September and October Goals and Progress

[Tsavo]

The saddle unfortunately sits me in a chair seat and I fight it the whole time, it's also too small for me. It's a 'high wither' model to fit the horse and so the pommel rises quite steeply under my crotch and I can't stay forward. If I raise my stirrups my bum hangs over the back of the saddle even more so, and if I drop my stirrups it puts the better angle but I'm just too bouncy. It may be time to look for a new saddle for him as he is 6 now and shouldn't change a great deal, but otherwise I'll keep working on trying to prevent that chair seat thing happening.

Tough problem! Where is the lowest point of the seat? If is it behind the mid point then I think you are going to need Herculean abs to ride that. If it is in the middle then you can try to sit towards the front I think. The closer to the front, the more the saddle flattens your lower back and the less abs you need to do anything. The more you can sit to the front, the more your leg can be straightened and the easier it is to use weight aids. Nobody told me this. I just stumbled on sitting to the front while experimenting.

[Chisamba]

Tsavo.. i keep meaning to ask, are you from Kenya?

So i had a real ride today, sitting trot and everything. I had Mikhail do a video, which i am choosing not to share, but i made a very interesting discovery, the weakness in my lower abdominal, from the surgery, has me riding with my lower leg too far back, it seems that lower abdomen directly relates to the lower leg in my case, this will actually help me in my teaching i think.

Horses were a bit out of tune, but I even rode the two more complicated ones, Faramir and Deneb, without reservation.

So new goals, i missed my clinic and my horse show, which is fine, everything can be turned into a positive reason, so i am making a new goal to get Kimba solid second level ready, and be brave enough to show Deneb next year.

hope everyone is having fabulous rides and making it a good life.

[Tsavo]

No I just am fascinated with Africa and have tried to get funding to do research there for years. Eventually I will travel there with my family if I can't get a research project there.

When I read your observation of the connection of lower ab and leg position it immediately made physical sense to me when I imagined it. When I had emergency pelvic surgery, the incision was exactly like a C-section. I could not stand up straight for a few weeks. If I imagine being on a horse, I think it would be hard to keep the thigh forward. Or to do anything really.

It's so good you had a lap procedure instead of open. (I think you said you had a lap procedure, yes?). I wish you a speedy recovery.

[Chisamba]

No I just am fascinated with Africa and have tried to get funding to do research there for years. Eventually I will travel there with my family if I can't get a research project there.

When I read your observation of the connection of lower ab and leg position it immediately made physical sense to me when I imagined it. When I had emergency pelvic surgery, the incision was exactly like a C-section. I could not stand up straight for a few weeks. If I imagine being on a horse, I think it would be hard to keep the thigh forward. Or to do anything really.

It's so good you had a lap procedure instead of open. (I think you said you had a lap procedure, yes?). I wish you a speedy recovery.

yes just a lap procedure, so the incisions healed very well, the part that is sensitive is nowhere near the actual incisions, my surgeon says it is where the intestine was sectioned off. and that over stressing it can still lead to a abdominal hematoma.

[Gwen]

Wow, so much going on in this thread! It sounds like everyone had a lot of challenges. I hope everyone starts feeling like the worst is over!

It has been a rough summer for us too, sadly. Callie hasn't been off, but she hasn't been right. She mostly just felt like she hated her job and maybe her life. We tried rest and Lyme and lameness exams and weren't coming up with anything. I finally decided to have her taken to the vet clinic for a "Look for everything including zebras I don't care just figure it out" visit, with the head vet weighing in on lameness exam. We used the lameness locator because there were hints of lameness but not clear enough to pinpoint. Final results:

- Lame in both front feet, blocked to the feet. Injected coffin joints

- mild arthritis between C6-C7, not enough to inject but we are treating with Shockwave

- mild soreness right suspensory, ultrasound showed no tears or major damage, but definitely inflammation. Shockwave therapy on that too

Her blood work was normal but low normal Vit E. I'm going to make some drastic changes to her diet too, I think she's on way too much grain which is not going to help the ulcers/cribbing. I'm talking to a nutritionist and should have a new diet plan Monday.

At the moment, my plan is long trail rides for at least the next two months and possibly all winter. No ring work at all, if we trot/canter only doing it in the field. Playing with liberty training for fun. I think physically and mentally she needs to be "let down". I figure the trail riding will be good rehab, and getting her really comfortable out there is a satisfying goal. My stretch goal is to be able to do some trot and canter on the trails too, without her freaking out.

I'm most concerned with the neck arthritis, obviously, but I'm trying not to think about it all too hard. The goal is fun, and hanging out together, and we'll see where that gets us.

As an aside, my 5 year old daughter was at the soundness exam. The lameness was so subtle I was having trouble seeing anything at all. After the vet flexed her right hind and she trotted off, I had just finished explaining to Keira how hard it is to see lameness. She walks up to the vet (old, Irish, good sense of humor but doesn't seem like the type to tolerate interrupting little girls), and before I can grab her says "Excuse me, I think she wasn't stepping up as far with her right hind leg as she was with her left." He gazed down at her seriously for a second, then nodded and said "spot on." Now when he see's me he asks how my future veterinarian is doing.

[demi]

I've been missing the adventures of Gwen and Callie and am glad you updated. Your plan sounds just right. You are both young and a winter of letting her down is just a blink in time. When she realizes that you really are her best friend, she will turn herself inside out for you. Mares are like that.

Keep us posted on how the trail riding goes.

Maybe I should send your daughter a video of Emma. I could use some insight on her mild lameness issues!!

[Gwen]

Aw, thanks for thinking of us demi. I was honestly too depressed and worried to post or even read here for most of it. I've made it to a more positive place now though, just have to stick to the plan. Thanks for the support.

I'm sure Keira would be happy to take a look at Emma!

So far we have ventured into the woods on our own once. A deer jumped out behind us and Callie dropped down and dodged to the left so hard I didn't have a horse under me for a breath, and almost took us into a tree, then course corrects towards a big branch I thought would scrape me off, but she somehow extricated both of us (I didn't even have a scratch) to bolt down the clear trail. I was ready to focus on steering because it seemed like it was going to be a while before we stopped but she listened to me and stopped, turning to look at the deer as it leapt away. She was shaking all over for pretty much the rest of the ride, but I kept telling her she was the bravest and best of ponies, and just asked her to be exactly in the middle of my legs and hands. And the next spook I SWEAR she started to leave my aids and then dove right back into them like "safe space put me back in my safe space!!"

We've been going out with other horses since then and she's calmer every ride so far. After couple of weeks or so with company (one of the guys who works at the barn hacks out horses for people every day so I'm joining him, he's very calm and gives excellent advice, and has ridden Callie out as well so he knows her), we'll try going it alone again.

[Moutaineer]

Gwen, my personal opinion is that, when we go looking for it, an awful lot of horses show evidence of arthritis in the neck. I'm not so sure it's the big drama deal we can make of it. Don't jam her into a frame and keep it in the back of your mind, but don't freak out about it.

Laddie and I are up to 25 minutes walking as of today. I'm trying to make the best use of the time by working on position and connection and a solid forward walk. Another 2 weeks and we can probably start to add a bit of trotting. He's being a good boy and we are going to have the best medium walk on the planet by the time we are done with this.

[Chisamba]

Re: arthritis in the neck, i found a small study done on horse necks, where they x rayed necks of horses that have never been ridden, ( broodmares, ) and found that they also had arthritis. ( it was done as a control versus horses that were ridden since there has been a lot of speculation that putting a horse on the bit causes arthritis. I was so sure i had bookmarked it because it was of great interest to me, and now i cannot find it)

Gwen I am sorry that Callie has soreness in her feet, Clever Keira to notice it , were you at Dr Furlong? He is a fabulous lameness vet. I hope the trail riding is good for both of you, and brings her back to happy soundness

I am not sure if you read my very sad story about losing Luna and discovering she was probably fatally low on vitamin E. I have since found out about three or four horses that were found low on vitamin E and despite being really boosted with the vitamin were unable to recover. I suspect that once it was found they might already have been too low.

I am now a proponent of supplementing for Vitamin E, and I use Elevate.
https://kppusa.com/all-products/elevate ... ce-powder/

Since vitamin E is non toxic, I feel that i would rather err on the side of abundance.

Mountaineer, i hope Laddie progression is a smooth as cream.

So riding Deneb, I felt like she was not uphill enough and kept working her hind end under her, perhaps i need to have her a little less high. Mikhail took a couple of photos and I think she was definitely uphill enough and even though my lower leg strayed back, i would like your opinions. I was bringing her from the hind forward with shoulder in and little half pass, and traver, renver.

[Abby Kogler]

I like seeing and following everyones goals, trials, successes and hard things. Thanks to everyone posting.

The universe seems like it is finally giving me a bit of a breather. After my third left foot tendon reconstruction Nov 3 and several infections I had another surgery June 7 which revealed a staph abcess surrounding a little nest of fibrewire. So after 10 months of antibiotics, crutches, non weight bearing, casts, boots, and splints, I am finally pretty ambulatory. What a long year it has been. 6 weeks ago I broke badly my big toe on my *other* foot, so was back in a splint/boot on *that* foot. At least I was bilaterally lame. It still hurts and is swollen but getting better. My tendon foot will never be normal but sleeping in a boot/splint and wearing splints during the day should keep me functional for a while. I cant wear clogs any more. I feel naked without my clogs!

My left leg was at least a third smaller than my right and felt awkward and useless. My already dominant right hip and leg are even more so now. I was able to ride a few times in between infections (usually bareback as I couldnt use the stirrup anyway with my big boot) and every time I rode my horses would shoot left. They must have wondered why Mom only wanted to go left. Feldenkrais and PT have helped and I work alternating without one stirrup and do all the work I learned at the Centered Riding certification. I am actually finally able to get my boots on and be in a stirrup and I am able to post. My stamina is way down and at first man I felt lie crap, it was so discouraging. I feel better every week though.

The horses are fine and Im sure were surprised when I brought a saddle out >;-> 'Huh? We thought we were retired?! Whats this riding thing?" So we are all very out of shape but getting better. I lost a whole year of property work (we moved and then I had the surgery) so I am planting, organizing the barn, etc etc. It feels great to be back to somewhat normal.

I am auditioning for acceptance in to the Legerete USA Trainers course in October. Bertrand has seen me auditing for the last year and a half and has seen me for the last almost year on crutches and in a boot so he said he does not expect me to be 100%. I asked if I had to actually ride or could I just talk about it >;-> ha! But I should be a little stronger by then. I am excited.

Current horses are:

Lafit M, Danish imported, 18, second level
Weltmann, 19, US Hann 4th level
Max, TB, mid twenties? ex everything, field hunter, jumper, who knows.
Riwaldo, 20, Hann 2nd level
Lover, 25 KWPN 3rd.

Everyone is sound and happy in what little work we are doing. I mainly walk but do much much 'school' work just walking. Also free lunging which kept them at least a little fit, though it was sporadic since it was hard to do anything on crutches

I sold Bella, the pretty KWPN mare I had with Jeremy Steinberg, to a client of his in Illinois.
I put Lars down, his physical issues (neck and others) could not be addressed after 16 months and he was dangerous to handle and work around. I could do it with comfort but when I had to have my surgery I couldn't risk having him hurt the people helping me. That was pretty rough.

Husband not in good health but stable and we live the new normal that cancer means in ones life.

And so my Sept/Oct goal is to get accepted in to Legerete, be able to post more than five minutes, get my left leg stronger, and finish landscaping the barn and new house! I ordered the Soloshot when it was first offered so maybe that will FINALLY come. I cant wait for that.

Good luck all and thanks for sharing your stories.

[Tsavo]

Re: arthritis in the neck, i found a small study done on horse necks, where they x rayed necks of horses that have never been ridden, ( broodmares, ) and found that they also had arthritis. ( it was done as a control versus horses that were ridden since there has been a lot of speculation that putting a horse on the bit causes arthritis. I was so sure i had bookmarked it because it was of great interest to me, and now i cannot find it)

Thank you SO MUCH for mentioning this!

Controls are required in science for a reason. The entirety of scoliosis brace research before several years ago is total complete nonsense because of lack of controls. All those poor kids enrolled in brace studies that couldn't IN PRINCIPLE make any headway in determining efficacy. When they finally did a (still flawed) controlled study, it was learned that about half the kids wore a brace needlessly (i.e., their curve would not have progressed if they didn't). So all those high percentages reported for brace efficacy were bullcrap.

I am not sure if you read my very sad story about losing Luna and discovering she was probably fatally low on vitamin E. I have since found out about three or four horses that were found low on vitamin E and despite being really boosted with the vitamin were unable to recover. I suspect that once it was found they might already have been too low.

I read your post about that. That was a very tough situation and I am sorry about it. Here is some info for people who are interested... https://cvm.msu.edu/research/faculty-re ... supplement

So riding Deneb, I felt like she was not uphill enough and kept working her hind end under her, perhaps i need to have her a little less high. Mikhail took a couple of photos and I think she was definitely uphill enough and even though my lower leg strayed back, i would like your opinions. I was bringing her from the hind forward with shoulder in and little half pass, and traver, renver.

She is off the forehand and on the hind as far as I can tell. You have good alignment from the knee up and your shoulders look relaxed back and down which is not so common! As long as you had her back then her neck is not too high as far as I know. She looks pretty strong and conditioned to me in being able to have what looks like an FEI neck and keep her back up. What level is she? How do you condition her? I think I want some of that.

[Tsavo]

My horse developed a slight lameness on the LF only when going right. A week later when it didn't resolve, a low PD block had him sound. We pulled the fronts on 1 Sept to grow the underrun heal. He had a dry hole in one heel bulb. I am hoping that is the reason he was lame. He is completely sound on the foot now even barefoot.

My goal is to grow out the LF heel, get back into shoes, and get back in work before someone gets hurt or gets ulcers. The vet mentioned one cycle which I hope will be enough. If the heel is not grown out then I will put him in those plastic shoes Bats mentioned. Maybe the heel can grow out in those. Who knows.

I like reading about what you guys are working on. I often get good ideas.

[Ryeissa]

.

[demi]

[quote="Chisamba"

So riding Deneb, I felt like she was not uphill enough and kept working her hind end under her, perhaps i need to have her a little less high. Mikhail took a couple of photos and I think she was definitely uphill enough and even though my lower leg strayed back, i would like your opinions. I was bringing her from the hind forward with shoulder in and little half pass, and traver, renver.

[/quote]

Looks good to me! She looks like she's stepping her hind legs right into your hand. Her left hind leg is right under you. I'm guessing it must feel pretty good. A few adjustments to make, sure, but I'd be happy if I was in your shoes (or saddle)

[demi]

I only got three rides in last week but I think I am in a good place with Rocky. I am going to try for 4-5 tHis week.

I'm going to talk to a trainer Thursday. I'm looking forward to it but at the same time am a little nervous. I would so like to have someone to work with...but a lot of conditions need to be met so I am skeptical.

Emma is looking better. The hair on her dock is growing back and she has stopped scratching her mane. The ears are still inflamed but not as bad. When Emma is ready to go back to work, I'm not sure how I'll manage working two. I don't have as much energy as I had even 10 years ago, but if I work smarter it may be doable. This week when I take Rocky for her trail ride I plan on ponying Emma. If Rocky doesn't kill Emma, it will be a good way to work two horses in one ride.

[Dresseur]

Well, we did it!!

First I-1 test is in the books, and, we survived! I was so nervous that I was gagging before my test. Not a good scene

Gala warmed up well, I had a few of the normal issues with changes (over bending the neck to the left which causes me to miss), but then I locked in and was schooling the 3s and 2s in warmup. From there, we migrated to the warmup "holding ring" and since I had about 10 minutes, Andrea wanted me to touch on the trot. Gala suddenly tanked on me and got very down in the shoulder, which is her MO in the ring. So, I did a bit of doux passage to say, "no, you have to stay balanced on your hind legs today missy", and she felt beautiful.

For the test, when the bell rang - rather than being smart and continuing around to enter of the right rein, I panicked and turned around since the bell rang around B. Despite that our first centerline was well organized. The rest of the test was a blur. I rode my ass off because Gala was being Gala and got hotter than hot the second we got in the ring. As I go up the levels, she gets more on fire - I think it's because she's used to going in for maximum effort in a GP test. Regardless, I have to remember to not hollow my back and keep riding. The trot work (as usual) rode very well - the canter (as usual) was a bit of a struggle. But, the half-pass zig-zag rode amazingly well - I got 7s for that. The extension rode well and she didn't steal the change for me, the 3's were a mess. I was so, so disappointed in myself. I made myself wait, but then I bent her neck and got 4 strides on my first change... then got the 3's, but didn't have enough room to get all of them in. So, a 3 for 3's. However, I did remember to hh back and not fall apart, so I was back up to 7 and 7'5 for the piris - which is a minor miracle considering 3 months ago they were a hot mess - these were big, but the rhythm was excellent and the sitting was excellent. Then, the 2's. I did exactly what I needed to do - I fired her up a bit, and kept her straight... which resulted in a one tempi to start. , then, I got my shit together and actually got 7 2 tempis for a 5. This judge was not shy about high and low marks, it was refreshing.

In any case, I managed to score above 60% for the first notch toward my gold medal, I placed 3rd in a decently sized class, and even managed to squeak out a smile on the canter extension!

IMG_2416.PNG.png (181.62 KiB) Viewed 32438 times

IMG_2417.PNG.png (192.66 KiB) Viewed 32438 times

IMG_2418.PNG.png (194.25 KiB) Viewed 32438 times

[Tsavo]

Congrats Dresseur! What an accomplishment!

[Ryeissa]

congrats!

[demi]

congratulations, Dresseur! And thanks for the details, I love it. Having followed your progress, I could really imagine you telling her "no, you have to stay balanced on your hind legs today, Missy"! And can imagine how beautiful she was afterwards. And the pics prove it. The last pic is super. Thanks for sharing.

[Tuddy]

Yonka Field.jpg (117.41 KiB) Viewed 32417 times

My goals this month were to keep working with Yonka and Tuddy. Yonka has been doing really well, but he has lived a sheltered life and needed some life experiences. I've taken off the farm to clinic settings, but never off the farm to a trail rider/open setting.

Yesterday was the day... overall, he did amazing, considering our ride was about the length of a football field, before I got off and took him home. We loaded, hauled, unloaded, saddled and mounted like a champ, but the actual riding part was a little iffy. He got real antsy and went sideways, backwards, sideways and a little bit forward. But he never spooked, threatened to run off, just tried to avoid going forward.

Next step, haul out to an arena and work on going forward. I haven't unhooked the truck from the trailer, hoping a friend of mine will let me haul over and use her arena.

Considering how my anxiety can get, me sticking it out was a win in itself. Riding that gas barrel of horse, going sideways (nice sidepasses though), with the saddle going sideways as well, was a little annoying, but I was surprisingly calm during all of this. Maybe because I am finally feeling confident with the resources and tools I have been shown? It is what I am going with. LOL!

Have a great day everyone!

[piedmontfields]

Great updates everyone.

My news is that I broke my wrist at home this weekend (not on horse). So I will be cheering you on from the sidelines. Emi did have her first ride with her working student last week and all went well. So they will be spending more time together. I did spend some time caring for her at the barn with my DH yesterday. She seemed to understand my situation! We did have an extra awesome ride this weekend (best uphill canter yet and feather soft transitions) before I hurt myself.

[Abby Kogler]

Great write up Dresseur, I could feel your anxiety and rode it with you ha! Great photos.

Tuddy, discretion is the greater part of valor >;-> Your horse is too cute.

I took two of the boys over to a friends barn while I was so laid up with my tendon mess but I am bringing them home maybe today, yay! Its more work to have five at home rather than three, plus I am getting a full time client in two weeks, but it will be great to have every body back home.

Piedmont, crap. Hope the recovery is uneventful.

I trotted for the longest time yet last eve. I am sure it wasn't pretty but it just feels so good to be trying again. My foot thing was so painful and so frustrating for so long and for months it seemed like it was never going to be better and it was and will be so deformed that I seriously discussed amputating it with my surgeon. I have been fighting the original injury since 2012 and have had four surgeries now and am destined for more I am sure. I had just had it and thought who needs it! If I ever get to show Ill just show PARA. My surgeon actually somewhat supported the discussion but now that we got the infection resolved and it has healed well and maybe as long as I stay in the splints and boot I can go a few years without having to do something again. So it just feels so good to be actually working at riding again and be reasonably pain free.

Happy Monday all!

[Moutaineer]

Chisamba, Deneb looks great. Your lower leg will come back under control when you get your abs back, I'm sure.

Demi, I can't manage 2 in work and actually earn a living, so Walker has come home again.

Well done, Dresseur! Solid achievement!

And well done, Tuddy! It's tough working through this stuff, and you are doing it right.

Abby, that sounds really painful.

Piedmont... what? If it's not one thing...

[Kyra's Mom]

Yikes Abby, I hope the foot continues to improve. Of all my many surgeries, my foot surgery (repair both peroneal tendons and tenosynovectomy for the posterior tibial tendon) has been the least positive outcome. Of course, it didn't help that the problem went undiagnosed (by everyone but me) for years. My foot works, more or less, but is very stiff and my range of motion is really diminished.I have a weird neuropathy in that foot but the pain went away so not all bad. But that was a one and done. My empathy to you. That is a long haul.

Yes, that is what I find very frustrating. I haven't been able to sit (and therefore ride) due to tailbone issue and surgery but my ground work is limited by my foot issues.

Well...I got my horse out and started some walking this last week. She is 15 and doesn't need endless lunging so I walk with her. When she gets ahead of me, I have her circle then back to the rail and straight. I also started right in with leg yield...head to the rail and also from 1/4 line to the rail. She was very good and had a nice swinging walk. Hopefully, soon, I am going to give riding another try. My butt pain has settled down again and I found a new best friend for it...Voltaren gel. I want to get her legged back up a bit from walking before I get on her. Her top line has kind of melted away over the summer...of not doing anything . And get me legged up too. Between working full time, the heat, the horrific smoke and adding an executor job to all the others, I'm just a big muffin as I've done nothing. It has turned fall all of a sudden and the temps are supposed to be in the 60's--right in my wheel house so no reason not to get back to work.

Happy riding to all that are riding (Dresseur...you look marvelous) and jingles to all those dealing with physical issues...human and equine.

Susan

[StraightForward]

Congratulations Dresseur! Thanks for letting us follow along with your progression. I'm sure that gold medal will be yours before too long.

Tuddy - getting out there is the biggest step, and it's important to keep it positive above all. Sounds like a successful outing, and you are going to keep at it.

Piedmont and Abby, sorry to hear about your injuries/physical issues, and hope you're both better soon.

Annabelle is slowly but steadily getting better, so I've added just a bit of light lunging into her routine. She is sound going right, and yesterday looked very close to sound and able to come over the back trotting left. She got two beautiful T/C transitions to the right, which was great since she was struggling with picking up the right lead at all, so I decided not to be greedy and end there. I'll probably stick to ground work and maybe get in the saddle for a little bit of walk work this week if it's not too rainy, but it's nice to see the progression while coming back from an injury. Hoping October will be more productive though.

[Ryeissa]

.

[Flight]

Dresseur - congrats!! Love the report and being able to "ride" it with you as I read. Ack the nerves, I get so nervous when I move up a level so I imagine how bad yours would have been before you went in! The photos are lovely and you look great in tails!! Do you have your next competition planned?

Tuddy - nice pic! He is a solid pony It's scary when they get antsy but sounds like you did fine.

Piedmont- how did you break your arm!! Ouch and hoping it heals up fast for you.

Chisamba - Interesting with the photo because at first glance she does look high, but I think its because I'm used to looking at horses that are lower and rounder in the neck. My guy tends to come high but drop his back and I can find it hard to know when its ok. Deneb looks engaged and carrying herself well so I'd be happy with the pic. What are your thoughts on this pic?

(gosh photo bucket is getting harder and harder to use!)


Flying changes - I've been trying hard to sit still and straighter during the change, and I though I was but the photos show the truth

Spanish walk - still having a bit of trouble coordinating walk with the lifting foreleg, I have a lesson coming up so my instructor can help me with that.

My knee is getting stronger, still a bit sore and despite eating salads I'm not losing the weight I've gained but will just keep at it.

[StraightForward]

I love that first pic, Flight! The Spanish Walk looks fun too.

[DJR]

Remember my "won't change behind for love nor money" gelding, Jet?

Today we did counter-canter around the short end, then long diagonal and put in a CLEAN flying change early on the diagonal. He was so through & responsive that near the end of the diagonal I asked for another change. Boom, CLEAN and on cue! I've never done two changes in one line before!

So then I switched to the other rein and repeated the exercise, this time making his hard change the first in the line. Boom, CLEAN. So, three strides later I thought, "why not?!" and asked again ... BOOM, CHICKA-BOOM BOOM, clean!!

HIS FIRST 3-TEMPI LINE!!!!

I never thought we'd have clean changes let alone this. It took three long years to teach him how to connect his rear end to his front end and change all the way through, never mind clean changes!! And now we're having fun with tempi lines ... !!!! I'm SO proud of him.

He had major fuss, happy pats, praise, and, after the ride, mints tonight!!!

[Dresseur]

DJR this is SO exciting!!! What a breakthrough, congrats!

[demi]

Wow! DJR! That is so cool. It's an interesting thing to think about. I love that you stuck with him. It goes to show that the dressage progression is not always linear!! I also am encouraged that he is making these great advances even though you have had your share of down time with injuries, weather, work, kid, farm animals, etc.,etc.!!! Congrats and thanks for letting us in on your success.

[piedmontfields]

Go Jet! Susan glad you are back on with some plans! Flight I so relate to your FC photo--thanks for sharing. You two are looking pretty awesome overall though. I broke my wrist by falling down stairs at home---dumb. Surgery is this week.

[demi]

Second day this week with Rocky and I'm hoping to get 5 days this week. At least for now, I think the consisitancey is important for both of us.

Yesterday we did a lot of pony trot/working trot/pony trot. I was concentrating on half halts to make it all work. HH from working trot to pony trot, and then HH/leg from pony trot back to working trot. It was taking a much stronger HH to come back from working T than to go up to working T. We had some nice work but it was at times herky jerky. I think she needed some good forward canter work but was not confident that I'd have the coordination to do it well (remember that she is quite athletic and I am quite old haha. I thought about it last night and today I walked her for her usual warmup, then double longed her first in trot, and then some canter work. She had a couple of brief bucking spurts at canter, but settled very nicely. I didnt over do it, just 5 minutes each way in the canter. Then I got back on rode for 10 minutes. First just a long walk on free rein, then a few minutes of a "collected" walk with TOH both ways, LY's both ways, and half pass both ways. We both finished quite happy! I will be interested to see if the canter work made a difference

[Flight]

DJR - It feels like it's never going to happen and then it does and its very exciting! My guy took ages on one side to do clean changes and now my instructor has us doing multiple changes on a 20m circle. Never thought I'd be trying that.
Now to start them on the other horse... groan!

Piedmontfields - hope the surgery goes well. Yeah when I did my ligament in my knee it was just something dumb too. Hope you're ok.

[DJR]

Piedmontfields - what a bummer! I hope the surgery is quick & easy and that you recover quickly, too. I'm STILL healing from my left 4th finger fracture (happened July 13th). It's SO stiff that I cannot grip anything (including reins) so I ride with the rein around my third finger. I think wrists are more forgiving re: getting back to riding, or at least I hope yours is!

Flight - you got that right about the changes. Wow, multiple changes on a 20m circle ... imagining doing that on Jet just blew my mind! Tonight when I rode him, I tried three 3-tempi changes and he nailed it! So, so, so cool!!! I also hear ya about starting them on another horse. I'm tightening up my canter-walk-canter transitions on my 6-yr-old with the idea to introduce them to him here & there over the winter.

Demi - good job on trying to get out more to ride. I'm focusing on the same thing this month and managing 4-5 rides per week so far. It's tiring juggling riding with a f/t job (and parenting), but SO worth it for the dividends it reaps re: training the horse and making progress.

[Dresseur]

I'm happy to report that Miro lost close to 100lbs and is looking good!!!

[Tsavo]

I'm happy to report that Miro lost close to 100lbs and is looking good!!!

Nice. I genuflect in your general direction in being able to do that!

If you wrote a book I would buy it.

[kande50]

I'm happy to report that Miro lost close to 100lbs and is looking good!!!

Good job!

I get my mule's weight down on a regular basis and then seem to feel that it's okay to give him just a little bit more, and then pretty soon he's right back to looking chubby again. It seems that I'm just not committed enough, which I think is because I'm not positive that he's actually overweight. So I guess it's time to get a weight tape out and measure, because estimating by eye is probably completely unreliable.

[Dresseur]

Well, we looked at feed and had the Purina rep come in (not just for me - but for the barn). So, we switched his feed from Purina Healthy Edge to a Ration Balancer (I forget what it is - I think Enrich), but I also really, really rationed his hay. I found a hay net with tiny holes so that it would keep him busy all day and he gets a flake every few hours so that he's always working on something, but isn't eating a bale of hay a day.

[Tsavo]

Are you below 1% of his weight as hay a day? I wonder what is the safest percentage to reduce to with hay.

[Dresseur]

No, he gets about 1/2 bale throughout the day and another 1/2 throughout the night. What was happening before was that he was eating hay as fast as it would be put down so he was getting a bale + during the day and then about a 1/2 bale at night. Our bales are pretty large with good sized flakes- they're grown on the farm and tested for nutritional value so the quality is also very high.

[khall]

Congratulations Dresseur! Great results:)

Woo Hoo DJR!! I know you are beyond excited!

Flight, as always great pics. Love the Spanish walk pic!

Moutaineer, I know you are so happy Laddie is back US! Hope the rehab continues to go smoothly.

Chisamba, glad you are back in the saddle! That was quick! Good job with Denab, so are the hormones help still working with her?

demi glad you are riding regularly, that is a large part of moving forward in training isn't it? Getting out there regularly.

piedmont, jingles your surgery goes well and you heal quickly.

Gwen I'm sorry you are dealing with issues with Callie, I think we have all been there! I hope she comes back from her break and is good as new.

Tuddy yeah for you! Yonka is one wide load:) Good for you sticking it out with him trail riding, I have to say you are braver than I would be. I don't have the nerves for that type of behavior anymore. Glad it worked out and you have a plan with him!

Not getting as much done here as I had hoped. Our local area got hit pretty hard with Irma, with lots of power outages, lots of trees down from the wind. We had 2 trees down on one of our fences. Thankfully we have flex rail so no real damage. Did not even lose a post:) Was pretty nice weather for a day or two after the storm moved through and now we are back to high humidity and heat, ugh. I brought the horses in Monday morning and they were already sweating. I did work Rip some over the weekend and have had a ride on him end of last week, nice ride with some stickiness in the left lead, but overall pretty dang good. Right lead was fabulous!! Good trot work so was pretty happy with the big guy. Working him in hand some as well and had some nice piaffe steps the other day and quit early.

I have just been able to move Gaila and Gallie back onto night TO. I had avoided putting then out in the paddock where Dodger is buried until we had a good bit of rain to help settle the grave. So after Irma I have been able to put them on night TO again which means it is easier to get Gaila worked. Pulled her out today and she was a bit silly with the neighbors digging up trees (we live next to a tree farm, they use a skid steer to dig up and move trees for sell) so she worked harder than I wanted her too. Got pretty sweaty so stopped with just some lunging, not even any in hand work. Was just too hot and buggy by the end.

Unfortunately my filly showed up lame this week. Thought it was a bad nail, but farrier came out yesterday and could not find anything shoe wise but she is sore to hoof testers inside heel. She is either brewing an abscess or hit herself we believe. Poultice and bute for a few days and see where she is. If not better will haul her or get my other vet to do radiographs. Not terribly lame but NQR either.

I am still fostering as well. Have 2 adult fosters, both HW +, one undergoing treatment now. They will be here for a bit while undergoing treatment. One, Koda, is a gorgeous chocolate 60 lb extreme athlete that is pretty drivey, he will need a special home that is dog savvy and ok with such a dog. He is gorgeous though with that rich chocolate color and black markings (not quite stripes like a brindle) and really a love bug despite his over the top activities at times! The other just came this week is a GSD x, about 3, so far pretty mellow with one big hang up mentally: she has separation anxiety. She is doing ok here, just trying to find what will help her. Physically she needs TLC, came from boarding quite skinny and is lame RH. Looks hip to me.

Ready for much cooler weather here, I am tired of sweating and taking several showers a day! It is miserable with the heat and the gnats. Told my DH I wanted to move to cooler place!

[Chisamba]

Khall, how is Rips breathing, all fine?

Dresseur, congratulations on your tremendous progress

Flight, i also like the spanish walk picture, he is nicely arched of his under neck

DJR, three on a straight line is HUGE.

Abby and Piedmont, wishing you better recovery.

I enjoyed all the progress i have read, it gives me good ideas and helps me stay inspired.

I have had Mikhail video me a few days in a row so i can work on my distribution of weight in the seat and lower legs.

First the ugly, first day back on Kimba and Mikhail caught me leaning horribly.




I feel like today i showed a little improvement.



and



upward and onward.

Goals, to improve riding seat and get back into balance both me and my horses
i would really like to show second level next year with Kimba and perhaps First level in Deneb,

I too would one day like to get my silver, ( before i turn sixty) and i hope one of my mares well take me there again.

[Moutaineer]

I need the Miro diet. That's all I have to say today

[Chisamba]

I need the Miro diet. That's all I have to say today

Me too, but i hate hay and french fries come right through the nibble nets

[orono]

That's a nice before and after Chisamba!! I would love to fix my shoulder tilt in the half pass too!

[Flight]

I need the Miro diet. That's all I have to say today

same! Maybe I'll try a slow feeder net too, although I hear chips go straight through

Nice fix Chisamba and nice half pass!

Khall hope your filly comes good easily too.

[DJR]

Chisamba - very nice. That last photo looks so balanced, I can totally "feel" from the photo how the horse is moving under you and you are in synch.

Great news on Miro's weight loss. Oh if only I could follow suit myself!

I have the opportunity to ride in a Stephen Clarke clinic. I'd take Jet if I went; Stephen saw me ride Jet five years ago when Jet was just Training Level/First Level. On one hand, it would be fun to see if he remembered us (the organizer thinks he might, and Stephen was very complimentary of Jet as well as pleasantly surprised by his movement given his breeding, both of which surprised me at the time!), and to show how far we've come. On the other hand, I could save a lot of money in clinic & travel/hotel costs and go on a horseback wine tasting tour in the county 1 hr from me instead! But, it's Stephen Clarke. LOL

[Moutaineer]

It's Stephen Clarke. You can go wine tasting next year.

[Sue B]

Seriously...clinic first, bottle of wine afterwards.