Bella – The start of our journey 2019-2022

Thurs 1st

Have had my brother, Paul, and nephew, Alex, up for 10 days holiday so have been doing things with them. Today is their last day with us before going home tomorrow so it was horsey-time today 😉

 

Paul did really well as hasn’t done a lot of riding and none recently 😉 Stormy was grabbing for grass but Paul managed a decent bit of riding including a wee impromptu trot 😉

 

 

Bella (and me) were quite distracted with Paul and Alex in the field and Mark taking Stormy behind the shelter, which worries Bella sometimes when she can’t see where he is BUT we managed in the end to connect a bit.

 

 

Alex has passed his Level 1 Parelli years ago but he slowly started to remember it all and it was lovely to see his balance and cues come back in 😉

 

 

 

Bella happier nearer to Stormy and gave me some nice connected riding 😉

 

 

 

 

Ended well on a good note and I must try my best to get back to daily riding…after trimming her hooves 😉

 

 

 

Weds 7th

Another few days has passed by, heavy rain making it impossible to do much apart from trimming Bella’s hooves the other day in the shelter. So today’s gap in rainfall got Mark and I out and on a short, lovely hack out to the house and back…YEEHAAA 🙂 🙂

 

< Up above the field and ready to hack out

 

Lovely grass to walk on and snatch at too >

 

 

 

< Breeze and a wee bit of sunshine…perfect

 

Following Stormy >

 

 

 

< Grabbed for the heather, they love it this time of year as well as thistles and rosebay willow herb

Home for a wee rest >

 

 

 

< Half an apple each then back on the track

Walking for home nicely >

 

 

 

< Bella such a lovely hacking horse

 

Follows Stormy but takes the lead sometimes too >

 

 

 

< Loves walking on the grass not just because it’s softer under barefeet but also because they can snatch at bits as they walk along 😉

Nearly home, a lovely wee ride out

 

 

 

< Last bit of track above the field

 

Bella enjoying the view from the top of her field >

 

 

There were a few gates to open along the track today so it was a FAB opportunity to check and practise our sidling to be mounted from gates, stones and anything else we could find 😉 🙂

 

Bella stands perfectly still for mounting from the left or right AND waits once I’m on until I ask her to walk on 😉 perfect manners 😉

 

 

 

 

Another gate and another perfect partner waiting for me to get on the gate to get on her 😉

 

 

 

Mark and Stormy showing they too are perfect partners with the mounting game 😉

 

 

 

 

 

Got on Bella from a large stone on the side of the track 😉

Stormy waiting for Mark to climb the gate

 

 

 

Mark on the gate and Stormy sidles over to get into the perfect position…..he moved from Mark being on his right to Mark being on his left…this side is easier for Mark to get on from

 

 

 

Another fab mounting stone we use and Stormy showing how to stand still for dad while he gets on and then asked gently to walk on 😉

 

 

 

Fri 16th

Well I was away last weekend and then the weather has been really windy so managed to do a short play with Bella but today I decided to film some Agility. I put together the course I put to students in Aberdeenshire last month…here is how Bella & I did…

I scored it at 84%, could do better but I’m SO proud of how well she did in really strong wind and with very little practise. I’ve only had her 3yrs and she’s 13yrs old now….truly blessed with her progress <3

Mark also did some Liberty work with Stormy…here’s the 10 obstacles we did…

 

Halter sitting down

Pick up all 4 feet

 

 

 

Through then backup a ‘Z’ bend

Jump

 

 

 

 

Familiarisation with a ball

Sidle up to mounting block on left

 

 

 

 

Sidle up to mounting block on right

Fig 8’s

 

 

 

 

Sidepass over obstacle, both ways

Over bottle bank

 

 

 

Familiarise with syringe and ‘apple sauce’ for preparation for worming 😉

 

 

 

 

 

Sun 18th

Today I changed the agility course to one I used in an Ayrshire Clinic and then decided to try it out with Bella 😉 I gave her 92% so very chuffed 😉

 

Mark then did it with Stormy at Liberty…and very well they did too 🙂

 

1. Jump

 

2. Under curtain

 

 

 

3. Walk between narrow poles, halt then backup

4. Foot in hulahoop

 

 

 

5. Walk through scary lane

6. Walk through ‘S’ bend

 

 

 

 

7. Walk/halt/walk on tarp

8. Weave

 

 

 

 

9. Walk over noisy plastic bottles

10. Familiarise with Umbrella

 

 

 

 

We then had a lovely ride in the field…Mark and Stormy had a wee Yeehaa and Bella and I got re-connected riding after 10 days out of the saddle 😉

 

 

 

Mon 19th

Just a nice ploddy ride on Bella today in the company of Mark and Stormy 😉 Much better connection today, each day gets easier, better, more communication and balance. She has been trying to offer up more canter in our rides and today she offered it up going around the round pens…so a FIRST for her with a quarter of a circle canter…we’ll build on this great start to cantering circles/curves 😉 So proud of her, she’s such a bright star <3

 

Nice start with some big trot

 

 

 

 

 

Circle canter beginnings 😉 🙂 if she’s willing to offer this then she must be feeling much more balanced…felt really good too 😉

 

 

 

Tues 20th

 

Nice ride on Bella this afternoon.

Worked on consistent trotting using Serpentines across the whole field.

She did very well but needs more work on fitness. We have probably 3 months before Winter sets in so we’ll do our best to work on this consistency 😉

 

Enjoyed our ride and she offered more canter which I took. The serpentines consist of straight lines and curves so it was a good test of balance, consistency, lightness and fitness….we did very well but can do better 😉

 

 

 

Weds 21st

 

Nice trot serpentine continuation with Bella this morning.

Her willingness to canter was getting slightly in the way and I think I need to let her do the canter, get it out of her system so that we can find our nice big trot again.

At one point that big first canter step of hers was continued going around a curve to the left and I swear it felt like she was doing a canter pirouette! LOL LOL

Unfortunately this move tweaked my already weak back and I’m now taking some time out resting on the sofa with plenty of tv to keep me amused! 🙁 I have an Agility Clinic in Aberdeenshire on the weekend so hoping I can drive to that ok…..Fri: not quite so bad today, still tweaks a bit of a sharp pain when in wrong position but if I keep centred and upright as much as possible I should be able to drive tomorrow and put the course together for some Agility fun 😉

 

Tues 27th

Not been with horses since back was hurt and last weekend I was doing an Agility Clinic in Aberdeenshire so not actually been with herd for 5 days SO, yesterday evening when I went to feed them they were having a bit of a yeehaa around me, the wind might have had something to do with it too BUT they wanted to run off when I started the quad bike too and were kicking up their heels a bit. I spent some time using +R to get them to stand still near the bike, with me sitting on the bike and then sitting on the bike with it on 😉 I think that they were very pleased to have the 4th herd member back <3

 

Yesterdays sunshine in the late afternoon

Bella excited running towards me!

 

 

 

 

Today happily relaxed, happy to liberty play with me and then grooming each other before going off together to eat some nettles 😉

 

 

 

Weds 28th

Weather is not bad, the horses defo want to play SO we went down and played around with an agility task that has been stumping a few of my students…’place a foot’ onto or up onto something 😉

and Mark did it all with Stormy at Liberty afterwards too. Obstacles were: Cardboard, carpet, plastic lid, bucket, hulahoop, tyre, brick, wood block, medium and then large pedestals 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thurs 29th

Well it’s been about a week since riding Bella (when I tweaked a back muscle and was in a bit of pain over the weekend away training) but it was such LOVELY weather for a ride out….nice and cool, no flies and dry 😉 I was a bit worried that my back would hurt but it was very good the whole ride, walk, trot & canter 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back in the field. What a fabulous wee ride that was, great paces, my back didn’t hurt and Bella was a star as always 😉

 

 

 

 

• Shelley – HorseSavvy

 

Mon 1st

Beginning of August and keeping to the morning routine of feed, groom, play, ride 🙂 Bella is happy to continue getting fit and is striding out more and more with our P2P’s and fig 8’s 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tues 2nd – Sat 5th

These 4 days went really well with early morning play and riding. Bella’s play was more calm and consistent and no yeehaa’s and her riding is getting very consistent. Her trot can be slow and sittable and also BIG and needing me to rise 😉 She is also offering canter more and more and I take what she offers and she keeps offering so that’s fabulous 😉 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also did some familiarisation with Bella’s new flymask. She was unsure she was able to eat with it on so I haltered her up and walked her around the large paddock which has tons of long grass in it, I sought out some small bits of ragwort to pick so as not to make a big fuss about her not eating and by the time we walked around the field she realised she could still eat and be happy 😉

 

Sat 6th

Today, for a change, I go down and feed S&B but then tack both Storm and Bella up, put my riding hat on and then ride Stormy bareback home whilst leading Bella 😉 Once home we pick up Mark, I put Bella’s headcollar/bridle on (over her flymask) and we go for a lovely hack out before breakfast 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a lovely way to start the day, Me & Bella with Mark & Stormy out having a lovely hack. It did start to rain a bit and we ended up a bit wet BUT there were NO FLIES and it was cool 🙂 🙂

 

 

 

 

Thu 11th

SO very HOT HOT HOT here at the moment and getting up early is the only way to get a bit of a ride in. Today we just managed it but only just…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

<3

 

 

 

 

 

Sat 13th

Woke up early to a fabulously cool, misty morning. Out for a wee ride on Bella and gave Stormy free range to the long grass 😉 Really enjoyable ride…

 

Breakfast in the mist

All tacked up and ready to rock and roll

 

 

 

 

Fab, cool ride this morning 😉

Reward for Bella to graze with big Stormy for a while after our ride <3

 

 

 

Tues 16th

Mark is the bestest hubby ever. He went to feed the horses this morning, a bit drizzly but dried up while he was down there. He then tacked up Storm and Bella and brought them back to the house so that I could ride Bella today <3 how cool is he, bestest surprise <3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thurs 25th

 

Been 5 days since riding Ms Bella but back in the saddle today for a lovely wee ride. Nice walk, great trot and was lovely to get some smooth canter and a wee jump too 😉 Did some nice new exercises: around round pen, do some small neat circles off at regular intervals between some leg yielding off the pen and back. Worked out really well and Bella was soft and light doing both the circles and leg yielding 😉

 

 

Stormy out on the long grass for a short grazing session too…happy Mr Big 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sun 28th

Out very early this morning, giving Mark a well deserved lie in. Fed horses, rode Bella & did the poo picking before going home for breakfast 😉

 

Stormy enjoying some long grass while I ride Bella.

Circles around round pen. One handed small circles outwith and also leg yields 😉 Very smooth and light today 😉

 

 

4 jump wings as an ‘X box’ to work towards trotting clover leaf.

After my ride I get Bella close enough to Stormy, bring his head up with a call and then put the rope around his neck, tie it off and then ride Bella, lead Stormy back to the track 😉

 

Ground tied both while I sort out the gateway.

 

‘More treats mom’…before I go 😉

 

 

 

 

 

• Shelley – HorseSavvy

 

 

Fri 1st

Bella had her physio therapist Emily up today to give her a full body work. She found quite a lot of tightness in her right side sacral-iliac (hip) and she was quite sore there. She gave her some work on both hips, back, back legs, neck and head. Now she will have a couple of days off as she will be sore and then I can slowly and gently start her fitness work again. This will involve in-hand walk work for first week with some gentle agility involving backup and sidepass. 2nd week will be more walk work building up to walk/passenger lesson ridden but mostly I just have to take her at her own speed and she’ll let me know when she’s ready to be ridden more and go into trot and finally back into canter 😉

 

Mon 4th

So, it’s been 2 days since Bella had her therapy and now it’s time to start to have some interaction. Today we did some brain work…not a lot of action BUT these games really work on helping to re-connect after a break from riding. I gently ask a question and then Bella tries something and asks me whether that’s good. I always say ‘good girl’ but if I wanted something else I’d add ‘can you try something else?’. Today the questions were few as she ‘got’ what I was asking straight away, with all of them 😉

2 front feet in hula hoop / 2 back feet in hula hoop / 2 front feet over pole / right front over pole / left front over pole / back right over pole / back left over pole / right front and right back sidle over pole 😉 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She also did the calmest, slowest, nice walk circle left and then right and we walked up a stretch of the field just mirroring each other…..forward/halt/left/right/backup 🙂 F.A.B 😉

 

 

 

Tues 5th

2nd day of getting back to ‘work’ for Bella. Another round of S2M in walk doing nice rounded turns but also we did some large circles in walk plus some of the stuff we did yesterday with a twist SO circle in walk halting at the pole or hulahoop. Circle with a stop by the pole and sidepass together over it etc.  These sorts of things keep Bella’s brain exercised and we get so connected doing them 😉

 

Weds 6th

Trimmed all 4 of Bella’s hooves today and she was much easier to do her back hooves today. Last time she was a bit sore and I had to put her back legs down regularly and swap from one to the other to give her a break. Today she could hold her legs up for longer and not need so many breaks so she’s definitely feeling better in her hip area 😉

 

Thurs 7th

Very hot today but went down to see Bella, groomed her, fly sprayed her and then when a nice breeze came up and the sun went in for a spell I rode her bareback in a lovely nice walk. Her gait was big, rhythmic and very balanced, felt lovely 😉 Only did a bit but the start of more ridden work to rebuild our flexibility and fitness 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tues 12th

Today I got up early to feed the horses and poo pick the field. There was a lovely breeze in the air and there were no flies SO I also managed a nice, short-ish ride on Bella before the clegs started biting again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just a lovely big walk and a really lovely soft trot in a smallish arena area today. Nothing big as we need to just start fittening up again when we can. If the weather is cool with no flies then we can do it otherwise we’ll just have to wait 😉

 

 

 

 

Weds 13th

Another breezy, coolish day SO I ride Bella with Mark and Stormy too. Stormy just wanted to put his head down in the long grass but we all got a nice bit of riding in before Mark took Stormy back to the track. Bella wanted to be with Stormy so I did a wee bit of riding on the track in front of the arena. I was just asking for basic soft turns but she was quite braced especially going to the right so I just kept going in big fig 8’s trying to find relaxation, softness and flexibility and stopped when she got a good right turn. I played about with either putting weight onto my outside stirrup or my inside one to help get out of her way and for her to ‘find’ her curve both ways 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thurs 14th

A bright but cloudy day here with a nice breeze (most of the time). Mark and I take Bella and Stormy out for a short hack to the house and back. It’s the first time they’ve been out on this track since the land owner did some repair work making it a bit flatter but it also brought up a lot of stones. They both did very well but they definitely missed the green verge that got trashed in the repair work. Unfortunately when the sun came out and the breeze dropped we were inundated with flies and a lot of clegs (horseflies0, Stormy seems to handle them okay but poor Bella was driven a wee bit crazy and was jogging along the track, thrashing her head about and swishing her tail to get them off. I did my best to swat them off her and keep riding. We got some nice trot and a wee bit of canter so I’m not so worried about fittening her up, she moves fine when she wants to 🙂 lol.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lovely to hack out again on beautiful Bella…will hopefully invest in a zebra coloured riding fly rug and mask to make her, and my riding life, nicer 🙂

 

 

 

 

Fri 22nd

We’ve been having quite a lot of very very VERY HOT days here. The flies are pretty bad too, not just black flies but horseflies (clegs) which bite the horses and me!! So I’ve been just hanging out with them when I can, grooming and putting tons of fly spray on them and not much else. Today though we have slightly cooler weather with a nice breeze and although Ms Bella still doesn’t want to come out of the shelter (she does get bitten by clegs much more than Stormy) I decide to take Mr Stormy out into the long grass field for a wee ride.

Now we didn’t do much BUT we played the ‘ridden grazing game’ where we ride to a point, back up 4-6 steps, wait 4-6 seconds then he gets to graze a couple of mouthfuls of grass and then onto the next point and this works exceedingly well. Soon enough knowing the game we can ride on a loose rein. He also gives me a small bit of canter and then we go back onto the track for a double strength mint as a thank you 😉 He’s such a sweet horse, love him to bits <3

 

Morning snooze with the weather being cooler 😉

Start riding Stormy

 

 

 

Bella hiding out in the shelter

 

Storm and I having a nice wee ride

 

 

 

Grazing game working well with P2P’s

 

Nice canter up the hillock

 

 

 

Another nice canter up the hillock…he’s a wee prancing pony 😉

Grazing game working well, no grabbing for grass as he knows I’ll allow him on my cue

 

 

Treat instead of grazing for some variety

Nice loose rein trot

 

 

 

 

Love our big boy, he is so kind, generous and sweet natured <3

 

 

 

 

 

Sun 24th

A lovely play with Bella, she offered a lot of interesting stuff, checking in with me often to where we were having some nice conversations about obstacles 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then Stormy came over for a bit of a 2 horse play session….

 

 

 

 

 

 

….and then I had a lovely wee bareback ride on Bella….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fri 29th

 

A nice ride but Bella was a bit ‘fresh’

 

 

 

 

 

Need to rethink riding as sporadic riding is not good for consistency

 

 

 

 

Sat 30th

New regime from today….early morning feed time I get to play with Bella, see how she’s feeling. A few bits of yeehaa today BUT after her play we had a lovely ride in my ‘arena’ area 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sat 31st

Another early morning play and ride. This routine seems to be working nicely, cool weather, no flies and we get to play first and then ride some nice arena patterns. We only do about 20 mins but it’s going really well 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Shelley – HorseSavvy