Horse and saddle trials.
Well it’s a darned good job that I decided to take Tia to the farm ride this morning. I had a suspicion that she would be one of those horses who forgets what she has learned if you do not repeat it often enough and I was right about that. It's four weeks since she did any cross country, and she started off quite sticky. She refused a couple, including a stupidly small log, for which she got a wallop. She never overreacts to being hit once with the whip now, which is good. By half way round she had remembered - one, two, GO! and she was flying again.
Anyway, it gave the saddle a jolly good workout to sit some of her earlier efforts. I'm very happy with it, it's the most comfortable jumping saddle I have ever had. The two others I still have, and now must sell, have very flat, hard seats. That's OK for a short spell showjumping or XC, but for an hour on a farm ride, or three hours drag hunting, it can be murder on your bum!
So that should be it for me and saddles now. Until any of the three WOWs wear out or get stolen. They'd have trouble stealing them, we have CCTV up everywhere and alarms on everything and I never leave the house without a sitter in it if we go away. Just thought that was worth mentioning - you never know WHO might be reading this, do you?????
Caddy is now putting on weight at a rate of knots. I'll need another photo soon to show you!
I'm off outside now to ride Tetley down the road and back. His turn for the farm ride now - hopefully Monday or Tuesday next week. If he manages it with no problem then I will reconsider affiliating him for the rest of the season.
C.
posted by cptrayes @ 5:11 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Tia chooses to forget. *lol*
Actually, when you think about it, her experience really is still very limited. Until the concept of jumping is truly "learned" with much repetition, I would suspect she might still be thinking instead of reacting.
Glad to hear the saddle saga is sorted out. Nothing like finally reaching the end of a long quest.
On to the competitions for Tia and now, perhaps, Tetley too!
Can't wait to see "fatso's" new piccies.
Im playing catch-up...I seem to have broken my computer.(well it didnt turn on quick enough and I ahem pressed..a...few...buttons:0)
Anyway no internet access other than at work so im demented worrying what im missing out on!
Saddle sounds fab..so pleased Tetley's doing so well and that Caddy may grow into the 'big' lad you wanting!
What a little tinker Tia is though :):)
Hmm have to wonder whether Tia is 'forgetting' or just being a mare! Saff is very picky about what she will and won't do. She decides if she'll jump or not and if she hasn't jumped for a while then the little prima donna will make sure I know she's unimpressed about being asked to do something she hasn't had to do for a while! Saff is the only horse I've ridden who I'll let 'get away with' a refusal at a fence by just leaving that fence and going on to the next because if I press the issue she'll quite likely have a paddy and refuse to jump anything...and possibly refuse to keep all four legs on the ground! Don't envy you trying to get Tia round at an event!
In my experience if you tell a gelding to just bloody well get on with it sooner or later they'll say "oh alright then" and behave. Try the same tactic with a mare and you're going to have fireworks! Obviously there are exceptions to that but it doesn't sound like Tia is one of them!
Don't know what the answer is as far as getting a mare to jump goes though since I stick to dressage apart from the odd pop over some fairly tiny fences to keep Saff (and me!) from getting bored.
Yes she is really stilla baby Jean, isn't she? She's doing well for her level of training.
Oh Nicola, you're goign to have to get that fixed before the summer holiday or you'll be out of touch for 5 weeks!!!!
Emma, Tia is also the only horse I have ever allowed to refuse a fence and then pass by and leave it. But I didn't keep that up once I knew she could jump. Do you remember one day on the cross country schooling she stopped at a small fence? I judged that the time was right to get it into her head that she had to go over it. I would have stayed there for as long as it took to get her to jump it or even just walk over it. From that day on, she has never totally refused to do a fence. (I don't count in the ring, she would have gone over the next time but I wasn't allowed to try of course).
Tam gave me some advice by email yesterday which I knew was right. And I decided to ignore it because I didn't have the energy or inclination to do it. But I have changed my mind. Tomorrow I am taking Tia to a showjumping course and jumping some complete courses at a small height to get her thinking in terms of full courses before Saturday. I might sneak Tetley onto the lorry too.
C.
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