Joe's Legacy

08/12/2023

All this icy weather hasn't been good for Finn's brain. Spooking at shadows but happy to be out ❤️

11/11/2023

Today we did a thing ☺️ It might not look like much but it wouldn't have been possible a year ago. Even 6 months ago. We went for a solo ride at Plean Country Park ☺️ We saw other horses and didn't have a meltdown, we saw and heard plenty of dogs (and didn't get attacked by any of them!), we stood nicely at the box and ate our hay before and after, and we had a really nice, calm ride. Sometimes I still have to get off for moral support, but today I didn't even need to consider it. He has grown up SO MUCH this year. I couldn't be happier with him ❤️

25/10/2023

And so it begins 🌜

18/10/2023

15/10/2023

Well it had to happen eventually. We've had a few emergency exits on our journey, but today was our first unplanned dismount 🙈 courtesy of pheasant ambush on an otherwise glorious SERC pleasure ride. My notoriously loose girth probably didn't help, since his saddle ended up round his ribs, but I still won't be ratcheting it up. I'd rather he's able to breathe. I'll just continue to fall off periodically 😂

Still smiling ☺️

27/08/2023

Kirkton Manor 17km today, HR 40 on the way out and 40 on the way back but definitely up in between. Got quite agitated when we bunched up with some other riders on the hill section, but either soon sorted his head out or was too tired to care anymore 🙈

23/08/2023

Impeccable behaviour at Canada Wood today ❤️

08/08/2023

Some most excellent in-hand work this evening ☺️ Working on slooooowing down, softening the jaw and lightening the forehand. 15 minutes is more than enough concentration time just now...quality not quantity ☺️

05/08/2023

Best part of 3.5 hours walk this afternoon. Bogside to Kincardine and back. Stopped at the house for some snacks out of the fridge, and I got stung by a wasp while we were talking to some cows. Karma for me swearing at him for barging 🙈 Anyway, here he is. Can't barge over me if I walk at the back 👍

23/07/2023

Having a munch after 18km at Gifford pleasure ride today. Average speed 10kph, starting heart rate 40, finishing heart rate 36 👍 I'll take that 👍 especially after a couple of weeks of him being "not quite right". He seemed pretty chilled out too, so hopefully he's starting to get used to our wee outings ☺️

Looking forward to another outing next Sunday ☺️

19/06/2023

What better way to start a week off. Attending a weekend clinic about the horse's brain, with side notes of Masterson, saddle fit, dentistry, handling, and riding, followed by a morning of pampering for Finn while Catriona and I put the world to rights ❤️ If I'd got out of bed when I said I would I might have managed a ride this morning too, but I guess you can't have everything 🤔🤣

10/06/2023

We're in desperate need of a longer blue cable for 2ww renegade boot 🙈 Can anyone help us out?

17/05/2023

Stare-off

14/05/2023

I wonder if we can now legitimately put our Scottish Endurance Horses sticker on the trailer 🤔

08/05/2023

Today we've been out making friends and influencing people ☺️

Despite the rain we had a lovely quiet ride, happy to take the lead, where traditionally he would have been very sticky and happier to follow.

I'm also quietly delighted that he's starting to stretch, soften and round. Beyond stopping, starting and steering I haven't really spent any time schooling yet. I felt he needed to get out and about moving and seeing the world, maturing his cookie head before we looked at school work. I've only asked him to soften a couple of times while we've been out to gauge how he's feeling about it, so I'm super pleased he's starting to take it on board 😊

03/05/2023

This evening we learnt that some paths are best explored on two legs, not four; and Finn is absolutely rock steady when it counts ☺️❤️👍

24/04/2023

I'm pleased to report that Finn seems to be moving substantially better than me after yesterday's exuberance. His off hind fetlock is ever so slightly puffy but he seems loose in his muscles and sound. His brain seemed pretty chilled out too 👍

I, on the other hand, am lame.

Still, I've signed us up for 20km on the 14th of May 🙂

23/04/2023

We made it to Aberfoyle ☺️ The first few km were a bit hairy 😳 he caused a ruckus at the start line then caught sight of the horses up ahead 🙈 Needless to say he had burnt off most of his energy within 6 or 7km and was surprised to find we still had 10km to go 😮

These are the only photos I took, so enjoy ☺️

22/04/2023

Last minute haircut 👍 I can't fault this boy today. I annoyed him yesterday with a new hat that he didn't want anything to do with, and today he still let me annoy him with the clippers. I just hope he's going to let me annoy him with the trailer tomorrow and I promise to leave him alone on Monday ☺️

16/04/2023

Exploring Plean Country Park

16/04/2023

Last weekend we had some Kincardine grass, this weekend we sampled some Plean grass 😊 Fingers crossed next weekend we can try some Aberfoyle grass 🤞🤞🤞

15/04/2023

Privileged ❤️

10/04/2023

Another day, another trailer session. This evening's jaunt down the driveway and back wasn't as sweaty as the weekend, only a tiny bit, so hopefully he's thinking about feeling better about the trailer 🤞He gets a reprieve tomorrow as he's getting his feet done, which is more than enough stress for one day 🙄

09/04/2023

Today we sampled some Kincardine grass 😊 Still a sweaty mess going out and coming home though 🤔

08/04/2023

Difficult to see but that is a big hairy arse going for a *very* short ride in the trailer 😃

02/04/2023

Peanut butter 🤪

01/04/2023

31/03/2023

More zooming this afternoon

26/03/2023

A sweaty 11km today. Lots of trotting and a new loop 😊