Getting Dressage-y in 2023: January-February Goals and Progress

[Aleuronx]

First clinic of the year done and dusted. Despite needing more work in the canter tour Andrea encouraged me to go out and get my tails. Ilia says they should sell velcro on tails , ha! He remembers my immense difficulty in buying my last set all those years ago.

I know Flying Changes does this!! Their jackets are definitely a high investment type, although I love mine I had made.

We are currently in snow storm #2 of 3 in the last ~6 days. Here's from our hack in the falling snow from Friday.

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Like Khall, I'm dealing with a very wet January over here. It's all mud. We've had a lot of days where the arena isn't usable and plenty where even the fields are not suitable for more than just walking. So, there have been plenty of days where it's actively pouring and therefore I'm not going out; days with just tack walking; and days with a bit more activity sprinkled in. But it's hard to move the needle

[StraightForward]

Everything has frozen up here again, but then, it's Idaho in January, so it's expected. I was finally able to get my hands on some more Hoof Armor (supply chain issues), which I'm hoping will help T with the excessive wear on her RF. If that doesn't work I might have to bite the bullet and put her in front shoes. Other than that, she is going really well. The loin taping has improved her canter, and we had a great ride at the haul in arena yesterday. I was using the barrels that were set out to circle around during our walk warmup and tipped one over when my stirrup caught (lightweight plastic barrels); had a tense moment wondering if I was about to get dumped, but T just gave it the side-eye and stepped away. She was more concerned about her own cooler hanging on the fence, LOL. One odd thing is that we are having trot challenges to the left, which is historically her hollow/softer side. Suddenly hard to get her to bend and I can't sit it for anything, but I did eventually, incrementally get her stretching into the bend that direction. Saturday we're going to a jump chute clinic, so I will do my best to get video, though it might well be a bloopers reel!

The hock taping and week off seemed to help A, and we had an easy, no-collection ride last night. Today I'm going to pick up a supply of Adequan and get her started on that, and then revise my goals and plan for her (keep pushing for 2nd level vs. polish up her 1st level work and get her a little simpler to jump).

I just found out that there is a new, sort of non-sanctioned "championships" being held in Pocatello at the end of August. It seems I could qualify T with the one show held earlier in August here in Boise, so I'm tentatively thinking we might aim to that at first level. It seems like a good goal but still low key enough not to freak me out or make me change course in the long arc of my goal of getting use to FEI.

[Tanga]

Ooh. Velcro tails is a great idea! Someone should start a business.

Speaking of a business, here is my dying venture of white stuff. Bottom is a pad, a nylon type shirt with some neckties, and two different breeches. The more cotton, the better the dye, but I think the nylon breeches still look cool. So now I have all shades of blue. And since I have about 40 white pads, some with stains, I can do all kinds of fun stuff.

[Chisamba]

That's excellent Tanga!!

[Moutaineer]

Pretty range of blues. And I'm envious that you have something green in the background.

Bitterly cold here this morning, so much so that Potters did not go out before his lesson today.

He's being very emotional, which I think is being intensified somewhat by no one buying into it. Justin can be very "yeah, yeah, sorry you feel like that but I'm ignoring it and we are just going to carry on on the same line doing what we were planning to do." Which confounds Potters somewhat. He expects to be pandered to. My fault entirely.

When he did get over himself and stop being a high necked, spooking pogo stick, he really settled into some lovely soft, round, happy work. That's the horse I want to ride.

We are hoping that a few weeks of this work, which is done with kindness and firm consistency, will extinguish the emotional meltdowns to a large degree. Its like dealing with a thousand pound spoiled toddler.

And I'm going to have to learn to be a better benevolent despot.

[exvet]

LOVE IT! Tanga.

[StraightForward]

Love all the shades Tanga! Blue is my favorite color.

First ride in the Bombers Lockup loose ring snaffle was very promising. Of course we're stuck in the tiny indoor, but once T got moving and I convinced her to take contact, it was soft and elastic, and I was able to get her stretching over the topline much more than in the Fager mullen mouth. Fingers crossed it's the Goldilocks bit, at least for the moment. I think she likes the sweet iron, and the very curved mouthpiece seems to be a good fit to her mouth/jaw conformation. We had an interesting canter to the right where her hind end got all discombobulated and she swapped and fell out of the canter a couple times. This was after some LY away and back to the wall both directions, which maybe did something with her habitual way of holding her hind end? What was good is that she didn't get upset and quit on me, but just obediently stepped back into canter and worked through it, which is a big change for her. I had to support her a fair bit to stay in canter for a circle that direction, but she was able to do it. The person who has been taping her has some ideas on some additional work to do with her hips, so whenever she has time this week we'll hopefully be able to address whatever is nagging her. It is pretty nice having a bodyworker who is a boarder and sees her going all the time and can work on her at short notice.

[Moutaineer]

SF, we may have had a Goldilocks moment today as well. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

As you know Potters is an experienced upper-level horse. After some discussion this morning, we put him in a double bridle for the first time since I've owned him.

The difference was significant. It was as if he sighed with relief and said, "Thank God, someone else is taking charge, I can just go to my happy place and relax and dance." He went straight to solid work and was almost completely workmanlike and respectful, with just a couple of little reactions to external stimuli where he would have lost his marbles in the last few rides.

I don't think the curb was really engaged through the whole ride. Justin got off with a huge grin on his face.

So, now I need to learn to ride with double reins, a skill I have managed to avoid for most of my riding life, and when I have done it, it has been with a pelham. It's going to be interesting with my beat-up left hand.

And I need to start looking at bits. He's got a large head and a very large mouth for such a refined horse. His KK snaffle is a 5 3/4. I just so happen to have a double bridle that should fit him. My dear friend gave it to me when she put her big old mare down.

(Of course, this may be a flash in the pan, and he may be back to his naughty little self once he gets accustomed to the whole idea, but we had a happy day today and I'll take that as a win.)

[Aleuronx]

Moutaineer that's referred to as the 'big boy bridle/big girl bridle' effect. Sometimes it's just the feeling of being a big deal for them. Long may it last for you!!

Storm #2 was a bit more than forecasted and we ended up with 16 more inches of snow at the barn. I managed a play out there this morning before Storm #3 arrives tonight for another 6 inches and then rain. It was so much fun, I have never giggled so much in my life. It was very much needed.

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[StraightForward]

Great pics, Al - what a shoulder reach and hock action in that first one! We don't get that quantity of snow here very often - takes away from the photo ops when there are patches of mud poking through.

Moutaineer, fingers crossed that P keeps on with being a Good Boy in his double!

[Ponichiwa]

Can also attest to the magic of Double Bridle Day. I had a gelding who needed it about 3-4x a month to keep taking me seriously as a dressage rider. Otherwise he blew me off as a talentless hack and resumed spooking at nothing/being 80mi long between poll and tail and an absolute rigid brick in between.

Which isn't to say that he was wrong, mind you.

[khall]

Some horses just go better in a double. Juliet sure did. Hopefully Potters will continue on minding his manners!

Aleuronx gorgeous pictures man that’s a bunch of snow! Hard work for the horses? I just can’t imagine dealing with that kind of weather. I’d be huddled in the house not wanting to go outside

I had a fab ride on Joplin yesterday. Working on canter straight lines. I like to be able to pick up whatever lead I choose on a straight line. Which means I’ve got to keep my seat sorted. I was struggling a bit with maintaining my seat. Joplin can really throw me around but when I had it right she was fabulous. The bridle connection was very good too. I’ve got to ride with close hands and thumbs thinking of pointing out so that the bit acts on the corners of her mouth. She’s very sensitive to bits and how they act on her tongue. I ride in a wide barrel myler comfort loose ring snaffle. Has very similar action to the bit SF posted it does not collapse on the tongue. Which she hates. Now of course we had heavy rain overnight and continued into today. Sigh. So freaking wet

[demi]

I took Besa for a lesson on Friday. I was wondering how it would go because I have been riding her on a longer rein than when I was in full time training. For the lesson, after warmup, I shortened the reins more than at home but not as short as the trainer had me going. I was relieved that she liked what I was doing! She let me know it was just a first level frame but she loved the connection and the way Besa was going for me. She said to keep working the way I’ve been doing. She ran me through some test movements from 1-3, and then from 2-3. Also worked on lengthening trot and canter. We did it in shorter segments than we had before. Just a few strides of lengthen before coming back. I think that allowed me to get the feel of how keep the connection in the forward and back transitions. Besa was working with me the whole time and it felt good. It was also nice that after breaks, she came willingly right back on the bit.

We are having great weather here this week, but I won’t get much riding in. I had two wisdom teeth pulled yesterday and feel like crap today. I doubt I’ll feel like riding till Friday. I won’t go for a lesson until next week, probably Thursday or Friday.

Im thinking a little bit about showing this year. The barn is preparing for the first show March 3-5. I just don’t feel ready for that and I don’t want to change my current program to get ready. If I can to a good 2-3 at home, my plan is to do a local schooling show March 18 and then do the recognized show at the same venue May 13-14. Then if that goes well, I’ll do a recognized show June 10-11 in Katy (Houston). I only want to do first level at the shows but my trainer may have a different idea

[Aleuronx]

It is quite hard work for them khall! I basically did 1-2 loops of the arena and gave a walk break. Even walking is serious cardio and joint effort in deep snow like that for them. So we only did little bits of trot and canter and I don't feel bad as I see them hooning around in their paddocks on their own. She can humor me for a bit I figure!

[Chisamba]

I had this made by a talented lady, Lynne crocker who I found on Etsy . I didn't want to throw out Kimba and Saiphs ribbons again .

[Moutaineer]

Thats lovely, Chiamba!

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Loving all the updates. Tanga, I love those blues! Great idea.
Alueronx, gorgeous snowy photos! Wow.
Mountaineer, hopefully Potters stays in workmode!
Khall, sounds like Joplin is doing well and you continue to love her so much!

Lynx had his 3rd or 4th ride under saddle (after being off work since October) today. I'm happy to report that so far, he looks better every ride. I have not been on him yet but the Dressage trainer has. She's only been on probably 15/20 minutes at most. Mostly walk with a little more trot today. He really looked like he was enjoying himself. He's definitely excited to be back at work but you can tell he's trying to be a really good boy.

I've been slowly incorporating the equiband. Just hand walking 5 minutes at a time just a few times a week. And then of course incorporating the Jec Ballou exercises in hand too. Taking it very very slowly. Really just focusing on getting those stifles strong. It's a shame that the weather has been so horrible as we are going to be stuck in indoor for a while It looks like. It would be the perfect time to go just hack around the field but it's way too icy.

Happy riding everyone!

[Srhorselady]

Love your ribbons Chisamba! Several years ago I had a quilted wall hanging made out of several years worth of ribbons. These can be beautiful and a wonderful way to use ribbons.

[exvet]

Got another exercise today! We did this the entire lesson and have been instructed to work on this for the next two weeks. I will say that Junior was not happy with the exercise at all. We worked in the dressage arena; a short court would work or anywhere with similar square footage and the ability to have true corners. The objective, get Junior to connect the dots and build the muscle memory/strength/ability to sit and push off. Our main hole is his resistance/reluctance to do this and as it's been stated he's definitely weaker on his left side. He can sit or he can push off but resists doing both. Doing walk pirouettes to canter has helped but we can't do many of those without the risk of injury/wear and tear and I prefer not to do that every day.

We first tackled the exercise at a walk on both reins. Simply put, as I approached a corner about a letter out; so I'll pick M while on the left rein, I was to halt using my seat AND my outside rein to half-halt, establish true inside bend and while maintaining true bend and my outside rein go through the corner and as soon as his front legs hit the other wall (ie, come out of the corner) use both legs to develop impulsion (get him in front of my leg). I did this in every corner in that exact order going both directions. Then I repeated in trot, coming down to the walk at the letter that preceded each corner and coming out of the corner in trot. The purpose was to get him to sit going into the corner, respect my outside rein with the half-halt and use to turn the shoulders, respect my inside leg and light playful inside rein to develop proper bend, AND RESPOND to both legs when asking for the forward/impulsion as I was coming out of the corners - connect the dots and develop strength to sit and push off. Then we went to canter using the trot and/or walk as the downward transition before the corner and at times would simply transition within the gait if he was feeling cooperative. If he gave me the middle hoof, I was to simply halt and not do the corner until I had everything perfect. I got a lot of middle hoof and did a lot of halts and come to jezuz moments with his sucking back behind my leg when impulsion was asked for in the beginning - lots of pocket rocket moments until he realized I WASN"T KIDDING.

The exercise definitely highlighted where ALL of our problems stem from and the need to get this area perfected before going back to flying changes or really any other exercise except perhaps those that help improve the quality of canter. I'm afraid it's going to be a long two weeks.

Had to come back after riding Brandon . BEST . RIDE . EVER. So happy with this guy.

[Chisamba]

Saiph and I are really focusing on the basic concept of filling the rein when leg is added. I feel like perhaps that is a very similar focus to yours, exvet. Maybe that is just where we are in the training scale, right, the journey from national level to FEI level goes through honest hind leg to connection. Up til now we can get away with moments of ho hum, but now we need more of the hum and less of the ho.

Basically with Saiph it's when I put my leg there your response needs to be through and immediate. If not I lose the timing and self carriage.

The thing about Brandon ( and Honey) is that we are very familiar with progressing them, and they don't have to do quite as much to show huge improvement. So it's very rewarding riding them.

I remind myself that half the distance to the goal is ever reducing increments. If you are 100m from the goal, half the distance is a whopping 50 m
But if you are 1m from the goal, half the distance is 50 cm and the closer you get the smaller the distance is and the bigger the effort

[Moutaineer]

Trainwreck today. We borrowed a different bit set up which "should" have fit better than the too-narrow set up we used the other day (that he apparently found perfectly comfortable.)

Tongue relief is evidently far more important than correct width in Potters' world. And a single jointed bradoon is simply not on.

It was not pretty. At least he tells us in no uncertain terms when he is unhappy, which helps narrow the choices.

So back to the snaffle tomorrow to let him get his world back on its axis, and we will regroup with the double again on Monday. In the mean time I will trawl the tack room for something appropropriate to borrow in both style and size .

Progress is seldom linear.

[Kyras_Mom]

Mountaineer, boy is it tough with these Princess and the Pea horses regarding bits. Kyra is another one and yes, you know immediately. Hence my bastard full double…Weymouth over the top of a bitless bridle. I don’t think she even has room in her mouth for 2 bits and I don’t think at 21, I am even going to try.

Heck, today, I rode her in her “western” bit which is a Linda Tellington-Jones roller bit. She seems to be quite happy in that bit. I was using it for trail rides last fall. All we can do, due to the footing is walk so I worked on her neck reining and making sure she was bending correctly. We did a bunch of bow ties. The driveway through the property runs east/west and has gotten a bunch of sun so is thawed out. We hit the hill and did 3 sets of up and down (the hill is approx 60 yards). One set, I asked her to leg yield from side to side while going uphill. It is better than having her stand around and stare at me. We are in for a really cold snap this weekend for a few days so we will be back to hand walking. Winter will be over one of these days.

Susan

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Mountaineer, boy is it tough with these Princess and the Pea horses regarding bits.

I also have a princess (or prince) in the pea in RP when it comes to bits (and well, actually everything). I'm actually not sure I'll ever put him a double because I'm not sure we can deviate from our current bit with success. He also tends to hold all his tension in his poll, so a double may not be ideal for him anyway, which is fine, no reason we can't do whatever we need to in a snaffle.

although the picky ones can be challenging, it is also nice to know they will tell you what they want and need. MM is SO tolerant of EVERYTHING that it's almost harder. I can put any saddle on her and she will be about the same, even if it really doesn't fit, but months down the line obviously it will impact how she progresses and muscle development. Similarly she will be tolerant about just about any bit, which means I may not find the bit she likes best because I will think what we have is fine. If she is uncomfortable or in in pain, she does her best to mask it. In some ways this makes her easy, but honestly I find it more difficult because it usually takes months to know if something is or isn't working as opposed to the immediate feedback from RP.

[exvet]

Remember I'm part of the club, Brandon is definitely a princess, though both Resi and Monty already had broken me in pretty well Monty did transition to the double well, but his issues of preference were and are still more dramatic when it comes to saddles. With Resi it was the bit and with Brandon it's bit, bridle, saddle and girth. Everything must be just so. I will say though once I get it there it's wonderful........of course he's still growing and changing so I realize it's fleeting.

I do not plan to put Junior in a double, at least not any time soon. I've had more than one clinician and judge recommend that I do but I don't feel we have enough of our holes filled in to earn the double. I also think I'm going to have a heck of a time getting him to accept the double. Molly's horse is competing in the FEI 7-year-old test this show season. She too is avoiding putting him in the double until a couple of things get solidified, but it was clear that one of 'our' judges at this last show wanted her to put her horse in the double. She will have to eventually. Her horse is in many ways like Junior so I'll be monitoring her situation and journey closely. I'm grateful that to compete in the national shows through FEI does not require a double. Cardi, the well-known Welsh Cob stallion, was very against the double for a long, long time which reportedly kept him away from some competitions for a while and contributed to those in power taking a good long hard look at things (at least according to his former owner). While I as a rider want to improve my skills with the double, I have no need or longing to put it on any of my horses. Until they accept the snaffle, adding anything to the mix that will make trusting the contact more questionable is a definite "NO" in my book too.

[khall]

I think there are times when a double can solve some issues. I saw that with Juliet 100%. But neither Rip nor Gaila were very accepting at first. Rip got much better the more I rode him in it and Gaila she’s so so.

Joplin on the other hand…she is very very particular about her bit. I made the mistake of putting a different bit in last week one day. She was very quick to let me know it was not nor would it ever be acceptable.

Mine saddle wise are pretty tolerant. Girth wise I have issues with Joplin getting galls. Not that she complains but they can be nasty so I’m very careful about what she wears.

Like blob not sure she will ever wear a double. What’s weird is that in Portugal and Spain they put those horses in doubles early on. I only rode one horse in a snaffle while I was riding in both countries. They all were very good in the bridle.

[Moutaineer]

The Prince was pretty happy in his snaffle today. But not to me as happy as he was in the first double. More experiments to do.

Something happened that was interesting, though. He had a good-sized spook at one point, (the only one of the day, he really is getting so much better, but the ones that remain are dramatic) and Justin said he could feel it coming because everything had reached the point where it all felt light and lovely and in self carriage, and then, bam, he panicked and threw the toys out of his pram. I know that feeling. It's usually when you have been working on lateral work and feel like you are really getting somewhere, and you get what you think is some really floaty loveliness, but I think in reality, he's subtly dropping behind the contact and "letting go of your hand," and then you ask for something, particularly I've noticed it with the renvers, and he just goes "NO!"

It's as if that feeling of lightness and self-carriage and being autonomous scares him and he just doesn't know how to ride up into it and stay in control. He needs a very consistent and present pilot to give him confidence. Melissa said something the same at the clinic last week. (What she actually said, to paraphrase a bit, is that he's quite unusual with that, because most horses breathe a sigh of relief when their riders stop micromanaging them and let them just go, whereas he goes "where are you? Why did you leave me?")

I think what he needs at that point is a fairly strong half halt and a slowing of the tempo to bring his mind back to the job in hand. You've just got to be able to do it in the nanosecond between him trying to drop the contact and the reaction.

I'm guessing that's why he apparently liked the solidity of the double. The weight of it means that the rider is unmistakably there and in control.

But this could all be a load of BS and he's just trying to find ways to keep himself entertained.

I don't think it's anything physical as he is moving fabulously at the moment and looks great, and there is quite a lot of really lovely work going on, with the odd zinger thrown in to keep us on our toes.

[khall]

Mountaineer I can see that with an unconfident horse. Why instructors say to keep the leg on when you ride a sensitive horse. Give them confidence.

So what’s interesting with Joplin is that she prefers a lighter hand but a firmer leg.

Horses are just so interesting. Working Joplin in hand today and she just tries so hard. I’m starting to ask piaffe more on the spot than allowing into a small passage. Left side she does well
Right side we were struggling a bit but today asking with the bit more on the corners of the mouth made the difference. Got some great work. What’s so impressive is that you can ramp up that energy for piaffe/passage then drop the reins and flat walks off. Completely relaxed.
Gaila I was working more diagnolizing the walk and energizing it. She’s getting it but much slower than overachiever Joplin.

Fence posts and rain in our future and dealing with mom’s estate issues. Bleh

[Tanga]

On the double discussion. I have been every which way on it, and at least monthly I think I finally have it right when I figure out something new.

Quilla is very light and can suck back and I rode her in a snaffle for a long time. She rides in a double fine. Quinn I ended up putting double on at 3rd because she bolted a few times and I could not stop her and she hurt me pretty badly. When she finally got over that and I felt safe, I went back to the snaffle. Quinn can be very tight in the neck, poll, and everywhere else. Sometimes the double is needed to loosen that up and sometimes not. I spent a lot of last year riding them both in the snaffle doing all of the work, but I'm also trying to be very mindful of doing the work correctly and not developing muscles incorrectly. So, I go back and forth.

But I also have a very short shank on my curb, very mild, looser chain with a cover, and my noseband is for decoration. In being on the No Bit-Shit group on Facebook I have learned so much more about how bits works and got rid of any single joint, too. Everyone rides in a double joint with a lozenge in the middle, and one curb is straight and one has a mild port--I don't notice any difference in riding between the two. All of my snaffles are sort of medium size in the mouth because none of them have big mouths. So maybe in exploring the double, looking at the detail of the bits might help.

Mountaineer--Just something to think about with the "panicking." That sounds a little like Quinn. I always try to think about myself when they react this way when I am pushing myself in exercise class and something is tight and not warmed up enough and I push and zing myself. I try not to think about her being bad, but I didn't warm her up enough and stretch her. She pulled "something" somewhere about three years ago and I find tight spots in her back, so I always try to rub on that until it softens before I ride her. And I got this new super wide saddle that seems too wide for both of them, but I put a shimable pad on and made it fit, and I am seeing huge difference in her back finally.

Did I tell you I found a new saddle? Someone had an ancient 19" Barnsby with a nice flat seat for $150 shipped. I took the chance and got it. Big, super flat seat and super wide. With the shimmed pad it fits them both great. It has short billets, so luckily I have a bunch of old leathers I made extensions for, and it had no knee rolls and didn't quite fit me, so I sewed some knee rolls, added velcro, and voila!, it fits great. he he. I'll get a picture of my fancy saddle.

I just finished a new GP freestyle. Quilla knew the music of the old one and I decided I needed new choreography. The outside arena is open now, I I had the window to get it done with a full sized arena. I decided to use the music from one of her mother's old freestyles--Slumdog Millionaire. We'll give it a shot on the 12th.

[Moutaineer]

Tanga, I have been through the same thought process. And I watch him carefully for physical issues. I think, at the moment, its a mental zing not a physical one.

On the subject of long shank vs short shank on the curb bit, I've read that the short shank has less leverage but comes into play quicker, whereas the longer shank obviously has more leverage but comes into play more slowly. I'm thinking that the shorter shank might be the more appropriate choice for us as a starter bit if I can be very disciplined about not fiddling with it. But then again, as a dedicated fiddler, mabe the longer shank would offer him more "protection" from my twiddling fingers. Any thoughts?

I think we've decided that we need to back off on our demands some. Its obvious that the indoor arena is a stressful place for him, so let's try and calm that anxiety down. We are stuck in there for another couple of months, there's 3ft of snow on the ground outside, and more coming, but we can get some useful work done without scaring us both to death. It will just be slower progress than we hoped for. But that's fine. There's no great rush.

Roll on spring, though. Sick of this. One of the local ski resorts has had a total of 406" of snow so far this year. Not counting this weekend's storm. And its not February yet.

[exvet]

I've certainly have been on all sides of the issue regarding use of the double, mostly in regard to me, myself and mine. I don't really have any opinion on others' choices in its use.

I think I've made a little head way with Junior connecting the dots and being, I'll say more responsive in giving the correct answer, with half-halt to load the hind legs (mostly outside rein and seat) and then giving me the forward by pushing off and staying through the back. I'll say he's giving me some pretty spectacular second trot for sure. He's not happy about it; but I hope he gets over it as he gains more strength. We will continue to work on building his abilities to do both.

Because I've been working Brandon with the idea of doing more first level movements, I've started to ask him to come back a little and sit (appropriate for his level and age) and then move forward from the leg into the hand. He's actually taking to it much, much better than I expected and is definitely finding lengthening the stride in trot and canter FUN. We still have our challenges with maintaining the correct tempo but no problem showing a difference in gait or showing transitions. Now that I think we are talking the same language in terms of connection, I'm finding his one HUGE hole is his stiffness to the right. That is going to be an everyday discussion.

[Tanga]

Mountaineer I think you just need to play, but a shorter shank doesn't act quicker or slower. That's a matter of contact and curb chain length. Maybe if you are a smaller person on a bigger horse the longer shank would be OK. I am not that. Everything I do has a magnified effect, so I try to use equipment that doesn't magnify anything.

[StraightForward]

Mountaineer I think you just need to play, but a shorter shank doesn't act quicker or slower. That's a matter of contact and curb chain length. Maybe if you are a smaller person on a bigger horse the longer shank would be OK. I am not that. Everything I do has a magnified effect, so I try to use equipment that doesn't magnify anything.

That makes good sense! I bought a 5cm shank (and very mild port) Weymouth for Annabelle, then read the same thing as Moutaineer mentioned, and wondered if I'd made a mistake. Haven't ridden her much in the double recently, and I don't use the curb rein much when I do. The bigger benefit for her seems to be that she keeps her jaw more mobile with the extra bit whereas sometimes she beard down/clamps on the snaffle by itself.

Yesterday I was getting ready to load T up to go to jump chute clinic, and her RH was puffy and a touch warm. Threw her on the lunge for a minute and didn't see anything too concerning, but I wasn't going to run her through the jump chute, so last minute, took Annabelle instead. The little red mare impressed me once she got the idea, and ended on a 3'3" oxer. I put some videos in the video thread. Won't hurt to have those on hand for marketing purposes.

When I got back, I put T back on the lunge and verified that she was moving totally sound, so popped on and did a light ride. Swelling was 95% gone by the time I got off, so hopefully it is just a nothing burger. Maybe mild strain from riding in the deeper outdoor footing on Friday night.

It's supposed to drop to single digits tonight, and then slowly thaw towards the end of the week. My fingers are crossed that we are on the downhill side of winter and will start enjoying glimpses of more spring-like conditions over the next few weeks.

[StraightForward]

Well dang, Tesla's leg blew up again and she is almost 3-legged lame at the trot (but doing a beautiful, slinky walk with a big overtrack). I'm headed back out after dinner to put on a standing wrap, and will probably call the vet in the morning. There is some effusion up into her hock, especially on the inside, and she seems sensitive to handling that area as well, so fingers crossed for nothing serious going on.

[Moutaineer]

Ugh, SF. I hope it's something simple and obvious.

We have brutally cold weather here for the next couple of days. Too cold to work horses.

[Flight]

I use a Portuguese curb on Ding, which is really just a pelham. Can't use it in straight dressage but I do find him better in it than a double. I feel that 2 bits is too much in his mouth and he gets quite stiff on them. With the one bit that still acts as a curb, I can get better releases.

Had a 3 day clinic with a guy from Portugal who rides on the working equitation team. He really got Ding moving! He was quite black/white about what he wanted but still very allowing. Hard to explain. Did some good stuff with people who were struggling with flying changes. His methods were very clear and put the horse in a place where it really had no choice but to do a clean change. What I see in the difference between how the riders ride and how he did, was how clear the aids and releases were. It was also a nice break away from work, 3 nights camping at the grounds and just watching horses, horses, horses!

[StraightForward]

Ugh, SF. I hope it's something simple and obvious.

We have brutally cold weather here for the next couple of days. Too cold to work horses.

Thanks. Amazingly, I was able to get an appt with my regular vet tomorrow afternoons. I thought we were on a roll, but it seems she likes to see him quarterly..

[Kyras_Mom]

SF..I hope Tesla's issue is minor. It seems like they do watch the calendar.

Kyra and I have been back to hand walking/work. I could have gotten one more ride on Friday but it was starting to snow and I decided to lunge but by the time we made it to the arena, it quit. By then, I didn't have time to tack up so lunging it was. It hadn't frozen again yet so I did get her worked in all gaits. It seems like our work on changing directions and bend on the lunge line is working. She was feeling good and when I asked her to change from right to left (at trot), it was rather abrupt but when she struck off in canter, she did get the left lead. That is the first time she has accomplished that...especially when she was a bit forward and shall we say exuberant. So it appears she is paying more attention to my body language and cues to change her bend. It certainly looks smoother.

I didn't make it to the barn today due to appointments but as cold as it is...such is life. We will continue to do some in hand work and get back to riding as the weather allows. It is supposed to slowly warm up over the rest of the week.

Susan

[StraightForward]

Whew, it was an abscess that caused some cellulitis up to the hock. She got a sweat wrap and three days worth of SMZs and should be sound by the weekend. The abscess had blown out through her heel bulb by the time we got to the vet, so it wasn't too big of a mystery.

[Moutaineer]

Whew, SF. I bet she's feeling much better already!

[Kyras_Mom]

SF-I was thinking abscess but you said she was walking OK. If you can be glad for an abscess .

Kyra did that a few years ago. A bit off on the left hind with slight heat and swelling. To the vet. He thought a sprain of the fetlock and she got bute for 3 days. She was better so I took the day off and when I went back on Saturday, she had stovepipe swelling clear above the hock and was nearly non weight bearing . In palpating and trying to figure out what catastrophic soft tissue injury she had, the back of her heel was blazing hot. It popped at the heel overnight and she was much happier. It took about 3 weeks for all that swelling to resolve even with her out and moving 24/7.

Yesterday was 24 degrees so we did some hand walking. I taught her to allow me to tail her up the hill. My hip is slowly doing better but it still likes a bit of support .
The weather is supposed to moderate over the next couple days so hopefully we can get back to work by the weekend. I did get a new pair of back hoof boots for her. I am trying the Flexhorse flex boots. https://www.flexhoofboots.com/
They are sleeker…I am not sure how long they will hold up as they are thinner but we will see.
Unfortunately, their sizing does not fit her fronts so we will keep the Renegades on the fronts. I have to get the new ones out to the barn and get them adjusted and ready to go.

Susan

[StraightForward]

SF-I was thinking abscess but you said she was walking OK. If you can be glad for an abscess .

I'm kind of thinking that it must have been in her digital cushion, so it wasn't too painful until the concussion from trotting came into play.

She was plenty sassy this morning on the lunge, but still a little sore. She'll get turned out tomorrow, which will probably be necessary before I venture to ride her.

I actually have two people lined up to try Annabelle. One is a tween boarder at the stable who's mare is going to be sold as she is too spicy, the other is still saving money to buy a horse, but might want to pay me to use A for weekly lessons. At a minimum, she'll get a little more experience with other riders and I'll get a better idea of how she does with the more advanced beginner/intermediate set.

[exvet]

I had some of the best moments of connection on Brandon this morning. Since in my last lesson (last week) I was given homework to dedicate two weeks to solidifying the objectives, I decided to take Brandon to my lesson this morning. The exercise was simple but so very good for Brandon. I spent much of my time on 20-meter circles at all three gaits just getting him to bend correctly and connect on the outside rein (mostly) by getting him to lower the base of his neck. He never ducked behind the bit/connection. He did try to dictate where his shoulders were going but by maintaining my outside hand just over/at his wither and using a very distinct inside opening rein and not paying attention to how fast we were going (okay to jog if need be) I was able to get him to raise and use his back and connect for several strides at a time in both directions. Of course, he's more difficult going to the left now. As he became easier and easier to 're-establish' the connection and correct use of his back by lowering the base of his neck I would then head down the quarter line from the circle to test if we could maintain it on the straight away. I felt like I had a real dressage horse at times as I was able to feel his hind feet stepping into my hands. It was a pretty cool feeling.

[heddylamar]

We’re having withdrawl symptoms here. Between work, travel, and now rain/freezing rain, I have not gotten on Maia in 3 weeks. Not sure when they’re going to get back outdoors ... my barn owner has no sacrifice lots, so she keeps them in when the ground is saturated. I completely agree with preserving the pastures, but Maia is not safe to ride without having had a chance to buck and gallop. And, our in-hand work in the covered arena was a bit hairy last night with cracking trees

[demi]

It’s interesting to read everyones reports, especially the riding ones.

I havent ridden all week. We’ve been having an ice storm. Heddy, I can imagine riding with trees cracking. The ice is so heavy even the huge old oaks are breaking and the sound is impressive. We’ll have a big cleanup ahead. I kept all 4 of mine in the barn with their stall/small paddock situation because it is easier to feed them all in one place than to have to haul hay outside. It was dicey for 3 days just walking outside. I didnt clean anything for three days and now it’s going to take me all day to clean stalls. Besa and Rocky don’t poop in their stalls but the other two are big pigs! The old rescue gelding makes an even bigger mess because he can only eat the leafy part of the alfalfa so his stall was filled with stems mixed thouroughly with poop. I had to use a real pitch fork to clean it because it would have cracked the plastic fork.

The weather is breaking and i hope to get back on my horse tomorrow…

[heddylamar]

The ground isn't frozen here (just outside Boerne), so it's all pretty ice and a great big muddy mess underneath. Maia's all confused She's used to going out to play — and she played HARD — in this sort of muck in Maryland. We only kept them indoors if it was actually frozen solid. But, we had a sacrifice lot that they lived in over the winter, so the pastures didn't get torn up.

My BO lost a few tree limbs, but no trees (or fences) as of last night.

[Moutaineer]

Its been brutally cold here this week. Very little "outside" time for man nor beast and no riding until today.

Apparently Potters was a wild man on the lunge yesterday (corroborated by two separate people as I was getting him ready to work today, not entirely reassuring!) So discretion being the better part of valor, I decided against pleading for the chance to get on, which had been my plan today, and let Justin ride him.

However, after some silliness on the lunge, he got over himself and I have to say he was remarkably level headed and making good choices today. So I hope we are getting somewhere. I'm getting the "I really want to ride my horse" stage (as long as he's being a good boy!)

But I will take the advice of those more experienced than I and wait this out. That is, after all, why I pay them the big bucks.

It is interesting how we all follow slightly different journeys to the same end. I was chatting to one of my barn mates the other day and saying that I felt rather pathetic handing my horse over and letting someone else sort out the problems as I'd never been in the position to be able to do so before. She said she had never had it any other way and that she was totally happy with being micromanaged. She's from a H/J background (very succesful.and accomplished rider on the Florida A/O circuit, so no slouch as a rider) but a beginner at dressage, so I guess its more common in that discipline, but it still feels a bit alien to me.

[Aleuronx]

We are getting that arctic blast now too. Tonight into tomorrow morning wind chills of -40F to -50F

Kora got her hormone shot last night, bundled up to the hilt as she lives outside with a shed. Talked to barn manager about what 'the plan' was and stuffed a giant hay net for Kora and her bestie that she lives with for them to feed out along with tossed hay today. Barnmate and I are tag teaming them for the next couple days to make sure hay supply doesn't run out, shed keeps clean as we bedded them down with shavings and giving midday mashes with electrolytes to keep them drinking. Fingers crossed their automatic waterer doesn't freeze up.

I should add that Kora and I have made it to February still riding making training progress so I am incredibly jazzed about that. February can be a dark but short month that we can slide into the hope and light that March and spring brings.

Mom made it through 1st session chemo, hasn't been easy dealing with reactions but she's determined.

[exvet]

More prayers for you and your Mom, Aleuronx. Sounds like we might know where you get your determination from I spent part of yesterday in addition to chauffeuring my mother around to get her various errands run also trying to arrange for her cataracts surgery. I was grateful to find out that it's fully covered by medicare but not so thrilled (though not surprised) that it's going to be a longer process to get her worked into their schedule. I'm trying to get it done before our house is finished so that I can be readily available for her. While I was driving her to 'her' first store, she was sharing with me a recent telephone conversation she had with her grandson. These stories always vary in degree of delusion, imagination and facts. The sad part was that she couldn't remember her grandson's name though he had just called the day before, but she was sure he was one of my brother's sons. I asked her if she could remember my children's names, and she came up with my name and that of my brother's. She quickly realized that she was wrong and eventually came up with the names of all of her grandchildren; but it's just sad to see what aging can do to the brain.

On a better note, I'm guessing since we deal with the brutal heat in the summer, we've been blessed with absolutely gorgeous weather. I know many around here are sighing a bit of relief since we have the huge golf tournament, followed by the Superbowl, followed by the huge Arabian show, etc. I, of course, only care that it means I can continue to focus on my homework. I'm going to ride the boys this morning and try to lunge them over fences and cavallettis this afternoon. I'm sure they're going to be thrilled LOL. I also want to do a bit of a timeline starting today, chronicling any change in muscling with photos of Brandon's neck now that I've finally gotten access to the base of it. There may not be any dramatic revelations, but I think it could be fun to document if there turns out to be any noticeable change in his muscling/overall stature. My prediction is that he'll gain anywhere from a 1/2 to 1 inch in height as he starts to build his back. We'll see.

[Sue B]

Aleuronx, for your mom, if nausea is the problem, try Reliefband (http://reliefband.com). It is an FDA approved device that you wear on your wrist for the relief of nausea specifically. Sends a small electrical pulse to the median nerve which then affects the vagus nerve to calm the digestive tract. I have sometimes debilitating migraines which can involve severe vomiting/diarrhea (tmi I know) every time I open my eyes. Reliefband has been an absolute game changer, allowing me to still work even in the face of severe migraine. For me, the brain pain is tolerable so long as I'm not locked in a pitch black bathroom puking my guts out