The Adventures of Rosie D & The Bekster

[beksnjake]

I know - you're all thinking WTF, has Beks been at the sloe gin already. No I haven't - well not yet!! Well there is already a Rosie Pony living near us, so "Rosie D" as she's a Section D and "The Bekster" is what one of our consultants at work calls me. Anyway it sounded good in my head this morning as I rode Rosie out for the first time.

So let me introduce you to Rosie - cue picture taken this morning as we sorted out tack etc.

Attachments:

[beksnjake]

So our first hack!!

Tacked her up, took a little longer than normal as we were trying to see what bit/bridle etc to use (Josh's old hunter bridle & a french link fulmer to start with). Rosie is a bit of a fidget, but put up with me fiddling round. Josh's synthetic saddle appears to fit well (medium wide gullet - which may need changing as she muscles up). But I need longer stirrups, had them the same length as on Jake and I kept saying to mum "I need these down a hole or two". Mum stood with her while I got on & she does find it hard to stand still at the moment once you're on board, but as everything is new I'm not stressed that she feels the need to move her feet.

So off we set - just Mill Lane, a short little circuit. Rosie was forward and did try to overtake Jake but she soon settled and tucked in behind Jake's lovely bum. We could hear a bit of a racket going on as we walked round & initially thought it was road menders, but it turned out to be Heidi's dad hedge trimming in the field! Not right next to us but it was very noisy. Put Jake between Rosie & the hedge trimmer and although she tightened up a little she walked past no problem. Had a couple of short trots - didn't do too much as she doesn't have road pins but farrier coming next week.

But a fantastic start.

[heidi]

Might I say that she has a lovely looking bottom! I emerged from our lane to see you heading down Fiddling Lane. I thought she must have been good with the hedge cutter as you were walking in a sensible fashion and not careering down the road!

[beksnjake]

Yes I was quite relieved that she took it all in her stride. I wasn't at all nervous about riding her. I guess you could say I was slightly apprehensive as Rosie is new & I don't know how she is going to react to things, with Jake I know exactly where his feet are going to land even if he spooks. We had a couple of little spooks, one when a bird flew out of the hedge - Rosie just shot forward one stride and immediately went "oh its just a bird". The other was when a cyclist suddenly appeared around a corner. Both Jake & Rosie jumped slightly at that one, but nothing stupid.

She has got a lovely bottom - will be even nicer when she's been up & down all our hills a few times!!

[kas]

Brilliant stuff. Good of Heidi's dad to lay on a bit of a spook-testing session for you.

[redhorseracinguk]

Well done Rosie D and The Bekster!! XxX

[leigh]

Oh that's great, what a fantastic start, looking forward to reading lots more about her x

[beksnjake]

Hack No. 2 went just as well as the 1st one

Went up to the yard this morning, both horses in the correct part of the field! Jake called to Rosie as he was brought in, so she went and stood at her gate to come in ;D She came in quietly and both were good to groom. Rosie was far less fidgety than she was yesterday. When we poo-picked it was obvious that both horses had laid down overnight (well the wet bellies were a bit of a give-away!) next to each other, separated by the electric fence. I guess one stood guard while the other slept.

Dad had very kindly put some more holes in my breast-plate so I could shorten the girth strap-bit-thingy so it would fit Rosie. I prefer this to a martingale as I think the neck strap sits better. Anyway we tacked up (with Jake wickering softly at Rosie - think someone is just a little love sick :. Rosie stood still throughout and also when I got on. Did get mum to stand with her like yesterday but I don't think she'll need to do that for much longer.

Slightly longer route today (Whiteways) - trying to avoid too many big/steep hills until after she's reshod with road pins. Rosie was a star. Forward but relaxed. Trot is initially a little speedy but I was able to steady her & get a nice even tempo with me hardly needing to rise (yesterday the trot was very up rather than forward). Met the dustbin lorry, no problem - just tucked in alongside Jake. Pheasants flying up & making a din - Rosie a little concerned but then went "oh yes birds".

She then started fussing with her head & I mentioned it to mum, who turned round and said "I think she's telling you something - the martingale attachment on the breast-plate is undone" Idiot that I am, hadn't checked it as it looked like it was done up - obviously it wasn't!! Wasn't sure about getting off & back on again on the road, so I just pulled one side of the strap to the middle of my reins so it didn't flap about so much and carried on. Rosie was more settled now the strap wasn't flapping about. What a sweetie!

Now on 3 nights, so will go up to the yard tomorrow and do some GW (very basic) with her whilst mum rides Jake. Day off for them both on Friday and then I'll do some more GW in the school with her on Saturday.

Oh forgot to say she had a spook near home - don't know what at, but I just stayed with her - no drama. Said to mum, I actually feel pretty secure on Rosie because I can wrap my legs round her, more so than Jake actually. I know this is a honeymoon period and I have no doubt there will be some questions posed at some point, but I have a good feeling about this mare.

[quest]

Beautiful wonderful Rosie. Mares rule yea

[redhorseracinguk]

Aww, bless Jake he's got a GUUURRRRLLLLLFWEEEEND Well done Ro-Po I do loves her I do. I've quite missed her furry face the past few days. I am so happy that she's being so good (not that I worried! It's just nice to hear). Keep up the good work Beks, she sounds very settled and happy Xx

[beksnjake]

Mares are more self sufficient than geldings, as are most females IMO ;D I am hoping Jake does settle down - mum is taking him out on his own tomorrow so I have warned her that he will probably be a bit nappy - not walking on hind legs stuff, but just very backwards thinking.

Got vet booked for next Tuesday for teeth & vaccinations and farrier on Thursday so she's got a busy week. But once she's reshod with road pins I can go for slightly longer hacks.

[beksnjake]

Forget nappy - Jake was FORWARDS FORWARDS FORWARDS when he had to leave his beloved Rosie this morning! Mum has never done this particular ride so quickly, once Jake realised mum wasn't going to let him turn round (not spinning just subtle side stepping) he decided he would just get the ride over & done with ASAP ;D

Meanwhile I'd put a halter & long line on Rosie, then her bridle and walked her to the sand school. She called a couple of times but settled quite quickly. Did the most enormous spook at a couple of wood pigeons flying up but she justs jumps and doesn't shoot off etc which is nice to know. Got to the sand school and we just walked round on both reins. I then did some lateral flexions (not too bad when I have her attention) and got her to step over with her hind quarters. She responds to me taking my shoulders back & slows down, speeds up if I go forwards etc. Getting her to trot on a circle was harder (Note to self: next time take a stick) but I'm still working out what level of energy to use with her. Anyway we'd done about 10 minutes work and a couple of horse & riders came past - Rosie called and one of them called back. Then I heard Jake!

Rosie did too and turned round - there they were trotting (really extended trot) down Fiddling Lane (about 1/4 mile away), with Jake calling every few strides! So I waited for mum to come round Mill Lane & we walked home together - Jake initially very wound up (so sweaty!!) but as we walked he did relax. Rosie's energy was a little up but nothing to worry about. Am pleased with our first GW session, its given me some idea of what work on.

[beksnjake]

Rosie was a little keen to be turned out tonight, trying to tank off before we got to her half of the field. As you let her go, she goes off at 900 miles/hour round the field and then stops at the electric fence & grazes!! I'm sure this will settle down once we put them together, which I'll probably do on Monday - also although the light at the back of the stables lights up most of Jake's half of the field, it's not so light in Rosie's half so that could be another reason she's keen to go. I didn't get stresed about her being a bit silly and just tried to stand quietly until she calmed down.

She really likes her food and is so funny when I give her carrots after she's worked - it's almost as if she can't quite believe her luck and politely mugs you for more - I am discouraging this, honest I am!

What I am finding interesting though, is that my mindset is very different to when I got Jake, I'm much stricter in setting the boundaries, determining what behaviours I will or won't accept right from the start (mother has been quite impressed!) - I guess I'm more knowledgeable now and also if things don't go quite to plan I don't worry like I used to with Jake - I was terrified of getting it wrong! You just reform/regroup, maybe adjust your approach and carry on, it's no big deal. I'm beginning to see where I've come from, how I've changed over the past 4/5 years and do you know what - it feels good

[beksnjake]

Rosie was slightly better tonight when I turned her out - but I think I was better prepared & more tuned in to any changes she presented as I took her out. She sticks a bit on the yard (even though I'm only going about 50 m to the field from the stables) - she doesn't want to leave Jake I guess (who is getting quieter about her leaving). So I don't pull, I just ask quietly for a weight change from left to right or vice versa and then ask her to step forward, which she does nicely. As we went out to the field, I kept my energy very low and asked her to stop a couple of times, pause & breathe slowly and then move on again. She gets anxious at the gate in the electric fence, which is wide enough for 2 horses & I don't put on the energizer until she is in the field & the "gate" shut. Tonight she rushed alittle though the gate and tried to run round me, but I asked her to stand still - took a couple of asks and I did get the halter off - but she still takes off as soon as the halter is off. Doesn't go far & immediatley settles to graze. Not sure whether this is a pattern for her as I know she was a bit anxious at the field gate at rhr's where she was out with a lot more horses and a couple of them were crowding the gateway. Anyway its early days and I'm not going to stress about it, it'll come good soon enough. Just need to make sure mum is fully prepared though - don't want any more tramplings!!

[redhorseracinguk]

She did get anxious with gateways, stick with it Becks, she'll settle. She gets better the more you do it, she doesn't do it to hurt anyone- I think she's been zapped by electric tape at some point. Also, there was a time the field gate was live (no thanks to the stupid maintenance man!) and she got a nasty belt off it, she was rushing before that though. But I know it didn't help.

She'll get used to it and she does stop it once settled in Xx