The early months of 2006....

Jan - July 2006

Well, such is my memory, I cant remember loads of what happened at the beginning of the year. Here's hoping writing this brings it all back.

The winter, early months of 2006, were hideous. So bloody cold everyone at the yard was complaining and wondering when what felt like the longest winter in history was ever going to end. Frozen fingers and toes are just about the worst thing ever and its just no fun tacking up on a dark evening and not feeling your hands and feet before you've even got on board.

Well, Herbs and I got through the early months of the year doing as much work as possible and getting fed up with smelly rugs and muddy fields. I was looking forward to getting the lorry out so as soon as April came Sharon and I booked a jumping lesson at a nearby indoor school. Having never set foot (as far as I'm aware) inside an enclosed school before and certainly never having seen a black rubber floor I was quite proud that Herbs strolled in without too much of a drama. Even the mirrors on the walls and jumps propped up along the outsides of the school didn't put him off once he'd had a good look at them. He jumped really well, and fairly consistently given that his canter is still unbalanced. After the lesson we wandered off onto some of Sharon's old stomping ground for a hack, and then back to the lorry to pack up for home.

We booked again in May however that was a rather different experience. Spring fever got the better of Herbs and after I fell off once when he ducked out of the second part of a double he then proceeded to buck me off rather splendidly as I brought him round for another go. Then the little sod took a sharp turn after the second part of the double on another attempt and I was off for the 3rd time. A rather more graceful fall on the 3rd though - I slid off as it was easier than hauling myself back up from the half on position! We had planned to hack out again after the lesson but to be honest I felt so battered and bruised I didn't bother.

On Sunday 25th June 2006, I took Herbs to a local show. I was hoping that the recent jumping lessons I'd had would pay off and wanted to ride a clear round (whether or not we went clear would be another matter but I wanted to have a go anyway).

Whilst really enthusiastic about going to shows, the biggest pain is the preparation beforehand, what with plaiting up, washing his tail, washing off the poo (a never ending job with a grey) and giving tack the once over, all this has to start the day before. Then, when a show starts at 8:30am it still means arriving at the yard at about 7am to get loaded, wash off more poo and redo all the plaits that have fallen out over night. None of this I mind at all, but doing this on a regular basis whilst keeping a full time job is tiring and consequently I don't do it as much as I'd like to.

Anyway, we arrived at the show on time, first box there! Got the horses off to settle a bit and put entries in for the classes. I'd chosen to enter a clear round, and the novice riding, then Kirsty from the yard was going to enter him in Most Handsome Gelding for fun.

I was delighted during the warm up because Herbs was so strong in trot but lovely when I asked for canter and we even managed to jump the practice jump in canter a couple of times. That's the first time I've cantered in warm up as I always felt there was a risk Herbs would just get silly and bolt because of the show environment so even if we didn't do any classes that day I would have been pleased.

Anyway we went clear in the jumping (the judge let us off jumping the last from the wrong direction so I'm not complaining) and even though the wall was a little scary (again), Herbs didn't actually step back so the halt before jumping wasn't classed as a refusal. Happy happy me, I really really didn't care what happened after that and actually we went on to get 3rd place in the Novice Riding class. There were a few in the class but Herbs behaved impeccably walking, trotting and cantering as a group. I even think we may have done better if our individual show hadn't been so long - sorry Herbs! The final event of the day was Most Handsome Gelding for Kirsty as I'm a little old (you have to be under 16 and much as Id love to I cant fool anyone) and they got 5th place. All in all, we had a wonderful day and I couldn't have asked for a better behaved boy. Go Herbs!! Mwah!

Here are some of the pics I took at the show...

Herbs looking rather gay!!!!

Sharon with the boys...

Among lots of hacks at the weekend and schooling during the week, I have also had 2 lessons with an instructor at a nearby stable yard. This was extremely useful albeit very expensive so I've tried to remember all the points made and will continue to work on improvements at home. Happily, in July I tried another rather well qualified instructor who came to the yard to give me a lesson and I was rather pleased that my position has improved so much and that I'm not heading Herbs off in any dodgy training directions. I got some great tips from Sarah and in the week or so that I've been putting them into practice I can really feel an improvement.

Oooh, I've missed something hysterical...

I reckon it would have been sometime in May that Sharon and I took Herbs and Coy to a local dressage show. Neither of us had learned the tests (we hate full time work) but we enlisted the help of Megan (chief caller) and knew she would save our embarrassment. We arrived, got a lovely parking spot where the boys could munch happily and I started to get Herbs ready as we were first on. Well, forget the warm up - completely impossible. As soon as they were separated the boys kept yelling at each other across the show ground, thus stuffing any chances of concentration. The whole day was completely hysterical because this just didn't stop and as soon as either of us headed off to do our test the boys would start yelling all over again. In the end, Herbs and I didn't get placed in the first test but did achieve 9th in the second so I was very pleased considering I'm not really competitive and kept collapsing with laughter every time one of them neighed. Bless.

So, how are we riding now??

Generally we went into 2006 with a good walk and trot and a sometimes rather hurried canter, albeit much improved. From about May, I've been trying to concentrate on achieving roundness and we are getting there. Ivy had a few jumping lessons too which had helped to improve his concentration and steady the paces a little.

With regard to the roundness, Herbs kinda knows what I want but as his back isn't rounding he is not on the bit properly. This will come and I have lots of time to practice. I've set myself a goal of achieving true roundness by February 2007 so watch this space to see if I achieve it.