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Sula
Jun 14, 2010 22:13:31 GMT 1
Post by avril on Jun 14, 2010 22:13:31 GMT 1
That's a lot of thank yous, Sharon, and very much appreciated. It seems I'm just one of many who enjoys reading your updates. It's clear from what you describe that you all as well as Sula have a greater understanding and appreciation of each other from attending the course before she came to live with you, which is as it should be.
I so miss kissing her soft velvety muzzle everyday, and really happy that she has three lovely owners to do that to her now!
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Sula
Jun 16, 2010 14:28:24 GMT 1
Post by lisandsaf on Jun 16, 2010 14:28:24 GMT 1
argh thats so sweet,, bless her,, she is as lucky to hace such caring owners as you girls are to have her..
A perfect match all round
Regards
Lisa and Saf
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Sula
Jun 17, 2010 21:10:59 GMT 1
Post by melsaunders25 on Jun 17, 2010 21:10:59 GMT 1
Hi
thought i would give a little update, i had an interesting ride last night on Sula, i rode out with her best friend Harley up to the sand school which we have so far just walked her round once just so she could have a look, on our way to the school Harley and his owner stopped to have a chat with a friend, and we carried on, on our own up to the school, well Sula was very upset that we had carried on and left her friend behind but i did persuade her to walk on she did a lot of calling to him and once we were outside the school she would nt stand and started to jump about quite a lot now I'm not sure if i did the right thing but i decided to get off as i did nt want to fall off and i did nt want her to think that she could behave like that and get her own way, i realised that she was feeling very upset, so i stroked her and talked to her and she was very quickly settled, so i took her into the school which is on the top of a hill and very open so not to scary for her i walked her on foot around the school and let her look at every thing a couple of times, and she was fine, i then got back on her and walked and then trotted her round the school and just before we left we trotted over some poles, and we left on a good note which is what i wanted. Sula definitely enjoys hacking out more than the school so i think it will be ok to take her to the school now and again but hacking is really her favorite, she was very relaxed on the walk back down the lane and i actually took my feet out the stirrups and had very baggy reins all the way back to the stables. even when the horses in the field cantered from the top to the bottom to say hello to her she just glanced at them and plodded on. I gave her a nice brush and lots of kisses on her beautiful velvet muzzle i told her Avril had sent her some I'm sure she heard but she did have her eyes shut. she had a lovely roll again when i turned her out and then trotted off to her friends in the field. sorry that was quite a long one but well done if you made it to the end.
Mel
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Sula
Jun 20, 2010 18:18:36 GMT 1
Post by melsaunders25 on Jun 20, 2010 18:18:36 GMT 1
Hi thought i would tell you about my ride on Saturday, had a lovely two hour ride through the woods, decided to do lots of trotting which went really well, i think i have finally cracked the lovely bouncy trot that Sula has!!!, i am also quite pleased that i managed to open and close all the gates without having to get off!! although i am quite proud i would have to admit that Sula is actually a real expert at gate opening, and new just what position she needed to be in which did make it very easy, so another thank you to Avril and the team for putting all these important things into the training, that makes life so much easier and a real confidence boost knowing that you could ride any were without avoiding gates!! I know we are all feeling the same the more time we are spending with Sula you just cant help but love her and her character a little bit more.
Mel
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sam
New Member
Posts: 36
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Sula
Jun 21, 2010 11:57:28 GMT 1
Post by sam on Jun 21, 2010 11:57:28 GMT 1
Mel - I know that feeling of doing the gates on a horse who knows exactly what is expected. If I am honest I always feel terribly clever at doing gates, even though I know its Avril who trained the horses to do gates, not me at all (I wouldnt know where to begin!).
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Sula
Jun 21, 2010 21:44:29 GMT 1
Post by sharonspiers on Jun 21, 2010 21:44:29 GMT 1
Hi everyone, I'm afraid i have yet to master gates ( well i haven't even tried ) On Friday i had my first ride out without anyone on the ground. We went with Trisha on Magic and Caroline on Erin. To say Sula was brilliant is almost an understatement. We went for about 2 hours and she didn't put a foot wrong, even when the others got a bit excited when we passed about 15 race horses at very close proximity! All i can say is i couldn't stop smiling. Trisha runs the yard and herself believes in the so called ' natural horsemenship' way. She said that Sula is a very very good lead horse as she is so calm, even if those behind her arn't. Saying that she is also completely happy to sit behind. She does have a tendancy to lay her ears flat and pull faces at the others when they get near her, she is sooo funny. Trisha also said that we 'don't know how lucky we are to have found Sula and that the lady who sold her to us did a really good job for us'. High praise indeed. Once again , take a bow Avril. Anyway on sunday Jo and i rode her out and because we were following just a way behind 2 other horses from another yard she was a little unsettled. A bit joggy and on her toes. She settled when they went the other way. We then came across some others in the woods that we stopped and chatted with. She was a little disgruntled but again she settled when we rode along with them. When they too went off in another direction she would really have preferred to go with them. I had to keep her head straight for quite a while to stop her turning round but once back in the woods she was fine. It's funny but even when she is a bit unsettled i feel calm on her and fairly sure she will listen and respond to us and yet only 2 weeks ago it would have made me feel unsettled. It's a combination of slowly getting to know her and realise how she responds and about her settling down in her new home. Don't get me wrong there have been a few moments when we have felt rather nervous and unsure of what she's going to do but it's just about getting to trust her and her us! She is really forming a bond with Harley and when Mel rode out with him and his owner Heather, she had a difficult job getting her to go in the other direction to him. As she said she ended up getting off before it got out of hand ( very sensibly i think ). I think it's pretty important that we ride her out on her own regularly so she does't come to rely on company. Saying that she is very sweet and obviously prefers to have others with her, understandably. Well I'm off on holiday to portugal in a few weeks time but to be honest i'm going to really miss her. Can't believe i wont see her for 2 weeks. I'm sure i will enjoy it when i'm there. LOL
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Sula
Jun 22, 2010 20:34:08 GMT 1
Post by melsaunders25 on Jun 22, 2010 20:34:08 GMT 1
well i have finally been for a ride on my own, and I'm feeling rather pleased with myself, Sula is just a wonder horse we have now come to a bit of an agreement and there are no longer any discussions she just does exactly what i ask of her. we managed the gates and i agree with Sam it really is nt any skill on my part!!!. i rode her up quite a steep hill, and once we got to the nice grassy part called the common we trotted along and stopped to talk to a lady with a beautiful red setter dog and Sula stood stock still until i asked her to walk on, we had another little trot and then we had a tiny canter what a rocking horse she is, i did only intend to go for a short solo ride but i was enjoying myself so much i decided to have a ride around the woods, we did get a little lost at one point but once we found our bearings we did lots of trotting now i have got the hang of the trot it feels so good, we passed quite a few horses with no problem at all one was down the stony path that leads to home and the girl on the other horse asked if i could go past while she stood still as her horse was nt very good at passing another horse i had no doubt that Sula would be fine and as expected she passed without so much as a side ways glance, i did have a little chuckle to myself as we passed the thoroughbred, i thought she should have bought herself a lovely cob from Avril!!! then she would of had no problems with her horse. Once back in the yard i washed Sula down and she closed her eyes while i stroked and talked to her, I'm sure this is getting a bit boring but she is LOVELY
Mel
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sam
New Member
Posts: 36
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Sula
Jun 23, 2010 11:26:45 GMT 1
Post by sam on Jun 23, 2010 11:26:45 GMT 1
Mel your post made me chuckle - I can hear the joy in your writing, and your pleasure that there are so many things you dont have to worry about (like passing another horse) and can just revel in the honesty and trust you can all have with Sula. Its lovely to read!
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Sula
Jul 3, 2010 22:22:01 GMT 1
Post by sharonspiers on Jul 3, 2010 22:22:01 GMT 1
Hi all Thought i would just update you a bit. I will try very very hard not to gush. Things are going really well. Sula seems very settled and happy. We are riding her 6 days a week. What we are trying to do is get each of us having a ride out with others and one ride on our own as well. Sula is certainly enjoying the company but is equally happy to go out alone. Jo and i are still going out with each other, one walking and one riding, as much for fitness as anything else. I have to say it is the most enjoyable form of excercise i have ever done! I have lost about 5 pounds and really toned up and as for Jo, the weight seems to have fallen off her. I'm just loving taking her out with the other horses as well. She is so beautifully behaved. She does occasionly push her boundries , all be it gently, but it doesn't last. On saturday last week i rode with magic and cherry and we went through the woods and back through the village. Sula hadn't been this way before and also we left the yard with her friend Harley shut up in his stable. She wasn't too happy about this and for the first 15 minutes of the ride she kept calling. The other 2 were very settled and although i wouldn't say she was 'unsettled' she was certainly on her toes. She didn't actually settle like she normally does for most of the time. Anyway i thought about it from her point of view and realised that it was all new to her and she was just taking it all in. When i thought like that i accepted her interest and didn't think of it as not being very settled but just that she was taking a look at the new sights and just making sure everything was ok. I thought that in that situation it was up to me to give her the confidence to go forward and realise nothing was going to happen. I actually felt able to do that. I kept my legs on her and kept her moving forward at a good but steady pace. When Magic jumped out into the road because a white van came one way and a red one the other Cherry started backing up and refusing to go past. Trisha asked me if i could get Sula past and get her to walk on so the others would follow. I squeezed her round them and asked her to walk on. She was slightly reluctant at first but i kept my legs on and her head straight and she went past like a dream. I was so pleased not just with her but i with myself. These things are only small but they really build my coinfidence. I feel like she is starting to trust me when i ask things of her. Also i just feel as though i'm really geting to know her and how she will react to certain things. I know it's only 5 weeks ( my word ) but there is definitely a bond forming. I must try and work out how to put some photos on here as the other day i got up to her field to find her and Harley lying down next to each other. Even when i went in and got quite close she stayed down and in fact looked at me and flopped flat onto her side. This may not seem much but i kind of feel it's a little sign of her trusting me . Maybe i'm reading more into it lol. Anyway with the fantastic weather the riding has been superb. Lovely balmy evenings. It doesn't get much better than that. Long may it continue.
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Sula
Jul 10, 2010 13:17:12 GMT 1
Post by melsaunders25 on Jul 10, 2010 13:17:12 GMT 1
Hi all i haven't given an update for ages, I have had so many fantastic rides on Sula it's hard to sound like your not bragging, well i am just going to brag about Sula and my morning with her now so sorry!! i arrived at the stables at 6.30 in the hope of beating the heat, i set off down the lane with my wheel barrow and head collar thought i would poo pick first, and lucky for me only one poo in my section of the field, i called Sula and she looked up and slowly walked towards me, head collar on we set of back to the stables whilst pushing wheel barrow back she is so good and just walks slightly behind me. i gave her a nice brush and although she will let you gently squirt her tail with fly spray we spray the fly spray onto a cloth and rub it all over her, this is less stressful for her and she quite likes it. our stables are down a really quiet lane the field backs onto woodland and the other side of the field is the south downs for as far as the eye can see we are just so lucky!!!! we rode down the lane through the sheep's field, Sula takes not a bit of notice of the sheep and luckily the next field we ride through sometimes has cows in and since i have been reading about Toby's trials with the cows i think i have become a bit cow phobic so was really pleased that no cows were there today!!!! Sula would have been fine though. we trotted all the way up the first hill which is a really big wide open space and unexpectedly five people on horse back came cantering up behind us with the man in front bellowing i ll get the gate, i thought thanks for cantering up behind me like that thank goodness Sula is so good, well actually i could nt write what i was really thinking it was a bit too rude!!! any way we got the gate just to prove we could do it without his help, i gave them time to go in front and Sula stood really still while they bombed off up the hill phew thank goodness for her training, once they were out of site we started to trot up the hill and then slipped into a lovely canter i gave Sula her head and just let her go as she was really enjoying it, and so was I !!! after that we walked back home really slowly while i was swotting fly.s. i have to say this was the best ride i have had so far until i ride next time and i think that was the best ride iv had, i gave Sula a nice wash down she doesn't seem to like the hose so we use a bucket and sponge, popped her fly fringe back on and took her back to the field thanks goodness it is bordered by big trees that give shade it' going to be a hot one today.
Mel
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Sula
Jul 10, 2010 15:43:57 GMT 1
Post by sarah on Jul 10, 2010 15:43:57 GMT 1
So lovely to hear about your fantastic ride Mel - you can blow Sula's trumpet as much as you like, she is such a star. ;D How wonderful that she didn't react to the other riders bombing up behind you and then tanking off in front, and also, when you asked for trot, she didn't try to set off in hot pursuit of the other riders. I always try to be very considerate around other riders, I just wish they would show me the same consideration! Keep your stories coming, I LOVE hearing about your adventures.
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Sula
Jul 10, 2010 19:58:00 GMT 1
Post by melsaunders25 on Jul 10, 2010 19:58:00 GMT 1
Thanks Sarah we will, it's so funny everyone who knows Sula is convinced she is a one off, and we have tried to explain how wonderful Avril's training is, but they are convinced she is a one off, well we would all agree she is pretty special!!!, I am hoping in the near future i may be able to buy one of Avril's horses so we can ride out together i wonder what they will make of two perfectly behaved horses!!!! Mel
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Sula
Jul 11, 2010 14:05:12 GMT 1
Post by avril on Jul 11, 2010 14:05:12 GMT 1
I don't think you need worry about cows with Sula, Mel, I'm sure she will be fine. In fact I'm pretty certain she would have been around most farm animals in her previous home. I hope Toby's hysteria doesn't turn you all into cow-feared riders. Try not to think about them if you see them, and trust Sula to be normal. Fortunately Toby's reaction, although extreme, is pretty rare.
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Sula
Jul 11, 2010 15:44:21 GMT 1
Post by melsaunders25 on Jul 11, 2010 15:44:21 GMT 1
Thanks Avril, I will take her on this ride again it;s so lovely and i will just forget about the cows!!!, and if they are there i will just launch into a bit of the sound of music, that always gets me through any wobbly moments i may have, and Sula just gets on with with it, Bless her.
Mel
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Sula
Jul 11, 2010 19:28:35 GMT 1
Post by nellie on Jul 11, 2010 19:28:35 GMT 1
Oh, Mel, I love the idea of launching into the Sound of Music ! With my old girl the song that always came to me when I wanted to dispel tension was Rhinestone Cowboy. Unfortunately, I only know one bit of it so that bit was repeated over and over again!
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