Early days

A short ridden session with Remy yesterday just moving him around the school, working on reinback, a little shoulder-in/shoulder-out, head to the fence, trying to get nice flexion and even bend with one or two baby sideways steps here and there. It was a little blustery and lots of flies, but he stayed pretty calm.
Jim did a little vid and I'm pretty horrified at the way I slump and sit over to the right and draw my leg up! Definitely need some eyes on the ground to keep me in check and yell at me every time I do that!
Remy's been a bit confused with the reinback and it shows on the vid, but he feels like he's starting to understand it a little more now.

No hay :-(

It's very hot again today so a light session with Remy.  Started in-hand before I rode and, as usual, I wonder how much benefit he's actually getting from this as, yet again, I come away thinking that It just ends up with us both a little frustrated and confused. I keep convincing myself that I have to do it, know all the reasons why, but I'm pretty crap at it and don't seem to be improving, so is it actually worth it?  :-( When I get on, it feels much better, but then I'm doubting whether what I'm feeling is actually correct. Aaaagh.
A cyclist came down our track whilst I was riding him in the school. I can't remember if Remy's ever seen someone on a bike before, but it was quite unusual to see someone coming down our track and he was snorting at him. We halted and I rested the reins on his neck while he sussed it out and he stood still and calmed pretty quickly. Sweet, sweet boy.
I'm actually really tired, a bit under the weather and a bit fed up to be honest.  A pretty disastrous day in Limoges yesterday to pick up the kitchen order which had finally arrived, only to find that they'd ordered the wrong doors! My french is improving all the time, but I'm so glad I don't know enough to swear in french !
I'm really worried also that we don't have enough hay for the horses this winter. Everywhere I look, folk are searching for hay and I'm not sure what we're going to do.
The lump on Obi's side is growing.
Feeling a bit weepy, I'll blame it on the hormones!

Besotted

Great sessions this morning.
Remy had a short session on the lunge and he was pretty chilled. We had a few minutes in-hand with some nice giravolta and I tried some shoulder-in with me at his head walking backwards (not easy as I fall over my feet just walking forwards!) . I copied this after seeing it on a friends vid - so thanks Trudi, it looked so effective on your vid, I just had to try it!
I sat-on for a short session and was happy with the consistency of the bending and softness in the hand. The right rein is improving all the time and is starting to match the consistency on the left rein. The rein-back was more fluid today and I think he's understanding more and not getting quite so worried about it. After working for a few minutes on the rein-back/walk on transitions and small circles I let him out to a longer rein and he really walked on with a nice stretch out to my hand.
Apart from a little squeal and a throwing her back end at me ( really only a token gesture, but still not tolerated),  Bonbon was better today too. She settled to the walk/trot transitions and we got some nice forward walk and some fairly relaxed forward trot around the school and on large circles. Little (actually - big, rather fat) sweetie!
My resolve to have nothing to do with our chicks ( because they were Jim's idea and destined for the pot) has dissolved (no surprise to Jim) and I'm quite besotted with them. I've told Jim that there's no way that he's killing them and they'll have to go to good homes or stay with us!

Girls with attitude

I have to check the horses each morning as we have a timetable conflict. We bring them in early for breakfast and by the time I'm ready to work them they're lying down having a kip! They're obviously partying every night!
I went down to the stables this morning to find Remy up and eating hay, so returned complete with tack only to find he had a watery half-closed eye. It doesn't seem to be serious and on checking this evening, seems to be much better, but It was pretty hot with lots of flies this morning, so I didn't think it was fair to work him.
So, on to Bonbon, and I took her up to the school for a lungeing session.
She's a girl with attitude and she showed it today, shaking her head, squealing and at one point legging it back to the gate. I'm pretty easy-going with her ( some might say too easy going) usually, but, unfortunately for her,  there were two girls with attitude in the school today ( I'm a big softy really),  and after a little téte à téte  she settled down to some calm and attentive work. I was pleased with her and she came back to the yard pretty chilled.
I think our kitchen order MAY be ready by the end of the week, I really hope so as I'm getting sick of having builders around the place ( they're great and they're doing a good job, but enough's enough) and I want to  go collect it all before next week - it's going to be the final piece in finishing the appartment. My mum and dad arrive in just under 3 weeks and it has to be ready.
Just learned that my cousin has terminal cancer - I worry for my aunty and uncle, it'll hit them hard.

My two boys

I rode Remy today and it just felt right. I don't mean the training, I know we have a long way to go and I still have doubts about my ability to train him. I mean that for the first time it really felt that I had MY boy with me and it was an 'us'. It gave me a great feeling.
As I was walking him back home, I saw Obi playing and rolling in the field, obviously blissfully unaware that he's on borrowed time. It's obviously an emotional day and they got the better of me. I felt a sudden terrible sadness that I'm going to lose him and was immediately crying my eyes out. I'm crying now as I'm writing and he's looking at me from the kitchen with that big daft grin on his face. It makes me smile, I'll take it, it'll have to do.

Hoping for rain

It's been heavy and overcast today so we've been hoping for rain. It's been so dry here recently and there's not a lot growing on our hay field. No joy, I'm afraid, and even though we could see it was raining in the distance it managed to avoid us.
Having said that, it was great weather for riding and I had a short lunge session with Remy, followed by a sit-on. We started with walk on a long rein around the school and he was really stepping out and stretching into my hand. His halt transitions were also clean and crisp. He struggled with the rein-back today so I got off and worked on them for a few minutes from the ground. When I remounted he responded a litle better, but I think there's confusion when I ask for the rein-back mounted, so something to work on. We finished by riding back down the lane and a little way up the track before heading home.
We then took Bonbon into the school for her lunge session. The last time she had a couple of explosions, spooking away from the top end of the school and I'd had to stand with her down there asking her while she started to relax and focus on me. By the time we finished the session she was calm and focussed and today there was no sign of worry working at the top end. She had a little squeal  today when I asked for trot, but she calmed immediately and settled into the trot. She's unsure of what I'm asking, but is giving me the benefit of the doubt and going with it, a good sign with Bonbon.
The chicks were out today, but by the time I got there with the camera, they were settling down for a snooze.

What is it............

....about me that folk think it's ok to take the piss? Do I have a big sign on my forehead that says 'go ahead, piss me off, it's good sport'! Or is it just the usual 'I am English' sign which gives every living frenchman the right to be fucking useless at his job, have no customer service skills and pretty much not give one fucking iota of a damn!!!!
I thought I'd mellowed with age, but I'm beginning to think that I could very easily go off my flaming trolley!

Big sigh...
....on a good note, Remy was brilliant today. Calm and listening. We worked on small circles trying to keep a nice even bend and softness in the hand, halt/reinback/walk on, and walk and halt transitions which were really pretty good. It was very hot this morning so did nothing with Bonbon, feel bad about that too - too eager to get indoors for a cool drink.
Touch wood, our chooks seem to be doing well with their babies, who don't seem confused at all, having 2 mums clucking over them.

Time flies.....

A busy few days.
We have two broody hens and 7 chicks. They've decided they're going to raise them together - I hope it works out!
The builders are back with a vengeance and it's pretty chaotic here. The kitchen units that we ordered from Leroy Merlin 3 weeks ago were due on the 13th May, but, surprise surprise, they've not even arrived at the store yet!!
Time seems to be passing so quickly, one week blending into the next. I feel like I've gotten old almost overnight, my eyesight has gone west and I have about 3 different pairs of specs. One set for reading, one for the computer and one for the telly. Crap!!
I really like this vid

In need of a trim

A ridden session in the school today with Remy working at walk on halt/reinback/walk on and figure of eights. I then rode him back down the lane and up the track, the same ride as yesterday but Jim followed rather than walked with us. He was great, he was forward; stayed soft in the hand and when I stopped to chat with a neighbour on the way back, he stood calmly and patiently.
Gareth came this afternoon to trim their feet and although they'd gone over time-wise and their feet looked a little untidy, there was nothing that couldn't be fixed by a good trim!
Happy Bunny tonight!

The Passage of a Living Art

 

Posted by Horses For LIFE Magazine on May 15th, 2011

Just recently someone asked me how can we judge another horseman except by the works that he produces?

But in retrospect I was reminded of an article from Volume 41. The Passage of a Living Art. How fleeting this gift is, that exists between us and the horse.

Excerpt of The Passage of a Living Art

When one has had the blessing of learning from a truly gifted and/or difficult horse, the blessing cannot even begin to be described in words. The work of art that you create between the two of you is so unique, so uplifting, so life fulfilling, that it fills your soul and your heart. No wonder there are those who envisioned a Pegasus. A winged beast, a winged horse, because when your soul is first introduced to that magical moment you do feel like you are flying on the back of the horse, you truly understand the message, the concept of a Pegasus. Because you have flown, truly flown – as your horse takes you places that creates an understanding of life that reaches far beyond the two of you.

It has taken years, years of becoming wiser, for the horse to become physically stronger, for communication to expand to mere flickers of thoughts instantly translated, for both of you to explore movements that no one even begins to think about, let alone teach today.

Everything about who and what you are as a horseman is defined in the muscles of loins, in the passage of hooves of this one special horse. Everything about what you know sits there in front of you in gleaming coppery coats and flickering ear tips. And then the sublime art, the passion, the wings of all of who and what you are, is gone.

There are no words to describe the emptiness inside when the living art as expressed in the muscles and sinews of this mythical creature come alive, dies. Not only do you have the devastation of losing a piece of your heart, but you have lost your mentor, your teacher, your student, your success, your knowledge, the ability to show to others the amazing lessons you have learned.

Everything is gone.

I have cried losing a horse, but with this there are no tears. There is simply a void that will never again be filled. An emptiness of self, of experience; it is as if who and what you are, were, and know, is dead as well. And, truth be told, you are. A part of you is now dead.

No other artist can know what it is like to put all of yourself into one piece of art for literally years, always knowing it can only be temporary – that there is no permanence – that one day this will be gone. There are no ifs that it will be gone, it is a known, a given. The passage of cruel time ensures this.

We look at this amazing gift, the indescribable experience, the art that this horse has shown you, given you, has been the actual art itself, only to end.

In our equestrian world there is only one way for this art to continue even in a small part, and that is to pass a tiny little portion on to another living being. Whether to another horse or to another rider. To somehow find a way to pass along just a small portion of the experience, of the feeling, of the knowledge. In this way, through the generations, through the centuries, we continue to pass along the answers we have found, the art that was created and is now gone.

by nadja king

Cherry cake!

Not posted much recently; but we've been getting on with working Remy and Bonbon. Today I took Remy for a hack down the track, through the little wood and back home. Only about 25 minutes, but further than we've been before. Remy was fine. A couple of heavy breathing moments, but nothing he couldn't handle. Jim  walked with us and I think if we continue like this Remy will gain confidence each time..
We took Bonbon up to the school and she was a little lack-lustre. She's been in season and she's seemed a little tired today. We had a short session on the lunge at walk and trot and then I lay over her back and put my weight in the stirrup. We need to keep up the exercise as she's getting porky!

We've just picked an enormous bowl of cherries so Jim's now baking; making cherry cake. Yummy!

What a great morning

The server's been down the last couple of days so we've been offline. It was pretty obvious that all our equipment was working, but when I called the tech line to see what was going on, the only thing they suggested was that the power supply for my modem may be faulty :-o

I've lunged Remy the last couple of days and he's really starting to let go and relax. After the lunge session I've had a sit on, working on walk/halt/rein-back transitions and trying to keep a soft feel and slight inside bend on the rein .He was really focussed today and he's starting to feel better balanced. I finished today by riding him up the lane back to the yard and had a short trot which felt great.

We took Bonbon in the school for a lunge session, walk and trot and a couple of times over the poles. She's a little star, she's forward, but doesn't over-react and already feels light and responsive on the line.  I can't believe how 'grown up' she looks with her tack on! We finished by walking her back down the lane - she's never been that way before and was a little on her toes, but behaved brilliantly.

It's been a great morning with the horses!

Short and sweet

Two lunge sessions today with Remy and Bonbon. It's been a while since Bonbon's been in the school and she was so focussed. I lunged her around the school at walk and trot and I couldn't be happier. She's starting to come up in her wither and she's definitely looking less croup high.

The first time in the school for Remy since his osteo treatment and I worked him the same as Bonbon, around the school at walk and trot. A little tight on the left rein (his worst rein), but when I asked for trot on the right rein, he immediately relaxed and stretched forward and out with no tension whatsoever on the line. He gave me the trot that I've been aiming for since we started. Chuffed doesn't describe the feeling.