along the narrow track alongside the field, the horses came thundering flat out along the fence line, which sent him flying forwards and spinning around as they lunged over the fence to us. He was good after that despite their best efforts, then they got bored and went flat out away from us, which got a look but nothing more.
He’s not done growing yet, he’s a bit bum high again!
Feeding him (1 cup Speedibeet) a touch earlier and rugging him a hair more seems to be preventing him dropping weight, if anything he’s a bit porky, but I’m not going to change anything before the new year as he might need it once it get properly cold.
We had a nice amble around, he was a little slow going out but soon settled into it and walked well and even got a bit of a march on as we went home!
As we got to the drove home, at the big field I could see the horses milling with intent
so I hopped off again and I’m glad I did, as we went along the narrow track alongside the field, the horses came thundering flat out along the fence line, which sent him flying forwards and spinning around as they lunged over the fence to us. He was good after that despite their best efforts, then they got bored and went flat out away from us, which got a look but nothing more. He’s not done growing yet, he’s a bit bum high again!
Feeding him (1 cup Speedibeet) a touch earlier and rugging him a hair more seems to be preventing him dropping weight, if anything he’s a bit porky, but I’m not going to change anything before the new year as he might need it once it get properly cold.
Got out for another ride today, he went out on springs but settled nicely and we had a lovely ride.
His walk is definitely improved since the saddler last week, such a relief!
On the way home at the building site, a tarp had come half loose and was billowing out across the track so I hopped off to walk past it which was fine. Only a 1/4 mile from home it wasn’t worth risking upsetting my saddle trying to mount from the ground and I’m glad I wasn’t on board as when we got to the naughty ponies one of them (15.1 very heavy cob) was particularly full of it, he came thundering along behind us, squealing and bucking, chasing the other one away, which sent Monkey into orbit. And Eric did lap after lap of this, each with the same effect on Monkey
we’re meeting up with Eric for a ride tomorrow, that might be interesting!
His walk is definitely improved since the saddler last week, such a relief!
On the way home at the building site, a tarp had come half loose and was billowing out across the track so I hopped off to walk past it which was fine. Only a 1/4 mile from home it wasn’t worth risking upsetting my saddle trying to mount from the ground and I’m glad I wasn’t on board as when we got to the naughty ponies one of them (15.1 very heavy cob) was particularly full of it, he came thundering along behind us, squealing and bucking, chasing the other one away, which sent Monkey into orbit. And Eric did lap after lap of this, each with the same effect on Monkey
we’re meeting up with Eric for a ride tomorrow, that might be interesting!
We had a ride in lovely sunshine this morning, he’s funny, when he needs to pee he gets really grumpy and inconsistent in the hand
It took him about 20 minutes to go as every time he stopped he got distracted by the grass under his nose
It took him about 20 minutes to go as every time he stopped he got distracted by the grass under his nose
We had a lovely Xmas day ride, made the most of quiet roads to go through the middle of town to a bit of forest I haven’t ridden in a while.
From my buddies perspective
We ran into the fern hoppers (running club) out for their Xmas run, it didn’t seem to matter which way we turned we found more of them so we gave up avoiding them in the end. Here’s some of them before they set off, there was millions of them!
Monkey coped really well with all the Santa hats and bells on the runners, the guy dressed as a Christmas tree got a good look though!
From my buddies perspective
We ran into the fern hoppers (running club) out for their Xmas run, it didn’t seem to matter which way we turned we found more of them so we gave up avoiding them in the end. Here’s some of them before they set off, there was millions of them!
Monkey coped really well with all the Santa hats and bells on the runners, the guy dressed as a Christmas tree got a good look though!
It sure is, he’s an absolute rockstar when being ridden, he’s only naughty when he’s in his field!
We went out again yesterday, in the lovely sunshine (that’s Eric again @Jane&Ziggy)
Monkey gets overwhelmed with horses he’s not used to, he doesn’t like new horses behind him, it makes him really anxious. But he also doesn’t like being at the back himself as he can’t see what’s coming and that also makes him anxious! Poor kid. Luckily he normally gets over the newness of the horses in about 10/15 minutes then can go anywhere.
On Xmas day I had a bit of an issue getting off Monkey, I had a nasty fall at work last week and was a bit stiff still, I got my foot caught on his hip and tore my stomach muscles trying to get free.
On getting home yesterday I knew getting off was going to hurt, my stomach had hurt badly all the way around. But I hadn’t fully prepared for how much it would hurt, and I ended up in a crumpled heap hanging from Monkeys neck, it was excruciating
as much as I want to ride today, I don’t think I can face that again 
Monkey gets overwhelmed with horses he’s not used to, he doesn’t like new horses behind him, it makes him really anxious. But he also doesn’t like being at the back himself as he can’t see what’s coming and that also makes him anxious! Poor kid. Luckily he normally gets over the newness of the horses in about 10/15 minutes then can go anywhere.
On Xmas day I had a bit of an issue getting off Monkey, I had a nasty fall at work last week and was a bit stiff still, I got my foot caught on his hip and tore my stomach muscles trying to get free.
On getting home yesterday I knew getting off was going to hurt, my stomach had hurt badly all the way around. But I hadn’t fully prepared for how much it would hurt, and I ended up in a crumpled heap hanging from Monkeys neck, it was excruciating
as much as I want to ride today, I don’t think I can face that again
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Monkey made me laugh after a brief worry yesterday. I turned them out on the grass next door, in seconds he hit the deck and wriggled about, not a proper roll. Then laid there eating grass. Before leaping up into a crazy bucking fit. He obviously couldn’t decide what to do first in his excitement!
It’s much better today, I had a ride planned on a friends horse and managed to do it without suffering, though stepped off rather than hopping down but it worked.
I got a quick ride on Monkey tonight, it was still very windy and grey but not raining so ceased the opportunity! It was nearly dark by the time we got home but I was glad to be out, Monkey was a bit grumpy about it though - he thought I was going to take him out to the grass when I caught him!
I’m building up to night riding with him and dusk rides are a good introduction, but it wasn’t planned, i just had a lot on and ran out of time yesterday!
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