Good stuff and not so good stuff

I can't think of a snazzy title this week (are they ever that snazzy anyway...!?) but this seems to sum it up.

I popped in Finland over the weekend, it was a friend's birthday, and stayed at my parents, of course. I decided to make a birthday card for my friend out of old photos, so I spent several hours last Thu flicking through all old photos I could find. I unearthed some old horsey pictures too... I ran out of time to scan them, so I have asked mum to scan them for me sometime in the near future, and perhaps I will share them with you too :)

I returned home early on Sunday morning. I had to get up at around 4:30am (Finnish time, which is two hours ahead UK) to catch the flight, so by the time I reached the yard, I had been up over 12 hours. So even the relative short distance from Finland to England, managed to make me feel somewhat jet-lagged! 

It was a dressage day, so I had made arrangements with a friend to escape 'the dressagers' and go for a gentle hack around the village. My friend's horse was quite bouncy and spooky (with no real reasons to be so), but I usually prefer others leading, so my friend bravely did so... Although at some points, like balloons on a gate post and a grass trimmer howling behind a hedge, my friend's horse wasn't able to cope with the 'stress', nearly at one point doing a 360 degree retreat to the direction we were coming from, I had to take the lead with Rainbow and show the way. Rainbow, of course, could hear the trimmer as well as some children playing behind a fence, but as I stayed calm and just 'ploughed on', she didn't as much as bat an eyelid. A really good girl. I think my friend was also quite surprised of these brave qualities of Rainbow, as, because of my insecurities I may paint a picture of a more problematic/spooky horse than she is. She is not, in fact, she is quite bliming brave and dependable. Well, has been so far. And her spooks are usually just 'stop and look', rather than 'help! let's run AWAYYYYY...!'. Which is good. 

So very proud of my mare and, in a jet-lag haze, I left her in her stable as I returned home and went to bed at 5pm only to wake up at 6am this morning... I think I needed to sleep!

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The not-so-good stuff is about our saddle. I am not sure if I am going to go into details in this post as I have only just had the saddler round to check it this afternoon and I have been told things that aren't making me very happy with the original saddler's service, etc. I have approached them, so perhaps once I know what's happening, I will talk about my saddle and what's been going on...

Basically it was condemned as rather ill-fitting and the saddler I called out today wasn't going to touch it as they thought I should take it up with the original saddler first... And they would need to fix it. 

Granted, Rainbow has changed shape since we had the saddle made, but there are other issues which I wasn't informed about at the time of buying the saddle, which makes me a little annoyed with the saddler as well as myself for being so stupid (well, I am doing my best and learning as I go!) for trusting a saddle having been made for R to fit her OK. It apparently doesn't. And I had suspected that, as that's why I've been using a gel pad riser under it, but anyway... Luckily Rainbow is of a patient sort and hasn't played up too much, but I have a feeling that if I fix the saddle (or buy a new one), her gaits/movement will be improved.... as I don't think she likes her saddle much...

Spring ramblings

This week has been very good here weather-wise, it seems spring has finally arrived. I have had a very good week horse-wise too! The only blip occurred on Sunday as I woke up with very bad nausea and had planned to take R out on a hack. I won't go into details but I was really sick and all I could do was lie in bed or on sofa all day. I couldn't eat much either, so while the sickness finally seemed to have receded by Monday, I was still feeling quite weak and feeble, and didn't fancy much climbing on a horse, so luckily Annika lunged R for me. I had to even ask Tim come and help muck out as I wasn't feeling very strong and didn't want to drive my car due to feeling quite 'out of it'. Rainbow, thus, had most of Friday (I had lunged her on Fri morning though), Saturday (we were out doing vintage car things in Silverstone) and Sunday off . She spent the whole weekend in the field with mates. Lucky girl.

But we were back with a vengeance yesterday and attended the evening lesson for 'good' adult riders. Rainbow  has been attending those lessons with the other lady rider (often when I'm busy with work), but I haven't ever been able to get in as it's a very over-subscribed and popular slot – so often Rainbow gets in but I don't! 

I was feeling very calm and I think my new riding breeches have excellent grip on the saddle. Full seat breeches. So I currently feel quite well-planted-in in the saddle. I am occasionally using a running martingale on Rainbow now (mainly on hacks) because it helps her keep her head in the correct position and perhaps gives me a little more security. She also has a tendency to put her head up when raising canter, which throws me off balance a bit and makes our canter transitions quite rubbish. I think it's a 'learned' thing, as it means to R that I can't ask canter effectively, so she gets away with trotting on longer. Anyway, martingale I used and it wasn't really needed except I noticed it helped during canters, as she tries to pull upwards. Annika was gave us very nice feedback again and said that we are looking better every time. I get R to go soft, etc. She also commented on how healthy R looks at the moment. I concur; she is looking healthy and happy, and I am feeling more confident. I also try to put more thought into my riding, even on the group lessons, so keep repeating and thinking about the instructions I have been given by instructors... on my position, how to ask for transitions and keeping the outside rein consistent, etc. 

Below a little more about what else happened yesterday. Those strictly interested in horse only can stop reading here. 

World Book Night

It was a gorgeous day and I headed to the yard early before the evening riding lesson, as I had books to give away. 

I had been chosen this year as one of the World Book Night Giver (I think WBN is a UK and US thing but other countries have their derivations), so I had 20 books to give away. I had made a pledge to the organisers in my online application to hand  out the books at the stables, where actually quite a large array of people, from all different walks of life, pass through: people who aren't that highly educated; people who are highly educated; people with disabilities; people on benefits; people with lots of wealth; people with not much wealth; people from different countries; and I don't think I have mentioned but there are also occasionally people working/helping out there who are currently residing in one of Her Majesty's institutions. So a really big array of people. And without wanting to sound like I lead a very sheltered life, the yard is a place where I get 'exposed' to all these different people, as in my e.g. professional life, I seem to only see lots of people who are a lot like me. And it can get a little boring. Our yard is a bit like the village pub :).


The point of the World Book Night is to spread the joy of reading and especially reading for pleasure. It's a startling statistic that 1/3 of households in Britain don't have a single book in them. And it's also a known fact that children of households that don't own a single book – any kind of book – don't often go on to higher education or succeed as well those who have access to a book.

So WBN encourages the Givers to try and find people who don't read regularly or at all. I did my best and I did manage to hand out books to those who confessed not being readers. But I did also hand them out to people who read more regularly. Everyone that I approached were happy to receive a free book and many hadn't heard about WBN, so I feel like I have spread the word... Excusing the pun! How couldn't I do my bit when my whole livelihood is based on spreading the written word. Life without books and reading would be life without imagination, without knowledge, without betterment – it would be a life shackled within the confines of one's situation and potentially the place of birth, without possibility of changing one's destination or making decisions for oneself. For so many people this is still true, and we don't have to go to the third world to find these people. 

So here you are, the lucky reader of this blog, reading something just because you can. You are probably hoping to read about horses, but here you are, casually doing something you don't have to think about or something that doesn't take effort at all. Reading. Above all, reading for pleasure. Also, many of you may be reading this in a language that isn't your mother tongue. Now that's a pretty lucky place to be, isn't it?



Those who could be bothered to read all the way will be rewarded with photos of my chickens in our garden this week and pics of Rainbow and me from yesterday :)

Beautiful spring evening

Naked horse!

My arm is not long enough to take a 'selfie' of both of us at the same time. Rainbow's face is too long!

Please help - advice needed :)

This is not a normal post but to ask help from my few readers, if possible. 

Please could someone recommend a brand/shop/online, etc. where to find half chaps/gaiters for narrow (and I mean NARROW) calves? 

I am very short (5ft or 153cm) and I have even recently started to buy my breeches in children's sizes! (Handy, as here in the UK there is no VAT on kids' clothes, so cheaper too!). But the narrow calf situation is really causing me a headache. 

I would need smart black gaiters/half chaps in which to compete – and ride otherwise too, when I want to look smart ;). Currently, in competitions, I am using my old synthetic riding boots from childhood – yes, childhood! – bought second-hand circa 1992 off a noticeboard at the stables I used to go in Tampere. Thrifty as she was, mum wanted to save money by buying second-hand, as I was bound to grow out of them... Well, I haven't...! But the synthetic children's boots are not quite as supportive as I would like them to be – they have quite flat soles and quite flat heels – and as I don't use them much else than in competitions, it always takes me a while to adjust to the new sensation of the boot in the stirrup, which doesn't help when I have other things to worry about! And the old boots are also quite sweaty... and they make a farting noise against the saddle when I do rising trot. Not the best 'look' during a dressage test.

I would wear the chaps/gaiters with jodhpur boots. Finding jodhpur boots is easier. I have partly given up on  full (leather) boots for two reasons: I don't think I can find narrow-fit full boots very easily either and if I did they would probably be very expensive. I don't want to spend the money at this point on super-expensive boots which I would only be able to wear in competitions and not at all around the yard in case I ruin them. So I think half chaps are a good compromise.

To give you an idea, I ordered these Shires Children's Synthetic Leather Gaiters (pictured) in Large – size L13" W12.5" (that's L33cm x W31.75cm to those in Europe) on Amazon. They have just arrived and they are a little bit loose around the calf. They fit OK, but are a bit too generous... I would like them to be on the snug side, because I know they will stretch, so better start tighter. I have looked online for the size down (Medium L12" W11.75"), and I while I think it will fit girth-wise, the the inch off the length, in comparison to the Large ones, means they will look too short. High socks sticking out at the top also not a good look in the competition arena. So, I need something that is around 11.75 inches, or 30–31cm, in width but still minimum 33" or 33cm (can be a little more) in length....

Not sure if anyone is willing to help, but please let me know if you know anything. I am actually popping in Finland briefly at the end of next week, so if you know shops in Tampere/Pirkanmaa region that stock a good selection of boots, gaiters and chaps, I would like to know. Please also let me know if you know of any such shops in the Oxfordshire/Berkshire/Bucks, etc (even London) areas that stock a good selection... And without forgetting online, of course! I would really appreciate help! 

Thank you. 

I will be posting soon about this week's riding. Have had a fab-u-lous week! :D

Dressage Sunday

We came fifth in our class (a joint fifth)! This is by far our best placing, as we even got a rosette. Bizarrely, our percentage was worse than last time, 56.09%, but I noticed that the judge had been harsher throughout and even the person who came first 'only' got 65%. So looking at it in this light, we did well – especially as there were 10 horses in our class, so at least we reached the top 50%. 

I am happy. And Rainbow behaved really well. I made sure to warm her up properly, as she takes a quite a long time to loosen up and start working properly. 

The only thing that I wasn't too pleased about was that Rainbow was almost a bit too relaxed. As you can see in the video I had to keep kicking her forward and there were a couple of moments where we really lost momentum (luckily, on the video, it's not as noticeable as it was sitting on her!). I am also aware that we're not yet very polished and although I can get Rainbow onto contact during lessons, in a test I have to concentrate on so many things, like the route, tempo, etc. that I seem to forget about the contact. Ho hum – it's another test and more practice will make perfect....One day perhaps :). As my mum said, it probably wouldn't be as much fun if we were good at everything straight away, – it wouldn't be very interesting. 

The judge's comments in summary were: 

Could be a little more forward. 
Needs to be much rounder and softer over neck and back to improve suppleness. 
Try to ride a little more forward into a softer contact, then will do a better test. Well tried.

Warm up

After our test

Our cameraman and supporter

Results

Our score card

Because you are worth it

A busy week behind us and I am writing this blog in the office (working in-house at a client's today), though I am on a break, so not skiving! Honest.

Being freelance definitely has its benefits when it comes to fitting work and horses together. I think I am now getting quite good at the juggling. However, I do try and not make it too obvious that I might be starting a day a bit later than others because of a horse, so if I have to go to the yard in the morning to muck out and ride, I usually just say I have an appointment, which gives a more professional/serious impression, as it could be a meeting, a doctor's appointment, a therapist's appointment, dentist's....   Well, I have an appointment of sorts...  every day... with Rainbow :).   

I don't want to give people the idea that I am some kind of a posh toff that is too busy to work because of her horse. As most horse owners know, it is considered a fairly privileged 'hobby' (a lifestyle really!) and so I keep my hobby to myself as much as I can when it comes to negotiating work, or just talking, with clients. As they don't know that, actually, owning a horse and being able to support it, I need money and work more than ever. It motivates me to use my time and resources more effectively when I have something that depends on me (this also applies to my other animals). However, I do must point out that when I am choc-a-bloc with work, I sometimes do have to ask Annika to exercise Rainbow or sometimes I just turn her out in the field with mates. So I do prioritise work over Rainbow as well. And that's how it should be - give and take. When I do, I always say to her, as I leave her in her stable, munching on hay, "Right, I am off to earn some money so you can spend it."

I am definitely not as well off as I was before Rainbow (not that I have ever been particularly 'well off').  Is it worth it? Hell yeah! Let's be a little less gleamy eyed: Well, at least at the moment the amount of happiness as well as challenge it brings me, makes me a happy person and I can't think of what else I would do instead. Probably watch a lot more TV, eat more (thus be fatter!) and perhaps our garden would be better tended and the house cleaner...  I don't know. I don't really remember how I spent my time before... Well, something made me go back to riding and horses. Perhaps it was that 'it's now or never' realisation of reaching a certain point in one's life and realising that we can't take any of that money or posessions with us, so why not do the things that make you happy and go for it when you can. Life really is too short.  

Good times

I'm having a good time with Rainbow at the moment and I'm also feeling a bit more confident about riding and working with her in general. For me, it really does go in waves, so I have decided to take advantage of the good wind and do lots of things that I can draw strength from in the moments I'm not so confident.

Rainbow has also shown me signs of being a bit more 'interested' in me, like, for example, following me around in her paddock when she could have just ignored me and grazed. But instead, as I went to say hello to her, she came straight over and kept following me around as I re-fixed some of the temporary poles in the paddock. (Awww!)

This gives me belief that I matter to her a little bit and, perhaps, she is beginning to see us as a team... Here's to hoping! But she is of course a mare, so we have our good days and not-so-good days... Two temperamental ladies...

The other small breakthrough I've had is with lunging. One fairly new friend has helped me for the past couple of weeks to get going with lunging. She learned her lunging skills when living in Italy, from some well-known trainer (I think!), and she's now been passing her wisdom to me. It has borne fruit even in just two weeks: the first week she had to get R going and negotiate with her a bit as R was giving her usual turning tricks. Last week I took R into the arena and just casually began lunging her, before my friend managed to join us in there, and Rainbow played ball the whole time. A really good girl.

My friend has basically taught me to position myself by Rainbow's side, near saddle area, when I ask her to halt and am changing reins, etc. This relaxes her, whereas, previously, I would go near her head. She must have had fights with people who lunging her, as that makes her turn towards you - she's expecting a hit or someone yanking the rope and her head goes up. But now, I just had to ask her to halt and go towards her side, giving her a pat and she was totally happy.

The change has been remarkable, although my friend will continue to 'supervise' me for a few more sessions, as I am not under illusions that it will be as easy every time. So the more I have support and someone giving a bit of advice in a sticky situation, the better I will be prepared when I'm being tested on my own. Learning to lunge is like learning to ride; it's another skill. And I have never lunged a horse before I had Rainbow.


We had a lovely lesson yesterday. Just a group lesson but R went really nicely and listened to me. I was trying to remember all the advice my dressage teacher has given me, so I can persist with R also on other lessons and when riding her on my own. Annika gave me really nice feedback and said we're looking better each time she sees us now. This gave me such a boost that I decided to enter another Dressage Test this Sunday. My dressage teacher says I should just do a Prelim (one up from walk and trot tests, which includes cantering too), but I'm determined to get slightly better score in Walk and Trot before we move onto Prelim. It's not about getting placed or beating others, but simply about exceeding our previous score.

Nothing to report

Apologies for the silence but I have nothing major to report. Life is rolling on as usual and all is well with Rainbow too... She's looking a healthy and a happy horse, so I am happy too. She's a bit slim, but not thin – actually looking quite toned – and has a good appetite. I still feed her hay and sometimes haylage, with a nuts and chaff combo dinner, garnished with NAF Pink Powder and a splash of Flaxoil. Sometimes with carrots added in. She always polishes her dinners off with enthusiasm :)

Although had a little funny episode a couple of weeks back (the first 'season' of the season, perhaps?!) when Miss was a little excitable. It was only one day of funny business, stepping about and neighing, so rode her a very short time to spare myself from anything too exciting. 

We are still doing flatwork lessons and I also accompanied a friend on another instructor's lesson on Monday where we did pole-work. My friend's horse is recovering from various problems he's had, so they are not allowed to jump. So my friend asked me if I wanted to share a lesson. I think R enjoyed it – got her grey matter going as she had to look where to put her feet! In trot she didn't look at the poles too much but as soon as we tried one in canter (cantering in a fairly tight circle, which is not easy for us yet), she instantly had to hop over the pole. Quite funny really, as long as I know to anticipate it. 

I also noticed she looked at the poles more, especially in canter, if I was being a bit wishy washy in my approach. Because as soon as I knuckled down a bit more and steered R in a 'harder' way – with more purpose – she seemed to believe me and just went where I wanted her to go. No looking down at the poles or being hesitant. So, again, a valuable lesson on being a leader. 

Tomorrow we have dressage lesson and Friday I am practising lunging. I have found a lady at the yard who is good at lunging and willing to teach me. I have never lunged a horse before owning Rainbow, so it's almost a skill like riding that one has to learn. You may wonder what the problem is, but Rainbow is not the easiest of 'lungees' – she tends to take the mick if you don't know what you're doing, so I have decided not to do it on my own until I am confident I can do it, because I don't want to give upper hand to Rainbow too easily.

Here some latest rug fashions. The cold weather persists (the coldest March for 50 years here in the UK) I decided to buy my horse a new stable rug, which looks a lot like a duvet! But at least she's toasty.

This rug was kindly donated by Johanna when I visited her in December. It fits Rainbow perfectly and is an ideal under-fleece, too, when combined with the 'duvet' above.