Enjoying the new indoor school

Manege. Indoor school. Whatever you call it, it certainly is a godsend in weather like this. I have discovered that don't have enough willpower to work the horse in deep snow in the outside school – and not only because it's rather prohibiting, due to the slippery and hard ground conditions, resulting in not very effective work at all. We have been hacking, as a result, since approx. mid-October, the opportunity to ride indoors has been a lovely change and very inspiring. Rainbow is moving better than she has ever done in Finland – well, since we last were able to use an indoor school, which was back in the UK. As the outside school here is always a bit on the hard side and contains bigger stones within the sand, it is not the best base, I've noticed Rainbow has never really stridden out in the way she is able to now in the indoor school.

Having spent all her life in indoor schools, Rainbow hasn't as much as batted an eyelid about being in there. We have ridden there a couple of weeks now. We even took part in a two-day jumping clinic on 26th and 27th Dec. We hadn't jumped for over two months, so the nerves showed again, but we did manage some nice jumps and I am particularly proud of jumping a very narrow jump with some playing cards patterns on the side and a mini-wall on the bottom. I am afraid of them, as usually Rainbow looks at jumps like that and there is a chance that she might stop, despite being an extremely genuine and hard-working jumper – she always tries her best and, more than often tries, to fit her gaits to ensure I stay on...! So, with this narrow jump, first time, she went through it like nothing. It's almost just a horse's width wide. The second time, I bailed while Rainbow was going towards it, I just looked at the side and clearly gave her the insinuation that didn't want to go through it, so she evaded it. By then I was so nervous that as we tried approaching again, the same happened. On about a third or fourth attempt I managed to get brave enough again, so bounced over it in trot. Good girl – stupid rider! All my fault. 

But, as a friend said, if you never fail and just sail over all jumps then you never learn anything. Well said! So I mustn't dwell on it but just look at the photo she took of us flying over it on the first time around and be proud. ... And enjoy jumping! After all, I have a great, genuine horse who also loves jumping, so sky's the limit really, eh? :)

Happy New Year to all readers as well.

   All photos (c) Jenna Koivisto. 

Girls went to see the new indoor school

Christmas has come early. We were told that the new indoor school has passed its building inspection and all the sand for the base has been delivered, so it's now ready. Whoop! 

Yesterday morning, Rainbow and I went to have a look and traipse around it. Rainbow is obviously used to indoor spaces, as we had a big indoor school at our yard in England, so I didn't expect it to be a big deal – and it wasn't. We just walked around a bit and then lunged her for a bit, and that was it. 

And now the snow has arrived too – no more mud – so could things be any better? Wahey!

Happy Crimbo to you all :)

Fab pony

Very proud of myself and Rainbow this morning. We went out on a hack on our own, something we haven't done much, and not only did it go well we also cantered. Fab pony. I just chatted to her in English the whole way. ... And bitless too. :)

Six months in Finland

We have now lived 6 months in Finland. Have to say both have settled in well and I think my relationship with Rainbow has gone from strength to strength – we know each other well now. Both are relaxed around each other and there aren't many things that surprise me about Rainbow anymore. Don't want to sound complacent, though, it's just lovely to notice it. 

As the third winter (albeit our first in Finland) is starting, it's lovely to see how far we've come. Rainbow has turned 8. She was born at the end of 2006 even though her passport says a nominal 10th Jan 2007. I don't know her exact birthday, but I was told it was 'sometime in Nov–Dec'. 

In the 2,5 years together we've come from this: 

Note the amount of stuff on her – bit, flash-band, martingale...

To this: 

Hacking in a group of 6 horses bitless. 

And from this: 

To this: 

We have only participated in one competition this year in Finland, so we haven't been very 'aspirational' of late... In the autumn, this has been partly caused by the lack of decent riding space, as the outdoor sand school has been mush, so we have done all our exercise in the form of hacking. Once the manege is completed, which should be by Christmas, I promise to make more of an effort. (Although I am starting to wonder why I bother with competing in general – not sure if it's my thing truly... Perhaps more on that later...)

But despite this lack of competitions, etc., I have to say we're not lazy. I still ride Rainbow daily and, on average, she only gets 1–2 full days off a week. We went out on hack with our friends on Saturday and I must say Rainbow is at the moment one of the fittest horses at our yard. Cantering and galloping at speed hardly gets her out of breath, while there were some horses that actually got left behind when we went for it. Quite pleased with that – the galloping has brought an inner jockey out in me ;). And it's even more pleasing to know that we're the same using bitless, so if you are thinking of going bitless, do it – it's so worth it.