WR
We had the last hunt on saturday. Gutted. I was able to skive off work early (after riding what I calculated to be about 20 km in under an hour on 6 different horses on friday) and we headed out to McKelvies, a really nice property to hunt. I was on WR, and I think it was his 9th hunt. And he was simply awesome, he's gained so much confidence, he knows what it's all about, and he loves it.
His first few jumps he flew - the most amazing feeling, it was like he had springs and wings on his feet - I've felt that before, but it's not something you feel often, simply moving so effortlessly over the jumps ahead of him. After a few like that, including a couple of tricky jump/ ditch combinations, he settled into jumping more 'normally' or economically anyway, without the wow factor. Still, he did awesomely, trying to stay up front with all the argy bargy pushy people, sometimes jumping 2-3 horses over the fence at the same time, with more charging in front and others thundering up behind. And was he fazed, little 3yr old WR? Not at all, he didn't bat an eyelid, he charged straight on, telling me that he definitely wanted to be up front and he was perfectly capable of it. I didn't argue too much, since he was doing so well, and behaving sensibly to boot. Though at some of the higher, or trickier fences I did pull up and let the light brigade pass and ride him sensibly into the jumps....just in case. But he made it over everything, full wire, and a nasty tricky fence with an outrigger on the landing side - I didn't see it til we were airbourne, but he had seen it and cleared it beautifully.
It was just amazing to think of his first few hunts, his first jumps - he was always bold into them, but he didn't like to jump without his girls there, and he was pretty worried about where they were a lot of the time. And he was a little confused by all the action, and who to watch and where he should stand, and which way to face and, and, and.......
Now, he's a seasoned hunter, he knows when there's a run, he'll stand reasonably still when it's time to do so, he lines up reasonably well for a drink and he's very confidant in himself in what he can do and takes care doing it. I'm very proud of him!! And he deserves every minute of his summer off - going feral in the bush!!! :D
And another horse to be proud of - Sid won his 2nd ever race this week! I've been doing his gallops and this week he'd felt absolutely awesome, really keen to go, and just ready to kick into that extra gear if needed. And he did with style in his race, and won! Exciting!
His first few jumps he flew - the most amazing feeling, it was like he had springs and wings on his feet - I've felt that before, but it's not something you feel often, simply moving so effortlessly over the jumps ahead of him. After a few like that, including a couple of tricky jump/ ditch combinations, he settled into jumping more 'normally' or economically anyway, without the wow factor. Still, he did awesomely, trying to stay up front with all the argy bargy pushy people, sometimes jumping 2-3 horses over the fence at the same time, with more charging in front and others thundering up behind. And was he fazed, little 3yr old WR? Not at all, he didn't bat an eyelid, he charged straight on, telling me that he definitely wanted to be up front and he was perfectly capable of it. I didn't argue too much, since he was doing so well, and behaving sensibly to boot. Though at some of the higher, or trickier fences I did pull up and let the light brigade pass and ride him sensibly into the jumps....just in case. But he made it over everything, full wire, and a nasty tricky fence with an outrigger on the landing side - I didn't see it til we were airbourne, but he had seen it and cleared it beautifully.
It was just amazing to think of his first few hunts, his first jumps - he was always bold into them, but he didn't like to jump without his girls there, and he was pretty worried about where they were a lot of the time. And he was a little confused by all the action, and who to watch and where he should stand, and which way to face and, and, and.......
Now, he's a seasoned hunter, he knows when there's a run, he'll stand reasonably still when it's time to do so, he lines up reasonably well for a drink and he's very confidant in himself in what he can do and takes care doing it. I'm very proud of him!! And he deserves every minute of his summer off - going feral in the bush!!! :D
And another horse to be proud of - Sid won his 2nd ever race this week! I've been doing his gallops and this week he'd felt absolutely awesome, really keen to go, and just ready to kick into that extra gear if needed. And he did with style in his race, and won! Exciting!