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Fri 2nd Oct

Today is a nice dry day between rainy ones so time to get out with Bella and Stormy. Firstly Mark and I put neater edges to the horses hooves after the farrier yesterday. Their hooves needed tidying up in shape, take away the flare and put mustang rolls on. Also re-plugged a couple of holes Bella has at the moment to stop WLD. With all that done we groom them and I tack up Bella. I wasn’t intending to do too much as she’s just come off a ‘season’ so with that in mind we plodded about for a wee bit then did some nice patterns.

We started off with walk/trot transitions and put in some lovely walk/back/walk/back transitions through a narrow pole/jump wing lane (part of her Stage 2 assessment). We then got a bit more energy and put in a couple of low jumps (Stage 2 assessment task). Then I went out into big field and did a fabulous trot clover leaf L&R, she didn’t change gait once and stayed on the pattern really well, impressed with her trot energy and focus on the task with little adjustments from me we rode in harmony nicely.

I then went to try out some canter and we did our FIRST trot/canter/trot/canter transitions (did about 6 of them..yeehaa) 🙂 Really REALLY pleased with these, was counting 4-6 canter strides and she came back down really nicely. She then did her best, so far, sidepassing L&R….she really struggled to do a sidepass to the left but she has got the good body/voice cues well now and it felt much more fluid 😉

 

 

Tues 6th Oct

Between showers today we had a lovely hack out. Both Bella and Stormy had a wee worry about going up one part of the new track (close to very noisy full river from all the rain recently) so I got off and led Bella with Mark riding Stormy behind up the ‘narrow track lane’. They both did well and at the top I re-mounted from a gateway which Bella sidled up to beautifully. The hack was good and it was good for me to decide to just get off and do the track bit rather than turn around and not do it because the horses were a bit worried….helps all our confidences to DO the thing that worries us but to do it in a way that was MY decision helped even more…I’m so glad that natural horsemanship has taught me that it’s okay to do that, win-win situation 🙂

 

 

Thu 8th Oct

Nice, fun, agility day today. Bella had some really nice FIRSTS:
1) Back through narrow gap with raised pole
2) Sidepass over raised pole
3) Continuous trot circles over tarp
4) Trot through the archway 🙂
5) Circle and halt in pole square 😉

She also did a fabulous Ridden Agility lesson with some new FIRSTS too…riding under the archway being one of them 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s the video of it all too…

 

 

Sun 11th Oct

Just a nice pooter about the field with Mark and Stormy today. Bella did some lovely trot ‘leap frog’ pattern and in the pics below we did some really nice 4 stride trot/canter transitions….didn’t always make the 4 strides but improved from last time 😉

 

Tues 13th Oct

Well it is very windy here today and yesterday it rained all day so thinking of just doing a small play with the horses. We also need to do an Equi-Sal test which is a saliva test for tapeworms. The horses can’t eat or drink for half an hour before doing the test so a small play session was just perfect to fill that time up as they don’t graze when we play with them 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weds 14th Oct

Wasn’t feeling up for too much today so we started with some Agility and we again tried it at Liberty. The connection was nice today and Bella did really well 😉

We then had a short ride in the main field…trying out some leg yields off a circle and off a straight line, then some nice trot/canter/trot transitions and also some really nice loose rein walk/turns/backups 😉 Bella didn’t feel like she wanted to do too much either so it was good to stop on a good note with our first attempt at a turn on the forehand 😉

 

 

Loose rein riding

 

 

 

 

Loose rein walk/trot and then backup

 

 

 

 

 

leg yields

 

 

 

 

 

Nice canter but not much ‘oompff’ today

 

 

 

 

Love my big girlie…nice first attempt at turn on the forehand (means we turn her hindquarters a full 360* with her front legs staying on the spot)

 

 

 

Turn on forehand 😉

 

 

 

 

 

Thurs 15th Oct

Today I was a bit tired and didn’t think I’d ride but went down to see Bella, groom and make sure her feet were in good order. She had a couple of ‘holes’ in her white line so I’ve been regularly treating it and plugging the holes to make sure they stay clean…they just need time now to grow out as her hoof wall grows. I did decide that I would take her out into the big part of the field, the winter part to have a wee graze but ended up having a really nice play with her……here are some pics….

 

Getting ready for some play….nice walk and trot circles first with some COD’s

 

 

 

Then she offers some canter so off we go 🙂

Next we look at the gateway again doing a nice walk through it first….

 

 

 

…and then she backed through it without going forwards through it first….fabUlous Bella <3

Next we did some sidepassing over some tyres which she did both ways very well

 

 

 

and then we did some fig 8’s which she wanted to go fast through but didn’t get her brain switched on enough to do the turn from left circle/COD to right side SO…..

 

after some cantering around allowing her to move her feet a bit….

 

 

 

 

…and a few yeehaa’s just for fun….

 

 

 

 

 

…we went back to trying it in walk to remember the pattern and she eventually did it really nicely in walk and then in trot too 🙂

Sidepass towards was well remembered too

 

 

Then some rope tossing from the shoulder AND in front of her, she did so well, not moving her feet at all…..tossed rope and did some lovely flexible rope-around-turns 🙂

 

 

Then she wanted to move her feet again so we did that and put in some trot half circles on the move too

 

 

 

Then back to the ‘track’ with some really nice leg yields  :{)

 

 

 

 

Sat 17th Oct

Decided to go for a short hack out on the ‘haugh’ by the river today. Both horses calm but there was a ‘vibe’ in the field. Recent cattle from here had been moved off and their babies taken away so not sure if this was the ‘vibe’ we were feeling? BUT Stormy decided that something at the ‘gateway’ by the river was worrying so he spooked which made Bella spook. Stormy went through the gateway okay then relaxed but Bella really didn’t want to follow SO I got off and walked her through it a few times, she was on her toes but we managed to move on. The field doesn’t have any mounting blocks (that I could think of at the time) so I walked her through the 2nd field on the haugh, up a small hill and through a gate to a sheep field…I got on at the gateway and rode her through the sheep field, through another gate and onto the Trail where I walked her home up the big trail hill 🙂

Back in the field I did a wee bit of riding as we hadn’t really done much today 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sun 18th Oct

After the trouble with the gateway in the haugh field yesterday I decided to try it again…even if it is just walking through it SO, for a FIRST Bella and I go out ON OUR OWN with Mark and Stormy in the field. Stormy let out onto the big grass area he was okay, whinneyed a couple of times but he could still see us so not a problem. Bella was pretty much okay going out on her own, we have a nice connection so she looks to me for safety.

We go through the field hill field next to their field in-hand, I get on at the gateway on the small bridge and we then go down the field a bit doing circles, COD’s, serpentines and the all important DHQ to LF. All going well, nice and relaxed (both of us) and happy to walk near the river but we get to the ‘scary gateway’ and she baulked a bit, I applied approach and retreat by backing up and moving on and then turning away bringing back but she was a bit of a scaredy-cat SO again I get off and take her through it…she was actually very calm going through it today. Decided to walk in the field a bit, down the fence line and decided to try my best to find something to remount her from…..and I found a sticky out stone in the stone wall…hey presto…mounting block and dear Bella did a FABULOUS job sidling up to it for me…what a brilliant girlie she is.

Back on we went for a short ride up and down the fence line again doing some w/t circles in a very calm, happy manner 😉 Going back to the ‘gateway’ she stopped high headed and worried SO got off again and walked her through calmly and found another stone in the stone fence to remount and head for home where she stayed happily doing walk/trot transitions, walk up the big hill then a really nice canter to the field gateway….super 😉

 

19th – 22nd Oct

Rain, rain, rain, rain……

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thu 22nd Oct

Yeehaa…..a break in the rain and Mark and I go out to just ‘be’ with the horses…yeehaa 😉 🙂
We started off just giving them both good grooms although Stormy could only been done on his top half because his lower half was still wet.

 

Then I sorted out a quick agility course in a new area with Bella following me online, cones, jump wings and poles all moved into place.

 

 

 

Then Bella and I had a lovely calm play….

 

Backing up between poles

Sideways onto water tray

 

 

 

Sideways over the water tray and continue along the fence line, so easy today

 

 

 

 

Circling today was very good…we did walk x 1 lap each direction with very smooth COD’s, 2  trot laps with two really good COD’s and then she wanted to canter so we did 1 lap of canter and dhq to halt.

 

 

Hung out with her for a while letting her know how fab her play was today 🙂

 

 

 

 

Next was some sideways over a jump wing which was easy peasy then into some fig 8’s in walk then trot 😉

 

 

 

Using a pole we did sideways two ways, away and towards 😉

 

 

 

 

Then she did some really nice trot over 4 poles on a circle going to the L&R and then some treat time where Stormy came over to join in 🙂 LOL

 

 

 

<3  I get some nice huggle time with both of them too  <3

 

 

 

Then it was an impulsive thought to just sit on Stormy for a while, I’ve not ridden him for quite some time as I’ve been concentrating on Bella and Mark has been riding him but today I just wanted to connect with him ridden so literally just popped on his back 🙂 He is such a lovely boy and I had a lovely wee ride about on him 🙂

 

Stepping carefully up the jump wing and managing to pop onto his back

 

 

 

 

Up and connected with some weave around the cones using mainly body language

 

 

 

He sidepassed over the jump wing so well, impressed with his lightness.

Then a lovely trot around the area which felt great

 

 

Superb sidepass onto the water tray and a lovely trot back to Mark….fabulous, LOVE riding Big Stormy, he’s a real gentleman <3

 

 

 

 

Fri 23rd Oct

Today it was a bit drier so decided to step up some ‘scary gateway’ play with Bella. Again we went out on our own leaving Mark and Stormy in the field but Stormy roaming around the big grass area so he was kinda happy, he only whinneyed three times and wasn’t running about so that was good.

Bella came out with me calm, happy and listening nicely. The gateway was muddy with a big puddle near it so there was a ‘squeeze’ going on between the gate and the river fence and the puddle but she listened very well and we played some nice games to help her find relaxation going through the gate…here’s some pics…

 

Walking calmly together, we played some fig 8’s around thistles here, me watching to see if she was listening to my requests which she was really well. We also went over the wooden bridge well as it was covered in mud and pretty slippery.

 

 

Walking together across the ‘haugh’ (field by a river) we were very connected and had a lovely walk out.

 

 

 

Stormy watching us from the big field 😉

Playing ‘half circles’ (squeeze game) through the gateway. She had to walk in mud and then through the puddle on the right side but she did really well once she understood the game and also found relaxation doing it 😉

 

 

 

Then after the squeeze games we walked calmly through it together, backed her through it and then walked through it and along the river bank, stopped and turned to face it and find relaxation.

 

 

Was a really nice walk out and calm gaming with the gateway, we walked back with her grabbing some grazing munches as she strolled behind me 😉

 

 

 

Tues 27th Oct

 

There’s been not much let up on chilly rain and drizzle here so not able to do anything with the horses at the moment apart from feed them, keep the field clean and make sure they’re comfortable.

 

We did give them more grazing too and they’re loving the old thistles 🙂

 

 

 

 

It was lovely to spend some quiet time just hanging out with them this morning and hopefully the weather dries up soon so that we can have some quality afternoons with them too 😉

 

 

 

 

 

Weds 28th Oct

Managed to get a lovely plod of a ride on Bella today, so lovely to ride and allow her movement to move my body, it’s a fabulous whole body massage.  We really didn’t do much apart from connect in a lovely way 😉

 

 

Lovely trot up to the shelter where I normally take them for grooming and tacking up 🙂

 

 

 

 

One foot on the smaller pedestal, enthusiastically done, and then 4 feet on bigger pedestal done quickly and without too much fussing about 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did some lovely ‘knuckle’ riding around the cones in a weave…this involves my knuckles being placed either side of withers, weight back in saddle and me turning my body helps her turn her body…nice turns without much use of reins so a better ‘loose rein’ connection today. We also tackled a water obstacle nicely 🙂 🙂

 

 

Did some obstacles in the agility area: water tray, hulahoops, cone weave with some nice dhq’s around poles and nice relaxing LF

 

 

 

 

and she did this ‘extended’ labyrinth really well, so proud of her. Such a lovely plod around the field with my big beauty. Stormy casually followed us about at liberty too which was lovely 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

Storm and Bella this morning, after their breakfast they like to snooze for a bit, usually in the same place. Caught this pic (on right) as she was licking but it looks like she’s sticking her tongue out at Stormy…lol 😉

 

Just love this pic of them together 😉

So that’s October over, it’s gone SO quickly and so much rain has put off play or riding a bit recently but that’s just the way it is. More fun next month 😉

 

• Shelley – HorseSavvy

 

 

 

 

Mon 1st Sept

Well can’t believe it’s September already…where HAS the year gone? But looking back over this last year I can see how much I’ve done with beautiful Bella and that on the 12th of this month, last year, was when I first sat on her and she didn’t know how to move forward…how far Bella and I have come together in just a year of riding 😉

Today I was quite tired and wasn’t sure I was going to play or ride her so just went down with the intention of giving her a lovely groom and some loving 😉 Once down there she really enjoyed her groom and I decided to put a bareback pad and bridle on her and see if she wanted to play….and maybe a wee ride? 🙂 Here’s what we did….

 

Lovely light trot work over the poles and some nice jumping…calm and knowing where her steps are and how much energy needed to jump without over doing it 😉

 

 

This is two drainage pipes next to each other which makes it the ‘widest’ jump she’s done so far. Again she tackled it calmly and with the knowledge of where to push off, how wide it is and how to land nicely….a nice canter depart the second time.

 

 

She had fun with the pedestals too today 😉

 

 

 

 

And then I jumped on bareback, she came over to the mounting block beautifully and stood so still for me to get on. Then we did some really nice  walk around the agility arena with just a bit of emphasis on turns from my focus/energy/weight/leg aids which I was over joyed to find she really responded well to…clever girl…here’s some pics….

 

Familiarisation taking my jacket off was no problem….she’s so good.

Learning to turn from my seat/leg/focus cues went so well and it was nice to be bareback with a loose rein, she enjoyed it too.

 

 

Nice soft turns, we managed to circle and fig 8 around a lot of obstacles in the agility area.

 

 

 

 

Focused turns….

 

 

 

 

 

More focused turns 😉 felt very connected to Bella today

 

 

 

 

So lovely to be this connected…we have to do this more and also in trot more

 

 

 

 

Sidepass to the right was really nice today….

 

 

 

 

…and managed to figure out how to help her go to the left which she was having trouble with…gently tapping her right shoulder with my hand….she did it really well so will continue doing this for both ways continuing with my voice cue of ‘over’, which is the same with ground work.

 

 

Such a clever girl.

One foot on the small pedestal ridden too 🙂 🙂

 

 

 

 

Bella thinking about the pedestal…..she also did a lovely sidepass AROUND the pedestal which was the first time doing this 😉

 

 

 

 

At the end we did some lovely soft, slow, easy to sit to trot work 😉 🙂 and then on the pedestal for a big treat 😉

 

 

 

 

Thurs 3rd Sept

Today was a day of familiarisation…I’ve sewn clips onto a pommel bag that was for a treeless saddle so that I can use it on my Wintec and it fits nicely now. Bella wasn’t concerned at all about the bags or the one on the back of the saddle but I played with her as normal just to make sure.

 

 

Pommel bags and back bag on and working well

 

 

 

 

jumping not a problem and then I attached my jacket to the top of the pommel back and that wasn’t a problem either 😉

 

 

 

Then I rode with the bags on too and she wasn’t bothered by the noise or that they were on her wither.

 

 

 

Nice trot with the bags bouncing around but no bother for Bella 😉

 

 

 

 

Fri 4th Sept

Today we had a nice ride in the big field with Mark and Stormy. We started off with a really nice RtR in walk on a loose rein and then we went into trot. We played with the concept of a slow, sittable, trot and then a faster, rising trot, trot. She did quite well and I will continue working on getting two speeds in trot with her 😉

 

 

Loose rein walk warm up then into a nice steady trot.

 

 

 

 

 

Lovely trot with two speeds now

 

 

 

 

…AND CANTER….nice easy transition on the flat and we managed to canter almost the length of the field 😉 kool 😉

 

 

 

Sat 5th Sept

A really lovely day for a hack out towards the village….taking it a bit at a time for confidence and to build up strength and stamina….we go half way to the village, to the ‘wooden bridge’ and then back home. Bella did really well and apart from the first hill going down, where I walked with her, I rode the whole way and had some lovely calm walk, trot and out first hack canter on the last hill up to home 😉 So much fun 🙂

 

Mark and Stormy first started out riding,  I walked with Bella first and we led for a while and then Mark walked with Stormy for a while and I rode Bella.

 

Nice calm walk along the track, walked with her down the hill and re-mounted from a gate, all that mounting work we’ve done paying off well now 😉

 

 

Following Stormy to the wooden bridge…they went over first and we rode over after without any problems 😉

 

 

 

 

Nicely over the bridge, had some nice grazing after and then back home again…we ride the first big hill no problem 😉

 

 

Following Mark and Stormy all the way home and  a lovely calm canter on the last stretch 😉

 

 

 

Tues 8th Sept

A bit tired today so go down without thinking of doing much apart from grooming but ended up exercising Bella in the big field which was a lot of fun.

 

Lovely sidepass and we did a lot of moving circles where I walk around and she circles around me…she decided that canter would be fun….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weds 9th Sept

 

Bella and me, Storm and Mark rode together in the big field today.

 

Lots of walk/trot ‘leap frog’, some nice weaving around flapping flag poles and big canters up the small hill.

 

 

Then Bella did a great job of staying in trot the whole way around the round pens in a figure 8 pattern.

 

Lovely BIG trot, no stopping or slowing down just a nice consistent trot 😉

 

 

 

Mark then did it with Stormy too and he went really well too. I think the cooler, breezy weather suits them both well.

 

 

 

Played about with familiarisation with my noisy, flappy rain poncho  too…not a bother 😉

 

 

 

Lastly big hugs to both of them from me <3 <3

 

 

 

 

 

Thurs 10th Sept

Just out again for a quick walk/trot/ride with Bella, Mark and Stormy. Lovely leap frog game and a really long lovely canter up the hillock. We’re not doing too much at the moment as the weather is rather changeable but we’re getting some nice exercise and keeping fit 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sat 12th Sept

We had a day off yesterday but today is pretty special as it’s a YEAR since I BACKED her. She started off having no ‘go’, no balance and no understanding of what was being asked but with patience and persistence we now have nice balanced walk, trot AND canter, she can pop a jump, do trot poles, go down hills and back up again, go out for short hacks (longer as we get fitter) and most importantly we have a fabulous ‘breath out’ halt. She is more flexible now and starting doing some basic sidepasses and leg yields. She rides with a loose rein or connected rein and is relaxed and willing. She is such a sweet, lovely girl and I am happy to ride her bareback or with a saddle 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sun 13th Sept

As we’ve been moving along with Bella’s training I’ve been ticking off some Stage 2 Assessment tasks. She has done a lot of them already and today we did our fig 8’s in trot on a loose rein task…here is the video of her passing this task…

 

Mon 14th Sept

Today is quite humid and stuffy so no riding today but a short play session with Bella and then Stormy too 🙂

 

Some nice cone circle fun….circles in w/t..

 

 

 

 

Big circles w/t….

 

 

 

Weaving…she decided moving over meant front feet first, then back feet in a kinda hop over…

 

 

 

Nice relax between games…..then some weaving on the other side…

 

 

 

Some nice leg yielding….will use these cones to ride it soon……THEN….some fun fig 8’s using the bunting lanes and around the jump….

 

 

THEN a couple of jumps with energy 😉

 

 

 

Storm did a great job too, he doesn’t like humid weather so just did ‘brain teasing’ stuff rather than fast….Sidepassing over cone from a distance…he’s looking GOOD at the moment, what a stunningly beautiful big boy he is….

 

A wee bit of trot weave…another break and treat 😉

 

 

 

Sidepassing away then we did towards too…what a fun session 🙂

 

 

 

Wed 16th Sept

Today the weather is cooler and both Mark and I thought…’hack out today maybe’…SO we went down, got them ready and went out. I walked the first hill down then rode the rest of the track we’ve already done (to the wooden bridge) and then I got off again and walked her a whole length of new track we’ve not done yet. I could feel she went through a threshold of concern as she was bumping my elbow with her nose as we walked, her head was up and it was when we were going into a place with more houses and noises such as a strimmer and kids on lunch break at the school.

SO…..instead of losing confidence we turned around and I walked her back to the wooden bridge then rode all the way home. I would normally walk with a horse on a new patch of ground the first time so this was normal and it felt good to get further than last time we went out. Walking with Bella not only gives her a break from being ridden but it helps keep her confidence when doing new things, it worked out well and the whole riding bit was calm, relaxed, happy and willing. We did some really nice walk but also a lovely relaxed trot too and she led a lot of the way there and back which was fab 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thurs 17th Sept

A little bit tired today but went down and gave Bella a really good groom and then did some very small, slow bits for her Stage 2 assessment.

1. Lead by the leg…
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Nose to tail….

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Bridle while sitting down….(tried it from the side but worked nicely from the front with cheek and noseband undone 😉 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Familiarisation with rope throwing over Bella’s back then walking about with it over her back (preparation for me throwing and bringing back a lasso and for Bella pulling a tyre from the saddle) 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fri 18th Sept

Another hot day up here so thought about taking yesterdays ‘rope throwing’ to the next step which would be slow and easy and not make Bella sweaty. She did really well, we started with pulling a tyre on the ground, then ridden rope throwing at a standstill, then pulling the rope walking around the arena. Final piece of the puzzle is to actually pull the tyre whilst riding 😉 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sat 18th Sept

Well what a lovely day today was…..great weather, great company and a great hack out through three very large fields along a local river. Bella lead a lot of the way, was happy to go away from Stormy or let him trot/canter off in front 😉 She was a super star and am hoping to do this hack again soon 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sun 20th Sept

Set up an Agility course today in our large rectangular arena area….some fun things, all regular but in a different area which can always make a difference. I had fun with Stormy at liberty first, he showed Bella what to do and I think he really enjoyed it. Then I did the same course with Bella online 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then Mark rode Stormy around the course 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tues 22nd Sept

Lovely day for a hack out onto the ‘haugh’ near the river. Bella was a super star leading quite a lot of the way. Really enjoying riding her out and about 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weds 23rd Sept

Another fun session with the agility obstacles today, we did this ‘almost at liberty’ with a neck rope 🙂 Always good to change what we do to keep things fresh and fun. Bella did very well today, much calmer with the obstacles being in a different place this 2nd time around and she was definitely watching Stormy when he went around at liberty, watching and learning 😉

 

< Feet in hula hoop

Follow me through a zigzag >

 

 

 

< hula hoop familiarisation around face and then over face onto neck >

 

 

 

 

< fig 8’s around the cone weave so we moved up the line each time doing multiple fig 8’s

Fab draw to me >

 

 

 

< Sidepass over green jump wing

Sidepass over purple jump wing >

 

 

 

 

< really nice couple of jumps today >

 

 

 

 

< Nicely under the arch way today, she was calm and followed me first then did it on her own >

 

 

 

 

< Over the noisy bottle bank

Backed up over bottle bank too >

 

 

 

 

< Follow me through the curtain

Managed to go through the curtain on her own too >

 

 

 

< familiarisation: Walked around with a tarp flapping around on her back….Stormy came to see what was going on too which was a help >

 

 

 

 

< Walk and halt on the water tray

Sidepass over the water tray >

 

 

 

 

Thurs 24th Sept

Another lovely day for a repeat hack on the ‘haugh’ and by the river. This was great, both horses even calmer and just plodding around the three fields we can ride there at the moment. Lovely ride 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sat 26th Sept

Today we went for a lovely hack, back towards the house, around a field we usually just plod along the track of, nearly at house and then up the hill behind the house and then back again. SO, some usual bits, some new bits but all in all a lot of FUN 🙂

 

 

Sun 27th Sept

A lovely session of Liberty Agility today. This is not the first liberty session but it was certainly the FIRST CONNECTED SESSION of LIBERTY with Bella and it felt SO GOOD 🙂

 

 

Mon 28th Sept

Another lovely hack out today, first bit was down onto the ‘haugh’ by the river (done before) then up a track into the cattle field, luckily no cattle around, and up this field (not done before) and onto the top track and then around the top field which we did the other day. Nice to put old bits of riding with new bits, she was a bit sceptical of the ‘cattle field’…it did smell a bit of cattle poop etc but she did very well and followed Stormy nicely. Wasn’t a long hack but introducing new bits regularly so we get a lot of hacking options as we go 🙂

 

• Shelley – HorseSavvy

 

 

Sat 1st August

Well what a fab way to welcome in the new month with a hack to the house and back. First time hack in 6 weeks and Bella did it like she has done it every day….so proud of her. Our FIRST today was to walk up the big main hill in their field 😉 Yeehaa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sun 2nd Aug

YEEHAA….what a GOOD day today was. Didn’t go out for long and didn’t intend to ride as been a busy morning at home BUT got on Bella and just wanted to go around some of the obstacles near the shelter for some fun….she had some nice energy and trotted nicely over the poles and tarp but then these two things came together…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

She stood with her front feet on the pedestal for a while, I could feel her shifting her weight, putting her front feet further forward and then without me asking she just put her back feet up…you can see by my face that I wasn’t expecting it…so proud of her, she’s so clever. Then  we did the small jump a few times with her doing her very big trot over it nicely and then I decided to go the other way, towards her stopping point for motivation, and put my legs on gently just before the jump and she did her first ridden jump for me 😉 🙂  SO proud of her, she’s amazing and she’s really thinking about what we’re doing together more <3

 

Thurs 6th Aug

SOOOOO very very hot today SO just did grooming, fly spray and then seeing if Bella could put all 4 feet on the pedestal online….well, yes she did….we now have a solid ‘up’ cue word for going on the pedestal 🙂 🙂 yeehaa 😉 🙂

<Bella on pedestal first with Stormy watching and then Stormy on it at liberty with Bella watching > 🙂

 

 

 

 

Fri 7th Aug

Another hot day today but with a small breeze and a chance for a short ride with Bella. She did a lovely canter up the hill again and a raised jump which she flew over 😉

 

Love that they love their shelter.

 

Lovely springy trot today

 

 

 

Lovely strong canter up the hill and a big bold jump afterwards 😉

 

 

 

 

 

Sun 9th Aug

Today, although warm, has a fabulous breeze which makes it a nice day for a ride. Mark/Stormy and me/Bella rode the perimeter of the field fence very nicely. We started off with a lovely loose rein walk then a nice energetic trot around the large fig 8 and finished off with a huge striding canter up the hillock. Last, but by no means least, I asked her to step onto the pedestal and again she amazed me by putting all 4 feet up on it 🙂 WOW 🙂

 

 

Tue 11th Aug

 

Very hot here at the moment so short sweet play sessions…revisited the curtain today, she was sceptical of it last time we played with it but over time I’ve been working on our connection and partnership and this time around she trusted me and didn’t baulk at it at all..so proud of her and how far she’s come in just over a year 😉

 

 

 

She backed up through it nicely and very straight AND also went through it, hard side first, on her own 😉 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we played with some fig 8’s in the meadow area and she decided that trying it at canter would be fun 😉

 

 

 

Very attentive and happy to play…LOVE this pic of us two >

 

 

Sidepassing over the tyres and then fig 8’s with two obstacles really close together.

 

 

It was a fun filled session but really not that long so it didn’t sweat her up or tire her out 😉

 

Stormy showing how it’s done at Liberty 😉 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thurs 13th Aug

 

 

 

Another stonkingly HOT day today….went out to just be with the horses and to connect. Took Bella into the round pen for some grazing and she LOVED all the long grass in there so it became a game of S2M and then she’d walk off, graze and then Draw back to me 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some really lovely draw moments

 

 

 

 

And some lovely wait with me moments too 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She also decided it was time for PLAY…which was lovely to see <3

 

 

 

And her draw back was still great, energetic but great 😉

 

 

 

Then we did a wee bit of ‘pedestal’ play to end a lovely short session and she put all 4 feet up again on it

 

 

 

waited on it while I walked around her too 🙂

 

 

 

 

Fri 14th Aug

Not quite so sunny/hot today but it started to get ‘clammy’ so we got out into the meadow and did some fabulous RtR and Cloverleaf patterns on both reins and mostly in trot before it got unbearable. So proud of her, she has become fitter and lost a bit of weight in the process (bit like me) and she gave a lovely energetic trot for most of the ride. She also did some fab warm up play with this great jump where she decided going into canter before it was the best option 😉 clever girlie 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Shelley-

 

She’s lost weight and is much fitter 😉

 

 

 

 

trot

 

trot

 

trot

 

trot

 

trot

 

waiting patiently for her reward

 

reward time 😉 <3 🙂

 

 

 

 

Sat 15th Aug

“Practise makes Progress”…..today Bella and I practised our RtR w/Cloverleaf patterns in trot in the big meadow. It’s the 1st repeat from yesterday and we are practising it with progress for the next few days we ride together. This will give us the Consistency of Learning so that the pattern comes easier and easier as we do it and Bella gets more confident with the pattern, my cues and our connection.  I will then change the pattern slightly (probably RtR with Fig 8’s) so that we have variety and we start to find more of the partnership I’m looking for when riding…where I can think something, my body adjusts and she adjusts beneath me. To get there this practise creates a solid foundation to work from for later exercises 🙂

 

Riding the Rail in trot is good, her trot is becoming much more consistent

 

 

 

 

Cloverleaf pattern is a series of 4 circles one after the other joined by 4 straight lines through the centre of the pattern. Her trot on circles is really solid now

 

 

 

Clover leaf around my two big round pens and then my two made up circles of 8 batches of tyres and 8 cones 😉

 

 

 

CL

 

 

 

RtR trot

Resting after quite a quick set of patterns >

 

 

<3 Me and the kids <3

 

 

 

Tues 18th Aug

Today was fab…great for riding with a nice breeze and Bella and I cantered up the hillock very well and then cantered for the first time on the flat….boy has she some powerful energy but she listened well to my calm vibe 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thurs 20th Aug

Today was another early morning hack to the house for the farrier visit and then a lovely hack back to the field. Bella was FABuLOUS…lovely soft walk all the way there and back, sometimes following Stormy, sometimes leading but always calm and happy. I really love this big girlie a huge amount, she is just perfect and I’m LOVING being with her, playing with her, grooming her, hanging out with her, riding her and training her but most of all having FUN with HER <3

 

Ridden quiet and calmly up the fields big hill and then walking with me to our mounting block (gateway)

 

 

 

 

Following Stormy nicely and Storm taking a water break

 

 

 

 

Such a lovely morning for a hack out 😉

Waiting patiently for the farrier

 

 

 

 

Happy to wait calmly for Mark to mount Stormy 🙂

Lovely to see Bella’s confidence growing when she takes the lead a few times on the way home today 🙂

 

 

Waiting for Stormy to catch up and then taking the lead again

 

 

 

 

In the lead and then fine with Stormy re-taking the lead

 

 

 

 

Almost side by side on the narrow track above their field and then she took the lead again when Stormy decided it might be his last chance to snatch at some long grass 😉

 

 

 

Last leg and nearly there

 

Lovely view from the track

 

 

 

Field gate in sight and she figured out how to sidle to the gate for me to get off easily…what a great girlie she is <3

 

 

 

Mark and Stormy

 

 

Fri 21st Aug

Raining today but we’ve been asking the horses to come up the big hill in their field for breakfast and dinner SO they’ve been getting regular exercise up and down this. It’s great to have this as it not only keeps them fit, their stream is up here too, but it gives them some fab familiarisation so that it’s easier to ride it, as I did yesterday. Here’s pics from today’s breakfast, calling them up the hill for food and them following me down as I go to poo pick 😉

 

Bella first up for her breakfast today….with Stormy a very close second

 

 

 

 

Breakfast with a fab view…took my own breakfast down and ate it too so it was a lovely picnic with the herd this morning 😉

 

 

 

 

Following me down the hill so some really good exercise this morning 😉

 

 

 

 

 

Sat 22nd Aug

Decided today was a day I thought would be good to start putting more effort in to Bella and my Liberty play. She did very well for the first bit of the session which was lovely. She got a bit confused, or bored, after this so we ended on a good note with 4 feet on the pedestal with the aid of a savvy string over her neck 😉

 

 

 

 

Great job with the pedestal today

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sun 23rd Aug

Went down to the horses around 1pm but they were both snoozing in the shelter, neither Mark or I had the heart to ask them to play/ride today. Instead we gently groomed them to make them feel good, hung out for a bit and then left them to it.

 

Sleepy horses today

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mon 24th Aug

Out today hoping to have some play and maybe a ride around the field BUT we got there and groomed them and it was starting to drizzle…then heavy drizzle…then rain 🙁 🙁 SO, when it slackened off a bit we played with them in the drizzle a bit but no riding today. Mark and Stormy played beautifully at Liberty and Bella and I played in and around the shelter online first and then around the agility arena with just a neck-rope. She did marvellously well, the rope 99% of the time very loose and our connection soft and tangible 😉

 

 

After our play, Bella and I watched Mark and Stormy at Liberty. Horses can learn a lot by watching others so it’s always good to hang together to see what Mark and Storm get up to.

 

 

 

 

Storm was definitely on form today 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drizzle outside…fun playing in and around their shelter…

 

…AND…going back to basic’s working towards better, longer, liberty sessions….going from online play to neck-rope play…

 

 

Sat 29th Aug

Well it’s been 9 days since I last rode Bella although we managed a couple of small play sessions. Today the weather is good riding weather so out to play and ride and what a good play and ride it was 😉 Pics….

PLAY…Spirit with control. Attention with fun. Try with heart…

Sidepass over obstacle

Cantering with balance and relaxation

 

 

 

4 feet on pedestal

Attentive sidepass

 

 

 

Trot and canter through narrow gaps

Knows where her feet and obstacles are

 

 

 

Cantering to a jump, her own idea 😉

Relaxing quicker after energetic exercises now 😉

 

 

 

RIDING….Balanced energy. Controlled power. Relaxed games

 

Weaving through the flag poles

 

 

 

 

 

Bella wasn’t fazed by the flapping flags at all

 

 

 

 

 

Trot fig 8’s around the large round pens

 

 

 

 

 

Trotted the whole way around today without stopping 😉

 

 

 

 

 

She’s got a lovely trot now, free and powerful and her left and right bends are much softer now 😉

 

 

 

AND CANTER…..yeehaa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a wonderfully balanced, powerful canter we had today and we did it up the hillock and then further onto the flat….enormous fun 😉 <3

 

 

 

 

 

Mon 31st Aug

Last day of August already and we’ve already noticed a very Autumnal air for about a week or so up here but out we go to catch up on some play and riding with the horses while it’s not too cold or raining. Lovely catch up on some lovely play with Bella and then a really nice, easy ride around the track system with obstacles along the way.

 

Lovely soft sidepass today, her diagonal legs working beautifully together.

 

 

 

 

Leg yields coming along very nicely too, it’s time to start trying these ridden I think.

 

 

 

 

Great circle transitions with the start of drawing at canter now 😉

 

 

 

 

Fig 8’s with walk, trot and a bit of canter in them….we tried fig 8’s in a few ‘different’ ways, always up for variety on a theme as it shows the connection and communication between us.

Lovely togetherness

 

And some nice riding today too…we went around the whole of the track where all many agility obstacles are laid out now…up and down hillocks, weave around cones, scary narrow gaps with bunting on and some low and high trotting poles.

 

 

Nicely over raised trot poles and between narrow gaps now, she is learning about spaces and how much effort is needed now.

 

 

 

Raised trot poles or small ‘jumps’, she knows the distances and how to tackle them without worry or over excursion 😉

 

 

 

 

 

Getting better with sidepassing but much better going to the right than left still

 

 

 

 

 

Focused on the pole box and trotted over it cleanly no problems. Then we managed to turn in the pole box whilst turning around.

 

 

 

Very clever girl moving so tightly. Then to get a nice canter we went out into the main field and did a fabulous trot fig 8 around the large round pens and a canter back to the track 😉

 

 

 

 

…AND CANTER….

 

• Shelley – HorseSavvy