Sun 2nd March

First ridden flag work this year, great that there was some wind to show off the flag nicely.

We then worked through trotting around the round pens, which we did a few circuits of as I wanted to end the session with her relaxed and not thinking about a canter yeehaa.

Good session finished with relaxation, focus and connection 😉

Thurs 6th

Sunshine, light breeze and mild temperature greeted me this morning…yeehaa…time for another riding session in the morning as the ground is good, (not hard, not soft) 😉

BELLA: What a lovely ride. We started off with RtR around the flat part of the field again in walk (Blue line). It was a good warm up and going up and down the small hills worked her legs nicely

We then went on to doing the large fig 8 in trot (blue line) and then for fun as she has that energy we rode a beautifully calm and controlled canter around the round pens (red line) 😉 🙂 🙂

STORMY:  I wanted to do a bit more than just get his legs working SO I thought of the one thing he worries about regularly which is being ridden up the big hill. He really isn’t worried but he doesn’t do it often and also hates being away from Bella SO…..a good training point to work on I thought 😉

He often gets a bit of the way up the hill then turns sharply and canters down the hill so I wanted to change that behaviour.

First I asked him to connect to me with some pole work in the nearby arena which he did nicely. I then asked him to try to walk up the hill and I noticed that just before he worries and turns to go down the field he just tips his head a bit and that if I stopped, turned his head the other way and faced the hill fence he could stop, relax and start to think again…I also gave him a treat when he relaxed and waited with me 😉

After a few turning his head and waiting by the fence in a nice halt with a treat he decided that it was okay to walk up the hill along the fence line, turn at the gateway, relax, then walk back down the hill. Dearest Bella whinneyed for him when we went out of sight and I called back to her while Stormy was ok knowing she was asking for him. He quietly walked back down the hill and when back with Bella I ended the session. I will try to continue this training (weather permitting) so that he can do the hill without baulking 😉

< Waiting by the fence while tackling the hill ride 😉

Fri 7th

So this morning is sunshine and blue skies with some heat in the sun. Time to get out and continue with the consistency of riding Bella and Stormy.

1) Stormy came over first so I groomed him (huge amounts of fur coming out in his Spring moult) and saddled up to ride.

Being consistent is good but Storm also needs variety. He’s a pretty clever horse and will know exactly what we’ll be doing from where I ride him in the field so I have to slightly outsmart him today. Firstly I do the same ride by going and doing some pole work to get him connected, focused and listening to me.

When we go towards the hill I want to ride he has obviously been thinking all night long on the fact he gets a treat when relaxed facing the fence line and instead of baulking he puts himself on the fence line and won’t move thinking he’ll get the treat. He is just too smart a boy isn’t he 😉 LOL.

So, to change this behaviour, as soon as he puts himself at the fence I carry on his turn and ask for a DHQ thereby pivoting him back to the line of walking up the hill 😉 I only had to do it twice and he decided walking up the hill was the way to go and he did it really nicely. Then when we got through the track fence line gate he assumed to go down the hill on the other side of the fence SO to change that thought before it became a habit I turned him 180* and asked him to walk down the hill the way we came up. He’s just one clever boy and loves using his brain so my job was to allow him the thought that he was smart but to outsmart him so that he thinks I’m clever than him and a good leader 😉

Lovely ride on Storm, quicker, easier with some mind games that worked well for us.

<<< Me and Storm

Storm at the top of the hill ride (doesn’t look much of a hill but believe me it is), nice and calm and looking for Bella >>>

2) Bella came and caught me after I brought Stormy back from his ride so I groomed her and saddled up ready to ride.

We did the walk (blue line) RtR anti-clockwise today which doesn’t seem a big thing but it really can be for a horse. She did it beautifully and we were both calm, focused and connected the whole way around.

We then did a really lovely big trot around the flat field (yellow line) with few corrections which was lovely. When it came to the round pen canter (red line) she was a bit reluctant to canter so I took what she offered and left it on a good note. She could be telling me she’s tired, sore or just not up for it so I have to trust her as I know she’s not a low energy horse.

Always have to listen to what the horse is saying on a second by second moment as being a partner means trusting and having a say…the horse and rider…both sides of the conversation are important and conversations involve 2 or more voices 😉

• Shelley – HorseSavvy.co.uk

Fri 7th Feb

Managed to do a short walk session with Bella this morning….I had my bareback pad, rope bridle and riding hat ready and we enjoyed a nice ride together 😉

Thu 13th

It’s been very cold here recently and I’ve not ridden (or done much at all) with Bella for a week or Stormy for two weeks.

Today it was less chilly and I did their breakfast routine. They both checked in on me often asking for some treats but also some interaction SO I thought it would be a good day to ride them, first Bella, then Stormy 😉

Bella’s ride was with lots of circles, fig 8’s and brain games to give her some mental challenges. She did very well and it was a good ride.

Storm’s ride was more about stretching his legs, asking for some bigger strides with a bit more energy. He did very well and seemed to enjoy the interaction.

I also groomed him and although only February he is moulting…big time. I came back home covered in white hair!! LOL

I’d also forgotten his bridle (at home having just been cleaned) so I used Bella’s burgundy one…that now is also covered in white hair. lol. lol 😉

S&B eating their hay this morning 😉

Weds 19th

Just managed a short ride on Bella this morning with a bareback pad and rope bridle. Always nice to have a wee ride, it brings the smile back to my face after days of being cooped up in the house during winter.

You can see the snow cloud coming in on this pic…..

Sat 22nd 

Lots of on/off snow then on/off drizzle and also a day of torrential rain so not much opportunity to get out and ride

Recently I got a long ‘stockman’s’ coat which is great when riding in the rain as it can keep all of me, right down to my boots, and also the saddle dry. I don’t often ride in the rain, much more of a fair weather rider nowadays BUT this coat can be very useful for days which have on/off showers…like today. I’ve not ridden Bella with a long coat, they can flap about, be weird to see from her point of view too as they’re long down my legs….this is why I do flag and riding with a flag work 😉 SO, today was a good day to take this flag familiarisation into ‘coat familiarisation’.

Started with the coat tied on her saddle and proceeded with some walk circles around me. I then opened up the coat so it went over the saddle and her rump and did the same circling exercises in walk and then in trot.

I then took the familiarisation to riding her in the coat. I made sure the leg straps were on, this helps stop the coat from flapping as it was a bit windy. We did walk and then some trot work too and she did really well. It did drizzle a bit so was really glad I was wearing the coat.

When I dismounted I placed the coat back onto the saddle to save it getting wet 😉 🙂 🙂  Mission accomplished 😉 🙂 🙂

Mon 24th

Today, again, we have on/off showers and with the ground so wet from yesterday I knew it wasn’t going to be a riding day BUT as I was cleaning the field this morning Bella kept coming up and wanting to interact with me…SO….I did. We did a wee bareback/bridleless session 😉

Lovely S&B eating breakfast with Rainbow 🙂

< Beautifully sidled up to the quad bike for me 😉

Neck rope in place ready to mount and ride >

Thu 27th

Well…the sun is shining today, blue skies AND Mark came and rode with me for the first time this year 😉 🙂 🙂 What a lovely day 🙂 🙂 🙂

Nice energetic walk. She had a ‘Spring is here’ yeehaa moment. Both S&B were playing this morning too, kicking up their heels and racing about 😉 love to see their energy.

Energetic big trot today. She was feeding off Storm’s energy but listened to me which was great.

Energy and focus by the end 😉 It’s so different riding with another horse/human than on our own. Storm really REALLY enjoyed having Mark riding him again 🙂

Showing off with all 4 feet on the pedestal 😉 So easy to see how much Stormy loves Mark riding him 😉

Sidepassing is Stormy’s favourite thing (after eating and rolling). Lovely day weather wise and riding wise 🙂 🙂

Fri 28th

Well, today is Mark and my 28th wedding anniversary and dinner out tonight will be a lovely treat.

This morning I do the horses and ride Bella in some cold sunshine and blue skies 😉 What a pleasure to be owned by two of the most fabulous horses 😉

Just walk, as the ground is hard with frost from the night, and also hard so could be slippery. Walk is good and the game we played today is RtR (Ride the Rail) or today I called it ‘checking the fences’.

This is a great game as it helps with many things such as:

1. Allowing Bella to find the straight line as we go around….replacing her her when she comes off but allowing the mistake so she can learn more about straightness in her mind and body.

2. It allows me to have a good focus and not micromanage the reins.

3. This focus allows me to not worry about where we go, it’s just following any fence without a thought.

4. We start to partner up where we are going.

5. We actually check the fences and I get to know where mending is necessary.

6. Having a ‘job’ to do gives us a purpose, a focus, a plan and goal 😉 This helps to not just wander about where Bella may wonder what’s the point or get bored.

Bella and her shadow for company this morning is pure pleasure. I am blessed 😉

• Shelley – HorseSavvy.co.uk

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE 

Thu 2nd

Today is very windy and around -4* but as it’s dry and bits of blue sky I decide to go out and keep my horses riding connection going until we can do more when better weather comes.

Note my fleece cover for my riding hat, warm and with a fab neck piece that keeps my neck and ears warm, great investment bought last year.

First I rode Stormy. He did some great patterns and decided to do some trot too which was lovely.

It was darn cold but it was great being with S&B this afternoon 😉

Bella was a bit ‘antsy’ to start with while saddling up as the snow clouds came overhead with a bit of a flurry coming down but I’m glad I didn’t stop as it stopped quickly and while we worked on some very consistent patterns going into some variety she settled down to the job quickly and it was a nice ride.

I created today’s patterns as I have 8 cones put out in the field, 4 down one side then a big gap and 4 more to make up a rectangle

Sat 4th

Breakfast in the big field, bringing them home today so might as well do it after breakfast

We have a weather warning for rain/snow over Sun/Mon so better be here at home.

I kept their rugs on as it was very cold and they will need them on the journey but also they will be nicely warm when they reach their destination rather than take them off and they and rugs get cold then put them back on ;(

They walked beautifully in tandem…when Bella was younger she used to follow, now Stormy is older it’s him that follows 😉

Went through Highland cow field no bother, both S&B and the cows are used to us moving about over the years as think they are the same cows that are put in this field every winter 😉

I hung onto their rugs as it helped me to keep up with them while walking up the hillock.

S&B back at the home paddocks.

It was a lovely walk with these big two beautiful beasties <3

Mon 13th

Glad they’re now back in the big field where they can stretch their legs and enjoy moving about more (maybe even get to have a play and ride soon too) 🙂 

Thu 16th

Wow…it’s been 2 weeks since riding.

Sunshine and a wee bit of warmth finds me outside with Ms Bella 😉

Start off with some play to make sure she’s connected, calm and happy to be ridden.

Then onto some nice riding.
Starting in walk first we do some straight lines and then curves, making sure we have both.

She was on good form with some nice walk and trot Point 2 Points (P2P’s)

And offered some really nice trot P2P’s too 🙂

In these 4 pics you can see she was exercising well, using her hindquarters for power which in turn pushes her back up to support me which then also brings her neck up and her head in….we call this natural collection.

When she does this she is working very efficiently, muscles supporting her as an athlete and shows she is fit and healthy. I’m hoping this she has figured out this is a good way to be ridden so will do it more and more as we work on fitness this year 😉

She’s just gorgeous, inside and out 😉

Fri 17th

Today Mark trimmed Bella’s hooves in the morning so I went down at the same time to do the poo picking of the field and to take advantage of a nice day and give Stormy some exercise.

He did really well and it was lovely to reconnect with him riding.

Sat 18th

Gave Mark a lie in this morning so walked Beau first thing and fed him his breakfast and then went and fed S&B their breakfast, quick groom and then cleaned the field 😉

Was lovely being with them while the sun rose in the sky.

Mon 20th

While down in the field giving S&B breakfast and while poo picking the field dear Bella followed me around the field a lot so I jumped on her bareback and had a short, but lovely, ride 😉

Wed 22nd

A lovely walk ride on Bella this afternoon

The ‘clover leaf’ pattern shown on the map was done as diagonal fig 8’s

Just lovely to connect with her during the Winter 😉

Sun 26th

Sunrise this morning with S&B after the big storm (no damage here thank goodness).

They followed me about the field while I poo picked and cleared the water troughs of ice.

They were both in good spirits and trotted with me on the quad bike up the hill.

Thu 30th

Nearly the end of January, still a couple of months of ‘winter’ to go but so far managing to get out now and then to do a nice walk-ride with Bella or Stormy. It keeps them ticking over and stretching gently over the cold months, same for me too 🙂 Today it was another walk-ride with Bella.

Lovely sunshine really does make a big difference to being outside at the moment as although it was chilly it didn’t seem so bad this morning.

The map pic shows we did some nice ‘dressage’ patterns on the left top of pic in my ‘arena’ and on the right side we did some fig 8 type patterns over poles with the poles as a square in the centre and a pole at each diagonal away from the square centre 😉

• Shelley – HorseSavvy.co.uk