Christmas holiday work
I hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas period and got thoroughly spoilt. I know I did. While I'm on a nice little break from work, the boys are not on a break!
The weather is helping, after our scorcher of a Saturday the temperature have eased a bit and have mostly been in the high 20's which makes riding a lot easier. Mostly we have been working at home, trying to improve our flat work.
For Coolie that means keeping him forward and in self carriage and trying to improve out lateral movements. I want him really into the contact and I am starting to have him develop more collection. That means I have to be on my A game, making sure my position is solid, my hands are allowing, and I'm not letting him slack off. We are both finding it hard going, but it is certainly paying off. We are also doing more sitting trot, which is improving but I need to do more work without stirrups. Coolies topline has improved and he looks a bit more like a dressage horse, which is my aim currently.
Henry has been doing similar work, but less complex. He also has to stay in front of my leg and in self carriage, and we have been finessing his lateral work. He finds it a lot easier than Coolie does. HE has been feeling fresh recently, I think because they have a roll of meadow hay in the paddock. Plus he hates being worked in he morning, but hot weather and me being on holidays means that he gets worked when it suits me! His shape has changes a lot recently and he has started to fill out, he looks a lot less like a baby horse these days.
Christmas morning saw us on our traditional bush ride with the horses all dressed up in their Christmas outfits. We were up early and home before 8, it was very quiet everyone was in bed still. Then we spent the morning with my family opening gifts. I got very spoilt with a fancy new saddle blanket, and new stirrups in red. So exciting. Andrew got an even more exciting gift, 4 chickens! They are super cute and have settled in well. We had lunch with my extend family and it was a fun day filled with yummy food, my family really know how to cook!
Boxing day morning we met friends at the beach at 7am, which was another early start but it was great because we were the first ones there. I took Coolie and we are such a good time, swimming and cantering and splashing around. He is so much fin to swim and everyone had a go. He really quite likes the beach and seems to enjoy submerging his whole face in the water. The bit he likes most though is rolling in the sand when we are done.
Thursday both horses had a really productive flat session, Henrys work is feeling really good at the moment, consistent and solid. Coolie was feeling good, but wanted to argue about some of the harder work. I persisted and we finished on a good note.
Friday I decided to build a bit of a grid to try out my new stirrups. Henry was first and he felt keen, and insisted he needed to jump over a pole on the ground. It took a bit to get him to settle, but it's starting to feel really easy these days. I'm not worried about anything at all, even if he jumps big over something.
Coolie was feeling fresh too and happy to be jumping. I kept his session short, and jumped him in his dressage bridle which he was still nice and responsive in. I think I might have to do that more at home, because he feels good in it. I wont risk it competing though, he gets far too strong.
After we had a few runs through, Andrew hopped on to do some jumping. He has never done very much but he was feeling brave and Coolie it a good horse to learn on, he will never do anything really naughty. They both did well, Andrew didn't fall off and Coolie looked after him.
Today Coolie and I have a lesson, and New Years Eve we are off to the beach again. It's been very nice to spend some time at home relaxing and getting some good rides in. Not looking forward to going back to work, thats for sure!
I hope everyone enjoyed their celebrations and are enjoying the extra time with their horses like I have been!
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| Santa Clause is coming to town! |
The weather is helping, after our scorcher of a Saturday the temperature have eased a bit and have mostly been in the high 20's which makes riding a lot easier. Mostly we have been working at home, trying to improve our flat work.
For Coolie that means keeping him forward and in self carriage and trying to improve out lateral movements. I want him really into the contact and I am starting to have him develop more collection. That means I have to be on my A game, making sure my position is solid, my hands are allowing, and I'm not letting him slack off. We are both finding it hard going, but it is certainly paying off. We are also doing more sitting trot, which is improving but I need to do more work without stirrups. Coolies topline has improved and he looks a bit more like a dressage horse, which is my aim currently.
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| Sulking on Christmas morning because we were getting ready to leave for lunch |
Henry has been doing similar work, but less complex. He also has to stay in front of my leg and in self carriage, and we have been finessing his lateral work. He finds it a lot easier than Coolie does. HE has been feeling fresh recently, I think because they have a roll of meadow hay in the paddock. Plus he hates being worked in he morning, but hot weather and me being on holidays means that he gets worked when it suits me! His shape has changes a lot recently and he has started to fill out, he looks a lot less like a baby horse these days.
Christmas morning saw us on our traditional bush ride with the horses all dressed up in their Christmas outfits. We were up early and home before 8, it was very quiet everyone was in bed still. Then we spent the morning with my family opening gifts. I got very spoilt with a fancy new saddle blanket, and new stirrups in red. So exciting. Andrew got an even more exciting gift, 4 chickens! They are super cute and have settled in well. We had lunch with my extend family and it was a fun day filled with yummy food, my family really know how to cook!
Boxing day morning we met friends at the beach at 7am, which was another early start but it was great because we were the first ones there. I took Coolie and we are such a good time, swimming and cantering and splashing around. He is so much fin to swim and everyone had a go. He really quite likes the beach and seems to enjoy submerging his whole face in the water. The bit he likes most though is rolling in the sand when we are done.
Thursday both horses had a really productive flat session, Henrys work is feeling really good at the moment, consistent and solid. Coolie was feeling good, but wanted to argue about some of the harder work. I persisted and we finished on a good note.
Friday I decided to build a bit of a grid to try out my new stirrups. Henry was first and he felt keen, and insisted he needed to jump over a pole on the ground. It took a bit to get him to settle, but it's starting to feel really easy these days. I'm not worried about anything at all, even if he jumps big over something.
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| Still extra 😑 |
Coolie was feeling fresh too and happy to be jumping. I kept his session short, and jumped him in his dressage bridle which he was still nice and responsive in. I think I might have to do that more at home, because he feels good in it. I wont risk it competing though, he gets far too strong.
After we had a few runs through, Andrew hopped on to do some jumping. He has never done very much but he was feeling brave and Coolie it a good horse to learn on, he will never do anything really naughty. They both did well, Andrew didn't fall off and Coolie looked after him.
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| So matchy! |
Today Coolie and I have a lesson, and New Years Eve we are off to the beach again. It's been very nice to spend some time at home relaxing and getting some good rides in. Not looking forward to going back to work, thats for sure!
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| They are names after Dames Angelina, Maggie, Barbara and Judy |
I hope everyone enjoyed their celebrations and are enjoying the extra time with their horses like I have been!
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| Also went hiking |
I want a xmas like yours with warm weather :) HA! glad you had such a great holiday!! Looks like lots of riding and those stirrups are to win. I would like to see the chickens too though :) HA! Happy New Year to you!!
ReplyDeletearm and dry is the way to go. Cold is just odd, and it gets dark early in the northern hemisphere! You can always come for a holiday!
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