My horses, the jokers.

I am starting to think there is some kind of conspiracy going on. My horses clearly hate me, or at the very least are having an enormous joke at my expense (in more ways than one)

With my new found freedom I had plans. Not big plans, just small to middling size plans. I was going to get the gelding going this year, and not waste his naturally floaty paces and athleticism (ahem, or the ability to change direction in mid air, either or) and perhaps be one of those riders showing off how versatile their ex-racer was. And the mare and I were going to find our sport, probably not dressage, maybe showjumping, hunting or most likely riding club all-rounder.

So, the first day I work the mare she pulls a huge chunk of foot off. Damn! But nevermind, I am ever the optimist, I'll just start the gelding.

After a wonderful lesson I am full of confidence, plans and enthusiasm, this horse and I will be out and about in no time! Oh, two days later it is like we have gone back to the beginning. I will just take a step back and calmly continue, except that doesn't seem to be working very well.
Today I rode the mare (yay!) Except she proceeded to heave and cough for almost the entire 20mins. Fuck.

My wonderful husband came out to see her, where she stood happily munching grass with not a sign of illness. The verdict was she had probably inhaled something that irritated her, but had now cleared. Hmmm, I'm not convinced.

You know you are a horsey parent when....

- Your daughter complains her plaits are too tight. To be honest, she should be grateful you don't stitch them in. Oh, and while we are on the subject of hair, you call the detangler spray 'Mane and Tail'

- Instead of asking your children to do things, you command them. Also, when getting them to hurry up you say "trot on"

- You will quite happily, and casually talk about worming and de-licing your children.

- You think the key to happy, healthy children is plenty of food and decent turnout. Also, routine is important - for horses and children.

I'm sure I'm not the only one!

Two steps forward, one step back

The gelding and I went out on our first solo outing the other day.

This is HUGE for us. Last Saturday was the first time I had sat on the horse in around a year, and I hated every second of it! I was waiting for him to spook, and he was waiting for something to spook him!

My confidence is in tatters, has been since my accident over 6 years ago, and seems to be getting worse rather than better. I can cope on my mare, she looks after herself, even if she can be a bit of a tramp. Any other horse terrifies me. Unfortunately, the gelding now falls into this category.

I got a friend to come to the yard on Monday to just be there at talk to me while I rode, huge difference, felt a little bit more in control.

Roll on Wednesday and we head out in the trailer to a local show centre to have a lesson. I was apprehensive, but more comfortable knowing a competent instructor was there. The gelding was on his toes and my initial reaction to seeing him come off the trailer was "Oh Shit, I'm going to die" for he had grown several hands.

But, he was good as gold and tried so hard. We only walked and trotted but I felt we achieved so much.

Today I was really looking forward to riding him. He obviously didn't share my enthusiasm, as he had a right little foot stomping tantrum. I had been on him for about 10mins, doing some big loops in walk and just starting to do some trot, when we had a couple of mini spooks. I ignored these and kept quietly on. This is when he decided I was being completely unreasonable and he couldn't possibly trot anymore, so he planted and did his little rears (I say 'rear' but it was the front feet barely leaving the ground) and bunny hops with his back end. He was cross! Unfortunately he did a jink sideways and I bent my little finger back - ouch!

I carried on until he was doing as I asked, then got off and put him on the lunge for five minutes at the end of the school that he was fussing about - surprise, surprise, the monster had gone!

Letting him off a little today seemed like the best option, he probably is still feeling a bit stiff from our lesson and the travelling, and making him very cross would have been counter productive.

Blessing in disguise?

So, the kids are at school/preschool, I am not currently working, and housework is not what I would consider a pastime. What do I spend this new found 15hrs a week doing?

The horses! Yay! I have been waiting for this moment for about 6 years now. Biding my time, so I can finally get on with my youngster (now 12, and not keen on being told anything, thank you very much) and the retraining of my ex-racehorse.

The first couple of days I didn't do a lot, I was just trying to get back into some sort of routine, and I always think it can take a while to get into the swing of things. So I pottered, I enjoyed every moment of mucking out (properly!) in peace. Then, on Tuesday I got the mare nicely brushed, and took her in the arena for a loose lunge. She gets quite tight through her back and I have been trying to encourage her to stretch more. She can be a little 'gung-ho' on the lunge, but was actually pretty restrained this time. She lost her footing once or twice slightly, but the surface isn't wonderful in there at the moment. When I brought her back in I see she has pulled a huge piece of hoof wall off. Fuck! This is typical, fucking, bollocksing typical. I could have cried to be honest. But instead I dry poulticed it, and phoned the Farrier.

Now, the 'blessing' is that I wanted to get going with my other horse. Here is my opportunity......

I'm Free!

Well, for 3 hours a day, 5 days a week.

The kids have gone back to school. By 'back' I mean the girl has gone back to school, and the boy has started preschool. This means that from 8.45am til 11.45am I am child free.

Don't get me wrong, I love my kids and the summer hols have been great (if a little long) I mean there was that time that the boy found a dead rabbit, 'found' being carried around, or the time he had to be bathed in a bucket at the yard after a poo-cident, or the time that he walked into an electric fence (twice) with wet trousers on (I know) The girl on the other hand is an incredibly easy child, and had a relatively incident free holiday. She is glad to be back though.

I am proud of the fact my children seem confident and independent. Not once have I had tears at the school gates (I appreciate that could easily come back to bite me on the arse) but when so many kids are crying (or pretending to - I saw you, you little sod) and my kids practically run into school without a backward glance, I do feel a little insulted. But then I realise I am practically running out of the gates I suppose it is pretty fair!