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• Camping pro!21 September 2022

  

  This blog starts slowly where hacking was really just walking, with hard ground and heat curtailing plans for more. Happily, Homer is an ace hack, we both enjoyed the evening strolls. The vet came to visit Rigsby for his asthma. He wanted Rigsby in a pantomime horse outfit to try to catch pollen to ease his allergies, so here is a photo, Rigs in all his glory!

  

  He also had antihistamines and Vaseline shoved into his nostrils. Sadly, this wasn’t sufficient, so we have had to risk a steroid inhaler. His is at a reasonably slim weight and wears a grazing muzzle, with low sugar feed at other times, so it was a risk I felt was measured and necessary. Happily, the inhaler seems to be controlling the coughing. It has been bad this year with farmers all harvesting at once, with crops so dry the dust is flying everywhere. Rigs seems happy enough though. In fact, he managed a social call to the local care home. He has done this before, loves to parade round the gardens, visiting residents at their bedroom doors and stopping for strokes and photos.

  The main news- to Riding club camp Homer and I went! This camp was at a BE/BS event centre, with tented stables that felt much more like camping than the permanent stables of last time. It was a longer 4 day camp too. I had not over booked us for lessons with 2 lessons a day for the first two days then 1 lesson a day for the last 2. The XC lessons were booked on the days where we had another lesson so, if the ground was too hard, we would have something else to do.

  

  As luck would have it, we had rain showers just before we got there and overnight for the XC. The venue had also slit the ground and it was old pasture so even the grass itself was quite springy. Yay, finally some XC training! We haven’t been able to do much at all so far this year.

  

  Homes settled into the stable like a pro. It was a posh American barn type tent, with grass on the floor. Homer is on Raviera bedding at home, so not edible, but was bedded on straw here. He stuffed himself! Ate the straw in preference to the hay for the first two days! Because I was worried that straw carries a higher risk of compaction colic, added to the heat/ hard work and potential dehydration, I spent hours hand grazing.

  
  Hand grazing, it is much underrated, I think. I was able to spend quality time with Homer. We observed each other. We set out rules, such as to ask politely to more area, not just drag mum around. I proved myself reliable to Homer too. I remember, as a kid, that I would have to wait in after school care for mum to arrive, as she was in full time work. I remember often being the last kid there, looking out of the window while everyone else was picked up. The relevance of this to Homer? Ah, I could see the comparison, as I dragged myself out of bed in good time daily. I was lucky that Homer had the end stable, so I could see him as I walked (what seemed like a mile – dragging my kit with me) to his stable. Each time, he was there looking out for me. I was never the first there, but I was always in good time. He was happy to see me. He had breakfast as I mucked out round him, then he had hand grazing.

  

  I was sad to see the horses whose humans had a lie in while the other horses were tended to. Some started pawing, one was box walking. That is what reminded me of what that felt like. So, I was an early riser – for Homer.

  The ridden work… Wow! First up was a cross country lesson. We had to grow up quickly as there weren’t many small fences! Homer was initially shocked, and then distracted as there was a main A road rumbling just over the hedge, so he could hear lorries going at speed but not see them. That may not have been a problem, but with big, scary fences and other horses cantering around, it caused stress to stack and he initially did a couple of refusals. Happily, I have not known Homer to refuse a fence twice, so once he was going, he was fine. Two stops in the entire session, at a new venue, over bigger fences and with distracting traffic over a hedge. Once he was going though, he flew. We jumped our biggest XC fence yet, wow! Even better, there was a photographer there, and she captured a real “Superman” moment. It is where a young (usually) horse really exaggerates their jumping, unfolds far too early and looks dramatic. He landed fine, came round and did it perfectly (and more economically) next time. I felt like we broke through a glass ceiling that I had set us, in height at least.

  

  Next up, the water! Initially Homer was cautious, in fact the first time dropping down the step he parked up with his front end IN the water and his back end still at the top of the step. Oh dear! I felt confident. A wise horseman once explained that, in cases where horses are working a problem out, it gave them more respect and benefit to leave them time to work the problem themselves. I felt the step was high enough that he wouldn’t be able to reverse, so simply sat there, fingers under the saddle cloth in case of dramatic motion, and waited it out. Because I had waited and allowed thinking time, it wasn’t dramatic at all, he simply stepped one back leg in carefully, then the other.

  Next time round, he ‘got it’ superbly. Dropped straight in. Then, we went to a different area, where he had to pop a small log into the water. Again, he hesitated first time; this was a slightly different problem. Once he worked it out, he was flying in! Ye-ha. Canter in, pop, canter through. We were both smiling!

  

  We finished the session with the drop into water followed by a skinny brush in the water. I slipped the reins too much first time and we missed, Homer didn’t even know he was supposed to be doing it. Second time, I was ready and rode better, Homer popped and was pleased. After that, he was looking for the flags. Good boy, Homer. We finished the session there. The other people in the group were more advanced, one was competing 80 ready for 90 BE, I forget what the others were doing, but we had done great, I was happy, Homer was pleased, so I hacked him back to the stables on his own while the others finished their lesson. I like to do this, practice separating from others. He maybe whinnied once, then got on with the job. The pro photos from Cross Country were purchased and added with the permission of Karina M Photography.

  

  To Homer’s horror, we had a second lesson in the afternoon; this time dressage. This was slightly more exciting than I anticipated as it was in a roped off area, but within the main jump ring. A horse on the jump lesson, just the other side of a literal piece of string, was proper broncing, laps of it with grunts and thumping feet. To my satisfaction, Homer kept his mind on his job. He opened up his trot some, finally! Who knows, the broncing horse may actually have helped to that end! Back at the stables, I was so glad that Homer is quite a placid horse. He always looks confused when surrounded by anxious, banging, screaming horses. Wonders what it’s all about. If he has food, he is happy. He was welcome to eat.

  

  Second day at camp, It’s not real camping unless it’s raining, right? Because it was! Homer had lounged in his own poo overnight. I guess at least that means he was settled. I scrubbed him with cold water and shampoo, and joined the queue for the hose, had breakfast and joined the morning munch club. I like to involve education in everything, and remembered how he was distracted by the heavy traffic on the XC course the day before and here was the perfect opportunity to familiarise him with it. Homer is fab in traffic but, at home, we only have village traffic. He is happy for a tractor or lorry to rumble by, but they do tend to slow right down as the roads are narrow. High speed lorries sound totally different. The grazing area was beside the main A road so, as we grazed, we got ever closer. Over the day, on various visitations to the munch club, we got closer and closer to the hedge. The lorries were higher than us, loud, swooshy in the rain. It was a test but one he soon worked it out and had a nice browse of the hedge, Mr Oblivious.

  Cross country this time was in the rain, not that I tend to notice the rain once riding. Getting ready for XC, I had a proud mummy moment - Homer’s first studs. The studs are like old friends from a different era, when I was young and fit, when I jumped big fences. I had to give my head a wobble! I had to remember that I am lucky to have done bigger stuff in my youth, rather than be sad it was over. Besides, Homer is just starting out with me and who knows where we will go?

  
  It was a different trainer today, very eminent and qualified but, unlike yesterday’s trainer, I just felt she didn’t ‘get’ me. We were told to go jump fences, but not which ones. I didn’t know the course and kind of felt like I needed a bit more hand holding. I think I rode a bit less positively than when someone was cheering me on, and we had a few stops. I guess the best bit of the lesson was where I spied a brush fence, thought that would be easy enough to jump so went for it. Home stopped, I was a little annoyed, despite thinking it was perhaps a bit bigger than I thought, so represented him with a trot approach so he could see it well, he cantered the last couple of strides and leaped. Hmmm, that did feel a bit bigger than normal, I mentioned to a spectator that I thought it may be 90cm, she said more like a metre or more. I actually went back later on and measured it and could not make it lower than 1.10, so he did well for a pop from trot/ 2 canter strides! I left after less than 40 minutes. There is a load of time to keep to small, up to 70cm fences, until nothing is a surprise to Homer. He is so kind and always tries, we have all the time in the world to work it out.

  

  Good job we cut it short anyway, as we had a SJ lesson in the afternoon, for gridwork. Homer has only ever done this once before, where he did really well. He was tired but the teaching was fabulous: upbeat, accurate, progressive and succinct. In fact, I wished we hadn’t done XC first as the lesson was gold but we stopped after half an hour as he was tired. He still was cantering through a grid of 5 fences, rhythmic and happy. Good boy and valuable experience, especially as it was so windy that fences were blowing down all around- a great lesson in getting on with it, whatever the conditions!

  Late night munchies, as the sun went down, was very satisfying to us both, I think. Although, early morning bathing next day was pure comedy. You aren’t allowed to tie up outside the stable, but can’t wash in the stable. Homer is mannerly to stand and be bathed except for his backside! Trying to hold the front end whilst bathing the rear end, hilarious. Luckily no video!!!

  

  Third day was an easier day, just munch club, still close to the lorries, and dressage. A new trainer! What a fabulous session! I explained that Homer is kind and does his best, but has a low energy output and becomes disinterested quickly if you are too forceful or prescriptive. I have, in the past, have people tell me to hit him or strap on spurs, it is simply not the way I wish to do it. This trainer (Keeley Squires) really ‘got me’ and Homer. She had me ask him for just 5 strides of trot, then walk. 5 strides of trot really isn’t much to ask, and soon he was volunteering to go forward on a really light aid. From being a bit sticky, he was saying, “Yes, I can do that!”Then we did 10 strides of trot and even more if he was motivated and happy. Best trot yet! We also then could play with the trot, using his gears. On paper, we did little. Just some walk and a little trot. But, in my mind, we did massive steps. I will be starting regular lessons with Keeley.

  

  Dressage photos also courtesy of Karina M Photography.

  In the afternoon, Homer was relaxed enough to lie down beside me to have a roll, right under the lorries. Real bonding time. Hours of munching. Because we only had one lesson, I also had time to go and watch other people’s lessons in the main arena; the first time I had managed that. It was thinking time…

  On the last day, our lesson wasn’t until the afternoon but I knew that Homer would be in his own field at home for muching by evening so, instead of a munch, we went for a ride round the farm ride. This was by ourselves and right next to the hedge with the lorries behind. The ride set off through the XC field and Homer did light up a bit, but did nothing other than a whinny and squeak. The lorries were beside us, in fact, we rode right to the top of the land where two A roads intersected, the hedge ran out and there was a roundabout. Much traffic, zero cares or worries. I took a between the ears shot, you can see the XC course in the distance.

  Last lesson – jumping. We wanted to tackle fillers. Three full fillers done, not a single glance. I remember our first efforts last year, where he launched even over a single white pole and refused and spun over anything more complicated (such as a striped pole or a line of poles). I think a lot of it was because of the intensity of camp, with new things coming at him thick and fast. He was kind of, “whatever!” But also, I think it has been months of ground work, lungeing over poles and small things under a fence, working up to a single plank (that initially nearly had my head in the rafters in an indoor as he leaped so high). Then on to little ‘fillers’ that were like frames, or proper fillers at the sides but with a gap. I guess that, at camp, it just all came together with a pinch of ‘whatever’ for him to feel good.

  Time to go home and decompress for a few days. With Homer happy eating grass in his paddock, and time for me to ponder what I learned at camp.

  Biggest one for me wasn’t even about horses, it was about me. It came to me in the ‘thinking time’ beside the arena, on the third day. Goodness me, I must stop pressuring myself. I have been running round like a bluebottle trapped behind a window! The first day, we had 2 lessons, plus bedding down, plus setting my lorry up to sleep in, and I was stressed because Homer didn’t get much munch time. Truth be told, he didn’t need munch time, as he’d spent 3 hours in the Paddock at home before he went!

  Second day, Homer had 2 lessons and plenty of munch time. But I was stressed as I missed Pilates and socialising. I was stressed as I was not being social! So much so, I then stayed up until midnight, socialising, then stressed that I hadn’t had much sleep!

  Third day, Homer had only one lesson and I didn’t ride in the morning round the farm ride as planned, as he was tired. I was happy as he then had loads of munch time. I had a nanny nap and then I went socialising. I went to the terrace overlooking the jumping arena, everyone was happy and relaxed, watching and socialising. It suddenly occurred to me that they had been here a lot, but then some of them hadn’t brought a horse as they didn’t have one suitable or felt they no longer wanted to ride. They were still having a lovely time whilst I have been running round, trying to do it all - almost trying to justify to myself that I was putting the work in to have a good time.

  I took a breath.

  That night, we had munch time, a short amount of socialising, bed early and sleep. The next (4th) day, I decided to ride round the farm ride, because I wanted to. I packed up, had munch time and a lesson. When I wasn’t chasing my own tail, suddenly it all seemed to fit in. Everything fitted in before, TBH, it just didn’t feel like it did. I didn’t feel that I was doing enough, despite actually doing everything I needed to and having time to choose other stuff to do as well. I wonder how much this rules my life in general? I will observe.

  Appreciating my horse: I have learned not to just appreciate him, I bloomin’ well worship him! That is a blessing as, quite often, I think we only really appreciate something when it has gone. He is perfect. He is brave. He tries his hardest. He tells me when I get it wrong. He gives me wings. He loans me his power and grace. His strength and grace will grow and I will hopefully get to share in that, willingly given. We are becoming a team.

  

  I have almost had a year with Homer. I said to Fulmart that I would do a year of blogs, Homer’s first year of training and us getting to know each other. The next blog will probably be our last. We have 2 more camps to do, then I will wait for his shoes to need doing but, instead of re-shoeing, we will remove them and have a few months off. Let him turn away and be a horse. He has been an exceptional boy and I think some down time to grow into himself will be to his long term benefit. He will come back stronger and more mature.