ange
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Post by ange on Jun 9, 2010 21:12:52 GMT 1
Hi Liz - thanks!
We've tried riding away from others, sort of - I met two friends a couple of weeks back for a ride - their field was on the way back so we stopped for a short visit before I carried on alone. I must admit I was expecting a bit of an argument but Millie just toddled along as if nothting had changed, although after a minute or so she did shout a couple of times before settling completely.
She's actually stopped quite a bit of the shouting she used to do when alone - just the very occassional call now, plus she's stopped jogging all of the time too - she occasionally has a momentary lapse but just needs reminding that she just needs to walk and all is well again! I'm hopin this means that she's now more relaxed and trusting of me.
Ange.
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Post by liz on Jun 11, 2010 0:51:57 GMT 1
I htink she is settling, ange, which is really good! I expect your increasing confidence has a lot to do with it so a HUGE "Well done!"
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ange
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Post by ange on Jun 20, 2010 23:56:17 GMT 1
Took Millie to a Riding Club lesson today at a yard that's about 15 mins hack away. We met a horsebox on the way - its official - Millie is NOT good with lorries! She keeps going forward but her head goes up and when it gets close (and he did slow down) she shoots sideways (a very nice sidepass into the weedy verge and then further up the steep overgrown slope, still sideways - its then an interesting climb back down ) but then she carries on forwards, maybe a little ruffled although a quick pat settles her down again, and then its all back to normal. Its not too much of a problem, unless we're next to a drop or a barbedwire fence (and we have a few of both around and about). Any suggestions (short of comandeering a lorry and driver to practice with on the lanes)? As it turned out, the lesson wasn't so hot ... well actually it was VERY hot - poor Millie was dripping and blowing within 10 mins! Being black AND fat isn't doing her any favours (still - nearly 90 kilos down and counting). The instructor was a new one for our Riding Club - a german-trained dressage rider (who looked about 16! I'm getting old!!!) who has also had 'lessons with Carl Hester' - however this didn't (for me at least) make him a good teacher - so I didn't come away feeling that Millie or I had gained anything (although we had probably both lost a few pounds in sweat). Think I'll skip it if he's doing another one in the future - I could have gone 15 mins the other way and done a local fun ride for less money - and there would have been plenty of lorries to go and inspect, plus a couple of opportunties to get in the water, which Mills is also a little sceptical about - I think we would both have enjoyed that more. Never mind - we're doing (fingers crossed, etc) the local RDA sponsored ride at Weston Park on Thursday afternoon - no water though - its a short course so hopefully we will go around twice - and even more hopefully it will cool down a bit for then too. Wish me luck! Cheers, Ange.
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ange
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Post by ange on Jun 25, 2010 13:27:16 GMT 1
We did our first Fun Ride yesterday - yippee! and I'm still here to tell the tale! After a couple of delays (horsebox 45 mins late arriving, friends horse deciding she wasn't going to load - no how, no way - despite being given an hour) we (3 rather than 4 of us) finally arrived at just after 6pm, with the course closing at 8pm (and the gates to the park at 8:30). This meant we had our work cut out if we wanted to go round the 4 mile course twice, so a swift walk to the booking in tent, return via the loos, and then rattle the horses off the box and tack up - we set off at 6:30 for our first circuit. I've only ridden once before on Millie with the two friends I went with - they've both done Fun Rides before (as have I, but not with my 'Millie-tank') and one of the horses can get quite strong (he's 17hands of late-cut Irish Draft, who is sweet but powerful and onward bound, which also describes Millie, except she's only 15'2 and a mare) - so we were anticipating a few hairy moments! On the whole they went well together - well, we managed to pull up before the end of each field and/or before we ran over the people in front anyway! We managed the first 4 mile circuit in 38 mins, and set off on our second circuit at a more sedate pace, making sure that everyone had got their breath back before we did too much! The second circuit was much more controlled, although Millie did get a little strong again nearing the end - Mare's always seem to know when they are getting close to home, even if home looks like a horsebox you've never seen before that day! We completed both circuits in just under 1hr 20mins, with the horses a little tired but by no means exhausted - not bad for my little fat, and previously very unfit, pony - we picked up our rosettes on the way back to the box and set-to watering and washing down, before dressing the horses for travel and loading them up for the journey home - we got out of the gates with a few minutes to spare! I finally got in the house at 10:15 last night and headed for the shower! So, we did it, our first Fun Ride under our belts with no real mis-haps (other than my shoulders and back aching a little this morning from trying to steady up my Millie-Tank, and possibly from my turn trying to load my friend's horse)! To all of you out there who've had their confidence knocked - if you find the right horse you CAN get your confidence back and CAN learn to enjoy your riding again! There's a 'safe cob' out there for all of us - even though Avril can never supply enough to meet the demand, you CAN find one (although probably with a few little quirks if its not had the Avril treatment!) It doesn't have to be Fun Rides - that's just what I like to do - but it's wonderful to be just enjoying riding again! Cheers, Ange.
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Post by nellie on Jun 27, 2010 16:09:58 GMT 1
Hi Ange,
You are an inspiration to us all! It has been so interesting reading your journey from Kia to Millie and the difference that Millie has made to your confidence levels - and your life because how much fun was that fun ride?! I'd have been grinning foolishly for at least a week after something like that!
Congratulations and do keep us posted!
Helen
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Post by Louise on Jun 27, 2010 22:26:58 GMT 1
Hi all, just a note to say that today, Ange and I rode out together for the first time in about 18 months since the episode which cost us both a lot of confidence. We had a great ride, the girls (Millie and Mysafecob 'Lotus' aka Lola) seemed to get along very well together and we returned to the yard happy after a lot of chin-wagging! I'm sure that Ange will agree with me when I say, that we both seem to have found ideal partners in our respective mares and are looking forward to building on the confidence that is growing with them daily. Well done to all 4 of us!!!! xxxx
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ange
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Post by ange on Jul 1, 2010 14:01:20 GMT 1
Hi Helen - thanks! I'm glad that other people are gaining something from my posts - for me the simple act of 'posting' here helps to reinforce my journey!!
I had a lesson this week - we practiced for dressage as both Louise and I are doing a Riding Club competition this weekend (our Riding Club is focused on fun rather than competition, so this is as competetive as it gets for us!) It was a very hot day and the lesson was early afternoon - not the best time for Millie (who's black and still pretty 'round') - despite taking in steady she was still breating very hard by the end and I had to cold hose her for ages to cool her off.
So now I'm hoping for a nice cool day for Sunday, plus a good drop of rain to firm-up the school surface, as it's riding very deep at the moment which doesn't help - ready for W&T D1 and Prelim 7!
Cheers, Ange.
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ange
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Post by ange on Jul 6, 2010 21:56:06 GMT 1
Another update - we got 2nd in the W&T test and joint 5th in the Prelim - I'm soooooo pleased with Millie!!!! Just seeing her makes me happy - I just have to smile, no matter how bad the day has been! Cheers, Ange.
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Post by nellie on Jul 6, 2010 22:40:23 GMT 1
Hi Ange,
Congratulations! That is fantastic!
Your post made me smile ;D!
Helen
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ange
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Post by ange on Jul 11, 2010 22:10:41 GMT 1
We've had to slow things up a little for the last few days as Millie has developed good-sized windgalls on all four legs due to the heat and hard ground. The vet was out in the week for Penny's boosters, so I had her check Millie - she said she's sound and not to worry too much, but to ease off on the hard ground and stick to soft surfaces for a while - so that's the school, or the school then!
Not ideal as A) she needs lots of long steady hacks to work on her waist-line (on the plus side - no rain means there's very little grass left), and B) although large and properly surfaced with rubber and sand, our school has no water-source, so is now riding very deep - not easy for a little, fat, hairy-legged beastie - Millie struggles too!!
Cheers, Ange.
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ange
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Post by ange on Jul 23, 2010 22:38:19 GMT 1
Another update ... Millie's windgalls have improved enough and the ground softened enough for me to start some hacking again, although I need to keep a eye on things.
I've had her saddle rechecked and its still fine, so no excuse to replace it yet - my hips will just have to keep suffering until she's lost a bit more weight.
We had a lesson yesterday, and at the end we tried some polework - this is something I hadn't tried with her myself - she used to jump in her previous home and I was told that 'she will take you in to a jump'!
Anyway, we started with just one pole on the ground - walked over it without any problems both ways - Millie just seemed to think it was a bit boring.
Then we increased it to three poles at trotting distance - well Millie took me and my instructor by surprise - we lined up intending to trot them and her ears and head came up and she just semed to 'energise' and she 'took me into them' in a good canter!
We widened the distance for safety and spent the next 15 mins working on getting her to trot them both ways. It took a while but we got there, although she really thinks they are very exciting.
I must admit it took my instructor saying 'all she is doing is cantering and you're quite capable of that Ange' to settle me down, but once I did it was great fun!!
Cheers, Ange.
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ange
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Post by ange on Nov 8, 2010 0:57:58 GMT 1
I haven't posted anything here about Millie (or Penny) for a while, so, following one of my 'less good' weekends, I though I would do so. A few weeks back I arrived at the yard to be told that Millie's stable (part of a converted 200+ year old building) was in imminent danger of colapse and I had to move her out pronto! There was only one spare stable on the yard - a nice big bright one, but with a downside - it looks straight out at a brick wall! We tried it, and Mille gave it a firm stamp of disapproval - she was obviously not happy that she couldn't see what was going on and wanted out. She tried to follow me every time I walked out, and on the third occassion managed to scare herself and 'went for it' - I went one way and the stable door went the other - and she was off! Not for long though, or so I thought, as the farm's wheelie bin, green bin and recycling box blocked the route she chose, which was also right next to the raised kitchen garden bed - she stopped dead, thought about it, then leapt the corner of the raised bed, taking the recycling box (glass everywhere! but luckily no cuts) and a few bean poles with her - she then did a sharp left and went cantering round and round the yard owner's side, rear and front lawns - after a couple of minutes she was having great fun and the lawns looked like there'd been a Polo match. I eventually caught her and decided to try plan B - put Penny (who's far more chilled but can get slowly and quietly depressed if you're not careful) in that stable, and put Millie in Penny's ... all was well until the horses started coming in at night, and Millie decided that Magic (the 5 year old gelding next door, who kept poking his nose through and touching her bum while she was eating) was very rude, so she started squealing and belting the wall with both barrels (Penny's stable is long and thin - about 9'4" wide but 17' long - so Millie's bum was pretty much always pointing the wrong way and in easy reach, despite using rugs hung up as barriers between them). Anyway, this weekend Millie managed a blow that has cracked the wall right through - as well as the slow damage she must be doing to her legs, another belt like that one and the wall would come down - not a good idea! So to Plan C - Millie back in the new stable and Penny back in her own - amazingly Millie is much better in there now - I think she'd had enough bum-sniffing to last her quite a while thanks (switching to nets of haylage may also have helped)! And Penny is all smiles back in 'her' stable!! The down-sides - although she's showing no obvious injury and is not at all lame, I'm pretty sure that Millie is now sore around her hocks - when I groomed her tonight she was a little defensive of them, and she loves being groomed (although she seemed OK on Saturday). Also, for the last couple of days she's been a real 'evil cow' (sorry can't think of a nicer way to say it) when I've brought her and Penny in at night - they're never the very best of friends but at the moment she's bullying Penny, who's getting upset and putting herself in a position where Millie can then swing behind me to aim her back-end at her, which is not what she normally does and is really NO FUN when you are leading them! Last night Penny paniced and ran straight in to me, knocked me flying and then kept going, standing on my thigh before she realised what she was doing and backed off. Thank goodness she's not shod and I'm naturally well padded there - the bruise is still pretty bad. So an eventful weekend - I'm sort of hoping that Millie really is a little sore and is being nasty to Penny as a defensive move (keep away from me - I'm uncomfortable) as at least then she should get over it and start to be OK again - otherwise they will have to come in one at a time, and neither much likes being left there alone while I get the other one - the yard owner brings them in in the week for me too - I don't think I've fully 'recovered' from the lawn incident yet, so could do without anything else happening (as could Penny, poor old girl - she doesn't deserve or need the hassle either). Having only owned Millie since March this year there is also that little worry that this is what she is like in the winter months - after my expriences with Kia I really really hope that's not the case. Please wish me (and my girls) luck!
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Post by em on Nov 8, 2010 11:02:07 GMT 1
Hi Ange Absolutely lots of good luck vibes sent your way Hope every thing settles down for you and your girls soon.. your posts are so facinating a brilliant read and really highlights the roller coaster ride that is owning horses! ;D I really hope all gets back on track and your stable situation comes right too Take care em x
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Post by nellie on Nov 8, 2010 22:21:26 GMT 1
Hi Ange,
What a roller-coaster ride! I'm so glad it's not just me and Mina.
It is horrible when they start playing up like this - it's scary but also worrying in case something is wrong. I have my fingers crossed for you that Millie settles down.
If it is any reassurance, Mina and the number 2 mare had a set-to on Saturday morning (scrapes and bruises but no serious damage, thank goodness), which is very unusual for them - Mina doesn't normally go looking for trouble and the rest of them know better than to trouble her! And then this morning they were all charging around as the lady who helps me with Mina was trying to return her to the field. Cue one Mina flying around on the end of the lead rope, desperate to join in. They just all seem to be very unsettled at the moment.
Good luck and do let us know how you get on.
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ange
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Post by ange on Nov 9, 2010 15:14:51 GMT 1
Thanks both for your support - Millie still seemed a little uncomfortable around her hocks last night, so I've started her on Bute for a few days, and will give her some time off work.
Didn't have any messages from the yard owner, so I'm assuming that they were OK to bring in!
I hope Mina and the no.2 mare have sorted things out between them now! I know what you mean about unsettled - quite a few of the horses on the yard have been a bit easy to set-off in the fields for the last couple of weeks - I'm putting it down to the weather and the effect its having from one day to the next on the grass.
Cheers, Ange.
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