I love that you are working in a "non-perfect" arena. So many people use the riding facilities, their tack, etc as an excuse not to improve. And your horse is the perfect example of how dressage helps conformation and movement. Nice job! I missed what happened, why are you not able to ride...

No advice from me, but as I've been stuck at training and 1st my entire dressage career I'm hoping you bust the 2nd barrier. The only times I rode 2nd level was on the trainers horses, I never succeeded with my own.

So thanks for this thread and please keep updating! ☺

My favorite so far is for 2 to 6 riders. At the trot, enter at A and split 1 by 1, intermittently riders go left and right to create 3 serpentines. Between F/B and K/E is the first serpentine. Pass left to left and at C stay on the rail until you are back to A. You can either restart the serpentine ...

Older book, early 1990's by Eleanor Ross. It has some very interesting exercises for a lone rider or up to eight riders.

The last two summers my horse was rubbing the top of his tail off. I did all the things you did and they would help initially, but within a week he would be back to rubbing. This spring I changed his feed to SafeChoice Senior. (For a different reason). I've just realized he is not itching this year....

I do not like eating with my hands, I even keep my sandwich in the baggie so I don't touch it. Have you said anything to him about the proper way to eat? In a nice way, maybe point out how ugly his behavior is to others. I've got a good friend that stuffs 3 sticks of gum in her mouth when traveling ...

Khall, it would be great if you would document your mares progression!

I had a little (15.2h) Arab/ASB cross. He always looked dressage fit, as in round and elastic. One clinician got excited when we came into the arena because she thought he was a Swedish Warmblood. Alas no!

I don't accept personal checks for any amount. Under 5k, cash. Over that amount and I'll meet them at their bank (if they are local) or a cashiers check. I've done one thru PayPal. They had to pay the extra amount that receiving it cost me.

Absolutely ^ My mare looked terrible just standing around. Everything looked strung out or saggy. But once in work she was gorgeous. She was such a lovely mover.

On the other hand I've seen beautiful horses posing, but get them under saddle and they move like pony.

His coronet band is not even, that tells you that the foot is out of balance. The front is being jammed up. And those heels are badly underslung, the flare is the last of his worries. I understand many people are barefoot advocates. I absolutely believe some horses need shoes. We are generally deali...

I'm up there in age, kind of a been there down that person. Friends would tell you I'm very independent and rather strong willed. I've made myself that way. I grew up in a home with a father that was abusive. He would have terrible temper "tantrums" and if you were anywhere in the vicinity...

I'd been on many hiring panels. We always ask about gaps. Never want to hear about personal family issues (for yourself or actual family) and people that say they went back to school we'd follow that up with questions about a degree, etc. The briefest, yet clearest, answer seemed the best. When you ...

Oh yes, I'm on the hunt to find a way to kill the squiggly bastards too! And I always put marigolds around my flower and veggie beds and something has been eating them. The foliage has been literally stripped from most of them. Of course they are now dead. Grrrr I put slug bait out the other night s...

He can make anything look beautiful. Such a gorgeous horse! I'm not a bling person but I think your horse looks fab in both brow bands. And I like your bridle better overall when the flash isn't attached.

Thanks for sharing so many pictures, I loved looking at them all.

I dumped my satellite TV a couple of months ago. My gawd it was expensive! I only watched 3 or 4 channels, the rest was crap. I do have about 30 home dvds and I still get a couple movies a week via Netflix dvd. I tried an antennae but it couldn't get the range I need to for the local news. Lots of r...

One of my horses that I'd had for years became bridle shy in a matter of weeks. Because I knew him and knew this wasn't his typical behavior I had a vet check his ears. He had aureal plaques (sp?). And having his ears touched was very painful. Meds for a week and he went back to easy bridling. Your ...

My horse is clubby on the right. The farrier leaves him heel, even though I thought he should lower it. But he is right, my horse is sound (19 yo) so going with what he had and what keeps him comfortable is the right thing to do. My guy is on a 6 week shoeing schedule. I've found when we're about 4 ...