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Sula
May 4, 2012 8:23:06 GMT 1
Post by sharonspiers on May 4, 2012 8:23:06 GMT 1
Hi Gilly Well that's interesting. Avril very kindly offered to chat which I took her up on. Her advice was, as always, very interesting and helpful. She said that all this talk of riding in an outline or ' on the bit is' a load of nonsense and is very often more harmful than helpful. The best place for a horses head to be is as you said Cocos is, long and low. Incidently this is how Sulas usually is. We are getting her saddle checked next week and will go from there. As Avril said it could be the time of year. Sula is out 24 hours now although there isn't enough grass so we have been haying her as well. She still seems hungry though so we have started giving her haylage as well. We don't use hay nets but feed her from the ground, she never wastes any!!! Shall let you no how its going. X
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Sula
May 20, 2012 11:29:25 GMT 1
Post by sharonspiers on May 20, 2012 11:29:25 GMT 1
Hi all, an update on the saddle etc. Had the fitter out that comes highly recommended by quite a few people. He said he had heard of Duet saddles but not seen one and he really liked it. Thought it fitted really well but just needed some re flocking on the flat bits underneath ( sorry don't no what they're called). As for the areas where her winter coat has come out he said he's seen a lot of that this year and thinks its due to her keeping her winter coat longer than normal. Said its not a problem at all. Phew. As for the so called problem with her losing weight and condition by her withers we have just carried on with riding on a loose rein and letting her carry her head low. Obviously sometimes we have a light contact but generally she's just quite relaxed. I have also decided that as the people that I ride with like to canter and gallop in the same places and we are very keen to not do this I have started keeping her at walk or trot while they go off. She is such a good girl. We come through a gate into a huge open. Field and we all start to trot then as they canter or gallop off I keep her trotting. The first time I did this she wanted to go and tried a few strides of canter so I had to hold her. She is incredible responsive to my voice so I just said 'no' firmly as I held her. As soon as I felt her come back to trot I loosened my contact a bit and then carried on loosening until we were trotting at a lovely forward going pace but not rushing. This only took about 10 seconds and then we trotted the whole way even when the others had dissapeared round a bend in the field. She is sooo amazing. Now I do this almost every time the others want to canter or gallop. I also take her out on my own regularly and she is always such a poppet. She is out 24 hours mow and there us unfortunately no grass at the moment so were haying in the field a lot. She is looking fantastic. Really glossy and her coat is a gorgeous conker colour. I will try and post some pictures. Heres to some better weather and evening rides xxx
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Sula
May 20, 2012 11:50:05 GMT 1
Post by angelac on May 20, 2012 11:50:05 GMT 1
Glad all is well Sharon. What a good girl she is too. Lovely to get the update. Happy Riding Angela
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Sula
May 21, 2012 18:29:38 GMT 1
Post by gillybou on May 21, 2012 18:29:38 GMT 1
That's All sounds like good news Sharon. I'm waiting. Little longer to get the saddle chEcked so that Coco has a chance to fill out a bit on the new grass. She has certainly tried hard as she was lyiing down the other morning when the yard went t fetch all the horses in and refused to get up - they thought she was I'll - turns out she was just full after a night on the grass! I have to say she is so lovely when she if full but, like me, rather grumpy when hungry - who can blame her! That's the main problem with full livery the lack of control.
Anyway,well done on holding Sula in trot. I have to keep Coco in walking if I need to hold her back - i find it much trickier once she is in trot. And if I lose her, she can take off so fast, the ground shakes!! I'm not 100% confident in open spaces so I must admit I stay with the others but I wholeheartedly agree that we need to make the decisions on speed and direction and I work on this every time I go out, albeit on my own or in company.
Looking forward to your photos please.
Gilly
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Sula
Oct 6, 2012 15:42:42 GMT 1
Post by sharonspiers on Oct 6, 2012 15:42:42 GMT 1
Hi. Funny, if I relied on Sula to tell me when she was hungry I would be feeding her 24/7. She is rather a piggy. Saying that she is definitely starting to get hungrier now as she's always got her head stuck in the bushes' takes me ages to pull all the bur things out of her forelock and mane. I don't rug her unless the weather is very wet, she has plenty of weight on her and her coat is quite fluffy. I have been riding to the beach every couple of weeks or so over the summer. I have to admit its not so much for the ride along the sand as it is the Bacon sandwich and cup of tea at the cafe!! She is so sweet, we sit outside on a bench with all the Sunday dog walkers and she dozes whilst I have breakfast. I'm usually with a friend and her horse and they make quite a picture. It s a busy cafe with lots going on, surrounded by beach huts, and yet she just goes all quiet and peaceful. I'm certain she enjoys of. Obviously lots of people come to say hello, its not a common sight down there, but all she does is open an eye, glance at them ,then continue dozing. Its my favourite ride at the moment as it takes at least an hour and a half to get there over country side, dual carriage ways and a train level crossing. Such a varied ride and she takes it all like a place horse!! Even when we turned a corner and in the ,local park there were fair rides a huge worlitzer thing and loads of people. Only warranted a longish glance. Well,here comes winter! On the plus side that means more time to spend on the ground, making her a cozy bed and chatting to her while I sit in her stable having a cuppa. Happy days. Xxx
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Sula
Oct 6, 2012 15:44:02 GMT 1
Post by sharonspiers on Oct 6, 2012 15:44:02 GMT 1
Oops meant 'police' not 'place'! X
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Sula
Oct 6, 2012 22:10:57 GMT 1
Post by Erika George on Oct 6, 2012 22:10:57 GMT 1
Hi Sharon and everyone else contributing to this thread, I am a little behind in my reading of this and was very interested about riding in an outline. Having had umpteen schooling lessons on George which resulted in him being ridden on a very short contact he completely changed shape. George found it very difficult but worked hard at it and did really well. He certainly looked very toned, was very supple and had fantastic elevation. A "giant gymkhana pony" to quote my instructoress. However, he was/is not happy to maintain this out on a hack, indeed neither am I. It is very hard work and hardly relaxing and you don't see many endurance riders on a tight contact. George is happiest being ridden almost at buckle end with most of the direction being given using either my voice, weight or legs. I tend to only take up a contact when we need to deal with a gate, have to pull in for traffic or if he gets a bit excited with his companions. On another note Sharon, it is most vital to be able to keep your horse at a pace you are happy with whilst the rest of them gallop off in "gay" abandon. I have always been a bit of a control freak, (poor George), whilst the rest of them sped off in reckless haste. However, one of the very trusty steeds has now developed the habit of getting so excited that he is bucking is rider off in a bid to keep up. He isn't a nasty animal, he has just forgotten his rider in his excitement. This has caused a huge loss of confidence in his rider who is now frightened to ride out with anybody else. She has started riding out with me again because the great thing about George, and I am sure of Sula, is when I say NO that is the end of it. It is very easy to bring his energy levels back to "plod" if I need to. Sula, is so much like George, I can promise you she will get constantly better. "So much he wants to do the right thing, if he does the wrong thing it is because it didn't understand", the words of my instructoress.
Erika & George, dedicated members of the Normandy Cob fan club!
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Sula
Oct 7, 2012 10:20:17 GMT 1
Post by avril on Oct 7, 2012 10:20:17 GMT 1
I know I've said it before, Erika, about how entertaining and informative are your posts and your reply is no exception, especially with the mention of being a dedicated member of the Normandy Cob fan club. Team MSC would like to be considered for membership, we feel we have missed out this year without our normal quota of these wonderful representatives of the cob kingdom. If you are a NCF (normandy cob fan) please share your thoughts and experience. We can't wait for spaces so we can source some more!
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Sula
Oct 18, 2012 13:27:50 GMT 1
Post by gillybou on Oct 18, 2012 13:27:50 GMT 1
Can I join this fan club please. I don't really work too much on outlines I'm afraid but, having caught sight of us in a window the other day, I'm happy she's not a nose poker and her head looked comfortable and just right! And I needn't have worried about hollowing behind the saddle and around the withers earlier this year. She has summered on grass and completely and utterly filled out - to the point where her girth is quite difficult to get on at first. To be honest, she has got a bit too fat really but I know that it will now start to come off as the grass will be less plentiful. However, I want to avoid the super slim Coco of last Winter - so does she as eating is definitely her favourite occupation.
I totally agree with Erika and Sharon on keeping your horse at your own pace. I can't deny I have to be a bit firm with her sometimes and can't help but smile when she makes it quite clear she sees no point at all in standing on the way home! In fact, she stamps her left foot to the amusement of passers by - but stand she does nonetheless - and I find the voice very useful here - a sharp NO or STAND is much more effective than a tug on the reins I find. Coco is usually in front on hacks and I don't go out with groups very often but I can easily keep her in walk if I wish. It's still a bit trickier once we are in trot but I have been working hard on trotting at my pace with minimal rein use and that has paid off. Haven't been on a mock hunt this year yet but don't have too many concerns now about open country and lots of horses. Coco is generally viewed by other as a safe companion but not a plod. On that front, I am pleased to say that I have regained my confidence in the school which was severely dented earlier in the year when Coco had a few lessons where she clearly got a bit agitated and very speedy. We only have an hour a week but we have improved massively or, as my instructor says, you've improved, the horse was always ok!! By improved, she means I now have the confidence not to hold on. On hacks, I had already worked out that something was only scary to Coco if she thought it was scary to me. However, I found it difficult to bring this knowledge into an enclosed space which I found restrictive and with too many fences coming towards me too fast! You can't really argue with a horse the size of a Normandy Cob (a big plus when holding your own against speeding cars I find as people really do respect them!) so it's a case of working out what works best to get the result you require. I'm so proud of Coco - you should have seen my face when someone at the yard referred to her the other day as 'the carthorse!'
Gilly & Coco x
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