We're just chillin': November-December goals and progress

[Moutaineer]

Well, we went over as directed to familiarize ourselves the GP Arena late this afternoon only to be told by the FEI steward that we weren't going to be allowed in there. I'm not sure how she even still had jurisdiction as her CDI show was finished and it's the national show in there tomorrow, but there you are, and I'm not too inclined to get into a fight with an FEI official. However, the national show TD rocked up while we were having this discussion, and as it happens he's an old friend (you'd know him SF, he's from Idaho) so he championed our cause and they let us in to handwalk one circuit of the ring.

Poor Potters had his eyes out on stalks at the 5 judges booths, the plants blowing around in the wind, the VIP tent seating, the jumbotron screen, the flapping flags, etc, etc, it's beautiful and very impressive and absolutely vast, but to expect a bunch of 3.1 AAs to go in there and compete completely cold without any familiarization time is a bit ridiculous.

Trainer and I decided that this was really not going to be a good situation for anyones mental health, so we've scratched the 3.1 and we are going to have a bash at the 3.3 which is in one of the less overwhelming spaces.

Discretion is the better part of valor sometimes.

[exvet]

Moutaineer, thank you for the info on the venue.

As for the decision to scratch, I would have done the same thing. Two things come to mind. First we're, as their riders/owners, are supposed to always set the horse up for success and second, every time we interact with the horse we're training it. If we even think they're going to spook at something there's a much greater chance that it comes to fruition. I wouldn't want to challenge my horse's trust in that way. If you think it's over facing the horse it probably is.

Good luck on 3-3

[Lipsmackerpony88]

SF- what an eventful outing for you guys! Glad T handled all the chaos okay. What do they look for in regards to an equitation horse vs a hunter? And that's a good idea, I'll have to ask if that's an option to haul in once before. It's close enough that I definitely could.

Mountaineer- I don't blame you one bit!! I hope 3.3 goes well for you and hopefully Potters is relaxing more and more there.

Well, I tentatively booked a virtual lesson with Lauren Spreiser for December 1st. Hopefully the technology all works out, I'm going to do some testing of it beforehand. I figured it would be a good way to warm up to the idea of doing the clinic. And perhaps I can even talk to her about my concerns regarding the facility/ our confidence issues about it. Even this I'm a little nervous about to be honest haha which means it's probably good that I'm trying it. Fingers crossed that the weather is okay that day. It would be hard to do it in the indoor with everybody crammed in there.

Full steam ahead!

[Chisamba]

So, inspired by Flight i have our up a few easy to invent WE obstacles, a gate, a bridge and a pole to side pass over, a two spools to pick up and put down a pole in the centers, and a cloverleaf. And a low one stride jump gymnastic. I've been having all my students work on the obstacles as part of their lessons and it's been good for developing partnerships and slightly more entertaining than plain ol dressage.

Kimba loves it, saiph is convinced it's designed to murder her but all the other horses are finding it a combination or entertaining and challenging . It seems to add to some very dressage requirements, accuracy, suppleness, balance, so we are all enjoying it. Obviously wouldn't do it right up to a show, but over winter is a grand addition imho

[Flight]

Great stuff Chisamba! Yes, it's quite dressage based and we do get some new people who expect it to be more like sporting events.

[exvet]

Well I got a three thumbs up during our lesson today. My instructor, my friend/cohort who is also showing 4th level, and a few people who came just to watch the lesson (checking out the instructor), all felt not only did Junior try his heart out but he delivered. So one method to my madness was that I had already told the instructor to get the lunge whip out. Any time she thought Junior was backing off on the leg or slowing down the hind leg she was to help us out. I got some definite 'tude' and explosions but all-in-all I felt Junior understood that we meant business. We had connection, contact and most important and supple topline. My instructor felt that Junior maintained the quality of the canter for most if not all of the lesson. Now, it's on to Indio to redeem ourselves with multiple lessons planned between here and there.

Chisamba, I do think that WE and obstacle challenges help the relationship between person and horse so much. I am continuing to work Troy from the ground and due to the 2 year old limited time span feel that obstacles will help us establish that relationship/partnership for now. Backing will come this summer.

[StraightForward]

What do they look for in regards to an equitation horse vs a hunter?

I'm still learning the details of it myself, but hunters is judged primarily on the horse. They want a horse that is elegant and gives a nice ride over the jumps, with an efficient, uniform stride. Turnout is a big deal in hunters, with the itty bitty braids and all. Equitation is judged more on the rider's ability to pilot the horse effectively through a jump course, and of course they are looking at rider form in between and over the jumps. The eq courses tend to be a little more tight and technical, from what I understand. Of course, it helps to have a horse that makes your job easy for the eq, but they don't need to be as pretty as the hunters. I've also noticed that the jumps in the hunters are usually crammed full of stuff like brush, straw bales, thickly planted flower boxes and fairly solid looking gates, whereas eq courses are less elaborate with the fillers.

[heddylamar]

Somewhere over the past 2+ years, I lost control of Maia's midsection, and she stopped fully engaging and we lost the explosive impulsion. Honestly, I wonder the long ass hot trailer ride to Texas took a bigger toll on her than was obvious, because when I first rode her there she was an entirely different horse. And the trainer I rode with in Texas didn't really help — she was used to very placid schoolmasters, not TB-Arab crosses.

The new trainer honed in on the problem immediately, and gave me a good bucket of tools to get Maia re-engaged. We've both picked it right back up. Since it's something she already knows — and used to do — it's just been a crash course in "hey, remember this?" and applying it everywhere. And now I have a solution next time I'm faced with this — yay!

Of course, NT also told me that engagement may remove some of the spookiness from our rides — which had me laughing. Based on what I was sitting on yesterday and today, I think NT needs to take that back

My new project start date got pushed back a week, so Maia and I are doing a working equitation clinic focusing on crazy obstacles on Monday. I could use good thoughts — that trainer knows Maia's intolerance of plastic bags, mylar balloons, and tarps, and has planned a whole program just for her. Send jingles, and maybe body armor?

[exvet]

Sending jingles heddylamar, LOL but seriously I hope you get a lot out of your clinic. I rode Junior in a lesson with a riding instructor that had the devil in her hand, the lunge whip and then I rode him on Monday (rode Sunday too but was an easier day) with the wind whipping and his best friend leaving him. He was the Welsh Dragon unleashed. The slow poke pony from the Valley had fire coming out of his nostrils but ya know what? I had the best in the air clean flying changes I've ever had. My beloved Bey Shah gelding who helped me earn my bronze was handed over to me on the day of purchase with these words of wisdom, "if you can channel all that energy, the sky is the limit". Truer words have never been spoken. It worked for Bey Kheri and it seems to be working for Junior, you just have to believe and have faith (which I think you already know). I hope your velcro is brushed up and ready to work...................it's never let me down

[Moutaineer]

Home and somewhat decompressed. We had another highs and lows ride on Sunday morning. It was very windy and quite brisk.

We started with nice trot and walk work, a good start to the canter work, then when I put my leg on for the second canter half pass, we had a bit of a rodeo instead, and we ended up with something like a 3, 3, 4 on double coefficients. We got it back together for the extended canter and the end of the test, but that deservedly completely blew our score.

However, we did get a 7.5 for rider position. Probably because I didn't fall off... we got several other 7s and 7.5s too. So it's not like it was a depressing string of 5.5s, so there is hope!

My feeling was that he caught sight of something behind him moving in the breeze and that spooked him. I also think he was tired and over it. The temp stabling in the wind was very noisy and I wonder how much sleep he got.

I don't think I'll ever ship him that far to a show again. We can stay and play in our local sandbox.

I'm glad we did it, but I don't feel the need to do it again.

[Chisamba]

Moutaineer, i tend to hit a lot of schooling shows until I feel that I can reliably produce something resembling a good test. Then I go to the bigger venues. It's often disappointing because I never get the horse she is at home or at the smaller shows. An ex pupil of mine who went pro and is just doing fab at all the big venues says it's because she just keeps doing it and her horses expect it. I am hoping Letta will progress over winter well and be ready to show I the spring a d I'm going to try expose her to the three ring shows early and often.

I had another lesson with Stephane Cheret, and we worked an sticking to the correct response to the correct aid instead of " cheating" to get a correct response. It is so ridiculously difficult for me to keep my left shoulder back when going left.

I have been hitting the gym and eating flax to try and get my excess skin to shrink a little now that there is less fat to stretch it.

So I have been doing torso turns and stretches. I also have a sh!t habit of shortening my inside leg, so today's exercise was three strides leg yield three strides half pass zig zags without changing my.posture keeping the legs long and getting the correct response to the leg. It's funny how if I don't get an easy response I contort to insist, instead of just sticking to the correct response from the correct aid.

Letta was started in draw reins, so trying to get her to trust and stretch to the bit is the challenge of the moment. How do you all get a curly neck horse to stretch.

Well that's my update for now, it's been unusually warm.for this time of year. I love it but the earth is dry and we have inconsiderate people doing foolish things and starting fires. Ugh.

[mari]

Ermagerd, we are at an awkward stage where canter half-passes and flying changes are lovely, supple, easy, but the rest...

Medium/extended canter is a disaster. He just bulldozes off. Half-halts do not register. The available power in my arms and body cannot do more than it currently does.
Trot lateral work has also gone to pot. So I'm not expecting a good show in the first week of December.

[StraightForward]

Thank you for sharing your experience, Moutaineer. Sounds tough overall, and a lot of time and money, but at least you got to go out and give it a try.

Chisamba, good to hear from you, and I look forward to seeing what you do with your new horses next season!

Mari, I hope Odin surprises you and puts his pieces back together for your show!

I had a lovely ride on T last night. She is feeling really supple and responsive. I'm leaving changes alone for now, and seeing how much more canter we can build. If we are just putting in really solid 2nd level tests next year, that will be OK. Her custom Equiture show browband came today, so hopefully it will see some use, along with the pretty jacket I bought year before last and have yet to show in!

[Josette]

Stop Curling links - video examples on 2 different horses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbCmpjMmZ6s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id5qHt5QsGA

[Chisamba]

Stop Curling links - video examples on 2 different horses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbCmpjMmZ6s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id5qHt5QsGA

Thank you, but looking for personal experiences not promotion vids. My personal preference is to ask the horse to stretch into the outside rein off the inside leg with a very giving inside rein.

I have found the age old lifting the neck with raised hands counter productive in teaching the horse to trust and enjoy the contact. Galop had me use that technique with Kimba and she, Kimba, has never trusted the contact again.

[exvet]

Stop Curling links - video examples on 2 different horses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbCmpjMmZ6s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id5qHt5QsGA

Thank you, but looking for personal experiences not promotion vids. My personal preference is to ask the horse to stretch into the outside rein off the inside leg with a very giving inside rein.

I have found the age old lifting the neck with raised hands counter productive in teaching the horse to trust and enjoy the contact. Galop had me use that technique with Kimba and she, Kimba, has never trusted the contact again.

I honestly haven't had a truly BTV horse in a long, long time. The last one I think was my son's Arabian mare. I had to go to developing pushing her into my outside hand and basically not having much if any inside hand. I also had to be really conscious of riding her hind legs up to my hands once she was far enough along. Still she was a silk ribbon sort of contact, very, very light. She was a tough one and though she was a great horse for my son I was somewhat relieved when he out grew her and I sold her to a friend for trail riding. It will be interesting to see if Troy is a horse that goes straight to the BTV as an evasion of the contact. One thing I didn't do with his mare that I have done with almost all the others I've started was ground drive and long line her first before having her under saddle. I often wonder if that would have changed anything.

[khall]

Chisamba have you done any wih with the bridle? Teach her to release the jaw and also release the neck inward and downward. One of the go to work Mark used with most horses.

Mountaineer that does sound like a challenging show venue and trip overall. Sometimes it’s good to push ourselves though. We learn what to do and what not to do again!

I’m working Joplin lightly right now. Mix of wih and US. Last US ride played a bit of cc and kept getting changes lol! I finally was able to keep her with me well enough to keep the cc. I’ve stepped up the ask some of piaffe wih. It’s coming along well.

Work on the covered was impacted by heavy rain this week. Dirt delivery decided the day after to deliver a load and promptly got stuck. Sigh. Ruts all over now.

Also got the news the trusses are delayed so probably looking at January finish date. Ah well

Hope all aren’t too cold. We’ve had a cold snap for us. Even had a bit of frost on the ground this morning. The cold is one thing but add the wind. Bleh.

Happy thanksgiving to those of us in the US. And happy riding all!

[StraightForward]

Tesla was never really a entrenched curler, but always so very light in the contact, I'm sure she could have turned into a curler. Very sensitive in the face for such a big girl. I tended towards keeping her more above the bit when riding on contact for a long time, which was not super helpful with the tense back, but IMO was easier to fix later. Now she is so much stronger, and I think the Winderen bit makes a big difference so that she is finally starting to take more consistent contact and developing throughness over the back so she can take the bit FDO and maintain a feel on the rein. She's been in a rubber bit for just over a year now, and getting a lot more comfortable about having a conversation with me through the reins.

I did an interesting Ride iQ lesson last night with an Australian dressage rider. It was described as a full ride for an elementary/2nd level horse. She went into collected canter work a lot sooner than I usually do (just riding 8 steps "at walk speed") and then forward, and then doing a few bits of CC. I usually take a lot longer warming up in working gaits, and then just touch collection at the end, but we are growing up now, and it seemed to work well for T, and by the end, we got some pretty nice half-steps. I think this is what she needs to just get more to folding the hind legs as business as usual. I think she only braced her back legs and thought about swapping once during the ride. She did struggle with the collection, and fell out of canter a few times on the right, but was willing to hop right back in rather than stopping and arguing. The other exercise in this ride, which I haven't really done before, was canter LY across the diagonal with transition to trot maintaining the LY. We found that fairly challenging, and would get a couple straight trot strides before reestablishing the LY.

I've been waffling on whether to renew my Ride iQ sub for another year, but at the cost of less than three lessons, it's probably worth it (provided I use it). Hoping to be able to take a couple lessons soon, as we are moving into unchartered territory (for me). It's looking like tomorrow will be nice and clear, so I need to prioritize getting some video.

[Tanga]

Chisamba--Quilla likes to curl. That's her go to thing. I don't have any super easy answers. Just a lot of positive reinforcement and voice cues to let her know I want her neck out and down. I do a lot of what you do with warming up super long into an outside rein and almost nonexistent inside rein, and I try to get all bend and outside rein contact only from shifting my weight into the outside stirrup, which seems to really help. And we do a lot of trail, which she naturally stretches out like that.

We're getting a LOT of rain here, which is really nice and a relief. It's a bit of a shock coming back from Ecuador, but nice to have a winter, which I knew we would have because the girls grew an insane amount of count. I clipped them three times before I left, and they have grown so much hair in a couple of weeks you wouldn't know it.

[exvet]

Had a pretty decent lesson today and a much better ride than yesterday. Junior decided to give me the middle hoof on the issue of connection and contact through the right rein. Seemed like our bit of ugly yesterday translated into a much more obedient boy today. Of course I had a gem of an instructor who was willing to go back and forth between the lunge whip and bamboo pole to keep him motivated. Other than holding one or the other and occasionally raising it, there wasn't a lot else needed. He is really started to settle into his passage/half steps. The majority of the lesson though was miles of SI and half pass in order to cement the acceptance of the riding into the right rein. My audience indicated that they some some definite improvement in his engagement and self-carriage overall. Baby steps, always baby steps.

[khall]

Exvet have you tried the equi band? There is scientific data that shows the effectiveness in the use of the band. My holistic vet had me get one. I need to go back to it.

Anyway another possible tool to use

[Moutaineer]

A funny that I forgot to mention. The horses and trailers were all well on. their way to Thermal from Utah and I was about to leave home when I had a frantic call. Someone had opened the trailer tack room and discovered that Carl Hester, the barn kitten, had stowed away with them.

I'm designated crazy cat lady at the barn, so there was a lot of "what do we dooo?" going on! So I crammed all the necessary supplies into my already bursting car before I left.

He spent the show in the horse trailer, much to the astonishment of the people parked next door who said he kept appearing at the windows and yowling at them...

[StraightForward]

I would have had way too much fun with that, given the cat's name- "Hey, be careful you don't let Carl Hester out, I have him locked up in the trailer and he's angry!"

Khall, I made an Equiband knock-off. I think I need to find different elastic straps for it, but I should bring it out to the stable. I tend to think of it as a lunging tool, and I don't lunge T very much, but I could use it when riding.

We got quite a bit of rain, and I'm pleased with how the arena is holding up. Even with a bit of standing water here and there, the sand just kind of settled down like beach sand, and I had a good ride yesterday without having to worry about the footing. Of course next week it looks like it's going to freeze next week. We had a good ride, and then T got a checkup with the chiro. She was a little out in her back and left hip, but chiro didn't feel it was due to saddle issues. She says sometimes issues migrate and since T had stuff going on in other parts of her body, it was likely compensation-based, but nothing that concerned her too much. I got homework to do belly lifts and tail pulls.

Tonight I need to go put some wire panels between her and her new neighbor, who she loves a little too much, and is allowing to shred her tail wraps and blanket liners. They are pretty cute, hanging at the fence scratching each other's withers, but the wardrobe destruction is a problem.

[khall]

SF my friend absolutely said to ride with it. I did some just WT never tried canter and boy it gave me a different feel!

Like you I need to pull it back out and start using it again. I do say that the piaffe and active trot work I’m doing in hand is most definitely making a difference in Joplin’s gaits. I was telling Cedar I’ve upped the ask even more now. More energy and engagement in hand. More on the spot active piaffe. The other day I even let the piaffe out into passage. At first when I started upping the ante I got a bit of push back from Joplin now she’s settled quite well into it. I need to get some more video to share.

Nice few days then storms on Wednesday night and thanksgiving and a big cold snap. First hard freeze. Bleh

[Aleuronx]

Well. This ain't the update I was expecting to be sharing. On the way to the Lauren S. clinic a driver drove straight into the trailer as we crossed an intersection. So many thankfuls, passenger side hit and Kora was on driver side, relatively low speeds ~30mph, truck was a beast and kept control, trailer was a steel tank and while damaged Kora was 100% safe. The most terrifying 3 seconds of my life to jump out of truck and run back to her, even though I could see her on camera partially.

Police arrived immediately, which was just as well as I had no time to individually address the driver with my fist. Better off for me and him. Tow guys were amazing, got the trailer jacked and spare on, tire and rim were destroyed. Axel bent but safe enough to drive the 2 miles to the clinic with Tow and police behind us to get Kora somewhere safe other than the side of the road.

Everyone at the farm was so, so lovely and I had never met a soul there before. They offered to move my ride time but I was so spent and concerned about Kora anyway it was just not worth it. A friend jumped into action and drove down her trailer to get us home and talk about tough as nails Kora walked right on. We don't deserve horses.

Trailer is with our local service guys but they are not optimistic. I trust them implicitly and know they won't steer me wrong. Insurance will fight it out but I'm likely Black Friday shopping for quite a larger purchase than expected. I will say this it will be nothing other than a Hawk for me for life.

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[exvet]

How awful and scary Aleuronx. I'm glad you two are okay and am sorry you had to not only miss your clinic but deal with the stress of such a mess.

I will say that when my truck was stolen at an away horse show, though I was at least acquainted with several of the people there, I was overwhelmed with so many who went out of their way to make sure my horses were fed, I was picked up and taken to the show from the hotel (where the truck was stolen) so I could care for my horses, and a friend drove 3 hours with her rig to pick up and take back my horses. While some horse people will drive us crazy, they are often the very same people who would give you the shirt of their back to help especially when horses are involved.

Hope the holidays bring you some respite.

[Chisamba]

Makes me think things like "how the hell does one not see a trailer ffs!! Sorry for your scare !

I came here to relate a funny story and I'm going to anyway. It might cheer you up.

So by my second ride today I decided my underwear, which was crawling up so much it felt like it was masquerading as an IUD, just had to go.

Mondays are my quiet day so I got off, walked into the aisle ti get off the sand, and horse in tow, kicked off my boots and socks and stripped down to the undies. Off they came and I'm bending over to pull my breeches back on and go commando when I hear a truck pulling in. It's Monday, no one comes to the barn on Minday, it's my " me" day. Alex the horse stared at me as I hopped around yanking up the pants . Fortunately I was simply sitting putting on my boots by the time the porta potty cleaner got there. It's Thanksgiving so they are doing their rounds a day early.

I guess if there is a moral to the story is get smaller winter underwear when you lose weight.

May you all have a Thanksgiving to be grateful for.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Aleuronex, how scary!!! I'm so so sorry and angry for you!! It's so hard to be out and about driving with idiots!! I'm so glad you guys are okay. Your trailer definitely looks like it took the hit pretty well.

[StraightForward]

Oh man, my heart stopped reading that. So glad you're both ok. The trailer is a bummer, but replaceable. Wow, what a nightmare!

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Chisamba, I definitely LOLed.

[heddylamar]

That is absolutely terrifying, Aleuronx. Walking right back on? Kora is an absolute trooper. She needs extra carrots for a few weeks! What a fabulous girl <3

Chisamba I hate waste, but I'll toss brand new underwear immediately if they can't resist transforming into a thong.

Today's working equitation clinic was fun! We started in hand because Maia was lit. But she quickly relaxed and started listening, so I got on, and we were not the pair to separate violently. There were the standard obstacles — bridge, gate, full pass over a rail, back through an L, barrels, and the barrel with the long pole to pick up and carry. Maia's done all of those, and I can safely say she still hates when I carry the pole. Today I mostly worked on bumping her with it when I picked it up, and thumping it up and down in the barrel.

Her nemesis was mostly a nothing burger. There was a landscaping cloth on the ground that we had to walk over. It was fine the first few times, and we walked right over. But then everyone else had rucked it up, and it attacked her feet She lived. And we walked over it again and again. And she was very very brave about the very scary oversized yoga ball. Not brave enough to play soccer with it like the pony, but we walked right up to it, and either she or I kicked it a few times without any real theatrics.

Next time the trainer is planning for blow up plastic lawn decorations.

[Josette]

Aleuronx - that was a terrifying accident and very glad to hear all is well with Kora. She is a gem to reload so easy afterwards. I'm impressed that the tow guy and police escorted you to the farm. Good People!

[Flight]

Aleuronx, that is scary and I'm glad Kora was ok. Your poor float though.

LOL Chisamba!!! Glad you got your pants on in time!

As for the curling, Norsey is the king of curlers. I've tried lots of things over the years. He is light on the contact and in the early days of riding him everyone just said "when he gets stronger, it will go" . Well it didn't.

What I have done to help is teach hm a cue to poke out his nose, so when he curls too much I'll shake the rein at him - in a way like 'dont do that'. To get a nice longer stretching neck, I'll bend his neck laterally then allow it straight so I have a light inside rein and connected to the outside rein (like you've described). But I'll do a decent neck bend to both the inside and a counter bend. Keeping his body straight, I'll bend his neck about 45 (or more) degrees, being careful not to shorted it and making sure his face stays vertical (not ducking in/down and this is where the little rein lift or shake will help) then lightly follow the neck back straight. They want to straighten and stretch their necks automatically if you bend it enough. When he does it I'll give him a little scratch on the neck and try and tell him that's what I want.

Lifting my hands and his head like that Amelia newcombe video does lift his head, but it just dropped out the base of his neck.

[Moutaineer]

So glad you and Kora are OK, Aleuronx! How in the heck does one T bone a truck and trailer for God's sake?

Oops, Chisamba... and yes, wedgie underwear gets tossed in the trash.

I have no help on the curling. I'm having a bit of the opposite problem at the moment. But I thunk I have used something similar to Fight's approach in the past.

[Moutaineer]

Ooh, I have some pro photos from the show. Let's see of I can load a couple...

[blob]

Aleu-- I am so sorry that happened. How scary for both of you. Thankful you and Kora are ok!

Mountaineer -- those are some lovely photos!

re: curling: I've found success with some curlers by fluffing the reins. When they come behind contact, i sort of fluff my hand back towards them--it's a light and gentle movement, but some will end up taking the bit when you fluff and then my hand goes back to super quiet and soft and then when they come back again, i fluff forward again, until they steady. The clinician I worked with last year had me widen the hands when the horse behind contact so that i took contact again and then pushed forward with calf only and then slowly brought hands back together and rinse and repeat until the horse steadied.

re: equiband: this is what turned the page on RP's canter issues. Was using the equiband every ride religiously for 6 weeks (as recommended by instructions). After that they suggest you move to 1x a week, but I moved to every other ride for another 2 weeks before scaling back to 1x a week. Then I got lazy and stopped using it as regularly and lately i've noticed some funkiness, so I'm back to every ride for a couple weeks to see if I can get us back on track.


I am probably going to a clinic in a couple weeks with Paul Belasik. Has anyone ridden with him or audited?

[Aleuronx]

Thanks for the kind thoughts all, and had good giggle at that Chisamba. You are right Exvet that horse people on a whole can be such good sorts. Kora was plopped in a stall and someone took care of getting her water and her travel snack feed for me while I was dealing with the Tow guy and emptying out the dressing room.

I'm feeling a bit better about it all, it was out of my control and now that Kora has had a leg stretch ride, a hack and a working ride this morning all to good effect I think I can now completely put my mind at ease for her well being.

Love the photos of Potters pricked ears Moutaineer, and you don't look too shabby yourself!

[exvet]

Ooh NICE photos Moutaineer! I'm in the process of getting my entries off for the Desert Dressage II in January at Indio. I had a nice ride on Junior this morning. In many ways I feel like we're getting to know each other even better. He is such a pony. His first answer to everything is, "Here, I know you don't want me to really give it my all that would be truly hard work..................then tap, tap or big kick...........okay, okay, okay, is this what you meant and what you want? Oh I'm a good boy now?! puff up and strut.....hey wait a minute, I think I'm breaking a sweat. Let's tone it down a bit and see if I'm still a good boy." Rinse and repeat.

We have family coming this week/week end. Then next week end it's back to the Valley for shoes and body clip. I'm feeling rather relieved I have only one horse to show and put heavy focus on for now. Troy was a good boy yesterday. He wore a bridle with bit for the first time. Couldn't tell if his mouthiness was due to the molasses I smeared all over the bit or him not being able to figure why he couldn't get rid of the contraption but he didn't stress at all.

I hope everyone in the US has a very happy Thanksgiving.

[Fzybtfrm]

I had a similar experience driving my pony home from a schooling show a few months ago, driving my trailer through a mixed residential/business area going about 35 mph, and a woman, pulled out from a side street and tore the left front bumper off my trailer. She said "she didn't see me !" Driving a white F250 pulling a two horse with living quarters 25" foot long trailer!!. Everyone was fine, thankfully ,however her car was totaled- no match for a steel bumper. Now I find the trailer is so old they don't make that bumper anymore, and no one will manufacture it for me. So I'm going to end up with a cash payment and a trailer that the Beverly Hillbillies would pull if they could afford horses! Sucks!

[Srhorselady]

There is something called an English Wheel that mechanics who restore classic cars use to recreate bent metal pieces like bumpers. It’s not a cheap tool so not all restorer mechanics will have one. But check around in that area and you may be able to restore your trailer bumper. I only know this because my neighbors husband who restores vehicles made an English wheel and recently sold it and I asked what it was.

[heddylamar]

@zybtfrm If it's not something that they can straighten, you should be able to find a fabricating shop to build a new fender for you.

[Ponichiwa]

Trailer accidents are nightmare fuel. Glad everyone (sans trailer) made it through ok! Heartstopping.

Keeping on my theme of "how is it already [xyz date]???", this year has absolutely flown by. Completely without authorization, by the way. With what's left of this year, we're going to:

- Really address straightness. He's much stronger through the left shoulder vs right, which means that the work to the left looks stiffer than the right (and my outside rein is much emptier). So we're going to work on keeping his neck directly in the center of his chest and stacking the shoulders/ribs/hips up in the right position. Even if it feels absolutely foreign.

- School multiple changes on a line, and also stopping them when I ask. Showed 4th level at a schooling show, and knocked out 3 changes by the first quarterline (whoops) and then another 8 more for good measure (whoops again). So we need to play with them until they're not this big interesting/exciting event. And also probably breathe.

- Keep my hands close together. This is very related to the straightness challenge, but it turns out I've been riding my legitimately fairly advanced horse like he's a baby horse and in so doing, sabotaged the straightness and self carriage and... you get the idea. So the next 6 weeks will have a lot of hands close together and slightly high to break the habit of wide and low. May play with riding one-handed to really break that habit.

Stay warm, those of you in the cold, and stay cool if you're in the warm.

[Aleuronx]

Fzybtfrm - Right? I almost yelled at the guy, what is your self-preservation issue that you just drove into a steel box?! No one can understand it but I guess that's because we as horse people are HYPER AWARE when trailering these priceless beasts. I agree with Srhorselady and heddylamar, maybe you can contact an antique car type place or fabricator that could make you one. I wish that was all I was looking at for damage. No update from the service place but with the holiday week I'm not expecting a full report until next week really.

Any frame damage will be nail in the coffin for my rig, I won't mess with that. TBD...

All US folks, enjoy the holiday tomorrow whoever you celebrate with and find things to be grateful for and celebrate good company. I know I will be!!

[Flight]

Lovely photos Mountaineer! I like your boots.

I made it through the working eq national champs. We ended up winning but in true "Bradbury" style (Steve Bradbury was an aussie speed skater who won gold because the others fell over ahead of him).
We took 2 days to get up there because I had to do a trot up and I thought 8+ hours on the float wouldn't be good just before a trot up. Turns out we had to re-present after our first go which was really nerve wracking because I had no idea why we weren't accepted. Norsey wasn't lame! My friend googled how to do a trot up and told me to run faster and get Norsey striding out. Which I did, and we passed. Afterwards, I learned that you do have to prepare and practice to do a good trot up!
Because I haven't really run since I gained a heap of weight and broke my sacrum, I ended up pranging my achilles (from a sprained ankle about a year ago that I never rehabbed) and ohh it had me up all night. So painful. Luckily, I'd thrown in some meloxicam and I ate as many of those without overdosing and was awake all night icing the stupid thing.
The other thing, we were camped directly under a street light. My horse float is made of plastic, so the street light lit up the inside of the float like it was bloody midday. I had to make a tent out of Norsey's rug to sleep under to block the light

The class I was in was a qualifier for the world champs, so there were a lot of new rules and conditions. One was that you couldn't ride your horse unless watched by the paddock steward. So, you couldn't go for a casual ride around the venue, or ride up from the stables. My long boots would bend right onto my sore achilles tendon, so the first day I'd walk to and from the warm up in my socks carrying my boot I'm so glamourous!

Our dressage didn't go well. My achilles was really sore and I couldn't stretch/flex through my ankle, the draw and our bridle numbers were mixed up. The warm up was right next to a campdraft and Norsey was freaking out about the whip cracking. You know when you start to feel overwhelmed..... I just had to tell myself to suck it up and get on with it.
The start of the test was really tense but by the end (there's a lot of canter) Norsey and I did settle down and it ended ok. We missed out on a qualifying score, but in a way that was good as it took pressure off. Not that I really need to qualify for the world champs, but it still would have felt nice to get the scores.

The EOH was in the indoor and we weren't allowed to do a familiarisation in there. Norsey walked in and I felt him suck back and go 'ohhhhhh' but he is so obedient, he did a nice round and didn't spook at anything. The bridge was quite creaky, the poor thing hesitated at that but kept going. He's such a good boy.

I picked up Ding from the vet hospital on the way home. Its a bit squishy on the float with the 2 of them but Ding was so happy to see Norsey. He neighed and neighed and sniffed him all over. Ding is still lame, the antibiotic treatment hasn't worked as well as hoped. He's paddock sound but not rideable. We will give him more time and decide what to do next.

NorseystatesOzshots.jpg (187.61 KiB) Viewed 9992 times

[Moutaineer]

Congratulations, Flight! Awesome! Sounds like quite the experience...

And I totally get the walk to the arena thing. Day 2 of my show I sent my boots down to the arena on our rented golf cart (riding to the arena was more than Potters could cope with, what with all that was going on.) That was all fine until I then sent them back on the golf cart, and one of our number put them in the wrong golf cart... cue wild dashing around the showgrounds to track them down. I did get them back, but decided I'd rather walk in them than let them out of my sight after that...

(Those are my ebay score boots. Someone else's brand new custom Der Daus that didn't work for them. I love them and they fit me like they were made for me.)

I hope Ding turns the corner soon. That's worrying.

[exvet]

Impressive Flight, truly inspiring. Hopefully Ding's issues sort themselves out.

[Chisamba]

Flight, we at the barn had a horse with a. Horrific deep abscess and she was treated surgically. There was quite an intensive aftercare but she has come back fully sound in that foot. If that makes you feel any more reassured about considering surgery. I know hind sight is 20 20 but the whole tourniquet, antibiotic, cellulitis thing sounded awful.

Moutaineer, I had to go back to look at your boots, Flight is much more observant tian I am. Lovely boots, lovely pictures.

Today I noticed how many people seem to drive with a sort of oblivious entitled impatience. There have been quite a few single car senseless accidents in our little rural community lately. But I notice people blowing through four way stops, overtaking dangerously , weaving while they are doing something distracted. Is it a trend? Is it just the holiday season? Why risk your life to gain a few seconds? I just don't understand.

As for riding, the big problem with a horse that curls is getting them to truly supple over the back and fo me to be able to actively influence stride length. There is an absence of power from the hind leg to the bit. I am achieving some stretch by asking for a response to the rein often. Small bends inside rein around d the inside leg with a little leg yield on the circle into a long outside rein. This works very well in between moments of baby brain distractions. But this is the time to be patient and develop correctly, so the future progress has a good foundation.

Saiph is truly progressing now, we have developed enough strength and supple to be able to adjust her in the .more difficult work, aka half pass. In my personal opinion half pass is the hardest thing to do well. Maybe when Im good at it it will feel easy.

I hope everyone has a good Thanksgiving. I find that being honestly grateful makes everything better. Instead of being frustrated because Saiph still spooks at the same spot a year later, if I'm grateful for all the pegged and ask and has given in the same year, I'm a happier person and she likes being ridden by a happier person

Same for chasing to be grateful for my husband, my son, my friends, my body, my home my vehicle my horses, all the things that can be frustrating are also the things that carry us through our days. Being thankful gives me hope. Being hopeful is about the best and most awesome way to deal with stress.
" hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies. "

Happy Thanksgiving to all, American or not,

[mari]

Wonderful photos Moutaineer!
Well done Flight, what a lovely jumping pic.

I left the house early this morning, drove 40 mins to my lesson, and upon arrival realised I'd forgotten my saddle.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Lovely photos both Mountaineer and Flight!
Flight- The whole show sounds like quite the adventure!! And I'm jingling hard for Ding. I really hope he turns a corner.

I had to cancel our field trip to the other trainer this weekend because with the holidays it just wasn't feasible. Definitely bummed about it but if the weather is stays steady then hoping we can pop over in December.

My virtual lesson with Lauren Spreiser is this Sunday though. I'm a little nervous even for that, mostly hoping the technology all works out.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Mari- oh nooooooo!!!