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Post by breakfast on Nov 21, 2011 23:26:25 GMT
Cash is doing much better as a trail horse. He's fine in company ( first canter out on the trail with Small the other day ) and gradually getting braver on his own. The trick is finding a balance between what will challenge him but be a valuable learning experience and what will blow his mind. Autumn trail pony.
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Post by snigsby on Nov 28, 2011 8:30:39 GMT
Aw,bless
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Post by el on Dec 7, 2011 16:10:06 GMT
Beautiful pic.
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Post by breakfast on Dec 11, 2011 11:23:29 GMT
After great searching and endeavours, I have finally got Cash a proper saddle. He's been working in an old Dartmoor Treefree for a long time but that has pretty much collapsed now, so it's not really offering much more protection from my weight than a regular bareback pad, which has slightly restricted how much work I'm willing to ask him to do. The other weekend, after a long drive up to Lincolnshire and back, I found this: Not my usual style of saddle, but it's well made by a very good maker and it's a good fit for Cash. Also very comfy for me- it is probably a touch on the small side, but Cash has a pretty short back so it's a question of finding something that is small enough for him and big enough for me, I think this is pretty much on the sweet spot. He goes beautifully in it - better, I think, than his old saddle.
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Post by breakfast on Dec 13, 2011 0:41:43 GMT
Today we got to ride out with an Expedition Photographer! Cash helps me sort out his bridle by whiffling my face. We started in the school. I think the new saddle allows him to open up his trot a little more. He certainly seems to be going pretty nicely for where we're at riding-wise. A bright and backlit pony. Approaching the stream. When crossing a stream, it's important to taste it just in case it is delicious. Heading up the track. The noble steed. Basically if we have an expedition photographer with us, we'll probably just pose the whole flippin' time. And then have to trot to catch up. This gives an idea of how steep the path we're going down is- normally if I'm taking pictures from horseback it kind of flattens it, but it genuinely is quite steep. Such a cute pony!
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Post by snigsby on Dec 13, 2011 9:32:42 GMT
I think he l-i-k-e-s you I think you l-o-v-e him!! Cash and breakfast, Sittin' up a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g!!!!! Great partnership and he must make you feel very proud of what the two of you are achieving.
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Post by breakfast on Dec 13, 2011 21:10:48 GMT
He is just a tiny bit special is what I think. And he is also very huggy, which is quite nice when one is accustomed to Zorro's bite-yer-face-off approach to diplomacy.
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Post by breakfast on Dec 15, 2011 13:50:19 GMT
Today we went for another ride around a similar loop to Monday, this time without a friend on the ground. Cash was so close to being completely perfect as makes no difference - we had to do a bit of work on backing up on the downhills so he remembered not to just keep accelerating but he was truly amazing and I am absolutely proud of him.
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Post by beksnjake on Dec 15, 2011 16:12:53 GMT
Sounds as if you guys are making real progress - Cash does look a real sweetie in those pics!
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Post by breakfast on Dec 15, 2011 18:49:13 GMT
When his hair gets all scruffled up and all over the place like that I start to wonder if he could actually get elected as mayor of London.
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Post by snigsby on Dec 16, 2011 9:30:30 GMT
;D ;D ;D
My two fvourite pics are A Noble Steed and the one where he is tasting the water.
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Post by el on Dec 20, 2011 20:54:40 GMT
Brilliant!!
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Post by breakfast on Jan 22, 2012 20:33:29 GMT
This week Cash has worked every day and it's done us both a world of good. Today I tried him in the hackamore for the second time and he was great in it- he pulled a bit at first but once I worked on showing him how I wanted him to respond to it he was just so smooth. From the start he was great turning, but when I asked him to stop or back up he was tending to pull on the bosal a little. I kept everything quiet and just made sure I didn't release when he was pulling on me and experimented with different hand positions until I found a place that showed him I wanted him to drop his head and from there it was easy to get his balance travelling backwards and his shoulders lifting.
The thing I found particularly interesting was that today we stopped better in the hackamore than we ever have with a bit- I started preparing to stop and felt him sit and slam the brakes on before I did anything with the rein. In a regular bridle he's quite happy to fall out the front of a halt, but he seemed less inclined to today.
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Post by el on Jan 22, 2012 22:06:26 GMT
just love those pics what a horse!
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Post by snigsby on Jan 23, 2012 11:55:58 GMT
Is there a picture of his hackamore? Just wondering what kind it is.
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