2025 Transitions: January/February Goals and progress

[Srhorselady]

Pretty pretty pretty!

[StraightForward]

Exvet, I enjoyed watching Molly's videos. I kept the idea of warming up through the levels in walk when I rode on Thursday night, and did some spiraling canter today.

Thursday, the Erreplus arrived, but I decided to warm up in my old saddle so I could tell if any stickiness was just T's normal stuff, or if it was saddle related. I only got to ride the Erreplus for about 10 minutes before the neighbor showed up to drag the arena. By the time he was done, it was dusk, and she was acting silly, so I decided to bag it for the day. The saddle does fit me nicely, but I think for her it would be a leap of faith that I could get it adjusted to fit, as the panels seem to be a bit overstuffed. I did get a spot to haul in for a group ride in the morning, so I'll try to get a full ride in it and see if it's worth taking a chance on.

In more encouraging news, with just a light sprinkle coming down, I was able to get a good ride in with the new jumping saddle, and hop through a little combination to make sure it is as good over jumps as it is for flatting. Totally love it, and it seems the girl who cleans stalls on the weekend is going to buy my Pessoa, so that is working out nicely. T is definitely ready for her vacation to be over. I could tell as soon as I went in her stall today, and made the wise decision to lunge before climbing on. We did lots of canter work and I don't even think she was tired. It kept sprinkling though, so I didn't dare try to ride in the demo saddle!

[exvet]

Nice Aleuronx!

Glad you found at one solution to the saddle search, SF!

Day 2 of homework in the bag. Did a ton more hand gallop today and there's no question that Junior had more shoulder reach and lift. Still not convinced that the Antares is the perfect fit but it's without a doubt much better. I did have more forward and better response to my requests for more lift through the shoulders. Now, my goals is to lose any and all hesitation with the flying changes. Junior did give me clean changes but too many were croup high and I believe that is due to his hesitation to believe or buy into the fact that I really want a flying change.

[Chisamba]

Fabulous Aleuronx!!

[Moutaineer]

Hoping February is more productive for us than the last few rides have been. He started out beautifully yesterday but then the wheels fell off his brain for no apparent reason and the invisible dead people were out in force.

I'm wondering if it's related to the meds he's been getting for his hives. I had to give him a Dex shot last week, and I'm remembering he's been difficult after he's had it before. With luck, it'll have worn off by next week!

I'm trying to decide whether to sign up as a demo rider for an L program intro course the first weekend in March. If Potters is going to be a dork it wouldn't be a lot of fun, though an educational experience for the participants... the other issue is the potential weather. It's a potentially gnarly trailer drive if it's snowing.

[exvet]

Moutaineer, I had the 'pleasure' of being a demo rider for the L program once. It was on Junior. My coach at the time asked me to ride because the hosts were begging for volunteers and they didn't have enough when they were only one week out. I agreed and it wasn't a horrible experience but I got the brunt of 'it's a pony' so we can't expect x,y,z, mostly a 5 mover at best yada, yada, yada. I was prepared so it didn't come as a shock but I didn't feel it helped my riding or provided me with the education that could have helped. It did solidify my ongoing belief that up and coming judges are more focused on flashy movement and distracted by what's going on up front more so than in the back. Also heavily weight on using the half-point scale to ding based on your modifiers than enhance especially if one is riding an average mover.......but again, none was a surprise and I did get my volunteer requirement box checked off that year - enough so that when I won reserve champ for HOY for our state at second level it took the sting out of knowing my horse/pony is just damn average

[Moutaineer]

So this symposium is a nice idea. It's an introduction to the L program, so not directly part of the program but uses the 2 judges who will be the trainers throughout the program, which will be put on next winter.

The first day is the true L program format, with demo riders who are not there to get training but to be guinea pigs. Day 2 is actually being run as a ride a test with these two judges. (I watched one of them teaching a friend of mine in a clinic yesterday and was pretty happy with her training style and content.)

I'm still on the fence about it, however...

[exvet]

Don't get me wrong, I think any opportunity to ride in front of a judge helps shed some light on this sport. Also if it's set up as a ride a test I'm sure there's more to be gained. It sounds like focus won't be totally for the benefit of the L program students and auditors then?

[Moutaineer]

First day will be, but the second day seems to be the "carrot."

[StraightForward]

Aleruonx - I can't wait to see you and Kora on centerline in that tailcoat! Did you ever post photos, or is it a surprise?

Moutaineer - can you remind me of the dates of that L program thing? I was toying with going. If you ride in it, that might give me more incentive. Someday I'm sure we'll meet

We've gotten a lot of rain the past two nights, so I was lucky to get a spot in the group ride at the indoor today to really try the Erreplus. I hate to make a decision on one ride, but that's the risk this time of year. I spent a long time warming T up because she was being fairly spooky. During that time, I was thinking "send it back" because it's not wildly comfortable in the seat. However, once we got to real work, T gave me zero stickiness with the canter, and some really fab lateral work. We even played with some canter piris that seemed fairly legit. So the horse has spoken, and I'm going to keep it. I ended up spending two hours in it, and actually, I think it will encourage me to engage through my core more, and I confirmed with the arena mirrors that I was not tipping forward. Fingers crossed that she continues to respond well to it, and moreso that this can help unlock the changes for us. Now to get the flocking adjusted, though I think it might not be for a few weeks at minimum. Doesn't hurt that it's a rather pretty saddle: https://www.highlinetack.com/product/18 ... l-flocked/

It's supposed to rain until Thursday. Our arena is already underwater, and I actually got my rig stuck backing down our usually hard-packed road mix driveway, and had to be pulled our by the neighbor. It's now parked all crooked halfway down the driveway until it either freezes or dries out, or I otherwise get desperate to go somewhere.

[mari]

There is a Dorothee Schneider clinic here in mid-February. Here in South Africa we very rarely get international clinicians, so I was super keen to spectate, but they suddenly moved the dates from weekend dates to Monday/Tuesday, and now I can't get leave. Very bummed.

[exvet]

Sorry about the Dorothee Schneider clinic, mari. That's truly a bummer.

Excited for you SF. Sounds like you will have it all sorted out relatively soon.

Heading out for Day 4 of our homework with some trail riding at the end.

[blob]

You look great, Aleu--can't wait to see you and kora with those tails.
Chisamba, sorry to hear you are still not feeling full strength--lingering sickness is very emotionally draining. And I also agree that I want nothing to do with giant babies!
SF--if the saddle is not comfortable for you, it might be worth continuing to look. I know saddle searching is difficult/frustrating. But I do believe there will be a saddle out there that works beautifully for both of you.
Exvet--sounds like homework is going well. I probably need to do some more hand-galloping with RP, but honestly, he was such a panicked bolter when I first got him that I'm a bit fearful of doing it.

We're getting a week of false spring this week and I have a lesson today, so we'll see how it goes. On Wednesday we'll try to get RP's shoes back on.

[exvet]

Y
Exvet--sounds like homework is going well. I probably need to do some more hand-galloping with RP, but honestly, he was such a panicked bolter when I first got him that I'm a bit fearful of doing it.

We're getting a week of false spring this week and I have a lesson today, so we'll see how it goes. On Wednesday we'll try to get RP's shoes back on.

I don't blame you Blob. I probably wouldn't be so bold about it but I can barely get Junior to really open up. I'm told that he's unlikely to get to GP solely because of his lack of forward so the only thing I can do is try to find his willingness to race like the wind and move out. Neither Brandon nor Junior were/are the type to take off. Troy may be a different story. I won't know until I back him.

Our weather had been great since the end of last week. Snow is gone and it was 70 today. I'll be back at work tomorrow, then will ride on Friday in our field working on more hand gallop then back to the Valley to meet the saddle fitter and hopefully get another lesson.

Good luck with the shoes. I had a bit of a challenge getting Ace used to the process of shoeing but thanks to my farrier's patience he's become one of the easiest to shoe. I don't think my farrier would have believed it even two years into his life with me; but, now, 9 years later, a whole different story.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Mari, that's such a bummer!!

SF, sure is a gorgeous saddle. Fingers crossed it keeps working so well!

Lynx was a handful last week. But today I had a more relaxed and focused horse. He did do this hop thing that previously he had done when he had to pee- which worried me but we pushed through and he let it go. My trainer thought it looked more like when I was asking for bend my inside leg went slightly back (like a hair lol) and that he was confused if I wanted to canter. We will see! He can be so ultra sensitive at times. It's good and bad at times lol!

The weather was weird so it was a light ride be he felt good and very focused otherwise.

[Moutaineer]

SF, it's the first weekend in March. I'll be going to audit even if I don't ride.

And don't settle for that (temptingly pretty) saddle if it makes you sore.

55 degrees at the barn today after a rain/snow mix weekend. Slush world. It's going to be hideous when it all freezes again in a couple of days. The farrier will be out on Wednesday. I think I may discuss ice nails.

My trainer had knee surgery today, so we are on our own for a few days. After last weeks shenanigans and the weekend off I decided that we'd lunge today. Glad we did... he was wired. Then we handwalked out in the sunshine for half an hour and he was dragging behind me with his little relaxed nose on the ground by the time we were done. We will get on tomorrow and have a nice, conservative ride and see what we've got.

Shame about the clinic, Mari. I'd like to see her teach, too. Sometimes I think they do these things so they don't get auditors. We get a surprising number of decent clinicians passing through bearing in mind we arent exactly a dressage powerhouse out here in the Wild West. You need to be a bit "in the know" to track them down, especially as they are often wary of random auditors nowadays, and it's hard to get in to ride with them unless you have a connection, but they are there.

Yeah, hand galloping isn't in our repertoire either, Blob...

[blob]

Had a good lesson yesterday, so putting recap here to help me remember and in case helpful for anyone else.

We started with lots of w-t and then t-c transitions really making sure RP was doing the transition from behind. Previously when we'd worked on this it had involved making the transition 'smaller' so he wasn't leaping into things. But yesterday, she wanted me to still keep it contained but now get them more powerful and assertive (particularly w-t-w, canter we still need to think smaller). Then we did some ToH work, focusing on first doing haunches in on circle (shoulder keeping true circle line) and then shoulder in on the circle (haunches keeping true circle line) and going back and forth between the two. We then took that into the actual ToH, where she kept me in a couple rotations of the turn before coming out of it. Going left, it's hard to keep flexion in the ribcage, so she had me keep them very big with an opening inside hand so he doesn't fall in with the shoulder. Going right, it is much much easier to get a pretty correct one right away. Then on to trot lateral work. Here focus was on consistency. On the right SI i need to keep a lot of outside leg so he doesn't get too much angle to avoid bend. On the left I need to keep more of a straight feel so he doesn't fall out with right shoulder. Left haunches in is HARD, but i got some helpful guidance to prioritize bend over angle. Lastly we worked on getting some lengthening. She thinks that right now he really needs to learn to open up so she encouraged me to keep him going all the way around the arena until i really felt that shoulder push forward and then bring him back. She said it's ok that he's getting quick right now, once we get that open shoulder, then we can sit him back as long as i'm also balancing the more collecting/sitting work in the other work i'm doing and focusing on the lateral. It was in the 70s suddenly so we both got hot and sweaty, but it felt productive and RP felt really focused with a lot of try. One big watchout for me right now in the left lead canter is that when i go to get him off my inside leg, i have a tendence to also take inside rein and I really need to seperate that. I only do it left lead canter, but it's a pretty deep rooted habit there.

[Moutaineer]

Potters a completely different horse today. We had a lovely, happy ride and some fun with trot poles.

Now if we could all pray the hives don't come back, because I'm going to have to find a different way to treat them if the meds really are what's pushing him over the edge.

[blob]

Mountaineer-- I wonder if oral dex might metabolize differently for him. Or another steroid like prednisolone? Forgive me if you've already tried this--but does zyrtec help him? Some horses respond really well to it, others do not!

[Moutaineer]

Blob, I was thinking to try zyrtec next. I need to find the dosage.

It would be so much easier if we could actually establish what he was reacting to. Its apparently environmental (I say this because not only am I extremely careful about any changes i make for him, but also in November he left here with hives on a trailer bedded with our shavings, eating our hay and grain and drinking our water and arrived in CA without them.) Nothing obvious shows up in testing, though. Wah.

[blob]

The horses here that are on zyrtec get 10-12 pills 2x a day (about 1 pill per 100lbs 2x a day)

[Moutaineer]

Thanks! That's very helpful.

[Tanga]

Aleruonx, I'm with you on the world of instability. NICE three tempis. If I were judging those 7.5 or 8, maybe 8.5, depending on the level shown.

exvet--Who was teaching that L session? That's BS. According to Janet Foy (who cannot really ride and never brought a horse to GP, but used the horse Denny Callin trained to get her two GP scores) if a horse is in balance in tempo and poll high, that's a 7. Modifiers from there. And as a judge and rider, fuck yeah, let's all try to judge that way and not give poll low horses not using their bodies those scores. I take your correct, in tempo pony carrying from behind with poll high over that any time. I did the L way back when it was first started almost 40 years ago, and one of the teachers was Charles DeKunffy. Even then I knew he was a joke (he never rode, came as a groom from Hungary at 18 and never competed) as he tried to tell us to look at certain things about the way a horse was moving and judge them that way, which I knew even then was BS.

Back to rain here, which is good. No complaining. We can always use more. And since there are no shows until April earliest, I can take it easy and so can the horses. Riding both maybe 2 or 3 days a week, but it's hard, and I have little strength in hands and arms. I might have to put on a double here and there just to get a break and not push myself, though they're both being really good--I think it's just a little too much for me.

I am still on the plan to do "one more" championship in the fall. I have another friend who really wants to get her silver, so we are working on that. She's not close, but she can come down sometimes and learn, and after the champs, can show Quilla to get her scores for that. She rode a mustang to third level, and I was able to he get her 63% qualifying score for the freestyle because I was scribing both days, and knew from the judge's scoring that if she just kept steady tempo and poll high in everything, she could get it, and she was able to the next day. She then has been through four PRE type horses she bought as her next horse. Two she had to euthanize for such bad neurological issues (I forgot the name, the malformation of the spinal column) and the other two became unrideable. I feel for people.

I am OK. Back to mostly riding, feeling like I'm backsliding some. Good thing is I had an MRI Monday (1 1/4 hour in the tiny tiny MRI!) and nothing super bad, except some moderate disc bulging and arthritis, I think. I'll see the neurologist to go over this at some point and get one more test.I don't think my arm/hand strength has to do with ferritin. Had my colon and endoscopy today, and nothing obvious there from GI, though we'll wait on the biopsies. I'll see what she has to say (love all my docs are women) and if she thinks there's anything else to do. It may just be I don't absorb iron well and need to supplement for life. Since I was really high in Dec. at 440 for ferritin, I stopped taking it. I'll retest in another month or so, and if it's dropped, that might explain the increasing fatigue, and all of this just may mean I am a malabsorber and need to take iron, B12, and D, always. That's the best possible outcome for me. I am happy about that.

[Chisamba]

Kimba and Letta came back to work like they never left. Saiph is totally back to being blocked, k
Locked up, , not forward and grumpy. Time off does not suit her

[StraightForward]

Tanga, glad you are doing better. Maybe it is just several small things compounded. Fingers crossed you can continue to peel the onion. Kind of like unwinding issues our horses have, isn't it?

Blob, thanks for the lesson report!

I was able to get a ride in last night - after exorcising the fire breathing dragon - and it was a much needed mood boost. T stretched beautifully, and was happy to canter, so I'm glad to know my one real test ride in the new saddle wasn't a fluke. I am getting on the schedule to have the flocking adjusted next weekend, so hopefully it will fit better and T will like it even more. I wouldn't say it is uncomfortable for me - more like the difference between a chair that encourages good posture and a comfy couch. I've been riding primarily in my Black Country for 10 years, so I'm just super used to it like an old pair of shoes. I was able to launch her into a real medium trot yesterday, and I think when I'm in stiff boots instead of my soft winter field boots, I'll have the exact support I was looking for to ride it respectably. This morning we woke up to several inches of snow, so I'm probably done riding for the week, as I'm heading to a work conference on Sunday. With limited riding and some weather in the forecast, I did pull the plug on next weekend's clinic and will try to go in March. My instructor will be fresh off a clinic with Conrad Schumacher, so she said she'll have some fresh ideas for us. Hoping the second half of February allows for more consistent saddle time!

I would love it if there was a galloping track around here - I don't know if I have the guts to really open Tesla up, but a hand gallop would be great for her.

[Aleuronx]

I thought I posted this! I went with the same as my short coat but with reversible points/stock tie options if I'm feeling fancy with it.

Coat.jpg (42.43 KiB) Viewed 18247 times

Tailcoat.jpg (151.45 KiB) Viewed 18247 times

Tanga that's so kind of you, really respect your eye. I'll take a 7.5 all day long so when I blip the walk piros it won't matter, lol. I hope all your diagnostics come back to that more simplistic fix and you start feeling consistently better. It can be so hard mentally when you can't physically do what you're used to being able to. That would drive me nuts.

Chisamba Hope you are turning around better as well. Have you ever investigated some of the muscles diseases/disorders for Saiph? Just the comment about tough coming back to work can be a sign of those as they do better with more consistent movement.

I feel like a broken record again between mega cold and snowstorms we're just sort of messing around. Which is honestly fine for February. I'm toying with sending my saddle to fitter to have all flocking pulled and redone. We discussed at last fitting in the fall. I'm not sure how long I'd be without it though so that's part of the discussion and decision.

[exvet]

To say that today's been a whorl wind would be an understatement and the day isn't even over yet. Last night after work I raced home, fed the beasts and hooked up the truck and trailer. I then raced to the local chapter GMO meeting only to find out that I was elected to find the judges for our last two schooling shows (the payment I have to make since I skipped the last meeting in order to go to Indio). I then went home and packed the trailer so that I could get up early, feed the beasts and clean stalls, ride Junior, load all the beasts - equine and canine, and race down the mountain just so I get unload and get to my mother's facility before their one hair dresser left for the day. I've been calling and emailing for weeks just to get my poor mother a hair cut. Well, it had to be 'in person' so I got there just before the stylist had to leave. She was a nice gal but informed me that the facility doesn't really help with getting the residents to their appointments. Though you get charged for such esteemed help, the stylist relies on neighbors helping neighbors or she has to go look for 'her appointment' throughout the facility which decreases the time she has to cut hair. Fortunately I was able to set up an appointment two weeks out. Now I just have to figure out how to 'get her there'. Well at least I have 2 weeks to solve that problem.

While there, I found out that my mother must have had another stroke (TIAs seem to like her thalamus/brain) back in November 2023. That was when we began to notice a significant decline in her memory. Prior to that my mother was a regular at the facility's salon for hair cuts and a regular to ride the bus to church each Sunday. It was around that time that I noticed my mother started skipping or forgetting to take her medications and that her hair was getting longer (she's always has kept it cropped very short). It was also back in November/December 2023 that I signed my mother up on the wait list for assisted living because she started having delusions and I was getting calls from the facility. The stylist informed me that my mother's last hair cut was in October 2023. All of 2024 was a nail biter and then I was so relieved to finally get her moved this January when an apartment finally became available in the assisted wing (it was a miraculous coincidence that 3 spaces became available all at the same time and only after my mother clogged up her toilet weekly for 3 straight weeks, flooding her apartment and catching her coffee pot on fire.) Unfortunately it appears that my mother's declined even further with all the changes. Between her depression and rampant memory loss, I'm being told (and I understand why) that she's likely to need memory care before the end of the year. Of course I was also informed that memory care starts at $10,000/month.

So the point of all that is Junior and I better either get it together or I may have to look to Troy to be my gold medal horse. As soon as it's apparent that my mother makes the move to memory care I will have to either increase my load at work or take on a second job, most likely at the emergency clinic. She hasn't been put on a wait list yet. They have agreed to monitor her as long as I help keep the apartment clean weekly (take out her trash, etc so it no longer piles up in every room) and do her wash and dishes. At least that's all stuff I can still do when I go down each week to do her shopping.

I did get to have a very good ride on Junior this morning out on our extra acreage. So we got to do some hill work and our 'homework'. It was good just to open Junior up and work on his stamina. I also got an opportunity to really work with him to accept the contact at the canter and hand gallop without backing off or sucking back behind my leg. I don't know if it is the Antares or if it was just the fact that I haven't worked him in that area for several months. I managed to schedule a lesson with Molly for this coming Monday. I had texted her to see if she had time after the saddle fitting and of course she did but was very specific as to it having to be at 11 AM sharp. She asked if I thought the fitter would be done in time for me to make it. I explained that I certainly thought she would have to be because even if by some miracle she has some saddles to try I can't imagine it would be more than 2 or 3 by some bizarre miracle. There just isn't that big of a demand for riding Vienna Sausages here in Arizona which is exactly how Junior is shaped so I feel pretty confident the saddle fitting session won't go over an hour. I'm really just hoping the saddle fitter gets an accurate tracing, points me in the right direction or gives the Antares a green light. Now if Molly also gives me a thumbs up on positive progress this crazy weekend will have been work it.

[Moutaineer]

You have your hands full, exvet. I'm sorry your mother is declining.

Fancy duds, Aleuronx! It looks like a nice fit, too.

It looks like we are all,soldiering on through this winter. Dreadful here today. Heavy rain all morning which has now turned into snow and it's getting really cold. I'm glad I bundled Potters upwhen I left the barn today. This creeping damp, miserable weather is tough on my poor little creature of the desert.

I've had 2 solidly useful rides yesterday and today. 3 rides in a row without a spook and with an obliging attitude. Makes me happy!

I missed the windows to apply to be a demo rider, though. But that's OK, I will go and watch and learn.

[Tanga]

Aleuronx. I like the blue theme--that's the one I went with (because I got a $50 brand new blue tail coat at a tack sale, and blue dyes white breeches best. )

exvet--I'm sorry about all you are dealing with your mother. I can't believe memory care so so expensive there. Around here in the sf bay area it's about $8,000 a month. It's hard. We've filed a petition with the court to take conservatorship of my mom since my psycho half sibling blocked everyone again last spring, taxes haven't been paid in five years, and capital gains never paid on three houses sold (and no 1031 exchange.) Sigh. I hope you are able to sort everything out so you can keep doing what you love with your horses.

[exvet]

Thank you Tanga. I realize your situation is also difficult. I consider myself lucky that my brother is afraid of my reach. He's no help but at least he hasn't asked for more money. I will also give him credit for coming and visiting our mother on Thanksgiving though his oldest son paid for the trip (and visited his grandmother too). I will find a way to keep riding. I just won't have the time or money to put into competing once she requires even more care. I am also going to shop around because I know some of the group care centers are less expensive. All have wait lists but by the time there's an opening it's likely my mother won't remember who she is and at least it will be less of a battle to move her to a situation where there are other people she has to interact with (or not). Who knows it's always possible Junior and I will have an epiphany and sky rocket on up the levels. I won't be holding my breath but you just never know. These issues, knowing they were coming it was just a matter of when and still is, factored into my decision to sell Brandon and buy a 2 year old Welsh Cob. It's far less expensive to stay home and train one who imo is too young to waste money on lessons. I don't really need instruction on how to be a test dummy LOL.

[StraightForward]

Aleuronx, what a pretty tailcoat! Thanks for sharing the pics.

Exvet, that sure is a lot to handle, especially without a helpful sibling to carry some of the load.

I am itching to ride, but heading out of town tomorrow. Fitter coming next Saturday for the new saddle.

[heddylamar]

That's rough, exvet. Skilled care is crazy expensive. I'm glad that it's available — we couldn't give my dad the care he needs at home — and I'm happy that the nursing staff at dad's home earn a decent wage, but it's painfully expensive and medicare doesn't cover much. He's in a skilled nursing unit in west Tennessee, not memory care (yet), and his costs are akin to what you're looking at for your mom, before the added medications and hospital stays.

On riding, Maia and I had another very fruitful ride with our trainer. After we harnassed the crazies. Maia's in season, so the first 20 minutes were spent on relaxation. Then we got to work getting a very nice medium trot and canter. Which probably seems like a minor acomplishment, but if you saw what we started with ... The trainer's leaning hard on me to get out there and show again Maybe?

[texsuze]

Aleuronx--how nice!

Chisamba--I know of one person who still has 'stuff' going on, well after his bout with COVID, but he's much older than you. One day we'll know more about the cootie and how it messes with folks, but those in the throes may not get the benefit they need right now.

tanga--wondering who read your MR scan? Was it a neuroradiologist or general radiologist. PM me if you feel inclined.

exvet and all with elderly family--I applaud your ability to 'stay the course' and make any necessary adjustments so you can keep riding. My biggest fear is cognitive decline, maybe bigger than a fear of developing cancer, I don't know. Mom is 93, living in a house we bought for her, but the tiniest change sets her off. She's still driving (!), not a good historian, has some paranoid tendencies surfacing and is stubborn as a mule in clover. She will never agree to moving into assisted living so I foresee a tooth and nail battle in the future. Truly wishing a year of improved health for all....

[exvet]

The saddle fitter came and went. The search is still on. She said the Antares WITH the Winderen pad will do for the interim but not the long haul which I kind of figured. It still puts too much pressure on Junior's shoulders and per Molly me in a slight chair seat. She brought a few saddles, all too long. She has a couple more possibilities back at home which she's going to check and let me know (Black Country Eloquence with a hoop tree and a Custom on pony panels). If she doesn't think either will work (she took measurements) she's going to cast the net.

Lesson with Molly was more exercises to teach Junior all the same - how to carry and push, accept the contact and be agreeably forward. One exercise involved poles on half of a 15 meter circle to encourage carry and push and BEND. We trotted the poles then she first had me in each direction after the poles do shoulder in down the long side to E or B and then do a 20 meter circle then a 15 meter circle and finally a 10 meter circle so not exactly spiral in and out but working on true bend, getting him supple and keeping the forward. If I had to ask more than twice for forward I was to bring him down to a walk and start again.

The second exercise had me trot the poles then walk, then canter down the long side, go around the opposite end going into the corner and half-pass across the arena back to the opposite corner on the other end, working on round and forward.

The third exercise was to start a walk pirouette. If Junior slowed in the walk while completing the exercise I was supposed to kick him up to trot still doing the exercise which he would then drop down to walk and take better steps with better body mechanics. Of course at times I got piaffe but mostly he would go up to trot and come back down doing a much better walk pirouette and when he gave it he was let out of the exercise, switch directions, etc.

My last trot through the poles both directions had Junior nicely articulating all his joints, staying round and on the bit and maintaining the bend. He was pooped.

So that's the homework for the next go round. I will be waiting for the fitter to call me but she promised she would have some saddles for me to try in 2 weeks or less even if she has to contact her mother (a well known saddle fitter) in Australia where Welsh Cobs are much more common. If that doesn't work she'll contact her mother's (her) relatives in England, again, a better source.

[Moutaineer]

Monday's ride, happy horse, lovely ride, a couple of lightbulb moments, particularly with my seat at the canter, and actually the trot, with not blocking him and allowing him to really move more expressively underneath me. I think this is where all my out of saddle work is paying off. My leg is longer, and I feel more plugged in. And I am getting so much better at controlling my hands with my back as my upper body gets stronger. Started the week with a smile on my face.

Tuesday's ride, tense horse on the lookout. However, I kept the lid on it, and we had a productive ride. Lots of trot walk trot transitions and listening to my half halts. No opportunity for silly stuff. We got some super trot work by the end of the ride, soft and lofty and expressive. I just need that without quite so much of the boinging.

[blob]

Glad you had a great ride Monday, Mountaineer, even if Tuesday was a bit less amazing at the start. Though sometimes the most rewarding rides are the ones where you don't start out great but get to the good place later.

Helpful to hear those exercises, Exvet, though I might need to think a minute to process how the poles were set up. I need to do more trot poles with RP--he does not have a lot of natural hock articulation (unlike MM) -- just a naturally flatter stride. And when I do poles with him he often really hollows out over them, which kind of defeats the purpose. But it's hard for me to keep him up and over. It's such an interesting comparison to MM who always naturally would lift her back more over the poles.

We've had more rain, sigh. I might have a lesson tomorrow if the arena dries out enough. And then more rain saturday and sunday. So mud city continues. Next weekend I have a clinic with the same clinician I rode with in december and I'm hoping we can spend some time on the changes.

I have stepped away from actively asking for the changes with RP for a minute because he was anticipating so much that our CC was getting wild and and he was getting over-excited. With him, the excitement isn't YEE-haw, fun! it's more anxious and panicked, so it's not something I can use to my benefit really. Instead lately I've just been trying to keep him in CC around the arena, nbd, nbd. But i am definitely in the stage where changes are not confirmed, but CC has also gone out the window.

[Moutaineer]

Ugh. Winter is out in force here today. Discretion was the better part of valor and I've spent the day riding my desk. But, I've got a lot done which will give me more time to be in the barn on nicer days (right? Like that ever works.)

Justin rode him today. I haven't heard any reports back so I guess everyone lived. I'm guessing he's working on the CC too, Blob, as he's just realized that he needs 2 quite good scores at 2.3 if he wants to do the L program next winter. So I've offered him Potters to try for them, if his baby horse isn't up for it. However Potters tends to feel that the CC is rather unnecessary when you can spit out a clean change without a care. It'll be good for them both to sort it out

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Enjoying reading everyone's reports as usual!
Exvet, I sure hope you find a saddle! At least you have a resourceful fitter on your side.

Blob, looking forward to hear about the clinic later on!

Mountaineer- I commiserate on winter, ugh. It's not looking great hear the next few days either.

Well I have had the flu all week. I was so sick I asked my husband to come home on Wednesday. Slightly better now but very tired feeling. I really hope I feel well enough to ride Sunday before the next snow storm comes in.

Feeling frustrated about winter. I guess I just will quietly keep Lynx going and save any real goals until spring!! It's just not working out super productive with so much illness, snow and bitter cold every other week here.

I do have lots of big plans for summer though so I'm excited about that.

[Moutaineer]

It was actually a glorious morning here. After I'd shoveled and blown, I went to the barn really looking forward to riding.

Did some in hand work, all very nice and pliant. Got on and had a really nice forward walk warm up. A nice lwarm-up trot to the left. Picked up a trot to the right... hmm... not so perfect. Not horrible, but not quite right. Sigh.

Tbis time of year is hard on a horse with difficult feet.
The turnouts have been frozen and lumpy for a couple of weeks, and then we had a foot or so of snow overnight so they went out this morning and hooned around like lunatics, so hes probably made himself sore. His legs feel cold and hard. So, we will re-assess on Monday and see how he feels then.

He's a bit overdue for his Osphos shot, so I've booked him in for that. He needs to be off any NSAIDs for a week before so we have to wait to do that. I'm pretty sure that will do the trick.

So it looks like a week of walk work for us next week.

I guess he heard me order new boots yesterday.

[exvet]

Rode yesterday despite the rain. Junior and the boys had been stalled two days due to the rain so he was raring to go. I spent most of the ride just taking advantage of the uber forward I had and working on trying to get then keep him supple. I had accidently left my winderen pad in the trailer which I must park down at the equestrian center. I had decided since I wasn't going to work on FCs or such that I would ride without it, boy, does it sit into his shoulders without that pad. This leads to my question, I found a N2 The Jeremy which has all the correct measurements except it's a size 16. I usually need a 16.5 but I am still able to ride in a stubben rex comfortably (they have always been 15.5 if they're even still made). Has anyone ridden in one? Do you find it true to size? Is it a deep seat feel or roomier for size?

[StraightForward]

Exvet, the only N2 I've ridden in was I think a Cardhu. The seat seemed true to size, but definitely a deep, locked in feel. Have you looked at any Patricks? They make some pretty wide saddles, and have a cob tree. Flying Star in FL sells them, and tends to have some used stock.

Interesting on the Winderen pad. I have the thinner one for my jumping saddle, and have just the cover for a dressage one, with Thinline inside for my dressage saddle. I've been waiting to get the saddle thing sorted out before getting a real one. I'm headed out in a few minutes here to meet the saddle fitter, so I'll see what he thinks on any extra padding. I think the new saddle is juuust wide enough, so I might skip half pads unless I get it widened later.

We are having weather, and the arena is all snowy, wet and lumpy, so no riding for a while. At least the horses were being turned out all week, so T was fairly mellow when I went and visited yesterday afternoon. I might have to hop on and toodle at a walk after the fitting appt just to get my fix.

[exvet]

Exvet, the only N2 I've ridden in was I think a Cardhu. The seat seemed true to size, but definitely a deep, locked in feel. Have you looked at any Patricks? They make some pretty wide saddles, and have a cob tree. Flying Star in FL sells them, and tends to have some used stock.

Interesting on the Winderen pad. I have the thinner one for my jumping saddle, and have just the cover for a dressage one, with Thinline inside for my dressage saddle. I've been waiting to get the saddle thing sorted out before getting a real one. I'm headed out in a few minutes here to meet the saddle fitter, so I'll see what he thinks on any extra padding. I think the new saddle is juuust wide enough, so I might skip half pads unless I get it widened later.

We are having weather, and the arena is all snowy, wet and lumpy, so no riding for a while. At least the horses were being turned out all week, so T was fairly mellow when I went and visited yesterday afternoon. I might have to hop on and toodle at a walk after the fitting appt just to get my fix.

I have not but that's simply because so far I haven't found one with short enough panels. The N2, mostly because it's a 16 inch seat, is short enough and wide enough (5.5) for Junior. The other issue I have with saddle fit at this point is that they need to be flatter in the panels or they'll rock on his back.

[Chisamba]

Training thoughts.

Excellence is in the accomplishment of its purpose.
In art for example anyone can put paint in a brush and smear it in a canvas, but not every stroke accomplished the purpose of making a beautiful painting.

So each aid is like a stroke of a paint brush. Does it accomplish its purpose in a beautiful way.



The more lines you scribble without accomplishing anything, the more you obscure the intent.

Each aid should be clear, accomplish what was intended, and clean.

That's my teaching theme g for the moment because to many riders scribble their aids.

What do you think?

[exvet]

Training thoughts.

Excellence is in the accomplishment of its purpose.
In art for example anyone can put paint in a brush and smear it in a canvas, but not every stroke accomplished the purpose of making a beautiful painting.

So each aid is like a stroke of a paint brush. Does it accomplish its purpose in a beautiful way.



The more lines you scribble without accomplishing anything, the more you obscure the intent.

Each aid should be clear, accomplish what was intended, and clean.

That's my teaching theme g for the moment because to many riders scribble their aids.

What do you think?

I think it's dead on point. I think I'm most aware of this when things start to go awry but then it's often too late so I re-assess and we start all over again from the beginning (trying to be clear, direct but light and to the point) hoping that I get it right and that the horse gives me that fresh canvas.

[StraightForward]

Chisamba, I like that thought!

I have not but that's simply because so far I haven't found one with short enough panels. The N2, mostly because it's a 16 inch seat, is short enough and wide enough (5.5) for Junior. The other issue I have with saddle fit at this point is that they need to be flatter in the panels or they'll rock on his back.

Yes, it looks like 16" is a special order, so probably not common to find. The one I had was sold as an 18", and I always ride in an 18 or 18.5 and never questioned the size. When I went to sell it, I realized it was actually a 17.5, so I think they sit a little generous, maybe due to the pommel design (at least on the Leggero, so it seems like a good seat to panel length ratio for short back situations..

I mentioned to the saddle fitter that I thought my saddle was overstuffed, but he actually added a bit to it in front, and where the flocking was asymmetrical in the middle. It might just be that he didn't want to remove flocking, but it did ride pretty well. I could only slosh around with some walk and trot in the slushy lumpy arena, but Susan watched for a bit and thought T was moving more freely. She definitely is more into stretching FDO. It will be interesting to see if her back muscling changes; if that's the case it will definitely need some deflocking. I should get some baseline pics and tracings to compare.

Warming up here, but with mixed rain and snow off and on, so we will be mucking around at best. Maybe I'll get to use the waterproof quarter sheet I bought in the fall.

[Moutaineer]

Good thoughts, Chisamba. I know I catch myself getting fuzzy and confusing with my aids especially if I let him get behind my leg. But is he behind my leg because I lack clarity? I'll have to ponder that.

[Tanga]

Chisamba--exactly. I have been on this journey more and more. We don't even think of simple aides for walk clearly, so the horses get confused. And it's so easy to just be lazy and let them trot on, or come down to the walk without being precise because you're getting what you want. Between my two getting upset if they don't know exactly what I want and getting the leasor to be able to communicate, I've really been focusing on this. Besides adding the voice cues, I am trying to be even more careful with every single aide and not be confusing, from not getting into that easy aide of leaning forward a bit to go forward to always keeping my seat relaxed in the walk. (I get tense and butt clench too much, which gets jiggy, anticipatory walks.)

My leasor usually rides Quilla, but I had her on Quinn yesterday, and we were going over just this. She was having trouble getting the walk canter without trot steps because Quinn is so intense, when she shifted her weight slightly forward, she trotted into the canter. It wasn't until she relaxed, stayed up, and thought of lifting into the canter instead of thinking (and then going) forward, that the most beautiful transitions came. It's hard to keep that butt relaxed and not anticipate, but when you get the timing right, let her know you will canter, and signal with a slight butt scoop, it's beautiful.

[exvet]

My friend has a used Stubben Genesis that is 16.5. I measured it and it matches the measurements the fitter took; however, it does not fit! I actually love, love, love the saddle. Yes, it's seat is hard and no there is no thigh block and the knee block is practically non-existent. I was so disappointed when it was obvious/clear that the saddle points dug into Junior's withers. I don't think I've sat that well in a saddle in ages (45-50 years ago to be exact when I had my stubben rex and then my stubben siegfried). True close contact feel like I've only come closet in feeling since my Passier. I do have a line on a 'sat in once only Niedersuss' down in the Valley. The owner is supposed to get me pictures and measurements today. The hitch is that I'm not sure if the 16.5 seat will be too long (the seats are truly 16.75 but panels are not gussetted) and the gal won't allow trials - cash or no go. I've owned multiple Niedersuss saddles over the years. They were always what suited Monty the best but he has a ton more real estate than Junior does. I also am working with Hastilow on seeing which of the Ideal dressage saddles might work since it truly is one of the original 'made for Cob' saddles.

[blob]

Exvet, I have an older style Passier that I've been hanging on to for ages because I love it. It is hard seat, old school style, but sounds like something you might like. If you send me measurements I can take a look to see if it seems like it might work. If it does look promising, I'd be happy to sell it to you for cheap, it's probably time I accept that i don't need to hang on it to it if it's not being used and when i'm truly happy in a saddle. It's a 16.5. Not sure what the official tree size is any more but I'm guessing it's roughly a MW. But that's truly just a guess.

[exvet]

Blob I really appreciate the offer; but, unfortunately I sold a Passier GG with a wide tree that I loved because it didn't fit anyone I owned including Junior. I used it for many years on my section C Welsh Cob, Morgan, aka the stinker pony. It also looks like the Niedersuss is going to be too narrow. I'm currently working with Hastilow to see what they can come up with that might work.