Totally leveled up. Totally. This is the kind of gymnastics she needed to have down pat before Bichton last year. She will be WAY more savvy about understanding her approaches this year.
yea she’s sitting much straighter, shoulders back vs rounded a bit forward - looking fantastic!!! 😁😍 another thing i notice & i’m not picking on you at all. it seems Jam is VERY confident in her jumping but you still seem to have a bit of fear, which is understandable after a fall. i get you can’t let her take off with you but if she’s feeling good about heading into the jump try not to pull back on her so much. idk, i could be wrong, i’m not a pro but i was a champion rider at 12 years old 😊 my pony LOVED to jump & would look for things to jump. i had no fear & trusted her & we were a great team. your warm up & getting their rhythm right was perfect!!! try trusting Jam next session once you get her rhythm right & see how it goes. long as you can get her to slow down after the last jump, i think she will take care of you 😊❤ if not then i’m wrong & you’re doing things right lol. you look fantastic though & so did they!!! ❤ much love from the states!!
I love the way Meg listens to her horses and changed their tack to suit them…. Some would just ignore the issues but Meg sets a brill example for young and old riders everywhere x
its been so great watching jammy progress over the past few years! Shes gone from upside down connemara pony to a sporty warmblood! She looks so much happier in her new bridle!
I cannot tell if it’s the grackle that’s making Jam Bam look so different but she looked bigger almost! She looks totally different I think but she seems a lot softer with her head now with the new bridle ❤️ Love this Meg!
What I've understood so far when it comes to noseband fit: Grackles/high placed ergonomic and hunter/cavesson nosebands are the softer full nosebands I know of. I'd probably say cavessons are softer than grackles since they don't hold the mouth closed below the bit. "Half" nosebands or just riding without them are the softest options, but aren't legal for all types of competitions and doesn't give the support some bits need to stay put and be effective or soft. Crank, flash, drop and too low set ergonomic nosebands would be the harsher because of the positioning or how tight they can be pulled. Always fit at least two fingers vertically between noseband and skin (measured over the nasal bone) to prevent pain or damage. Flashes, drop and the lower section of nosebands should be especially loose as to not crank the mouth shut or put tension on the soft tissue below the nasal bone or the tip of the bone itself. Thin, rolled or unpadded leather will put more pressure on less surface area than wider, flat and padded.
anatomical bridles without the micklem attachment (see shelby dennis bridles) are show-legal, have no pressure on the nose, and are situated structurally appropriate on the horses face. i appreciate you sharing this information! too often i see people using harsh nose bands, claiming their horse goes well in them because they’re “gentle” and not because they’re in pain so obviously will avoid more pain.
I honestly feel like it's been such a long time since we've had a "normal" training video and I'm here for it! So excited to see what this year has in store for you and all your horses!
Wow jammy looks fantastic in her new grackle! She’s working really nice over her back & the shapes she making over a fence 🤩!! Dee’s just so buzzy 🤭 love her xx
I tried this thing where I took a deep breath and released it slowly, and then you find the horse relaxes too. I was amazed at how well it worked and rewarded with a pat after each time they relaxed.x
Can’t wait for when Dee starts jumping big again! She’s my fav of your ponies! She’s just so sensible and smart! (most of the time) ❤❤❤ and she’d adorable!
I cannot wait for badminton! You Dee and jam are gonna be amazing you did great last year coming 3rd so you can do great again this year! I am so exited to watch you at badminton doing the cross country! I can’t believe how high they both jumped it’s amazing :) Good luck Meg, you will do great with Dee and jam x
I honestly just like watching you with the ponies and doing every day things ❤️. It’s relatable and gets me motivated to go out and do what I love. Especially in these winter months when it seems hard to get out of bed😂
I would really love to see dee and jam do a circle jump schooling session where you put four jumps in a circle and you jumping on the circle to help keep their minds focussed. Or another personal favourite I found really helped and might be good for both dee and jam is going down the centerline make a zig zag of jumps where one standard is holding two points of the zigzag so that then as you land off one you can look on the one that you believe you can turn a make it to turn and go to that jump. The zigzag really helps a lot with horses that like to rush as well as for a rider because it makes you think on your feet as to which jump you think you have the best chance of getting over.
It took me two years to figure out why my horse was difficult in winter, we learned through trial and her chiropractor, that she hates being cold. We now blanket her more heavily and she is ridden with a quarter rug on if it is below 40F. It has made such a massive difference in her behavior in the winter now.
Really enjoyed!! We are training our E.S.S. for agility. Baby steps or rather puppy paws trotting over the poles and a small jump at the end on the lowest cavalletti setting. Also love your background music!
Jam looks really good in that new bridle I don't think I've ever seen her jump this well. I think the real test will be the first time you can take her cross-country schooling with the bridle and see how she feels cross-country with the bit and bridle combination. She definitely looks a lot more responsive right now though then she was. I think you've got a really good chance again this year at badminton with her rebuild your conference at the first few shows before badminton and you'll be fine.
Hi Meg! I need some advice from you. I had a horrible fall a few months ago and broke my arm. I couldn’t ride for a while and have only been back riding for about a month. I have also just bought my first horse, but I have one problem. Because of my fall I have lost all of my confidence in jumping, I am even terrified of canter poles! Do you have any tips on gaining back confidence especially with a first horse? I find your videos help me understand my riding a lot more and you are an amazing rider! X
When I lost my confidence the worst thing that I did for my confidence is take a break from riding. The only way I got over it is by just going to lessons and trusting your horse. I hope this helps.
This video was so fun to watch and Meg looks when riding both of them!! Can't wait to watch them at Badminton!! Does anyone have any tips on how to sit to a bouncy canter??
my parents and i worked so hard for me to get back into riding and showing. i found the perfect lease horse, trainer and went to a show for the first time in like 2 years. then i decided i need a break and gave her back to her owner just a few weeks after thinking we were gonna buy her. things are so unexpected. my semi retired first pony and i will juts be having fun now. one day i’ll get back
Only reason I don't particularly like Grackles is because I hate flashes in general. There's no need to strap your horse's mouth shut. But Jam looks like she's going really well at the moment. Good luck in your Badminton prep!
I can see you have changed to a grackle,makes Jam looks really different.when i saw the short about you jumping her i thought you were trying out a horse!
do you ride them most days? or give them some sort of very good exercise most days? if not, how do you avoid soring, pulled muscles, etc.? Do you find that they are more tired, worn, breathless with intermittent workouts? Seems the big game horses are worked more often, steadier scheduled schooling, hacking, etc... Of course, covered arenas, paid riders, trainers, stable help make a huge difference. Love watching your path to greatness - keep up the good work. Prayers sent up for all.
Wow they both look so well and are going so well. Jam looks different, I can’t explain it; she is always amazing but there is something different, the Grackle maybe? You must be so pleased with them both ❤x
This gets me so freaking motivated but literally every surface here is frozen over and the roads are not safe to travel in so I’m equally frustrated 😂❤
Hi Meg u and both of the ponies are looking amazing so u have any tips for slowing down as I have a very fast and strong pony and don’t know how to slow him into jumps and round corses xx
Didn’t Jam go beautifully in the new bridle and bit? Much softer, lower head, no martingale needed. I did notice you praised DD a lot less - even when she’d gone nicely/improved.
It makes sense what G says. Dee likes to be short but fast which helps her make the poles but also very flat. Now you saw how she opened up her stride by relaxing her back muscles more instead of just flat running.
I think Dee worries going over flat poles that she's going to trip over them, especially flinging in a leg change along the way - might be worth experimenting with slightly closer together or further apart poles to see if that makes any difference?
How often/intense do you exercise an eventing horse of yours per week? I'm learning to jump with my dressage horse and hoping that xc will be next! Just not sure if I'm riding frequently enough to keep her in the kind of shape that she'll need. Love your videos!
Something isn't 100% with Jam's right hind. I can't put my finger on it, but it was confirmed by the way she kept switching leads and counter cantering around the corner. She was showing that she could still work, but something might be off, and she might not be as strong in the right hind as a result. If you don't have a laser yet, I would look into getting one. There are vet lasers available in the USA for $500. They are only one frequency, and I hear rumors the body can acclimate to it but I haven't any personal experience with it yet. There is a QRI laser available for ppl online, and that unit does change frequencies. I'm guessing it could be Jam's Rt stifle or SI joint because she is slamming down her right hind harder than the left and may be using her gastrocnemius to compensate. I am curious what a chiropractor thinks.
I wonder if Dee has PSSM? Couldn't help but notice how tight her glutes looked, and PSSM horses often get tight muscles in cold weather, so could explain the tension? Hair strand test for it is only £40 from Animal Genetics UK. My Connie has it too.
If you want Dee to be softer. Work with her on the ground more. The softer she is on the ground then the softer she will be when you're riding. There are several exercises that you can look up that can help you with getting her softer.
One of the exercises that help to keep my horses softer was lunging with the lead rope and a stiff rope halter instead of a lunge line. They will be closer so using as little contact with the lead rope as possible should make it easier for them to respond when trying to get them to change direction and to stop and face you. The less contact you need to use the better off you will be just as long as you get the response that you are wanting. Don't add more pressure that you don't need.
I've been fighting confidence issues myself, I tell myself to challenge myself a small amount each time, so I only jumped 1 jump, then next lesson did 2 until I built it up in to a course, I went at the pace I wanted to and now I'm in a place where I'm happier jumping then I was
Hi Meg, I’m interested to know what you inject her hocks with? Arthramid? If so, fabulous stuff. Also, cartrophen might be more beneficial given every 3 months, maybe something to discuss with your vet? ☺️
How many horses and were poies have you got? Intern 2 wee ones behijfnypunwjrn you brought the dee in they are both gorgeous but you can see that jammy knows what she's doing she definitely knows her job and you could tell she was enjoying working I love the way dee steps out over the trotting poles....but dir seems stiff a little xxxxx
Is it just me or Meg is riding much much better! I think the Vlogmas week helped lots! That was beautifully ridden the whole time!
Totally leveled up. Totally. This is the kind of gymnastics she needed to have down pat before Bichton last year. She will be WAY more savvy about understanding her approaches this year.
yea she’s sitting much straighter, shoulders back vs rounded a bit forward - looking fantastic!!! 😁😍 another thing i notice & i’m not picking on you at all. it seems Jam is VERY confident in her jumping but you still seem to have a bit of fear, which is understandable after a fall. i get you can’t let her take off with you but if she’s feeling good about heading into the jump try not to pull back on her so much. idk, i could be wrong, i’m not a pro but i was a champion rider at 12 years old 😊 my pony LOVED to jump & would look for things to jump. i had no fear & trusted her & we were a great team. your warm up & getting their rhythm right was perfect!!! try trusting Jam next session once you get her rhythm right & see how it goes. long as you can get her to slow down after the last jump, i think she will take care of you 😊❤ if not then i’m wrong & you’re doing things right lol. you look fantastic though & so did they!!! ❤ much love from the states!!
I love the way Meg listens to her horses and changed their tack to suit them…. Some would just ignore the issues but Meg sets a brill example for young and old riders everywhere x
its been so great watching jammy progress over the past few years! Shes gone from upside down connemara pony to a sporty warmblood! She looks so much happier in her new bridle!
Wow Jam looked so happy with her new bridle and to work! Dede is so cute when she's excited like a bouncy pony. Good job not killing Pete! LOL 😆
I cannot tell if it’s the grackle that’s making Jam Bam look so different but she looked bigger almost! She looks totally different I think but she seems a lot softer with her head now with the new bridle ❤️ Love this Meg!
I was thinking this too
Totally agree!
She looks heavier somehow, more condition on her.
I agree, I wonder if it’s the clip as well, as she’s got her face clipped off as well which has made her look different
How big is Jam?
What I've understood so far when it comes to noseband fit:
Grackles/high placed ergonomic and hunter/cavesson nosebands are the softer full nosebands I know of. I'd probably say cavessons are softer than grackles since they don't hold the mouth closed below the bit. "Half" nosebands or just riding without them are the softest options, but aren't legal for all types of competitions and doesn't give the support some bits need to stay put and be effective or soft.
Crank, flash, drop and too low set ergonomic nosebands would be the harsher because of the positioning or how tight they can be pulled.
Always fit at least two fingers vertically between noseband and skin (measured over the nasal bone) to prevent pain or damage. Flashes, drop and the lower section of nosebands should be especially loose as to not crank the mouth shut or put tension on the soft tissue below the nasal bone or the tip of the bone itself. Thin, rolled or unpadded leather will put more pressure on less surface area than wider, flat and padded.
anatomical bridles without the micklem attachment (see shelby dennis bridles) are show-legal, have no pressure on the nose, and are situated structurally appropriate on the horses face. i appreciate you sharing this information! too often i see people using harsh nose bands, claiming their horse goes well in them because they’re “gentle” and not because they’re in pain so obviously will avoid more pain.
I honestly feel like it's been such a long time since we've had a "normal" training video and I'm here for it! So excited to see what this year has in store for you and all your horses!
Wow jammy looks fantastic in her new grackle! She’s working really nice over her back & the shapes she making over a fence 🤩!! Dee’s just so buzzy 🤭 love her xx
I tried this thing where I took a deep breath and released it slowly, and then you find the horse relaxes too. I was amazed at how well it worked and rewarded with a pat after each time they relaxed.x
Can’t wait for when Dee starts jumping big again! She’s my fav of your ponies! She’s just so sensible and smart! (most of the time) ❤❤❤ and she’d adorable!
Its amazing your confidence has grown soo much over the past year! Im sure you , DD, Jam Bam will do amazing at Badminton!
I cannot wait for badminton! You Dee and jam are gonna be amazing you did great last year coming 3rd so you can do great again this year! I am so exited to watch you at badminton doing the cross country! I can’t believe how high they both jumped it’s amazing :) Good luck Meg, you will do great with Dee and jam x
9:15 the canter was so on beat with the song! great job today! 😊
I honestly just like watching you with the ponies and doing every day things ❤️. It’s relatable and gets me motivated to go out and do what I love. Especially in these winter months when it seems hard to get out of bed😂
your seat is so calm and soft to watch, it all looks so easy and light and i love how you listen to your horses
Meg; "Not motorbiking"
DeeDee; vroooooom!!!!
🤣
I would really love to see dee and jam do a circle jump schooling session where you put four jumps in a circle and you jumping on the circle to help keep their minds focussed. Or another personal favourite I found really helped and might be good for both dee and jam is going down the centerline make a zig zag of jumps where one standard is holding two points of the zigzag so that then as you land off one you can look on the one that you believe you can turn a make it to turn and go to that jump. The zigzag really helps a lot with horses that like to rush as well as for a rider because it makes you think on your feet as to which jump you think you have the best chance of getting over.
You've done such an AMAZING job with Jam! She's a super star 😍
Thank you for airing your self-talk coming up to the jumps. So relatable!
So excited to watch this video thank you for all your effort that you put in for our entertainment ❤️we appreciate you and your work alot ❤️
Both the mares are looking great Meg, big, but lots of muscle, and so keen to get on with preparing for Badminton! Good job. 👏🏻
Your stirrups were killing me 😂 you are very talented 💗
Grey girls are looking great! Awesome work, Meg :)
I missed this videos sooo much!!!
Loved watching you!!!!
Loved watching this Meg. Jam is amazing, and you both looked great 👍 Dee was just super excited 😄 And she listened well ❤️
Gorgeous video! You and jam look amazing!
Another brilliant video as always Meg! DD and Jam look brill!🤩 PS; brownie points to Pete for those drone control skills👏🏻
“It’s pitch black” girllllllll 😂😂😂😂😂 that sounds like excuses MEG 🎉🎉😂😂😂😂😂❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Eek can’t wait to watch!! 😆 also jammy looks so smart in her new bridle 🤩
Yay so excited to watch this! Hope you're doing okay Meg ❤️ I just lost a horse myself so I know how hard it is to have Ace not doing well
I really enjoyed that . Such confidence and the ponies look stunning x
I love your videos so much they always manage to make me smile 🐴🐴😁😁
I love your videos soooo much ❤❤ your a very good rider and your jumping is amazing!!who agrees? 🐴🐎🐴🐎
It took me two years to figure out why my horse was difficult in winter, we learned through trial and her chiropractor, that she hates being cold. We now blanket her more heavily and she is ridden with a quarter rug on if it is below 40F. It has made such a massive difference in her behavior in the winter now.
Jam is sooo good at jumping well done 👍❤❤❤❤
that was beautiful so proud of u meg your riding has improved a lot!!!! 💕
So excited to watch! Never been this early :)
Really enjoyed!! We are training our E.S.S. for agility. Baby steps or rather puppy paws trotting over the poles and a small jump at the end on the lowest cavalletti setting. Also love your background music!
I love this kind of content 🤩 its very relatable to all of us training at home. X
I really enjoyed this video the ponies and you are such an amazing team !
Great progress there! ❤ and thumbs up for choosing Sigrid’s Mirror as one of the songs!!
Wow!! Jam Bam looks so good!! She has really progressed and you guys look so good!! She looks so fancy in the new bridle!
The cinematography! 😍
I love that Dee is called “miss naughty knickers”
whoah you can really see a difference in jam with the new bridle!! so much softer!
The camera work ! Awesome
Jam looks really good in that new bridle I don't think I've ever seen her jump this well. I think the real test will be the first time you can take her cross-country schooling with the bridle and see how she feels cross-country with the bit and bridle combination. She definitely looks a lot more responsive right now though then she was. I think you've got a really good chance again this year at badminton with her rebuild your conference at the first few shows before badminton and you'll be fine.
Jam is looking super! And so interesting to see and hear at DD x
Hi Meg! I need some advice from you. I had a horrible fall a few months ago and broke my arm. I couldn’t ride for a while and have only been back riding for about a month. I have also just bought my first horse, but I have one problem. Because of my fall I have lost all of my confidence in jumping, I am even terrified of canter poles! Do you have any tips on gaining back confidence especially with a first horse? I find your videos help me understand my riding a lot more and you are an amazing rider! X
When I lost my confidence the worst thing that I did for my confidence is take a break from riding. The only way I got over it is by just going to lessons and trusting your horse. I hope this helps.
@@gracebrennner okay thank you! X
The quality of this is really impressive
Yessss what I’ve been waiting for!❤
Damn, the camera work really improved these last few months! Well done to Pete the cameraman and to the investments made ;)
Shout out to Videographer Pete 😊. He is doing all the hard work while Meg ‘just sits there’ 😜.
This video was so fun to watch and Meg looks when riding both of them!! Can't wait to watch them at Badminton!!
Does anyone have any tips on how to sit to a bouncy canter??
It’s great to have another jumping video!
my parents and i worked so hard for me to get back into riding and showing. i found the perfect lease horse, trainer and went to a show for the first time in like 2 years. then i decided i need a break and gave her back to her owner just a few weeks after thinking we were gonna buy her. things are so unexpected. my semi retired first pony and i will juts be having fun now. one day i’ll get back
Ohh can't wait to see more of Dee! She is my favourite
Only reason I don't particularly like Grackles is because I hate flashes in general. There's no need to strap your horse's mouth shut. But Jam looks like she's going really well at the moment. Good luck in your Badminton prep!
me too, it only bandages the problem and doesn’t actually fix it. it’s not fixing your horse, it’s hiding the issue by forcing their mouth closed.
aka ur evel twin 😂😂 got me dieing😭😂
I can see you have changed to a grackle,makes Jam looks really different.when i saw the short about you jumping her i thought you were trying out a horse!
I love your vids Meg❤️❤️I am so exited when you have a new vid out
I have a grey pony to so I know your pain hehe😂
do you ride them most days? or give them some sort of very good exercise most days? if not, how do you avoid soring, pulled muscles, etc.? Do you find that they are more tired, worn, breathless with intermittent workouts? Seems the big game horses are worked more often, steadier scheduled schooling, hacking, etc... Of course, covered arenas, paid riders, trainers, stable help make a huge difference. Love watching your path to greatness - keep up the good work. Prayers sent up for all.
What a great exercise, though come to think of it we used to do that sort of thing with cavaletti... Anyway I'm doing that tomorrow
Wow they both look so well and are going so well. Jam looks different, I can’t explain it; she is always amazing but there is something different, the Grackle maybe? You must be so pleased with them both ❤x
This gets me so freaking motivated but literally every surface here is frozen over and the roads are not safe to travel in so I’m equally frustrated 😂❤
the video quality has gone up so much lately, really gorgeous shots!!!
Hi Meg u and both of the ponies are looking amazing so u have any tips for slowing down as I have a very fast and strong pony and don’t know how to slow him into jumps and round corses xx
Great video Meg
I just absolutely love jam 😍 ❤️
Jam looks like a different horse in that bridle 😍
Didn’t Jam go beautifully in the new bridle and bit? Much softer, lower head, no martingale needed.
I did notice you praised DD a lot less - even when she’d gone nicely/improved.
It makes sense what G says. Dee likes to be short but fast which helps her make the poles but also very flat. Now you saw how she opened up her stride by relaxing her back muscles more instead of just flat running.
I think Dee worries going over flat poles that she's going to trip over them, especially flinging in a leg change along the way - might be worth experimenting with slightly closer together or further apart poles to see if that makes any difference?
Where are the Equine Volmas you spoke about?
How often/intense do you exercise an eventing horse of yours per week? I'm learning to jump with my dressage horse and hoping that xc will be next! Just not sure if I'm riding frequently enough to keep her in the kind of shape that she'll need. Love your videos!
My mare is horrid during winter! An absoloute star in summer tho! I know the feeling of frustration tho
Ahh so excited to watch it looks awesome already!! 4th 😂
I’m fifth!!
All of a sudden jam seems to have gone from a pony to a horse ❤
Omg she has grown so much ❤
May I ask what size your arena is
You and your horses are the best❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Amazing meg your my inspiration ❤
Hi just curious, how come you can use actual music now? I though that was an issue with copyright.
Something isn't 100% with Jam's right hind. I can't put my finger on it, but it was confirmed by the way she kept switching leads and counter cantering around the corner. She was showing that she could still work, but something might be off, and she might not be as strong in the right hind as a result. If you don't have a laser yet, I would look into getting one. There are vet lasers available in the USA for $500. They are only one frequency, and I hear rumors the body can acclimate to it but I haven't any personal experience with it yet. There is a QRI laser available for ppl online, and that unit does change frequencies. I'm guessing it could be Jam's Rt stifle or SI joint because she is slamming down her right hind harder than the left and may be using her gastrocnemius to compensate. I am curious what a chiropractor thinks.
I wonder if Dee has PSSM? Couldn't help but notice how tight her glutes looked, and PSSM horses often get tight muscles in cold weather, so could explain the tension? Hair strand test for it is only £40 from Animal Genetics UK. My Connie has it too.
PSSM?
Beautiful Rider 😊
If you want Dee to be softer. Work with her on the ground more. The softer she is on the ground then the softer she will be when you're riding. There are several exercises that you can look up that can help you with getting her softer.
One of the exercises that help to keep my horses softer was lunging with the lead rope and a stiff rope halter instead of a lunge line. They will be closer so using as little contact with the lead rope as possible should make it easier for them to respond when trying to get them to change direction and to stop and face you. The less contact you need to use the better off you will be just as long as you get the response that you are wanting. Don't add more pressure that you don't need.
Hey elfiick I fell off my horse today I got back on and jumped it again but any confidence tips
I've been fighting confidence issues myself, I tell myself to challenge myself a small amount each time, so I only jumped 1 jump, then next lesson did 2 until I built it up in to a course, I went at the pace I wanted to and now I'm in a place where I'm happier jumping then I was
Dee has a more femine, pony head, compared to Jam, who has a squarer face.
?
Do you still use the new bit as well?
How do you tell the difference from DD and Jammy
Only the mane and tail on DD and that it for me
Hi Meg, I’m interested to know what you inject her hocks with? Arthramid? If so, fabulous stuff. Also, cartrophen might be more beneficial given every 3 months, maybe something to discuss with your vet? ☺️
Jams a pro 😃
how come they don't do flying changes? i see Dee changing in front after some of the jumps..
Can someone explain to me why there are logs in the middle of the arena? They look wayyy to small to be jumps they look like firewood to be honest
How many horses and were poies have you got? Intern 2 wee ones behijfnypunwjrn you brought the dee in they are both gorgeous but you can see that jammy knows what she's doing she definitely knows her job and you could tell she was enjoying working I love the way dee steps out over the trotting poles....but dir seems stiff a little xxxxx
How big is your arena for reference if i were to attempt 😂 this
Love Dee
Can you post a update video of all the pony a special teddy and briny x
How times do you jump your horses a week
I'm sorry, but why is the bit so big? It sticks out so much 😳