Thank you everyone for the welcome! And Santa_s_Barn_Elf, your festive alter is fun to see - 2020 has been such a challenging (at the very least) year and looks to be so right up until the end, so seeing something cheery is nice! The lease horse is very much an old hand and wonderful, though definitely a warmblood with all that sometimes comes with that in terms of occasionally seeing monsters in the corners, etc.! SuzieQ are you in Australia? My only experience with hearing the term “ute” comes from episodes of McLeod’s Daughters from back in the day 
Austen, I caught your message above and wanted to say congrats on your new property - that sounds terribly exciting!
I can’t speak to how to do it on mobile, but when I’m on the site on a computer, you can just hit ctrl-b and then type the text you want to be bolded or type all your text and use your mouse to select the text you want to be bolded and click the “B” icon. (This may all already be obvious and/or not what you’re asking!)
Welcome CR, I too am primarily a lurker, and a dressage queen, but I also ride a jumper-bred Belgian Warmblood. He broke my back a little over 2 years ago now, so I had a little set back in the ol’ confidence thing last year. I’m trying to get to the point where I can canter down to a 2’ jump without butterflies, but first I need to be able to canter him past the area he dumped me! 
So, yeah, I totally get the whole nerves thing.
PF, I love your alter!
Lucky, good luck and have fun at your show!
I decided to figure out how to post a pic, so you guys are stuck seeing another photo of my handsome guy. 
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Sue_B, what a gorgeous horse! I love his coloring.
CR, welcome! Nice to have some new voices in here (to go with the lovely more established ones). I only just started riding again this fall, and I hear you on the confidence thing. As adults, we have more to lose. Plus we don’t bounce as well as we used to, and the bruises take longer to fade. On the upside, I think my approach to riding is more thoughtful and patient than it was back in the day.
I tell myself that if my instructor thinks I can do it (and/or am ready to try and make a hash of it), then I should give it a shot. Slow and steady does it.
Because I never follow my own advice and because I swore that I didn’t need a regular horse, I of course have started leasing a TB schoolmaster who has a nifty personality and a really nice way of going. He’s patient with my errors, but when I get it right, he’s right there to respond and say “I was waiting for you to figure it out!” Three cheers for generous horses!
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Yes. I am your token Aussie. I live in Queensland Australia. Here is my ute. It has a hard canopy over the tray so you can lock it if you have saddles etc in the back.Screenshot_20201118-050617_Gallery|690x388
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Lost - Can’t wait to see your new property, how exciting!
Suzie - I used to ride at this place that was by a major road. People would honk at us riding all the time. Eventually the horses got used to it, but it created some interesting moments lol.
CR - Welcome!
Lucky - Good luck at the show! I hope, above all else, it’s a safe and fun learning experience.
@luckymaverick Milton and I are doing a (dressage schooling) show this coming Sunday too. It’s at our barn, so that’s convenient. We’re doing Training 1 and Training 2. My only fear is forgetting the tests. I’ve been practicing, both on the horse and on the couch (LOL). We’re not going to exactly set the world on fire, but we’re going to do it because…hey…why not?
Good luck to you at your show!
Glad to see people’s progress with their ponies and new contributors to the thread. I stare at a freaking computer all day (teaching remotely) so my eyes are so tired by the end of the day it’s hard for me to read much on here.
For anyone (Suzie) that followed the saga of Milton and all of his spookiness, etc…he’s doing great now. I think the new barefoot trimmer was the real breakthrough. I did decide to buy him a new saddle though and got one through the Test Ride program at SmartPak. Something told me the heaviness of the M. Toulouse was some of the issue. It is so heavy. I’ve had western saddles that didn’t weigh as much, I swear! So, I bought a Wintec Isabell because the reviews and features seemed like they’d be good for him. I was right. It fits him perfectly, it’s lightweight, it’s comfy for me, and I’ve ridden him pretty hard in it twice (in the covered with the footing he used to have trouble with but no longer does) and his back is holding up great.
So, yay! Hoping to ride tomorrow. It’s going to be cold, and Milton loves the cold!
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Susie- to bold, I click on the B in the message frame.
Faye- man, I feel exactly as you described before my lessons!!
So I work in the morning and ride at noon. Determined to practice bravery. Thanks all for the encouragement! All the job stress has me in perpetual knots. Hope to have a fun report later. And my biopsy came back but I got the message too late today. So tomorrow may be quite the adventure 
Hi all! Just thought I would introduce myself. I’m a re-rider living in the DC area; was off for about 20 years before starting again this fall. I’m doing some lessons (very low-level jumping at the moment) and just trying to get my confidence and seat back. This community has been great, as my husband/friends aren’t horsey, and things are both easier and harder the second time around. Hope you all have a good day!
Welcome, welcome to all the new recent members!
Had an eventful morning- lesson was waylaid, per my choice so Pony could get her chiro. She was making up for last week and was all snuggles. Watched me from the driveway and made over me like a puppy. Show is a no-go due to schedules. I’m not heart broken and this way we will be super prepared for next year.
Of course my results came back rampant eczema- which I said from day 1. The new med in the arsenal is Eucrisa. I figured it would be expensive since it’s on tv. Mail order is $65. Through insurance at our regular pharmacy is over $700. Needless to say, mail order for me. I couldn’t believe the difference. Healthcare is so messed up.
Nice to see a few new posters! I hope you all will feel welcome here.
lucky, drug prices sure are ridiculous! Have you also compared to something like Good Rx? We use that a lot.
Well, I got my results for my last show of the year, the New Vocations TB Show. I even got a season-high 74.31 on my Training Level Test 2. I am beyond thrilled with my jumper-turned-dressage pony, haha. Now I need to get back to some jumping. Hard to with my arena still in between stages of expansion.
There is another trail challenge that I’m going to do in December, so that’s something fun to look forward to as well.
Hope you all are doing well.
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LOL Sadie. It is a completely different language we speak isn’t it?
PF Wahoo on such great results. The arena will be ready soon and you won’t remember riding without it soon.
@RhythmNCruise what a lovely update. I have found with our arena that it can be too soft right after raking. I stay at the other end for few days and then the other end of the arena is better.
I remember you initially started a thread asking about sensitizing your horse.
Hubby went up to ride Sim and as he no longer needs to go to work I went up a bit later and tacked Stars. When I entered the arena I asked how Sim was going? He said do you want to hop on?
My head screamed no. I have to go to work and have timed when to get on Stars so I am not late, however hubby said he would come in and help me, so I said “okay, do you want to hop on Stars and just walk him?”
Hubby has been on Stars on the lunge and to cool down in the walk. I put Stars square to the mounting block and held him while hubby mounted. I turned back to Sim and hubby walked forward and Stars’ hindlegs hit the mounting block and knocked it over. Argh. I told him that if he was on a young horse he would have been bucked off by now. I also told him he could play with walk and halt. I did hear a joyous good boy while I was working Sim.
When we swapped back hubby commented on how sensitive Stars is. Wouldn’t it be amazing if the other 2 were that sensitive?
“I ride the other 2 exactly the same as I ride Stars. It is you who has taught them to ride differently for you. So ride them the same as you rode Stars!”
We will see what happens when he gets on Dodge this afternoon.
I swear the B was not showing above when I was typing on the phone. It is there now. I also figured you can bold by putting 2 stars (**) before and after the name. Now I will trying it with a sentence.
YES that worked too.
Hi, Sadie, nice to meet you! So far in my re-rider experience, I’ve just been cantering rails (poles) on the ground and it’s been fun trying to get my “eye” warmed up again. I’ve been hesitant to start little jumps yet though b/c I still think I’m too weak and am trying to work the half-seat to get stronger. I hope you’ve been enjoying the jumping you mentioned thus far!
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That’s a neat experience with your hubby! I’ve never had a partner who is interested in horses (or actually a friend, whom I didn’t meet through horses) and it must be really interesting to share at least aspects of what is a never-ending journey of trying to understand and work with these animals!
PF- congrats on your results thus far! yeah, Goodrx is what we use a fair bit. That’s where the prices were so high, so probably even more with insurance. I still stand by my statement of healthcare being totally crackers!!
@anon18382370 I’ve started some fences, but I’ve learned to appreciate rails and cavelittis in a whole new way! I hear you on getting strong again - my lower back aches after a few laps in two point. I’m going to try to work on some yoga and strength exercises. Will report back if I find an effective routine!
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@anon18382370 hubby was not into horses when we married and said he didn’t want anything to do with them. I told him he had to learn how to take a bridle off because if he ever came home to a tacked horse and no Sue, I know he would want to help and he would try to untack and I didnt want him to start by pulling a horses teeth out.
He was introduced to the horses and now saw them as individuals. He learnt to oil hooves and put rugs on and off and to feed.
He took Vinnie off me as he said I loved Pepper and I didnt deserve Vinnie. (All horses are treated the same.) He fed and rugged in Winter when I was working longer hours than him.
He came in crying when we lost Vinnie and she was dead when he went out to feed.
We had bought a cattle farm but had not moved yet. I told him that Pepper was over 20 years old so wouldn’t be with us much longer. When we lost him I would not get another one and we would be out of horses.
We lost my Vinnie Girl (Golden Vienna) on Fathers Day which is in September for us. He would not let me use her stirrups or girth on another saddle. Our cattle brand had to be 3 letters and he chose VNE.
Every.day.Every.single.day from September to April he brought in horse ads.
No I do not want another horse. That one is too old, too young, wrong breed, wrong sex, wrong colour, wrong price, wrong sex, wrong discipline, etc,etc, etc.
By April it suddenly dawned on me that if I did not say yes to an advert. He would come home with a horse and I would be at home training it, so I may as well have one I liked. Hubby was chuffed as he had found the perfect ad. One I could not say anything against.
4 YO black/brown 16.3hh TB. $800.
I said if he has raced I don’t want him. Hubby rang and the trainer said he raced 4 weeks ago so hubby rang off sad. The guy said tell her to come and see him and she will buy him. I rang back and yes I bought Andy (Angel of Peace) who turned out to be the smartest horse I have ever ridden.
Hubby and I proceeded to have the biggest fight we have ever had. He had never said anything about getting on a horse. His coworker told him he does not want to get on Pep as he is too old. He wants to buy a young horse and get on it down the paddock and gallop up a hill and then he would be able to ride.
NOT ON MY WATCH.
I put him on Pepper with reins on a halter and showed him that he turned when hubby turned his head and he halted when hubby dropped his weight.
That led to our second biggest disagreement. The next day he was going to take Pepper out around the 1,100 acres outside our front gate.
You can’t.
Yes I can.
No you can’t you cant ride him yet.
Yes I can.
No you don’t even know how to trot.
Then I won’t trot.
That is not up to you. Pepper is the boss not you.
No he isn’t.
Sigh plus you cant go out around the 1,100 acres as you will get too sore.
No I won’t.
An around 50 yo male who has worked his way to the top at his work. He is the one to give orders. Nobody ever tells him no or you can’t do that.
Other than having a big fight with him and hiding the saddle and bridle. I opt to go with him. On Andy who we picked up 5 weeks from his last race and they did not change his feed although he stopped training. The owner sent through a foolscap sized fax with huge letters saying SHOOT HIM.
We go out the front gate. Andy is in the lead. Pepper is not right behind us.
What are you doing?
He won’t halt.
He was asking Pepper to halt with Andy walking ahead. Pepper obliges by halting for 0.2435 of a second then walking forward and was starting to get upset.
Leave him alone and just walk behind me.
I went a very horizontal, quite wide path but we did end up down away from our house.
I said did he want to go on or did he want to go home?
He wanted to go home.
We had been riding about 20 minutes and were not far from home. Nowhere near 1,100 acres.
Nobody can walk as fast as Pepper on the way home, so now hubby was in front. I told him to shorten his reins and do not trot as you go through the dip.
Hubby shortened the reins 5 cm. Pepper shortened his neck a foot and went into trot, hubby grabbed with his legs and now they were in full gallop up the hill.
Let me tell you that even with canter Pepper has the feel of power and speed. His nickname at Pony Club was Speedy Gonzales. We never had time faults in cross country or Showjumping.
I have seen this happening before it happens. I have reined Andy to a halt and I am yelling over and over. PUT YOUR HANDS DOWN. TAKE YOUR LEGS OFF HIM. PUT YOUR HANDS DOWN. TAKE YOUR LEGS OFF HIM.
Bless him Andy stood and we did not have 2 horses racing for home. Hubby has his hands up past his ears. This is a full gallop for home and the 90° turn for home is approaching. He is in a dressage saddle.
PUT YOUR HANDS DOWN. TAKE YOUR LEGS OFF HIM.
Hubby is thinking I am not taking my legs off him. If I do I will fall off.
As he approaches the gate, he thinks I wonder what will happen if I take my legs off.
He took his legs off and Pepper halted.
I could not believe he had not fallen off. I asked for canter and came up the hill and I hopped off and grabbed the reins.
My husband does not swear and doesnt like it if I do.
How was that?
It was very bumpy.
That is not bumpy, you will find trot is bumpy and what do you think of Mark’s advice now.
F%$# MARK!
And I pushed one more as hubby’s sister was always talking about me taking her kids riding.
And are you going to put Emily on Pepper?
NO F$%#ING WAY.
Fast forward and We lost Pepper in his 30’s, very sadly in the same week we lost Andy.
Hubby now has 2 tbs, Sim and Dodge. Both horses were given to us. Sim is the hardest horse I have ever retrained. I knew from the first ride that he was not enough horse for me. Sim and hubby were green. We had no arena but I started lunging hubby on Sim to get the 2 to bond. Sim has come a long way. I have taught that horse every single thing. How to walk like a horse. How to trot like a horse. How to lead. Every single thing. If you look at him now he actually looks like a horse. I am actually quite proud of that.
Dodge is called Dodge because he dodged a bullet. A dressage rider found him in the kill pen at the Doggers. He just looked so sad her heart broke and she bought him and brought him home. When he was fattened up and they hopped on him they found out he was actually trained. He became her husband horse and when he stopped riding he went to my riding school. When he became lame with a crack starting from the coronet and a space at the bottom if the middle of his near fore hoo, we took him on knowing he may never be sound. Out of the mud at the riding school and he has not had a lame step here.
When hubby actually started to ride with correct contact I presented him with padded reins.
It was time for me to buy my own horse, so I bought Stars. I had huge problems with the best farrier supposedly in the district so it took years to stop using him and now hubby does their hooves after I paid for my previous farrier to come out. He said that the off fore is club footed. The near fore is pigeon toed. They are not trimming is pigeon toed hoof as a pigeon toed hoof. But instead they are cutting it back to match the club foot. Even though it was 10 weeks from his last trim, he said he did not have enough hoof to trim yet. He was lame for 5 weeks so I couldn’t bring myself to use that farrier which is why it had been 10 weeks.
I started taking lessons as Stars has had my measure and had started training me. I just started lessons again and the change in 4 weeks has been phenomenal. Sadly it looks like next week will be too hot to travel to the lesson.
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Good refresher, Suzie. We all have to start to learn somewhere!
Nothing new to report here. It’s lovely out, so I’ll tack up here in a bit to get a ride in before it gets dark. I hate winter darkness.
I’ve been told me ID is fixed, so let’s see…
Nope, that’s Chico and my old Greenie ID. Hmm.
