Back in jumping position

I pestered my trainer last week about doing a polework/small jump lesson. She was too busy last week and we couldn't really match our schedules, so we left it. But later she mentioned to me that why don't I join Monday's group lesson and she will make us do some jumps then. This suited me as I haven't jumped Rainbow since end of last year and wanted a gentle way back into jumping. So it was high time for me to get back in the jumping position. My trainer had jumped Rainbow yesterday, in an unaffiliated show jumping competition at our yard, so she was in a good jumping mode. 

Today was quite windy and we were outside which made all the horses a bit perkier than normal, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Rainbow and I were the first ones in the sand school and we could hear horses in the distance galloping around their paddock and neighing, I was little bit unsure about Rainbow's state of mind. She's always ears pricked and more upright when we're outside anyway. But it was good; I just rode around the school and, as we were joined by others, kept going around in trot, etc. She wasn't concentrating all the time but I made sure I rode through the initial excitement and didn't let her completely lose interest in me. After the warm up trotting and cantering I could feel we were back to normal and she wasn't bothered about the surrounding horses and fields anymore. 

We did little triple poles in trot to get everyone in the jumping mode, then we went onto cross-poles and eventually to a normal fence of about 2 feet high. So nothing spectacular, but exhilarating enough for us. Rainbow jumped each fence well, only I had some 'stylistic' trouble with knowing what kind of a jump we were in for; she sometimes does massive leaps, so I now prepare myself for one and try to stay on...! So, when she was just jumping 'normally' I was preparing for a leap anyway, so wasn't always in perfect rhythm with her and my trainer said I stay low a bit too long after the jump, which is fine when you do one jump but would cause problems in a course of jumps. 

Overall I am very pleased with today's lesson. This is a good place to start practising regularly again. I am trying to organise so that will jump her once a week if at all possible – to keep it going for both of us. In the meantime my trainer can still jump her in competitions.

Otherwise Rainbow has had a chilled out weekend in the field! 

Cheeky morning hack

There's nothing better than starting the day with a hack. We had a lovely time with our friends J and O. I had partly mentally prepared myself to try cantering again, but we ended up nattering all the way around, so didn't in the end. The horses were good even though we had a few 'scary' moments of other horses lurking in the bushes and fields and a whole gaggle of race horses and jockeys trotting up the road. 

Our route felt a lot longer as we mostly walked, so when I mapped it out, it only came to about 5 miles all together. But I guess it's nice to get out with the horses and not always rush around. R seemed sufficiently tired when we got back. I let her out in the field with others for the rest of the day. 

In the summer owning a horse, riding and being able to let them out in the field regularly is so nice. Much easier and carefree than winter. Here's to a long summery season. :)

Such a shame no dressage this Sunday

Tomorrow's Dressage is cancelled due to lack of entries. Typical, just when I wanted to enter two classes. 

So instead of fetching Rainbow from the field to spruce her up this afternoon, I am giving her a whole day in the field. I will decide later if I collect her this evening or tomorrow morning. I have agreed a hack out tomorrow with a friend.

I find that she's always a bit more energetic and vocal when she spends a long time in the herd. So it might be good to have a night in the stable before going out with her tomorrow, find that calms her down a bit and she's not quite so 'swoosh' about things.

Ummm... totes amazeballs!

I am not one to usually use the latest 'slang' but I have to today. Today was hopefully the first day of rest of our lives: Rainbow went in an outline and stayed there. 

The first time we had a lesson where the emphasis was not on getting her on the bit but concentrating on other things. We practised our dressage tests and it was useful to hone a few points, but I won't practise movements with Rainbow too much this week. Actually just going to ride her tomorrow and then give Friday off. Hopefully do a little hack on Sat and then go for it on Sunday. 

Take today while waiting for our lesson to start.

Until next week...

I am possibly having some kind of a blip but have decided to not only enter one class but two classes next weekend's dressage. 

Will be doing W&T Intro B and Prelim 14. We have done W&T B quite a few times now so I am fairly confident I can remember it without a reader. But will have a reader for Prelim 14. It's got 15 movements, so quite a lot to remember and cantering as well.... 

Here are the routes, ripped from the internet: 

Prelim Intro B Walk and Trot 

Prelim 14

Wind of change

What a day – windy as h*ll – but marvellous! 

Two great things happened today: 

1. Our saddle arrived back from the saddler and it's looking good. Sits much better over R's withers, I can fit all of my fingers under the gullet, and I felt good sitting in it as well. Very pleased. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. We had a great dressage lesson. 

I think something is in the air. We just had our weekly dressage lesson and did the usual things with Rainbow: getting her to go in an outline and me concentrating on keeping her there. Also, on the right rein, she feels as if she's not bending inwards and almost feels like she's hanging onto the outside rein, which then in turn makes me push my outside arm forwards and to pull on the inside. Rainbow is actually bullying me to go that way, as my instructor says, so we decided to tackle it. 

My instructor asked me to keep the outside rein as solid as possible and walk in a fairly tight circle around her, and when R tried to 'hang' to the outside rein, not bending, I would keep weight on the outside stirrup and keep outside hand as solid as possible, using the inside leg to make her flex inwards. Not pulling on the inside but opening my hand and giving it a sort of a shake when R would not bend. Then, when R went soft in response and was nicely flexing inwards (not just her neck, as she is usually doing), I gave a little. 

It's still fairly 'battleous' (making up words here as I go!) with her and I need to keep reminding her quite a lot, so the moments of give are not very long, but we managed a whole circle going nicely and soft. Then we cantered and it was amazing. Not perfect and I had to fight with her quite a lot as she was resisting the contact, but we managed nice canter around and I didn't feel I was going against the movement, as I have been feeling recently. I also try keeping my knees relaxed and so, I am no longer losing stirrups in canter. I think we've turned another corner.

Rainbow is strong-willed and our instructor says that she's a lovely horse when she wants to be lovely but as she's cow-coloured, she sometimes acts like one :). So I just need to keep at it and even if I am being a bit 'handy' with her at the moment, I just need to keep sending her a message about going soft and keeping there.

But the personal boost and bombshell came today in the form of my instructor's comments. She was saying that we are crossing a rubicon. Apparently, when I get Rainbow going it doesn't just look nice but it actually has elements of great in it. Rainbow has good moves and I must be improving too...! Our instructor proceeded to saying as much as if we are not gaining 70% mark in prelim tests by middle of the summer she would be very surprised. I mean, wow! Then she said that now she knows who she wants to have as her next project in going affiliated: us! 

Our instructor has helped another lady at our yard go affiliated and they started from the very basics. But someone thinks so much of us that wants us to go affiliated? I have to admit haven't really considered going affiliated myself. Don't know why. Perhaps a lack of confidence and belief... I've just been probably thinking we'll poodle around the unaffiliated circuit, mainly at our own yard... But my instructor's words have suddenly stoked a little fire in my stomach.... I suddenly looked at my horse in a new way, while mucking her out after the lesson: great moves? Potential for affiliated? 70% in prelim tests? Rainbow just looked at me wistfully in her haylage and polo mint high. Bless.

I know there might be readers of this blog that don't think that much of any of this, but for me this is big news. It's certainly given me a boost. I am not giving myself pressure for having to achieve these things, but perhaps this gives me something to aspire to and something to set in our sights. To be honest, I haven't really had big goals yet, so perhaps this is exactly what is needed in getting to another level.

Saddler #3

If you are stumbling upon this post without warning, please feel free to refer to this post for background... and it might be useful to read these posts too: Saddler #1 & Saddler #2. This post ends the trilogy.

Saddler #3

Since the Saddler #2 refused to work with our saddle and I was upset about the report I was given, I had no other way than contact the original seller. The saddle was bought through a friend at the yard who also worked for a local saddlery business. She measured and templated Rainbow originally back in July. I was a little worried about contacting her in a 'work' capacity and I wasn't sure if she worked for the saddlery anymore, but as she was my only option, I just thought I'd keep it official and as friendly as possible. 

Her response to my report from the previous saddlers was more than good. She instantly replied and said that she has contacted the saddler and asked him to get back to me as soon as possible. Any costs incurred from him possibly coming to see me and to fix the saddle could be invoiced to her company.

Soon enough, the next day, Paul Jones phoned me himself and asked to explain the problem. He said it might be best if he comes and sees for himself and so we set up an appointment at a crack of dawn on Saturday. This actually suited me, as I was meant to deal with Rainbow swiftly on that day due to our impending DIY weekend at home. So Paul set off from near Walsall super early and by 6am I received a text to say he was on his way and ahead of schedule. Quickly I put on my clothes and drove to the yard. I was the first one in, at around 6:45am! Rainbow thought I had lost my mind as I hauled the saddle out in preparation for Paul's visit. 

Paul arrived. The first he said, when I explained the problem and recapped what the previous saddlers had said that talking to saddlers is a bit like talking to car mechanics: everyone's got their own opinion. He checked the saddle and touched up along Rainbow's back to see if she was sore anywhere. He said he's not a vet but he has a yard full of race horses and deals with vets a lot, so he has an idea of how to check for signs of soreness. Rainbow was happily munching on hay while we prodded her. Paul said that he's happy to fix the saddle as, yes, it was low on the gullet/pommel area, but it wouldn't be a big job. He'd take the saddle away and I would have it back by Wednesday. 

We also discussed the saddle and he explained to me about how he prefers to see saddles work and about their weight distribution qualities. He granted that I had done the right thing by adding the gel pad to it, as it made the saddle sit correctly since R had changed shape. Generally, he explained that he's not all too keen on propping and padding up the saddle to the point that it sits right around the spine of the horse, but that the padded areas 'skim' over the shoulders for an even distribution of weight and comfort of movement to the horse. This all made sense to me. Rainbow has not ever displayed any behaviour that implies she's been in pain, however she does sometimes move away from the saddle, but this could be her just protesting having to work overall.... Anyway, her spine didn't seem sore either.

In summary, Paul also said that saddle is always a compromise between the rider and the horse. It should be always as comfortable as possible but it is a bit like wearing shoes, you know you are wearing shoes and they shouldn't pinch, but it's not the same as being without. He also said he would get in touch with the saddlers who 'condemned' the saddle – hope I haven't started any wars...

Anyway, I am hoping this has now taught me a few lessons about dealing with saddlers, as well as keeping an eye out for my own saddle on a daily basis.  It has also given me confidence trusting my own eye, as all saddlers said I'd done the right thing by fixing the positioning in the first instance with the pad. 

But I think I might try and deal with Paul directly with this saddle from now on, as he knows his own saddles best. I hope to receive the improved saddle from Paul today. When I do, he has asked me to pop it on Rainbow and take some photos and send them to him, so he can see it definitely fits. 

So there are no right or wrong answers. All saddles – and saddlers – are different, as are horses and riders. We all need to find the best solution for us. Nothing is prescribed  and we are dealing with living things that tend to be wonky, each in their own special way (both the horses and the people!). I am not feeling hard done by anymore but I am also taking information with a pinch of salt and try to form my own view and not be so easily swayed one way or another. And finally, I won't be bullied by people who give bad customer service or are rude to a paying customer. 

Saddler #2

If you are stumbling upon this post without warning, please feel free to refer to this post for background... and it might be useful to read this post too: Saddler #1

Saddler #2

The second saddler came with recommendations from another friend at the yard, so I thought it must be a good sign. I contacted them in early April. They took a while to get back to me and in the meantime another friend was due to have her saddler round and offered to share an appointment. So I left the booking the appointment with this Saddler 2 until I knew when my friend's appointment was going to be. Hers was taking a while and as these guys could come sooner, so I decided to pay for the whole call out myself (£45 for just a call out!) with this saddler that had been recommended. 

Last week they came and basically looked 'horrified' and said it's not suitable for R at all and I should take it up with the original saddler, as they don't want to do anything to it. They said the panel below was too hard and there was not enough material for them to flock it, etc. They said I'd done the right thing by padding it up with a gel pad which improved the fit.

I was obviously quite upset and shocked having had such a condemning assessment of the saddle. After all, I had spent a lot of money only about 9 months earlier in getting it specifically made for Rainbow, so I felt a little hard done by. I wasn't expecting such a total dismissal. 

So asked these saddlers if they had any saddles they could recommend/sell to me while I was going to take up the issue with the original saddler. I wasn't really in the position to buy a new saddle, but if our current saddle was so unsuited and I was to get any money back for it, or if it was going to take a long time to get it fixed by the original saddler I would need a saddle in the meantime. They said they would get back to me with quotes for a Thorowgood dressage saddles, as I had expressed interest in getting a dressage saddle anyway. I felt good about the appointment and their way of dealing with me during the appointment, but what has now transpired is their total lack of spur. The appointment was over a week ago and they still haven't emailed me information on saddles and prices! They know how 'desperate' I was for a fitting saddle and almost prepared to spend the money, so this should be just an easy sales follow-up from their part. But I have not yet heard anything. And I don't feel that I, as the customer, should have to chase them up for prices for a saddle – especially when they wrote in the invoice they also gave me, that 'follow up with prices for a Thorowgood saddle' and took measurements of Rainbow for it.

I have now also spoken to yet another lady at the yard, who has been their customer and she's said they had never got back to her about various items she'd ordered from them. She has heard nothing! And she was prepared to spend a lot of money with them, having already spent a lot as well. I run a business and I don't let my clients wait one single moment if they contact me for my services. Totally baffling to me. It only makes me think that they must be really busy with more important clients... So, no, I don't think I'll be dealing with them either.

Saddler #1

If you are stumbling upon this post without warning, please feel free to refer to this post for background...

Saddler #1

I contacted the first saddler in mid-March (I won't mention names), or went to their shop in town, as I was in the area. I don't know what it was but when they spoke to me, as I explained why I thought I needed a saddle check, etc., their tone was quite forceful, and something gave me a feeling of almost being talked down to, which instantly put my back up. My default mode, when talking to strangers, is polite and calm, but something about the way they instantly lectured me about how I should have had the saddle checked then and then, and how this and that, that I just retorted back, 'Well, this is my first horse and first saddle, I am doing my best!', after which they toned their all-knowing attitude down a bit. Still, it left a bad taste in my mouth. However, it happened that one of my stable friends was having her saddle checked the next week by them, so I did book a shared appointment, for convenience... 

But after the weekend (which was Easter weekend, another bank holiday Monday), I was forced to phone them first thing on the Tuesday - after the bank hols - to cancel as I had agreed to go work in-house at a client's. I realise it was a short notice to cancel, but they had told me explicitly that they would go and see my friend first and, if they had time, they would see me on the same visit. This had been agreed in the shop on the previous week, so their visit to see me wasn't absolutely 100% certain anyway. The lady on the phone,when I phoned to cancel was again quite brusque with me and said it's really a bit too late to cancel. I said, I am very sorry but my work situation has suddenly changed and I would have phoned them earlier but it was the holiday weekend, so assumed they were closed. They were closed, so she couldn't say much. Then she went on to say how they have a long queue of people trying to get an appointment, so cancelling wasn't really wise or fair on those who are trying to get an appointment. I pointed out that they had told me they weren't even sure if they had time to see me, as I was kind of an additional appointment alongside my stable friend's appointment, so from my point of view, I wasn't even sure of if they'd see me. 

Also, having spoken to others in the yard, I now hear that the same saddlers have upset quite a few people there and they regularly talk down to people and are a bit rude, and to top it off, the friend who has used them, isn't very happy with her saddle at all and feels that they have sold her an expensive saddle that still isn't suitable for her horse despite having been checked and improved.

Anyway, needless to say, I am not going to be using them. I never phoned back to make a new appointment.

About saddles.... strap in.

It's only so much I can adulate the beautiful weather, taking pics of Rainbow in the field and posting them for all to see. Also my horsey time with Rainbow has been a little limited over the past few days, as it was a bank holiday weekend here and to take advantage of the extra days off, I summoned my other half to a DIY weekend – finishing bits off that have remained after redecorating the living room nearly 18 months ago! The sunny and warm weather meant that Rainbow went to the field.

Last week I mentioned about my saddle having been 'condemned' by a saddler to be so ill-fitting to Rainbow that they wouldn't touch it but told me to contact the original saddler/maker. I was quite taken aback by this all, as it's my first saddle and while I had expected it to be needing e.g. some re-flocking and padding a bit, I didn't think it was totally unsuitable to Rainbow. I had noticed, last autumn, when had been using the saddle for a 2-3 months that Rainbow had lost condition, or just toned down a bit... Bit of both, I think, now on hindsight, as I re-read my post from November. I think Rainbow has also just 'grown' a little, too. At least her withers seem more prominent. She's also in good condition at the moment and I think she's looking good overall. Granted, I have been waiting for quite while before getting a saddler out, but I have been using the gel pad under the saddle to help with the positioning and I think it has worked. 

... As this is in danger of becoming a very long post, so I have decided to split it into sections, individual posts, so you can read all about my escapades in the world of saddlery... Consider it a bit like the Lord of the Rings Trilogy...! 

Saddler #1

Saddler #2

Saddler #3

Our saddle - Paul Jones GP saddle. Pictured when I had just bought it.

Sunny disposition

The good wind seems to be continuing and things seem to be running smoothly with Rainbow at the moment. It feels as though we are progressing in our work (flat, but I am thinking of starting jumping again) but also, out of the saddle, I am feeling quite calm and confident with her. I am touching wood, so everything that I've just said here isn't going to shatter around me. It's hard to describe but we seem to be gelling together a bit better, mutual respect and all that, I guess. Next month, it'll be a year since I started with her (I bought her in July, but started loaning, 'test driving' in June)... So dare I say that we are now finally getting quite familiar with each other? She's felt familiar a long time, yes, but recently I just feel a bit more rounded about it within myself. Very hard to explain! 

I also lunged R yesterday on my own, well the friend who's been helping was riding herself at the other end of the school, keeping an eye on us, but I had to deal with any issues myself. And Rainbow did throw me a turn-towards-me stop, and I managed to get her going again. My friend just shouted some instructions but I got her going by moving by her side and then sending her forward. My friend also said that if she does that perhaps I should sometimes get a little cross with her, like with a child, as I have asked her to do something but she's played up so she needs to know it. I think it's a plan, if I know I can win the battle, but at the moment I am still leaning towards resolving issues 'peacefully', i.e. being cleverer than her. But I will keep that in mind, as I think I can start asking for a certain level of behaviour from her.

Today we had another school lesson, dressage, with our instructor, and this time we concentrated more on me and my seat. In the last couple of weeks I have really noticed that I seem to be losing my stirrups, especially on the left. I am particularly struggling in canter and in trot too.

So, to improve it, we looked at how I am sitting. My instructor asked me to take my feet out of the stirrups and let them hang loose, then ask R to walk on. We noticed that my legs moved up a bit when I kicked her on. I grip with my knees. So my instructor made me think about loosening my knees and let my legs hang loose, and when I tell R to move forward I shouldn't really grip with knees but make the lower leg to wrap around her and kick her on. (I don't like the word 'kick' as it sounds a bit abusive, but I hope you understand.)

When I went on to put my feet back in the stirrup, they felt really short, so we lengthened them by one hole.  Seems like a very contradictory thing to do when I had complained about my stirrups coming off, but it was amazing; with a little re-positioning and working on keeping my knees 'loose' I was sitting better and the stirrups no longer moved under my feet. I have been struggling with cantering for this reason as well, but when I went on to raise canter – keeping my knees loose – I managed to canter around beautifully and I was no longer going against the movement, as I have been feeling that I inadvertently do for a while now.

As a reward for a great lesson, I decided to let Rainbow out in the field with friends. The weather really has been gorgeous this week here – it may be our summer, as usually the floods start by June, so better take advantage while we can! 

In search of friends

Happy horses

Herd life

My new riding boots, junior style (not really for walking in the field but left others home...). Thanks Hööks and Mum!!

Our stables and the show jumping field which is currently empty, but very much ready for this summer's action :)

Here a little video from today. I do apologise for my slightly homely and sweaty look, but it's all about the horse anyway!

Ditto, just look at the horse, not the sweaty owner, please :)

Can't decide!

I am sorry for the recent changes in the look of the blog. I thought I'd try a 'dynamic' view, but I have now gone back to the old look. Hope you are not too confused and disappointed. I'll try and keep changes to a minimum, but I am also working on making the images, etc. work a little harder. Please bear with me :)

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On a horsey note, it's been a gorgeously sunny week, so I have asked Rainbow to be put in the field again today. I'll ride/exercise her in the afternoon. Yesterday I was also expecting to bring her in from the field, but when I went to her stable she popped her head up, rather surprising me. I was looking for the telltale signs of her having been out, muddy feed, muddy back, stains on the neck... but she was looking suspiciously clean. So I had to ask someone who could talk and I was told she had been out. Loving the dry fields at the mo!! Now, instead of mud stains, she is now proudly donning some green grass stains on herself. Summer is here and better get the Cowboy Magic out again...