The stories of the “unhorsed” life beyond ownership!

[KBC]

The pressure is ramping up, no freebies, when I am in lessons we do it RIGHT.

Part of this is now asking if my saddle is the best for him, so we are trying others to see which we both are most comfortable with.

I LOVE my saddle, I rarely have ridden in anything else for the last 13 years, but now trying different things.

Saddle one, a barrel saddle, well Braam felt good in it, I thought he moved freer, but the butt saddle ratio feels off! Once you are in you aren’t escaping quickly.

Saddle two, a short length gaited saddle that appeared to fit well, but he didn’t feel as good. I loved it, it was strange I could feel my seat bones far better, and felt I could use my body to influence him better.

Saddle 3 on Thursday, then we’ll see what is the best option for now. I’ll be interested how the next one feels, it’s quite fun feeling the different way I feel sat in different saddles.

[EADoug]

I don’t know how I missed these past updates. I always enjoy seeing your pictures and following along on your adventures!

I love that you have some lofty goals, can’t wait to cheer you on!

[KBC]

Do you know what this is?

well obviously it’s a full 10 obstacle working equitation course All the pylons represent an obstacle and are numbered. The key to the numbers is on the board, your challenge today, ride the course, don’t get lost and execute the obstacles correctly. I was surprised we didn’t struggle more than we actually did. It was a fun excercise, and very challenging.

The level of difficulty was higher for me…not an excuse, just fact, because I was in my third different saddle of the last week, a Billy Cook.

This is a NICE saddle, very hard but comfortable, and he moved well in it. First half of the ride my stirrups felt too long, I shortened them a hole, then they felt too short.

So, saddle

My Reinsman, fits me like a glove, still love that saddle, and want my fitter to find away it will work…sadly though she is good I don’t think she has a magic wand.

The barrel saddle, I think he moves great in it, but I am stuck in there, can’t post, need the mounting block to climb out/off of it.

The Dixie land, I liked it better, he seemed to go OK.

The Billy Cook, need to ride in it again, I was sick yesterday, and some of his lack of forward, could well reflect my lack of any motivation beyond staying on and completing tasks.

[Paint_Party]

I really enjoy reading your updates. You’re dedicated and having fun, and that black horse is awesome!

This little snippet really hit home with me:

@KBC

I did get down, at 66 having ridden on and off for 60 years, how can I be so bad? Turns out not bad, just being pushed to be better in a new discipline and a well trained horse.

My trainer can be really tough sometimes, too. She pushes me because she knows I can do better. Combine that with the pressure I put on myself to magically excel at a discipline (western) I didn’t ride seriously until 2 years ago, and I get down occasionally, too. Truth be told, last year I went into my horse’s stall and cried after a particularly memorable halter and showmanship lesson. Now I laugh about it, because I’ve learned how to do well enough in those classes to win good ribbons and not embarrass myself. But it’s definitely been a journey for me, too!

It sure feels fabulous when it all comes together, doesn’t it?

[KBC]

@Paint_Party

It sure feels fabulous when it all comes together, doesn’t it?

Oh yes, and sometimes it’s just a moment, but you keep stitching the moments together until you have it.

I look at the rider I am now, compared to even a year ago, when I was just starting loping the big guy, and not sure I was enjoying it, to being like a big kid and just loping from place to another, just because.

I swore that I wouldn’t put competition pressure on myself again, little local events don’t count but this is too good a chance to pass up, it’s my once in a lifetime, and if I don’t put the work in it’s only me to blame…

[Jenerationx]

LOVE that Halloween pic, and I’m so excited for you. Your trainer sounds great to make sure you get to ride for the CNC. A great trainer GIVES to their students… they don’t TAKE (well, money they earn, but they don’t take rides away.)

[RedHorses]

@KBC

My Reinsman, fits me like a glove, still love that saddle, and want my fitter to find away it will work…sadly though she is good I don’t think she has a magic wand.

Do they use the Port Lewis fitting system? It builds a custom multi level pad to fill the space between saddle and horse to evenly distribute pressure. There are limitations, but it might be worth a try.

[KBC]

She doesn’t, but the issue is length I fear, so without chopping off some of the skirt I’m not sure it will work…

[MissusS]

I just read this thread from start-to-finish and am smiling so big! Thank you for sharing this journey with us all. I am so inspired by you!

[Calvincrowe]

Kath-- I absolutely love everything about your update! As adults, we process things so differently than children do. All I can say is: been there, cried those tears, got on with business and found success from the tough lessons. Your posts are so inspiring, really and truly. To see another woman of a certain age and body type and fear level digging deep and getting it done is uplifting to us all.

I hope you solve your saddle dilemma and keep the pictures of Bram and you coming. And give your trainer a hug from me: they sound like a gem!

[KBC]

Had a great last lesson of the year, before heading to the UK for Christmas, even included my first “line” of fences in forever, and a bending line at that. OK it was two bitty cross rails, but so improved my confidence in our ability to get on the same page, all I have to do is ride him in, let him pick a distance and go with him. Easy to say, tough to do because I so want to pick his spot, but ack the ability currently to do so…I am at heart a micro manager it seems, and I need to quit doing some of it. My trainer posted a video the other day, she was riding Braam, slipped his bridle off, took him around some obstacles bridleless now I have a goal to do the same!

So now in UK, was at the London Christmas Horse Show, watching all the fun that is Puissance night last Friday 6 hours dragging husband around the shopping village, and only bought gloves, tried on nearly every pair in the place I think, the last stand we visited had Roeckl’s and I bought another pair, for some reason they see, to get better then any other.

FEI carriage driving.

The Portuguese Lucitano display

Guy Williams and the fantastic Mr Blue Sky UK won the big classs for the second year running, clearing a staggering 2m 18cm

[Calvincrowe]

Oh my gosh!! Now that’s a reason to go the London! How fun. And I hear you on micro managing… easy to say “let go”, but so hard to do it!!

[KBC]

Yesterday got to visit the stables my Granddaughter is lessoning at, so beautifully English

lots of stables round a central yard. She had a great lesson , including her first canter cross pole! I

lol, not the most elegant, that will come, the joy of achievement was immediate. They have the most lovely surface on the arena, sand and a recycled fibre, great for the wet British weather.

A touch of déjà vu, listening to the instructor nagging poor H about her wayward left hand, seems it’s a family trait!

[KBC]

Well still in the UK, and was astonished to find a stable that would take someone of my weight[image] So I ticked off a bucket list item by having a lesson with my Granddaughter, then going out with her on her first ever hack. I was a bit surprised at how posh it looked

At this stage H was really excited, because we hadn’t told her where we were going, I was sitting in dread, sure that I was going to get turned away at the last minute, finding a barn with a big weight limit is like finding a unicorn! There was also the fact that I hadn’t realized that I would be riding, so was the height of fashion in leggings and a hastily bought pair of men’s shoes! I was also waiting for them to lead out a darn great shire. All of these turned out to be unfounded.

The staff were welcoming, friendly, and helpful, and they brought me out this lovely guy

Good solid English cob, wearing a good English saddle, err have ridden ONCE in an English since my big fall, and that was 9 years ago or so. Sitting on a cob, with hogged mane, in an English saddle, AGHHHHH. But I had the best fun.

Then we headed to the arena and had a lesson

I was told that Beau was an out and out happy hacker, we were all surprised that I got a nice trot out of him, but he did his standard, start cantering with enthusiasm, then run out of energy in 3 strides , couldn’t get him past that.

Me cantering Beau

Hannah and Archie

We did get huge bonus points for being the first people in ages for being able to ride a 20m circle properly

After 30 mins in the arena, we went out for a hack, just a walk, with ground walkers, but Hannah can now say she has been out for a hack.

[Calvincrowe]

Oh my goodness!! That is an absolute bucket list item of mine, too, so thank you for sharing it. I had a big stupid smile on my face watching the video and looking at the photos. Stop selling yourself short, lady-- you are a real rider, brave and skilled! Well done!

[Paint_Party]

Wow, what an adventure you had!

[Rackonteur]

Two lovely ladies on two well-matched piebalds! Thank you for sharing the ride with us!

[KBC]

Road to CNC,

Entry form filled in, deposit paid, things are getting real. So much to do in the way of getting fitter, thinner and polishing my skills over the next few months.

After riding in the English saddle, on a round backed, hogged cob, I said to my trainer I wouldn’t be averse to trying Braam English, see if we get a better fit for both of us…

[Paint_Party]

The preparation and anticipation of equestrian competition just adds to the excitement. Heck, once I book the hotel room, thoughts about the upcoming show occupies most of my spare time.

Love to read about your goals and achievements. It’s all very inspiring!

[KBC]

Been on a roller coaster here, let’s see, escaped the UK on dirt cheap flights and spent a few days in the Canary Islands, where I got to ride a camel😂 I was mesmerized by their feet, I need to find a tame camel where I can get to touch and study. Seeing as our cheap flights only allowed a bag we could fit under the seat, bringing back souvenirs was limited, so I decided on a camel tattoo from a dodgy beach front place, you only live once right!

Watched my GDaughter take her first fall, it’s about time, and certainly woke her up and made her ride better after.

Got back to Canada to get a message from my BO, coach, Braams owner, saying we need to talk….and we caught up yesterday.

SIGH

Not going to be leasing the boy for a while, seems that my horsemanship skills are lacking and I have allowed bad behaviours to happen. So WILL be having lessons on him, shadowing her while she rides, and taking some “horsemanship lessons”

Over the last week since getting the message, stewing on what is said, wondering if I should just hang up my saddle, feeling sick to my stomach…I have come through it and I get what she is saying, and I will go forward with an open mind, to see if we can plug the obvious gaps in this old woman’s training. It is kind of another “eyes uncovered” moment, being taught to ride, riding well (ish) is one thing, but there are a bunch of skills I need to polish up on. One small example given, I was taught, and still do, keep the halter behind my back when going to catch a difficult horse, then I’ll walk him down, because my aim is to catch the horse. She holds the halter in plain sight, uses body language to make the horse want to be caught!

February is reset month, and March I get a project horse to work with…going to be interesting.