Celt progress - fao Cadeby

[cadeby]

Lol Lucy. I love your write-ups. Almost as good as being there!

Celt was a very good girl not to resort to the domino effect with Isaac's shenanigans. I can just imagine him doing piaffe and Clare's comments
You must keep your villagers amused- guaranteed entertainment every time you leave the yard!

Poor Amy. Glad there's no damage.

[lucydales]

Keep breeding boys, Helen! Celt is one in a million

I might be tempted by a blue girlie though!

[cadeby]

I like the look of those boots. I may treat Pagan to a pair as she's always tripping over her feet - combination of being lazy, fat, being too long in the toes (conformation fault not farriery) and gawping over hedges rather than looking where she's going

Thanks for the recommendation Heather

Lucy - you have 4 chances. Bet we get 4 bay colts

[harleydales]

I think I have human gardening knee protectors that Harley wears when he's in the carriage!

If Lady and Harley are out together you would think Harley was the young idiot

[Debbie]

Isaac was a kn*b! Tim eat your heart out! He was miffed at Claire asking him to be grown up and behave! Claire was also poorly as she's been very ill last week and he was thinking he could get away with it, he was only just right! I think he doesn't like to be at the back and doesn't like the fact his mummy is riding Celt and he has to be good with auntie Claire as her standards are higher!

Isaac, you live very dangerously Claire is not one alpha mare to cross!! ;D

Thank you for that link to the knee boots Heather Those look ideal! So glad dear Amy's done no lasting damage, poor girlie.

Awwhhh, that Celt really is one in a million

[lucydales]

Thanks for the good advice ref knee boots Heather, I'll have a look out for those. I have some old leather and felt ones knocking about somewhere which I might try in the meantime, but I note your warning.

Huge news for today! Sue sadly poorly (bad cold & nose streaming) so failed on shed. So it was an Isaac and Celt day.

Claire didn't take a stick so she wasn't tempted to "sort out" Isaac as she was nanny-ing me. One lucky Isaac! He was actually very good and (nearly!) the perfect companion pone today!

We went the other way today, which Celt hasn't done for about a year, and then only on long reins. She was enjoying being out, little trots (I can do that now!) in front (ooh, a bit too scarey) I'll go behind (mooch) I want to be back in front again! ;D

Pheasant flew out, three strides of trot and stop to consider. Black dog charged up behind (that we didn't see coming) big jump, back to earth quickly (oh, who did that large poo??!), puddles? They might be deep?? Ok we'll do them on the way home!

Then we got to a grassy lane, hedges on either side, and up hill. Perfect place to try a canter as everything was going so well.

Off went Isaac very gently, slowed Celts trot so she was tempted to canter and................................. huge buck we then "dolphined along interspersed with bucks! "FM Claire, she's bucking!!!" so Claire slowed down and looked round to see us doind a very respectable few strides of canter, back to trot and walk! We were both laughing - me slightly manically cos I'd stayed on, and Claire cos I'd done such a good job and she didn't know what all the fuss was about!

Celt was enjoying herself but adrenalised and on her toes, we went in front and she was bouncing, Isaac was good behind. She then stopped to look at a leaf, did a standing huge buck and threw a big kick at Isaac who luckily had stopped just out of reach! We did a little bit more then decided it was a good time to turn back, so did practicing sack of spuds calm and chill riding to bring Celt down again, and made it back down the grassy lane without any hysterics (only a few nearly ones which I amazingly managed to nip in the bud!)

Celtie was getting mentally and physically tired by now, so we long, low and chill on the lanes back home, until we met a huge tractor and machine. they kindly pulled into a field gate and switched off the tractor, we passed with out much ado, but 3 strides past we heard the radio go on (ie igniton turned on!) and the tractor started up. I was ready and Celt only jumped about a stride before I'd got her walking calmly again. We made it the rest of the way home with out any further excitement. We'd been out about 40 mins which was more than enough, and I'm still so proud of her (and me for not panicking or falling off!)

Her starting canter (buck and dolphin) is very normal Claire says, as first she has to lift the fat lump on her back up to get her leg under and then it feels funny. I will be better prepared for it next time, and ride through it rather than asking Claire to stop. We hadn't planned on cantering, so hadn't discussed it fully before, so I'm looking forward to the next time when I've visualised it a few times first.

So that todays news from "skool" as Tim would say. (He says "hi" by the way and has huge sulks cos he's not being allowed out to play 'til December )

[zeldalithgow]

Well done Lucy well done Celt everything seems to be going in the right direction

[NFK Dumpling]

Oct 30, 2010 11:04:15 GMT -1 lucydales said:

We'd been out about 40 mins which was more than enough, and I'm still so proud of her (and me for not panicking or falling off!)

Her starting canter (buck and dolphin) is very normal Claire says, as first she has to lift the fat lump on her back up to get her leg under and then it feels funny.

That's really helpful to know - I've sat on Musk and done walk, trot and very brief canter in the school and he's chilling out now until spring - he's a year younger than Celt.

Brilliant that you stayed on - any tips???

[lucydales]

Big knee rolls and velcro

[tinkerdorisalison]

well done Lucy!!!!

Celt sounds like she is going to be one fab pony ;D

[lucydales]

We did the same ride again this week, with Amy and Sue too. Much more settled. No huge buck and dolphining, just a younsters unbalanced canter

She also calmed down much more quickly afterwards and didn't try to kick anyone!

I had to take my hat off at Anna and backing Xabi, she works in days (day 5 canter), where as we work in months (month 5 canter) ;D That's the difference between "professional backer's" with schools and "never done it before's" with wet muddy fields.

The most fantastic thing for me is that "I've done this"! I never thought I would be good enough, and also Celtie has been so good/easy to do. It has improved my confidence no end.

I now feel ready to tackle Tim in a couple of years time .... unless you have a bored week then, Anna??!

[harveydales]

Well done Lucy!

[lucydales]

Field shelter now finished Pam, along with front, so will post uyou some pics tomorrow once we've moved it.

[cadeby]

Brilliant Lucy. Sounds like you're both progressing steadily and nicely .

Lol at the dolphining and bucks first time out. When we backed Flint (Percheron) she was very unbalanced in canter for several months and would lurch into her take-off, even though I only weighed 9 stone at that time and she was 17hh.
It felt really odd, plus she'd sometimes get her legs in a complete mess, although she quickly learnt the art of flying changes without any involvement from me

I would love to have a proper school too. It must make all the difference to backing a youngster.
Hopefully Tim will be a walk-in-the-park when his turns comes too

[lucydales]

I got homework today too! How rude is that?!

I need to set gols for Isaac, Celt and me.

Anyone got any good ideas??