Memories

It was Karls funeral today. We got through it, but heart-wrenching to see Joan and Rod so upset. The service brought back good memories from childhood and it was good to see family members that I've not seen in years. The crem was full, he had so many friends.
Jim has informed me that he was run off the road a few days back and had to swerve up a very large kerb. The result, broken wing mirror, two popped tyres and damaged wheels! Luckily he's ok, although pretty pissed off. I don't think our fully comp insurance will cover it.

Hustle and bustle

I've had a couple of busy days, yesterday morning up to the yard to check out the new school which has far exceeded expectations, being larger than I thought and with a lovely sand and rubber surface. The liveries are delighted with it and I had a good natter with my old mate Linda. I went shopping with my Mum in the afternoon and then up to Joan and Rods in the evening. They insist that they're coping ok, but I don't think so. We had a couple of drinks and a good catch up, it was lovely to see them. I've arranged to go shopping with Joan tomorrow, I think that shopping may be the recurring theme of this visit, I still have to find some breeches and various other horsey items!
I've got mixed feelings about being home, I hate being in the town and the amount of traffic is driving me crazy, but even amongst all the hustle and bustle, the people still find time to be friendly and helpful, and, of course, it's great to see family and friends.

Sunny England

Well, I arrived safe and sound in a very nice and sunny Liverpool. The hire car co. presented me with a lovely 5 door VW Polo which is lovely to drive and I arrived home to be greeted by Mum and Dad, Karen, Thomas and Chloe. I'm off to the yard tomorrow to check out our new riding arena and hopefully get a ride over the moor one one of the liveries horses.
I'm homesick already.

Tip toes

We had an exciting hack this morning, the same route as yesterday but this time with added fisherman, cars, picnic tables etc....
As we approached the lake I could see the gathering and Remy was a little bit wary, but we went on down to where they'd set up to find four fishermen, their cars, tables and chairs and one of the cars parked on the track with only a small space one one side to get past.
Jim went on ahead but Remy was snorting and backing off so we halted for a few moments to let him take it in and calm down. I don't know if the smell of the live bait in the tubs at the edge of the lake was adding to it, but he was more freaked than I've seen him. He moved forward towards the car and plucked up the courage to sniff it which then startled him a little and he backed into one of the chairs at the table,I was expecting a bit of an explosion, but he still didn't overreact. It was a bit overwhelming for him, but although he was worried, he kept his head and after another few moments he decided he could go, he seemed to grow a few hands and went past on his tip toes, but also with a calmness which  filled me with confidence.
The rest of the ride was fine although on the lane back we met the post van coming toward us at the same time as a tractor and bailer came up behind us. It was a tricky situation, but luckily the post van was going quite slowly and the tractor was prepared to wait until I could take Rem into a gateway. He tensed up a little as the (rather noisy) tractor went past, but no real problem, and by the time we got home he was pretty calm and relaxed. Lots to think about for the boy!
I'm off to the UK tomorrow for a week, and I'm really going to miss my guys.

A little hack

My intention was to ride Remy up to the school and then have a short session in there, but Remy decided he wanted to march straight past and on down to the lake! I didn't ask him to turn into the school so it's not as if he was misbehaving, he just started to stride out energetically as we were approaching the entrance, his intention was definitely to go straight on down the track, so we did. Jim had come up to watch the session, so he accompanied us on our little hack.
We went down the track to the lake, continued on the little track round the lake and then off through the field coming out further down on the lane to our house. Jim had to walk in front a couple of times for encouragement, but all in all he was really happy to go on ahead. We were out for about 40 minutes. I'm pretty chuffed with the boy!
On a sadder note, I learned this week that my cousin Karl had died. Not totally unexpected as he'd suffered ill health for a long time, but still a great sadness. He was a few years younger than me and thankfully died peacefully after a particularly turbulent life. As kids, my sister and I used to spend all holidays and spare time with our cousins so they were a big part of my life growing up. I am especially close to Karls mum and dad and I'm looking forward to spending some time with them next week when I go home to attend the funeral.

We talked, and talked and ...............

...talked, ate a tasty lunch and drank (just a little) wine!!
A lovely day out yesterday at Trudis, it was great to see them all and especially good as Trudis friend Chris was visiting and I haven't seen her for ages. While we talked Chris gave us all a manicure and my nails are now smooth and buffed to perfection (well, not perfection as my nails are sadly neglected, but I'm going to try and take much better care of them and also to moisturise my also neglected hands :-( - thanks Chris!
The weather was iffy this morning, one minute sunny and the next tipping it down. I had a short bridle session with Bonbon, starting with a little massage on her poll and neck, little love whickered at me as she started to relax.
The sun popped out for a while so I took Remy up to the school for an in-hand/lungeing session. He was jumpy going up the field and took a while to settle once in the school, but he gave me some nice giravolta and shoulder-in on the circle. He was good with his back legs today, pretty active and gave me some active        transitions into a not quite as relaxed trot as I'd like, but he was motivated and carrying himself nicely , and taking into account how distracted he was I was pretty happy with him.

The weather's been a bit wishy washy the last few days, but I've had a couple of good sessions with Remy.
Things feel like they're coming together, sideways is improving, reinback is straighter and the trot transitions are more active and soft. After the session on friday, I took his bridle off and we went for a walk around our top field for a look-see and some grass. I rode in the rain yesterday which was fab and then rode him back down the field which I've never done before.

Walking out

Had a lovely time with Remy today. I rode him up to the school but he wanted to explore down the track to the little lakes so that's what we did. I've never ridden him down there, but he really wanted to go. His walk was fantastic, I can't tell you how good it felt to have him striding out beneath me. We stopped at the lake and he had a little snort at the hut with the boat, but he settled quickly and I let him put his head down for a nibble at some grass. I took him in the school on the way back, a short session including rein-back and shoulder-in on each rein followed by a few trot transitions. He's improving and I was happy with the transitions and his balance in the trot.

I'm..............

50, fat, unfit and have no muscle tone whatsoever!
Well, I knew that, but it was confirmed in no uncertain terms the other day trying to do rising trot on Remy. He's a young horse and we've only just started the trot work, and I haven't done any trot work in yonks, but that's no excuse because Remy's got pretty good balance in the trot work and the fact that I'm all over the place is totally down to me. I've got to get fitter, so yesterday got out my exercise dvd which has lots of different programs to choose from - I've started with toning exercises, followed by a rather enjoyable boxing routine and finish with a session of stretches Zen style. LOL someone should video me, now that would be entertaining!
My session in the school with Remy today was pretty good. He started off not really paying attention, but once he'd tuned in he was very attentive. The walk and halt transitions were cleaner today, we did shoulder in on both reins, but mostly I was moving him forward with an active walk, soft in the hand before asking for a trot transition. One or two sloppy ones which I immediately brought back to walk  and tried again, but mostly he gave me nice fluid transitions into a nicely balanced trot which I could rise to and we both remained in balance.We finished with figure of eights on a long rein, bending and stretching nicely.
As I halted and started to dismount he gave a little whicker - not sure if he was saying 'thanks mum, that was ok' or 'thank god she's getting off'!
Our baled hay has been sitting in the field for the last couple of weeks as the farmer who cuts it hadn't been round to bring it in ( he'd left his out too) but this morning I noticed that he'd got all his in from his field adjoining ours and left ours in the field. He's had 3 good years out of us, taking whatever hay we don't need (30/40 big round bales on a good year) but  this year he's been very conspicous by his absence, avoiding us like the plague.  It's been such an horrendous year and we've only got 10 bales, half of what we need. He obviously doesn't think that the maize he's planted in our far field (which we stupidly allowed him to do) is enough. It all changes next year, it's not an official arrangement and he'll have nothing to do with our land. We've got a good horse pasture seed mix to completely reseed the fields and next year we won't cut for hay, we'll rest them and top them when necessary to thicken the grass. A horsey friend said to me that people will show their true colours this year because of all the problems, and it's very true.

(very nearly) Jumping

I thought it was about time Remy saw some jumps so we put out some trotting poles for him to go over and then added a little X pole at the end. We have some coloured poles that we've never used so he needed a quick look before deciding they were ok. He didn't know what to make of the little x pole the first time  and stopped, huffed and then walked over it, the second time he hopped over it and the third time he jumped it , but not particularly athletically. I brought him round again and he made quite a nice jump so we left it at that.  This was just on the left rein, so next time we need to show him he can do it on both reins (hopefully).
A short bridle session with Bonbon asking for relaxation of the jaw and baby flexion. It's coming along well.

Remy - ridden session

Because of the very dry weather, we've not got much grass and added to that very little hay left over from last year. For some reason the farmer hasn't brought this years hay off the field yet (we really must change our hay arrangements next year and take charge of what's happening with our land) so the barn's pretty much empty. Corky and Bonbon who both seem to live off fresh air are keeping their weight but Remy seems to have lost a little condition, although he seems to have grown a little and tends to go a bit rangy. Anyway, he's getting sugar beet and grass nuts added to his vit and min supplement and linseed. We're expecting quite a bit more rain so hopefully the grass will start to come through soon.
Here's a little vid from yesterdays ridden session

Backing Bonbon

A good session with Bonbon yesterday sitting on for the second time. She was a good girl, standing quietly as I mounted and then Jim led her around the school and after the first few sticky steps she was fine.

Cheese and piccalilli

Had a really enjoyable session with Remy in the school today. Started with figure of eights, reinback and shoulder in on each rein. Then a little trot work on both reins followed by a really forward walk on a long rein. Before finishing I asked him for the first time for quarters in, a bit unsure but on asking moved his quarters inside at halt. Finished by riding him back down the lane. It feels like his shoulders are starting to loosen up now and he's getting better balanced. The trot transitions were, on the whole quite nice too.

I've just borrowed a friends Pete Ramey DVD's and finding them really interesting, makes me want to be much more knowledgeable about my horses feet.
Our lovely neighbours who only come out for the summer have just brought us a goody bag of cheshire cheese, tea-bags, piccalilli and biscuits. Yummy.

Bonbon - first sit-on

Remy's been a little tense the last few days. They all came in from the field very jumpy the other morning and it's taken him a while to get over it. He's not been spooky when I've ridden him, just quietly tense. Today I went back to basics, worked a little in-hand on flexions at halt,reinback, giravolta and some shoulder-in. He remained relaxed so I got on and did the same thing onboard. A short ridden session but he listened and did all that I asked. I was pleased with the few steps of shoulder in down the long side on the left rein. Not as easy for him on the right rein, but he did give me some nice relaxed steps. We finished with a lovely relaxed straight reinback, probably the best he's offered me.
We took Bonbon to the school and she was a little unsettled going up there, unusually whinnying back to the others, but soon settled to some light lungeing and a little in-hand with reinback and moving quarters and shoulders. She was nice and relaxed at the end of the session so I decided to stand her up and lay over her back. I've not leaned over her with my full weight before, but we had the saddle on today so I placed my foot in the stirrup and let her take my weight on the near-side. She moved sideways a few steps but I just stayed there and went with her until she stopped and stood still. She was very calm so after a few moments I swung my leg over and sat in the saddle for the first time. What a good girl!! She looked back at me on either side just to see what was going on and then we walked her forwards a few steps before asking for a halt. I patted her all over,  she took a treat from me on either side and seemed quite happy with the whole process. I can't believe I've sat on my little girl for the first time.

Maiden flight - doing alright

We have a swallows nest in our barn, it's on one of the beams above Remys stable. There are 4 youngsters in it. It seems like it's been no time at all, but today the first one left the nest and made it's maiden flight. It was wonderful to watch. It flew around the barn, unsure of itself, mum (or dad) hovering nearby and then flying in and out of the barn trying to guide it. It wanted to get back into the nest, but couldn't work out the logistics. It was flying and hovering, flying and hovering, trying to work out how to do it. Isn't nature amazing - within a few short weeks those wings will be powerful enough to fly for hundreds of miles. Eventually it flew out of the dark, dusty barn into bright, glorious sunshine and circled high above. I wonder what it was thinking at that moment, how it felt leaving the dark safety of the nest and going into the bright open space of a whole new world .
I rode Remy up to the school for a short session. He wasn't paying much attention today, wanting to look around. He's been very jumpy the last couple of days and although he was calmer today he was still quite distracted. I walked him on a long rein for a few minutes, letting him stretch and relax and then worked on some halt/walk/halt transitions. He was sticky giving me right flexion so finished by asking for flexion left then right at halt for a few minutes until he was offering from a light feel on the rein.
As it's been a while, I thought it would be nice to take him up the track so thats what we did. We were out for about 30 minutes, went as far as the road and he gave me a lovely, long, forward stride on the way home.

Gareth came to trim them yesterday so they're fine for another few weeks and he's happy with how they're coping with the very hard ground.

Also, our hay was baled yesterday. In the words of our farmer - 'catastrophe!'
Over the last few years we've had between 35and 45 large round bales of our two main fields and this year we got 10. Unfortunately for us we let the farmer have our other field for maize so we're missing the hay off there too.
Thanks to good friends who've offered us some hay I think we'll be ok, but I can understand how farmers are worrying with large herds of cows to feed.
This spring we've had extremely dry weather and having so little hay is unusual, but our fields need some attention and we plan to reseed at the end of this year, so they'll be in much better condition next year.

Hot and Dusty

It was hot and dusty yesterday in the school with Remy, so another very short session.
He's starting to offer more genuine bend on the right rein, but is still a little reluctant. His wolf teeth are  definitely coming through now, more on that side and I wonder if it's bothering him a little. The equine dentist is due anytime so, hopefully we can sort it out.
I asked him for trot on the right rein for the first time and I was pleased at the way he coped. I can't say that about myself however, my balance and position is awful. It's a long time since I've done any trot work and it shows, I'm going to have to practice!! Jim did a vid.

Just a little moment

After wasting the morning at the docs yesterday, I didn't have chance to do the horses, and as we needed some stuff for our newly emerging wet room I spent the rest of the day shopping.
It was great weather for riding this morning, slightly overcast, warm, but fresh. I took Remy up to the school, starting with a little in-hand to relax him - small circles, relaxed through his neck with good even bend, rein-back, giravolta, followed by a short ridden session.
I'm pleased with the improvement on the right rein. Today he was offering a nice flexion inside at halt and yielding to my inside leg  on the transition to walk, holding the balance on the outside shoulder and not falling out on the circle. He gave me some nice fluid changes of bend in the figure of eights and nice leg yeild on the left rein. On a large circle (20m) left, he felt nicely balanced, so I asked for trot and he offered it immediately with no tension and good rhythm. I was so happy, but not wanting to spoil the moment, and wanting to ask for the transition back to walk before he started to lose balance, I trotted half the 20m circle and then asked. He gave me a smooth transition, in balance. For our first trot in the school I think it was pretty successful. Just a little moment, but a moment to remember.
Again, Jim brought Bonbon up to the school as I was finishing my session with Remy. He said that she came up quite excitedly, but not silly. When she came into the school they both remained calm and she settled to work as Jim took Remy back to the yard. What a star! I worked her as normal, a very short lunge/in-hand session and then halting at the mounting step where I leant over her back. She was a good girl.

One out, one in

It's been another hot day, the kind that saps your energy. We've put Cindy back with the other hens and she went straight into the nesting box and laid an egg! She's happy to be back. The chicks are fine without her and they've been pecking around their new home and lounging around having dirt baths.
We tried a little experiment this morning with the horses. I went up to the school with Remy, a short lunge session followed by a short ridden session. I was chuffed, the right rein was better again today and we got some nice figure of eights with good changes of bend. A few steps of giravolta on the left rein and nice balanced circle with good bend on the right rein. I gave him a break, walking on a long rein, it needed to be more active so I gave him a small squeeze with my legs and he popped into trot. Not an evasion I don't think, just offering me what he thought I wanted. A good session.
While I was in the school, Jim had been getting Bonbon ready and we'd decided he should walk her up to the school, I could then work her while he brought Remy back to the yard. We thought that they'd handle it ok, but you never know, especially with a little madam like Bonbon.
Remy was quite surprised to see her coming up the field and she was very excited to see him in the school. She started dancing at the gate and when Jim brought her in she turned her back-end on Remy and kicked out at him. He was pretty cool about it all and we swapped over with no problems. She acted up a little as he went back, but settled pretty quickly and I worked her as normal.  I'm hoping they cope just as well the next time as it'll make working them both a little easier.

Hot hot hot!!

As you've guessed it's been HOT today. I rode Remy earlier than usual but it was still too hot, so a very short session. Pleased though, the rein-back is becoming more fluid and the right rein was a little better today. Some nice consistent bend and softness on the left rein.

Jilly has hatched 5 chicks, she seems to have left the remaining eggs, so I think she's decided that's her lot. We've moved Cindy and her babies out of the nursery into their own little pen where they can stay until they're big enough to go with the others. Cindy has had enough of them now, so I think that she can go back in with the others tomorrow.  Jim has made them a little house.

Another broody hen.......with babies

I had two good sessions this morning.
With Remy, I rode him up to the school through the field, a first. Jim walked on ahead, and after a few seconds of hesitation, I think while he was trying to figure out why I wasn't leading him as usual, he went no problem.
He was more focussed today with good bending to the left, some nice halt/reinback/ walk-on transtions and a little shoulder-in work down the long side. He's more reluctant to flex to the right, but again, it became easier today throughout the session. I practiced rein-back/walk on on the right rein, asking for a small flexion inside as I asked him to walk on which seemed to help. I finished by riding him along the lane home and having a little trot.

Bonbon's in-season at the moment and is a little sucky, she was a sweetheart today in the school. A short lungeing session moving her around the school, first at walk getting her to relax with a good, active walk and then asking for the trot transition. She's pretty relaxed in the trot, finding good balance, but I really hope she comes up more in the wither as sometimes I'm not quite sure she knows what to do with her extremely tall back legs. Between changes of rein, we worked a little on moving her quarters and shoulders and she seems to understand exactly what I'm asking for.
We finished with me laying over her back and she was really chilled about it.

Jilly hen, who has been sitting on about a dozen eggs for the last few weeks, hatched the first two today so we've moved her into the nursery with Cindy hen and her 7 babies who are now a month old. Hopefully they'll be going into their own little nursery pen at the weekend, leaving Jilly in peace.
Why are we doing this exactly? I'm not cut out for it, because I can't contemplate eating them. I can't believe the joy I feel watching them grow and develop into little personalities.
HELP.  Good homes wanted for good layers, hmmm, beautiful fresh eggs!!  Anyone?