Another hedge - wheeeee!
I thought it was going to be a useless day's hunting today. I set out with a plan not to expect him to start as well as he finished last week, and to take things easy for the first couple of legs. To my disappointment, the early fences were either too big or too trappy to put Radar at, so we weren't jumping. As well as that, the Field Master was riding with a broken rib on a confirmed bolter, so we were all keeping well back from him at a hand canter. Boring... said Radar, and I fully agreed with him. Then all of a sudden things changed, and I still don't know why, but for the second half we were flying!
Literally - we jumped a couple of tiny timber hunt fences with no problems. Then there was a hedge that seemed just within our capabilities. It was probably around four feet high, but the approach was good and it had a feathery top. Well! He pulled my arms out of their sockets to be allowed to get at it, attacked it with gusto, and flew. He went on to attack a number of other timber fences in the same way. I was careful what I put him at, because the last thing I want is him frightened now, but boy was he enthusiastic about the jumping today! And we are way ahead of schedule on the hedge front - if anything, he seems to much prefer a big hedge than a small timber.
I had him in pelham with roundings, with a stirrup leather curb. I could hold him, but it was certainly easier with two reins (a full curb action) last week, so I may swap him back again. We'll see.
What a hunter he is going to be in a month or two's time. His looks, his raking gallop, his fantastic jump, his manners (he stood at the checks this week while I chatted to people, and he stands completely still to be washed and undressed to come home). To cap it all, even though he measures little short of 17 hands, I have not yet had to stand on a stool to plait him. Believe it or not, the higher up his neck the plait gets, the lower he drops his head. Have you ever heard the like before? What a sweetheart!
I'm ALREADY thinking about next week!!
C
posted by cptrayes @ 7:38 PM
11 comments
11 Comments:
Fabulous..he's turning into a cracking hunter just what you wanted!
We when hunting too,although no jumping for me and Ali:))
By the sound of it, things could not have been better. Clearly he finds it exhilarating. Who needs dressage when you have hunting!
I'll check your blog for details Nicola.
First half could have been better ML but the second was super. If the second hedge hadn't had a post in the middle of it waiting to spear a horse who didn't jump clean, and the third had not been faced with wire, we'd have done those too. But he's too good to risk like that!
C
Don't envy you having to plait - still have 3 weeks thank goodness before thats on us ;-) Sounds like he is a little star - looking forward to photos!
N
Brilliant, you lucky woman (er, where are the photos?)
Tracey B
Wow! Sounds as if Radar showed up to play and radaR stayed home.
Brilliant is the operative word here. Love that his manners have improved so much at the checks too, but the jumping--"Fly me to the moon!" It has to feel wonderful.
Brave to go for the pelham with the roundings after your discovery last week, but maybe the slightly milder bit made him bolder?????????? I guess it all depends on just how hard to control he was this time. If it worked.....h-m-m--m..
Congratulations. I am so happy for you both.
More grins for you! Shame the first half was boring but sounds like the second half more than made up for it!
I've been team chasing this morning so am sharing the glow with you of pony-done-good... there's no better feeling is there! :-)
Plaiting is such a pointless exercise isn't it Nic?! Still, he couldn't get much easier. No need to pull his mane. Eight or nine up the neck, rubber bands and they all look neat and stay in too. Simples!
I don't know Tracey. I keep searching the site for them but they take weeks to upload them! I want to send one to his breeder before the poor man dies!
Nothing like a horse that attacks his fences, is there Jean?
I'm jealous Sarah! I want to team chase, but some of the journeys to compete are just horrendous, so I haven't. If it gets more widespread within 2 hours, then I'll be trying to find a team
For Jean, and any other foreign followers "simples" is not a spelling mistake. Have a look at two websites:
comparethemarket.com and comparethemeerkat.com
The advertising campaign based around the aristocratic Russion meerkat Alexsandr Orlov is better than ANY program on TV at the moment !!!
C
This comment has been removed by the author.
Don't be too jealous Caroline, it was only a fun team chase run by the local hunt, fences up to 2'6.
I would love to do proper team chasing though!
x
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