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Pumpkin's Progress

17K views 221 replies 14 participants last post by  PumpkinzMyBaby22 
#1 ·
OK, so I thought it might be worth while writing down Pumpkin and mine's progress so we can see how far we have come. First, I suppose, Pumpkin is 18 yrs old, 13.2hh Welsh cross something. We have had him scince he was 5 but he sat in the paddock untill I decided I wanted to do something with him.

So, early this year we had a trainer come in and help train Pumpkin. That went amazing and in 4 3-hour sessions, he was perfecto. I am super pleased that he now has the abilty to be ridden with less hiccups. So really, for the last 8 1/2 months, I've just been mucking around, glad to have a pony I can ride.
Well, the options for pony club and competeing have come into play, so we are cracking down and getting things like balance, collection, extension ect perfect. So, for the next month or so, I have packed up the jumps and am going to be really focusing on my dressage basics for Pumpkin. Huff.... that will be interesting ;p

Thats all for now, I will *try* to keep this alive... Anyways, here are some pictures!


jumpies


bareback



And his head...
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Wednesday, 22nd September

So, I can see this whole dressage thingo taking a long time to get correct, espiecially with a non-horsey family and the occasional photos to go by.


I rode Pumpkin today, just working on the walk and trot. And talk about dead as a doorknob... Even with the time off and his grain this week. Poopsies.
Flexion is coming along nicley, and whoopy for half halts! I am starting to work on him engaging the hind end, and from the vidoes I got, yeah, I can see a difference - small, but it is a difference ;)



His balance at the end was better, I could deffienatly feel that as well. We still need a lot of work before I will start thinking about jumping mini courses ect.
 
#3 ·
Monday, 27th September

Rode him up to the shops yesterday, he did briliantly! No antics this time. Got up to shops and let him graze a bit behind the kindy while my sister and her friends went a brought stuff. Gave Pumkin a lemonade iceblock... that went down quick. On the way we stopped in at the park and had another little graze while kids came up and gave him lots of pats! haha. He is loved by everyone. Once we got back home, a little canter and called it a day. Later on, I jumped on bareback and walked up and down the fence for some pointless fun.
 
#4 ·
Saturday 2nd October

It has been raining most of the week the week so I as only able to ride yesterday... oh the joy. Thanks to Mr Pony having to much energy, someone needed to get in his brain that we do not buck when we pick up canter. Huffs. Anyways, after that was sorted, we worked on rythum and transitions. Proud of him again, but the rythum is going to be worked on again tomorrow. Balance is coming along nicly, so that is good.

Hopefully the rain will stop tonight and I can ride without tearing up the grass.
 
#6 ·
Thanks! It can be tough but we pull through :P
 
#8 ·
JackOfDiamonds - Thankyou!

Well, the rain has FINALLY stopped and the ground is now dry enough for me to ride without destrying everything in sight. But, he dosn't lunge(working on it) and he is so high it is insane.
Yesterday we just walked around the paddock doing nothing cause it was getting late.
Early today just had a few trots, just going about things slowly so he doesn't go ballistic on me. I don't feel like having a Fresh Bucking Horse vs Me competition :P
 
#9 ·
Monday, 18th October

Fun fun. Right...
Tacking up went like hell so I had to put him out in the back paddock for him to run around. He went balistic and ran for a good 10 minutes before he decided to calm down. So, got him to walk up to me and we put the saddled back on. That was better. Then took him out to the front paddock to put his bridal on. A little tantrum there, not to much.

We ended up walking around for ages trying to get him to listne properly. Had a little trot after a while then finished up.

The silver lining: we worked a lot on flexion... yay! He also is stopping better and listening to my seat more.
Guess it will just take a bit of time
 
#10 ·
Thursday, 28th October

I haven't been able to ride in a while due to a sore tailbone which has happened to be very annoying. I have been sitting out of P.E for a while now and that probably means not a very sufficient grade. Yays. Oh well. I suppose that can mean more bonding time and playing with Pumpkin rather than as much riding. I do hope this doesn't slow us down alot :-|
 
#11 ·
Sunday 28th October
Not much riding has been done on Pumpkin and that is a shame. I do have plans to ride him later on when it cools down this afternoon.
My tail bone has been slowly recovering but it now seems I have hurt my toe to the point where I can't walk with-out being in a large amount of pain.
Yesterday after my lessons, Mum and I stopped in to the saddlery and got some stuff for the pony. I ended up with a rug to keep the flys off him a bit more, a rope halter and a Santa Hat. He loves wearing it and I will have to put up photos soon.

6 ducklings hatched last Wednesday so that has been very exciting.
 
#12 ·
Monday, 13th December

Wow, it has been a long time.. oops. Oh mistake for the last post, it was November. oopsies again

Not much to really put down. Since the start of Summer it has been pouring with rain. There has been about only 4 days or so when the sun has come out. This unfortunatly means no riding and Pumpkin turns into a brat.

The back paddock is starting to grow some grass finally, so that is very good. I am on holidays and will hopefully be able to ride with friends if this rain eases up a bit :?

The ducklings are getting very big, but we most likely will have to get rid of any males that have hatched as we have enough as it is.

At the end of this week my family and I are going to down to Melbourne for 3 weeks to see relatives. Hopefully Pumpkin will not be to physco when we get back.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Friday, 14th January

Nothing but rain for months now. As some of you may have heard, the Brisbane river has flooded and giving heaps of people trouble. Luckily we live far enough away from the river to have not been effected but still the rain is not helping the 'over energized pony' situation. My family and I went down to Melbourne for 2 weeks and a bit over Christmas. That resulted in Pumpkin being un-handled and losing his manners. Whoop whoop :/
So there is another thing we must get over.

I have also quit lessons from my current riding school. I am glad about that but until I get another areas number I am currently riding deprived which is not that good. But life happens so I will have to wait it out.

On a brighter note, I got an old leather jumping saddle that might just fit Pumpkn for $40 down in Melvourne. Always a bonus.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Friday, 21st January.

Not much has really been happening lately.

My (all purpose) saddle arrived 2 days ago, so I gave that a good clean. I have been slowly getting rid of Pumpkins energy, running him up and down the fence freely, and that seems to be working. He is a sucker for food. Placed up a few small jumps, and he went over those nicely.
Tried out the saddle on him, and it seems to fit. We have not had any issues yet, so hopefully it will turn out alright. After tacking up, I jumped on and gave him a quick ride in the back paddock - only walk and a trot. He feels like a good canter so I will have to see about that today or tomorrow. We had to finish early though, I could feel him starting to misbehave, so I ended it on a good note while I could.

The ducklings are getting along well with the other adults, though we are still having problems introducing the two Pekin males. All in good time I suppose.

It has been overcast these past few days, although really hot. Still looking for somwhere to ride, preferably close. At least I am getting Pumpkin back on his feet.
 
#16 ·
Friday, 4th February.
Goodness, I am becomeing really slack with this journal.

Anyway, since my last update I have sprained my ankle doing somthing stupid...I just can't remember how. I rode Pumpkin a few days ago, and he behaved very well. He was lookinbg foward to a good canter, so I took for a bit of a canter and that seemed to make him happy. Worked on responsivness to the bit and me, he needs a little bit of a refesher.
Not much other stuff has been happening in the world of horses.
 
#17 ·
Tuesday, 8th February.

It has been much to hot to be riding lately and now we have come back to the rain. Mostly i have just been spending time with Pumpkin and grooming him a lot as he eats his dinner, and he seems to be loving the attention. He has been behaving very well which is always very good.

I hope I can start lessons soon, it has been an number of months now since I have ridden and I am almost going insane. If all goes to plan, I should be getting the number tomorrow.
 
#18 ·
You and pumpkin look great together, you have improved a lot since you first got pumpkin and when i use to go to you place with Maddie (btw my name is Ella) and I hope that I keep hearing about you and pumpkin cause i love reading how well you to are going. :)
 
#19 ·
Aww, thanks!

He has come along way, and I am so proud, yet we have tonnes left to do and accomplish. :)
 
#21 ·
Awww. CUTE!!! She is adorable. I want to meet this little one :P

Cannot wait till we can ride together. Missing you!
 
#22 ·
Sunday, 13th February

Today there was no riding, but it was wash day! No particular reason but... I wanted to have some fun. I focused on his socks mane and tail especially and it has paid off. He is so SHINY!!

I took a few pictures of him drying off, i will have to load them later on. I am very pleased with the days effort.
 
#23 ·
Monday, 14th February.
Happy Valentines Day everyone!.

Way to hot to be riding today, so I don't have much to report. Hopefully it will cool down soon so I can get the energy out of Pumpkin. Pumpkin is still nice and shiny thankfully, he hasn't managed to get to dirty. Yay!!

I will try and ride tomorrow so I will have some stories to share... hopefully with some pics.
 
#24 ·
February 22, Tuesday

Wow. i have forgotten yet again to update my journal. Oopsies :)

Not much has happened. It has been really hot lately but today -thankfully - cooled down a lot. No riding, still working on energy loss. pumpkin has been really good with ground work and respect.

Till next time,
Jalah xx
 
#26 ·
Wednesday, 2nd March
Oh lord, I am becoming hopeless...

Anyway, 3 days ago I finally hopped on that spastic one and he did beautifully.
No arguments or 'back chatting'. YAY! He was beautiful. We did a long warm up and then about 30 mins of trot. Lots of trotting. We did circles, flexing his neck to both side and a little side passing. very very happy.

The next day, more trotting but this time, he was wondering about what else he could do... like how to get to the gate. Huff. Not to much of an argument, but I can feel it budding. So, we worked on that and it got better.

He had yesterday off so he is in a happy mood.

Last night is rained a lot so no riding today. I am pooped anyways. I have many many assignments and tests so that is taking it out of me.
Hopefully he will behave next time and we can carry on with our so far good work.

Till next time,
Jalah xx
 
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