How did your summer go?

convert

Given that the end of the summer seems to have arrived, and the evenings have started to get shorter, I thought I'd start a thread and see how everyone's summer went, equestrian wise, of course! :pac:

So did you do much riding over the summer? And, if so, was it mainly recreational or competitive? If competitive, what discipline(s) did you compete in? Were you at the Riding Club Festival? Did you compete at any of the Pony Club Championships? How did you get on in your chosen competitions? What was the highlight of your summer? What do you think was your biggest achievement over the summer months? Anything else you'd like to share with us?

convert

I'll start the ball rolling...

Unfortunately this summer was really quiet for me, and any riding I did during the early summer was for pleasure, although I was focusing on schooling young horses for competition.

However, for family reasons I had to leave the horses out from June, and I'm only just starting to take them in now to get them ready for the hunting season, and any small SJ shows that might be happening during the autumn/winter.

I'm also in the process of breaking a young horse, so I'll definitely be kept out of mischief for the next few months! :pac:

It was the first summer in years that I wasn't competing, so it felt really odd, especially if I went to a show. I didn't know what to do as I hardly ever experience the spectator side of things!

Borderfox

I find I do more riding in the autumn/winter

Ave Sodalis

Rode most days over the summer. Mainly recreational but a few competitions. I also taught 2 girls the basics (yet ta canter and jump properly).

Did cross-country and showjumping in a local riding school. Came 2nd once in jumping and 4th and a few clear-rounds. Came 3rd in the cross-country and again a clear round or two:)

Highlight of the summer: not sure. Prehaps coming 3rd in cross country because the round was long and difficult with jumps the horses never jumped before.

Biggest achievement: finally settling that mad horse I ride because of the amount of work she's done. Also, being told by a proper riding teacher that the two girls that im teaching have a flawless rising trot!

Not sure what else ta share except that I really enjoyed my summer

Chicken Run

mine was rubbish

My lovely dotey gelding decided to start napping... I'd limited time to work with him due to school holidays and children so managed about 1 traumatic ride per week in which flies and midges drove us both mental and in the end I gave it up and put him out to grass for 2 weeks till I can get back into a routine and work through it with him.

Jen Pigs Fly

I had a brilliant summer!

Finally got over my jumping hang overs and jumped my first course with my green mare! Almost broke my back jumping last summer, and I've been terrified of jumping after, it's only been since June that I've gotten it back!

Now I'm screaming for the jumps to go up

my mare also did her very first proper competition! Only 1 jump down out of the total 12 was so proud of her! Granted they were only 50cm but I don't want to rush her, I have the rest of her life to jump higher!

Also spend hours upon hours just out hacking in the sun, soaking up with warmth and the tan! My mare enjoyed it too! Especially bareback while hacking as she wasn't all sweaty afterwards.

byhookorbycrook

Got a new horsey, fat little cob, Rua,sadly, "went to the farm." A friend rode the new boy in the local ag. show,several bottles of blue shampoo later.He is just so easy to do ,except for keeping clean.:D:D

He stands while I'm helped on and will do a turn on the forehand to open or close gates(keener to open than close, it must be said, esp. when getting out of the arena.) I hadn't ridden outside the arena in about two years but spent most of the summer out in the fields, up and down the banks and into the water etc.I am now getting so cocky that I might even chance a few x-poles. He will also stand(with the odd roll of the eyes or snort)for me to get down,which is ,again, a slow process.

Flies were savage this year, the pure citronella oil was the only thing that helped.

Trying to get him fit at the moment,we both need to shed a few kgs.Hoping he'll be fit for our own ODE in October with my friend up.I am also teaching my godchild and her sister to ride ,aiming for Pony club for the older lassie next yr, hopefully.

Neurologist is impressed by the improvement in my legs so even though I am stoney broke by the purchase, he really is worth his, not insignificant weight...