@Tenturo; I've taught Reggie a few different trick (though he usually just does them when he feels like it lol). So far he knows how to come when called, stay (which comes and goes, depends how 'in your pocket' he's feeling), bow, lie down, few different stretches, a more 'classic' bow (front two legs stretched out rather than one folded) and slowly compiling a spanish walk. He give a few really good steps now, so hopefully we'll get that really rolling soon. Reggie really likes doing stuff like trick training, cause he's very extroverted and 'busy'- it gives him something to play with and figure out. They're good fun to play with on 'rest days', I just need to figure out more things to teach him to keep him entertained lol
@Hime; Glad to hear Heta's leg is looking better! Hopefully it was just a mild strain and will be completely healed in a few days. If she was happy to go tearing around the arena like that, its obviously not too sore
Congrats on the job and I bet having Heta back at L's will make things a lot easier for you! Job might eat up some of your time, but I bet the extra cash will be appreciated lol
@Ryukrem; Sorry to hear about your pony
Sounds like he had a lovely life and I hope he went peacefully.
@APH Italy; Yeah I'm pretty sure I remember you! Sounds like you learnt lots during your lesson; english is a bit different from western lol Rising trot is often one of the trickier things for riders to get, but stick with it and I'm sure you'll pick it up in no time flat
@Holiday plans; Ride the darn pony lol I need to get my butt into gear and get some proper work into Reggie, I've been a bit lax about it over the last few weeks cause of post-exam-lag. Good news is I passed all my classes so I can take Chem 2 in the summer term and pick up my animal health class in the first semester back. Reggie's had a couple really good rides coming back from his spell, still a little wobbly but he's much brighter when asked to work. I'd say most of the wobbliness is actually coming from me, cause V picked up I was sitting unevenly and doing all kinds of weird things I wasn't even aware of in my last lesson. So I'm on a position fixing spree and Reggie's on a get fit plan (or well fitter, he not too bad atm) and hopefully he'll be ready to go out to a few smaller dressage days in the new year before uni kicks up too much. Other holiday plans include chilling out in the warmer weather, going up to my uncle's to muck around with foals and trying to decide whether to take Miles to the breed assessment in February
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Now that I think of it, my reply to the holiday plans question pretty much covers most of what I've been up to. Reggie's starting to go really well and hopefully I'll get another lesson next week. V is moving to a few hours away, so lessons are going to be near impossible unless I can float down to her joint (which we have spoken about, but it wouldn't really be feasible to do fortnightly lol) so that is bit of a bummer. I really enjoy her lessons and I think finding a similar instructor locally will be difficult
I'm happy to float down to her place, but its soooo easy to fall into bad habits if you leave it too long.Will have to see how that places out. It should be a pretty easy drive down there though, since its away from the city rather than through it. I don't really like driving through the city, but I do have to do it to get to D's so I've been getting some practice in lol I also clipped Reggie's feathers off and pulled his mane the other day :O He looks really different and I'm not sure I like it lol He certainly looks more 'proper' and presentable for comps and stuff, but I do like his feathers. Ah well, they will grow back.
Miles is growing like a weed and Cleo is still loving life. Miles had his first experience with the halter and lead the other day when I went up and he was pretty good about it honestly. Had a few little meltdowns but he didn't really get that worked up about it (especially compared to last years stb colt. He thought being led was the THEWORSTPOSSIBLETHING™) and was leading and standing very nicely by the end of it. He's bit of a pocket pony so once he got the concept he was happy to follow along. Just the first few times they are restrained they get a bit frightened until they realize you don't hurt them and they aren't in danger. I suppose it is instinct and what kept them alive all those years ago in the wild. Cleo was pretty good throughout as well, a few nervous nickers ect. but she didn't do anything wrong or unexpected. Just worrying about her boy like a good mum
I'll go back up to D's on Monday cause farrier is coming out for Miles (hence the leading/standing practice, usually we leave them a little longer before really mucking around with them). He's feet have improved and he's almost almost completely straight, he just gets a little lazy when standing around and lets his toes come up a few milimeters. He's toes are pretty long so once he's trimmed up it should hopefully sort that out. If farrier thinks we need to we can put the shoes on at the same time, but I'm inclined to think he wont need them. We will see in any case =D
Hopefully D's other mare Lucy is back in foal, she missed the first time she was bred and was bred again the day before I went up. Cullentime was heading to the vet's the day after I was there to be bred with frozen so I'm crossing my fingers for her as well. Vet said some of the others had been having issues with that particular stallion and then Cullentime coming off a difficult foaling, vet was not super optimistic she'd catch. So fingers and toes are crossed for those two. Would be really sad if we had no foals next year, they're too much fun. My friend Z actually took on one of D's ex-racers, he just wasn't fast enough so never even made it to the trials lol His name is Timmy and she'll break him into saddle over the summer. He's a little nervous, as the only other time he's been off my uncle's property was to go to the breakers way back when so it a big change for him. Considering that he's adjusted pretty well, just a little more jumpy than Kayzer or Reggie. I suspect he'll settle down soon enough, we only brought him back on Monday so it hasn't even been a week yet.
No updated pictures of Reg, I haven't had time to stand him up and take a picture and no riding ones because I'm usually there on my own. Hopefully tomorrow if the weather plays nice! Have two of Miles and his freakishly large ears for the mean time.
*Dunno why that one comes up sideways
The link to the raw image is correct?
EDIT; Weather was good enough for Reggie to have a bath and a tidy up today
I clipped his beard and feathers off (hind socks clipped out completely for easy cleaning lol) and mane is about a 1/4 of the length is was. Turned into bit of a wild pony over winter, so thought I should neaten him up in case I get a chance to compete at some point over the summer.