Nocturnal Moves

It was dark when I got to the yard today, a bit drizzly and pretty windy (and cold of course!) We've missed a lot of exercise sessions this week so I was determined to do something. Got him dressed up in his long lining gear and without thinking really, long lined him down to the school in the dark. I did question my decision as we left the yard, but he just strode on right down to the school. A few snorts here and there, but he looked almost keen to get into the school.

Once there, he worked like clockwork. Trotting and cantering, even down the scary end with the floodlights on. I walked him round a bit after we'd finished to loosen him off and then exited the school to turn off one of the floodlights (we leave one one so we can see our way back) I turned it off, turned Sammie to head back to the yard and he decided to take himself back in the school and go for another walk. He wasn't scared, I think he was actually quite happy to be doing a bit of work.

I eventually persuaded him that we really should be on our way and he long lined the whole way back until he heard an electric fence clicking. That was too much for him in the dark and after a mild panic attack, he stood firm and let me undo the long lines so I could lead him back. We did get in a bit of a tangle but he just did as I asked and was then happy to walk alongside me the rest of the way.

I rugged him up and left him watching TV while I got his supper ready. He just loves looking out there in the dark but the sound of supper soon saw him asking to get back to his stable pronto!

Tails of the Unexpected

Sammie went on the run (again) today, this time with me hanging on to his tail. I was untacking him outside the tack room after our ride and normally he just stands there with his bridle on (not very BHS I know) I was talking to H and just resting on his bottom and he decided it was about time to move off. The only thing I could grab was his tail. He didn't give two hoots that I was pulling on it. So we went round the back of the yard and up towards the top fields - yes, with me hanging off his tail. I didn't want to let go because I was worried that he might catch himself in the reins.

He actually took me to the very top, I couldn't believe it. Boy he's a powerful monkey once he gets going - talk about horsepower! He just walked but it took all my effort to keep up with him. Eventually I managed to turn him into some trees a bit, which slowed him down and I was just about able to grab a rein whilst still holding onto his tail.

What a sight we must have looked!! He really didn't seem to think it was at all odd to have me hanging off his back end. He certainly made no attempt to run away, just walked very purposefully taking in the sights as he went along. Who needs long lines?

That's a first for me, but afterwards I thought what a turnaround that he didn't try to buck or kick me out of the way. He was just so unconcerned about it. Of course everyone had a good natured laugh at my expense when I returned with Sammie in hand.

Prior to that new trick he was a very good boy in the school. Got down to work and gave me a couple of nice canters. My new clippers should be arriving tomorrow so I intend to get the rid of the rest of his fluffy tummy and chest by the end of the weekend. He really is getting so wet around there, it can't be good for him.

Independent spirit

I went to muck out Sammie this morning as usual. When YM serves breakfast I always pop him in the empty stable next door rather than leaving him standing at the gate. Only this time I forgot to put his lead rope across the door which is usually enough to deter him.

Breakfast was gobbled down and as I walked to the other end of the yard I just happened to look back to see Sammie poke his head out, look left, then right and make his 'stealthy' escape. "If I take it slow, I'm sure they won't notice. Easy does it." He did go very slowly, almost like he was creeping, so I thought I would catch him up and I wasn't too worried as I knew he'd head for the top fields.

However as he crept out of the barn he was very shocked to see the new display of one of the dog's practice agility jumps out the back and took off at smart trot, snorting away to himself. I then spent the next 10 minutes trying to persuade him that he really should come back and get out to his own field. Needless to say he made me late for work, but he did look rather good taking off at a pacey trot with his neck arched and tail held aloft, even though I wasn't impressed with the 'catch me if you can' game in the muddiest part of the field.

When we walked back to the barn, he didn't give the agility jumps a second glance. What a monkey!

I managed to long line today and the left rein canter is still improving. I'm trying to get a consistent 'bounce' into canter. It can still be a bit hit and miss but I reckon we're getting there.

A change is as good as a... Yikes!

I managed to ride Sammie in the school tonight. Not for long as I was pretty tired. We got to the point where we did a few decent canter transitions and then called it a day. Only about half an hour, but that was certainly enough for me! I think I'm a bit addicted to those canter transitions at the moment (who would have believed I'd ever say that?!) It's when we get to the point that all I have to do is sit back, squeeze the inside leg and up we go with hardly any pressure on the reins at all - in fact the reins go loose and because Sammie has gathered himself up if that makes sense. I think Sammie is still feeling a bit edgy at the moment. I reckon it's the routine change (he's a man of habit), change of field and the blasted roofers working on the farmhouse nearby. Even the YM said that the neds are still jumping about with every bang and clatter and it's been almost a week now. Maybe it's because the men are up so high up. Oh, and they've got a huge yellow skip outside that could just gobble all the horses up in one go.

Shave and a haircut, half clipped!

I still haven't finished Sammie's clipping yet, so he looks a bit like an oddly plucked thing at the moment. Hopefully I'll get it finished over the weekend. He really does need it with all that chest and belly hair! He's still out naked during the day (they've moved into the pond field now as their other two fields are having muck spread on them) and I intend to keep it that way for as long as possible. I rode yesterday and long lined today. The long lining was a bit of a whizzy session and it was canter, canter, canter on the left rein. Then it was supper, pyjamas and bed time - or more eating time in Sammie's case.

Gold star for Sammie!

Sammie got gold stars today for all his effort and his slight (very slight) weight loss. RI noticed straight away and asked what I'd been doing. Six out of 7 days exercise that's what's done it and those hacks with K and YM. I'm not sure I can keep it up, but it's good to know that it's made some difference!

Oh and the effort Sammie put in despite it being like a day in August weather-wise, and the fact that he is now wearing part of his thick winter coat. He listens so much now and if I do the slightest (very slightest) lean forwards he goes all flat or simply stops. If I get into an odd position to start off with a bit of a tense seat, he won't go. Lift my seat, sit back, ride uphill and off he'll go. Any bit of tension in the seat or legs and Sammie rightly interprets that means slower or stop. I've just got to get more control of my body!

The other thing I need to control is looking up, up, up! It makes such a heck of a difference but I'm finding it so hard to kick the looking down habit. Aaargh it drives me mad! But RI said if that's the only thing she's really got to tweak now then she's a happy woman. My legs can still wander and bobble a bit, but it's all just practice and discipline.

We worked on elevating the trot and canter today - purely working from the seat and legs and letting him practically carry himself on the front end. Sitting trot was a dream once he was really working from behind. RI wanted him slow, steady, 'up' and using his hocks. She knows he's quite a bouncy boy and said that at this pace he'll still be using himself correctly while I get more to grips with sitting - which is so much better but there's still room for improvement (as with everything). My legs just felt so relaxed, I didn't need to use them at all so they just hung there. Then we worked on a few strides of canter, back to sitting trot for a few strides and back up to canter. Towards the end I could really feel him 'sitting down' at the back end and it's such a wonderful, powerful feeling. It's like he's skipping into canter if that makes sense and it feels like he's really dancing - just wonderful when you get it!! I don't get it that often but at least I know what I'm aiming for now.

There was a pole on the floor of the school so we went over that a few times as well. A bit sticky, but we got there (with a bit of chocolate cornflake when he did it) RI reckons that the thing he's most afraid of is being jabbed in the mouth afterwards and that's why he always wants to rush off with his head in the air. It makes sense!

So my big orange boy was a superstar. He was very, very hot by the end so all tack was removed in the school (I'd taken his headcollar with me) and he had his treats from RI (he knows exactly where she keeps them now!) RI said it really showed that I'd been putting the work in and repeated again just how far I'd come. But I know I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't have Sammie's willingness. I still can't believe it when we just seem to pop up into canter - it really is all about feel which was always such a mystery to me.

I gave Sammie a good old shower before taking him back to the field. Sammie did his click and treat stretches and then went off in search of a good rolling patch. He went right over twice so his back must be fine - he was grunting with joy the whole time he was down. I went back to the yard later to get the monkeys in (we gave them extra time out as they'd been in for a couple of hours today for the lessons) and then after supper we had a quick practice with the clippers. I was prepared for Sammie to be a bit scared, but after a brief introduction (with clicks and treats) we were off and he was perfectly calm - so he didn't forget what he learned last year. Why on earth did people ever dope him (by injection) for that? It just took a bit of time and patience. I only did a bit but I should have it done by the end of the week. Still don't really like it, but I'd rather that than him getting a chill. He also gets so itchy with all the sweat and hair so it can't be pleasant for him at all

A spring in his step and another in his bottom...

Yep, that was Sammie today. He was full of beans and bounce, striding out as we left the yard for a hack on the Common, Once we hit the Common, it was boing, boing, boing all the way. I only had to make an attempt to pick up the reins and he thought we were off! We went out with M and K.

It was such good fun though and great to feel that Sammie was so full of life and being incredibly cheeky at times. We came across some of those awful scrambler bikes on the way back home. We could hear them at first but couldn't see them so we carried on. Then we saw them and they were heading towards us on a track just down a slight bank from the one we were on and there were five of the monkeys.

There was much puffing and snorting from M and Sammie, so we decided to halt and just let them see exactly what was going on. They both stood like rocks, heads high in the air straining to look. Then they came by, not slowing down at all. M and Sammie were in shock I think, their heads locked onto each one as it went by and they both sort of bobbed their heads every time a new one came into sight. They didn't move an inch, but their focus was totally on those bikes until they were well past. Then they stood there for a few seconds to make sure they'd gone, touched noses, let out some big snorts and decided it was safe to carry on their way.

Sammie came back in such a sweat so I'm afraid I'm going to have to resort to the clippers. I don't like it, but I can't keep leaving him cold and wet like that and his furry winter coat has really started to come through now. Hopefully he'll remember his experience last year when he was such a good boy.

We've got lessons tomorrow, so I hope Sammie hasn't used up all his energy today.

Sammie Says "No!"

I knew Sammie was in a bit of a funny mood this morning when I went to muck him out. Nothing satisfied him. He wasn't unhappy, just a bit 'up himself'. YM commented that he was being very demanding and she was right.

I got back to the yard after work and all the horses were in except Sammie. Mild panic set in -he's lame, he's injured - all the normal stuff. That was until K started to tell me what a monkey he'd been today. First of all he would not come in from the field for the dentist. They'd been out for a couple of hours but Sammie decided that just wasn't good enough. K got the other two orange ones in, but Sammie was having none of it. He'd come over and as K went to put the headcollar on he turned on his heel and shot off pulling his scariest face. After several attempts K gave up so YM went up there to find Sammie prancing around.

He did the same thing with her -'catch me if you can' but YM knows Sammie better than K and one growl and a 'big body' seemed to do it after he'd done a couple of turns to show her his backside before trotting off with his tail in the air. He had no problems with his teeth so after all three had been done they were put back out in the field again.

Then he did exactly the same thing when they went to get them in at the end of the day. He was really playing up this time though and trying to get his orange cohorts to join in, which they did for a while but then their tummies got the better of them. So YM decided to take the other two and leave Sammie to it.



She was back up there trying to get him in when I arrived. I walked to the gate and she was walking down the hill having a 'serious discussion' with Sammie and telling him what a naughty boy he was. Sammie was just strolling along with a very innocent "Who, me?" look on his face.



What a monkey! YM reckons he's feeling a little too well!

We did some long lining after that and he was a very good boy even though he was a little too keen to canter! Supper went down in a flash and I left him tucking into his hay. I said some time ago that I sensed his character seemed to be coming through more and more this year and I think I'm right. To be honest I quite like it when he's a bit naughty - it shows me that he feels he can misbehave a bit without receiving more than a growl as a reprimand.

End of the night shift

Sammie is just fine (touch wood) His canter on the long lines is still coming on a real treat - even getting a bit better on the right rein now that I understand where I was going wrong. And I can really feel it transferring through to the ridden work. He did some lovely canter in the school yesterday when I was riding - couple of strides of trot, up into canter for a few strides, back down into trot, up into canter. He was a bit of a spook demon because we were down the monster end of the school as K was practicing her dressage test for today, but he did try to keep himself together - apart from one or two emergency "Yikes!!" stops!

We've decided that today is the day that we turn them round to come in at night. I don't think they're finding it at all pleasant now judging by their eagerness to come in in the morning! So they came in early this morning to dry off a bit and have their breakfast and then we turned them straight back out again so they'll come in for their first night tonight after piratically 24 hours out in the field. When I got there I couldn't see Sammie from the tea station and felt a mild panic coming over me until I heard a gentle snore and realised he was having his morning nap. He looked so cute with his legs all tucked up underneath him. YM and K are always taking photos of him like this on their phones when I'm not there and sending them to me because they think he looks all lovely and cuddly.