2022 Hacking and Riding

Schooled yesterday to avoid the rain. He was great although slightly elevated 😂

Hacked today. Into silage field and had a trot along the bottom and then canter up the hill. Only had to stop and remind him of the deal once, then cantered up very nicely. Then down the road to the cow field and again cantered up the hill. He was very keen but only needed one small check. I don’t mind that at all, he is allowed to be keen just not take the mickey 😂. He felt awesome. We wernt out for long but it was great and just what was needed.
 
Got her out with her boyfriend. It was fairly blustery so went round the village.
She wasn't thrilled about the rug. She's not had one on for seven years. We did have a few getting the feel of it little leaps, but she didn't stop at her usual stop for no reason, so maybe my focus to "working" is well working 😂
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Got her out with her boyfriend. It was fairly blustery so went round the village.
She wasn't thrilled about the rug. She's not had one on for seven years. We did have a few getting the feel of it little leaps, but she didn't stop at her usual stop for no reason, so maybe my focus to "working" is well working 😂
View attachment 115590
Oooh nice and bright!
 
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We went out today for the first time in absolutely weeks - since 6 December, 3 weeks ago. Often I would feel wound up riding after such a long break, worry about the horse being silly, etc, but today I felt completely relaxed. And Sid was his best hacking self. He seemed really pleased to be going - ears forward, stepping out when I led him to the gate. At the top of the hill where the deer are he gave his usual dragon snorts and bananaed a bit, but he didn't stop. We had a lovely canter up the Sheepwalk - it was early and so quiet, we only saw two dog walkers the whole time we were out.

Just beyond the Kilnhanger livery yard I had heard tales of a new ring of jumpies in the woods, and Sid and I nosed down a little narrow deer track and found them. At least 8 nice little jumps, about 50-70 cm I guess, all natural timber. I didn't want to go mad so just turned Sid to the last 2, which turned out to be 3, and he trotted over 2 - he is nothing if not economical with his effort - pinged the last one effortlessly and cantered 3 cheerful strides before pulling up. Whee!

After another super sandy canter - slightly downhill, which added surprisingly to Sid's speed - we got on to Farley Heath and I saw our dog car parked there, so we wandered around and about looking for Steve and the dogs, but didn't find them. On one new track through the bracken, also slightly downhill, I tried another canter. This was homeward bound and Sid got very speedy, I actually had to close all my fingers around the reins to slow him down But he felt safe as houses.

tempImagezN6RXK.png

We walked and trotted (and at one point, to my surprise, cantered down the muddy middle-mannetjie) home along Green Lane, stopping to chat to a riding friend and a neighbour, just as relaxed and cheerful as you could wish for. I walked the last half mile with my arm around Sid's chin to lead him and he huffed in my ear.

What a diamond he is. My precious perle wythouten spot.
 
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We went out today for the first time in absolutely weeks - since 6 December, 3 weeks ago. Often I would feel wound up riding after such a long break, worry about the horse being silly, etc, but today I felt completely relaxed. And Sid was his best hacking self. He seemed really pleased to be going - ears forward, stepping out when I led him to the gate. At the top of the hill where the deer are he gave his usual dragon snorts and bananaed a bit, but he didn't stop. We had a lovely canter up the Sheepwalk - it was early and so quiet, we only saw two dog walkers the whole time we were out.

Just beyond the Kilnhanger livery yard I had heard tales of a new ring of jumpies in the woods, and Sid and I nosed down a little narrow deer track and found them. At least 8 nice little jumps, about 50-70 cm I guess, all natural timber. I didn't want to go mad so just turned Sid to the last 2, which turned out to be 3, and he trotted over 2 - he is nothing if not economical with his effort - pinged the last one effortlessly and cantered 3 cheerful strides before pulling up. Whee!

After another super sandy canter - slightly downhill, which added surprisingly to Sid's speed - we got on to Farley Heath and I saw our dog car parked there, so we wandered around and about looking for Steve and the dogs, but didn't find them. On one new track through the bracken, also slightly downhill, I tried another canter. This was homeward bound and Sid got very speedy, I actually had to close all my fingers around the reins to slow him down But he felt safe as houses.

View attachment 115634

We walked and trotted (and at one point, to my surprise, cantered down the muddy middle-mannetjie) home along Green Lane, stopping to chat to a riding friend and a neighbour, just as relaxed and cheerful as you could wish for. I walked the last half mile with my arm around Sid's chin to lead him and he huffed in my ear.

What a diamond he is. My precious perle wythouten spot.
How lovely!
 
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We went out today for the first time in absolutely weeks - since 6 December, 3 weeks ago. Often I would feel wound up riding after such a long break, worry about the horse being silly, etc, but today I felt completely relaxed. And Sid was his best hacking self. He seemed really pleased to be going - ears forward, stepping out when I led him to the gate. At the top of the hill where the deer are he gave his usual dragon snorts and bananaed a bit, but he didn't stop. We had a lovely canter up the Sheepwalk - it was early and so quiet, we only saw two dog walkers the whole time we were out.

Just beyond the Kilnhanger livery yard I had heard tales of a new ring of jumpies in the woods, and Sid and I nosed down a little narrow deer track and found them. At least 8 nice little jumps, about 50-70 cm I guess, all natural timber. I didn't want to go mad so just turned Sid to the last 2, which turned out to be 3, and he trotted over 2 - he is nothing if not economical with his effort - pinged the last one effortlessly and cantered 3 cheerful strides before pulling up. Whee!

After another super sandy canter - slightly downhill, which added surprisingly to Sid's speed - we got on to Farley Heath and I saw our dog car parked there, so we wandered around and about looking for Steve and the dogs, but didn't find them. On one new track through the bracken, also slightly downhill, I tried another canter. This was homeward bound and Sid got very speedy, I actually had to close all my fingers around the reins to slow him down But he felt safe as houses.

View attachment 115634

We walked and trotted (and at one point, to my surprise, cantered down the muddy middle-mannetjie) home along Green Lane, stopping to chat to a riding friend and a neighbour, just as relaxed and cheerful as you could wish for. I walked the last half mile with my arm around Sid's chin to lead him and he huffed in my ear.

What a diamond he is. My precious perle wythouten spot.
I love the sound of jumpies being set up for people to use l you look like you've dried out there. We are still soggy no cantering here.
Downhill slows mine, she's not keen.
 
Out again this morning - chilly, but dry and bright. Hogan as good as can be, but got restless as I had to tell a few dog walkers that Alfie had died. He got antsy standing, so I circled him and made him wait. When we got going properly, he muttered under his breath and thought about a hissy fit, but the devil was defeated and it ended up a nice forward ride.
 
I missed a week of riding as the ground was frozen and then when it thawed it was foggy!

We did finally get out on our Christmas hack and then We have managed a couple of hacks since despite everyone at the yard having the lurgy!

I was made to do it ;)
i-4n82pfv-X2.jpg


Hacking
3 hours
11 miles

Totals

Schooling
25 hours 30

Hacking
512 miles
152 hours 35
 
I missed a week of riding as the ground was frozen and then when it thawed it was foggy!

We did finally get out on our Christmas hack and then We have managed a couple of hacks since despite everyone at the yard having the lurgy!

I was made to do it ;)
i-4n82pfv-X2.jpg


Hacking
3 hours
11 miles

Totals

Schooling
25 hours 30

Hacking
512 miles
152 hours 35
Your face says it all - you look completely over it lol 😆
 
When I arrived we had an annoyed neigh, trust me, I know the difference 😂. This was with some cantering and ladies are leaping.
Rough night love. 😁

Set off with a few more leaps, snatching at grass, as what goes up goes down.
Get to the road and we just get some jogs and then she settles.

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Ended 2022 on 875 hacking miles, so a bit short of our target for the year but we've had a blast getting out and about all over the place and taking part in various things along the way, so can't complain at all about our year ❤

I've not tracked schooling miles so no idea how far we've gone round and round in rhe sand pit 🤣

I guess the tracker resets tomorrow morning.

Happy New Year all!

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Nice hack today dodging the raindrops. We went out with Uta and Finn and passed by the jumping ring, so I went in just to pop one. I decided I would see how steerable he was in there as he trotted in all bright and bushy. I thought, "We will just jump that jump, the last on the left, the biggest one." I thought it and looked towards it and put my weight in the stirrup and he turned round to it and locked on. Whee!

Apart from that he was quite low energy, happy for a Sunday morning pootle. I was feeling glum beforehand but chipper afterwards. Lovely horse.
 
Nice hack today dodging the raindrops. We went out with Uta and Finn and passed by the jumping ring, so I went in just to pop one. I decided I would see how steerable he was in there as he trotted in all bright and bushy. I thought, "We will just jump that jump, the last on the left, the biggest one." I thought it and looked towards it and put my weight in the stirrup and he turned round to it and locked on. Whee!

Apart from that he was quite low energy, happy for a Sunday morning pootle. I was feeling glum beforehand but chipper afterwards. Lovely horse.
That's nice that you feel better, they are so good at cheering us up sometimes aren't they.
 
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