let the show begin.....

I won I won I won...., can't believe it really, but today was my offical first dressage comp on Autumn at the Stratford show and she went reall well, I was just so pleased with everything about autumn today, she floated great, she tied up at the float great and stood there.  the atmosphere was quite high, lots going on around her and she was very cool., It was a hot day today but really windy thank goodness otherwise we would have been roasting in our jackets. But my first test I knew was a good one as it just felt great, still things to work on but we got 75.2%!!!! I was over the moon, and my second test wasn't as good plus we had had to wait for nearly two hours to do it as well but Autumn still behaved well, the lower marks I was given were really justified as they were places in the test that I thought weren't so great either but I still managed a 69%, I am really pleased with my horse as you can imagine and its given a real boost that I needed with my riding, its been sooooo long since I have had a good horse and to go out and be competitive is just great, there were at least 25 people in my classes... Roll on the next one...

Wake up and smell the roses

You know how the saying goes, well today I decided that I would wake up and smell the roses, I realise that lately I have been quite negative about.... stuff....to be honest about anything, I do have alot on my plate most of the time and I do tend to be burning those candles at both ends alot, and I think my brain and body is tired, but I just need to look around me and realise that life is pretty good and at this moment we have a mining disaster down in the south Island and it really makes you think about those poor guys who may have lost there lives and also what the families are going through right now waiting for news of them.

I decided to grow some balls if I must say and just ask from now on and not bleat about whether I may be putting people out or just plain to scared to ask, and I also need to learn to say no sometimes..

So tonight I did do just that and on Thursday I am going to have another lesson with Vanessa and on Friday I am going to my first dressage comp with Autumn, and I am really looking forward to both days. Autumn is finally over her bad cough and she is getting so much more softer by the day when riding her. So can't wait to have lesson and compete the next day, I am really hoping to get good marks, not worried if I don't win or anything I just want some good percentages, as we have lots to work on but this friday will be a good test as to where we stand amongst the others and how much work I need to do to be competitive.

So here is a photo of one of my rather lovely roses that are out in bloom at the moment, and I just had to post this recent photo of my baby Holly who just loved this little seat...

What a start to my dressage season....

I feel that since I have brought my horse everything seems to be against me, firstly I really don't have a permanent home for her so thats my fault for not sorting that before I brought her, then although my husband is pretty good at how much I ride we do tend to clash abit over my riding, he just doesn't get it that I have ridden all my life and its part of me of who I am as a person and that I can ride for pleasure hacking about but I really have to have a goal and compete and I like to do well.

But anyway then we have had a few minor issues along the way but I put that down to getting to know autumn, then we had the float issue which is getting better i might add...I got to my dressage lesson last tuesday with Vanessa and Autumn walked on and off very quietly but I was still a bit nervous about it after being pinned in there with her so had a friend help to take the bar away while I stayed at Autumns head.

Anyway tomorrow was surposed to be my first dressage competition and I am not going Autumn has now got a terrible cough, and since last thursday its only got worse. She has had a course of antibiotics and  now is having some stuff called Haarlem Oil put into her feed. I have just called the vet again and left message for him to call me and see if he thinks he should come out and see her as I feel she is no better at all. I hope she improves as I am entered next fri as well for dressage comp

Dressage lesson

Well tomorrow is the big test I am taking my horse to a dressage lesson with a friend, Vanessa Way,. she is one of NZ top dressage riders and she lives here in Taranaki. I am going to be floating my horse( hope she goes on !!) and driving to the grounds on my own so am hoping it all goes well after all that Autumn and I have been through to get her back on the float, but I am sooo looking forward to getting back into some schooling plus I have a competition coming up in a just over a week so am really looking forward to going to that and just getting back into it, can't wait for Vanessa to see Autumn and give me some much needed advice...although I am sure I probably won't be able to walk to well the next day, not really dresage fit at the moment.....Roll on tomorrow....

Success at Last

Today was a good day.....Autumn went on and off the float about 10 times, and most of the time it was really good some of the time she rushed off but she went on and I am so happy....I actually backed her off and she was standing at the ramp looking into the float and I just walked into the float and she followed me in...I have to say Monty Roberts techniques have helped me plus having a strong young man there to hold her from the start when she rushed off and the dually halter is the best $50 USD I have spent on something for my horse, it sure did help me out in the whole process and will continue with the ground work she is going to be getting and already I have noticed a difference in her....

Autumn standing in the float while Haare sweeps away some horse poo

Fatherinlaw holding Holly for her first ride on Autumn

Autumn Just doesnt like the float now

Last two days I have spent trying to get my horse to go back on the float after her incident the other weekend with rushing off before she was unclipped at the front and me even getting to her.  So today I got her on twice after 3hours of trying she walked on. I had a friend come and help me and he does lots of this kind of thing and he was a bit stumped as to what to do next. He went to grab a drinkl of water and I took hold of the lead and just walked Autumn up to the float and she walked straight on, I was stoked. Haare said why did you need me you can do it yourself. I think the only difference was I have actually been doing a bit of monty roberts stuff, Join up and I brought a dually halter and the last few days have been schooling her in this and noticed a big difference in her, those halters are amazing. Autumn was a horse with very little ground manners and today I had her standing in the arena and she didn't move, she would have normally just gone, but not today.

Anyway I am going to try tomorrow to put her back into the float that she had her wee incident in and hopefully we will get somewhere with that and hopefully she will be nice a nd quiet about it...fingers crossed.

Yesterday also my little colt became a gelding, have to say I found it quite nerve wracking, but the vet was so good he made me feel pretty much at ease about the whole thing and we were about number 70 in the gelding chops he has done this season so nothing but a days work for the vet. My fatherinlaws colt was done as well and they were both up and eating before we knew it, doesn't seem to bother them to much...so glad its finally done as they were both just starting to get a bit to colty for my liking. Now got to work on my fella to sell. Will be sad as he is a sweety but realisticly I just don't have the time.....