Helter Swelter -- July and August Goals and Progress

[exvet]

ExVet, that's way odd. I'd be inclined to tell her to ef off and mind her own business.

Not when you're dealing with a breed that has small numbers. It is much of why I didn't go into Morgans as my family would have preferred many years ago. I got really tired of being told what I thought and what had to be kept under wraps in terms of breeding practices, genetic issues, etc. There's always the self proclaimed experts (yeah I know I have always come off as the Welsh Cob expert) but this has far more to do with control than knowledge of or experience with a breed. In addition to being held in high esteem as a GOD of the breed they also want to control what goes on within the breed and that includes influencing breeding programs, fixing prices, having a finger or thumb in every pie so that they get a cut. I more or less did tell this most recent individual that I was fine on my own and had no intentions of playing ball with her; but, there's more at stake than just my interest in selling this horse into a good home. I don't want the breeder to end up with the backdraft. I have a plan in place for Brandon. It's more or less my template for moving horseflesh. It's worked well for me before and it will likely work for me again. I just needed to vent.

[khall]

Some lovely reports and fun video flight! Norsey is huge!! Big guy handled the course though. Jingles blob for MM

My report is Rip is still lame. Another vet trip to dig into this more but if things aren’t going to be able to turn around I will euthanize him. Living in a stall is not fair and he’s too lame with movement to be humane just turning him out. Other potential issues of course his airway but also his insulin levels. That can be an issue for joint injections. Sigh

Lani has decided she wants to be a jumper at not quite 5 months. She jumped out of the paddock where she and Gaila were turned out. Came home to find her out exploring kicking up her heels around the barn. Anyone need a jumper?

Joplin is still just fun playing in hand. She’s not getting regular turnout with Rip in but she’s keeping her brain just fine. Still not riding just work in hand.

With mom now the brain is affecting the body. For over a week she’s been wheelchair bound though today she was walking some. She’s losing the ability to feed herself more and more. Still able to swallow at this point. Sometimes the understanding is there mostly though it’s not. SOB of a disease that is heartbreaking to watch. Downward spiral for sure.

Heading to Atlanta Saturday to spend the day with DS for his birthday. He will be 24. One more year of his masters.

Not sure what the next month or 2 holds for me. Next Cedar clinic is end of September

Stay cool and happy riding!

[Moutaineer]

I'm sorry Khall. You have a lot on your plate. Enjoy getting away for your son's birthday.

Ugh, Exvet. There are many advantages in being a nobody from nowhere, methinks.

[Tanga]

Khall, I'm sorry. I feel for you with Rip and your mom. Hugs.

[mari]

Mari, I don't remember the exact exercise, but there was an Emile Fauri video I can no longer find, in which he would do medium down centerline out of CC. I think it can be helpful for getting control of the power. You can always bring it back after a few strides and then either do a half circle back to the wall on true lead or CC, depending on how intense you want to make it.

We do it in CC down the long side, it's a brilliant exercise to check for straightness in the shift to collection, and he's okay with that. Happier to come back to a collected canter, pretty adjustable. In true canter he just pisses off and has a massive argument about slowing down. Every now and again he also locks on to the end of the arena like it's a jump. Fun times...

Moutaineer - breaking it up with the circles we do as well. And he will be quite obedient for them. Also, if we do medium for a few strides, back for a few strides and we really work on quick responses, he's lovely. But if we take off at K, and by E we're still going, then all bets are off

[Aleuronx]

Flight I so enjoyed watching your speed round! That just looks like great fun.

khall my heart hurts for you, that is a lot to bear. I wish you peace in whatever decision you make for Rip and dealing with your mom. May Lani be your bright spot, the young babe shenanigans is always good for a smile and laugh.

Exvet, ugh selling does suck all round. It's funny how the peanut gallery comes out of the woodwork in a non-supportive way when all you are trying to do is the best for the horse. Fingers crossed you get that match for Brandon and roll your eyes at the rest.

Mari for medium canter I'd say don't write a check with your seat that your hands can't cash. So if that's a smaller difference then so be it. An exercise we've been doing is actually asking for smaller collected canter at K then going forward and coming back, it's helping us figure out that the long side isn't just for balls to the wall.

We are recovered from a hot, hot show day this weekend that was again successful. Another class win on a 69.55% for our 3rd Level Freestyle. I got multiple audience compliments on the ride and the music which just felt great after feeling like the ride came off well. I was over the moon with Kora, just so workmanlike and focused especially at this place being a new venue for us. This is a single ring show at a very fancy facility, type of show that you have to be awake to put entry in at midnight as it fills within ~6 hours of opening. They use multiple judges to run it long, rides started at 8am and ran until 7pm on the Saturday!

Harder change was late behind but that was the only blip in the ride, canter half-passes each scored a 7.5 and both walks for a 7. Amazing what some musical background does for improving the walk scores, lol.

Here's a little clipped up from first ride of it a few weeks ago that I shared to my page so you can get a feel for the music. That's it for our show season as she's been honestly killer, beyond expectations. We have big kid dreams to train toward now!

https://youtu.be/9p4Jrqr9KHQ?si=r5RdYTo6WPdoOMa4

[mari]

Mari for medium canter I'd say don't write a check with your seat that your hands can't cash. So if that's a smaller difference then so be it. An exercise we've been doing is actually asking for smaller collected canter at K then going forward and coming back, it's helping us figure out that the long side isn't just for balls to the wall.

This is what I'm going to work on this week. Focussing on showing the difference, and not so much just going for it

[blob]

Flight, I'm annoyed on your behalf about the comment made about Ding. 16 is an age with plenty left in. I haven't seen him in pics or videos as recently as Norsey, of course, but I bet other than his woolies, he's looking fabulous. Norsey, I can comfirm, does look fabulous. And look at those changes! I remember when he was leaping around with you getting late behind, now they look so effortless and clean.

Exvet, selling and buying horses is really such a mess sometimes. i'm glad at least one half of that equation (buying) seems to have worked out nicely and without too much stress/drama for you.

Aleu, so great to see the clip and the music. You guys look fabulous. I'd love to do a freestyle one day sooner than later with RP. But we don't have a regulation dressage arena at my barn so I think practicing and getting one set up might be logistically a bit more challenging. Maybe at 2nd level.

Khall, sending jingles your way. Please keep us posted on how Rip is doing. So sorry you are dealing with so much right now.

We are still sorting things out with MM. Her round of prednisalone was not a success. It seemed to make 0 difference, maybe even made things worse. So, we've switched her to dex. But the vet is very nervous about her being on dex given laminitis risk. She had 3 days of 20 mg, and now we will try her at 10mg and see how she does. We are also looking into inhaled albuterol. So, let's see. It's bad timing because i leave for a trip to Yellowstone/Grand tetons next Thursday and am gone for 10 days. I anticipate patchy service, so i hope she is ok.

[StraightForward]

Great job again on the freestyle, Aleuronx!

Blob, jingles for MM. Hopefully things will get easier going into fall?

Not a lot of riding going on here due to wildfire smoke. I got a Dresch saddle on trial, and it was wider than I expected, and not quiiite right in the flap/block for me. The kind of thing I could make work if I needed to, but I don't need to, so back it goes. T is happy though, lounging around in the shady part of the pasture all day, and then reigning as queen of the stable the rest of the time. Yesterday since it was too smoky for actual work, we ventured down the nice quiet road to the dead end and back. Probably a bout 1/3 of a mile each way. It's nice that it's pretty much all horse properties, so the few drivers we might encounter know how to behave themselves.

[Flight]

Looking so good Aleuronx! The music sounds great, well done!

Thanks Blob, I"m sure in Spring, Ding will look better again. I have been busy at work and they are all looking a bit rough. Norsey had dreadlocks in his mane...
That's tough with MM especially when you are going to Yellowstone etc. I loved Yellowstone and we only did a drive through the Grand Tetons but it was very cool. I hope you get to have a good trip.
Sorry to hear about Rip, Khall. And your mum.

Mari, I tend to have the opposite problem.. getting them to go into an extended canter!

[Moutaineer]

Mari, our extended canter is still very much a work in progress as Potters tends to get a little above himself and starts looking for something spook-worthy, which rather impacts our straightness... we either get surprisingly good scores or awful scores for it. I guess at least it's not "meh" any longer.

(Years ago, Laddie got a bit away from me in the extended canter and the judge's comment was something like "while we are happy to see an extension, we would rather you didn't end up in the judge's box with us!")

I've had a really fun week of riding. We've stepped it up a bit and after a solid warm-up, spent yesterday's lesson working on the PSG trot work--shoulder in, 8-meter circle, half pass, extended trot. After one spectacular spook at the thought of harder work that left me momentarily hanging in the air, Potters got over it and said " Yay! This is what we are doing! Here, hold my beer! I got this!" and we had a really good time with it.

I thought he'd be tired today after all that, but he came out raring to go, warmed up really nicely and was focused and ready to go, so today was a canter work day. Three changes placed on the diagonal line. First of all, this really tested our forwardness and collection. Then, if I'm not perfectly positioned and staying still and centered after the second change, he anticipates, so it's actually a very good exercise in body awareness for me, and a good lesson in waiting for me for him, the little overachiever!

And Flight, Potters is 16 now and looking better than ever--someone said to me today that he looks like an 8-year-old (and he had his brains between his ears and all four feet on the ground at the time...) So no, Ding is not old.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Khall-, jingles for Rip and your mom. That's all tough.

Mari, that's a bit of a rude comment for someone to say and that's NOT too old for a horse at all. I'm sure he will look wonderful when the weather changes.

Blob, I hope MM does okay with the medicine changes. And fingers crossed she will be okay while you are gone.

Mountaineer, love hearing how much fun you are having with Potters.

Well I rode Lynx in my dressage saddle one last time. My trainer wanted to go back to baseline after the weirdness of the jump saddle (Even though we think he had to pee.) He was a bit fussy on the lunge but it was 60 degrees after a 100 degrees for a week. So maybe just feeling his oats. But under saddle he was fine. Maybe a bit behind the leg but nothing like the full tantrum ride last time.

I'm sending my dressage saddle to the fitter to get it checked out so I hope he will get on with my jump saddle for a bit. Otherwise it's ground work for a month before the saddle fitter can come back out. Fingers crossed.

[Chisamba]

So I managed to do my 2 competitions,

Well done

I"m struggling with the 2 horses losing condition. I'm not used to having to feed much to my horses, the tend to be butterballs. The grass here has died down over winter and while the friesians will eat anything, Norsey wont. So I'm playing catch up big

Had someone tell me that Ding is looking old. He looks rough in winter because he's hairy and due to work I haven't clipped or rugged much. But he has lost his topline. Then I realised that he's rising 15. So, while not 'old' he's no spring chicken anymore. I'm thinking I should start him on some pentosan or something like that.

Friesians get old young. Their average life span is 15 to 20, whereas most other breeds average 25 to 30. So maybe Ding needs a little support. If you ate looking fit suggestions,
give my slender horses soaked alfalfa* lucerne pellets . It's a really good boost.

[Flight]

I didn't realise that, Chisamba. Thanks. So he might be an old boy!

[exvet]

khall I hope this weeks provides you with good news all the way around.

Blob, I too hope that MM's condition improves on the new meds and wish you a fun filled vacay. I had the stinker pony (aka Morgan) on tapering doses of Dex on and off while he battled the worst of his allergies. FWIW he never foundered and it did help a lot.

Well I had a couple of sisters fly in from California to assess Brandon's suitability for one's twin 10 year olds and 8 year old girls (mother of 3). I had spoken to them for 1.5 hours on the phone prior to that on Friday and was honest in stating that Brandon was a true Morgan, more go than whoa but would not take off and had a good stop even when riding bitless. I also told them that I thought he'd be the perfect horse for the right Junior rider but that I had never had a timid rider on him nor a fearful rider on him; so, in short, it would depend on the kid and still I really wouldn't know if he'd be the right match for them. They ended the conversation saying that they were booking their flights. I have to say that when they came and throughout their 3 hours with him I was so very proud and happy with how he went. They did not bring any of the kids which was probably wise. The sister 'Mom' was wound tighter than a drum. I didn't ride Brandon that morning and left all the horses in turnout so that the sisters could see Brandon and his pasture manners, how he is to catch, etc. They of course arrived Saturday night at 4:30 pm. Horses usually get brought in and fed at 5 pm. We went out to catch Brandon. He was asleep and easy to approach, catch and halter. Immediately this gal started putting her hands all over him. He was very much into that. She then purposefully starts goosing him. The first thing he did when she slapped him between his hind legs was step over, not in a jumpy way but in response to a cue because he was NOT sure what he had done wrong while she was standing and scratching him. He then stood stone still while she proceeded. He did like the Morgan he is and kept creeping towards her for more every time she stopped. Immediately she described her two 10 year olds as teeny tiny and that she wasn't sure if he was 'dead' enough for them who like kids are frequently making beginner mistakes. I reminded them that I NEVER gave any indication that he was dead but that he definitely is broke and level headed in every situation I've had him in. So I let the sister "mom' lead him back to the barn and proceed to do whatever she thought would spook him. His two pasture buddies (Junior and Ace were brought into their stalls because it was feeding time) also were brought in. They already had hay in their stalls so I didn't give them their evening portion of ration balancer (figured that could wait for later) and had them take Brandon away. He went willingly without hesitation; after all, he prefers humans. I asked if they wanted to see Brandon lunged first. They said, 'yes.' Brandon had not been lunged since March or so. He was a bit keyed up since his buddies were in their stalls and the sister 'mom' was clearly giving off high tension vibes. He also wasn't sure why we were heading out back of my house. I started to lung him and he proceeded to trot and then quickly opted to canter but never tried to take off or take over and came down to trot and walk when I asked. The sister 'mom' just kept saying, "Oh he's so spicy." I corrected her and said, "No, he's so Morgan." I then learned that the Morgan that they had as kids (reason why they were so interested in him), was a Morgan mare who was 'perfect' and who they were trying to recreate for the kids. After getting more information on her breeding I surmised that she probably was a mare in her mid-teens when they acquired her and this was the heart-horse of their childhood so NOT Morgan people at all. I then tacked Brandon up in his bosal and western saddle. These gals proceed to tell me that they did western and hunter/jumper/trail and that the twins had a welsh x QH pony that was very dead to the leg causing both girls a lot of frustration. Mom was frustrated with the pony because she seemed to always be in season. So I pointed [as I had on the phone] out that Brandon is light off the leg but doesn't bolt or take off and obviously a gelding so no drama. I had them follow me in their rental car for the mile we must traverse down the road to the equestrian center. Again everyone's horses were in for dinner including my other two and Brandon went willingly including past a party with 30 cars parked along the road, not calling out, spooking or jigging. He just walked along, looking around for the horses that weren't turned out (many of my neighbors' have horses and keep them out during the day) while their rental car was right behind us. Sister 'mom' stated that she wasn't sure she liked how he was looking around. Keep in mind he was in a bosal with a very loose rein and mecate swinging the whole time, politely walking without tension and never needing to be steered or corrected. Once in the dressage arena I rode him for them first and asked if either of them wanted to get on. Sister 'mom' said yes but it would have to be an English saddle. I informed her that all I had was a dressage saddle; so, I changed tack in the middle of the parking lot with their hatch back opening and closing in Brandon's face as I switched tack around (they grabbed my dressage tack and had thrown it into their vehicle before following me down). Brandon was basically free to leave if he wanted while this was going on and he took it all in stride standing patiently. I then crawled back on (mounting from the ground so they could see he is good to mount from the mounting block or the ground) with the bitted bridle and showed them how good he was in the bit too just explaining how it was clear that he prefers to go without. The sister 'mom' got on and rode him. She was smiling as she rode him in our covered arena cantering along at a decent clip but not wildly or out of control. She was a decent rider despite being very tense and gripping him the whole time. He trotted when she asked and correctly halted, etc. She gets off of him and said that he's cute, obedient and they'll think about it. While her sister and I watched I told the sister that I felt Brandon has more go than her nieces could comfortably handle from what I was hearing. After sister-mom dismounted I explained to both sisters that it sounded like the 3 little girls needed perhaps a taller pony than what they currently have but definitely a shorter (than Brandon) been there done that type and recommended a teenaged quarter horse that I knew for sale that was kid tested. You would have thought I suggested that the pair eat these children with the response I got from sister-mom. OK so I also mentioned lunge lessons might be needed as well. Needless to say they left and flew out the next morning without coming back to see Brandon a second time. I got a text much later on Sunday stating that Brandon was not a good fit, Phew............I had already decided that and wasn't even up for hearing a bunch of crap from them to have to deal with. Prior to them arriving, I had already had a gal ask if she could have a PPE done on him before coming to see him because of issues of health with the last 3 prospects she'd seen. She's a trainer from Oklahoma and a Morgan person. I said yes, and this afternoon I'm taking Brandon to a clinic for a PPE. Hopefully all with go well or at least better than the two from California.

So Sunday morning, knowing that I wasn't going to sell Brandon to the sisters, I took Junior and Brandon to my lessons. Both boys did absolutely fantastic. Junior's canter, passage and changes are all improving. Brandon worked classical dressage (with his high ported mylar) and did very well as we did all the movements for second level. I've already decided that if this gal (today's PPE person) isn't interested in Brandon after the PPE, I'm going to take (soon to be 4) horses to the Valley and put the flying changes on Brandon and start jumping him and up his price. Coming back for the equestrian center Saturday evening (again he did so politely even though it was 8 o'clock and dark) we had the need to jump a ditch (long story) and he did so willingly and effortlessly. I do believe I may be able to add another skill or two to his tool box.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Exvet, UGH!!! Sometimes I think people just hear what they want to hear on the phone instead of what people say!! Good boy Brandon for dealing with that.

I rode Lynx in the jump saddle today because I was took my dressage saddle to the fitter to be evaluated. He was just fine today besides being a bit fussy about the flies. But I felt like his gaits just improved over the ride so no problems there today. So I do think his tantrum the other week in the saddle was just about having to pee really bad lol.

They said the tree on my dressage saddle looked fine but the panels were very uneven. So they even them out and we will evaluate on the 13th in person/under saddle.

What a project this horse is lol! And he's just good enough of a boy that I keep going at a snail's pace!

[khall]

Exvet wow. Good for Brandon keeping his cool. Selling horses is a PIA! Cross my fingers this next interested party works out and ppe is good.

Lsp glad L seems to be ok! Horses can definitely be a puzzle.

Blob jingles for mm! Have a good vacation too!!

As for me we are doubtful that mom will last to the end of the month. Probably not even to the end of the week. She’s so tired. Her mind body connection is just so broken and it’s taken its toll. It’s an emotional time but one I’m glad to be able to be here for her keeping her here at home being cared for by loving people. I’m one of those who wants to understand what we are facing and what to expect. I have no fear of her dying. It’s part of life. I just want a peaceful and pain free passing.

Because of being here for mom will probably have to reschedule Rip’s lameness exam. It’s a 2 1/2 hour haul one way. Don’t need to be gone all day right now. That’s ok he’s handling being stalled just fine. Will deal with him later.

I am working Joplin in hand a bit. She’s always a good girl and fun.

DH and I did take a day trip to go visit DS in Atlanta for his 24 th. Got to tour the competition shop where Ga Tech’s different vehicle competition teams operate out of. DS is on their EV Indy car team. They placed 4 th in June in their big international competition in MI. Would have been 1 st but got penalized for some weird transgression. DS is such a competitor. Loves that tech stuff. He’s finishing up his last week of internship hoping to get an offer from the dod company for when he graduates next year with his masters in software engineering. Very proud of DS

Stay cool all who are dealing with summer heat humidity and happy riding

[exvet]

I hesitate and don't want to get too excited but Brandon passed the PPE. It looks like we're moving forward with the sale and Brandon will eventually be landing in Oklahoma. At least it's an area with far more Morgan shows than what I have access to and this gal want's to do baby novice/novice eventing which I think he can handle well. Keeping fingers crossed!

[Anne]

Crossing fingers exvet!!

Really enjoying everbody's updates, but pretty much nothing to report from here, winter, work, and general life stuff mean I haven't ridden much.

[blob]

Ugh, Exvet, that sounds like a really unpleasant viewing. Glad Brandon handled it well and has potentially a much better fit of a home lined up!

So sorry to hear about your mom, khall. I can only imagine how hard this has all been. I hope you are able to enjoy DS's competition.

MM is doing much better on the dex. She's at 8mg a day and I'd like to keep her there while i'm out of town and then play with tapering down further/tapering off once I'm back. The vet comes tomorrow so we'll see what she says. Mine are due for vaccines, but I'll need to talk to her if it's safe for MM to get her vaccines while on steriods. My understanding is that it's fine for vaccines that aren't live, but should be avoided with live vaccines. For her that would only be strangles, I believe. She has no plans to leave the property, so I could wait to do her strangles in true fall, when she's hopefully off her dex. RP will need his full set now, as regionals is in September.

[StraightForward]

Khalil, jingles for getting through this tough time. Glad you can be there for your mom.

Exvet, fingers crossed on finalizing the sale. I'm sure the buyer will feel lucky to get him, with the solid foundation you've put on him!

Blob, fingers also crossed that MM continues to respond well to the dex and can taper off in the fall.

We had good lessons yesterday and today. T is really starting to have a good turbo boost button. Yesterday we were asked for some medium in the trot HP, and she really started to produce some power. We used the turbo button again this morning doing some CC and really trying to get her to stretch and come through. If we can harness that, we should have the needed jump for the FCs. We finished up with some transitions in HI, and then a medium that started out good enough, but were told "more" and she really gave more and demonstrated why I'm looking for a saddle with more of a seatbelt to help me stay locked in. I was really pleased with a lot of what I saw on the video. She is starting to learn to bounce up off the ground and having more moments of looking like a 3rd level horse.

The sarcoid on her chest has developed a significant round part, but I put her fly sheet on (which luckily doesn't rub it) and it seemed a little less swollen up today, so I'm hoping keeping the flies off will help. Regardless, I'm not going to bother trying to show, and still plan to have it removed September 10th. Hopefully two more rounds of Torigen will give the immunity response she needs. There is one more schooling show in October, so at least we should be able to get out and rack up a little more experience before next season.

[Moutaineer]

Khall, thinking of you.

It's hot and humid and buggy, huge afternoon and evening thunderstorms. A rock next to the trailer parking area at the barn was hit by lightning yesterday and split open. Just as well it was the rock not the nice new LQ 4 horse trailer parked next to it. Be a shame if it was fried before it's ever been driven off the property.

I've had a couple of good lessons the last 2 days. We had a surprising amount of oomph bearing in mind the weather. Worked on the canter half pass for a bit today. The trick for us is to prevent the flying lead change when you go straight at the end of it. I really have to sit on my outside seatbone and keep my legs correctly positioned without freezing into a lump of lead--this is a recurring challenge for me, it would seem!

Fingers crossed for things to go smoothly from now on, Exvet. It's hard enough to have to part with a horse you like without people making it more difficult.

Best wishes to MM. Thank Heavens for pharmaceuticals.

[exvet]

Brandon is officially sold and will soon be off to Norman, OK. His future is low level dressage and eventing (other escapades are not ruled out

Thanks for all the support y'all.

SF - keeping the flies off the sarcoid will not only help the lesion but decrease the chance of spread.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

SF- fingers crossed on the sarcoid front!!
Mountaineer, that's crazy and scary about the lightning hitting the rock!! A horse locally to hear actually got hit by lightning under a shelter and died a few years back... Scary.

Exvet, congratulations on the sale! I hope Brandon has a wonderful life in his new partnership. But I can't wait to hear about your next adventure.

I'm going to post a topic that I would love All of your opinions on if anybody wants to check it out later. I just don't want to clog up the thread here

[Moutaineer]

Yipee Skippy. I just picked up a ride in a clinic with Mette on Sunday. We didn't sign up originally because we had planned to be in Estes Park showing this weekend. And of course by the time that plan came apart the clinic was full.

I'd rather ride both days, but I'll take just the one. It will be good to get a different perspective, and Potters and I will both benefit from a day out.

[Chisamba]

I didn't realise that, Chisamba. Thanks. So he might be an old boy!

One of my clients was very involved in Fresians and bloodlines. She rode a Fresian stallion . I was always surprised by her intense focus on his health and she told me that all the horses in his line has died by 18 years old. I thought she was perhaps over concerned, but it turns out they are not noted for longevity. Maybe crosses have more hybrid vigor.

[exvet]

Welp, since Brandon is sold and scheduled to head to his new home and new owner later this week, Junior is going to have to suck it up and show at the western dressage show next weekend. I had entered Brandon in it thinking it would just add to his show record and make him more appealing to the western dressage crowd. Of course the closing date came and went before the money for Brandon so the big stinker pony is going to have to don the western gear and look pretty while we jog and lope through the level 1 and level 2 tests I entered. I think it will give a good opportunity to work on relaxation and staying supple in a show atmosphere with little to no pressure. We shall see if the broom stick he usually swallows disappears I practiced the tests this morning. It will be interesting to see if the western dressage judge marks us down for over exuberant trot and canter lengthenings LOL.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Exvet, sounds like a fun experiment actually lol! Not sure if Junior will agree or not!

[Moutaineer]

That should be interesting, exvet!

Pouring with rain, howling wind and the power is out here. So much for my busy afternoon.

[mari]

We had a first attempt at Third (test 1). It was very workmanlike, and we ended with a score of 61.3. The canter work was better than the trot work. The walk work was great, but he had a jog step at the end of the extended walk which dinged us badly.

We can do a pretty halt, but the decorum and submission goes completely out the door when I drop my hand to salute. In all the years, I've never been able to train this
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZzPPzx2zYMqgHiTV6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/25EkbojPymib4eJH6

[StraightForward]

Congrats on moving up to 3rd Mari!

I slept in a bit this morning, so T was fairly pissed when the other horses were getting turned out and she had to stay in and work. So today was a session of maintaining my zen and just trying to tactfully work through the tension and get her forward when she was wanting to get stuck and have a tantrum. She almost took out one of the arena fence posts with her butt. Good times. I did eventually get some nice forward canter on the contact and called it a day. Tomorrow we'll jump in the morning. It's looking like the weather will cool off after that, so I can go back to riding after work. So yay, I am not much of a morning person.

The sarcoid seems to be fairly stable, so I think we'll be OK to wait a few weeks on that. Now that you mention it Exvet, the bulbous part appearing did coincide with the flies getting bad this summer. I got some belly balm stuff to dress it with, and she's staying in her fly sheet now that it's not soooo hot.

[Moutaineer]

A solid and useful ride with Mette this morning at the crack of dawn...

Her big thing for me today was "OK, now you have all the pieces and parts, you need to get your aids and reactions quick enough to be able to string them all together in a cohesive and harmonious fashion."

So that's our homework.

Perfect Potters was, as always, perfect (if we discount
that he was focusing so hard at one point that he completely missed another horse coming through the gate into the ring and then just stopped dead in ears-up astonishment, from the canter, when it apparently materialized out of thin air in front of him.) But there's a million good things to be said about a horse who cheerfully self loads and is just an all around good egg to deal with on the ground, aa well as being a little worker bee under saddle.

[Tanga]

Mari--you get extra points from me for the spots. I'm with you on the halt. Argh. I train and train and train, and everything is great at home, and I can't tell you how many times we piaffe in the first halt. The last one is usually good, but Quilla likes to turn her head back and look at you if she thinks it's taking too long.

I have not been riding. I can't. I have been crashing for about a month now, hardly able to do anything requiring muscles. Literally, picking up more than 10 lbs is too much. I finally had a blood test that tested ferritin, the store of iron in your body, and figured out I'm massively deficient (and probably have been for decades.) I got an iron infusion two weeks ago and it is not helping yet. I found a great group that explains it all, and so I am maxxing out iron supplements daily and hoping I can walk downstairs and back up and not be breathing hard in a few more weeks. From the experiences I read, it could take a good year to get to optimum instead of "normal" where I have been at the bottom of for who knows how long. I went to the barn today, but I can't walk to and from the pasture and the barn, so I hop on a horse. I was able to lunge them some. But I'm paying for it. I feel shaky and like I'm a little muscle sore all over. I'm hoping I can get back to my normal in a month (remember after champs last year I could not do nothing for a month) and then work on getting my reserves up to optimum so this doesn't keep happening. If you don't get your ferritin checked on your blood tests, demand it. It's nuts most doctors aren't trained in this and don't know what to do.

This is why I am spending a lot of time sitting and writing things up, because it's about all I can do sometimes.

[mari]

Oh wow Tanga, jingles for you that you can find some sort of normalcy soon. That must be very difficult to deal with, especially if you're used to being active and outside.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Tanga I'm so sorry. My daughter tests low in Iron and Vitamin D and we got her tested because she could be unusually tired acting. But I suspect she's not quite as low as you. We have been supplementing her for about a year and last check her levels were better. Fingers crossed for you.

I struggle with fatigue myself (sometimes it feels unsafe to drive even!) I was tested years back but maybe I should get retested and see if they even were looking at the right things.

Thinking of you. I know this has to be so hard on you especially since you are used to doing so much.

[Tanga]

Thank you. I am super lucky in that I have the ability to be able to do nothing. I just wanted to share so if you feel it, test it. Everyone should get yearly blood tests just as a baseline. Make sure your ferritin is tested as well as D, and I'm still trying to figure out the B's. If we all had this as a norm and just supplemented, so much could be different. Lipsmacker--get it tested! I was starting to feel unsafe driving, too, I was getting so tired. I think we just run on low for so long, but maybe when we hit menopause (don't know how old you are) our bodies don't have reserves to fight anymore. If you want to learn, by far and away the best resource is The Iron Protocol on Facebook. Read the guides. Tons of information all linked to scientific data, and the posts of so many, mostly women, going through the same thing.

I slept 11 hours last night because I overdid it at the barn yesterday.

[Aleuronx]

Well done Mari on a very respectable score! I giggled at your halt photos, time to practice some one handed riding?

Jingles that Brandon has safe travels exvet. Will be exciting to see the new one's journey.

So sorry Tanga. My mom has had multiple iron infusions post-chemotherapy to try and fix her levels. Have a feeling you might need more than one and done to get levels right. I can only imagine how frustrating not to be able to ride.

Moutaineer I hear you on the good egg lil' worker bees, it's so fun when they turn up to work with a smile. Also just a small thing of homework to string it all together in a harmonious fashion, lol. That's the sticking point of it all! Keeping it, not losing it between movements or between half-halts etc.

I will try to keep myself contained from shouting from the mountain tops but Kora has been nothing but fantastic. We had a double lesson this past weekend, bringing in 3 changes down the long side on the quarter line and rode our first real working pirouette. Those hind legs are engaging and working hard. Not gonna lie I wish I had the chedda to spring down to Florida for training this winter. We are at a point where the cost would equal the benefit. Alas, I think we will have to put in the homework here. She's just so much fun right now, worth the struggle that's for sure.

[khall]

Tanga jingles you get your health sorted soon.

Aleuronx so happy for you!

Mountaineer awesome on your clinic! It is fun to have a good egg to have as a partner

Chisamba how’s your new girl? Such a pretty mare.

Blob have a great vacation!

Mari congratulations! Love the pics:)

Me I’ve not ridden or even worked in hand at all. Mom is still hanging on or at least her body is. She’s not been aware for several days now. I’m so tired emotionally and physically. My family feels like we are unable to move forward until mom finds her release.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Tanga, I will see about getting checked out again because definitely makes life hard! I'm only in my 30s so I would like to get this sorted out now for sure.

I hope you feel better. That's so tough.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Khall- thinking of you. That's hard time in between to be in. As I've mentioned before I helped care for my grandmother that had dementia. It was not for the faint of heart.

You and your family are in my thoughts.

[Moutaineer]

(((Khall)))

[Tanga]

Hugs, khall.

[exvet]

I'm so sorry khall. It's no easy task seeing a love one through such a horrible disease. So many of us are directly affected by this. I wish you strength and hopefully peace soon for your whole family.

[StraightForward]

Tanga, I hope you're feeling better soon. That has to be really frustrating!

Khall, sorry for the hard time your family is going through.

Aleuronx, so happy for all the success you're having with Kora. You've certainly put in the work!

Tesla has been pretty darn good too. We jumped Monday morning, and 2'9" is quite comfortable and she's coming into the jumps on a nice stride where I can just add a bit of leg two strides out and she'll take a light half halt too. Tonight I was asking her to maintain the bend in the T/C transitions, and stretch a little more in the canter, including through some counter canter. Her canter *felt* really pure and nice, even though it wasn't powered up. I'll have to get the SoloShot fired up this weekend and see how it looks. Of course I'll be riding with Leslie the next weekend and I know she'll give me the unvarnished truth.

Yesterday I picked up three Lovatt & Rickett's saddles to try out. My butt is quite happy in the 18.5" Ellipse model, so I think I'm going to bite the bullet and order one with a customized flap. I have noticed in all of my trolling of the internet for every used saddle, the L&Rs are rare to come by, so I'm seeing that as a sign that people tend to hang on to them for a long time. I am excited to get something made exactly how I want it, and they're more reasonably priced than many of the other brands out there.

[Chisamba]

Khall, one of my clients mother is going through a lot of aging mental issues, with eloping, hoarding Strang things ( like wads and wads of toilet paper), aggression, anxiety, and now organ failure. She is constantly exhausted. I do not know exactly how stressful or exhausting it is for you, but sending hugs, jingles and all the kind thoughts. Horses are supposed to be your time of relaxation and distraction . Remind them !!

Mari, and anyone with aging horses, Kea hit her best stride at 21. I feel like Kimba and Saiph are in their prime at early teens. Right now I have a few young young horses in training and it helps me appreciate the the horses with mature minds and musclulature. I have 2 KWPN the years old totilas grandkids in training for sale. I was hacking Rex around the barn and a tarp flapped in the wind and were going 180 degrees at speed in an instant. Now Saiph is a spook queen but she cannot zip around and depart at quite the same speed and fervor!!. But dang he is going to be a super horse if any of you have friends looking.

Rachelle is the more petite mare I mentioned to you, exvet. Also available if anyone is looking.

My own horses are coming along. I mentioned that I stepped way back to improve the connection with Saiph and I'm seeing the dividends of that now.

Fly is just finally getting to where I can almost canter reliably instead of picking up a dramatic super speedy " road trot". I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with him and his huge ears, but he is very dear.

The backpefalling to esophagus better contact worth Saiph has fueled a similar quest with Kimba resulting in better quality gains. I have realized that neither of my mates are built to be poll highest point perfect. They totally prefer a slightly lower neck and head posture, and I choose to pay attention to them, the horses, rather than the crowd who scream rollkur any time a horse relaxes is poll below the crest. ,( Or in other words in so over PHP high necked French light or any of those buzz words. ) not looking for a fight. Just expressing my own growth through that phase .

I've been thinking about the pressure and release of training , and have decided that falsely created pressure using clicker and food then depriving then of the reward until they do what you want might similar to the tobacco companies addicting people to cigarettes too sell their product. We all use pressure and release to train, I guess we all have to progress and evolve to where we decide what issue and what release is most effective least abusive. And by goodness the range is huge. From the people who slap a saddle and bridle and get on a horse who had never been handled and " ride out the buck" all they way to the opposite end of the spectrum to where Peta advocates who believe that killing animals is better then allowing people to have pets.

I admit that things I used to think were perfectly okay, I know can be done better now. Do we all feel that way?

Anyway, here is some video of the Gaudi daughter I'm training to sell for her breeder. First ride. So don't expect anything.

It's the in the morning super quiet at work and you are the victims of my thinking. Lol

[Chisamba]

https://youtube.com/shorts/q4y72_KyR4s? ... deW5n6WDsw

[mari]

https://youtube.com/shorts/q4y72_KyR4s?si=aKBteadeW5n6WDsw

What a lovely panther walk!

[exvet]

Chisamba she's lovely! Fortunately or not, she's way too tall for me and as stated before despite how much I adored my mares, no more females.......kind of like that tobacco addiction thing for me LOL. She'll definitely make someone a successful partner.

Brandon loaded onto the Brookledge semi last night without a hitch. It was truly bittersweet and the decision to let him go was not an easy one as I was reminded last night. He was so content waiting for the semi in the middle of the dark as I just kept talking to him and scratching him, a true Morgan. He's off on his new adventure with his new owner. I sincerely hope she develops a strong bond with him and is able to make him the center of her equine world because that is what he deserves. I'm happy to know that she's head-over-heels excited as is her trainer. Being in a program with a one horse owner will benefit Brandon.

It was a doubly bittersweet good bye because as I was getting all his paperwork ready to ship, I started opening our mail. Evidently Brandon helped me earn a USDF Master's Challenge Award for first level. I already knew we had made USDF All-Breeds (for Morgans of course) but I had forgotten all about the Master's Challenge. I'm sure he has many more accomplishments ahead with his new owner. Safe travels buddy.

[Moutaineer]

First ride, Chisamba!! Wow. Nice.

Exvet. Bon voyage to Brandon.

In my opinion, for what that's worth, there is no "one size fits all" for horses (or people) when it comes to training, posture, etc. Trying to force them into what is our current view of "correct" when they are not built for it physically or mentally is not productive or conducive to long term soundness or happiness.

And the view of what's "correct" seems to change according to the fad du jour, it seems.

[StraightForward]

In my opinion, for what that's worth, there is no "one size fits all" for horses (or people) when it comes to training, posture, etc. Trying to force them into what is our current view of "correct" when they are not built for it physically or mentally is not productive or conducive to long term soundness or happiness.

And the view of what's "correct" seems to change according to the fad du jour, it seems.

Yep. We all know about T's canter issues and tension in her back. Since her hock injections I've been trying to get the right lead back. I really have to get her poll down so that she'll let go in her back. If the poll comes up, she tenses her back and starts swapping her hind leads. Maybe someday we'll be able to ride that poll high, but it's not part of our process right now. The social media posts are mostly well intended, but I'm so over it. Of course I'm also an abuser because I put T back in an ergonomic drop noseband because she was popping her tongue over the bit. Her highly abusive soft rubber bit.

Pretty horse Chisamba, I'm sure she'll make someone a very happy owner.