tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74854522437867042782024-03-12T16:54:32.075-07:00The Trials and Tribulations of the SaffmeisterUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-51260647964344237672008-03-31T08:55:00.000-07:002008-05-18T10:49:30.097-07:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-70482703377827612042007-07-08T12:34:00.000-07:002008-05-18T12:40:21.085-07:00Ch.ch.ch.changes .....<div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Just look at how much she's changed!</span></em></div><br /><br /><a href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j109/Kassidy088/Saffy17Mar07b.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j109/Kassidy088/Saffy17Mar07b.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">March 2007</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><br /><br /><a href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j109/Kassidy088/8July2007021.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j109/Kassidy088/8July2007021.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j109/Kassidy088/8July2007019.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j109/Kassidy088/8July2007019.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><em><span style="font-size:130%;">July 2007</span></em></p><p> </p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">We changed from the way she was worked in the past (forwards, forwards, forwards - balance through movement) more to the French Classical school which works more slowly (balance before movement). </span></em></p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">She hasn't found it easy to work more slowly but you can see that it's paying off :)</span></em></p><p align="center"> </p><p><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></em> </p><p align="center"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-8258757104419144912007-07-08T12:31:00.000-07:002008-05-18T12:34:25.769-07:00<div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>How could I forget the new advanced moves that she's patented!!!!</em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>Now first a disclaimer ... these are advanced moves and shouldn't be attempted unless your horse is ready for them and you are qualified to teach them. No responsibility will be taken for any hurties or ouchies caused by attempting these moves. </em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em><strong>YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!</strong></em></span></div><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></em></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></em></strong></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em><strong>EAT GRASS to TROT transition</strong></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>One fluid movement from eating the grass to trot. There should be no walk steps inbetween. The frame should be maintained. The horse should not lose balance and fall on their nose </em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em><strong>EATING GRASS TROT</strong></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>An advanced version of the free trot on a long rein. The horse should maintain impulsion, stretch down long and low and should eat a mouthful of grass at each stride. They should not lift their heads between each mouthful and should not lose their balance and fall on their nose </em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em><strong>MUNCHING FROM THE HEDGE LATERALS</strong></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>Whilst walking or trotting forwards with purpose the horse should bend through the body, take a mouthful of hedge and then return to walking/trotting straight. This movement should be fluid with no hesitation throughout the bend.</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>Saff is a work in progress for these highly advanced movements but she was giving them a damn good go yesterday :)</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-29160207095452918952007-07-07T12:24:00.000-07:002008-05-18T12:31:04.421-07:00Audition for the Spanish Riding School<div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>Despite how chilled she looks in these photos it just disproves the old adage that the camera never lies .....</em></span></div><br /><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Safflongreininginthefield.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Safflongreininginthefield.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Safflongreininginthefieldpanoramic.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Safflongreininginthefieldpanoramic.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">When we got to the yard today the school was booked out for a private lesson for an hour so we decided to long rein her around the field. </span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Saff was fairly good but was rather overexcited. She did some pretty good beginnings of piaffe, passage and levade with a bit of terre-a-terre and a mini capriole (I've seen her do better on the lunge). </span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">She was about 18 hh today, beautifully arched neck and very stallionesque. </span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">I think that we made it round the field quicker than anyone else in the history of going around the field :) </span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Apart from one spot (which she's bizarrely taken an intense dislike to) she was just very exhuberent and full of the joys of the first warm day in a long time.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">The levade is definitely going to be a possiblity judging by today's performance! She just gets more and more collected and then levades. </span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">She's a LOT more athletic than she appears when you see her on the yard and we can see the horse that she can be with more training. Even when she's overexcited she's not trying to run off and doesn't pull on the lines. Strange horse.</span></em></div><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-78481307462203160252007-06-10T12:16:00.000-07:002008-05-18T12:21:11.557-07:00Spanish Walk Update<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW8June07-2.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW8June07-2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW-14.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW-14.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">She's getting the height</span></em></div><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW-12.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW-12.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW-11.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW-11.jpg" border="0" /></a> </p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">and now the extension</span></em></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Eating8June07.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Eating8June07.jpg" border="0" /></a> </p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Saffy's self service approach to clicker training!</span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></em> </p><p><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></em> </p><p><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"> </p><p align="center"><br /></p></span></em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-41551431824576695742007-06-02T12:15:00.000-07:002008-05-18T12:16:49.299-07:00Clicker Training<div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>Saffy being Saffy she's taken clicker training and added her own, very unique twist to it! </em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>She does the move, we click and Saffy treats herself to the trees and bushes at the side of the school! </em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>We decided today that she's not an ISH, she's a IDxTBxHamster. There's no way on earth that she can pack that much food into her mouth AND the pelham unless she's got cheek pouches! I've never known a horse like it. She ALWAYS grabs something to eat and wraps it around her bit ... it's not like she's going to starve in the hour that we're in the school.</em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>She is progressing really nicely, though, and did a beautiful slow trot today Not bad for a ned that thinks that her place in life is bombing across a cross country course!</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-44001467660054165422007-05-27T12:11:00.000-07:002008-05-18T12:14:07.603-07:00More piccies ...long reining and ridden<a href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j109/Kassidy088/Saff-2.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j109/Kassidy088/Saff-2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j109/Kassidy088/Saff-1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j109/Kassidy088/Saff-1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j109/Kassidy088/Saff323May07.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j109/Kassidy088/Saff323May07.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j109/Kassidy088/Saff.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j109/Kassidy088/Saff.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j109/Kassidy088/Saff223May07-1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j109/Kassidy088/Saff223May07-1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-37966073189235467842007-05-27T12:09:00.000-07:002008-05-18T12:11:30.528-07:00Practising the Spanish Walk<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy26May07SW-8.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy26May07SW-8.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy26May07SW.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy26May07SW.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy26May07SW-7.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy26May07SW-7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">She loves the Spanish Walk and is always happy to show it off :)</span></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;">She's getting very cocky now, though, look at how she rests her hind leg in the last piccy :)</span></em></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-5781032805868624352007-05-27T12:00:00.000-07:002008-05-18T12:09:02.793-07:00Even more photos ....<div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>Saff is loving her work these days and finding it much easier than she did before. So easy, in fact, that she can do it with her eyes closed :)</em></span></div><br /><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy26May07Eyesclosed-3.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy26May07Eyesclosed-3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy26May07Eyesclosed-2.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy26May07Eyesclosed-2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Not sure what happened here but she was very excited going into canter, squealed and .... well .... see for yourself</span></em> </div><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy26May07WTF-1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy26May07WTF-1.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p> </p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">and a nanosecond later ....</span></em></p><p align="center"> <img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy26May07Whatyoulookingat-1.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center"> </p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">She also loves her Lucienuts .... soaked .... she also likes to give kisses just after she's had her head in the bucket ....</span></em></p><p align="center"><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy26May07Green-1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy26May07Green-1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-64752364472697349912007-05-26T11:18:00.000-07:002008-05-18T11:24:16.690-07:00The 'before' piccies<div><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>Just after her shoes came off</em></span></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Barefoot/19june05-2.jpg" border="0" /></div></div><br /><p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Barefoot/19june05-5.jpg" border="0" /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Barefoot/19june05-3.jpg" border="0" /></p><br /><p></p><br /><p align="center"><em><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Off Fore</span></strong></em></p><br /><p align="center"><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></strong></p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Barefoot/19june05.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p align="center"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Barefoot/19june05-4.jpg" border="0" /></p><br /><p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Barefoot/19june05-1.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> </p><p align="center"><em><strong><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Near Fore</span></strong></em></p><p align="center"><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></strong> </p><p align="center"><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></strong> </p><p align="center"> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-38079472259014562652007-05-26T11:11:00.000-07:002008-05-18T11:18:09.298-07:00Piccie for the hoof anoraks<div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>Look at these lovely barefoot paws :)</em></span></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SaffFeet23May07.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> </p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;">We have an excellent barefoot trimmer who does her feet</span></em></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;">she's a member of the UK Equine Podiatry Association</span></em></span></p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="http://www.epauk.org/">http://www.epauk.org/</a></span></em></p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </p><p align="center"> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-45388767644030897772007-05-11T11:04:00.000-07:002008-05-18T11:11:20.177-07:00Saffy's first outing ... Heather Moffett clinic at Smeltings Farm<div align="center"><strong>Daft o'clock.</strong> Got up before the birds to get my taxi through to Sheffield. Still asleep as I hadn't got in from the clinic the night before until midnight. </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> <strong>7.30am.</strong> It's p'ing it down with rain and the herd is right at the top of our 45 acre field! Needless to say Saffy wasn't overly excited about being brought in early!</div><div align="center">Got her back to the yard and she obviously knew that SOMETHING was going on because she wouldn't eat her feed. </div><div align="center">She was cleaned up as best we could, plaited her mane and forelock, travel boots on, rug on, tail guard on and ready to go.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><strong>8.15am.</strong> Lorry arrives with a ramp that is akin to scaling Mount Everest. This was no 'edge them slowly up the ramp' job, this was total commitment. Not the best kind of ramp for a first load!</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><strong>8.20am.</strong> Tack etc is on the lorry so time to get Saff on. She stands at the bottom of the ramp obviously rather confused as to what she needed to do. She's not naughty but isn't quite sure about it. You want me to climb up THERE? ? ? ? ? ?</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><strong>8.45am.</strong> She decides to be a big brave girl, stands on her back legs and plonks her front feet 3/4 the way up the ramp. Back legs follow and she's on </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><strong>9.20am.</strong> Arrive at Smeltings. She's travelled well and apart from being a bit sweaty, rubbing her tail guard off and poohing her pants she's fine. She walked off the lorry rather nicely rather than leaping or running :) Damian took her into her stable where she neighed at her new friends and tucked into her haynet.</div><div align="center">After she'd had a while to pee and eat we tacked her up and took her into the lunge pen. I stayed outside as there were 2 horses in the school next to the pen and adding a strange place into the equation we expected an explosion. </div><div align="center">Apart from neighing at the new horses she was a complete darling. She even lowered her head and offered long and low. What a good girl :)</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><strong>10am.</strong> Show time She came in and had a look around but was remarkably calm. She took a bit longer to settle but wasn't particularly spooked by the indoor school (we only have an outdoor), the cows in the field outside, the gelding in the field outside or the row of faces looking at her in the arena. </div><div align="center">We don't have fencing up to the sides of the school at home so she did jump a bit when she wiped her rider (I still can't ride after my accident) up the side of the boards!</div><div align="center">Once she'd settled she went quite nicely. She was a bit unsteady in her head and had a few short 'episodes' but she wasn't particularly 'naughty' overall. </div><div align="center">I was really proud at how well behaved she was for her first time out, I really expected fireworks and spooks galore. </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">I had promised everyone that she would be 'entertaining' at the very least and she didn't disappoint! She literally EXPLODED into canter and once she found that this caused people to laugh she demonstrated it again ... several times! </div><div align="center">Once actually in canter though she was a good girl :) </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">I'm so proud off my little moo cow.It was a good lesson and our rider did really well to sit so well on what is, effectively, an unexploded bomb. </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">I just wish that Heather was nearer but at least we've got two excellent EE teachers in the vicinity.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Heather did comment on her ability to transform from Dobbin to Dressage pone :) </div><div align="center">We're hoping that it will work to our advantage once we start competing by lulling the others into a false sense of security and the difference between resting Saff and working Saff being SO noticeable that she'll really stand out.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">I really enjoyed the clinic (and the demo the evening before). Heather is such a good teacher and so positive even when she's giving corrections. I'd definitely do it again, it was a great experience.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Having done herself proud it was time for her to go home. She wanted to stay at Smeltings but they needed the stable.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Loading up to go home she did the same thing again and stood at the bottom of the ramp just looking at it. 25 minutes later (that's obviously the magic number!) she jumped on again and went home. Bless her, she was SUCH a good girl, we were very proud of how she behaved. </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">It was her first time out and must have been stressful because of breaking her routine (getting her in early), loading, travelling, new place, new horses, new work place, lots of people watching. But she was a little star, we couldn't have asked more from her at all.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">I have to say a HUGE thank you to Heather who was absolutely fantastic and made everyone feel more positive about themselves and really improved the horse and rider by the end of the session.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Vicky and Damian from Smeltings were brilliant. They were fantastic hosts and must have put a lot of work into setting it all up. </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Thank you also to everyone at Smeltings who was involved in getting it all together. Smeltings is a beautiful place and a great venue as it was so calm and friendly.It was a great couple of days and very inspiring. Probably the best demo that I've been to in a long, long time.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-32701322719859331722007-05-09T14:13:00.000-07:002008-05-18T10:22:49.822-07:00Reading the book on Spanish Walk<div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>The Jambettes are coming on so we have started to combine the Jambette with the walk.</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>With my very inexpert help we tried stringing a few together (Jambette ... walk a few steps Jambette .... etc) on the one leg.</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>She's really funny in that she sometimes gets 'stuck' on the first one and gets brain freeze. </em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>Once she got herself sorted she did a decent jambette on her 'bad' leg ... step .... and then only went and OFFERED jambette on the other leg (that we weren't asking for!).</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>She managed a few steps before going 'arrrggghh' and then getting stuck again. </em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>Because she was offering it we started to ask for it :) </em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>The little monkey actually had several decent tries at the SW!!! </em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>Ok, they were only short but we were absolutely gobsmacked. It's like she was saying 'for goodness sake, I've read the book and seen the DVD, why on earth would I want to do it the baby way? Catch up will you already' </em></span></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-17180775057768167752007-04-22T14:07:00.000-07:002008-05-18T10:56:52.784-07:00More photos ....<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW16April2007.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW16April2007.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW16April.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW16April.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Getting a better extension on the Jambette</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div align="center"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Canter-2.jpg" border="0" /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Canter.jpg" border="0" /><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Canter, Saffy's most favourite gait EVER!</span></em></div><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><br /><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-51581994866171277252007-04-22T14:04:00.000-07:002008-05-18T10:21:24.841-07:00The Importance of Magnesium Supplementation<div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></strong></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>We've just discovered how important it is to keep Saff on the Mg.<br /><br /><br />Last weeks 'excitement' at canter was one thing but this Saturday she just completely disconnected under saddle, was spooky and generally had brain fry, it was pointless trying to school her as she was just a spook on legs.<br /><br /><br />She bashed poor Emma in the lip with her head doing one of her 'levade spins' (too lazy to spin properly) and generally regressed to pre Mg days.<br /><br /><br />Hopefully trying to get her back onto the Mg consistently will help ... fingers crossed! The awful thing was that she was a complete angel on Thursday but just couldn't cope on Saturday :o</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-55950346930497547042007-04-16T12:56:00.000-07:002008-05-18T10:56:03.179-07:00It doesn't always go to plan though .....<img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Whoops.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Her canter transition can be a bit 'whoopee'</span></em></strong></div><br /><div><strong><em></em></strong></div><br /><div><strong><em></em></strong></div></div><br /><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Rear.jpg" border="0" /></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><em>And she doesn't like the 'scary' end of the school</em></strong></span></p><p align="center"><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></strong></p><p align="center"></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-55209155480844073492007-04-16T12:52:00.000-07:002008-05-18T10:55:17.690-07:00Training the jambette/Spanish Walk<em></em><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW-9.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW-9.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW2April07.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW2April07.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW-8.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW-8.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW2April07-2.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SW2April07-2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><em>We use clicker training for all of her work which makes it a lot easier to teach new stuff :)</em></div><div><em></em></div><div><em>We started off with jambette and then progressed it to Spanish Walk (but more of that later :) ).</em></div><div><em></em></div><div><em></em></div><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><em></em></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-30358991703960150232007-03-24T12:31:00.000-07:002008-05-18T10:53:06.095-07:00More pics and something to test your observational skills!<div align="center"> </div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></strong></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SaffyTrot-2.jpg" border="0" /> <img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy19Mar07.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Now for the test of your observational skills ... why are her ears back in this photo?</span></em></div><br /><br /><br /><p><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/INSaffy17Mar07-9.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Bag.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-6422031063618415812007-01-14T14:25:00.000-08:002008-05-18T11:02:59.462-07:00My car accident<div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>Which, unfortunately, has put paid to me riding for a while :(</em></span></div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>Was on my way home from the yard today when a drunk driver pulled out in front of me. I hit him side on and completely totalled my car :( </em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>They didn't let me see it (I couldn't anyway) but the front of the car was pushed right back to the dashboard. They wanted to take the top off but I wouldn't let them (that car is ... was ... my baby) though they did have to cut my clothes off which didn't cause quite as much trauma!</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>Anyway, I was immediately put in a collar, on a back slab with my head completely immobilised and carted off to the hospital. Thankfully it's not half as major as it first seemed (apart from my poor car) but I'm extensively battered and bruised, had to have my knees patched up and may have broken ribs. They didn't want to x-ray me because I already work in x-rays and even if they confirm it they won't do anything about it.</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>I can't walk at the moment because it's too painful on my knees and my chest is very sore and I'm pretty convinced that my ribs are bust. My neck and back are very painful too :( </em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>My brother, mum & niece came to the scene to pick up the shopping (one of my other worries!) and to see where they'd taken me. The car was so bad that my mum broke down on the spot but as my brother pointed out to her I was very lucky to have come out of it by looking at the damage.</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>Am back home now feeling very sore, can't walk, can't laugh or breathe deeply and feel very dizzy a lot of the time. Apart from that I'm fine :)</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div align="center"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-35060557828838066732006-09-16T12:25:00.000-07:002008-05-18T10:51:53.485-07:00My name is Saffy and I'm a kleptomaniac<div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>I'd been watching someone else's lesson for about 20 minutes while she had a snooze, came back to the yard to find that she'd unclipped herself (don't know how) and was 'on the missing'. </em></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>Looked in the feed bin area, she wasn't there, hadn't got a clue where she'd gone. Someone shouted that she was over in the other stable block. I went over to find a very pleased with herself looking Saffy heading towards me with a Waitrose carrier bag dangling from her teeth ... in said carrier bag were apples that she'd stolen from one of the other liveries. </em></span></div><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>At least she has standards (Waitrose carrier bag) :)</em></span></div><span style="font-size:130%;"><em><br /><div align="center"><br />One thing is for sure is that life is never dull with Saffy around</em>!</div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/Saffy21August.jpg" border="0" /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-63586367786576794942006-08-30T12:27:00.000-07:002008-05-18T10:52:34.338-07:00Some photos of the mare with, ahem, 'character'<em></em><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/SeptSaffGrassisGreenerinet.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/SeptSaffGrassisGreenerinet.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Awwww ... mum ... but the grass is better here!</span></em></strong><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/SeptSafftheGiraffe.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/SeptSafftheGiraffe.jpg" border="0" /></a> <img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/SeptSaffeatingtreesinet.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><em>She likes her food!</em></strong><br /></span><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/SeptSaffyhurryupinet.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/SeptSaffyhurryupinet.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><em>Come on mum, hurry up, I want my dinner</em></strong><br /><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-32043863793070897682006-08-29T12:22:00.000-07:002008-05-18T10:51:13.248-07:00The day after ..... a step forward again<div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>I tried to reschedule my lesson as there were gales, driving rain, you name it but my trainer was already out and about so that little ploy failed miserably. </em></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>Now our school is open to fields on two sides and open onto a 'stack yard' which is open to fields on the other (with the YOs horses in!). Add in trees along one of the sides and you've got the biggest recipe for disaster that there ever was. The trees were blowing and making one hell of a noise. Each tree had it's own microcommunity of what sounded like a tornado. There was NO WAY on earth that Saffy was going to behave. </em></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>But she did :)</em></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>She not only behaved but she didn't bat an eyelid even with the wind up her tail, in her ears and battering us about. She didn't even toss her head around. My trainer said "I want one like that" as she was just so well behaved. Not only well behaved but worked beautifully, even doing the lateral work Let's just hope that she stays like that :D</em></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/TashaKat/Saffy/SaffypostET.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em><strong>Here's her dozing after an Equine Touch body balance</strong></em> </span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><br /><div align="center"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-39753479415155463282006-08-28T12:19:00.000-07:002008-05-18T10:50:43.793-07:00August 2006 .... 3 steps forward and 1 step back<p align="center"><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>She was going well despite having not been ridden for a week (I was in London all week then moving at the weekend). She started with a 'dog stretch' (think front legs stretched in front, leaning RIGHT back onto her hind legs) though not while I was on her but went quite well in the school even doing a few teeny steps of leg yield<br /></em></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>The next day, however ... ok, it was windy and raining ... it was like she'd been wound up and let go. She trotted around like she was on a mission, nice rhythm, just like Spotty Dog! FINALLY got some good work out of her (including better leg yield) but left canter for another day as I didn't fancy speeds approaching the sound barrier<br />There was a pigeon on the fence looking at us, unfortunately it was next to the 'spooky tree'. She was fine, ignored the pigeon, but then it decided to fly off making the MOST noise possible! Saff did extended trot for a couple of strides and then settled down again quite quickly (thankfully).<br /></em></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>After her 'clockwork toy' routine on Thursday I decided to get her on the lunge on Friday. She wasn't naughty but she was up for it BIG time. At one point she was doind a 20 metre circle in GALLOP! Yes, true gallop. She was completely controlled and obviously just wanted a blast.</em></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-17288428151954396092006-03-28T15:15:00.000-08:002008-05-18T10:47:44.634-07:00<div style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 55px; BACKGROUND: url(http://www.equiportal.co.uk.s3.amazonaws.com/LogoWhite50by50.gif) #ffffff no-repeat left center; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; COLOR: #000000; PADDING-TOP: 5px">Rate my blog and chat with me in the forums at <a style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: #33234c; background-colour: inherit" href="http://www.equiportal.co.uk/">EquiPortal.co.uk</a><sup style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-ALIGN: right">member name: <a style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold" href="http://www.equiportal.co.uk/forum/profile.php?id=41">Bay Mare</a></sup></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7485452243786704278.post-87161164862457346362006-02-11T12:46:00.000-08:002008-05-18T10:47:06.145-07:00The strops<p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>I have always wanted to know exactly what she's doing when she strops. Although I'm aware that she's stropping it somehow feels quite comfortable and not really unseating at all. I got a birds eye view when I watched my trainer ride her. Thankfully she doesn't do this any more ... well very infrequently. She has several 'methods':</em></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em><strong>Cantering on the spot</strong> - she does as it says on the tin! She literally canters on the spot</em></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em><strong>Makes herself tall</strong> - it's really bizarre, she kind of grows, hollows and 'tap dances' with her feet, her feet barely leave the ground, she just shuffles them around like she's tap dancing</em></span></p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em><strong>Rocking horse</strong> - she rocks backwards and forwards from her front to back feet, it's quite bizarre to watch</em></span></p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em><strong>The head toss</strong> - probably the most uncomfortable, she sets her neck vertically and throws her head around</em></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em><strong>The levade</strong> - this one is weird. I think of a rear as them levering themselves up with their back legs fairly straight. Saffy doesn't actually 'rear' anymore but she did ... well, I have to explain it really .... when my trainer was riding her she brought her back legs right under her, if I hadn't have know her I would have said that she was going into a canter pirouette. It was very strange and did look like the SRS levade rather than a rear, she was superbly balanced, her hocks were under her and well flexed and wasn't upright like you'd expect a rear to be. </em></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>As my trainer said, let's just hope that she can remember that for when we ARE doing canter pirouette! It does go to show that she CAN take the weight on her back end .....</em></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em><strong>The Spanish Paw</strong> - this is one that she uses on the ground to express her disapproval or impatience. Like the Spanish Walk but she doesn't walk! She's careful never to catch me when she does it and if I'm not looking at her she'll stamp her front leg down so that I can HEAR her disapproval. She did it the other day, I turned around, glared at her and she backed up, dropped her head and kind of went "oh c**p" I don't mind her expressing an opinion but she does get reamed out for this method as it could be dangerous.</em></span> </p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0