New saddle! (so everything else is for sale)

I have just purchased Indy a new-to-me saddle: it is a ReactorPanel GP saddle.

So, everything that isn't actually nailed down is now for sale!

Girths

* Anti-gall girth, black, 70 cm, no elastic $25

* Mattes GP shaped girth, 110cm, cream fleece with sable (brown-y-beige) quilt, used only a handful of times so in "as new" condition $175

* Mattes shaped GP girth, 110cm, black/black, never taken out of packet. $185

* Mattes straight dressage girth, 70cm, black/black. 'Narrow' version (8cm wide rather than 10cm), used once but wrong size. $155

Saddles

* Bates Caprilli GP 16.5" $650 neg, comes with irons.

* Albion Style (SL) dressage, 17", M $2500 firm, unmounted, excellent condition

* Kieffer Wien DL Professional dressage, 18", size 2 (187 inch seat, M gullet) $2000 neg, comes with irons & padded leather girth.

* Albion Legend jump saddle, MW, 17.5" seat. Black, suede knee rolls, moveable (velcro) knee blocks. Some minor scuffs and fading of colour. $3k neg, comes with Sparrow stirrup leathers.

* ReactorPanel dressage saddle. 17.5" seat, 12.5" tree. Black (faded). Fabulous saddle, had a lot of use but well cared for. I am getting a wider tree-d GP saddle from the same company. $1200 ono, unmounted; comes with 3 sets of discs, 2 pairs of saddle blankets, one pair of rear shims.

Bridles

both are black.
* Full size Sparrow bridle, good condition. $100 ono, has non-Sparrow flash strap & reins.

* Cob Barnsby bridle with rubber grip reins. Cracking on padding on nose & brow, only cosmetic though, bridle is in otherwise perfect condition. $100

Various bits

@ assorted prices. Incl Sprenger & brand new Sprenger weymouth.

Most bits are 5 inch, some 5.5.

plain s/s loose ring and eggbutt snaffles, sweet-iron & German silver loose rings, brass dutch gag, Korsteel curved bit, think there's an apple-mouth eggbutt, brass anti-rearing bit with leather head strap, several Sprenger bits incl 5" Weymouth and 4 3/4" WH Ultra Soft.

Hoof boots

* Easyboots size 1 (older style without gaiters) $50

* Easyboot Bares, size 2 $250 for 4 boots (2 new and 2 used, used pair needs some spare parts).

* Davis hoof boot, black, size 3, $20 (one only).

Misc

* 5 ft Ranfurly 4Seasons cover. Set is: 1 x cover "shell" + 1 x unlined neck rug + 2 liners. $300 for the set.

* Lunge roller, with leather side reins. Leather. Good quality. On behalf, hack size. $90 ono.

* Lunge roller, fabric, approx cob to hack size (only marginally smaller than the leather one). $40.

* Chevalier (?) black jacket, older and well used. Comes with one of those bib/stock shirt thingees (white) and a plain black tie. Approx size 8-10. $30 ono.

* Couple-Mate trailer reversing guide to help hitch up trailers. Heavy but not bulky item so shouldn't be much to post. $100 ono.

* A pair of N.E.W. bell boots, brand new. Small, $30

* Two stencils (for making shapes on their bums) $5

* A pair of large stencils (Alphabet A-Z plus the "&" sign) for painting names onto covers etc, $10
* Large tack trunk. Painted black. Approx 1m long, and 60? cm high and wide. Hinged lid. Very heavy, needs two people to lift. It fit in the boot of my Surf (SUV) when I bought it, just!

I am sure there will be more lurking in the car, float, tack shed or my room...

WANTED

I'm not looking, YET, as want to match to the saddle when it arrives, but will need a bridle, stirrup leathers and a long girth, in brown.  I am a Sparrow freak, so would really love to find Sparrow tack.

The saddle colour is called "Roeberry" which is a dark milk chocolate brown. Lighter than 'dark havana,' perhaps most similar to 'old brown.' I won't know until it arrives!

I would be happy to swap things I have for sale for the items I want.

Broken

Everyone is injured at the moment!

Scarlett still has a fat hind leg from "that" floating trip. I really don't know what is wrong or if it will go down any further. It is like banging my head against a very large, very solid brick wall and some days I just don't know if we will ever get anything "more" from her...

Both girls enjoyed their visit from Quinn, Friday a week ago. He spent a lot of time on Indy's shoulders/neck, and then a little bit at the end on her near hindquarter.

He spent just about the whole time on Scarlett's hindquarters & sacro area. She was moving a lot more freely the following day (not so uneven) and Indy is obviously feeling HEAPS better as she has started to track up in the paddock, with a more consistent tracking up or even overtracking when I'm groundworking her.

I'm also injured... Last Tuesday I tweaked my lower back when hitching up the float for club. However, with physio and a few dips in Sharon's spa, I am moving around a lot easier now. Anna (physio) has also given me a very small acupuncture needle in my ear which has completely relieved my hayfever and sneezing (brilliant!)

On Thursday evening I tried to take Scarlett out of th epaddock to do some groundwork. Indy ran up and down the fenceline until... going THROUGH the woodpile seemed like a better idea. *roll eyes* She skinned a small patch of hair off a hind leg and some off a front fetlock. Apart from a few sore steps, she has not been lame or needed extra attention.

I am simply trying to get as much groundwork into both mares as I possibly can, with only 2 weeks before the first Peggy clinic. Scary!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope to be able to take Scarlett to Cambridge, so today put her back into the float and asked her to pick up her feet. I just don't know if I will be able to safely get her there - if so, Indy will do both clinics, which will be a BIG ask for the baby pony. We will see...

First outing

Tonight I rushed home from work, grabbed a slice of leftover chocolate cake and went out to hitch up the float.

Indy waslked away from me in the paddock (stopping once she realised I had oats and Scarlett was scoffing them!), loaded first time despite Scarlett carrying on in the background and travelled quite well, arriving a tad hot and sweaty on her neck and stomach.

I took her for a bit of a wander around the club grounds. We nearly got eaten - twice! - by a Very Scary Cross Country Jump, and there was a very suspect patch of grass (she ate it before it could get her). After she'd settled, I took her back to the float and tacked her up, then proceeded to do little bits of groundwork around the four open paddocks. She was not keen to stand still for long but settled nicely. We checked out lots of scary things: show jumps, poles on the ground, jump stands, the picnic table outside the club rooms, and much more.

We did that for about 30-45 mins (I have no idea how long, really!) then I took her to the emptiest paddock and put her out on one line. There was a pair of jump poles on the ground together so our circles involved walking over that a few times. I also asked her to trot over it but she found it easier to jump ;)
The short burst of trot work yeilded a pony with a definite overstep in the walk. We chilled out for a bit as she was happy to just stand around and take the world in.

I thought she was doing really well so put on her bridle and got on. A few slightly hairy moments (she's never been in such a busy place before) but basically all good: for the most part, we had stop, go, left and right on command. She was very responsive, again offering some trot but we didn't do more than a few strides.
I did a couple of "half steps" of TOF in each direction then got off. She exceeded my expectations and coped very well: I am very pleased with her.

I noticed that with everything else going on, I really had to remember to know what I was asking for and how I was asking for it. I had to pay extra attention to simple things like lowering her head: with so many distractions, it was very easy for her attention to wander! She will only get better as she gets out more.

On the homewards trip she loaded first go and travelled quietly except down the driveway when Scarlett started calling out. Trotted off the second I let her go and was not interested in any more oats!!

More photos and hoofbath adventures

Some photos from Trisha's yesterday (sadly, not many good ones due to the Cybershot being a LOT slower than my Nikon DSLR).

And Indy at home again, with Scarlett following closely as she inspected the paddock.

Finally, tonight's proof of two ponies in the (albeit empty) soaking baths). Scarlett really doesn't like getting in and can't back out, but Indy needed about 10 seconds to get in and two tries to start backing out. She is a very clever pony!

If I have time tomorrow, I will put a little water in and repeat tonight's work. I may not as I want to take Indy out to Adult ride.
Quinn is booked to see both girls on Thursday afternoon.

Home sweet home

I drove up to Trisha's this afternoon with the float in tow. She had just put Indy in the yard as I pulled up so tack went on as we chatted about the past week.

Indy is still turning away in the paddock, but is beginning to lower her head and keep. it. down. with far less prompting from the handler. She is offering to put her head down on occasion, too. I will be armed with carrots or other treats to make being caught a Good Thing.

Over the past few days she's been a bit funny about being girthed up - I suspect her saddle is not fitting as well as it could be, seeing she's changed shape so dramatically. Other than that, everything has been going well. Her fine summer coat is stunning, with lovely dapples... Still has a bit of a beard though, LOL!

Cruise was separated from Indy a week ago as he kept hurting himself when racing around the paddock, calling out to her. She has been fine on her own, except for yesterday when Trisha had some clients up for an Intro Intensive: one of the horses was put in the paddock across the race from Indy, who then proceeded to race around when the horse was taken away to the arena. Oops!

She was great in the arena doing groundwork. Trisha put her out on one line and showed off the trot-over-poles trot - mmmmmm! She really has to think about her feet and stride. Her walk improves ten fold after some trot and that trot is NOM NOM! She tracks up better and has started to offer a stretch.
I took the wrong camera today (didn't think about taking the DSLR until I was on the road) so don't know if I managed to capture any photograpic proof of the pole work.

Then Trisha got on to show me what they had been working on for the past week. Really breaking down the instructions to get just what she's asking (one step, rather than awholebunch-isthatwhatyouwant?). TOF is coming along well. Backing is getting there, but was nicer today than it has been all week. She was using her rotation for the circles, backed up with a little outside leg wiggle when Indy needed more help.

She said Indy is so reactive, so responsive, I need to KNOW what I am asking for and ask very, very softly; as softly and quietly as I possibly can, and then softer and quieter still. She is quite anticipatory (not a bad thing): just oh-so-sensitive and in-tune to what you're about to ask. The last thing we want to do is dull that reaction down. It's lovely to have and will teach me a LOT. I will need to remember to break everything down and ask for just one bit at a time, and sharpen up my reactions so I can stop asking as soon as she tries.

I got on and got to have a play. We discussed the trot - Trisha felt that the moment her weight went forward, Indy tensed up (again, pointing to saddle issues) - but wanted me to go ahead and see what it felt like. Indy threw me forward then stopped dead the two times I asked for trot. I resorted to holding the pommel with one hand to keep my balance a little better and giver her better input than me going all over the place, then we called it a day.

She loaded well (surprised she can still fit in the float to be honest!) and travelled fairly quietly. She was a little sweaty when we got home, but much better than the last float trip. More miles will help her settle. She and Scarlett squealed over the fence then Indy got right onto catching up with all the grass ;) with barely a trot across the paddock when I let her go.

I need to get Quinn out for Scarlett as she's just not "right" so will get him to see Indy as well. Trisha has done some more ET and said she's keen as to do more, but realistically the next time I see her will be Peggy's clinics (ahhh!) so a visit from Quinn won't hurt. I also need to make sure her back is OK; she hasn't had that much done since her saddle probably stopped fitting well, but I don't want to risk her being sore. And I'll have to pull the ReactorPanel out of the shed! (boo hoo, I love her Albion, sooooo comfy).

Tomorrow's job is introducing Indy to (and reminding Scarlett of) their hoof baths! Then both girls need their feet done. On Tuesday I will take Indy to Cambridge Adult ride for an outing and a looksee (perhaps some groundwork, MAYBE a short ride if Shaz is around, but more for mileage).

Going forward, lots of pole work, including cavaletti, to keep her thinking up and forward, reaching with her stride and telescoping that neck. Lots of work out on one line. Connecting to her tail. Once the saddle is right, ridden trot including trot poles.

Learning by osmosis

Pics from Sunday with Jude, and some proof of the learning by osmosis ;)

Out of the yard

When did she get so big? Removing boogers from her forelock.

Panorama

Chatting to Sam and Hunter

Asking Indy to soften

Shoulder delineation

Walking over the labyrinth

Having a cuddle - she's a real smooch at times

Out on one line

More on one line

Trot

Nice square halt to end groundwork with

Rooooooootate! There's that inside hind again ;)

Coming down!

Where's my carrot?

Look at her dapples - nom!

And we're all done :)

Photos!

Here are the first lot of photos, from last weekend's lesson, in the order they were taken.

All wrapped up: TTEAM-Connect

Square halt

Walking caterpillar

Starting to find that hind leg!

After all that hard work, it's nap time... ZZzzzz

Trisha connecting Indy to her tail

Marching along

I had just got on and realised how soft she was... Mmmm.

That horse makes the rider look good

Isn't she lovely?

Half a step of TOF

Not sure what I am doing, but at least the pony looks good

What a purdy pony

Nearly finished. I need to remember my elbows.