After selling Molly due to really needing a break from jumping and also knowing she would not cope if I got Pregnant again to sit there and do nothing for the time as I found out we clash when I am. Telling myself I will just ride George doing that Tim was using him too much after a few weeks was quite sad about losing  Molly also not riding so on my birthday 1st January Tim decides after flicking through horse deals. Seeing this young 2yo TB x Quarter Horse/Paint Gelding advertised. That looked big enough to start under saddle straight away and had some work done with him 7 months ago with the breaking side. After thinking Western Vic is a big area hoping he was close by which of course is never the case. For whatever reason Tim believed he could be quite good after talking on the phone. So on 3rd January off we went on a 3 hour journey to the other side of Horsham to pick up this horse and see what we thought. After our very long journey we got down there and got shown him having a saddle bridle put on and little lunging in the round yard. To me he seemed sensiable still wasn't convinced he would be the horse for me trusting Tim judgement which normally works out better than mine. Well Tim did decide I needed Molly and that was a good choice. We load him up on the float which is the first time without his mum in the float with him so the poor boy was pretty stressed out when we took off without her calling out but soon settled and traveled very well for his longest float trip he had with many stops to check he was going alright.

Photo of Wally in his old home.

Pretty much as soon as he got home he spent a week in the yard getting mouthed and long reined and was really starting to show some chrisma about him. We even long reined him down the road a few times wasn't worried by the cars which I was so glad to see. Being a baby did a looks at a few things. Tim gave him the first few rides as I would of properly made things worst me being the nervous one on new horses. He was a little silly and jump around a bit to start with and I must say I was thinking either he makes a clerk for Tim or we might have to sell him on as I really wanted something pretty quiet once Tim was finished. He started to settle in and work quite nicely and so me being the impatient one after Tim told me how nice he was to ride wanted to hop on. Well typical me froze a little when I got up there so Tim led me round and as soon as Tim unclipped the lead we did have a moment of flying backwards into the round yard wall then leaping forwards. Tim just telling me kick him forward and as soon as I did and we where trotting around he was fine for me. Mind you we stayed in the round yard that ride. So the next day me being my usual self thought get back on and see what happens well much better no sillys at all so after 10 mins of trotting in round yard rode out onto the arena. By the 4th ride I had my first lesson on him from having him home 2 weeks for some strange reason we both just felt like a partnership from early on.

Here is some photos of Wally being mouthed and long reined.

Our first lesson with Karen went so well that I was told that if I even think of selling him I would be in trouble and it was one of the best hores Karen had seen me ride. A baby that is so calm and focused and just so willing to oblige to every small ask I had of him as well as making my position look really good. I was thinking I am onto something here as well as I just clicked with him which rarely ever happens that I fully click with a horse and have such a great bond with them. We are having our lessons weekly and coming along in leaps and bounds together and really working towards a nice forward horse (as we can be a bit lazy and laid back at times) and aiming to do some very nice dressage together.

In the first lesson about 7 rides after having him home.

Some nicer photos after my lesson feeling very safe riding in the dressage saddle instead of the swinging fender my comfort zone.

Well on the 7th February 2009 we headed up to my friends club at Bendigo as after trying to work out what club to join and many clubs in the area are all far away and most have rally on sunday. It was much more suited for myself to have a saturday rally. On this very hot 40 C degree day which we will know later as Black saturday as who would of known the turn of events for the afternoon for this area with the worst bush fires. Luckily we where all well and truely home before this happened. We joined in the lesson at 9am to beat the heat mind you it was still very hot. Wally was great even floated super it was the second time since getting him home that we floated him. For a horse that hasn't been out much and a will admit I was a little nervous he was a dream for me not doing anything wrong and happy to just work with the other horses in the group. We even got level assessed by Mandy who was super putting us in level 4. So now we could go have some fun out in the dressage and showing for HRCAV and compete under Bendigo and District Family Equestrian Group.

Here are some photos of him at his first rally.

Making a decision I felt wally was ready to hit the compeition arena and behave himself well. We entered Rokewood ARC Dressage day to be held at Elcho Park in Lara thought this would be a good grounds with proper arenas and large warm up area. Knowing this knew the numbers would be large as others think the same. Well with 32 riders in my section all other sections very full. The day before he was washed and plaited and then stabled for the night to keep him all so clean. So on the 21st February we headed off with nice times of 12.48 and 1.24 so at least no early morning start. It was a beautiful day with not so hot weather that we have been having and in a lovely environment. We got there with plenty of time and took Wally for a walk to get hi a little used to all the new surroudings and so many horses and action. After 5 mins was settled and wandering round while we handed cards and so forth. While handing cards in Tim was standing with him right next gear check sign that then fell over heaps of horses further away all baulked and here's Wally that didn't even move and just looked at it like don't think was ment to happen. After catching up with friends made our way to saddling up and getting ready and doing the plan that Karen had for us for the day. Doing lots of walk trot canter work and really getting him thinking and listening to me. well he went so well warming up that I thought I better stop and then just do a little bit just before going in which worked well. Then Wally just fell asleep waiting for our turn. Went down to the judges car for my go and trying to keep my nerves at bay as I get nervous doing dressage and really trying to work on this. Wally seems to not pick up on my nerves. Head up to enter and did a lovely test worked well besides a few moments I forgot to ask for things soon enough one thing Karen has been drilling in my head about. I must say I had a little trouble seeing cones. We ended up with 67% for this test and an 8 for one of his halts which was perfect bar me putting us a little past the letter. I was still over the moon about his test as it is properly the first time I have looked like dressage rider starting to come out in me. Not just dressage is for eventing.

Then into the next test with a bit of break as everyone seemed to just be going when they wanted. By now poor Wally was getting a little tired. I was heaps more relaxed this time round and actually rode the test much more accuratly but had a little trouble keeping impulsion as he didn't want to go as easily. It is all a learning curve and he still did a super job. Getting us 61% this judge marked much harder for all riders. Overall we came about Mid field with such hard competition was absolutley stoked with for his first competition and not really long under saddle less than 2 months.

Here are some photos of us having a blast together.

Wally and myself headed off nice and early to Woodend on 15th March. For the Ct and Dressage day that Riddells Creek ARC was holding. We enetered the dressage jackpot for grade 4 and had many entries in our section again with a full fields of 32 riders. Considering the amount of horses and action happening and being quite a wet day Wally was still a little super star and was as calm as the whole day. After last time over warming him up this time was more careful to the point where there wasn't really much room to warm up that we didn't even do one practice canter first. He went in and rode the tests so nicely and accuratly wasn't even worried by the slippery grass. We ended up so pleased with Wally my instructor Karen and me where quite impressed with how he rode the tests. He came home with an 11th place and 21st in the second test.

 We went to Grampians dressage day boy we had a blast and again he showed me what a super boy he is. They didn't have much decent area to warm up so I kinda gave up on warming up but the arenas to do tests in are really good so makes up for it. Went in did one of the nicest tests and my friends watching cheered they thought it was so good. Here I was worried he was going to be a fool with his left canter last week just being silly and doesn't want to get the right one all the time. For this test we came 9th and a 66% score there wasn't much difference between mine and first don't think she judged much didn't move away from comfort numbers for all tests.

Then into my second test which was the harder of the 2 with a judge I trust her opinion and would use the whole range of numbers. Did some super work only had one section I wasn't completly happy with went little crocked in trot right before left canter so got wrong leg brought him back asked again got it right so got a 5 for that section but we got a 9 for a halt and a 9 for a trot across diagonal they where suberb parts of my tests. Then right at the end going down the long side to then turn up the centre line we have a loose bolting horse came down the other side of his arena and right across the bottom as we turn up now I am sure any other horse would have freaked must admitt I was stressing. Nope Wally just continued the test perfect never missed a beat. So in the end we got a 76% score and a 3rd was so happy with how he went.