Easter holidays

 - A week of it all - 
The Easter holidays are here !!

It Has been a fun week. Monday and Tuesday I was able to borrow my friends Appaloosa and take Z on a couple of long hacks through the woods. Monday we did a short loop ( Short loop meaning 2 hrs) Tuesday we did a longer loop and stopped off half way for a picnic. YUM,YUM!!

Monday

My word it was windy. Riding an 18hh Appaloosa i did wonder if i would be blown out of the saddle!! Thankfully i stayed there and as we dopped down into the valley the wind dropped. Although the trees still creaked which freaked Z out a little "Mam will the trees fall down?" Hahaha bless her!!

We had a lovely hack though and a plodge in the river - Horses not us haha, thankfully they happily trundle in. Im sure they smile and seem to love it!

TUESDAY

Best day for the woods! We took a picnic. It was about 18 degrees and bright sunshine. Better still. No wind! We went on a longer loop and took a picnic. We made ourselves tuna panini melts. It was tuna with red pepper, red onion and mayo. Baked in oven with cheese and then wrapped in tin foil MmmmmMmmmm. We also had some biccies, a drink and some crisps. We took carrots for the horses and let them graze while we ate. It was a brilliant day!

Wednesday -

 DAY OFF and a sunbathe for Viv. I had an appointment mid day and then had to do some shopping. I hate food shopping i really do. I much prefer the quiet countryside!

Thursday -

JUMPING!!

Z made a really cool little course and Viv LOVED it. As did my friend on her horse. Viv loves jumping. We try not to do it too often as to sicken her. Usually once or twice a week in spring/summer. Winter maybe couple times a month. She really does love her jumping though!!

Friday -

MY TURN FOR A HACK. BOY WE HAD A BLAST

I took viv on a short hack (About 50 mins) But its only short because there are many many places for a good Zooooom. And viv loves a goood zoom!! I really enjoyed our hack. We had some lovely strolls and blew some cobwebs away on the zoomy parts haha! She could have done it again how fit she is lately!!

SATURDAY - LESSON FOR Z

Z enjoyed a flatwork lesson. She worked on counting strides and then shortening and lengthening them. She did circle spirals in trot and canter 20m down to around 10m and back out again. And even more impressive than that they managed to do trot and canter to halt with a turn on the forehand 90 degrees and then strike off in trot or canter again. Viv really had to use her back and her back legs for this. Z said she felt like viv was going to bronk but realised this was her propelling her body forwards into the upward transition. Really using her back and those hindquarters! 

They are coming on so well. 

SUNDAY -

Just a little play in the arena for Z. She practiced a bit more of what she learned on saturday and just played about with no purpose just ENJOYMENT. We were going to go on a hack but my legs were too tired fom walking back and forth to work and i just wanted to sit on the blue barrel and watch :)

MONDAY ~

My neices came over to see Viv and have a little ride. They have both been dying to come but with lockdown we havent been able to make this happen. They were over the moon to be invited to come Easter Monday. Of course it was one of the coldest days of the Easter holidays so far and we had even had a sprinkling of snow! Thankfully the arena is a bit of a suntrap and it was much warmer down there! 

Viv was a little diamond as they learned how to sit in the saddle. Steer go and stop. We set up a little obsticle course together and they had fun navigating their way round it on the leadrein. They had a lovely time despite it being FREEZING!!

TUESDAY ~ 

Day off. My friends did Viv for us. She had a nice chill day in the field with her pals and I had a study day and enjoyed putting my head in my books. I am studying towards my stage 2 care exam and i have neglected my studies lately so i have been making time to really get back into learning and expanding on my knowledge. I do love learning. And BOY I have so much to learn to get to that dream of coaching!! BUT HARD WORK PAYS OFF and DREAMS ARE THERE TO CHASE. And well Im doing both of those things so fingers crossed in the future i look back on this blog post and SMILE. I will be happy to have MADE IT!!

We still have a few more days left of the school holidays and we are looking forwards to some more adventures. Lets hope it warms back up again! 

As it feels like the middle of winter!!

Girth hematoma

 Horses they love to keep us on our toes don't they?!! 

So over the weekend Viv had a small lump just behind her girth. We noticed it as we were grooming ready to tack up. It wasn't like a girth gall as it was longer and squidgey. No scab or sore. However the lump got bigger over the week and has came further forward. 

It has turned out to be a hematoma and although not large it is in just the wrong place! It is not causing her any pain. There is no heat, nor a sore or anything to suggest it is an abscess so we are keeping an eye on it. And applying Arnica daily. It is slowly going firmer and smaller but Until its gone there is no saddle!! 

 Z has just pottered in the paddock bareback over the last few days. This I suppose is great for her balance!! She also took her for a short hack and absolutely LOVED IT. She laughed and smiled all the way.

 Z LOVES riding bareback. She has been pottering practicing sitting Viv's very bouncy trot. LOT'S OF GIGGLES. Thankfully no spills yet!!

Im not so keen on bareback. My years of bareback riding are behind me! I'm going to do the lunging and groundwork stuff with Viv while the kids are at school. Just nice bonding time and time to be mindful and present with her.

Will keep you updated on how she gets on. Hopefully we get back out hacking soon !!

Pole work and a solo hack

 ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR !!

Yup today was a day of POLE-WORK the Aim of the lesson was to work on getting Viv to PICK HER FEET UP, use her back and gain body awareness. It was also good for Z to work on some straight lines and transitions. And its more fun than flatwork hahaha!

 By the end of the lesson Viv was trying so hard and was so switched on to the game we were playing.

 I am sure she was smiling all the way round! 

We also worked on Z's hands as they tend to creep back and tuck in to her hips when doing poles or jumping so we played a game of touch the ears whilst going over a small jump. This game really helped and we seen a really good improvement by the end of her lesson. 

After a good session. Z took Viv for a little hack around the block herself. I follow but she trots off ahead. She is gaining some independence but its so hard to let your child go off even if it is for only 5 mins it feels like HOURS!! They both had a great time and cantered up the track to meet me after their little loop. Z loves these little hacks, just her and Viv. Its only been the last month I have been allowing her to but she was so desperate to try so we have a nice off road loop she can do. It has one way in, one way out and i'm at that exit! Hahaha! 

 

Winter RECAP

 My last blog post was written just after christmas (I forgot to publish it until now) so I thought I would do another post to update on how our first winter as full time mummys to Viv has gone!

It has been AMAZING! We have loved the jobs and the snuggles on a night under the lights. The MUD? Maybe not so much haha!! We got off lightly weather wise right up until January. But then BOY did the snow come! And it stayed for a very long time! It was not only cold and wet. But Icy and dangerous. Viv didn't get out hacking much for a couple of weeks as it was just two icy most days to risk it. 

BUT we have been blessed with a nice warm snap this last week. It has been into double figures at times. Still cold on a night but much warmer during the day. PLUS SUNSHINE! Oh how we all love a bit of sunshine! The only problem with that is MUD and layers on, then layers off! But the hacking has been AMAZING :) 

Here are some pictures of our adventures!

The end of our third lockdown is almost HOPEFULLY OVER!! And we are looking forward to some DRESSAGE (ME) LESSONS (US BOTH) and lots of ADVENTURES WITH FRIENDS . . . Staying safe, of course. I think social distancing will be around for a long time yet! BUT we can at least breathe now knowing there is a breather in sight. Time for a 'LITTLE' bit of normality in a very NOT THAT NORMAL WORLD!!

Guess who joined our family!

 It has been an awful year with Covid. The beginning of LAST year was MAYHEM and HYSTERIA. People panicking. Shelves cleared. Nobody with any clue as to when or what was to come. Media fed the fear, panic ran through society quicker than the virus itself! We were told to stay in. But could also go out. Nobody knew what they were supposed to be doing?!

The year has continued in waves. Right into this year. We were lucky that we were blessed a good spring. The weather was glorious so we  could be out in the garden, also having to go and look after Viv on our days. And when we were given the go ahead to be able to ride again we enjoyed some lovely hacks. 

This Summer we have been on picnic rides to the woods and the river (My friends have been letting me take their horses out sometimes. It saves my legs and meant we could go further and have more fun).

I also entered my first Dressage competition this Summer. We did Prelim 2 and got 60% which i was over the moon with as it was such a wet and windy day and the arena had a SPOOKY puddle at the bottom of it! Haha!

It was a dressage and go event due to the covid restrictions. IT POURED DOWN and it was really windy! The outdoor arena had a fetlock eating monster hidden in the puddle right at C!! We had a few hairy moments the first few times round haha! Luckily they were before the horn went and after that she scrambled through it changing her rhythm though. (She hates getting her feet wet!)

I was over the moon with 60% though. THANKYOU JUDGE! Viv tried her litte heart out for me. The judges comments were really positive.

Also this year I have seen a massive increase in Z's confidence. She has been practicing really hard on her flatwork and her jumping and she has come on leaps and bounds! She especially LOVES polework. And so does Viv it seems! 

NOVEMBER BROUGHT A SPECIAL OCCASION

CAN YOU GUESS WHO JOINED OUR FAMILY?

Vivienne! OMG we couldnt be happier! We have taken Viv on full loan and it has been AMAZING SO FAR! The daily trips to look after her. Watching the sun go down after school and finishing the yard under the lights in the darkness. SO COZY!

Z Has been brilliant and proves she can be a fantastic horse owner.

WE HAVE SO MANY ADVENTURES AHEAD OF US. CANT WAIT!!