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Post by beksnjake on Jun 17, 2012 5:28:40 GMT
Good hack yesterday - did the ride where mum fell off last week. Met a couple of tractors - quite interesting as Josh is very unconcerned if they are behind him, just find a gateway to put yourself in and tractor goes past no problem. However if he meets them head-on, its a different ball-game. Gets very anxious and will attempt to leave, even if you find a large drive way to stand in. Jake totally unconcerned, more interested in the make of tractor really. Like I said interesting.
Anyway Jake lovely to ride, very forward. We had a lot of head up but without any hollowness so that keeps my anxiety levels down! Even had a canter to make up for the one mum missed out on last week when she fell off.
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Post by beksnjake on Jun 17, 2012 15:29:10 GMT
A mixed day - riding up with mum to meet L when I had to get off. Youngster in field really kicking off as she was on her own - had other horses in the field next door, but she was galloping round, shouting etc. I was absolutely terrified and just got off, much to mum's total amazement - even now I can't explain why that scared me so much, never used to. Anyway met L and was walking down the road to find a place to get on when something spooked Jake and he literally jumped onto my left foot. Couldn't get on as in agony and had to limp home (think I may have at least one broken toe). Josh wouldn't leave Jake and Polly won't go out on her own, so the whole morning's ride was a bit of a disaster. So mum had to lunge Josh in the field and I joined her to do some GW with Jake. Well Jake was just something else - another great session, even though I was limping & couldn't move fast. He walked, trotted and cantered for me. At one point Jake got really playful and I was able to have him canter round, straight into sideways, backwards and then leap into canter on the other rein with no pauses - just flowed. Magic
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Post by beksnjake on Jun 18, 2012 14:22:23 GMT
Lovely simple uncomplicated hack this morning. Jake really forward throughout, not a backward muscle fibre in his body - mum says she really enjoys riding out with us these days, as Josh has to work hard to keep up with Jake - even trotting to catch up sometimes.
Even rode past a field with a horse shouting & running about, didn't bother me at all, whereas yesterday I was absolutely terrified with this youngster doing the same thing. Very odd.
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Post by beksnjake on Jun 20, 2012 5:12:26 GMT
This was supposed to be a short diary - its now five pages long, guess I under-estimated this confidence thing!! Had another good ride yesterday with no major challenges. Will just do a short one today to exercise the boys before I go to clinic - mum will be having to ride Josh on her own for 4 days which brings about other worries though she reassures me she will be wearing her new coat no matter how hot it is!
It will be interesting to see how I feel riding there as I don't envisage any problems although people around me have said they think I'm mad to go to a clinic when my riding confidence is so low. To me being in a place where I feel comfortable is the obvious place to work on my confidence.
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Post by unicorn on Jun 20, 2012 8:18:59 GMT
...To me being in a place where I feel comfortable is the obvious place to work on my confidence. This. Absolutely. I've been in the same place as you with my confidence for a while now Beks - though I won't ride out in company - I just don't enjoy it. But I'm really looking forward to the clinic - I always find it a great boost to my confidence. Or is that the sloe gin??
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Post by beksnjake on Jun 20, 2012 11:34:42 GMT
I'm still struggling unicorn so am looking forward to being in a place where I am not judged. What confidence I'd put together for loading Jake this afternoon has been decimated this morning by "helpful" comments from mum - am hoping kelpie doesn't mind helping load Jake. It would be so nice if just occasionally friends & family didn't try to help in that way that totally knocks you.
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Post by kas on Jun 25, 2012 21:41:23 GMT
Well Becks, Jake loaded and went and he loaded and returned home. Seems like an excellent result to me.
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Post by beksnjake on Jun 26, 2012 16:07:57 GMT
Yep - definitely a result. I just need to not be such a wuss when he's loading. I wish I knew why it upsets me so much, if nothing else it's bloody embarrassing bursting into tears when my horse "won't load" - for both journeys he was in the box within 10 minutes! Am currently sussing out transport for the next clinic.
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Post by beksnjake on Jun 26, 2012 16:13:40 GMT
Well back from clinic with a new more positive attitude, which i'm armour-plating against negative folk!
Two hacks now - both good. Today Jake had a major spook & spin when a chap in a van parked at the side of the road suddenly moved. As he then tried to canter off, I just felt down the right rein with my left hand (not a pull!) and stopped him.
I am in control and it feels good.
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Post by beksnjake on Jul 1, 2012 11:49:29 GMT
Ok first ride since losing Josh. Decided to take Jake up to the sand school to use my new 22ft rope. Mum came with me (she's a bit lost at the moment understandably & seems to really enjoy watching me with Jake). Rode up to the school. Halfway there Jake does the most HUGE spook, spins & canters off. As mum is saying "sit up" she realises that I am totally in control of the situation, have sat up & am bending Jake to steady him & feeling down one rein to stop him. What set him off? Two moving tents with kids inside! Oh and L appearing round the corner with Polly in hand. Everything calms down but I opt to get off Jake & lead him past the really scary tents, which now also have a union jack space hopper blowing round them! Jake is fairly relaxed as we walk past. Get to the sand school with no further problems. Jake's OK - ish. Getting some nice lateral work from the ground but his mind isn't really with me. Keeps looking out across the sand school etc. Get him a little more with me and we do some nice canter work on the 22ft rope - I need to practice handling that amount of rope. I do get in a bit of a muddle sometimes. So then I throw on his bridle & get on (much to mum's surprise she tells me later). Still haven't really got him with me, he is focusing on something outside of the school. Try to get busy, working on small serpentines, concentrating on making sure I'm getting the correct front foot to step off etc in walk. Just explaining to mum what I'm doing when Jake suddenly spooks & throws in a 180 degree turn & I lose a stirrup. Me not phased atall ( ) - ride him forwards, get my stirrup back and calm him down as Jake is now Mr Snorty Dragon!! I did decide that it was time to call it a day once I'd got him more settled, his head wasn't with me. Sometimes you just have to accept you are not going to get to where you want to. Mum says it was a massive spook, all four feet off the ground as he spun, most unlike Jake - but I guess he's entitled to be a bit unsettled at the moment too. I know horses don't emote like us humans but he's lost his field companion & that's got to have some kind of an effect. And he'll be picking up our emotional state too. But that aside, I am really pleased with myself for not letting those two spooks unsettle me. Dealt with them as they happened & moved on.
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Post by snigsby on Jul 2, 2012 7:38:44 GMT
Fan-bloody-tastic!!!!!
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Post by beksnjake on Jul 3, 2012 18:02:43 GMT
Mum rode Jake out today as I was working - at the moment its as much about her confidence as mine given recent events! Apparently he was a perfect gentleman, no evidence of sore feet (unshod on the hinds - waiting for his new boots!). Think she had a nice time.
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Post by kas on Jul 3, 2012 18:20:23 GMT
Brilliant Becks. Maybe you won't need the boots?
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Post by beksnjake on Jul 5, 2012 14:34:40 GMT
Jake will be ridden 6 days a week now as mum is hacking him when I'm at work (he's going to be fit for the clinic!) so I think he will need the boots for the roadwork. She is really enjoying riding a horse that doesn't spin on a sixpence or run at the sight of a tractor - also she loves the fact he thinks about not liking something BEFORE he acts, gives her time time to say "get on". They met a union jack space hopper yesterday which Jake really didn't like, she got him past it just with voice & leg! Anyway today I took him up to the sand school as I want to be able to ride him in there & work on some of the stuff we did at clinic. On Sunday it was so windy, I didn't have his mind so couldn't do a lot. Today was so very different. Rode him into the school as mum did the gates for me and immediately started work on circles in walk & trot. I had a calm responsive horse who was moving from weight aids I felt he was a little sluggish (mum agreed) - I think he was feeling his back feet - mum disagrees as he was over tracking in walk & trot. However Jake is a horse that will continue to work for you even if he is uncomfortable so I will monitor this. Mind you he walked back to the yard very happily!! A good day.
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Post by el on Jul 6, 2012 14:01:21 GMT
Legendary amazing stuff beks!!! More power to your elbow as they say. Very inspiring!
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