Hello is this on....
If Facebook goes belly up or becomes unusable this is still here! :D
I may even start using it again but only if people are here. :D
I may even start using it again but only if people are here. :D
XC this is what I want to do! Yeah!
Well that was a day, a fun one, but a very long one. Leonne took her young horse out to Wickstead Equestrian Horseplay and took some others including Jay and myself. It was a full service day out with me putting Jay in my trailer and towing him which I am pleased to say went very well and Jay was just a darling to load and unload.
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Captured in Aspic
Captured in Aspic
by John Sawyer
I was asked recently what a dish served under aspic would have been called in the 14/15th centuries, so I found some recipes - they do exist - but I thought that the random Facebook comments that I made deserved something of a more considered and consolidated approach, and so here we are.
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Tumpy Green ODE
So I didn't really write the script this way but Bill The Horse had a different plan.
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Bill's Excellent Adventure
So Bill The Horse and I had a big adventure yesterday. I would have posted about it yesterday but I was absolutely knackered. :D
( More behind the cut including video )
So big thanks to Sophie and Helen, on wards and upwards.
( More behind the cut including video )
So big thanks to Sophie and Helen, on wards and upwards.
Arena XC jumping
So last day of Holiday yesterday but it was my usual riding day.
With all the recent turmoil in my riding world I was somewhat trepidatious about going down. I am really not sure I could have coped with another cancellation but actually it was pretty good.
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Bit sore this morning but coffee and Ibuprofen to the rescue. :D
With all the recent turmoil in my riding world I was somewhat trepidatious about going down. I am really not sure I could have coped with another cancellation but actually it was pretty good.
( Read more... )
Bit sore this morning but coffee and Ibuprofen to the rescue. :D
Mushroom Noodle Soup
More for the record than anything else;
Ingredients
1 packet of mixed meaty mushrooms sliced
black pepper
slug of soy sauce
slug of mushroom ketchup
1 teaspoon of garlic paste
1 teaspoon of ginger paste
1 tsp of Chilli Oil.
2 tsp of vegtable stock
1 packet of miso soup
1 packet of soba noodles
1 head of Pak Choi
2 handfuls of peas
1 spring onion
Heat some oil in a sauce pan and get it hot.
Add the mushrooms with a grind of black pepper and fry off for a few minutes
Add the splashes off soy and mushroom ketchup and cook out then add the garlic and ginger and the chilli oil followed by 2 pints of stock and the miso soup packet. Cook for about 10 minutes then add the noodles and cook until the noodles are soft and add the pak choi and peas.
Cut the spring oinon and put in bowls for serving and then pour over the noodles and broth.
It was rather yummy and easy to make.
Ingredients
1 packet of mixed meaty mushrooms sliced
black pepper
slug of soy sauce
slug of mushroom ketchup
1 teaspoon of garlic paste
1 teaspoon of ginger paste
1 tsp of Chilli Oil.
2 tsp of vegtable stock
1 packet of miso soup
1 packet of soba noodles
1 head of Pak Choi
2 handfuls of peas
1 spring onion
Heat some oil in a sauce pan and get it hot.
Add the mushrooms with a grind of black pepper and fry off for a few minutes
Add the splashes off soy and mushroom ketchup and cook out then add the garlic and ginger and the chilli oil followed by 2 pints of stock and the miso soup packet. Cook for about 10 minutes then add the noodles and cook until the noodles are soft and add the pak choi and peas.
Cut the spring oinon and put in bowls for serving and then pour over the noodles and broth.
It was rather yummy and easy to make.
Back in the saddle
We have been quietly getting back into thing with a bit of hacking and a few lessons but last night it seemed we where back into things.
First of all we recorded our June entry for Novice 3B with HayGrazer E-Rider which you can see at https://youtu.be/MIV-DT4LoSE
Then we had a nice little jump as a reward for Mr B. He loved jumping this thing. Really good to be back in the saddle.
First of all we recorded our June entry for Novice 3B with HayGrazer E-Rider which you can see at https://youtu.be/MIV-DT4LoSE
Then we had a nice little jump as a reward for Mr B. He loved jumping this thing. Really good to be back in the saddle.
Finally a One Day Event! :D
Urchinwood One Day Event.
So, we went out to have fun and we did. It wasn't my best day in the office, but we completed and we were not last. Which was the aim, well the aim was fun and no embarrass myself which I think we nearly did!
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Big thanks to Urchinwood Manor and Hope’s owners for letting me ride her. It was a real blast.
Another Hope!
So in a change you our regular programming I took a day out today to go and do a clear round cross country ride at Urchinwood Manor.
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She was a champ. Sorry Bill.
It was also really lovely to catch up with people and see how they are all getting on.
( Read more... )
She was a champ. Sorry Bill.
It was also really lovely to catch up with people and see how they are all getting on.
Oh Poo.
Sigh that wasn't the way things where supposed to go. So today has been odd.
First work was nuts with IT being idiots again. Then I busted out and headed over to the stables for a busy day. The Lorry was getting a new screen and I had a lesson lined up for Bill.
Things did not go to plan. Although the lorry got a new screen I managed to leave the lights on so couldn't move it before it was fitted. Still it is in. Forgot to take a picture but will get one tomorrow.
So far so good but when Sophie showed up for my lesson Bill turned out to be lame. Not really sure how but he was sore in his right read leg and had a bit of heat there. :( This suck balls.
Poor Bill, I just can't take a trick right now.
I am hoping he will be sound tomorrow but arggghhhh can I please get to enter a damn competition without something going wrong . PLEASE!
Lorry is going for MOT on Tuesday wish me luck because... Urgh. At least I did learn about cleaning sheaths today so err that is something. :O
First work was nuts with IT being idiots again. Then I busted out and headed over to the stables for a busy day. The Lorry was getting a new screen and I had a lesson lined up for Bill.
Things did not go to plan. Although the lorry got a new screen I managed to leave the lights on so couldn't move it before it was fitted. Still it is in. Forgot to take a picture but will get one tomorrow.
So far so good but when Sophie showed up for my lesson Bill turned out to be lame. Not really sure how but he was sore in his right read leg and had a bit of heat there. :( This suck balls.
Poor Bill, I just can't take a trick right now.
I am hoping he will be sound tomorrow but arggghhhh can I please get to enter a damn competition without something going wrong . PLEASE!
Lorry is going for MOT on Tuesday wish me luck because... Urgh. At least I did learn about cleaning sheaths today so err that is something. :O
Back to it.
So after two and a half weeks off for both of us Bill and I had a lesson today with the awesome Sophie! It was hard work and I didn't always get it but we worked hard on getting Bill not to pull so hard on the left rein.
Seems the rest and the physio he had worked as he was a lot lot more consistent in his going today. Mostly walk and trot but Bill was up for it and even let me have my left shoulder back after a while.
Going to work little and often this week and hopefully he will be all back jumping again. :D
Missed you Bill, Helen Sinar he is in amazing condition. THANK YOU! :D Looking forward to this week's riding.
Seems the rest and the physio he had worked as he was a lot lot more consistent in his going today. Mostly walk and trot but Bill was up for it and even let me have my left shoulder back after a while.
Going to work little and often this week and hopefully he will be all back jumping again. :D
Missed you Bill, Helen Sinar he is in amazing condition. THANK YOU! :D Looking forward to this week's riding.
Poles!
So its been a lovely day and we had dinner in the garden which is why tonight's Special Bill is a bit late. :D Sophie decided it was a bit hot to do real work today so we did poles instead. :D It was lots of fun and after the farrier left from sorting out Breeze's Equato's missing shoe he was a star even with the wind. I think he was happy to be doing something like jumping.
We did poles at normal separations which he lifted his legs up for, then some a closer separation that I had to collect him up for. I didn't get it right first time but it is all about calibration and working our how much impulsion we need and how much speed we need. Got it second time. :D
Then we did some canter poles with some flying changes over the poles. This went well, as Bill is awesome at this, until he slipped on the school and weee over we went. Bless him he tried to keep me on but he was fighting for footing. After hanging onto his neck for a bit it was clear I wasn't staying in the saddle so I leapt off and was standing next to him when got back up. He looked guilty as hell but it wasn't his fault.
We got back on and tried again and as expected he flying changed as you would expect from the machine he is.
He is just so awesome. :D
Thanks Sophie Seymour, thanks Helen Sinar and for the record I was comfortable it wasn't that hot. :D
We did poles at normal separations which he lifted his legs up for, then some a closer separation that I had to collect him up for. I didn't get it right first time but it is all about calibration and working our how much impulsion we need and how much speed we need. Got it second time. :D
Then we did some canter poles with some flying changes over the poles. This went well, as Bill is awesome at this, until he slipped on the school and weee over we went. Bless him he tried to keep me on but he was fighting for footing. After hanging onto his neck for a bit it was clear I wasn't staying in the saddle so I leapt off and was standing next to him when got back up. He looked guilty as hell but it wasn't his fault.
We got back on and tried again and as expected he flying changed as you would expect from the machine he is.
He is just so awesome. :D
Thanks Sophie Seymour, thanks Helen Sinar and for the record I was comfortable it wasn't that hot. :D
Monday fun
So a quick session with Bill today working on seeing if we can get him to stop leaning on the left rein when he is on the bit.
He was pretty good at the start and was working well but about half way through he started to play up. Not sure what was wrong but he did work to some extent. We will see how he goes on Wednesday. :D
He was pretty good at the start and was working well but about half way through he started to play up. Not sure what was wrong but he did work to some extent. We will see how he goes on Wednesday. :D
Billdozering across the country side.
Well that was a day for Special Billing! It was the inaugural voyage of the Good Ship BillDozer! Raced out of work forgetting to get my lunch DO'h. The I packed the van and got it ready to receive. When Helen Sinar was ready we booted Bill and got him ready to load and on the third attempt this time he went in and we got him all buttoned up. Phew!
Drove up to Leyland Court and were bang on time for our date with the Cross Country Course! :D Thankfully Sophie Seymour was waiting for us and helped us tack up while I got signed in and got my riding gear on and then it was off to the course.
I am pretty sure Bill remembered the place as he looked at everything and was spooking in all the places where he used to be etc.
First it was off to the practice field and a few logs and then a log, ditch and then a log combo which was okay the second time but I really need to watch my reins and straightness which will be the theme for the day. After jumping through the fence (yes there is a jump there) we went to the top water and after an initial reticence Bill went in and surprised me. We did a few drops in which he will do but I need to work on getting it faster. Then Sophie said just ride him at the big bank and jump him out. I was sure he would refuse but bless his little furry socks he just levitated out of the water. Wee! Honestly I was the most surprised one there I think.
Then it was down the long hill and he surprised me again by spooking the whole way down. I don't know what happened to him there but he has never really liked going down it and he spooked a couple of times and one really massive one but I am really pleased with myself because I just took it in my stride and kept him going down then we blasted back up the hill. WEEEE!
Next it was more water, and this time there was a small jump in to the water for him. Again took me twice to get my head round it but then we got it! We did some more dropping off into the water and out again as can been seen in one of the videos. At this point there was when the one sketchy moment happened... he went to jump down a bank into the water and saw some algae. I mean I wouldn't want to jump in there either but I was pretty stern and he went in eventually but it was a big leap and he shot sideways and I had moment where I nearly came out the side but I kept on and didn't end up in the nasty Algae!
After a few more jumps including a few ditches (video shown of a trakehner over a ditch) we tried his old nemesis the bridge and he noticed it but went over easily enough then we did a sunken road (a drop then a bank) and then some drops and jumps leading to a ditch and he was great! He is a legend really.
After a lovely play in the training park including some banks and a skinny I decided that enough today. We where both covered in sweat and knackered!
Then we loaded him on, with one refusal which was understandable as we had forgotten to open the front ramp, and then got him home. Apart from the usual BMW idiots passing at silly places and meeting a car in the middle of the road on a sharp narrow bend which was annoying but we got him back safely and he backed off really well. We wanted to give him a shower straight away but he thought we where trying to reload him so he had to wait until we closed it up and then he got his much deserved wash.
So big lessons and things I need to work on from today. I need to be more careful about keeping my reins short, staying straight on approach to the jump and not letting Bill get away from the centre of jumps etc.
I am pleased with the lovely videos from Sophie and can't want to go again.
You can find them on the following links.
https://www.facebook.com/jpgsawyer/videos/10157437368009306/
https://www.facebook.com/jpgsawyer/videos/10157437368194306/
https://www.facebook.com/jpgsawyer/videos/10157437368569306/
https://www.facebook.com/jpgsawyer/videos/10157437368899306/
Drove up to Leyland Court and were bang on time for our date with the Cross Country Course! :D Thankfully Sophie Seymour was waiting for us and helped us tack up while I got signed in and got my riding gear on and then it was off to the course.
I am pretty sure Bill remembered the place as he looked at everything and was spooking in all the places where he used to be etc.
First it was off to the practice field and a few logs and then a log, ditch and then a log combo which was okay the second time but I really need to watch my reins and straightness which will be the theme for the day. After jumping through the fence (yes there is a jump there) we went to the top water and after an initial reticence Bill went in and surprised me. We did a few drops in which he will do but I need to work on getting it faster. Then Sophie said just ride him at the big bank and jump him out. I was sure he would refuse but bless his little furry socks he just levitated out of the water. Wee! Honestly I was the most surprised one there I think.
Then it was down the long hill and he surprised me again by spooking the whole way down. I don't know what happened to him there but he has never really liked going down it and he spooked a couple of times and one really massive one but I am really pleased with myself because I just took it in my stride and kept him going down then we blasted back up the hill. WEEEE!
Next it was more water, and this time there was a small jump in to the water for him. Again took me twice to get my head round it but then we got it! We did some more dropping off into the water and out again as can been seen in one of the videos. At this point there was when the one sketchy moment happened... he went to jump down a bank into the water and saw some algae. I mean I wouldn't want to jump in there either but I was pretty stern and he went in eventually but it was a big leap and he shot sideways and I had moment where I nearly came out the side but I kept on and didn't end up in the nasty Algae!
After a few more jumps including a few ditches (video shown of a trakehner over a ditch) we tried his old nemesis the bridge and he noticed it but went over easily enough then we did a sunken road (a drop then a bank) and then some drops and jumps leading to a ditch and he was great! He is a legend really.
After a lovely play in the training park including some banks and a skinny I decided that enough today. We where both covered in sweat and knackered!
Then we loaded him on, with one refusal which was understandable as we had forgotten to open the front ramp, and then got him home. Apart from the usual BMW idiots passing at silly places and meeting a car in the middle of the road on a sharp narrow bend which was annoying but we got him back safely and he backed off really well. We wanted to give him a shower straight away but he thought we where trying to reload him so he had to wait until we closed it up and then he got his much deserved wash.
So big lessons and things I need to work on from today. I need to be more careful about keeping my reins short, staying straight on approach to the jump and not letting Bill get away from the centre of jumps etc.
I am pleased with the lovely videos from Sophie and can't want to go again.
You can find them on the following links.
https://www.facebook.com/jpgsawyer/videos/10157437368009306/
https://www.facebook.com/jpgsawyer/videos/10157437368194306/
https://www.facebook.com/jpgsawyer/videos/10157437368569306/
https://www.facebook.com/jpgsawyer/videos/10157437368899306/
(no subject)
Tonight's Special Bill it was a nice cruisy flat session. We did a bit of dressage, lots of transitions and some lateral work. We also did some endurance canter and then as there was a pole in the middle of the school we did some flying change practise, he was a star, with the pole there he just got it. What a good boy.
We also did some rein back and I got him to rein back into a little pen.
. What a star!
I also remembered to take a picture of the jump that John Fixed that Bill Broke. Much stronger.
We also did some rein back and I got him to rein back into a little pen.
. What a star! I also remembered to take a picture of the jump that John Fixed that Bill Broke. Much stronger.
(no subject)
So had a really interesting lesson with Nick Gauntlett on Sunday.
Brigitte Bood made a really good video of it.
>
I don't know why I got super self conscious about all this. I shouldn't have been as Bill was just awesome today. He loaded first time, he jumped everything we put in his path (well except the first where I didn't see the line properly) and even responded well to the instructions to getting him moving properly and to stop messing about. A bit of a flick with the stick and rode out the buck and off he went and was so much easier to jump. Looking at the video they feel much bigger than they look.
I am just happy he didn't keep putting in the kind of stops he can do he was a star. So getting him wound up seems to be the trick. Will have to remember that.
I don't think I would do a shared lesson again though I guess I am just greedy and didn't get a lot from watching the other lady jump bigger than me on a totally different horse. I also need to be braver in saying err I think I can do that. Nick said I probably shouldn't jump the next height up when I was just really starting to hit my straps and could probably have taken it by storm. Still it was a good session.
I also managed to get Bill on the trailer second go and he was very good about it. :D
Big thanks to Brigitte Bood for the lift and videoing me and for the awesome reversing skills. :D
As for the afternoon? Well the padded panels went up well enough and then I thought I would try and sort out the bonnet. I shouldn't have. Even after having the brackets welded on the other way it still doesn't fit and I need another plan. :( Argggh
Still a good day.
Brigitte Bood made a really good video of it.
>
I don't know why I got super self conscious about all this. I shouldn't have been as Bill was just awesome today. He loaded first time, he jumped everything we put in his path (well except the first where I didn't see the line properly) and even responded well to the instructions to getting him moving properly and to stop messing about. A bit of a flick with the stick and rode out the buck and off he went and was so much easier to jump. Looking at the video they feel much bigger than they look.
I am just happy he didn't keep putting in the kind of stops he can do he was a star. So getting him wound up seems to be the trick. Will have to remember that.
I don't think I would do a shared lesson again though I guess I am just greedy and didn't get a lot from watching the other lady jump bigger than me on a totally different horse. I also need to be braver in saying err I think I can do that. Nick said I probably shouldn't jump the next height up when I was just really starting to hit my straps and could probably have taken it by storm. Still it was a good session.
I also managed to get Bill on the trailer second go and he was very good about it. :D
Big thanks to Brigitte Bood for the lift and videoing me and for the awesome reversing skills. :D
As for the afternoon? Well the padded panels went up well enough and then I thought I would try and sort out the bonnet. I shouldn't have. Even after having the brackets welded on the other way it still doesn't fit and I need another plan. :( Argggh
Still a good day.
Two parts
So today was a Top Billing of two parts. This morning was riding and it saw Bill and I do some jumping. This is progress and I was always a bit scared of doing that on my own before but I put on my big boy pants and did it.
I added a bit of spice by making the questions a little tricky. The jumps where a nice cross to warm up with a skinny with wings over a single pickle barrel and then a slightly larger jump with fillers in.
Of course Bill hated the nice warm up cross bar, jumping it a few times but then loosing his confidence and just demolishing it. Very nicely the lovely Nicki Colborn put it back up again but then he demolished it again so I gave up on that and tried him on the skinny. After I make it wide enough to be acceptable to him he loved it and just jumped it in all sorts of approaches. Then we tried the slightly larger jump and he loved that too and went into what I can describe as jump anything mode and we jumped it a few more times really well. Sophie we need to work on finding that mode
Then it went a bit pants I dropped a stirrup as we approached the filled jump and was distracted and he jumped it but knocked it the pole off. :(
Then he refused at the skinny and knocked over the wing so I thought we would try it one sided to see if I could get him over. No he said he would much rather jump the wing instead! Strange boy.
So I popped off put it back up and we finished with a couple of brilliant leaps. :D
Then we did the Novice 27 test again but working round the debris in the school. :D He did brilliantly even if he was a bit worked up after jumping.
After all that I just walked him off and we bimbled about for a bit while he got his breath back. Then he got a nice shower before he got put out in his field with the current love of his life Lady. (See the picture.)
Then after a Chips from Helen I got cracking on the van removing the last of the rotten wood and I also filled the rotten bit on the new door. Annoyingly my rattle can of white paint ran out before I could finish painting but hey it is all ready for some welcome help next week.
I am now home and fabulously Jenny has made me a lovely onion tart for dinner. :D Nom.
I added a bit of spice by making the questions a little tricky. The jumps where a nice cross to warm up with a skinny with wings over a single pickle barrel and then a slightly larger jump with fillers in.
Of course Bill hated the nice warm up cross bar, jumping it a few times but then loosing his confidence and just demolishing it. Very nicely the lovely Nicki Colborn put it back up again but then he demolished it again so I gave up on that and tried him on the skinny. After I make it wide enough to be acceptable to him he loved it and just jumped it in all sorts of approaches. Then we tried the slightly larger jump and he loved that too and went into what I can describe as jump anything mode and we jumped it a few more times really well. Sophie we need to work on finding that mode
Then it went a bit pants I dropped a stirrup as we approached the filled jump and was distracted and he jumped it but knocked it the pole off. :(
Then he refused at the skinny and knocked over the wing so I thought we would try it one sided to see if I could get him over. No he said he would much rather jump the wing instead! Strange boy.
So I popped off put it back up and we finished with a couple of brilliant leaps. :D
Then we did the Novice 27 test again but working round the debris in the school. :D He did brilliantly even if he was a bit worked up after jumping.
After all that I just walked him off and we bimbled about for a bit while he got his breath back. Then he got a nice shower before he got put out in his field with the current love of his life Lady. (See the picture.)
Then after a Chips from Helen I got cracking on the van removing the last of the rotten wood and I also filled the rotten bit on the new door. Annoyingly my rattle can of white paint ran out before I could finish painting but hey it is all ready for some welcome help next week.
I am now home and fabulously Jenny has made me a lovely onion tart for dinner. :D Nom.