Dude!

So this week was all about taking Ted out on Friday to gauge his reaction to going to parties! We had a good prep, he had Thurs off as the yard went to Blenheim. Really good day out for me, a nightmare for Mandy, Tilly and Lucy as Dolly had an accident in the lorry which meant she wcouldn't come and Lucy lost her ride and it took them over 5 hours to get to Blenheim and then Tilly had a run out and a fence :( Boysie also thought running round the lorry park after snapping his headcollar was a good idea too :( I felt so sorry for them all, talk about the worst luck...then Boysie's leg blew up from a cut and needed jabbing! Saw Wayne which was great, he was on good form and up for his Blenheim experience. Tried to see Claire but sadly didn't.

Fri morning I took Ted out for a hack and was trying to talk myself out of going, but Jackie was having none of it and as she had already cooked tea for her family and was uber prepared I thought it would be rude not to go!

As soon as we got him on the trailer he started creating, so we set off immediately. Got to the venue and he started to call and paw, etc., Jackie asked if I wanted her to stay with him whilst I declared but I said no, he had to learn. Walked the distance of the triple and realised it was incredibly short *sigh* so was ready for us to have a prob there, but the course was fine. There was a tiny, narrow starburst fence, a wall, various fillers and some planks, so a good aray of tests. So off we went to the sec tent and when we got back the bugger's head was over the front ramp (we had opened the top so he could see). Now, I know he is over 17hh, but he isn't a giraffe, so seeing he was tied up on the driver's side we realised something was amiss!!! He had managed to dismantle the split breast bar and was wedged in front of the partition calling to all and sundry, not at all bothered! With a little heaving and ho-ing we managed to move the partition and got him out...he was now 19hh LOL!

I was very pleased that we travelled him tacked up as, quite frankly, I am not altogether sure we would have got the bridle on without losing him! I jumped up on the wheel arch to get on, uh uh, he wouldn't come near, so a leg up was in order....envisage a Laurel and Hardy comedy sketch and you are close to what ensued!!! I really thought I was coming off over his offside shoulder, but managed to hoist myself on without losing TOO much dignity!

Hacked over to the fields, on a time bomb. Seriously, this horse should not get so worked up about shows, but no, he was acting like a 4 year old on speed. I couldn't get him near the collecting ring, nearly took out various ponies and pedestrians, so took him away from the others and walked him around - he called and called and behaved like a tool, but all was OK. Jamie arrived with the boys and as they came running towards me I had to back them off as I didn't trust them not to get trodden under foot!



Eventually managed to get in the collecting ring, popped a couple of fences and then chilled him out again and went in. Well, as soon as he was in the arena his work head kicked in and he was super :-D Cantered into the first, next was the dreaded skinny, which he looked at but trusted me, round to and upright, then another, all good, then round to the spread, I trotted into this as 4 stride after was the short triple, jumped in a bit big but managed to adjust to go clear through, round to the wall, over the planks...clear and straight into the jump off and I pushed for it at the end as there was a long stretch to the last. Was very happy with him and as soon as we came out he was like a donkey and just chilled out and stood happily, dozy horse!
















Yes, you may laugh heartily at the pathetic size of the fences :-D

6 of us got called into the prize giving in no particular order and they started handing out rosettes...6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd...I was getting excited, 2nd....I HAD WON! Awww I know it was only tiddly jumping but I was so pleased!!! I did feel slightly sorry for the 2 kids on ponies for, ohhhh, a nanosecond, and then I was just happy!



Was first into the next class, but we rolled a pole, not that I was bothered, I had achieved what I had wanted for the day and it was 7pm and wine was in order!

Good night on Friday night with the yard girls for Jackie's birthday - wine and chinese, then I felt ill, over-indulging on MSG is NOT a good idea for me!

Saturday I went to Blenheim again, and saw Jo Gunning, now Williams! We had a REALLY great time together, it was just how it used to be and I am so glad we have found each other again! Her OH and her girls are all really lovely people, and she has a beautiful doggie too! Saw George and admired her ring :D Went to see Vix as she was stewarding the SJ and saw Wayne and Cat and Henry and gorgeous Acorn AKA Arthur - so a really, fabby day in all!

Today was schooling hack and a chill out - nice :D

Oh dear

THREE MONTHS!!!!!! That's school holidays for you, complete Blog meltdown.

So what has been up...it is all rather hazy if I am honest. So let's just go with the proviso that everything is cool and dandy, I have not missed 3 months of updates and just go straight to now :D

After a weekend away with the in-laws I rode Ted today after his short 3 day holiday. I haven't schooled him in the school all summer as I have been having far too much fun hacking, stubble field galloping, jumping and messing about, so I think it is fair to say that I had a little trepidation regarding the road issue.

Well it appears that the Coligone and the fact we have truly bonded means we can face anything now! We trotted at high speed down the lane, a few flicky whip swishes in his general direction, but all good. He still held his breath, but hey, no one can be perfect. Went in the school for 10 mins, pretended to school, then went to the jump field. Popped him round everything superbly. This was the first time I have done a course of SJs on grass with him, we need to prepare as we are competing at The BC on Friday! He tanked off a bit after the fences, so think I will whack the Universal back in for comp riding as I don't want to be towed off in front of everyone! He was squealing and having a super time and I love jumping him! I jumped in my new Sabre for the first time and deffo was more with him. The Butet needs changing ASAP as it deffo makes me pivot too much over my knee, I think because I don't ride short enough to use the benefits a XC saddle gives, so it will be swopped for the SJ type instead. Hopefully at Blenheim, we will see!

Jamie is having his second op on 21st Sept - eeek! Lots of nursing required. It will be good to get it over with though as he really needs to start doing something as he is bored and we cannot exist on fresh air!

Off stubble fielding tomorrow and jump on the way back...Ted is deffo hunting fit now, so bring on the cubbing too, when they are not too far away! Oh, but we might have an issue with rustic fences, they are not his fave thing in the world!

Oh what a weekend!

So Thursday saw us off to the JR to find out about J's MRI scan on his knee...turns out it was buggered and the meniscus needed shaving so he could get his ROM back. Flashed his insurance and in came a lovely consultant and booked him in for Saturday or Tuesday, talk about service!!!

Ted 100% back to normal after the echinacea incident, went for a couple of nice hacks at the end of the week. Got a call on Friday to tell us that J could go in on Saturday, be there at 1, home around 6.30!

Saturday morning the girls and I went to the Ariat sale, everyone but me bought boots and tops :( Having big feet sucks! Then away I went to take J to The Manor in Oxford. Having never done private hospitals before I was rather amazed, more hotel than hospital and I reckon the thing that struck me the most was the fact you didn't have to pay for car parking LOL!!!! The boys and I waited with him for 2 hours and then left as they were taking him down for surgery. Mr Keys told me to come back around 6 - 7pm and J would walk out and be fine.

To cut a long story short, all was NOT fine. The op lasted 3 hours instead of 45mins and when we got there at 7pm it was rather obvious that J was in NO state to go anywhere :-( So I settled the boys down with the TV and sought out the nurse who told me that the op had gone on longer than usual, the meniscus was totally buggered and J was going to be in a LOT of pain :( He had had to have as much morphine as a human being is allowed per day...eeeek! At 9pm we finally left even though they wanted to keep him in it was SO SO hot in his room as the sun was beaming in. Got him home, he was still very spacey, watched the final of BGT, am SO glad that Diversity won :-D Put J to bed in the spare room and then lay in bed listening to something that has taken up residence in the loft...it is really creepy!

Sunday and I was at the yard for 7.40am, get me! On Ted by 8am and we schooled in the paddock. Now, after seemingly getting my mojo back I appear to have slightly lost it again as Ted did NOT know what to do with himself. We had some glimces of OK work, but a very big realisation that we are NOT ready to tackle a novice test on grass yet. I was rather glad that I had a lesson booked for today with Sarah as I knew I just wasn't really on the ball. BIG deal was I hacked him up the track and back after our session with minimal fuss - GOOD BOY!!!


Ted was out in the field by 9am and I was home by 10am to nurse J. Poor thing had had a very bad night and was in a LOT of pain and couldn't move unassisted :-( Popped down to Fiona's for a glass of wine and J's GP was there so had a quick chat about medication and realised we were not administrating enough, so happy days! Went home slightly skewy, watched Snakes on a Motherfucking Plane (I love it) and fell asleep listening to odd noises again, from both the spare room AND the loft!

This morning and my lesson. Got on Ted at my yard and started up the lane, all OK until we got to the boogey man's lair. And yes, he stopped, again. And yes he wouldn't move, again. I think he now knows that if he backs towards the fence I will stop as a) I don't want to be shocked and b) if he backed into it we would fall down backwards into the field AND be shocked and I would die...

So, I kicked, I cajouled, I waited, I praised, I growled, he threatened to go up, I whacked him, which provocked absolutely nothing, so I got off, shamefully whacked him again, and marched him up the lane in hand - him not breathing. Honestly, it is a real conundrum as he is genuinely scared and I don't think he is trying to be a complete knob as he sighs with relief when he can see me and doesn't try and fuck off back to the yard or anything, which would be bloody easy for him to do as he is big!

So, got to yard (Sarah following in car giggling at me) and went to get on on the mounting block. He thought he would be a tool and almost fell over as I got on, but all was fine once I was in the plate. Walked him round to encourage some rather important oxygen intact and then put Sarah on so she could get a feel. She likes him a lot, but agrees that he is hard work to make go correctly, 10 mins and she was knackered (her words!). I got on and we worked on me being more consistent and not being too soft. Ask a question, expect an immediate answer or give him a boot. Things that are absolutely obvious, and I know, but when I am schooling alone it takes me 2 seconds to react rather than .2 that is necessary. Got some good work, realised that full seat breeches and Butet + heat is rather difficult and sticky (Sarah advised me not to school in them in the summer, she doesn't, she said you just get too stuck at points, I agree!) and for some reason I am completely fluffing my trot/canter/trot transitions and have started leaning forward again or bouncing around like a complete novice. I don't know why, it could be because I find lessons terrifying for some reason LOL! Still it is something that I need to knuckle down to. Walk/Canter/Walk is absolutely fine. I do think trying to sit t/c/t transition in the Butet is hard and something I need to consider as I don't have the prob in my Sabre. Looking at pics I also see the saddle is lifting slightly behind, so need to have a proper look at that too.

Hacked back to the yard, both of us dripping, he was iffy and hesitant but we got there with me on board and I was pleased.

This morning

Normal service has been resumed

Thank the bloody Lord! Will get to that bit in a min....meanwhile....

Got to the yard this morning, and Ted was going wild again - not good, I actually saw him with my own eyes today and I can completely understand why Ellen was so freaked out! Ted had also today double barrelled the door and cut his coronet band, idiot, so I was NOT impressed with him. As soon as I walked into the stable he stopped his odd bouncing on the spot (think rocking horse on steroids) and led down to the field like a lamb, as usual...grrr! So I was perplexed and had a good think about what has been changed. Different field with more grass, and I have been giving him echinacea for the last 4 days. I put up a post on HHO asking if anyone had had an adverse horse reaction with echinacea and really thought I would be laughed off the board, but no, it is apparently known to make them a bit loony, so, fingers crossed, we have worked out that problem - yay!

Went to Witney and then came back and the weather was better so I met Sarah down at the yard and we took Ted up to the school. He was maybe 3% better up the road but it is still a work in progress. Sarah rode him and was very complimentary with how he was going so I told her to do some lateral work and he just took the piss, so I got on. Now, I wasn't expecting anything much as my back is knackered and my sciatica is really playing up, but OMG I got him immediately and did some passable lateral work and flying change work and I was very, very pleased with him. Sarah said we are looking good together too, so that really made me happy as today I felt as though I CAN ride. Maybe now we are ready to do more schoolwork again :-D

There is a qualifier at Blewbury a week on Sunday so am going to aim for that, and also dressage at Blue Cross a week on Friday, so, PLEASE NO INJURIES!

Hmmmm

Hmmmm, and hummmm again.

I have come to the conclusion that I cannot ride. I don't know why, but I reckon my body is completely working against me. I cannot open my hips, I keep catching myself drawing my lower leg up, things just don't seem to come as easily as they used to and it sucks. I would like to please go back to effortless riding - ever since I did that damn Mary Wanless clinic (what is it, 4 years ago now?!) I over analyse everything and that doesn't make me a natural rider, and I so want to be. I would love to go be a WP for a couple of months and have the opportunity to ride for 3/4 hours a day again like I used to as I reckon that would sort me.

Nothing bad has happened BTW, just me feeling useless. Yesterday 7 of us hacked out together on a 2 hour ride and it was fun. Apart from Ted being totally wound up by another horse who insisted on going in front of me until I made my thoughts clear and took the lead instead. He was very sweet but oh so nappy, he would NOT go past the other horses unless he had company, and this backward attitude really sucks. You kick him on to catch up and he stops dead before he is a nose in front and, quite frankly, there is nothing I can do about it. I think I am going to have to take him in hand now and beat him a little as I know he trusts me (goes through things and past things that are uber scary) but he needs to trust himself. And HOW do you insist on making a horse breath? I have never known a horse for holding his breath like him. I am going to get some Coligone and put him on that and see if it helps, but I don't want him more *quiet* just bolder. I suppose hunting WILL help with that, but it is a long way off yet.

This morning I got a call at 9.15am whilst I was straddling the flat pack unit I was putting up "Louise it is Ellen, I am stuck outside your stable (cue me pulling a face) and I cannot move as your horse is going mad"

"Ellen, what is he doing"

"He is cantering back and forth and rearing up and I think he might come over the door and I cannot face the thought of him injuring himself again"

"Is everything else out?"

"No"

"Ignore him, I will be down in 15 mins"

I get there expecting him to be fine (he was) but his mats were all pushed forwards out of the door and you could see where he had been going up and down and he had marked the concrete. I have NO idea why he is doing this, the idiot. Stuck his headcollar on and he was, as usual, the perfect saint to take to the field. He only ever plays up when Ellen is on the yard alone, poss because she has the pony he is in love with, but she didn't even leave the yard!

Got him in tonight and he was subdude. Usually he goes straight for a wee, but didn't, just stood fussing me and being nice! Made horrific faces at me when rugging (I went back down 2 hours after bring in) and hadn't touched his hay either, so I think Mr T ate too much grass today!

Will ride and school tomorrow and prob do a little jumping too - yay!

Good girl

See, here I am again, blogging away even though I have nothing to say!

Yesterday: Rode, went for a good canter, Ted broncked a bit, was hilarious and made me LOL. Spent the evening listening to music and drinking wine.

Today: SPA DAY! We opened the LL Cool J spa at the yard (Louise Louize Cool Jackie ;-) ) and bathed and tidied all the ponies - fun times. Then we had a BBQ and Bacardi Breezers and sunbathed, I was a little pink but am already back to albino - bad times.

Now sitting listening to the Chart Show on Radio 1, eating Chilli Heatwave Doritos and drinking rose Blossom Hill, which is like pop. Have lost the children, cannot hear them in the park and really I should go and investigate but cannot be arsed.

I just drank a fly...nice...

Musings, but with wine, no tea...

Good day! Rode this morning and Ted was, TBH, a little nappy and silly but after not being out around the farm for 1 day shy of 2 weeks he couldn't really be blamed. Not 100% sure about my saddle if I am completely honest. It is VERY flat and VERY without support, so I am certainly going to go for a different design when the time comes to change it. I should have listened to Claire about stirrup leather lengths and gone for longer too, as even on the first hole they are very short - lesson learnt.

Took J for his MRI scan and then we went to Hatherop sports day. Sadly we missed every one of Benjy's events bar the tug of war, in which he was awesome and they won their battles so that was good. Great cake too! I must put more time into meeting up with the mothers there as there are some really nice characters that I am sure I will enjoy spending time with.

Bit of trouble in the village again tonight when a stone came flying past my head. I ran round to the playing field and the usual suspects were playing footie in the court. They all denied throwing anything and I couldn't see anyone else who could have done it. Fact is one of them prob just hurled a stone out, but it is the lying that pisses me off. It isn't the first time we have had things thrown into the garden and J has had enough, he is very worked up about it which really isn't helpful...

Been thinking today about the future lots. Money is running out and it is time to really settle with some ongoing future plans about what we want and need for our family. I know I need to start writing again, but I don't seem to start even though I am bursting with ideas. The boys are very, very enthusiastic about my stories of Flumpalump and Matilda (don't laugh) but what if everyone else thinks they suck? And I have had a great synopsis for an adult book brewing in my head, but again, I cannot face failure. I don't know why age starts to make you worried about acceptance, I certainly never used to give a flying monkey's arse whether or not people thought what I wrote was good, but now I really do. I am also feeling inherently lazy, which doesn't help. But something HAS to give an I owe it to us all to at least try I supppose.

Half term begins today, boo hiss and yay rolled into one. Jamie's family are over on Tuesday, so I want to ensure the house is 100% perfect for that as I know he cares (as do I, I have had enough critisism to last me a lifetime). Amanda's on Friday and Mrs P is coming too. She and her hubby are Benj's absent godparents, so that will be a little tricky. I really have nothing to say to her anymore as I am afraid I do hurt that she hasn't ever bothered to send him a card on his birthday or at Christmas since we moved here.

There we go, running out of battery, being eaten alive by midges, time to go in. God I sound boring!