Winter Blues

Well I have not ridden my horse now for over a week and I am getting the gitters....Just about this last week here in Taranaki has been terrible just rain, rain thunder lightning, and more rain....and its expected to last for this whole coming week as well...I wish I was a millionaire and had lots of acres, my own full size arena and big stables but alas poor autumn has to endure this horrible weather outside, although she is all snugged up in her cover, and horses were born to be outside with no covers on, I just feel sorry for her out there standing in mud with the hail storms battering down on her...bring on summer I reakon I am over winter now!!!...

Working Autumn with Boris the pig

Took autumn out to my friends last sunday for a work out as she hadn't been out and about much since I had my miscarriage so she was feeling rather good with all the grass and no riding....and Boris my friends Kune Kune pig thought that he would just come and hang with me int he arena but he was actually a bit of a pain...he is kinda cute for a pig and considering I don't like pigs thats saying something...lucky for me Autumn actually quite likes Boris so it wasn't really a problem and to be honest he seems to have a calming effect on my horse...autumn was worried about the new mounting block that sarah has purchased well Boris just goes up and gives it a rub and autumn is like ok thats not so scarey anymore and I can trot past it now cause Boris is ok with it...funny when you trotting down longside and boris is trotting and grunting behind you!!!...


Boris even smiles for the camera



Holly loves horses but the rocking horse has to do for the moment

 Holly also loves the cat..

My last dressage day in May...

Autumn was soo quiet she fell fast asleep at the float....but we did end up with a second and a third..

Winter wet days

Today has been the worst rain day we have had for a long time it really came down hard and my poor horse was standing up to her ankles in water...getting rather soaked I quickly moved her fence so she was on higher ground and on fresh grass, threw autumn so fresh hay and already being so wet I thought I may as well muck out her paddock...poor Holly had to endure this 15mins sitting in the car, bribed her with a piece of chocolate but that didn't last long enough but she was ok, she just wanted to come and feed autumn as well...

Couple weeks ago I clipped Autumn she didnt like it very much but I got there in the end....photo of her with her clip...

Progress with Autumn

The last couple of days I have been going up to my friend judes arena to work Autumn...I have a dressage comp on Monday and lately I have really not been doing a whole heap of dressage with autumn, I have been enjoying just mucking about around Davids race track and having a break from riding....
Yesterday Jude helped me out with a few of the exercises she does with her horse, Jude rides western and as a english rider I am really interested in the way they train there horses...
So today I rode up the road to Judes and when I got there i just started to do the things she showed me, and really its so simple and it really works for autumn, I just had my hands out wide and high and turned her in small cirlces like I was going to do a serpentine just lots of small half cirlces down the arena then turn and go back up..it really gets her thinking and brings her head down and she stretches and then becasue I am asking ehr to do the small half circles she naturally becomes round....
I rode like  this for about 10mins then gave her a walk and then brough her back up in dessage mode, and she was soft and relaxed, I was so pleased..when I went to canter she was soft and I asked her in the canter with wide hands and just moving the bit and being very soft with my hands and she went nice a low which I wanted and I pretty much had no contact on her mouth and she stayed in the same frame plus she didn't go any faster I actually was able to do and really nice trans to the tro and back to canter all nice soft contact and low round head/neck....this would be the best she has gone since I ahve owned her and I feel like its a bit of a break through with her leftside stiftness....just hope on monday she goes like that!!!...

Mr Grey.....is sold..

Am feeling a bit sad as tomorrow my young horse I bred is off to start another chapter in his life with his new owners....I have got very attached to him lately as I have been doing so much more with him and he really is sooo sweet...Can't keep them all I guess but would love to have seen him grow up and what he would be like as a grown up...Hope you have a happy and spoilt life Mr Grey...