Thursday 3 December 2015

November Review



I can't believe it is December, 3 weeks until the shortest day and 4 until Christmas!  Yippee.  I love Christmas, lots of days off to ride - if the weather behaves.

November has been a good month though as Basil and I are getting going again :) I have managed to ride a few times.  Unfortunately, getting him fit when you can only ride twice a week is tricky and that is when it isn't pouring with rain or blowing a hurricane.  However, just doing something is good and in the New Year things should get better.

Basil has been feeling very un-photogenic this month and absolutely won't stand still for me to take a photo.  So, I have had to find some old ones!


My November aims for Basil were:

  1. Calmness 
  2. Rhythm 
  3. Suppleness 
  4. Consistency of bend on left rein 
  5. Halt transitions 
  6. Walk 
  7. Trotting 
  8. Circles, serpentines and changes of rein.
Tommy and I are working on a bit of a Christmas surprise for everyone.  He is settling more and more each week and has now got used to the new routine of coming in at night.  It has taken him a while as initially he was hesitant to come in from the dark to the light stables.  Now he is used to it though he is right behind the others!


This is what November looked like:

1st - Rode Basil!!!!!!!  In school just for 20 minutes in walk.  We had a tiny trot on each rein but mostly concentrated on some big circles.  He was so good considering this is the first time I have ridden since 4th August.  Good news that his mouth does not seem to be bothering him at all.

6th - Teeth checking day and annual vaccinations.  As usual Chesney was sedated to have his teeth done.  This is the one thing he is really difficult for and always has been.  Having a bit of sedative means it is much less stressful for him and takes about a quarter of the time it would if he was fully awake.  Basil is fine for his teeth and we had a check of his 'hole' too.  Not much left to see now though :)  Tommy also had a bit of sedative to make it less stressful for him.  He was really good though and did not seem worried at all.  Similarly they were all good for their vaccinations.

8th - Rode in school again.  20 minutes of mostly walk but with a little trot on each rein.  Circles and a couple of 3 loop serpentines.

12th - Farrier day.  Tommy was a bit stressed today.  I am not sure what about but it did make him a bit more tricky for the farrier.  However, with a lot of patience, from my wonderful farrier, he had all 4 feet trimmed again.

16th - Rode in school, just over 20 minutes.  Really good today, felt more keen again which is great.  We did some 4 loop serpentines as well as 3 today and had a couple of little trots on each rein.

22nd - Bit icy today but managed a little ride in the arena.  Stuck to the track as that was level and the least icy.  Basil felt keen again today but we mostly stuck to walk as I didn't want to strain anything.

28th - Schooled for 25 minutes today.  We are still not doing any serious work,  I am not trying to get Basil in a contact or anything.  I am looking for forward and straight with the correct bend on the corners and circles - nothing more.  He is not very fit anymore:(  I did introduce a bit of leg yield in walk to add some variety and was so pleased that he remembered this too. 

29th - Lunged absolute lunatic.  Just as he was the first day I tried to lunge him after his break, he just galloped up and down for 5 minutes.  We managed to finish with a few minutes of sensible work on each rein though.

December will be a bit of a continuation of November, with real progress plans in place for January 2016.

My December aims for Basil are:

  1. Calmness 
  2. Rhythm 
  3. Suppleness 
  4. Consistency of bend on left rein 
  5. Halt transitions 
  6. Walk 
  7. Trotting 
  8. Circles, serpentines and changes of rein.

There is one other bit of quite exciting news (for me anyway), it  is that Chesney's appetite for hay seems to be increasing a bit :)  He is eating more again each night than he was last year.


Have you seen yesterday's video - my purchases at Your Horse Live? 
Horse Life and Love.  Please check it out and SUBSCRIBE.

You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram for updates on Chesney, Basil and Daisy.

Until next time!
Jo

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