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!!

boing boing boing

 The last couple of days have been hacking but today we did some gridwork. 

SUCH FUN. MANY GIGGLES!!

We have made the most of this dry weather and have fitted in some nice hacks and some schooling sessions after school. Although not quite t-shirt weather the break from multiple layers has been GOOD! I literally am desperate for spring this year!! Winter seems to have gone on forever.

Today i set up a grid for Z and V. After a good warm up and work on light seat we set about a small grid of 4 cross poles. Viv at first couldn't find her striding and basically trashed them. But soon got the hang of it and really sat on her hocks over them. I set them up so it was - fence. 1 stride to fence. then bounce x 3. Going opposite way was bounce x 3 1 stride fence. 

We did it a few times each way. It took a few attempts but viv really tried hard and got her striding right quite quickly. After getting the hang, they both did fab!!

 Z did well with her straightness and impulsion and is getting much better with her jumping position. ALSO - Viv used to rush her fences but these exercises are slowing her down and making her have to think where her feet are. The fences will go up once she is body aware and Z is ready. Until then i have been keeping them low so they can be ridden at trot or canter and easily navigated if things go a little pear shaped. 

They are both doing so well. 

I used to really LOVE tack cleaning !!

 I LOVE MY JOB, I REALLY REALLY DO. 

I Love the horses, the people, the atmosphere, and every single aspect of the job!

I also loved tack cleaning. Until I did half the yard HAHAHA

No, Honestly I did enjoy it. There is something therapeutic about cleaning tack. And also being able to look at such beautiful leather work once all cleaned and oiled! IT TOOK AGES AND AGES THOUGH! But i was so happy to see them smelling and looking fab at the end! The liveries it seemed were happy. Pheeeew!! 

Viv has been enjoying lots of schooling. polework and a bit of JUMPING lately!

Our arena (AKA Flat paddock) has been so dry lately we have been able to ride in it. Viv has been a right little diva and shown us some fantastic bends and legwork! Z has really enjoyed playing in the arena. 

And she has also enjoyed some hacks!

Once lockdown is over we will be able to go and use my works arena again. Thats a nice big juicy arena to play in with a gorgeous bouncy surface and mirrors! 

Until then we are so thankful for our 15m x 35m grass paddock to play about in. Maybe we could add mirrors??