And we’re there...

[Jessey]

Oh my goodness, what a fright. This is my biggest fear - falling and the horse taking off. At least you knew where he was heading. Im glad no-one was hurt - although, are you OK? Thank goodness for good friends and kind lady dog walkers.

Yeah, I'm a little stiff and bruised but fine, and he seemed all ok though I expect he will have a bruised mouth after snapping both reins (one where I hung on, and the other was found on a forest track half way home, he must have stepped on it). It's my fault for telling someone on Sunday how great he's become! No not really, it's because I only rode twice last week!

 

[Jessey]

I took Monkey out early this morning and did the same route as Tuesday. He was as good as gold he did back off as we came to where we parted company, but that’s fine.

Going up the hill

There’s a dog walker on the hill ahead of us here, you can see why the jogger took him by surprise on Tuesday.

I definitely got lucky on Tuesday, I could see where I landed in the nettles at the base of a tree, another foot further and I would have hurt a lot more!

The forest was so pretty this morning


When we got home I hopped off and intentionally flew forward to the floor, Monkey started but didn’t pull away, and quickly came forward to investigate and get a treat. I’m going to do this regularly out and about, so perhaps he’ll be less panicked by my falling if it happens again the running home terrifies me, I’ll try anything to reduce the chances.

 

[Jessey]

He’s like riding two completely different horses sometimes, mr anxious has gone and today I had the beach donkey! He was Sooo tired today he could barely muster a walk but we had a nice ride a timed it just right to miss the rain!

I did another intentionally bad job getting off, and he just stood and looked at me like I’m an idiot

 

[Jessey]

L&L came over yesterday so Monkey was more enthusiastic to go out!

L has a bit of a thing about not wanting to lead and will just randomly plant, Monkey is so good when it happens, he doesn’t get flustered and is so patient and just gets out of her way when she throws her toys out of the pram now, where last year it would have really upset him

This morning the farrier was here to do Jess’ shoes, Monkey always hangs around to help. Andy noticed his toes were a bit chipped so decided to tidy them up for me, he’ll just stand loose in the field for any attention

 

[Jessey]

Good job I’d already ordered him another new fly rug!


I did buy him a new one a few weeks ago but it didn’t fit well and he ripped it on the first night he wore it, so he’s been back in the old one, let’s hope this one lasts longer!

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Oops... Sid is like that with fly masks...

 

[Jessey]

Oops... Sid is like that with fly masks...

His 4th fly mask of this summer just arrived too! He’s an itchy soul!

 

[Jessey]

New rug went on this morning


This evening we got out for a ride, he was very chilled, happy to stop and chat to friends I haven’t seen in years as they fussed him lots!

It was a lovely evening, not hot, or cold, or wet but gloriously sunny and quiet

 

[Jessey]

L&L came over today and we went for a nice little bimble

We timed it just right to get back before the rain

 

[Jessey]

I wasn’t feeling motivated to ride today so decided to lunge, and for some extra interest to pop a jump out and see if Monkey could manage a jump from canter (it’s not something we do often and when he finally learned to jump earlier this year would always break back to trot to pop logs in the forest).

It went well, a few goes in trot and he would just elevate that trot for 45cm straight, so I had to jack it up to an 80cm cross to get some effort out of him, and then when we progressed to canter he got it, then got very excited he’d got it and fell over it on the next lap but clean sailing after that!

 

[Jessey]

I was going to ride Tuesday and realised my mounting block was in ‘the middle’ as part of the jump from lunging, by the time I was in there with him in tow I figured why not and decided to school. It’s pretty rough, he’s never been good in there, and it made me more determined to get my butt in gear and get him out to a proper arena when time allows. We jumped though and even managed it from a canter so that lesson stuck with him!

Tonight we went out for a quick hack,

half way round I got a message to say I was meant to be on a zoom training I somehow managed to log in and put it on loudspeaker in my pocket, but it didn’t show my name and had to explain why I didn’t have time to faf about fixing it Monkey now knows all about SAR and missing person behaviour statistics

 

[Jessey]

L&L came over this morning, Monkey was quite unenthusiastic having gone onto a fresh paddock yesterday! But it was a stunning morning out in the forest, we didn’t get out until 10 but it was perfect riding weather for me!

We were out for a couple of hours, and took the girls on some off piste routes! It was lots of fun!

Doesn’t this picture show how hiviz isn’t always effective! Yellow can be invisible in sunshine through trees!

 

[Jessey]

It was still 31c at 6pm last night and although I would have enjoyed riding in it, Monkey doesn’t agree so we didn’t.

Went out early this morning and found him pronking around the field, tail over his back, snorting, didn’t have high expectations for a pleasant ride but he settled as I tacked up and we had a lovely ride. 50 minutes/3 miles w/t/c around the forest in the cool sunshine


I measured him up a while ago for boots but couldn’t justify £300 on vipers when I’m not convinced they’ll work for him, but I saw some second hand last week for £100 so got them. Tried them on this morning and they’re too big now he’s had a trim so will have to sell those and keep eyes out for a size down to try.

 

[Trewsers]

It was still 31c at 6pm last night and although I would have enjoyed riding in it, Monkey doesn’t agree so we didn’t.

Went out early this morning and found him pronking around the field, tail over his back, snorting, didn’t have high expectations for a pleasant ride but he settled as I tacked up and we had a lovely ride. 50 minutes/3 miles w/t/c around the forest in the cool sunshine
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I measured him up a while ago for boots but couldn’t justify £300 on vipers when I’m not convinced they’ll work for him, but I saw some second hand last week for £100 so got them. Tried them on this morning and they’re too big now he’s had a trim so will have to sell those and keep eyes out for a size down to try.

Horse boots are soooo expensive aren't they. How vexing they are too big for him now. I was going to get some for Fuzzy a while back but decided against it. I had them for Zi and got brand new ones (Easyboots) which he promptly grew out of and one broke anyway! Wouldn't get those again.

 

[Jessey]

They are @Trewsers, he also has some cavallo trek’s which I recently bought new and they’re ok but not perfect for him, I need to get some pads for those and see if that improves the fit!
It’s not often he needs the protection but occasionally when the ground is hard and the stones come to the top I think it would be good for him to have some.

 

[Jessey]

The temp had dropped to 27 this evening so I thought we’d have a little lunge. Monkey was a bit sweaty under his fly rug so I thought we’d just do a little walk work but it didn’t go to plan.

He was being driven nuts by the flies, he stomped, hopped, bucked and charged around, stopping un requested to bite and scratch eventually I gave up and took him in to sponge down. He was still stomping and squirming. I fly sprayed him top to toe and I was just stood deciding which fly rug to put back on and he was still fussing then he BIT me! when I squawked at him he backed off sharpish and stood like a rock. I think he’d just got himself too wound up to be reasonable before as he stood quietly for the next 10 minutes!

 

[Jessey]

I rode before work yesterday, bright and early! It was totally deserted in the forest, bliss! And Monkey was back to his normal self, happy go lucky


This morning L&L came over, the 2 horses are so funny together, if 1 gets a treat the other insists they do too, today Monkey was hilarious in his demand, we got wrinkled nose disgust, and repeatedly glaring side eye at me, he was seconds off stomping his feet over it he did not get a treat!

We ventured on a new route for L&L, and they brought a 360 with them and got some fun videos, I’ve not idea photo get it here, they’re on Facebook

 

[Jessey]

I got Monkey out tonight and he was a dude, totally chilled, pottered about, popped a log, had a nice lollop and moseyed home

 

[Jessey]

I rode late yesterday because they were hungry and grumpy in the morning, they’re now on the last summer paddock with any decent grass left, and it’s a little one so will probably only last a few days. They’ve been having some hay once a day for a few weeks, so I’m going to have to up it now. I’ve got an autumn paddock but it’s more weeds than grass, I was hoping to hold out until we got some rain and it recovered a bit before putting them in there.

We had a lovely ride, Monkey is super chilled and easy going at the moment, it’s nice! We trotted and cantered lots, popped a log and I was ready to head for home but he asked to go further so we did!

I think he’s a bit bored of doing the same tracks as he asked a couple of times to go on ones we don’t use and even wanted to go where there aren’t any paths! I think I might try and get him out in the trailer somewhere different tomorrow if the bank holiday traffic isn’t too silly. L&L are coming over today.

 

[Jessey]

Monkey did 3+ hours yesterday and had to be the grown-up for virtually the whole ride and he did really really well. We did the bridge, level crossing, tunnel under the railway, river wading and almost 10 miles!


The video L put together is fab, taken with her 360 that I was wielding most of the time.

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I decided I probably wasn’t going to ride today after all that, so I’ve been pottering around all day doing jobs. After morning hay they snoozed most of the day in the shelter, then wandered out to the field around 2.30. I called them back for their feed at about 3.30 and Monkey had a nose bleed.

I wiped out his nostril and there were a couple of clots but it had mostly stopped bleeding, I couldn’t see any injury.

It’s so dry here, they kick up clouds of dust just walking around, so I’m thinking that’s probably caused it, or enthusiastic rubbing/rolling because of the flies, which are also awful. But I’ll nip back in a bit and check it hasn’t restarted, just in case.