Friday riding in the sun

Some photos from Friday - as you can see, Zak is still not too keen on, well, anything:



More tantrums



But despite his naughty bits, he was actually a little more forward-going, so I was happy with that. Can't have everything at once all the time.



Neo did some work with both a saddle and bridle, to prepare for showjumping this weekend.



He actually went very calm and kindly, I was impressed!



Showjumping was today at Manfeild in Feilding... pics to come later!

Keeping on top

Keeping on top of things. That's the idea, right? So I've managed to ride every day this week (yeah, it's only Wednesday - but sometimes you have to celebrate the small things). Today I got Swifty to come out and take some more photos as I started to think about taking Neo out this weekend



We haven't done much jumping, and my balance isn't all that good after a long break from it. So today I just did some jumping in a halter to make sure I didn't jab him in the face. He was actually pretty well behaved.



However after he'd done a few fences he did start to reef a little bit and caught me by surprise once or twice (the 2nd pic below, the look on my face hahaha). We're both a bit uncoordinated, but I think we'll remember what it's all about soon enough. No point rushing anything now that the season is pretty much wrapped up anyway.



After Zak was naughty yesterday I was keen to get on him again with someone on the ground to give me a hand if anything went wrong. While nothing specifically went too badly, I'm not actually sure what his issue is. He just seems to be in a filthy mood about the whole thing.



There were no big rears or bucks today - but lots of just 'childish' naughty things. It's very annoying, and doesn't help my motivation all that much. But Zak is currently getting worked every single day, and being made to stand beside the fence while I climb on and off about a million times.



There is a jumping day at Manfeild on Sunday... So I am considering going to that - and just doing the tiny baby classes on Neo. Have to see if I can be bothered unloading all of my stored stuff from in the float first though!

Thats right, Zak

If you're a naughty pony you won't get a brand new Gateshead equestrian rug & treats like Neo did. Better behave tomorrow, Zak!

That Neo

Neo has had a bit of regular work lately (well, regular compared to what he'd been getting before that). He is pretty fat and unfit, and tanking around like a pony, pretty much going the same as when he does in full work probably!



We got lots of tense work, quite a lot of counterbend, and nose poking here there and everywhere - but at least today he wasn't spooking at the arena letters (which has become one of his most favourite passtimes).



Even popped him over a couple of jumps - which felt bloody awful quite frankly... and I have no weight down in my heels and really am not doing him any favours at all - so after just a few fences I decided we didn't need to do any more jumping till we are both perhaps a little fitter and less fat!



Photo of me looking like a fool, because it cracks me up. And photo of me trying to do some bridleless work (which resulted in Neo just walking back to Zak, no matter what I tried to do).



Thanks again to Swifty for being cameraman - and to the weather for being awesome!

Taming the Terror

Yes, long time no post, I am aware! But I have had some motivation seep back in lately, and today Swifty was free to pop out and be my 'person on hand to call the ambulance' if anything goes wrong. So what better time to get started again with "Little" Zak.

Last season I had some trouble with Zak. He really went backwards after a growth spurt - he seemed to have decided that everything was uncomfortable, and worked out a few tricks. So I've gone right back to basics with him, Getting on and off again - letting him take his time and realise that nothing is uncomfy or really that bad at all.

He was actually pretty good after some initial little tantrums - but I kept it low key. Just rode him around the yard that Neo was in (Neo found the camera and sat in front of it for rather a while).

After he was a bit more confident, we ventured out into the big wide world...

And he behaved just fine! Pretty happy with the little lad - was expecting heaps more drama and it just never happened. Now I just need to keep on top of it and get some semi-regular work into him, then he can attempt to be seen in public, maybe?

Also I wonder when he'll stop growing? He'll be 5 in August/November depending on which calculation you're using.

Modding the MX5

Last week I decided I was going to take the mx5 to a local autocross day - you can mostly take a regular car without anything special, but you do need a fire extinguisher installed. So I headed out to Road & Track in Lower Hutt and got myself an extinguisher! And sorted out where I wanted it to go.

The extinguisher came with it's own metal bracket, so that was a good start. And I started pulling back the carpet in the car so I could get at the floor pan...

Turns out the bracket had holes, but the holes weren't big enough for the bolts you have to use - so I got my drill on!! Then whacked a few holes into the floor pan of the passenger footwell and bob's ya uncle (or something).

Bonus piccies: All mounted up, and the workspace (otherwise known as my grazing!).

Car is now ready to enter autocross!

HoY 2011

Ok - so this is just a placeholder till I sort out pictures (and I know I haven't updated my blog in forever, but I promise I will). In the meantime, here are a couple of teasers...

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Xev's turn

Dragged Nick out again today for some more photos - it was Xev's turn this time. You can certainly tell that she managed to get rid of her tailbag! Grr, going to be some busy-time with the purple shampoo again for us.

I was also trying her in the leather bit - I've only used it on her a couple of times, and she still seems a bit unsure of it, and got her tongue over it a few times.. but I do like to ride in it. Must buy another one really.

Not much else to report on this lazy weekend. Oh, did get a photo in the mail, from HoY 2010! A showjumping photo of Neo that has only just made it's way to me. Pretty cool.