#118 - Playing games in the cold

My poor Teddy Bear has had to deal with my absence and then when I got home he had to wait for me to overcome my sickness. I'm still not completely better - about half way there - but I've been to work so I have no excuses not to spend time with him no matter how crappy I feel.

After work I went out in the freezing cold; this is probably the coldest day I've had in Kyneton with this frosty wind chill factor. I put out his feed and called him from the furthest end of the paddock. He came mozzying so I meet him half way and started running around to keep warm and calling him to follow me. He did! He was trotting back and forth and around me. I'd stop and he'd walk over and get a pat, or fake one out, and then I'd run off again and he'd follow. We played our little game of chasey and then checked on the cows. Surprisingly he didn't try to round the cows up this time! Then on the way back to the house I did the stop/start walking game and each time I stopped he'd stop beside me. He was really loving the interaction. I know he needed the attention as Steve would just leave the feed out for him and check he was ok. I don't think he spent any time with him at all. Even more reason to get him a friend when I can.

I hope the weather improves as soon as I do so I can play more with him. The farrier will keep him entertained tomorrow and if the rain has its breaks at the right times I'll do some ground work with him until we are both up for a ride.

Winter sucks. Note to self - buy more winter clothes!

#117 - Home from Japan and Teddy is a bit shirty with me

I got home from Japan late at night so I couldn't see Teddy until the next day after work. He came up to me as usual but there was no little neighs or anything like that, which I am used to. He seemed unhappy; maybe because I had gone and left him with Steve who basically leaves food out for him and goes.

I explained to Teddy that we now have a new ute so we just have to wait for the float then we are off learning together. He just ate his feed. It was sad. Poor Teddy feels neglected, I will have to make this a special weekend for him.

Teddy Log: #116 - Car taken care of - now for the float...

Teddy Log: #116 - Car taken care of - now for the float...: "I have settled on a 2010 Ford Falcon Ute as my new car and above is the picture of the one I have signed for (though if Bendigo Ford come ba..."

#116 - Car taken care of - now for the float...

I have settled on a 2010 Ford Falcon Ute as my new car and above is the picture of the one I have signed for (though if Bendigo Ford come back with a better offer that might change).

It's a beauty and the reason I picked it is because it has the towing capacity I need, has a Hayman Reese tow bar and electric brake unit (being installed for me), dedicated gas, full rego, 3 year warranty and it isn't white! Also because it's totally country! The dedicated, factory installed gas is the main reason I looked at the Fords; that and because my friend JP never shuts up about the wonders of his favourite car FORD.

I have also got a great float lined up, which is at an amazing price and in excellent condition. It belongs to a friend who is having a new float made so she is selling hers on to me. I wont be able to get it until her new one is made and delivered as she has five horses and will need to have something on hand in case of emergency. This is fine by me as I've already waiting this long so a little longer wont hurt. It also gives me time to add more to the kitty, though I found some extra money that I had put aside to take a friend away as a birthday gift (taken from the float kitty), but it doesn't look like that's going to happen now so I wont have to save that bit harder.

All this means Teddy and I will be getting our lessons together soonish! Yay!

Last night I rode the horse named Dick and had a great time. He really is a great horse, I will miss riding him when I get Teddy to Kim's place but I am so keen to work with Teddy with a professional that the horse named Dick will just have to watch from the sidelines. I can guarantee he wont mind a bit.

As for the riding... I'm riding well, not great, but well. I get on like it's second nature, feel totally comfortable in the saddle, can feel the diagonal each time, trot and canter smoothly and have pretty good balance, even over logs. I have also managed to steer with my butt... well sort of. I will work on honing these skills and look forward to what comes next. I'm actually feeling that confident that if the weather holds out on Sunday I will take Teddy out and explore Rollinson Reserve.

#115 - Dressage equals head tossing!

Finally I'm back on Teddy Log. Google had an issue but now it appears to be fixed.

I have been away for work and I caught another cold so I haven't been riding Teddy much. I have had my lessons and they are going well but last night was the first time in two weeks that I've saddled Teddy up.

I'd been using the stock saddle prior, for about a month due to his girthiness, but as he seems to be fine I got the GP saddle out and saddled up last night with the hope of doing some dressage. It was getting dark so I didn't have a heap of time and I would have preferred to have done some ground work or at least given him a quick lunge just to warm him up a bit but I couldn't, so I just mounted and walked him. He was in such a hurry it was silly. I was asking him to relax but he couldn't and the head tossing started again and didn't stop. I had him collected to see how he'd be with the dressage but he clearly wasn't into it. We trotted around for a while while I tried to get him into a walk but I wasn't getting very far, he'd walk a few steps then go back into trot. My balance was good and I didn't have any concerns for myself but I definitely wanted Teddy to relax and it just wasn't going to happen last night. Talk about being forward!

He was a good boy nonetheless. I think that saddle or girth may not be right for him as he was reacting with it being done up so I will look at getting either a pressure ease girth for it, or because it has short points I might have to sell it if the pressure ease girths don't come in such a big length. I will investigate and see what is the best option.

At least we got back into the saddle. I am so looking forward to getting my car and float so I can take him to have lessons with me, that way we can both be trained. Hopefully it wont be much longer to wait. I think the car may be just around the corner if I play my cards right. Wish me luck!

#114 - Had a wonderful ride last night!

I rode the horse named Dick last night and it was one of my better rides, particularly as I am finally starting to overcome this cold and I didn't feel as bad as the last time I rode.

I saddled up around 4.45pm and it was a beautiful night with a red sky so I felt like I was riding into the sunset! And all the horses on the property, about 50 of them, were being fed around me so they were all frisky. It was nice watching foals leaping in the distance while I cantered along.

Most importantly I learn that not only do I need to use my outer leg as an aid to canter but also that I must keep it there and have my inner leg forward. This is really important and is something that I wasn't aware of as it tells the horse that you want it to keep going in the canter. It could explain why Teddy stops so abruptly when I set him off into canter. I have been using the leg aid to start him and he would go straight into canter like a legend but then he would just stop. I thought it might be due to the position of the reins but when we ride tomorrow, weather permitting, I will see if its due to my leg aid not remaining at his side.

It will be interesting to see what the result is and how he responds. At least I now feel like I've got everything coordinated.

#114 - still too sick to horse around

This damn cold has got me so good that I haven't been able to do much with Teddy. My last ride was lopsided due to having blocked ears so until I'm better I will stay out of the saddle and have my feet firmly on the ground - not as far to fall!