Winter Woolies Show

Scotty and I made the hike out to Pukekohe on Monday, Labour Day for the winter woolies show which had been cancelled a month prior, so really should have been re-named Spring Show! It was a hot beautiful day! Inhand Scotty collected 3 ribbons, 1st for Best Head, 2nd for Best Bay/Brown Horse and 4th for Gelding over 4 years.

In the afternoon Scotty collected 1st for Novice 0-3 wins, 1st for Open on the flat, 4th for trotter on the flat, 4th for paced and mannered trotter, 1st for best showing mount, I got 2nd for rider and we took out Champion Ridden Standardbred. Was quite pleased with how the day went, we just need to work on his canter! Next show is the Clevedon A&P show on the 14th November.

WRC Dressage

A few weeks ago I took Scotty to WRC dressage at Woodhill Sands, did 0.2 test, only walk and trot. Scotty was really good, I was really pleased with how he was and we ended up 6th overall (out of 13). The judge made some really nice comments: I really like the way you rode your horse in this test, you offered him a lovely quiet consistent contact to go into and when he gets there he's going to be awesome.Next weekend is WRC spring dressage day 2 and we'll be doing test 0.2 and 0.3 - really looking forward to it.

Woodhill Sands Mini ODE - Intro

Took Scotty to Woodhill Sands Mini ODE on the 5th september, his first ODE in a year. Entered in intro, dressage wasn't 'flash' we came 8th out of 12, but still cantered both ways and had some nice 7 movements, so can't complain! Jumped really well, always makes me laugh, for a standardbred, he can jump quite well! I really look forward to moving up the levels, i always think its surprises people to see standardbreds out and about eventing.. I wouldn't trade Scotty for the world, he's such a spunk and will do well with time. We ended up 6th overall... out of 12 so I was really happy and surprised. I've got the season calender now, so no stopping us shortly!!

WRC Ribbon Day - 21st august

Took Scotty to the WRC ribbon day yesterday - his first competition since September 2009 and he was good. Took a little while to get onto the float - and over the course of the weekend he had to get on 3 times, so it was good to practise. As soon as we get the bum rope in place he generally goes on - but will keep working on it!

At the ribbon day Scotty started with Passage and snorting like a dragon! Was excited to be out and about again! Only a couple of bucks in the ring and we came home with three 2nds, one 3rd, two 4ths and three 5ths. I entered him in the afternoon with the jumping but only stayed for three classes as I felt he'd be a good boy and a whole day out might be too much, although he handled the whole day quite well. Will hopefully get a season calender some time soon so will be able to see what future events to enter him into.

Also got Scotty measured today for the season, he measured at 161.5cm's - roughly 16hh. A bit smaller then I thought he was (I always assumed 16.2hh) but good news, less far to fall!

Arena ride today & off for schooling soon

I hired the neighbours arena today and attempted to lunge scotty, he was all over the place, so gave up and got on him. He really lacks bend and gets quite tense when I ask him to leg yield, he's lost the basics so it was a challenging ride today. His reaction to tension is to buck, or throw his body around, not hugely, but gets quite off track.

I've asked some people if he could go to them for a month to be schooled later on (probably september) as I don't have the time (or is it patience?) to work through these issues at the moment, with having started a new full time job and continuing to ride other horses. I also think I am not consistent with my aids so I probably don't help his cause!

I think I've ridden Scotty about 6 or so times now, and its all road riding, there is no where else to go.. which means I get to put up with crazy drivers who seem to not even notice they are speeding past a horse. A few slow down which is kind but far out - the amount that don't? Insane! The weather is miserable, last thing I feel like doing really is riding but I need to build Scotty's fitness levels, so road riding it is! I rode him to a friends place this morning to say hello, Scotty gets so fidgety all the time, throwing his head around and wanting to do something. Never heard of 'standing still'. Was trying to take a pxt (next to the horse road sign) and he was trying to tank off at a trot! Think I got the picture, lets go home! He was quite tense today, tried a buck or two when I first got on - what i've found is if I sit on him without moving for a few minutes he is ok, if I get on and try to start riding straight away he bucks, he also took fright at a horrible german shepherd that came screaming up to the fence as well - gave me a fright too!

First ride!

Got on Scotty for the first time since I got him back - if I was the last person to ride him it would have been 10 months since he'd last been ridden. He was perfect! He is normally quite cold backed and bucks when you first get on, or is tense but today he was lovely. Went on a short road ride with him - it wasn't the most ideal setting for our first ride but I didn't organise an arena to potter around in in time - so just trusted he'd be a good boy! Was nice to be back on board. He also had his feet trimmed yesterday so hopefully we are all in tip top shape to begin the long slow process of fitness work - right in the beginning of winter! Hooray!

He badly needs a sheath cleaning too..lots of gross smega, *almost* feel like paying the vet to sedate him and get them to do it!