Kaukapakapa Twilight Dressage

Diesel went there a few weeks back and did 2 tests with Alyssa. He did some really nice work and got some really good marks from the judges.

Latest event....

Is that Diesel has cut his lip. The joys eh? Vet said its not too bad and just give him bute and make sure the wound doesnt get infected, if it does get them out. In the meantime he will need a few days from being ridden as the bit will aggrevate it...little bugger!

The boy had another Birthday.....

So, on the 10th January it was Diesels 5th Birthday!!!!!

I cant believe how quickly the time has gone. I have never owned a horse this long before and it is a wonderful feeling having a horse that I know so well. I luff my Smeezie......

Hapy Birthday My Man!

And on another note.....

I have, once again, booked in for a Steve Brady course which is at the end of february. I am REALLY nervous about riding in it but also excited too. Am sure me and Diesel will learn alot from it. :o)

Photo's....finally!!!!

Sooo, finally here are the photos taken of Diesel at his first ever show....the very low key Silverdale Funday, ridden by Alyssa.

Quick update......

Diesel is being an absolute star.

Alyssa is the perfect rider for my young man. She has a lovely gentle way about her and he really responds well to the way she works him. She doesnt have really short reins and jam him up, she lets him relax into himself and he is really driving through from his hind quarters. They are doing some lovely lovely work in the paddock and I just know it was the right thing to do getting her to ride him.

In fact it is going so well that Diesel and Alyssa went to their first show the other week. It was only the Silverdale Funday but it was a great start.

Diesel got off the float, had a little wander around and was then saddled up and away they went. He did all the flat classes in the morning and got 2 ribbons and a bag of carrots. In the afternoon was the jumping (which they have not done any together before) and he refused a couple of times and instead of pushing and pushing Alyssa retired out of the ring, but took him over to the practise jump to get him over just one and then we left him at the float for 30 minutes to just chill out before taking him home. I was so pleased with his behaviour, he was a total star in my eyes and I look forward to the day it is me doing it with him, but in the meantime Alyssa is absolutely PERFECT for him.

As for Leah and the jumping, Diesel had one lesson and did really really well. It ended up that Leah is aspiring to the Special Olympics and was looking at Diesel as a potential back up horse, but after looking into it more I decided that I dont really want Diesel going overseas and that with me owning him it was just going to get too tricky so pulled the plug on it.

Anyway, better go but will upload some new photos of the boy at his first show, and jumping lesson over the next week when I get some more time.

I AM SO GLAD THAT I HAVNT SOLD MY MAN!!!!!!!

Exciting times ahead for my boy.....

So, I thought it was time to update the young mans blog as its been a wee while.

Diesel now has not one, but two lovely riders. I was put onto a lovely lady called Alyssa who was looking for a horse to ride. She came and tried him the other week and they seemed to get on well so she has taken over that side of it. She rides him very nicely, has a nice and relaxed way about her and he is really starting to do some lovely flatwork. His transitions are coming along well too so I am uber pleased with what she has done with him so far.

The other rider for him is my dear friend Leah. Leah called me and asked me if she could teach Diesel how to jump......so of course I said a big YES to that.

He had his first jump lesson this week and he was an absolute star. It was his first time in an arena with jumps everywhere and he was so good. We floated him all the way over to South Auckland with Chevy and he unloaded, had a good look around and was genuinly interested in being somewhere new without being an idiot.

He was ridden by Leah first and he went in, had a couple of spooks and that was about it. He was first put through trotting pole set-ups to get him straight and then went onto little x-poles. He jumped about 60cms and seemed to really enjoy himself. I was watching my young man with awe as he just looked superb.

He is going to be a busy little man this summer so I am taking a backwards swep and letting Alyssa and Leah do their thing with him.....

I am SO SO SO glad I didnt sell him, and with this mileage one day me and him are going to be AWESOME!!!!