Jump Lesson

Well Oliver was a bit tired after his dressage lesson yesterday and there was a lot of stuff going on at the arena but it was good for him anyway. His transitions are awesome now and his canter work is getting better and better, when we trotted into the cross bar Oliver eyed it up, did a huge jump and squeled and went bowling off after, he must have missed not jumping in the last couple of weeks because he was enjoying it now, everyone just started cracking up!! It's the first time he's been really keen, the other times he's quietly trotted around the jumps so this was a new side to him!! We placed trot poles in front of the cross and he was jumping it nicely so Kirstin wacked it up to an upright, much bigger than i'd ever jumped him, i thought being a little keen and young like most he would trot in and wear the rail and then be really carefull the next time, well i was WRONG, he trotted in beautifully and lifted his knees up and did a fantastic jump, he's so careful and clever, Kirst was impressed, said he's obviously a bit green and was a little distracted today with everything going on but it makes things that much easier when they are carefull!! Poor Oliver was exhausted after his two lessons so i left him out for the night instead of boxing him, he gets a hack tomorrow and then a couple of days off as I am going to the Mount, he's got a bit to think about now anyway!! Definately talented that's for sure, and both instructors commented on how smart he is and what a quick learner, sometimes smart may not be a good thing though ?????? haha

First Lesson

We had our first lesson last night with Phillip Oxenius, well Oliver is a star, he had moments when the head went in the air and said ahhhhhhh help me, but got some amazing work out of him. He is so us and through when he really gets going, like riding a flash dressage horse. Phillip said i ride him much better than my old horse (who i never really clicked with even though i bred him) and we really seem like a good team together and he really liked him....... so i've got two weeks until we get the next one, just have to be careful not to do too much or he could get a little sore, in saying that, jump lesson tonight!! Poor Oliver....... but wanted to get a dressage and a jump lesson so i've got some stuff to work on, plus i know i'm too soft so a lesson will give me a rev up and let me know what i should be working on.

Beach Ride

We went for a ride at the beach on Wed 14th, it was also my little friend Teddy's birthday. Mum was off work sick so we thought we would go for a nice relaxing hack. Got to the beach and the tide was in so we rode around the bridle paths which was fun except the flies drive me crazy. Cassandra's horse is spooky and jumps at a lot but i just plodded along. When we got back to the truck Mum decided we should have a paddle in the water. I love the water, i walked straight in, infact i nearly didn't turn around for Mum as I wanted to go for a swim but Mum didn't agree. We also jumped in off the grass bank, it was so fun, i enjoyed sticking my nose in the water right up to my eyes as well. Mum knows i enjoy it so she's going to try and get me there once a week to have some fun as our friend Imogen lives in riding distance to the beach and to give me a break from schooling. I have a lesson with Philip Oxenius next week on Wednesday so that will be hard work. We also have the Jen Hamilton clinic in February so we are starting to get busy. We got the saddles fitted to me last night, so it's all go, fullsteam ahead. I also get boxed at night, i love my stable and most night's a lie down and have a big sleep, sometimes when Mum lets me out at 5.30 in the morning i have shavings on my face, the side i've been sleeping on, i love sleeping

Wow awesome present from Imogen

Yes well the photo pretty much says it all, Imogen went for a holiday for 3 weeks to Canada and brought Oliver back an awesome present, she said it looked huge in the shop and automatically thought of Oliver's giant head and had to buy it, now Oliver glows in the dark!!

Busy Time Over Christmas for Oliver

Well Xmas Eve we did have a wee incident, just got on Oliver in arena and he got a fright, hadn't had a chance to do girth up, he bucked a few times, more once he realised the saddle was slipping and I fell/jumped off. Bad day..... BUT he's been great ever since, he was a bit fresh that day as he had 2 days off so now he is getting stabled every night, much better as now it's all about me being his best friend and he doesn't worry so much about my other two horses in the paddock next door.
He got jumped at home on Saturday and lets just say he was keen and a bit cocky, i think maybe the x country schooling confused him.....
So went to a showjumping show on Sunday, he loaded straight on my float and travelled like an angel, it was really good to get him out by himself, I got there, paid my entry for 3 rounds, she told me i better be quick as there were only 6 riders in the 2 classes before my class so I tacked him up and rode over there, well 2 and 1/2 hours later I got to do my round of showjumping.... yes, I kid you not!! As I was struggling to get near the practice fence because Oliver was PETRIFIED of the 10hh paint pony with the little kid on top hooning everywhere and constantly whipping it we went straight in, came up to first jump and whoops jumped from a standstill. Flew around after that, was attentive and listening what a star.... Oliver and I decided we'd been on for a long time and didn't want to wait another 3 hours for our other two rounds so loaded straight on the float again and went home.... All in all a good day, we are really going places!! Maybe just might borrow my friends 12hh pony to graze with him for a few days.

Cross Country

21st December we went to Whitford PC to go cross country schooling, Oliver was pretty tired as we had gone on a hack Saturday along bridle paths and down to Whitford beach but he did get into it once he got the idea. Let me tell you, this horse has no issues with Water jumps which is a change from my last, we had a little disagreement about a little green box, he jumped it straight off the first time and jumped in HUGE and then did a big buck afterwards. Think he gave himself a bit of a fright and he didn't want to jump it again after that but as usual me being stubborn he jumped it after about 3 stops but we jumped more spookier things than that and he flew everything, ditches, banks, big concrete pipes!! Decided he was a little too tired to load on the truck on the way home though..... but convinced him to get in, what a big week for Oliver, lucky Christmas is coming and I will try to take him on more treks.

First Outing

On the 18th December we went to our first outing, yes i know, good old me dropping Oliver in the deepend, no lessons or anything for first trip in truck, straight into it!! So on Cass's truck to Abderry Oliver went, had a little sweat up by the time he got there but when i got there from work he was standing happily tied up to the truck.

So we got tacked up and were away, a few little "I don't want to leave my friends and the truck" hiccups and we were there, in the open, with loud speakers and music playing, wow!! So we went in the practice arena and trotted round full speed looking everywhere and then we did our round of showjumping, Oliver was great, so good i decided to go up the top to the big jumps warm up area, flew over those jumps and then we were walking around on a long rein, I couldn't have asked for a better first outing.