A place where I record the adventures of myself and my Irish Sport Horse mare, Kika. Who I purchased as an un-backed 3yr old in 2007. This blog follows the trials and tribulations of first-time horse ownership since moving from Ireland to Luxembourg in 2010. UPDATE: as of 2013, Kika is being joined by Nancy a Friesan X ISH mare bred by my family who I had my eye on since she was a foal and have been lucky enough to buy and add to my equine family.
Nancy being a good girl for a bareback stroll
to the field with Part Leasee for the first time
Cropped the photo as PL is on the other side of Nancy and I don't like to post people on the blog without their ok when photos are closeups/recognisable
I am super blessed that my mother comes from farming stock and that the farm is still in the family (her brother owns it) and that a sister of hers followed their father into horses. Really my mother has only herself to blame for my obsession *giggle*
I have mentioned before that Nancy was bred by my aunt and that I have known N since she was 3 days old ♡♡♡
Although this same aunt closed the riding school side of her business years ago, she now runs what i affectionately call a maternity ward for broodmares. Predominantly Thoroughbreds but some sporthorse & ponies mares too. She also has a couple horses in for livery and a fab arena & XC course which can be rented by the hour for schooling and lessons with any trainer they want.
The photos in this post were taken over the last two weeks. All the foal snapshots are mine and the two of us on horseback were taken by my mam & sister. I had a go on all three ponies, the coloured was the greenest, the dun the most experienced and the grey was a stubborn mare than made me laugh so hard. The coloured was my fave, possibly because I started with her but mostly because she reminded me of Nancy in that she tried so hard to do what was being asked of her but couldn't quite find her legs in canter and trantered. She was adorable ♡♡♡
I'm the awkward mushroom head on the grey, I'm such a mess having not brought any of my riding gear & riding without stirrups as the leathers weren't long enough *blush* the others in the photo are my two sisters
and two of my cousins
Being a foal is exhausting
Nap-time in the field
This little guy was such a photogenic cutiepie
This little filly was
adorably friendly
One of the things i miss most about living in Ireland is the family farm and this easy access to this wonderful stream after riding. Also I was so tempted to take their new pooch home. I'm a massive muppet and forgot to take a single photo of him, but see he snuck into this photo. He's a rottweilerXalsatian and has such an amazing personality! Way bigger than I have space for, but he was awesome ♡♡♡
View from the parapets(?)
from the bridge between
the two towers
Hopefully the info is somewhat legible
regarding the "Follies"/Towers
One of the vistas from The Vee viewpoint
in Co. Tipperary
09/05/2016
Beautiful Bluebell lined strolls in the grounds
around Charleville Castle in Tullamore Co. Offaly
Charleville Castle,
Tullamore, Co. Offaly
Apparently one of the oldest trees in Ireland
Photos of foals and a small riding adventure to follow tomorrow. Apologies for the poor phone quality photos, I wish I was better at photography to properly share these snapshots *blush*
PL very kindly nabbed a few videos of the girls and myself sunday afternoon.
As always I'm a bit of an all over the place shambles, however both girls are angels to put up with my "riding".
I accidentally deleted the video on this rein so sadly this blurry shot is all I've got of Kika
Kika hadn't been ridden in 3 to 4 weeks, however she did get the odd lunge with pessoa and was still being turned out most afternoons so she wasn't completely idle. You wouldn't know it to see the belly on her mind and I know it won't get any smaller now that she's on 24/7 turnout - oops. She and I are going into Boot Camp when I get back from Ireland on the 12th.
I am pretty disappointed in myself and frustrated to see how much I nag at her with my heels, how rounded my shoulders are and that I am seriously collapsing through my core. Not to mention the length of my reins in all these videos is shocking! I need to get my hands up out of my lap, bring them closer together and give a bit more with them. It looks to me like I am being very heavy handed.
My leg also appears to far back and is tipping me forward so i grip with my knees - negative cycle that one. Shall have to work extra hard to break the hands/heels/leg axis of suck.
I also cannot get over how much it looks like I am riding a pony! K looks tiny in the dressage saddle, she was sticked at 165cms shortly after arriving in Lux and I know she is quite a compact model, but seriously?! I look like a giant and i am not overly tall at 172cms (roughly 5'7 I think)
Oddly I thought the Nancy videos were going to be an awful lot worse, I felt like she was fighting me a lot on the right rein and as if she was trying to stick her ears up my nose. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it looks nothing like that on the videos. I need to reevaluate my feel & expectations *shameonme*
I just hopped up for these few videos, and bless her she slipped a little in some poop at one stage but valiantly carried on like the good girl she is.
Although my reins are still way too long and my hands are too far apart; my leg & heel seem slightly better. Which is ironic as before when I rode Nancy in this saddle it used to put me in an awful chair seat, I can see it creep back a little with my outside leg when we make a small circle on the left rein but other than that I am much happier with my lower leg & heel on Nancy than in the earlier Kika video *shudder* what an awakening these videos have been.
I also need to sit my @$$ into the saddle when cantering both girls - Yikes! I'm bouncing about up there like I'm on a trampoline or bouncing castle!
