Helloo! I'm back from my holiday & now blogging can resume! Before I went away, I entered E-Dressage's Intro A test & I had my score sheet waiting for me when I returned (though I admit that the envelope confused me as I thought it was a card of some sort & it's not my birthday for a while! haha!).
Pea scored 69.13%, coming about 16th I think! I had planned on doing the Prelim as well but Pea had a few arguments about canter so we decided to stick with just the intro. I am pleased with the comments we gained, especially as the test we filmed was after our canter tantrums so it wasn't the best! We had started off indoors & did a nice run through but I was talking as I thought I'd gone wrong due to going in the opposite direction of the letters so dad could film with decent lighting. However, the outdoor came free so we moved out there which Pea wasn't best pleased about but hey ho!
He scored a majority of sevens with two sixes (one for the first CL as we were slightly left and the other for free walk as we're still working on encouraging him to stretch in it) and then an 8 for the halt. The judge's comments at the end were: "Rhythmic & obedient test. Nice activity & attitude but could work more over the back into a softer, rounder outline." I'm really pleased with these comments, especially the obedience & attitude comments as previously it was the opposite when Pea decided to add in his own movements (ie handstands). We are trying hard to work on him being softer by incorporating lots of flexing as well as lateral work to loosen him up so fingers crossed we'll get there!
I would definitely recommend entering E-dressage if you are unable to get out and about competing as it's stress free and easy to do. The results are given quickly after the closing date & the score sheet arrives promptly too! It's simple to upload your video and you can wear whatever as long as you're smart (ie you don't have to be in show gear!). They do all levels from Intro to Elementary as well as a Freestyle to Music class. You can also become a member which includes various benefits. Check out e-dressage.com for more information.
Thanks for reading,
Laura xx
Woah, how fast has April gone?! I know I was late posting my March review but I cannot believe we are already in May! We are literally flying through 2015!
April has been a pretty good month with Pea. He is so enthusiastic with his schooling (even if he doesn't always look it when he's waiting in his stable!) and his canter is coming along really well. As I mentioned in my post following my lesson (read it here), I need to learn to push him more in the canter and not worry about him bucking which I've previously done making me back off. I have focused on this for the past few weeks, which has included a few pony club kicks being involved when he's really tried it on with me, and we are slowly getting better at increasing the length of time we spend cantering.
I've also been working on flexion and getting him to bend more. Some days Pea is very cooperative and goes really nicely, other days he pretends that he's got a wooden board attached to his neck and that he can't possible flex and bend! However, small progress is better than no progress and the majority of the time he does go well! If he does act up, it's for a short while during a schooling session and I need to remember to keep soft and relaxed and not argue with him about it as then he becomes more stubborn!
I also try to lunge him once a week with the side reins on just to get him to learn to soften and move
forward - quite a mean feat where Pea's involved! He is getting better with the side reins as before as soon as they were on he'd just shuffle along but now he's learning that they are not preventing him from moving, it's just to give him something to think about. He still mucks about and fell over one week with them :/ Luckily, he was completely fine and I think it made him realise that he cannot motorbike round the bend when he's cantering which he tended to do in one particular corner when on the right rein but since that episode his canter on the lunge has improved drastically!
April has also commenced Pea's 'lie-ins' which he does every year during summer and refuses to get up! All of the above photos were taken during one week! The first one he was actually laying up when I went down, and after a photo and cuddle he realised he was going to have the headcollar put on so flopped down instead - a common trick with Pea! Luckily, Bailey's treats came to the rescue and he got up fine but that didn't work for the next two! He's such a pain when he's lying down though as it can take me forever to get him up! I've been in the field for over half an hour before attempting to get him up and even had other horses come to pester him but he still refuses! Such a lazy boy!
I'm thinking about popping Pea over a few fences in May as I've not jumped him properly in a year and feel that he's long overdue a jump! We're also going to see if Dad's care is able to manage towing the trailer to a local competition but we'll have to wait an see!
Thanks for reading,
Laura xx
NAF off citronella fly tags are a must have product for me during the summer. I find them highly effective and pick them up each summer (this is my third year of using them I think). They are easy to use and I attach them onto the bridle (you can just about see it in the photo above). As I am going on holiday Saturday, I am planning on plaiting one into Pea's mane for the week as he suffers badly with the flies and often ends up with a few bumps from fly bites. I find that when Pea is wearing one of these when being ridden, he is very rarely bothered by flies - especially round his head.
According to the NAF website, the tag contains citronella oil which is "contained within a special compartment of the tag which makes it durable, waterproof and convenient to use." I have trialled with various fly sprays over the years but never found them truly effective and Pea would still get a bit bothered, especially out hacking, however with the tags he's perfectly happy. They do have a strong scent (when you first take them out the packet and place them where you want you will smell it for the rest of the day) and they last for about 4-6 weeks.
They rrp at around £9-£10 and you get two to a pack. I normally only use them on the bridle but as I mentioned above, I will be plaiting one into Pea's mane for whilst I am away and I know some people from my yard have used them this way and got on well with them. They take up no space at all and can be attached on the bridle, headcollar, plaited into the mane or tail or I suppose you could even hang them in the stable. Being waterproof means you can happily plait one into the mane and turn your horse out with them without worrying that they will lose effectiveness as unlike fly sprays, the rain won't wash it away!
Do you have any fly products you recommend? As mentioned, Pea suffers quite badly so I'd love to hear about any products you love!
Thanks for reading,
Laura xx
