{"id":9795,"date":"2023-10-01T12:26:16","date_gmt":"2023-10-01T12:26:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/horsesavvy.co.uk\/?p=9795"},"modified":"2023-11-02T12:40:28","modified_gmt":"2023-11-02T12:40:28","slug":"bella-stormy-october-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/horsesavvy.co.uk\/index.php\/2023\/10\/01\/bella-stormy-october-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Bella & Stormy – October 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sun 1st<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Hanging out with Stormy waiting for the rain to pass. Thank goodness for familiarisation with umbrella’s over the years as it kept us both dry today…and my jacket over the saddle helped too \ud83d\ude42 \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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Lovely ride with Stormy today…just worked on straight lines and curves through serpentines across the field \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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Really pleased today that Bella was calm and happy to be in the big field area (where she was spooking over the last 4 days).<\/p>\n

After some nice calm horse play she was ready to ride and happy to be ridden today \ud83d\ude09 \ud83d\ude42 phew \ud83d\ude09 \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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Calm, attentive, lovely forward walk. Calm, attentive, lovely bouncy trot and to finish on a lovely, calm, balanced canter \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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In-hand grazing after work is always a welcome reward for S&B \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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Tues 3rd<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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SO…..nice autumnal weather of cool breeze and time to get out with Bella for a wee ride \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

Found my Equilab app working again today (YEEHAA) \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

As seen on map I did a LOT of circles, fig 8’s and weaves today, working on the important straight lines and curves\/turns \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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FIRST TODAY: trying out some shoulder-in (a dressage move) that helps with flexibility and balance.<\/p>\n

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Some FABULOUS one handed sidepassing over the pole….so light and easy today.<\/p>\n

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Serpentines through obstacles with a BIG trot which was lovely to ride.<\/p>\n

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Leg yields through a weave pattern. Leg yields are a sideways move while still going forward \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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AND then some really lovely calm canter \ud83d\ude09 \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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\u00a0Big smiles for me and big treat rewards for Bella \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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Fri 6th<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Not a bad day weather wise and with 2 days of heavy rain forecast for the weekend Mark and I decided that a play day was in order before we’re home bound SO that’s exactly what we did. I’d already wet up an agility course but for today we played ‘challenges’. This is where one of us does a task on one obstacle then challenges the other to use the same obstacle but to do a different challenge. It motivates us and also gets our imaginations working \ud83d\ude42 Pics are first of me and Bella, then Mark and Stormy \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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  1. sidle over pole, then back up off it<\/li>\n
  2. \u00a0Back up under arch, then draw back<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    3. Jump, change of direction, jump again<\/p>\n

    4. Fig 8 around tyres<\/p>\n

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    5. Front feet in hula hoop and turn hindquarters a full 360*<\/p>\n

    6. Fig 8 under and around curtain<\/p>\n

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    7. Walk into bunting lane, halt and back up out then trot through it<\/p>\n

    8a. Through narrow lane, turn hq’s, move fh to fence……<\/p>\n

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    8b. …sidepass along fence<\/p>\n

    8c….repeat 8a&b other way \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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    8d…also sidepass<\/p>\n

    9. Touch flag from distance<\/p>\n

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    10. Familiarisation all over with flag \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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    Doesn’t Bella look quite pleased with herself \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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    AND…now Mark and Stormy…<\/p>\n

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    1. Sidepass around pole<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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      2. Fig 8 under and around archway<\/p>\n

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      3. Jump then back up to pole<\/p>\n

      4. Fig 8 around tyres (the only one we did the same task)<\/p>\n

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      5. Backup under curtain then draw towards<\/p>\n

      6. Walk into bunting lane then back up out of it<\/p>\n

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      7. Flag familiarisation while backing up through narrow gap \ud83d\ude09 \ud83d\ude42 \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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      Fri 13th<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

      SO…it’s been a week since getting out and about with S&B because I have had a painful right shoulder. Not sure what I did, probably all the wood splitting and stacking we’ve been doing for our Winter stock. Whatever it was it’s been painful so I gave myself some needed ‘box rest’ and bought a shoulder support brace, which has been helping.<\/p>\n

      We managed to get out today, before I went completely stir crazy or having too much equine-withdrawal symptoms! LOL. Was going to sit and plod around on Bella or Stormy but the wind was blowing a hoolie and the estate gamekeeper was out again shooting (something) \ud83d\ude41 so they were a bit on their toes and we thought it safer to not ride but to give them both good grooms and have a wee play. Here are some pics from the play sessions.<\/p>\n

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      Sat 14th<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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      Fun to get out with S&B today…..although pretty darn cold and WINDY…..brugggghhhh<\/p>\n

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      Mark and Stormy just plodded about, at least it kept Mark’s butt warm \ud83d\ude42 lol<\/p>\n

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      Following each other gives them the motivation to go faster<\/p>\n

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      Bella was in top good form today, she looked after me as I still have my shoulder brace on today \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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      Really lovely soft, light turns in the trotting weave \ud83d\ude09 \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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      Jumping nicely with a very smooth depart away from it<\/p>\n

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      Using the agility obstacles for transitions (walk, backup, trot through) and motivation to get to the next one<\/p>\n

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      Big arena fig 8’s….not as circular as I’d like but she was wiling and light \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

      I got off in the middle of the arena as she did such a good job and after so many days off I’m grateful she comes back into work so nicely for me <3<\/p>\n

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      Mark and the handsome Mr Stormy \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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      Sun 15th<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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      SO…..today….going to ride again to get back into the swing of things \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

      Nothing too serious but start off with some ground work to make sure we’re connected
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      Mr Stormy doing his thing….he wanted to get Mark’s attention and did so with his liberty pedestal fun…look at that ‘give me a treat dad’ stare \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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      We rode a lovely warm up and went straight into CANTER FIG 8’s<\/p>\n

      Here we are going around a round pen to the left with a fabulously correct left lead \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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      AND then going around the 2nd round pen to the right….<\/p>\n

      with the correct right lead \ud83d\ude09 \ud83d\ude42 \ud83d\ude42 yeehaaa \ud83d\ude09 \ud83d\ude42 \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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      Doing some fun trotting DHQ (hindquarter turn) fig 8’s…this is where we do a fig 8 pattern
      \nbut instead of doing big circles we go to the obstacle, do a quick hindquarter yield
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      \nswing out making the turn tight and then we go straight into trot and forward to the
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      To finish we did two beautiful jumps….notice that the jump pole is now ONE slot HIGHER!!<\/p>\n

      Bella didn’t really jump much higher than she does when it’s one slot lower BUT it looked so much
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      Did this play session before riding too…<\/p>\n

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      ‘Light Connection’<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      This online\/liberty session shows the progress Bella and I have after 4yrs of training. You can see our connected draw, drive, hindquarter and forehand yields, transitions and shows the understanding Bella has of the energy I’m putting out and how she responds accordingly \"\ud83d\ude42\"<\/span> Love this big girlie, she’s very special \"\u2764\"<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      Bella has become so light to my body\/energy\/voice cues and its what I am always aiming for as we progress with training.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n