I've given up with weight watchers, it was just too hard for me to stick to. I'm still trying to eat healthily but will return to a strict diet once my will power to loose weight returns.
Deli, my fell pony has been resting since July due to a fracture to his side bone. He's been sound since the begining of the winter (typical). So as I haven't got lights in the school at my yard I decided to give him the winter off and then bring him back in the spring. So we're 8 weeks away from the clocks changing and the mornings are getting lighter because of that I've taken the opportunity to bring him back into work. So Saturday I borrowed my sister's roller and lunge lines and attempted to long rein him. Not to be detterred by the rain I put a quarter sheet on him and took him in the school. All was going well on the left rein walking out nicely in a good outline powering from behind as usual. Now I dont know if it was the quarter sheet or the rein against his bottom or both but he threw a massive bucking fit and epic bolt around the school. I took a moment to admire his expressive canter and fantastic trot - he really does move well. But then I realised ah, we really should be sticking to walk for a little while before building in trot etc. Took a little bit of coaxing to get him to stand still so I could rescue him from the snake that was attacking him *rollseyes* And continued the session with just the one rein.
Sunday I thought right try again with the long reins but without the quarter sheet. Yes he is fully clipped but he'll just have to be on the colder side of warm for 15 mins. Also I thought I would save the risk of him not standing still in the school and prepare the off side rein before walking to the school. As we had three gates to negotiate to the school and the rein's buckle wont go through the ring on the roller so has to be threaded through from the handle, I threaded it through and tied on ready to clip onto the bit ring in the school and off we go. Ah, no. As we walked to the school the knot had come undone and as the scary snake un ravelled Deli spooked, nearly knocking me over in the process and we started lunging on the grass verge. Managed to calm him down and persuade him to stand still while I rescued him from danger once again. So with the offside rein clipped onto his bit ring and resting over his back I stood behind his shoulder and long reined him to the school. Bless he stood whilst I opened the next two gates and did a good session all in walk in the school.
Even took Sapphire for a hack yesterday too. We were asked to babysit someone who's just had a baby and is getting back into riding after her pregnancy. Sapphire was mostly good, leading a good example until on the way home she spooked at a massive wooden reel on the side of the road just as a gaggle of cyclists silently overtook us! We had sideways, snorting, passage nearly knocking the overtaking cyclists off their bikes! I did appologise, but I dont think they understand the unpredictability of horses
So Deli's long reining will continue - in this fashion of having the off side rein up over his back which seems to work well. Dont think it's worth stressing him out with the rein behind his back legs - especially as I want the school to be a calm experience seeing I want to sit on the bouncy expressive animal some time soon! As I said above we haven't got lights, so most sessions will be done at 6am in the morning under head tourch. Until the clocks change and then I'll move to after work as hopefully 5:30 in the evening will have some light come April!
Deli, my fell pony has been resting since July due to a fracture to his side bone. He's been sound since the begining of the winter (typical). So as I haven't got lights in the school at my yard I decided to give him the winter off and then bring him back in the spring. So we're 8 weeks away from the clocks changing and the mornings are getting lighter because of that I've taken the opportunity to bring him back into work. So Saturday I borrowed my sister's roller and lunge lines and attempted to long rein him. Not to be detterred by the rain I put a quarter sheet on him and took him in the school. All was going well on the left rein walking out nicely in a good outline powering from behind as usual. Now I dont know if it was the quarter sheet or the rein against his bottom or both but he threw a massive bucking fit and epic bolt around the school. I took a moment to admire his expressive canter and fantastic trot - he really does move well. But then I realised ah, we really should be sticking to walk for a little while before building in trot etc. Took a little bit of coaxing to get him to stand still so I could rescue him from the snake that was attacking him *rollseyes* And continued the session with just the one rein.
Sunday I thought right try again with the long reins but without the quarter sheet. Yes he is fully clipped but he'll just have to be on the colder side of warm for 15 mins. Also I thought I would save the risk of him not standing still in the school and prepare the off side rein before walking to the school. As we had three gates to negotiate to the school and the rein's buckle wont go through the ring on the roller so has to be threaded through from the handle, I threaded it through and tied on ready to clip onto the bit ring in the school and off we go. Ah, no. As we walked to the school the knot had come undone and as the scary snake un ravelled Deli spooked, nearly knocking me over in the process and we started lunging on the grass verge. Managed to calm him down and persuade him to stand still while I rescued him from danger once again. So with the offside rein clipped onto his bit ring and resting over his back I stood behind his shoulder and long reined him to the school. Bless he stood whilst I opened the next two gates and did a good session all in walk in the school.
Even took Sapphire for a hack yesterday too. We were asked to babysit someone who's just had a baby and is getting back into riding after her pregnancy. Sapphire was mostly good, leading a good example until on the way home she spooked at a massive wooden reel on the side of the road just as a gaggle of cyclists silently overtook us! We had sideways, snorting, passage nearly knocking the overtaking cyclists off their bikes! I did appologise, but I dont think they understand the unpredictability of horses
So Deli's long reining will continue - in this fashion of having the off side rein up over his back which seems to work well. Dont think it's worth stressing him out with the rein behind his back legs - especially as I want the school to be a calm experience seeing I want to sit on the bouncy expressive animal some time soon! As I said above we haven't got lights, so most sessions will be done at 6am in the morning under head tourch. Until the clocks change and then I'll move to after work as hopefully 5:30 in the evening will have some light come April!